MIDDLE SMITHFIELD — Middle Smithfield Township supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to rezone part of the township-owned Country Club of the Poconos Municipal Golf Course.The 320.53-acre property, east of Tom X Road and formerly part of a planned residential development, is now zoned for C-2 commercial use. That designation gives a potential buyer the option to build on the undeveloped land.“Six years ago, the Board of Supervisors said that at some point the [...]
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الجمعة، 16 مارس 2018
Pa. lawmakers host business mixer
Designed to encourage minority, women and disadvantaged business owners
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Love Your School? Write About it to Enter This Scholarship Competition
I mean, with textbooks costing upward of $200 apiece in some cases, even a single semester can hurl some students into a pretty significant amount of student loan debt.
And no matter how diligently you fill out your FAFSA (no seriously, fill it out), and whether or not your parents were able to sock away enough in a 529 plan, a little extra wiggle room in your budget can mean the difference between ramen and boxed mac ’n’ cheese this week. (Yeah, we’re talking the big leagues. With the fake, fluorescent cheese-like sauce.)
So in the name of boxed mac ’n’ cheese, we strive to present you with every promising scholarship opportunity we come across — no matter how small — because we know that every dollar counts when you’re majorly stressed about paying for school.
And $250? Well that could buy an entire textbook (or two, if you can buy used).
The International College Counselors Scholarship Essay Contest
Here’s how to enter to win $250 from the International College Counselors scholarship essay contest.
Scholarship amount: $250
Number of scholarships awarded: Two, one from Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County, and one from anywhere in the world.
To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must:
- Be a high school or homeschool student currently in grades 9 through 11
To apply, applicants must:
- Write a 500-word (or fewer) essay on the following topic: Brag about your high school or homeschool experience. What do you like best about it?
- Fill out an Official Student Registration Form
- Submit your application and essay via mail (details can be found here)
Scholarship deadline: All entries must be postmarked by March 30, 2018.
Winners will be notified the week of May 1, 2018.
You can read the rest of the official rules and guidelines here.
If you’re looking for even more scholarships to apply for, be sure to check out our list of 100 scholarships that will help you pay for college.
Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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26 Practical Ways to Put Your Skills to Use and Make Extra Money in 2018
Whether you want to be more aggressive about paying off student loans, dig yourself out of credit card debt, or save toward a down payment or vacation, making extra money on the side is a smart strategy for working toward your goals.
While you could simply get a part-time job, let’s focus on entrepreneurial ventures — side jobs where you control your time and rates. Instead of working the shifts you’re given for a set wage, you’ll be your own boss, deciding what you do, when you do it and how much you make.
Whether you’re thinking of starting a side business that could eventually become your full-time job or you just want to earn a little extra cash online on the weekends, I’ve got you covered. How will you earn more money this year?
Freelance With Your Skills
Use the skills you’ve already developed — maybe even those you use at a full-time job — to earn extra cash on the side.
While you’ll want to make sure you’re not competing with your employer (you can’t poach your company’s clients; read your contract to make sure you haven’t signed a non-compete agreement), you could earn a significant amount of money by working directly with clients.
You can start a freelance business with a huge variety of skills. I’ve outlined quite a few below, but there are definitely more options!
1. Write
If you’re great at crafting engaging blog posts or convincing copy, it’s time to put your writing skills to work. To build up experience, you may want to begin with content sites (though be warned, the pay can be extremely low) or start a blog of your own.
Got a few clips under your belt? Fantastic — it’s time to start pitching to paying writing outlets.
Research your target sites well before pitching their editors, and — we can’t emphasize this enough — read the guidelines.
If the site wants you to pitch ideas, email the editor with a few ideas. If the guidelines ask for a draft, write a draft. If they want you to include a secret phrase in your email’s subject line, include the phrase. (I’m not making this up — many sites use this trick to screen out writers who don’t read the guidelines. No secret phrase means your email goes straight to the trash.)
How much can you make?
Three cents a word for content sites, $50 and up for guest posts on paying sites. Some blogs might even offer a bonus if your post performs particularly well.
2. Do Graphic or Web Design Work
Do you always know which colors complement one another best?
Can you put together an amazing book cover or website homepage in 20 minutes flat?
Is creating a beautiful blog header something you can do in your sleep?
Not only are you my hero, but you could be making serious cash from your skills.
Make sure your website or blog clearly states you’re available for hire, and share examples of recent projects. If you can’t link to projects you did for your employer, mock up some designs on your own time.
Ask friends for referrals, and consider offering your services on a marketplace like Upwork. For more ideas, check out Mashable’s post on showcasing your freelance graphic design work.
How much can you make?
Designers with a few years of experience and solid portfolios can earn $100 per hour, but designer Jessica Hische recommends avoiding hourly pricing in a detailed project pricing analysis in Fast Company.
3. Develop Websites or Applications
Can you build a WordPress plugin with your bare hands? Do you spend more time on Github than Facebook? If playing with code is your thing, you can definitely turn your skills into extra income.
The age-old business advice applies here: Find a problem and solve it.
See a plugin that works, but not perfectly? Build your own improved version.
Notice a recurring issue with a WordPress theme? Tweak it to find a fix.
Want to be on-call tech support? Find a niche that needs tech-savvy help, and fill it.
Web developer Ben Meredith is a great example.
“In the process of cobbling together a website for my church, I learned enough to get a degree in ‘how not to do websites,’” he says. “To save people from having to go through what I went through, I started writing down what I was learning.”
The result is Church Web Help, a site “for churches who can’t afford to pay a full-time (or even part-time) webmaster,” which offers resources, training and custom WordPress sites.
How much can you make?
High-quality freelance developers can charge anywhere from $75 to $150 per hour, says Meredith. You can easily double your rates for “crisis situations” or fast turnarounds, such as when a site has been hacked.
In addition, the more specialized and server-side you are, the higher your potential rates.
4. Take Photographs
Shutterbugs, this one’s for you. If you have a decent camera (no, your iPhone doesn’t count), a basic understanding of photographic principles and experience with photo-editing programs, you could earn money taking photos.
Whether you’re keen to start a side business as a portrait photographer, would like to capture memories as a wedding photographer, or simply want to sell your pictures through a stock photography website, earning money as a photographer is a popular side hustle.
If you’re pursuing the portrait business, find clients through word-of-mouth and by posting an online portfolio on your own website or on Flickr.
Breaking into the wedding business can be challenging, but start with word-of-mouth for that as well. Ask friends getting married whether their photographer could use a second shooter, or offer to spend a few hours taking engagement photos they can use on their wedding websites.
For stock photography, look into the submission guidelines on microstock websites like istockphoto.com or shutterstock.com and check out the advice for beginners on Everything Microstock.
How much can you make?
As a family portrait photographer, Susan Shain charged $100 per session, which involved about three hours of work, though she noted this was for friends and family.
“I haven’t pursued this as a serious side business, but if I did, I’d probably charge a lot more,” Shain explains.
Wedding photographers charge a wide range of prices depending on location, experience, style and demand. The average cost for wedding photography is around $2,000, according to WeddingWire, and photographer JP Danko estimates high-end wedding photographers can charge $9,000 or more per wedding.
Stock photography websites often pay between 15 and 50 cents per photo sold, though some photos can sell for up to $60, according to PetaPixel.
5. Offer Calligraphy
Do you have beautiful handwriting? Have you mastered the art of the perfectly crisp pen stroke?
Turn your calligraphy skills into cash by offering freelance calligraphy services. While handwritten envelopes, place cards and signs are most common for weddings, you may also be able to drum up business from baby showers, birth announcements and milestone birthday parties.
Expert calligraphers recommend practicing constantly, investing in quality tools and taking an introductory course. Find clients by promoting examples of your work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and connecting with other calligraphers for potential referrals.
How much can you make?
Hand-lettered envelopes run $2 to $5 each on Etsy, and signs go for $50 or more. Depending how much time you’re keen to devote, especially in the run-up to the busy wedding season, you could earn a fair amount of cash.
Look at what other sellers are charging to figure out how to set your own rates.
6. Paint Murals
Skilled with a paintbrush? Earn extra cash while making your neighborhood a little more beautiful.
Whether it’s showcasing an iconic view on a prominent downtown building or decorating a child’s bedroom, mural painting is an often-overlooked creative side gig.
Start by asking friends and family if any rooms could use an artistic makeover; perhaps a plain room could use a cool update before a baby arrives, or a baby-themed room needs redecorating as its owner enters elementary school.
To find other clients, ask satisfied customers for referrals and list your services on sites like FindaMuralist.com.
How much can you make?
One muralist charges $60 per hour, while others charge $10 to $20 per square foot or even $200 per square foot.
7. Officiate Weddings
Look outside the “hard” skills like your ability to write code or take amazing photos.
Can you talk to anyone? Are you a great speaker? Do you love celebrating love? Consider a weekend side gig as a wedding officiant.
Your business set-up will vary based on your state, and the legal requirements vary, but officiating weddings could be a fun side hustle.
Once you’ve performed a few weddings for friends or family members, ask them to mention your availability to other couples they know.
How much can you make?
Yvonne Doerre, who has officiated about 20 weddings in the Washington D.C. area, usually charges between $300 and $500 per wedding.
8. Babysit or Nanny
Yes, this counts as freelancing — knowing how to wrangle children is certainly a skill! Parents, oldest siblings and former camp counselors: This one’s for you.
Whether you want to look after school-aged kids on Saturday nights or help tired parents as a night nanny, you’ll find lots of opportunities to use your childcare experience to earn cash.
Look within your circle of friends and acquaintances first, as parents are more likely to trust someone they know. Ask friends if they know anyone else who could use a few hours to themselves, whether it’s to grocery shop without toddlers or simply to head to the gym.
How much can you make?
Average rates for babysitters start at $12 an hour, according to The Boston Globe, but vary depending on the market — you could earn more for watching more kids, working late nights or simply living in a bigger city.
The average rate for babysitters is nearly $14 an hour, according to Care.com’s 2017 Babysitter Survey.
These are just eight of the many ways you can turn your skills into lucrative freelance businesses. And we’ve only scratched the surface of ways to earn money on the side…
Make and Sell Art and Crafts
Plenty of people earn extra money from something that started as a crafty hobby. Whether you love knitting, felting, soap-making, woodwork or metal-smithing, there’s likely a market for your creations.
Sell your crafts online to reach customers around the world, whether you use your own website, Etsy or Amazon Handmade.
Look closer to home by pitching your products to local stores and renting a table at flea markets, and target a niche market by signing up for a dealer’s table at conventions.
What can you sell? Here are a few ideas.
9. Carve Walking Sticks
Using wood you’ve harvested from your own property, a friend’s or public land, create one-of-a-kind walking sticks. Adding special touches like stones, mirrors or leather straps will help you charge more.
How much can you make?
It depends where you sell and how fancy your walking sticks are. Simple sticks could sell for $8 at flea markets, but fancier options could bring in $60 each at craft shows or even more online, according to Steve Gillman.
10. Make Jewelry
Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, crazy contraptions that wrap around your face — jewelry designers make all kinds of amazing products.
Whether you work with metal, felt, old Scrabble tiles, origami cranes or even deer antlers, you’ll likely find a market for your work.
How much can you make?
It depends on what you sell, but remember not to price your pieces too low. Make sure to cover the costs of materials, time, shipping, listing fees and other costs.
Keep an eye on craft forums for advice from experienced designers and sellers on what sells well.
11. Create Holiday Crafts
Yes, the winter holidays are over. Start practicing holiday crafts now for next year, or create similar options for other holidays.
While there may not be quite as many craft fairs before Valentine’s Day, Easter or Halloween, many people and businesses decorate for these holidays.
How much can you make?
Anywhere from $11 for simple garlands to $80 for a wooden wreath, according to Etsy. Be creative and experiment with different price points to see what works for your creations.
12. Paint, Sculpt, Draw, Print and Make Art
Consider what other crafty creations you could sell. From screenprinted T-shirts to framed prints or comic books, find a creative product that works for you.
Package Your Knowledge
Are you great at something? Know a lot about a particular program, activity or hobby?
The beauty of creating a digital product to share your knowledge is when people ask for advice, you can point them in the direction of your ebook or course — where your knowledge is nicely packaged up and ready to go.
And the biggest bonus? You create these products once, and earn money from them with every sale.
13. Write and Sell Ebooks
You know enough about a subject to write a book, right? Writer Jeff Goins advises that ebooks be around 20,000 words, though many are even shorter.
Outline your ideas, then fill in your sections with more detailed advice. If you already blog about a particular subject, you may be able to turn your blog posts into a book!
When you’re ready to sell, consider whether you’d prefer to sell through your own site or use a platform like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing or Apple’s iBooks.
How much can you make?
Writer Steve Gillman has earned more than $2,000 from a short, self-published Kindle ebook; Amazon pays writers 70% royalties on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99.
Here’s a guide to royalty rates on other platforms.
14. Create an Information Product
More complex than an ebook, an information product is often a package of resources that provides in-depth advice on a particular subject.
Sometimes including video or audio recordings in addition to text into products pack a lot of training into one package, and their price often reflects that.
For example, Chris Guillebeau’s Unconventional Guides generally include a PDF ebook, additional resource sheets, checklists, audio and video interviews with subject experts, and other tools.
How much can you make?
Depends on your niche, target market, authority and information.
For example, Guillebeau’s Upgrade Unlocked guide to luxury travel on a budget starts at $39. Authors Joanna Penn and Roz Morris sold their How to Write a Novel training for $297.
15. Launch an Online Course
If you’re keen to try a different format, try creating an online course. You could work through a platform like Udemy or Pathwright, or through your own website.
Create a course around any skill — or element of a skill — you can teach. Whether it’s mastering a piano concerto, planting a cost-effective vegetable garden or leading a killer workout, pick something you’re great at.
How much can you make?
On Udemy, the average instructor salary can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as the price of your courses, the number of courses you create, your network following, and your expertise on the topic. According to Forbes, the average instructor salary in 2014 was around $7,000, while others reported reaching six figures.
Teach and Tutor
If you’ve ever been a teacher, or you’re an expert on a subject, share your knowledge with new students as a tutor, coach or instructor.
Whether you’re explaining high-level algebra or how to hit that perfect arpeggio, instructing community college students or 8-year-olds, your teaching skills could help you boost your monthly income.
16. Tutor Students
If you’re great at a particular subject, consider tutoring students for extra cash. This is an especially lucrative option for those with advanced education or training in a particular subject.
As Leah Thayer noted in her post on teaching home-schooled students, her clients love that she’s a writer and can share real-world experience while explaining grammar and syntax concepts.
Whether you start your own business or join a tutoring agency like Brainfuse, focus on higher-level subjects like math, science or foreign languages. Because this material is more challenging to master, parents are less likely to be able to support kids themselves, recommended Thayer. You’ll likely have less competition and be able to command higher rates.
Find clients through word-of-mouth, though Thayer has also had some success with using Craigslist. Meet your clients at their homes or at local libraries or coffee shops. Be prepared to share references and even a background check to prove to parents that you’re trustworthy.
How much can you make?
Private tutors often earn between $12 and $20 an hour, according to Care.com, and can vary depending on age and experience. You could earn more if you have advanced degrees or live in a big city.
17. Start an Online Tutoring Business
You’re not limited to your local community; use tools like Skype or WyzAnt to connect with students outside your region.
You may not need to get a background check for these jobs, but you will have to prove your education or expertise in a field before starting.
How much can you make?
WyzAnt says its tutors charge between $30 and $60 an hour, and the site takes a 40% commission.
If you’re running a Skype tutoring business, you can set your own rates. One interview coach charges $250 for a 75-minute session.
18. Give Lessons
Whether you’re a champion chess player, an accomplished violinist or a wizard at creating the perfect smoky eye, chances are someone wants to learn your skill.
Share your expertise through word-of-mouth; make sure friends know about your awesome abilities. If you’d like to teach something that might be useful for students, such as music, art or chess, ask your tutor friends to recommend you to their clients.
Head online to reach a wider range of clients. Consider starting your own YouTube channel by uploading short videos that teach small, bite-sized elements of your skill.
How much can you make?
Earnings vary depending on your skill and how you teach it. A YouTube channel might bring in a couple hundred dollars in ad revenue if you get enough views.
19. Design an Adult Education Class
These programs go by many names, including continuing education, adult education and community learning, but have one thing in common: They pay instructors to share expertise with local students.
Classes are diverse, ranging from Spanish language to making bead jewelry to cheese-making, and are usually offered by local community colleges or school boards.
Keen to try it for yourself? Search for “adult education classes + [your city]” to see where classes are offered, then get in touch with the host organization to pitch a class of your own.
How much can you make?
Adult education programs may pay hourly, a percentage of student fees, or a flat rate, according to Steve Gillman. His wife earned $20 an hour teaching Spanish at a local adult education program.
Make Money From Your Body, Brain and Opinions
Yes, you can get paid simply for being yourself — though you’ll have to decide whether these particular gigs are right for you.
Whether you’re happy being a human guinea pig or you’d prefer to stick to sharing your thoughts on a product, these side gigs can add some extra cash to your wallet.
20. Sign Up for Focus Groups
Share your thoughts on products and services with the teams behind developing and marketing them, and you could earn cash or gift cards for your time and feedback.
You’ll want to sign up with several focus group companies to maximize your chances of being called for a group.
How much can you make?
While some focus groups pay $250 or $300, the vast majority pay less. Participating in focus groups is a fun way to earn extra cash, but probably shouldn’t be your only money-making venture.
21. Participate in Research Studies
Researchers studying new medical treatments or human behavior need to test their ideas on subjects, and usually those guinea pigs get paid.
Whether you’re open to testing new pharmaceuticals or prefer to stick to psychological studies, you could earn extra cash as a test subject. You might have to do unusual things, though, like staying awake for hours or pooping on a set schedule.
This option is especially handy for those who live in major cities or near large universities, but those who live rurally can also participate through online trials. Here’s a great list of where to find clinical trials.
How much can you make?
Anywhere from $10 to more than $5,000, depending on the time commitment and invasiveness of the study.
Be sure to read the fine print, as some university psychology research subjects are only compensated with college credit.
22. Become a Standardized Patient
Is your acting Oscar-worthy? If you can pretend to be sick well enough to fool a medical student, working as a standardized patient could be a fun side job. You’ll get paid to help students practice diagnoses and bedside manner.
Find these jobs at large medical schools or on online job boards like Indeed. You’ll need to be healthy, over 18 and likely available during normal business hours.
How much can you make?
Standardized patients can earn between $15 and $20 an hour, according to Catherine Alford.
23. Try Art Modeling
Yes, you will likely need to be naked. But posing for art students in a legitimate class can be an interesting and lucrative side job.
To find these opportunities, skip Craigslist and head to local colleges, adult education programs, art schools and even galleries. Ask whether they offer drawing classes and ask about live model gigs.
How much can you make?
Art models often earn around $20 or $25 an hour.
24. Sell Your Body
Legally, of course.
Moms have made news lately for selling extra breast milk, and sperm donation has long been an option for men. (Though, as Sean Berkley noted on Cracked, sperm banks are picky about who they’ll accept; you’ll usually have to be young, tall, educated and in good shape.)
Young women could earn $5,000 or more as egg donors, though as one donor notes, by the time you’ve finished the intensive process, you’ll likely feel you’ve earned every penny.
Need a less-invasive option? Selling your blood plasma is a simple option open to most people, as long as you’re healthy.
How much can you make?
Up to $60 a day selling breast milk; $20 to $125 per sperm donation; or $20 to $45 per session selling plasma.
Get Creative
Not convinced any of the above ideas will work for you? Try one of these crazy jobs and weird businesses.
Come up with a unique venture and maybe it’ll be a hit, like these out-there ideas. Which of your interests or skills could fill a need in the marketplace?
25. Cuddle for Cash
Samantha Hess gets paid $60 an hour to cuddle with strangers in Portland, Oregon. She’s not the only professional cuddler out there, either — Jackie Samuel runs a similar business in Rochester, New York.
While these businesses can be controversial (Samuel has been accused of prostitution, and another snuggling business in Wisconsin closed down after authorities suspected illegal activity), they’re an interesting example of thinking outside of the box.
And if you’re not a people person, you can even get paid to cuddle cats. What a purr-fect gig for cat lovers.
26. Invent a Product
Rather than sinking your life savings into a product that requires a ton of testing and paperwork, try low-risk inventions that fill a need. Who could have predicted the success of the Pet Rock?
To generate ideas, try a few of these strategies suggested by Steve Gillman:
- Combine Ideas (vacuum + bug control = motion-activated bug vacuum device)
- Find New Applications (books become hollowed-out hiding places for valuables)
- Find Problems to Solve (sore feet led to “Foot Petals,” a million-dollar business)
- Challenge Assumptions (“bicycles need leg power” becomes a bike you row like a boat)
Create a low-cost prototype. Crowdfund on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, submit your idea to innovation lab Quirky, or simply bootstrap until you sell enough products to cover additional production costs.
Making money on the side is a smart way to pay off your debt faster or boost your savings account. Whether you start a small business, freelance with your existing skills or find a way to make money from a hobby, let this be the year you start earning extra money.
This post originally appeared in 2015, but we brought it back to help you make more money on the side in 2018.
Heather van der Hoop is a freelance editor and a copyeditor at MEC. When she’s not reading, you can usually find her playing along with Jeopardy! Or climbing rocks, mountains and trees.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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Cosmetics Testers Are Gross. Here’s How to Try on Makeup Without Them
But that’s a risk you might be taking if you’re using in-store makeup testers to find your perfect color match.
A Marketplace investigation of in-store cosmetics testers in the Toronto area revealed 40% of samples contained a bacteria that causes staph infections, and 28% contained mold.
According to Marketplace, a Canadian consumer-watchdog show, “The testers were on display in Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora, The Body Shop and MAC Cosmetics. Each location had alcohol available to clean lipsticks and tissues to wipe down powders, but many former employees told our producers they only clean makeup when a customer asks them for help.”
The squick factor is high, but this is not the first time in-store makeup testers have come under fire for harboring germs.
Back in 2005, the results of a two-year study of makeup-counter testers revealed bacterial contamination in every sample.
Clearly, this is a widespread and ongoing problem.
Trying new makeup is fun. Getting an infection from eye shadow someone coughed on isn’t.
There has to be a better way.
How to Avoid Public Makeup Testers and the Germs That Love Them
Stores that offer makeup testers to customers typically have cleaning supplies on hand and train staff on how to use them.
But the best way to avoid picking up a bug from improperly cleaned testers is to avoid using them at all.
Try these alternatives instead.
1. Ask for take-home samples.
Retailers like Ulta and Sephora offer complimentary product samples just for the asking.
2. Shop at stores with solid return policies.
Drugstores like CVS and Walgreens allow customers to return opened beauty products with a receipt. That way, you can try out a makeup and simply return it if it doesn’t work for you.
3. Order samples online.
Ulta, Sephora and many other popular makeup brands include samples free with purchase. Amazon is also getting in on the sample action with its new Prime Samples program.
4. Try a subscription makeup box.
What’s not to love about a box full of makeup samples arriving at your door each month? Sure, there’s a monthly fee, but it’s a great way to try a variety of products without a huge up-front investment.
Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She thinks makeup subscription boxes are the greatest invention since lace-front wigs.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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These 16 Budget Travel Tips Can Help You See More of the World in 2018
The biggest reason is I prioritize travel over nearly everything else, but I also owe it to the fact I know a lot of tricks that help me stretch my dollars while traveling. I’ve learned these little tricks from years of scraping together money for trips near and far.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to travel more, these tips should help you do so without blowing your budget.
These 16 budget travel tips can help you see more of the world in 2018.
How to Save Money on Flights
When people say travel is too expensive, they’re often referring to the cost of getting there. How are you supposed to go somewhere when you can’t even afford the plane ticket?
These strategies should help you save money on your next flight:
1. Start Collecting Miles and Points
Don’t wait another second; start collecting travel rewards right now. Not doing so is throwing money away.
It’s not as intimidating as you think: You just need to sign up for one airline in each of the major alliances, and start linking your number whenever you fly.
For a full primer, here’s my guide to getting started with travel hacking.
2. Step up Your Search Game
If you’re only searching Expedia to find flights, you’re making a big mistake. These days, many other tools make finding cheap flights easier than ever.
Check out a few of my favorites:
- Google ITA Flight Matrix: This site allows you to search multiple airports and multiple dates. It doesn’t have the prettiest interface, but its search capabilities are unparalleled.
- Skiplagged: This website is a travel hacker’s dream. It puts together one-way flights and weird stopovers to find you rock-bottom prices.
- momondo: This search engine scans more than 700 travel sites to find you the best deal. It even includes independent carriers, like Southwest, which other search engines omit.
You can also use tools like AirfareWatchdog and Hopper to track particular routes; both alert you when fares drop on routes you’re interested in.
When it’s time to purchase your flight, book directly through the airline’s website. Doing so gives you easier recourse in case your flight is cancelled or delayed, and also makes it less likely you’ll be bumped, as airlines give preference to their own customers.
3. Follow Airlines and Blogs on Social Media
Have you heard of mistake fares? After accidentally being published by the airlines, these low fares are scooped up very quickly — so you have to act fast if you want one.
The best way to find out about mistake fares and other airfare sales is by following airlines, travel sites and travel bloggers through social media and email.
These 21 travel hacking blogs and 19 travel hacking resources are good places to start.
4. Don’t Buy Tickets on a Friday
When it comes to low fares, you might only think about your travel dates, but it’s also important to consider your booking date.
When you book the ticket can have a huge effect on your fare, and new research has shown Fridays are the worst day to buy flights.
The best day to book? Sunday, followed closely by Saturday.
As for how far in advance to buy, it varies from 57 days out for domestic tickets to 176 days out for flights to Europe.
How to Save Money on Lodging
Another big travel expense is a place to lay your head at night. Luckily, there are lots of ways to save money on lodging.
I’ve written in detail about money-saving alternative accommodations before, but here are some of my favorite options:
5. Try Airbnb or Couchsurfing
The sharing economy has significantly brought down the cost of travel accommodations; with sites like Airbnb, you can rent a whole house for a fraction of what a hotel room would cost.
For example, a group of fellow Penny Hoarder staffers and I traveled to Nashville and each paid under $200 for three nights in a gorgeous apartment in the heart of the city!
Many people believe you have to share a living space with your Airbnb host, which is not true. Like us, you can rent an entire apartment (or castle, even!) through the platform.
Alternatively, Couchsurfing is a totally free option, though you’re encouraged to also host people when you’re back home.
6. Consider a Work Exchange
Have you heard of work exchanges? With these opportunities, you work a half- or full-day in exchange for room and board.
Duties include everything from milking goats (one of my personal favorites) to restoring old buildings.
Intrigued? Read more about work exchanges here.
7. Check Hotel Discount Sites
New hotel discount sites pop up all the time; it’s hard to keep track of them all. Some of my favorites include HotelTonight, a last-minute booking app; Trivago, a hotel aggregator; and Priceline, which allows you to get low rates by bidding on unnamed hotels.
Just like with flights, though, call the hotel first to see if it is willing to match the lower rate. It often will, because it would rather not pay a commission to a third party.
Booking directly gives you a leg up over other customers when it comes to things like upgrades or scheduling conflicts.
8. Apply to Be a Housesitter
Did you know there are people who will let you stay in their house for free, in exchange for watching their pets or watering their plants? It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not.
Thanks to sites like Trusted Housesitters and Mind My House, it’s easy to find housesitting gigs all over the world.
How to Save Money on Food
A girl’s gotta eat, but restaurants can quickly take a big bite out of your budget.
That’s another reason I like staying in Airbnbs; since you have a kitchen, it’s easy to save money by cooking your own food.
If you want to go out, though, here are a few ways you can save money on food while traveling:
9. Check Online Food Deals
Want to enjoy restaurants without the high price tag? Check online.
You can often find deals for restaurants (and attractions!) on Groupon. Or check Restaurant.com, where gift certificates are almost always deeply discounted — both on its site and Raise. Before buying, make sure you like your destination’s participating restaurants.
If you’re on the go, check Yelp; some restaurants offer discounts if you “check in” on the app. You can even use Yelp’s search filter to only show restaurants with deals, helping you get straight to the good stuff.
10. Hit up Happy Hours
Even though you’re on vacation, you and your wallet still deserve happy hours — one of my favorite ways to try a new city’s cuisine and drinks without spending a ton.
It’s also a great way to meet people, as you’ll usually find lots of locals taking advantage of the deals.
11. Eat Where the Locals Do
I generally avoid eating at any restaurants listed in a guidebook; as soon as an establishment makes it in there, it jacks up its prices and starts worrying less about food quality.
Instead, I check Yelp and Chowhound to see which restaurants the locals like, and I also ask for recommendations from everyone I meet. For me, finding good cheap eats is key to a successful trip!
How to Save Money on Everything Else
What about all the other little travel expenses? They add up, too.
Here are a few ideas for saving on everything else:
12. Travel During the Shoulder Season
This tip is basic, yet many people ignore it.
Unless you have specific work or personal demands that restrict your schedule, you should try to travel in the shoulder season, when you’ll find lower prices and fewer people.
Shoulder season often occurs during the spring and fall, but it’s different for every destination.
To figure out when it is, simply Google your destination plus “shoulder season.”
13. Look Into City-Wide Passes
Many tourism boards promote city-wide passes that include discounted transportation, sightseeing or both.
To find these, try using search terms like “tourist pass” or “city discount pass,” or visit the city’s tourist office.
14. Get a Travel-Friendly Credit Card
Foreign transaction and ATM fees can quickly add up, so be sure to sign up for a travel-friendly debit and credit card.
My faves? The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and Charles Schwab debit card, neither of which charge any fees for international usage.
15. Research Activities and Attractions Ahead of Time
If you’re going to see the famous Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, you can either pay 15 euros to buy tickets online and skip the line, or you can wait for hours and pay the same amount in person. You can guess which option my poorly prepared self experienced.
I learned my lesson, though: Do your research ahead of time.
Don’t schedule your activities down to the minute — but if there are things you must see or do, spend a few minutes looking for discount codes or advance tickets. You’ll save time, and maybe money.
16. Check the Local Newspaper
If you can read the local language, or if your destination has an English newspaper, grab a copy!
Not only will you get to know the city’s news and residents, you may also spot free events or restaurant specials. I’ve found lots of cool happenings by browsing through the newspaper like a local person would do.
Will You Travel More in 2018?
Even if you’re on a limited budget, you CAN travel this year. Take small steps to save up, and then follow these tips to keep your costs low.
Trust me: You won’t regret it!
Susan Shain, contributor for The Penny Hoarder, is always seeking adventure on a budget. Visit her blog at susanshain.com, or say hi on Twitter @susan_shain.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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Toys R Us Is Closing for Good. Here’s How to Cash in on Liquidation Sales
My childhood weeps not only for me, but for future generations who won’t know the wide-eyed wonder of walking through aisles upon aisles of toy store treasures.
After 70 years in business, international toy retailer Toys R Us announced it will close all of its U.S. storefront locations, including Babies R Us.
The old adage, “Everything Must Go” rings true once again in the modern age of online shopping. Liquidation sales could happen in a matter of weeks, and stores could close in as little as two months, CNNMoney reports. An exact date has yet to be given.
Here’s what you need to know about the national closeout as the siren song of sales beckons nearer.
What to Do With a Toys R Us Gift Card
Time is running out. You need to use your Toys R Us gift cards immediately.
A company spokesperson told USA Today that Toys R Us will honor gift cards for the next 30 days only.
To give you a frame of reference, customers still held $17.7 million in unused gift cards when Borders shut its doors in 2011. The outstanding amount on Toys R US gift cards is unclear, but it’s certain they will be worthless in no time.
What About Babies R Us Registry and Gift Cards?
With the announcement comes concerns about the go-to store for parents-to-be.
People reported that customer and loyalty programs will only be active for the next few weeks. This includes Rewards R Us, Geoffrey’s Birthday List and the Babies R Us registry.
The retailer plans to keep the Babies R Us registry and web store for now, according to USA Today. The hope is that part of the business can be sold off as an asset, however, the outlook looks a bit bleak from here.
In addition, all Babies R Us gift cards will be valid for the next 30 days and will become useless after that.
How to Shop the Toys R Us Closing Sales
Soon, once-cluttered shelves will become a picked-over wasteland of reject toys. Many will fly off the shelf in the first day because people are lured by the promise of a bargain.
Keep your wits about you with these tips:
1. Make a List Before You Go
Know what you need before you get inside the store. This eliminates impulse purchases and keeps your mind and budget focused.
2. Ask Yourself: Do I Need This?
There’s nothing wrong with browsing the bargains. But be sure to mentally and financially check in with yourself and actively ask whether you need this thing — no matter how bad your inner (or actual) child might want it!
3. Compare Prices
Don’t fall for discount deception. Use your smartphone to pull up prices on Google and see if the sale is actually a legit deal. Initial price cuts might not be bargains at all. If it’s a good deal on a coveted product, buy it now because it might not be there later.
4. Do Some Quality Control
Inspect the object of your affection carefully. Make sure it’s not defective or malfunctioning, and that all accessories are included before you purchase it. Double-check the sizes on clothes and make sure any pairs — including shoes — match.
5. Check the Warranty
Most consumer warranties are void in liquidation sales. But some manufacturer warranties might still be good. Ask if there’s an extended warranty option, especially if it is a high-priced item. If the item is sold as is, what you see is what you get.
6. Remember: All Sales Are Final
There are no take-backsies with a closeout sale. You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit. You can always regift or sell it if you don’t want it, but you really shouldn’t buy anything you don’t want or need in the first place.
7. Pay With a Credit Card
This protects you if there’s no warranty or return. You can dispute the charge with the credit card company if the item is damaged or broken. Avoid using cash, checks or debit cards on any closeout item in general.
8. Haggle
It’s not a common practice in America, but what do you have to lose? If you’re buying in bulk, there’s a chance you might finagle a better deal. Definitely try if the item has any sort of flaw or if you find it listed cheaper elsewhere.
9. Buy Larger Sizes for Kids
If you’re shopping for children’s clothes, seize the sale opportunity to get clothes they will grow into. You can save these items for birthdays or Christmas, or keep them in the back of the closet until they’re needed.
10. Scope Out Other Locations
Check out other locations if there’s more than one in your area. They will have different levels of inventory and might carry items the other store no longer has in stock.
11. Know the Sale Schedule
Chances are stores and managers know the discounting schedule in advance. Ask at your local location and plan your trips around the schedule.
12. Check Back Frequently
Be a helicopter parent — but for deals. Check in frequently as the discount brackets increase, especially if there’s an item you’re hoping will be deeply discounted. This is most effective if you live near a location and aren’t going out of your way each time.
13. Prepare for Crowds
You’re not the only one on the hunt. Be prepared for droves of people sniffing out deals. Don’t let the mob mentality force you into a purchase you don’t need. Have your list, budget and stay focused.
Defeat is bittersweet, and I hate that Geoffrey the giraffe will become as irrelevant as Spuds MacKenzie, but a deal is an opportunity to save, no matter how you spin it.
Stephanie Bolling is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’ll always be a Toys R Us kid.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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10 Creative Ways to Pay Off Credit Card Debt Without Being a Complete Hermit
Sure, we could all be billionaires if not for our caffeine habit. We’ll get right on that.
In the meantime, you sit with stacks of credit card debt, dwindling savings and paychecks that hardly pay the bills.
Lattes aren’t your problem.
You need to get creative with your budget, especially if you’re ever going to wring out enough to pay off debt and work toward your new life as a billionaire.
Here are the eight best ways to pay off your credit card debt.
1. Figure Out Exactly What You Owe
Need a longer look at that debt? Credit Sesame can help you figure it out.
Credit Sesame’s “credit report card” acts like your favorite teacher from high school.
It gives you a free credit score, plus lays out your credit history, so you can see exactly how much money you owe and to whom. It even tells you your monthly payments and interest rate, as well as which debts (if any) are in collections.
The app lets you keep track of your credit score and recommends ways to improve it.
For example, it might recommend a mortgage lender, credit card or debt refinancing based on your needs and chances of being approved.
Small business owner Kenneth Bain raised his credit score 234 points using Credit Sesame. He said it became like a game, and he wanted to achieve the high score.
“I literally checked my credit every day, two to three times a day,” he told us. “I remember the day I logged on and saw 721 … And (I thought), ‘Yes, finally! My hard work paid off.’”
You can sign up for Credit Sesame and get your free credit report card here.
2. Negotiate Your Bills Down
We all know you can negotiate the price of a car, but did you know you can negotiate your utility bills?
Consider Trim, a bot that works through Facebook Messenger or your text messages.
Trim is basically a free financial assistant. (Yeah, this is the best friend you’ve been looking for.)
Once you’re connected, you’ll be able to access a dashboard within your Messenger or text conversation with Trim. For example, you’ll see options to:
- Negotiate your Comcast (or other provider) bill down to a lower price.
- View your spending habits.
- Sift through your subscription services to cancel the ones you forgot about or don’t need (about that gym membership…).
Trim also shows your account balance and recent transactions. Want to know how much you spent at Starbucks last month so you can budget better? Just ask the bot.
3. Consolidate Debt
A lot of us are being crushed by credit card interest rates north of 20%. If you’re in that boat, consolidation and refinancing might be worth a look.
A good resource is consumer financial technology platform Even Financial, which can help match you with the right personal loan to meet your needs.
Even searches the top online lenders to match you with a personalized loan offer in less than 60 seconds. Even’s platform can help you borrow up to $100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 4.99% and terms from 24-84 months.
4. Earn Extra Income — Without Extra Time
One of the best ways to pay off credit card debt is to earn more money. Easier said than done, right?
Few people have the luxury of adding another job to their daily schedule, so where does the extra come from? We recommend looking for ways to boost your income passively that won’t add hours to your workday.
Here are a few of our favorite ways:
- Invest without doing anything. An app called Acorns will automatically round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invest the digital change.
- Share your opinion via paid online surveys. Swagbucks is one of the largest legitimate paid survey sites out there. These can be a smart way to turn your TV-watching time into a money-maker.
- An app called Paribus helps gets you money back for your online purchases at stores like Target, Walmart, Old Navy and more — but you have to keep your email receipts. Just connect your bank account and Paribus does the rest for you.
- InboxDollars lets you actually get paid to watch videos online. The site hosts a ton of stuff to watch, including cooking, entertainment, news and health shows. The shows are sponsored by brands that need to get them in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Every time you watch one, InboxDollars will credit your account with a little bit of cash.
5. Sell Your Extra Stuff
If you haven’t moved or cleaned out your closets recently, you probably have some stuff sitting around you don’t need.
Selling it off could give you an influx of cash to make progress on your debt.
Here are some of our favorite websites to sell anything in your house:
- letgo: You can sell almost anything on this app.
- Bookscouter: Use this site to sell your old books.
- Decluttr: This site will pay you for your old CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, video games, gaming consoles and other electronics. (Plus, enter FREE5 at checkout to get an extra $5 for your trade-ins!)
6. Automate Your Savings
Once you pay off credit card debt, the last thing you want to do is rack it up again. An emergency savings fund can help protect you from that possibility.
“Build an emergency fund” is another of those common pieces of personal finance advice you’ve probably heard and hate –– even we recommend it.
Saving seems impossible when you think about it. So start saving without thinking about it.
One sneaky trick to get yourself to save is an app like Stash.
This app lets you start investing with as little as $5 and for just a $1 monthly fee for balances under $5,000. (The first month is free.)
Stash curates investments from professional fund managers and investors and lets you choose where to put your money.
But it leaves the complicated investment terms out of it. You just choose from a set of simple portfolios reflecting your beliefs, interests and goals.
Plus, you get a $5 bonus when you make your first investment!
7. Earn Cash Back on Your Everyday Expenses
Now that we know you’ve cut your spending down to the last latte, how can we possibly talk about spending even less?
There’s one more step you can take to cut your everyday expenses — earn cash back for them.
Follow our ultimate guide to deal stacking to get the best deal on everything you buy — so good, sometimes the store will pay you to buy it.
Feed all these savings toward paying off credit card debt to chip away at it faster.
8. Find Free Entertainment
Let’s face it: Having fun can cost a lot of money. You could easily drop thousands on entertainment each year if you had the cash to spare.
When you don’t have the cash, you can still have fun.
Even better, you might be able to get paid to enjoy movies, bowling, amusement parks, water parks, weekend getaways and more.
You can do it through mystery shopping. Here’s a list of our favorite companies to get you started.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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How to Segment Your Target Audience with Generational Marketing
It’s no secret that people from different generations have different values, mindsets, and behaviors. As a business, you’ve to use this concept to your advantage.
All too often I see companies that launch a broad stroke marketing campaign in an attempt to reach as many customers as possible.
While I commend the approach and thought process, it’s an ineffective strategy.
It’s much more effective to segment your marketing campaigns based on different generations. Don’t try to reach Millennials and Baby Boomers with the same advertisement.
Rather than speaking to both of these generations, you’re campaign will end up being a complete miss.
I created this guide to show you how you can use behavioral analysis improve your marketing campaigns. By segmenting your target audience, you’ll be able to enhance customer engagement and increase conversions.
I’ll explain the differences between:
- The Silent Generation
- Baby Boomers
- Generation X
- Millennials
- Generation Z
Understanding how these different generations think and behave will ultimately help you improve the customer experience.
This is valuable information for every business because your customers fall into one of those generational categories.
Depending on the size and scale of your company, you may even have customers from several of these generations. While other businesses may be in a niche category and only be targeting one of these market segments.
Regardless of your situation, this analysis will help improve your business. Here’s what you need to know about each generation.
The Silent Generation
People who were born roughly between 1925 and 1942 are members of the Silent Generation. This generation is also known as the “Lucky Few.”
This group of individuals is patriotic. They grew up living and serving during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
As far as their racial makeup is concerned, 78% of the Silent Generation is white.
The majority of them did not pursue higher education. In fact, only 20% of women and 32% of men in the Silent Generation of a Bachelor’s degree.
They focused more on working and earning money, as opposed to going to school. That’s because their parents grew up during the Great Depression, so this group learned the value of a dollar.
While companies may overlook the Silent Generation because of their age, there are still over 28 million of them alive today.
So how can you reach them? You can still use digital marketing tactics to target the Silent Generation.
Nearly 60% of people over the age of 65 are active on the Internet, and almost 90% of them use email.
The majority of their digital consumption is done on a computer. Research shows that only 22% of senior citizens own a smartphone.
If you’re targeting the Silent Generation, you can also use more traditional marketing tactics like print media. They grew up reading newspapers, so they’re used to this.
Make sure that you create big advertisements with large font. You want to make sure that it’s easy for them to read. Don’t use colors that are too bright and difficult to see. Try to come up with a campaign that speaks directly to them.
For example, look back at some of the information that we previously discussed. You could use an American flag, or other patriotic symbols to get their attention.
Try using keywords like “how to save money” and put emphasis on the deal that you’re offering.
Television is one of the best ways to reach the Silent Generation. Studies show that this group watches more than 51 hours of TV per week.
While this number is staggeringly higher than other generations, it also suggests that they aren’t skipping over commercials.
Baby Boomers
Baby Boomers were born after World War II. While the dates of their birth aren’t exact, anyone who was born during the mid 1940s to early 1960s falls into this category.
This generation really wants to get a great value out of their purchasing decisions. So if you’re targeting Baby Boomers, you’ve got a great chance to upsell your existing customers.
But with that said, these upsells have a greater chance of success if they’re pitched in person or over the phone.
As Baby Boomers enter and approach their retirement years, they are more financially stable. So they may be willing to splurge a little bit more when it comes to their spending habits.
Baby Boomers are loyal to their favorite brands. This is especially true for specific industries, such as household goods, health, beauty, food, and beverage.
Although Baby Boomers are considered to be an older generation, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have an active Internet presence. Even though they prefer to speak to someone in person, they still spend time shopping online.
In fact, 70% of Baby Boomers make a purchase on Amazon at least one time per month. More than half of Baby Boomers use the Internet for 15 hours per week.
This generation is a great target audience because you’ve got so many options to reach them. They will still come to your physical store locations to speak to your customer service representatives, but they’re also willing and able to shop online.
So as a marketer, you’ve got the best of both worlds here.
Even though Baby Boomers will shop on your ecommerce store, it’s unlikely that they’ll do it from a smartphone or tablet.
Only 13% of Baby Boomers use smartphones to shop online. 18% of them use tablets for ecommerce shopping.
So if you’re trying to target this generation through mobile marketing tactics or push notifications, it won’t be effective. Your best bet is to focus on their experience navigating from a laptop or desktop computer.
They conduct research before rushing into a purchasing decision. So you’re not going to have much luck trying to target impulse buyers from this group.
When it comes to their online habits, Baby Boomers are doing much more than just shopping. More than 82% of this generation has at least one social media profile.
You definitely need to use your social media marketing strategies to drive traffic to your ecommerce landing pages if you want to effectively target Baby Boomers.
Just make sure that you’ve got plenty of information about your products and services available online. This will make it easier for them to conduct research.
It’s also a bonus if you make it easy for them to contact your customer service team over the phone or in person.
Generation X
Generation X is commonly referred to as Gen X for short. They were born between the mid 1960s and early 1980s.
This is a family oriented group of people who definitely enjoys new technology. People from Gen X lived through important historical events and the civil rights era.
With such a large age difference between the oldest and youngest members of Gen X, it can be tricky from a marketing perspective.
The oldest people from Gen X have some traits that are very similar to the Baby Boomers that preceded them. While the younger members behave more like Millennials, which we’ll discuss shortly.
Regardless of their age, one thing that’s common across the board for this generation is their dependence on credit cards.
76% of Gen X got their first credit card by the time they turned 24. As a result, they’re used to carrying around credit card debt.
As you can see, less than half of Gen X pays their credit card bills in full. But with that said, this generation still has the reputation for being financially responsible and independent.
That’s because Gen X has other debt to worry about in addition to their credit card bills. The average mortgage debt for Gen X is $144,000.
This number is 60% higher than the generations preceding them. From a marketing perspective, you’ve got to use this information to your advantage.
They are homeowners who use credit cards. So your marketing campaigns should encompass both of these elements.
Millennials
Millennials are also known as Generation Y. They were born between the mid 1980s and mid 1990s.
According to the Pew Research Center, as of April 2016, Millennials exceeded Baby Boomers in terms of population size in the United States.
Compared to previous generations, Millennials are more conscious of the world around them. They like businesses that care about the environment and giving to people in need.
In fact, nearly half of Millennials are more likely to buy something from a business that contributes to a greater cause.
37% of this group said that they would even be willing to spend more money on a product or service if it meant that it was supporting a cause that they believed in.
This generation has adapted to technology much earlier and faster than previous generations. 56% of Millennials are the first people to try out a new form of technology.
They love creating content and posting original photos and videos on the Internet, especially on social media platforms.
Millennials want entertainment from brands. They also want to be part of the creation process and they love to have their feedback heard.
More than two-thirds of Millennials want to provide feedback to a brand, whether or not they had an enjoyable or poor experience.
This generation loves to travel.
How can you use all of this information to your advantage as a marketer?
For starters, don’t be shy about your affiliations with nonprofit organizations and other charities. If you’re not making any donations to help certain causes, consider trying it out if you want to target more Millennials.
As you could see from the research, you might even be able to charge more for your products and services if you take this approach.
Encourage user-generated content on social media. Ask your customers for feedback in the form of surveys and interviews.
Come up with marketing campaigns that show how your products and services can benefit people who are traveling.
Generation Z
Generation Z, known as Gen Z, the iGeneration, Post-Millennials, or the Homeland Generation is the newest group of consumers for brands to target.
The oldest members of Gen Z are just graduating college. This means that they are getting full-time jobs. With those jobs come full-time salaries.
As a marketer, this is a great opportunity for you to target people who just recently acquired an increase in spending power.
Just like Millennials, Generation Z also cares about the planet. 78% of Gen Z are worried about world hunger and 76% are concerned about humanity’s impact on the planet.
Brand loyalty isn’t that important to this generation. They care more about quality than loyalty.
The best way to reach Gen Z is through social media. But don’t use Facebook. There’s been a decline in Facebook usage amongst this age group.
Instead, you’ve got to bump up your presence on Snapchat and YouTube.
71% of Gen Z use Snapchat every day. 51% of them use it 11 times daily. Gen Z watches between 2 to 4 hours of YouTube video each day as well.
They watch YouTube videos more than television. Do you remember earlier when I said that the Silent Generation watches 51 hours of TV per week? Well Gen Z only watches about 3.5 hours TV each week.
Talk about a major difference between the two groups.
They enjoy using multiple digital media consumption platforms simultaneously. That’s because their average attention span is only 8 seconds.
When you’re marketing to Gen Z, just keep all of this information in mind. You can reach them on the social platforms that they use the most.
Just because they bought something from your brand in the past, it doesn’t mean that they will be loyal if you didn’t have great quality.
Conclusion
Successful businesses understand their customers. Your products and services need to add value to the customer’s life and your marketing campaigns need to reflect this.
But with so many differences between generations, you’ll need to segment your target audience based on the campaign you’re running.
A print advertisement that you made to target the Silent Generation won’t penetrate your Millennial audience.
Your Snapchat ads designed for Gen Z won’t have an impact on Baby Boomers.
Figuring out who you want to target and how you’re going to reach them will increase your conversion rates and ultimately make you more money.
How are you using generational marketing tactics to segment your target audience?
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