This Company Will Pay You $60K to Travel, Explore and Discover Your Passion

Everyone’s “best life” looks a little different.

For some, it might look like a beach, a margarita and warm sunshine.

For others, it might look like falling snow, a roaring fire and a cozy blanket.

Some might think zip lining off the top of a 40-story building or cage diving with great white sharks is the ultimate in living your best life. Others might think it’s hiking, backpacking and camping their way through every mountain range in the U.S.

But I also know a few people who would consider their best life to be a roomful of dogs and a bucket of treats.

Like I said, everybody’s idea of their best life is a little (or a lot) different.

Now imagine living your best life but with $60,000 more in your pocket to spend on traveling, adventuring and generally living it up.

Now that would be your actual best life.

White Claw Hard Seltzer Wants to Pay You to Live Your Best Life

Yeah, you read that right.

White Claw Hard Seltzer is looking for its first two Best Life brand ambassadors to live their best lives for six months as they travel the U.S. and document their adventures.

For White Claw, living your best life means “embracing new experiences, discovering new passions and traveling to explore new places” while living a balanced lifestyle by staying active and having fun.

The company is looking for two (brave) fans of the bubbly drink, age 25 or older who live in the U.S., to travel to new locations at least twice a month for an entire half year. Along the way, you’ll be encouraged to explore new interests and have new experiences, including things like bungee jumping over the Grand Canyon, learning to surf in California or canoeing through the Everglades. (Did I mention you should be brave?)

You’ll receive $60,000 to help you take full advantage of your six-month adventure, and you’ll be expected to document and share on social media how you live your best life as you go.

Enter to Become a White Claw Hard Seltzer Brand Ambassador

Ready to get your best life on? There are two entry methods to choose from — and they’re both pretty simple.

One option is to submit your entry photo and caption (more on this below) via this form on the White Claw My Best Life entry page.

Alternatively, you could submit your entry on Instagram. To do that, simply follow @WhiteClaw on Instagram (if you haven’t already) and upload and share your photo and caption on your public Instagram account. In your Instagram post, you must include the hashtag #MyBestLifeContest and tag @WhiteClaw in the photo caption.

Wondering what exactly to submit? Well, that’s pretty simple, too.

All you have to do is share a photo that highlights how you currently (or would in the future) live your best life (whatever that looks like), along with a caption that explains how you currently live your best life and how becoming a Best Life ambassador would help push you forward to new and exciting passions. The caption should consist of fewer than 250 words.  

You can enter the contest only once, so choose just one method.

Either form of entry must be submitted within the contest’s entry period, which began May 2, 2018 and ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 3, 2018.

The two winners will be announced in August.

To learn more about the contest, you can read the official rules and guidelines here and a list of frequently asked questions here.

Regardless of who wins the contest though, I hope you continue living your best life wherever you are — you deserve it.

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Trying to nail down a vision of her own best life is making her existential.

 

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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Manage Your Money, You Must: 10 Money Lessons We Learned from ‘Star Wars’

The Force will be with us – always.

Because “Star Wars” has embedded itself so deeply into our cultural DNA, it continues to shape the way we think about life.

Over eight movies and counting, “Star Wars” has taught us about overcoming obstacles, about dealing with family drama, about friendship, about patience, about beating the odds – and even about money.

Because this is The Penny Hoarder, we’re especially interested in the part about money.

Even though the epic saga of Luke Skywalker & Co. played out a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the financial wisdom we gleaned from it applies to the here and now.

Now, prepare to make the jump into hyperspace! Here’s what we’ve learned:

1. Always Pay Your Debts – Or Else

Bingo. This is always the first one everyone thinks of.

Han Solo owes money to the giant slug-like crime boss, Jabba the Hutt. When he doesn’t pay up, Jabba sends bounty hunter Boba Fett after him — basically a debt collector with blaster pistols and green Mandalorian armor.

Instead of declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Han ends up frozen in carbonite. Then Princess Leia, Luke, Lando and the iconic droids have to infiltrate Jabba’s lair to save him in a sequel.

Just like with Solo, the longer you don’t pay off your debts, the bigger the problem gets. The interest piles up.

Your first step should be to figure out what you’re dealing with. Map out exactly what kind of debt you have. For example, which companies do you owe money to? Are any of your debts in collections? What are your minimum monthly payments on each credit card or loan?

An easy way to start doing this is to sign up with a free service like Credit Sesame. This tool shows your balance on any unpaid bills, credit cards or loans. It also offers tips on reducing your debt and raising your credit score.

2. Used Vehicles Offer the Best Value

The Millennium Falcon takes its share of verbal abuse in multiple “Star Wars” films.

“You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought,” Princess Leia says upon first seeing the starship. And in “The Force Awakens,” Rey calls the ship “garbage.”

But the Millennium Falcon gets the job done. (Did we mention that it made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs?) Turns out you don’t always need a shiny new vehicle.

Used cars are often a better deal than new ones. Consumer Reports recommends buying a car that’s two or three years old. For tips on buying a used car, go here or here or here.

You’ll need to take care of your ride, though. (The Falcon’s hyperdrive keeps breaking down despite Chewbacca’s best efforts in “The Empire Strikes Back.”)

According to a recent AAA survey, 1 in 3 U.S. drivers can’t pay for an unexpected auto repair. Consider creating an emergency fund with a high-yield bank account.

3. Negotiate the Best Deal You Can

Early in “A New Hope,” Luke and Uncle Owen are bargaining with some creepy little jawas over the price of some used droids.

When an R2 unit they’d just bought immediately breaks down, Uncle Owen aggressively questions the quality of what the jawas are selling: “Hey, what are you trying to push on us?”

The result: Luke’s family gets the best droid ever, R2-D2.

Negotiating isn’t just for markets and cars, any variable expense can be negotiated to a lower price — you just have to know what to look for.

4. “Do or Do Not. There is No Try.”

Yoda’s admonition to Luke in “The Empire Strikes Back” is probably the biggest zen moment in any of these movies.

As always, Yoda is right on target. You’re either going to do it, or you’re not. Don’t just try.

If you’re going to make financial changes, commit to them and be consistent. Don’t just try once or twice and then forget about it. Sticking to it is the key to success.

For instance, saving money is hard. Consider trying an auto-savings app like Acorns.

Once you connect it to a debit or credit card, it rounds your purchases up to the nearest dollar and funnels your digital change into a savings or investment account.

Because the money comes out in increments of less than $1, you’re less likely to feel an impact in your bank account.

5. Don’t Let the Little Details Blow Up On You

The Empire spared no expense on the Death Star, don’t you think?

You’ve got to figure that moon-sized battle stations capable of blowing up planets don’t come cheap (especially two of them).

But they overlooked that pesky little design flaw that allowed the Rebel Alliance to destroy the whole thing. Whoops!

Don’t neglect the details like that, because they’ll burn you. Don’t skimp on maintenance and repairs for big-ticket items like your home and car. If you blow that stuff off, you’ll just end up paying more in the end.

Another lesson from the Death Star: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The Empire sure had a lot riding on its supercool Death Star, didn’t it?

Don’t depend on just one thing. Diversify your investments. Here’s how one woman used an app to make sure her 401(k) was in balance.

6. Get Rid of Your Old Stuff

The “Star Wars” universe looks different than Star Trek and other sci-fi settings. “Star Wars” has that “lived-in” look – there’s junk everywhere. You know, just like your house.

And in the “Star Wars” movies, people make money selling that junk – just like you should.

In “The Force Awakens,” Rey is a scavenger on the planet Jakku, feeding herself by salvaging parts from ships.

On Luke’s home planet of Tatooine, those jawas we mentioned earlier appear to be scavengers, too.

In “The Phantom Menace” — hey, here’s our first and only mention of the prequels! — Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi meet young Anakin Skywalker in a junk shop where he fixes things.

Meanwhile, here on our planet, a number of apps are making it easier than ever to sell your old stuff online.

To free up space and earn some extra cash, use apps to sells your stuff. Listing the right stuff in the right marketplaces means you’re more likely to sell it for the right price.

7. Beware of Scams. Know What Things Are Worth.

Toward the beginning of “The Force Awakens,” a hungry Rey nearly pawns the droid BB-8 in exchange for 60 portions of inflatable food. She’s sorely tempted, but senses something is wrong and backs off.

That’s the surest way to spot a scam: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Whether you’re selling a droid or shopping for shoes online, you’ve got to watch out for rip-offs. Here’s how to protect yourself from imposter scams, credit repair scams, identity theft, senior scams and online mobile shopping scams.

As long as identity theft remains a huge problem you need to keep an eye on your credit and transactions.

8. Embrace the Gig Economy

When Luke and Obi-Wan need transportation to Alderaan, they basically catch an Uber. A space Uber. They pay for the Millennium Falcon to take them there.

Here on Earth, you can make like Han and Chewie in your Honda or Chevy by driving with Uber or Lyft and make extra money each week on your own schedule.

There are other entry-level ways to make money nowadays that you can do on your own time – and from your phone – thanks to the growing gig economy.

Craigslist is an easy place to sell your services under the “Gigs” section. Pay and tasks will vary, of course. And if you don’t trust Craigslist, check out TaskRabbit or Fiverr – to name just a few.

9. If the Deal Turns to the Dark Side, Cut Your Losses

Here at The Penny Hoarder, we’re always looking for good deals.

We’re always asking, Is this a good deal or not a good deal? And when we hear the words “deal” and “”Star Wars”,” we can’t help but think of Lando Calrissian in “The Empire Strikes Back.”

Lando … Lando did not get a good deal.

When Han, Leia and Chewie first turn up in Cloud City, Lando tells them, “I’ve just made a deal that’ll keep the Empire out of here forever.”

Of course, the deal involves betraying his friends. Later, Darth Vader menacingly informs Lando, “I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.”

Still later, when Vader threatens Lando further and mistreats his friends, Lando fumes, “This deal is getting worse all the time!”

That’s when he switches sides.

If you make a deal and the reality doesn’t match what you were promised, be prepared to walk away. Cut your losses and move on.

10. Sand People Always Walk in Single File to Hide Their Numbers

You see, from this we can learn that … no, no, wait. That’s not a good example at all. We learn no financial truths from that.

We’ve got nothing for you here.

Let’s try this instead. One of the most important lessons we learned from “Star Wars” is:

10. Make Sure You Have a Long-Term Plan

The heroes and villains of the “Star Wars” universe are seriously into some long-term planning.

Emperor Palpatine’s master plan takes several movies to unfold. After he reveals himself to be Darth Sidious and strikes, Yoda and Obi-Wan lay low for a couple of decades after the prequels, waiting for their chance to return the favor.

Of course, when we first meet Obi-Wan and Yoda, they’re chilling in a cave and a swamp, respectively. Apparently the Jedi Council didn’t have much of a 401(k) match.

The sooner you start saving, investing and paying down your debt, the better off you’ll be.

A confession here: We can’t come up with any financial lessons from “Rogue One.” All we remember right now are the cool space battles.

All told, that’s everything that “Star Wars” has taught us about money over eight movies and counting. Take it as you will.

Do, or do not.

There is no try.

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. His “Star Wars”-loving co-workers helped out with this post.

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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Studying Construction or Engineering? Here’s A $2K Scholarship Opportunity

Whether you’ve chosen to attend a trade school or go the more traditional path of a four-year college degree, you already know that getting an education beyond high school is pretty pricy.

I know — I don’t have to tell you twice.

So I’ll cut right to the chase: We’ve got a scholarship for anyone attending a university, college, trade or vocational school who is planning to go into a construction- or engineering-related field of just about any sort.

Geneva Rock Products, Inc. is a Utah-based supplier of construction products and services. The company recently announced a scholarship program for “students dedicated to building the future,” in hopes of encouraging more people to enter construction-related industries.

So if you’re attending school for anything from welding to civil engineering, this scholarship opportunity is for you.

If you don’t fall into this category but you’re on the hunt for other scholarships that could help you pay for school, be sure to like The Penny Hoarder College page. We post awesome new scholarship opportunities there whenever we find them.

Enter to Win a $2,000 Scholarship from Geneva Rock Products

Here’s how you can enter to win $2,000 in the Geneva Rock scholarship contest.

Amount awarded: $2,000 to a recipient in the fall and $2,000 to a recipient in the spring.

Number of scholarships awarded: Two

To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Have received or currently be attaining a high school diploma or GED.
• Be currently enrolled in an accredited university, college, trade or vocational school.
• Be pursuing a construction-related career including (but not limited to): construction management, civil engineering, business, commercial/professional sales or a trade such as welding, diesel tech, heavy equipment operations or building tech.

High school seniors are welcome to apply but must already be enrolled in one of the previously mentioned institutions.

To apply, applicants must:

• Write an essay that answers the three questions listed under the “how to enter” section here, being sure to hit the word count for each section.
• Include your full name, contact information, affiliated institution and desired degree or certification.
• Include a photo of yourself working on a construction-related project.
• Sign and submit a Content Contribution Agreement.
• Email the above items to the email address listed under the “how to enter” section here.

Scholarship deadline: July 1, 2018 at midnight Eastern Time for the fall semester and November 15, 2018 at midnight Eastern Time for the spring semester.

Winners will be notified on August 1, 2018 and December 15, 2018, respectively.

The scholarship money must be used for tuition or school supplies (like textbooks or tools). A check will be written directly to the recipient’s school of choice.  

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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Can Amazon’s New Subscription Box Save You Money on Kids’ Books?

Amazon is launching a new subscription program aimed at voracious young readers.

Prime Book Box delivers a handful of age-appropriate books to kids up to age 12 for $22.99 per box. You can choose deliveries ranging from a box every one to three months.

The subscription promises that each hardcover or board book included saves shoppers 35% off list price, “and provides the best value on books sold by Amazon,” the website explains. Subscribers can choose books from a curated list or let Amazon put together a surprise box.

Book Box is available only by invitation at this time; Prime members can visit the program site to request an invitation.

So, how big are the savings?

Is Amazon’s Book Subscription Box for Kids Worth It?

We checked the prices for a pair of hardcover books curated as an example for readers ages 6 to 8. “Those Darn Squirrels!” by Adam Rubin sells on Amazon for $16.80, and Lois Lowry’s “The Willoughbys” sells in hardcover on Amazon for $12.24. Buy them individually and you’ll spend $29.04 with free Prime shipping.

Buy them at list price at your local bookstore and you’ll spend a total of $33.99 before shipping.

Then we checked Barnes & Noble, because there aren’t that many chain bookstores left to compare prices against. There, the same set of books cost just 64 cents more than they did at Amazon. B&N offered a $5 discount on any two books, but only ships orders of $25 or more for free if you’re a member paying $25 per year.

OK, so the price comparison is pretty much a wash. Is Amazon’s invite-only-for-now program worth the cost?

Maybe, if your child loves getting mail and is always looking for something new to read. Or if you live far from a library and tend to end up with overdue fines. Or if you’re a cool aunt or uncle who isn’t exactly an expert on the hottest children’s books.

At this point, what’s one more box on your doorstep from Amazon?

Lisa Rowan is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder covering the retail and grocery industries.

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 Increase Sales by Encouraging Mobile Spending

It’s a common misconception that you need to always focus on customer acquisition to drive sales and increase profits.

I hear this all of the time when I’m consulting with business owners. There are lots of other ways that you can generate more sales.

Sometimes all you need to do is make subtle changes to your existing process. That way you can improve the experience of your current customers and get them to spend more money.

You should set goals that help you increase the average purchase order and buying frequency.

One of the best ways to do this is by encouraging mobile spending.

Mobile trends are on the rise. In fact, over the past six months, 62% of consumers with a smartphone have completed an online purchase from their mobile device.

In 2017, mobile commerce held a 34.5% share of total ecommerce sales in the United States. At this growth rate, experts predict this number to rise to 54% by the year 2021.

This shouldn’t come as a major surprise to you. That’s because everyone seemingly has a mobile device glued to their hands at all times.

Smartphones. Tablets. That’s where people are browsing and consuming. You’ve got to recognize these trends and accommodate the needs of mobile users.

Here’s the bottom line. If you can encourage customers to buy from their mobile devices, you’ll be able to make more money. I’ll explain everything you need to know in order to make this happen.

Optimize your website for mobile devices

The first step in the process is making sure that your web design is optimized for mobile users.

Take a look at how users react to mobile-friendly sites.

People visiting your website are 67% more likely to buy your products or services if it is mobile optimized. But 61% of users will abandon your page if the design isn’t mobile-friendly.

Furthermore, 74% of users say that they are more likely to return to websites that are mobile-friendly.

Here’s why. Take a moment to think about the current layout of your desktop site. There are certain elements that need to be changed in order to fit properly on a small screen.

Now users won’t have to struggle to read small text. There’s no need for them to zoom in, side scroll, or do anything else that would impair their experience and limit their consumption.

It’s important for you to prioritize your mobile optimized website. This needs to happen before you start campaigns that drive more traffic to your mobile site.

Based on what we just discussed, it can have an adverse effect on the consumer opinion if they visit a site that’s not optimized for their device. Otherwise, you’re going to have high bounce rates and people leaving your site because navigation is too difficult.

So it’s safe to say that this should be your biggest priority right now if you haven’t already completed this step.

Here is a basic template example to show you what a mobile-friendly design looks like.

As you can see, the design on the right is much easier to read, navigate, and comprehend.

You can improve your conversion rates and increase sales by simply implementing this strategy.

Create a mobile app

A mobile-friendly website is great, and it’s 100% necessary based on everything that we have already covered.

But with that said, if you want to take your mobile spending campaigns to the next level you’ve also got to create a mobile application.

Look, I get it. I realize that this isn’t as simple as changing an image on the homepage of your website. Business owners may be on the fence about developing an app because of the time and costs associated with a project of this magnitude.

I’m not going to lie to you. This can be a long and grueling process. It’s not necessarily going to be the least expensive investment you make in your life either.

But the results are worth it. Once you have an app up and running, it can do wonders for your business.

Your mobile app is basically an enhanced version of your mobile site. Every aspect and element of the app will be better than your mobile site. Users will recognize the improved experience and it will ultimately get them to spend more money.

It’s a great idea for all businesses in every industry to build a mobile app.

According to recent studies, experts predict that mobile spending via apps will rise to more than $110 billion by the end of 2018. That’s a 30% spending increase from the previous year.

Numbers this high are just too big to ignore. It’s clear that consumers have a growing comfort level with spending money from mobile apps.

These are the top three reasons why small business owners are building apps for their companies.

If you recall, earlier I said that you don’t need to focus on customer acquisition if you want to increase your sales. But with a mobile app, it will be easier for you to get new customers without having to put in too much effort.

As we continue throughout this guide, you’ll see how new customers will automatically be more attracted to your business and willing to spend if you have an app available.

Focus on speed and performance

Whether users are accessing your mobile website or mobile app, there is one thing in common for both of these platforms. It’s got to be fast.

Research shows that ecommerce sites lose of half of their traffic if the page doesn’t load in less than three seconds. 74% of people will abandon a mobile page if it takes five seconds to load.

A slow mobile page loading time is one of the fastest ways to kill your conversion rates. You can’t expect to increase sales if that’s happening.

But on the flip side, high speed results in higher conversions and more sales.

The same concept applies to your mobile app. Take a look at how quickly people expect mobile apps to launch.

Remember, you’re trying to get people to spend their hard-earned money.

If you give them an excuse to change their minds, they are going to take it. So if they are sitting on a loading page for a few seconds, it’s easy for them to get frustrated and decide not to complete the checkout process.

But if everything loads instantly, they won’t have a reason or even a chance to change their minds.

Speed and performance both go hand in hand. Sure, your site and app may load quickly, but if they have tons of glitches and crashes, it won’t help your conversion rates.

People value their time too much. If your platforms are giving them problems, they’ll find another site or app to use instead.

This could be detrimental to your brand. 83% of app users say that performance is important to them.

Apps that are fast and perform well enhance the user experience. But 48% of people who had a bad experience using an app are less likely to use it again.

34% of consumers who had a poor app experience will go straight to a competitor’s app.

But if you prioritize speed and performance, you won’t have to worry about these problems.

Eliminate unnecessary steps in the checkout process

This piggybacks off of our last point. When someone decides what they want to buy, don’t make them jump through hoops to get it.

Having an efficient checkout process is important for the conversion rates on your desktop site as well. But it’s even more important for mobile devices.

That’s because it’s much harder for people to fill out information on their smartphones or tablets. To buy something, people have to enter their name, address, phone number, credit card information, and more.

It’s obviously easier to do this from a desktop device with a full keyboard than from a 4-inch screen. That’s why it’s important to only ask for the bare minimum.

Do you really need their phone number? Probably not.

So eliminate steps and fields that aren’t absolutely necessary to complete the purchase. Each added step will hurt your conversion rates.

Your mobile app can help improve your checkout process even more than your mobile website. That’s because it’s easy for users to save information to their profile.

Then they won’t have to fill out all of these fields each time that they want to buy something. As long as they are logged into their profile, they should be able to complete the purchase with just a few clicks.

Having a mobile app also makes it easier for you to implement and accept alternative payment options, such as Apple Pay.

Personalization is key

You’ve got to make sure that your ads and marketing campaigns are properly targeting the right people. Getting customers to shop from their mobile devices can make this easier for you.

As I said earlier, it helps speed up the checkout process. But having a customer profile on a mobile app can do so much more than this as well.

Now you’ll be able to recommend items to your customers based on their browsing habits and previous purchase history.

You may be surprised to hear that people are comfortable having their behavior monitored if it improves their shopping experience.

Furthermore, 74% of consumers feel frustrated if the content isn’t personalized on websites. 77% of consumers say that they paid more for products and recommended brands to others if that company offers a personalized shopping experience.

It’s simple. Your customers want personalization.

Here’s a simple example to show you what I’m talking about. Let’s say someone purchased a snowboard, boots, a winter hat, and gloves from your app.

Well, the next time they launch the app you can have product recommendations on their homepage for items such as a snowboarding jacket or goggles.

Giving them recommendations for a surfboard or bathing suit probably won’t make too much sense.

You can also personalize suggested items based on things like gender, age, and location. Meaning you shouldn’t promote dresses and skirts to male customers.

Try using location-based services and geofencing technology to target customers based on their location. This can bring your personalization campaigns to a whole new level.

When an app user enters a specific area, they can get a targeted push notification to entice a sale. This could happen when they are within the vicinity of one of your retail stores or for other reasons as well.

Implement a digital loyalty program

Customer loyalty programs are one of my favorite ways to increase sales.

It gives your customers a reason to keep shopping and coming back because they want to benefit from the rewards that you’re offering. There are several ways to approach this.

But no matter which one that you choose, it will increase the likelihood that they’ll make purchases from your brand.

One of the most common types of loyalty programs is based on a per visit or per purchase system. Think about how a punch card works at a local deli or pizza shop.

Businesses offer something like a free meal on the customer’s 10th visit, regardless of how much they spend each time they buy something.

Another way to approach this is based on spending tiers. The more a customer spends in a given time frame, such as a year, the better their benefits get.

No matter which option you choose, having a loyalty program built into your mobile app will help skyrocket your sales. That’s because people won’t have to worry about carrying a physical card.

They won’t need an account number to memorize or anything like that either. All they need to do is make purchases through the app and the rest takes care of itself.

It’s easy for them to monitor their purchase history and progress toward their rewards.

Psychologically, this will entice your customers to spend more money and buy more often. They’ll want to do whatever they can to reach the next reward level and enjoy the benefits that come with it.

Promote mobile benefits and offer incentives to spend

So you created a mobile-friendly website and built a mobile app. Now what?

Nobody is going to know about this until you tell them. So you’ve got to use all of your marketing channels to spread the word.

Don’t wait until your app is launched to tell people. Start building hype so the customers are ready for it and are anxiously ready to download as soon as they can.

Then they’ll be able to start spending right away once the app has officially launched. Talk about these benefits on channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Send information to subscribers on your email list as well.

54% of emails are opened from mobile devices. So if you’ve got links in your emails, you’ve got to make sure that it drives the recipients to your mobile-friendly website.

All of your emails should have a “download our app” button somewhere within the message. If you don’t promote it, you can’t expect to see results.

You’ll also need to give people an incentive to shop from their mobile devices.

One of the best ways to do this is by offering a discount off of their first purchase from the mobile app. This is a great reason for people to download the app and spend money.

Here is an example of this strategy that was implemented by the Shopbop brand.

Another way to increase sales is by creating a customer referral program through your app. Set up one that offers an incentive for the current customer as well as the new customer.

This is basically free promotion. The only cost to you is the discount that you’re offering, which shouldn’t be drastic enough to hurt your profit margins.

Plus, the more people who download your app and use it will increase the chances for other people to discover it when they are browsing the app store.

This increases your brand’s credibility. Ultimately, this will help you get new customers and generate higher sales.

Conclusion

If you want to get more sales, you’ve got to find ways to improve the experience of your existing customers. Recognize their consumption habits and adjust your process accordingly.

Start by designing a website that’s optimized for mobile devices. After that, you can build an app to take the shopping experience to a whole new level.

Prioritize speed and performance. Simplify the checkout process.

Offer a personalized shopping experience for mobile users. Use your app to enhance your customer loyalty program.

Just make sure that you are properly promoting your mobile benefits and give customers incentives to spend.

Follow these tips if you want to generate higher sales from mobile customers.

How is your business encouraging customers to spend more money on your mobile site and app?

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Letting Go

I’m sitting here looking at my bookshelf in my office. It’s completely full of books.

Some of those books are there for reference and regular re-reading. Those are ones I’m keeping. Let’s say they make up 10% of the books on my shelf – that’s a good estimate.

There are a lot more that I picked up somewhere and read once, extracted the core ideas or the story, and will almost assuredly never read again. I liked them. I like seeing them there on my shelf. But if I’m really honest with myself, I’m not going to pick up that book again. There will virtually always be a new book I’d rather read or a genuine classic I’d rather reread. That’s another 60% of the books on my shelf.

There are quite a few more that I haven’t read at all. Books found at library book sales or given as gifts or found in little free libraries, books that seemed interesting that I thought I might read someday, but I always find something else to read. There are probably a few I will actually read sometime soon, and a few more I might read within the next several years, but the rest won’t get read. That’s the remaining 30% of the books on my shelf.

As I look at them, I want to keep all of them. I have fond memories of reading a lot of the books on my shelf, and I remember the excitement of finding and picking up many of the remaining books. It feels good to look at that shelf of books.

On the other hand, those books take up a lot of space, and there are a lot of them. There are only so many books I can read at a given time. Moving with this many books is a hassle. Some of them probably have some value, too, even if it’s just a swap at a used book store. The most painful thought, though, is that these books are just sitting here unread on my shelf when there’s likely someone in the area who would absolutely love to be actively reading that book, and if I’m never going to read it, why shouldn’t I send it on its way to find that person?

It’s time to let go of a lot of my books, and then it’s time to think a little differently about how I refill these shelves and what I choose to hold onto in the future.

* * *

Most humans in the Western world collect physical things. We fill up boxes and bins and closets and shelves with the stuff we accumulate.

We collect other things, too. We collect friendships and other social relationships. We collect slights and hurts. Almost everything I’m saying below applies to collecting those things, too.

Whenever we add a new item to our life without eliminating one, we’re actually adding a problem to our life as well. Every time we take on a new item, we further divide up the time we have to spend on the items we already have, and the bigger and more unwieldy our collection becomes.

If I have 10 books on a shelf that are unread and I add yet another one, I now have even less of a chance of reading the ones I already have. There simply isn’t time, even if I spend a lot of time reading. I can commit to a full moratorium on buying new books and even on going to the library, but I still have more books on that shelf than I’ll be able to read in quite a while. In all truth, what I’ve done is reduced the likelihood that I’ll read any of the ones already on my shelf while simultaneously adding another book that has a relatively low probability of being read unless I make some sort of firm commitment to it.

That’s true for everything. Clothes in the closet. Small kitchen appliances (more appliances but the same number of meals means all appliances are used less while taking up more room on the whole).

The more we have of something, the less time and energy we actually have for each of the items, and that means we get less value from them. We’re getting less value for the money we spent on every item on the shelf.

Yet, there’s still the problem of having a bunch of items that we like having but still don’t really have time for.

I call it the “letting go” problem.

* * *

The reality is, I would have never brought any of those books into my home if I didn’t want them on some level. Each book on my shelf wouldn’t be there if there wasn’t some excitement in my life, at some point, for reading that book.

When I look at the book cover, I get a twinge of that feeling again. I remember being really excited about the book, and I feel a little excitement again. I’ll tell myself, “You know, I might just read this sometime… I’m going to hold onto it.”

But then I’ll see the next book and feel the same way, and the one after that, and the one after that, and the reality of my life is that I don’t have infinite time to read, and even if I did, it’s very likely that I’m not going to give that time to a lot of these books. I’m not going to re-read most of the ones I’ve read, and I’m honestly not going to read most of the unread ones, either.

It’s that twinge of feeling, though, that makes it hard to let go.

But it’s just a twinge. If I listen to that twinge alone, it’s enough, but if I step back and look at the bigger picture, I might just come up with a different answer.

* * *

As I sit here looking at my bookshelf, the reality is that on some level I don’t want to get rid of any of them. I don’t want to let go of them at all. In the end, there are really only three big things that actually work as a motivation for me to let go of some of these books.

One, if I’m not likely to read that book any time soon and I can get a little value from it, I can use that value elsewhere in my life. If I can sell that book for 50 cents, then that’s 50 cents that I can use elsewhere.

Two, those books really do take up a lot of space. I don’t mind having a nice bookshelf full of the books I truly love, but having shelves stuffed with books I read once and probably won’t read again or books that I’m fairly likely to never read? That’s a lot of space for those things.

Three, and this is the big one, if I let go of a book, it’s likely to find its way into the hands of someone that will appreciate it. The idea that one of those books that would otherwise just sit on my shelf for years might end up making a difference in someone else’s life really sways me.

So, what am I doing? I’m purging the books. I’m selling off some of the ones that individually have some significant value. This turns some items that were just sitting on my shelf into money that I can do other things with. It’s very likely that said money will wind up in a Roth IRA, honestly.

I’m donating most of the rest to the library. With some others, I’m sticking them into Little Free Libraries in the area.

* * *

Still, it’s hard to let go sometimes.

I decided I was going to put a few particular books in a nearby Little Free Library, because I thought there might be some people in the neighborhood who could get some value out of them.

I bundled up the books and walked over there, but as I was sticking them in there, I began to question it.

Do I really want to let go of this book?

I liked that book. I really did. It was a joy to read. There’s some small chance I might read it again.

In the end, though, would I actually read it again? And wouldn’t it be better for this book to wind up in the hands of someone else? And won’t I be glad to have some free shelf space in my office?

I slipped that book into the Little Free Library and closed the door.

* * *

It’s hard to let go, but sometimes it’s the best thing to do.

Related Articles: 

• Personal Finance and the 80/20 Principle
• The Challenge of Getting Rid of Stuff
• Thoughts on the Battle Between Minimalism and Preparedness

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How Do I Answer Stepmom’s Burning Questions About My Medical Marijuana Tab?

Dear Penny,

I’m a married mother of four crazy kids. I am a stay-at-home mom and basically have been for 10 years. (My oldest is 10.) My husband is the sole provider for our family of six. We have almost always been low income, and on welfare and other types of assistance.

Recently, I obtained my medical marijuana card for the state of New Mexico. Therefore, I have been spending a good amount on weed. My (evil) stepmother is always trying to “help” by getting all up in our money business, asking questions, planning our money out for us, and lecturing about what I should be doing with money and tax returns.

I just don’t know which route to take on this?!  

-J

Nine times out of 10, I’ll advise people to be open about their finances. I’d love to see us all come to a greater understanding of the ways we make choices to spend and save our money.

But you, my friend, are the exception. I get the distinct impression that your stepmother wouldn’t approve of your marijuana spending even if a dozen doctors and the surgeon general of the United States signed off on it.

So it’s time for a new normal. Sit down with your stepmother over a cup of coffee or tea, and lay down the new rules of your household.

“As the kids get older, we’ve decided to keep our financial decisions within our immediate family,” you could say, making it clear that the immediate family you speak of includes you, your husband and your children — not your stepmom.

Make it clear that you appreciate the advice she’s given over the years, but that you feel confident keeping this financial information to yourself going forward.

Then, if she brings up money in the future, you can simply say: “We’ve discussed this before, and I’d like to remind you that I’d prefer not to talk about my family’s finances with you. Please respect that choice.”

It helps if you’re not asking your stepmother about her own cash, which it sounds like you don’t give two hoots about anyway.

Be calm, but firm. Be kind, but firm. You can do this.

I also want to say a bit about your budgeting, given your recent medical changes. First, congratulations on taking this step for your health that can take a lot of bravery and hoop jumping. Next, it’s time to do some financial planning to make sure you can consistently afford the products that relieve your symptoms.

If you haven’t already, do some research about local nonprofit providers, strains that can help you best and products that work best for your lifestyle.

There’s no shame in asking your doctor or medical marijuana retailer how to get the biggest bang for your buck, so to speak. Continue that conversation on a regular basis, too. There may be new ways to get the relief you need while saving a few dollars along the way, and checking in with your health care team can ensure you’re getting the best possible treatment.

Have an awkward money dilemma? Send it to dearpenny@thepennyhoarder.com.

Disclaimer: Chosen questions and featured answers will appear in The Penny Hoarder’s “Dear Penny” column. I won’t be able to answer every single letter (I can only type so fast!). We reserve the right to edit and publish your questions. Don’t worry — your identity will remain anonymous. I don’t have a psychology, accounting, finance or legal degree, so my advice is for informational purposes only. I do, however, promise to give you honest advice based on my own insights and real-life experiences.

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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Beware the hidden cost of 118 calls

Consumers can be charged exorbitant rates when they use directory enquiry services, such as 118 or 070 numbers. Older callers – who may not use the internet – are particularly at risk. Moneywise highlights the charges and the cheaper alternatives on offer.

“118… 118…” as you think of the number, I’d put money on the fact it’s accompanied by the Rocky theme tune and flashbacks of blokes running around your television screen with 118 118 emblazoned on their white string vests.

These 118 numbers are directory enquiry services, introduced by former telecoms regulator Oftel in 2003.

• 11 tips to get a better mobile phone deal

But dig below the catchy jingles and funny adverts used to ingrain 118 numbers into the public consciousness, and you’ll find that the price of some 118 numbers is no laughing matter.

According to figures from telecommunications regulator Ofcom in May 2017, there are more than 400 directory enquiry services in operation, with calls costing as much as £9.

But one of the biggest catches with these services is that the often hefty cost per minute continues once your call is forwarded.

In addition, directory enquiry services are not required to provide information on price on connection – although under the Phone-paid Services Authority rules, providers must warn you of the ongoing cost if you wish to be forwarded to the phone number you have requested.

The regulator is so worried about these hefty charges, that it has launched an investigation into 118 numbers, as well as 070 numbers – see below for more on these.

An Ofcom spokesperson told Moneywise: “We’re concerned about the costs people face when calling 118 and 070 numbers, so last year we launched a review to ensure consumers are properly protected.

“In December, we proposed setting a cap on the wholesale charge of 070 numbers, so it’s in line with charges for calling mobiles. We aim to announce the next steps on our work to protect people using 070 and 118 numbers later this year.”

Ofcom is also talking to fellow regulator the Phone-paid Services Authority about whether there are any additional consumer protection measures the latter could consider under its code of practice.

• Are you on the best phone tariff?

Sadly, it’s the most vulnerable people in society – for example, older callers who don’t use the internet – who are most likely to be hit.

Caroline Abrahams, director of charity Age UK, explains: “Older people who use directory enquiry services may do so because they are unable to get online – nearly four million people aged 65-plus have never used the internet.

“Companies providing these services [118 numbers] need to make sure that charges are fair and that pricing is made as clear as possible to ensure that vulnerable, older people are not forced into using expensive services to a find a number, which may be for a vital service they need.”

How to beat 118 calls

Moneywise research into the cost of four major directory enquiry services found varying costs. See the two tables below for the difference in price between BT, The Number, The Post Office, and Yell.com’s main 118 numbers – and their cheaper services where available.

Interestingly, two of the best-known directory enquiry services offer cheaper and even free services – they just don’t advertise them as heavily. There are, however, several other methods you can use to try to beat 118 calls.

If you do call a pricey 118 number, make a note of the number you have requested and call it separately.

118-provider-charges.png

If you’re confident using the internet, search for an alternative to a 118 number for the company you want to call or use a free online directory enquiry service.

If you feel the price of a 118 call wasn’t made clear before ringing, you first need to contact the provider to complain. If you don’t get a satisfactory response, you can take your gripe to the Phone-paid Services Authority (Psauthority.org.uk).

In March 2018, it fined directory enquiry service 118 113 (Helpdesk Limited) £425,000 and told it to refund customers after complainants said they were unaware of the cost of calls.

what-118-providers-dont-tell-you.png

What do the providers say?

Moneywise asked each of the four major 118 providers – BT, The Number, The Post Office, and Yell.com – if they consider their charges are fair. The Post Office felt its service was “one of the cheapest” on the market, so its users “don’t rack up big bills”. Yell.com believe its charges are “made clear” and adds that it has a free online directory enquiries tool people can use instead.

BT and The Number, meanwhile, validate their charges by arguing that they both offer cheaper “no-frills” versions where you’re only given one number per call and you’re not forward-connected on to this number.

• TalkTalk rated worst provider for broadband and landline service

This information is listed online on The Number’s website below its information on 118 118 call costs. However, there are no details on BT’s cheaper numbers on the page for its main 118 500 number, and you have to search online to find out.  

Beware 070 numbers

Other numbers to watch out for are those beginning with 070. These were introduced by Oftel in 1995 and are designed to be used as a ‘follow me’ service, where calls are diverted from one number to another, so that the person being called can keep their own number private. Small businesses and sole traders often use them to make it easy to manage calls.

These 070 numbers can be sold legitimately on a one-off basis – for example, when someone is buying or selling a car and does not wish to advertise their private mobile or fi xed line number on a website or magazine.

But regulator Ofcom is concerned that 070 numbers are being used by scammers to trick people into returning what they believe is a call to a regular mobile number, only to be stung with hefty charges. According to the government, calls to 070 numbers can cost up to £3.40 a minute.

Ofcom’s report into 070 numbers published in December 2017 states “there is evidence to suggest that up to 60% of all [070] calls are to fraudsters and other misusers”.

To remove this incentive for fraud, Ofcom has proposed capping the termination rate for calls to 070 numbers at just 0.5p per minute, which is the same amount as calls to mobiles. Its fi nal decision on this is due later this year.

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• Are you on the best phone tariff?
• TalkTalk rated worst provider for broadband and landline service

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