Sports Betting May Soon Be Legal in Your State, but Never Gamble With IRS

The good news about Monday’s Supreme Court ruling is your annual March Madness bracket pool may no longer be technically illegal. The bad news is that if you win, Uncle Sam will want a cut.

The ruling gives individual states the freedom to legalize sports betting (or not).

Here’s the long and short of it: The Supreme Court overturned a 1992 law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that made it illegal to bet on sports, with one or two exceptions. Most notably, Nevada was exempt from the law, which is why you could go to Vegas and bet on the outcome of a single game legally for the last 25 years.

The ruling resulted from a New Jersey challenge to the law that dates back to 2014. One could guess that Atlantic City wants in on some of that Vegas action, right?

What’s the Big Deal About the Supreme Court’s Ruling?

According to ESPN, as many as 32 states are expected to offer some form of sports betting within the next five years.

The argument against sports betting has long been centered on the integrity of the sporting events themselves. If sports betting is commonplace, what’s to keep players, coaches and officials from betting and spinning the results in their own favor? (Shoutout to Pete Rose!)

How each league will address this issue is yet to be seen, but really, sports betting has been around. This new ruling is simply bringing it out into the open.

Wasn’t I Already Betting with FanDuel and DraftKings?

Not really. If you’re having some fun with daily fantasy sports (DFS), you’re still considered to be playing fantasy sports and not gambling. Splitting hairs? Yeah, probably.

Part of the difference comes down to taxes. If you win big in a DFS league, you’d be taxed according to hobby rules. Essentially, if your winnings equal $600 or more when your fees are taken out, you’ll owe taxes.

Sports gambling as a legal entity will be taxed according to gambling laws, which are a bit less forgiving. DraftKings and FanDuel are already preparing to get in on the action.

The new ruling opens the door for a lot more than just daily fantasy sports. You could be able to plop down a big bet on a single game if your state decides to allow it.

Just be ready to give Uncle Sam his cut when you rake it in from that big bet you made on the Browns beating the Patriots. (Hey, it could happen. Maybe. Probably not.)

Even if your state legalizes sports betting, be smart about it. Betting beyond your means is not The Penny Hoarder way.

Tyler Omoth is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder who loves soaking up the sun and finding creative ways to help others. Catch him on Twitter at @Tyomoth.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2wLSsur

Here’s How Amazon Prime Members Can Get Exclusive Savings at Whole Foods

One month after announcing the death of its old rewards program, Whole Foods is starting a new discount program exclusively for Amazon Prime members.

Now, Whole Foods shoppers who have Amazon Prime can save every time they shop at the grocery chain, which was purchased by Amazon last August.

Right now, the discount is only available for Florida shoppers, but Whole Foods plans to roll out the discount program nationwide this summer.

Here’s What You Save With Whole Foods Rewards Program

There are two ways Amazon Prime members can save at Whole Foods:

First, save an extra 10% on already reduced sale items around the store. This applies to everything except alcohol. Second, get exclusive savings on items that are only on sale for Amazon Prime members.

To start cashing in on savings at Florida stores now (and all stores by the end of summer), download the Whole Foods app and set up an account to get a bar code that you’ll scan every time you shop at Whole Foods.

Alternatively, log in to your Amazon account and add your phone number. You’ll then have to provide your phone number at checkout to get the savings.

Desiree Stennett is a staff 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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2L7JKd6

Here’s What We Know About Verizon-Backed Visible’s Unlimited $40/Month Plan

Got Jokes? Laffy Taffy Is Searching for a Chief Laugh Officer (Win $10K)

Here’s a joke for you: Why couldn’t the shoes go out and play?

Because they were all tied up. <Ba-dum-tss>… Anyone? OK, so I wasn’t cut out for stand-up. Think you can do better?

Laffy Taffy, the candy company known for the jokes on the wrappers, is teaming up with entertainer Nick Cannon to find a Chief Laugh Officer.

The three finalists in this contest will get a free trip with a friend to Los Angeles to perform their material in the Laugh Factory comedy club. The winner will receive $10,000 and the opportunity to write jokes for Laffy Taffy wrappers.

To enter:

• Write up to three jokes suitable for Laffy Taffy wrappers in a question and answer format (questions and answers can be no longer than 65 characters each)

• Record a 60- to 90-second video of your best (clean) comedy material to show off your stand-up skills

• Submit your jokes and video using this link.

Submissions will be accepted until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The three videos with the most votes will be selected as finalists. They will be notified in early June and perform at the Laugh Factory on Tuesday, June 26.

Click here to enter. For all other questions, check out the official contest rules and FAQs.

Good luck and break a leg. But before you go, here’s one more gag. Why is a bad joke like a bad pencil?

Because it has no point. Hey-Ohhh!

Matt Reinstetle is a staff 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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2L6UtVl

Sam’s Club, You Had Us at Free Pizza and Movies — Check Out This Sweet Deal

By now you probably know that if you wait long enough, you can get a membership to Sam’s Club for next to nothing when you factor in all the freebies it’ll throw at you.

Buckle up, because Sam’s Club has rolled out its newest membership deal, and it’s pretty sweet.

Pay $45 for a Sam’s Club Membership and Get Over $45 Worth of Deals

If you sign up for a new Sam’s Club membership, you can set yourself up for one heck of a movie night.

Here’s the deal: Pay $45 for your annual Sam’s Club membership and you’ll receive:

• A family pizza combo — which includes a 16-inch pizza baked fresh in the club, a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola or Diet Coke, six chocolate chunk cookies and an order of cheesy breadsticks with marinara sauce — valued at $13.88.
• $25 in Vudu credits to stream movies.
• A $10 Sam’s Club gift card.

That’s $48.88 worth of fun stuff for a great movie night. Oh yeah, and you also get your annual Sam’s Club membership.

The Fine Print on This Sam’s Club Membership Offer

This offer, which runs now through June 7, is for new members only. If you’ve never been a Sam’s Club member or your membership expired over six months ago, you’ll qualify. If you’re looking to renew, consider signing up under your spouse’s or roommate’s name to get the deal.

For the Vudu credit, the new membership must be activated by June 8. You’ll then receive an email with the credit information. If you’re wondering if Vudu is worth it, the movie service currently has Marvel’s “Black Panther,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” and “The Greatest Showman” as some of its newest offerings. Not too shabby.

As for a $10 gift card to Sam’s Club, who couldn’t use that? You could supercharge movie night with the giant, 35-ounce barrel of Utz Cheese Balls and have $3 and change left over. Who doesn’t love an enormous barrel of cheese balls? When you’re done eating them, your kids can practice their rodeo clown moves on the container. Bonus.

Honestly, you could set yourself up for a couple of good movie nights with this deal. Grab it online or print it out and run to your local Sam’s Club to get the ball rolling. Enjoy!

Tyler Omoth is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder who loves soaking up the sun and finding creative ways to help others. His wife won’t allow the giant barrel of cheese balls in the house. Catch him on Twitter at @Tyomoth.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2Go1223

This Start-up Will Offer Free Driverless Van Service in Texas This Summer

Self-driving vehicles may seem like a futuristic mode of transportation, but a group in Frisco, Texas, will put them to the test sooner rather than later.

Drive.ai, a Silicon Valley-based autonomous vehicle start-up, will pilot a ride-hailing service using its self-driving vans this July. The company anticipates it will serve over 10,000 people working, living and visiting Frisco during its six-month pilot period.

Bloomberg reports the service will be free for riders during the testing phase.

For the first six months, the self-driving vehicles will be limited to predetermined pickup and drop-off locations around HALL Park, a major office park development, and The Star, Dallas Cowboys’ headquarters. Only employees or patrons of the buildings and local residents will be able to access the service via a smartphone app.

Drive.ai intends to eventually expand service to Frisco Station, a mixed-use development.

Prior to rolling out the self-driving vans, Drive.ai and its partners in the pilot program will inform the public about the program and how riders can access the app.

Bloomberg reports Drive.ai is one of the first companies to use autonomous vehicles to offer a ride-hailing service to the public.

The self-driving vehicles that will hit Frisco’s streets are Nissan NV200 vans painted bright orange. The vans will have visible sensors and four screens that indicate what the vehicle is doing, such as waiting for pedestrians to cross the street or stopping for passengers to get on or off.

Passengers — and pedestrians — worried about safety in the wake of deadly crashes involving Uber and Tesla self-driving vehicles can take comfort in knowing a human backup driver will ride along in the vans.

The company hasn’t disclosed how many vans will be in its fleet when service debuts.

Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. The idea of self-driving cars makes her anxious.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2rLj891

Here’s How Target’s New Restock Program Stacks Up Against Amazon Prime

Restock, Target’s next-day delivery service and Amazon contender, is rolling out nationwide after testing in a handful of markets last fall.

And pricing for the now-nationwide program is even better than expected. While Target Restock orders were originally billed as $4.99 each for next-day delivery of home essentials, the company announced today that delivery is just $2.99. Target REDcard members get Restock deliveries for free.

Target knows how good of a deal it is, too.

“Membership fee?” its cheeky release asks. “Nope.”

The release explains that shoppers can order up to 45 pounds of Target’s “popular essentials” — 35,000 items including paper towels, detergent and nonperishable food items — and receive their orders the next day as long as they order by 7 p.m.

Orders placed after 7 p.m. on Fridays and weekends will arrive in two days, according to the Restock site.

Restock categories include baby, beauty, food and beverages, health, home improvement, household essentials, personal care, pets, and school and office supplies.

With the expansion, Target claims that more than 75% of the U.S. population has access to Restock delivery. Target’s announcement dropped shortly after Amazon announced it would raise the price of Prime memberships from $99 to $119 annually.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2IkWn6J

Stop Paying Too Much for Cell Phone Service. Here Are 9 Cheaper Options

On the rare occasion when I look up from my phone, I see everyone else is on their phones. We’re all addicted.

Problem is, cell phone companies know we’re addicted. They’ve got us. Cell phone bills creep higher and higher because there’s no incentive for the major wireless carriers to slash prices.

That’s why, for many families, monthly cell phone bills are some of the priciest non-negotiable expenses. And many won’t switch to a discount provider due to fears of lousy reception and poor customer service.

But technology and competition are providing us with better and better options for low-priced, high-quality cell phone service. A whole bunch of upstart companies are promising dramatically lower rates without too many tradeoffs.

If I were you, first I’d figure out what kind of plan I really want — particularly how much data you use each month. Then I’d go through this article and compare prices for that specific kind of plan.

Here’s our review of the top discount wireless carriers — their prices, their plans and their coverage.

Twigby

Network: Sprint, with Verizon’s network as a backup for calls and texting.

Twigby isn’t as well-known as some of the other choices on this list, but it’s developing a good reputation. It has taken pains to make sure its customer service is prompt and helpful. Instead of a call center, it uses online chat.

“They get right back to you. Most of the time, there’s an instantaneous response,” says customer Zak Wilson, who lives near Portland, Oregon. “They’re very quick and knowledgeable.”

Wilson used to have Verizon, but it cost too much. He tried a different discount carrier but was frustrated by dropped calls. With Twigby, he says he’s found cheap, reliable cell phone service. He and his wife can finally afford to add a phone for their daughter.

Twigby is exclusively online. You’ll custom-build your own prepaid plan — without locking yourself into a contract.

All plans include unlimited texting. Twigby has no unlimited data plans and offers 4 GB of data at most. If you’re streaming a lot of video on the commuter train, you might want to pick a different carrier.

Note: The charts for every carrier’s plan show prices per month.

Talk

200 minutes	500 minutes	1,000 minutes	Unlimited minutes
$9	$11	$13	$15

Data

Wi-Fi only (no data)	150 MB	500 MB	1 GB	2 GB	4 GB
$0	$3	$6	$10	$15	$25

Mint SIM

Network: T-Mobile

Mint SIM is newer than most of the others on this list. It’s all online, with no storefronts or physical locations. Also, it has a cute cartoon fox for a mascot.

Here’s Mint SIM’s deal: It offers deeply discounted rates — as long as you pay for several months in advance.

It doesn’t sell phones. You bring your own phone, and you buy a package of three, six or 12 months.

Let’s say for the next year, you’ll want 10 GB of data per month. That costs $25 a month — and you’ll pay the whole $300 for the year up front.

If you’re not sure you want to commit, you could try a three-month plan with a seven-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like it, you can get a refund online.

All plans offer unlimited talk and text. There are no unlimited data plans. Right now, Mint SIM has an introductory offer cutting the price of its three-month plan when you sign up. But if you re-up for three months after that, you’ll pay the regular price.

12-Month Plan and introductory rate for Three-Month Plan

2 GB	5 GB	10 GB
$15	$20	$25

Three-Month Plan

2 GB	5 GB	10 GB
$23	$30	$38

Six-Month Plan

2 GB	5 GB	10 GB
$18	$24	$30

Virgin Mobile

Network: Sprint

Here’s the most important thing to know about Virgin Mobile: You’ll need an iPhone. You can bring your own iPhone, or buy a new or used one through Virgin.

Virgin’s main cell phone plan is “The Inner Circle,” which offers unlimited talk, text and data. It’s just a $1 a month for your first six months, then $50 a month after that. Two cheaper plans offer less data.

Bonus: Virgin Mobile customers get access to discounts from a revolving selection of retailers and brands like H&M, Hulu and Reebok.

Here’s something extra for parents: You can set up digital curfews on your kids’ cell phones. (No calls after 9 p.m., young lady!)

Data (All plans have unlimited talk and text)

5 GB	10 GB	Unlimited
$35	$45	$50

Cricket Wireless

Network: AT&T

Owned by AT&T, Cricket Wireless has retail locations all over the country. It’s a prepaid carrier, meaning you pay for service in advance. You won’t pay overage fees if you exceed your data limit, but your data speed will be throttled.

Cricket’s download speeds are already slow. Although Cricket uses AT&T’s network, it’s a cheaper secondary carrier whose download speeds are capped at 8 Mbps. For comparison, AT&T’s wireless service usually hits at least 25 Mbps.

That’s why Cricket automatically streams video in standard definition unless you’re using a Wi-Fi connection.

If you don’t need high-speed data, you can save some money by using Cricket.

And if you’re looking for a family plan, it offers group discounts on its data plans of 5 GB or more. You get a $10 discount on a second phone line, and a $20 discount on each of your family’s third, fourth and fifth phone lines. So you could save $70 a month if your family has five cell phones.

If you’re bringing your own phone, check here to make sure it’s compatible.

Data (All plans offer unlimited talk and text.)

Talk & text only	2 GB	5 GB	Unlimited (3 Mbps)	Unlimited (8 Mbps)
$25	$30	$40	$55	$60

MetroPCS

Network: T-Mobile

MetroPCS might be the biggest and best-known company on this list, partly because it has thousands of retail locations across the country.

It offers four different plans, all with unlimited talk and text. It sells its plans and phones exclusively in-store, not online.

Its $50-a-month unlimited talk-text-and-data plan compares favorably with several others on this list.

One thing about MetroPCS: You’ll find no shortage of complaints about it. Whether it’s fair or not, on any online review or forum about MetroPCS, you’ll find several readers’ comments bitterly complaining about the company’s service — even when the original review was positive.

If you’re bringing your own phone, check here to make sure it’s compatible.

Data	Price
2 GB	$30
5 GB	$40
Unlimited	$50
Unlimited plus 10 GB Hotspot	$60

Republic Wireless

Network: Sprint and T-Mobile

What makes Republic Wireless different is its emphasis on “hybrid calling.”

When you make a call or surf the web from a Republic Wireless phone, you automatically get routed over Wi-Fi first. If no Wi-Fi connection is available, it defaults to cellular service. The idea is that, this way, you consume less data and cellular service, resulting in lower bills.

One important note: iPhones don’t work with Republic Wireless. You can bring your own phone or buy a phone from Republic. Just not an iPhone. Republic is working on that, company spokeswoman Cherie Gary told The Penny Hoarder.

If you’re bringing your own phone, check here to make sure it’s compatible.

In 2017, Money magazine named Republic Wireless as its “Best Basic Plan.”

Republic’s “My Choice Plan” charges this much:

• $15 for unlimited talk and text
• $5 per 1 GB of data

So if you want a Republic phone plan with 1 GB of data, that’ll cost you $20 (plus taxes). A plan with 5 GB of data will run you $40. A plan with 10 GB of data is $65. And so on.

“The cost is really good. It's a great option for kids because you can get a good phone and choose how much data you're willing to pay for,” says customer David Hile, who lives near Columbus, Ohio. “Everything is online, and the customer service is good.”

Ting

Networks: T-Mobile and Sprint

Here’s what sets Ting apart: You only pay for what you use. Imagine that!

Yes, Ting only charges you for the talk, text and data you use. I know, I know, that sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Who’s ever heard of such a thing?

You pay at the end of your billing cycle instead of at the beginning. Also, Ting provides you with a useful digital dashboard so you can keep tabs on how much data and how many minutes you’re using during the month. You can set up alerts for Ting to text you if your usage is approaching a certain limit, like 500 minutes of phone calls or 5 GB of data.

The dashboard is also a handy way for parents to monitor their kids’ cell phone use.

Ting’s data prices are a bit higher than some of its competitors, so it might be best for light data users.

Uschi Carhart of Portland, Maine, a member of The Penny Hoarder’s Facebook Community Group, signed her family of three up for Ting.

“I never liked regular cell phone plans where you pay a set amount every month, no matter how much you use your phone,” she says. “The division of data, calls and texts makes a lot of sense to us, and our bill is usually about $50 for the three of us.”

If you’re bringing your own phone, check here to make sure it’s compatible.

Lines

1	2	3	4	5	6+
$6	$12	$18	$24	$30	$6/phone

Minutes

None	100	500	1,000	2,100	More?
$0	$3	$9	$18	$35	1.9 cents/minute

Texts

None	100	100	2,000	4,800	More?
$0	$3	$5	$8	$11	1/4 cent/text

Data

None	100 MB	500 MB	1 GB	2 GB	More?
$0	$3	$10	$16	$20	$10/GB

The Bottom Line

Again, decide what kind of plan you really want, and then make your price comparisons.

Here’s the nitty-gritty on the Penny Hoarding cell phone options we’ve looked at here:

Carrier	Network	The Bottom Line
Boost	Sprint	Only three plans. Mobile hotspots.
Cricket	AT&T	Discounts on family plans. Slow download speeds.
MetroPCS	T-Mobile	Biggest, best-known discount carrier. Mixed reviews.
Mint SIM	T-Mobile	Cheap rates — as long as you pay in advance.
Republic	Sprint & T-Mobile	No iPhones. “Hybrid calling” uses Wi-Fi and cellular service.
Ting	Sprint & T-Mobile	You only pay for what you use.
Twigby	Sprint & Verizon	Cheap, reliable service. No unlimited data plans.
Virgin	Sprint	iPhones only. Discounts from retailers.

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He’s currently paying waaaaaay too much for cell phone service.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2IKCvte

How to Get More Likes on Facebook Without Paying for Followers

Establishing a strong social media presence is crucial for brand survival in this day and age.

No matter what type of business you have, you need to focus on your Facebook advertising strategy.

Don’t get me wrong. Other social platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, are all important as well. But a solid social media foundation starts with Facebook.

It’s tough to ignore the fact that Facebook has 2.2 billion active monthly users. Just based on this alone, it’s inevitable that your target market is active on this platform.

But setting up a Facebook business page and posting content isn’t enough to be successful. If people don’t like your page, nobody will see your promotions and what you’re offering.

There is a common misconception that getting people to follow you on Facebook is a costly investment.

Just because some brands are spending money on Facebook ads doesn’t mean you need to. In reality, you don’t need to spend anything to get consumers to like your Facebook page.

Don’t believe me? Well, keep reading to find out how. I’ll give you the top tips and best practices to get more likes on Facebook without spending money.

Create shareable content

Unless you are a brand new company that just created a Facebook page, I’m assuming you’re not starting from zero likes. One of the first things you should do is take advantage of the people who already like your page.

Get these people to expose your posts to their own friends. The easiest way to do this is by posting content that’s highly shareable.

According to Buzzsumo, these are the top ten most shared posts of 2017:

As you can see, four of the top ten posts were videos. More specifically, three of these four were music videos.

I realize it wouldn’t be reasonable for most of you to create music videos. And posting a music video may not be relevant to your brand image. But that doesn’t mean you should give up.

Quizzes and news articles also had high share rates on this list.

Sometimes you don’t even need to get creative. Simply asking users to share your content may be enough.

Otherwise, you’ll need to put your best foot forward to produce high quality content that’s unique and intriguing to your audience.

Did you just come up with new groundbreaking research? Can you produce a video that will easily go viral? These types of things can make your content stand out.

Anything shocking, controversial, or newsworthy can spark a discussion and cause people to share your posts.

Once your content is shared, these posts will be seen by the friends of those who shared it.

But now, there is an increased chance that more people will like your page so they can see this type of content on a regular basis moving forward.

Timing is everything

Think about how often you post on Facebook.

Is it once per day? Once a week? Only once a month?

You also need to analyze the time of day you’re posting on Facebook. All of this matters when it comes to increasing engagement and getting more likes.

Research shows that these are the best days and times to post content on Facebook:

Based on this data, you’ll get higher engagements later in the week and on the weekends. If you think about it, this makes sense.

People have jobs and are usually busier during the week. But as the weekend nears, they may be getting a little bit antsy and slack off if they are ahead of schedule.

So they can spend more time on Facebook. People are also happier on the weekends so they are more inclined to like, share, and comment on your posts.

You also need to consider who likes your Facebook page. For example, if 90% of your followers are from the United States, posting at 3 AM EST isn’t going to yield high engagement rates.

That’s when you can take advantage of my favorite time-saving social media marketing tools.

Use these automation tools to schedule your Facebook posts at the most optimal times so you won’t have to do it manually each day.

Your posting schedule also needs to remain consistent. Stick to your strategy. Don’t post regularly for a month or so and then go silent.

But you don’t want to spam your followers and post too frequently either.  Research shows 46% of people will unfollow a brand on social media if it posts too often. But 18% will actually unfollow brands if it doesn’t post enough.

Find that sweet spot between these two extremes.

Keep your posts short

Nobody is going to read massive blocks of text on social media.

There is just too much for them to see from their friends and family. Reading long posts from brand pages won’t be at the top of their priority lists.

Social media platforms such as Facebook are designed for users to scroll through content quickly.

You also need to consider how many Facebook users are accessing content from their mobile devices:

Paragraphs on your computer screen will appear even longer on mobile devices. Plus, long blocks of text are difficult to read.

If you’re currently posting long content, it may be the reason why you’re not getting enough likes.

How long should your posts be? Research was conducted on five of the most popular Facebook pages to analyze the length of their content:

• Fox News
• NBC News
• Huffington Post
• BBC News
• BuzzFeed

The researchers found that 33% of the posts in this study consisted of ten or fewer words. A good rule of thumb is that shorter is always better.

If people see your posts aren’t long, they will be less hesitant to like your page.

Encourage comments (and respond to them)

Getting Facebook users to comment on your posts is a great way to gain exposure for your page. The more exposure you get, the more likes it will lead to.

That’s because friends of those who comment, even if they aren’t following your page, will see these remarks. The post and the comments will appear on their timelines.

Now that other people can see your posts, you might get more likes.

Plus, if users see you respond to other people, they will want to engage with your page even more. There are a bunch of different reasons why you could respond to a comment:

• answer a user question
• thank someone for positive feedback
• acknowledge a different opinion

Not everyone will have something nice to say or agree with you all the time.

That’s perfectly OK. You can still respond to those comments. Just make sure you keep things professional at all times and stay on brand.

You don’t want to get into a back and forth argument for the entire world to see. That said, there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of a disagreement as long it’s done respectfully. So tread carefully when approaching this.

Take a look at how Hydroflask used the comments section to respond to a customer complaint:

It’s important you respond to comments in a timely fashion.

We know 80% of consumers expect a brand to reply to their social media comment within 24 hours. Waiting too long to respond could have an adverse effect on your social media marketing strategy.

Comment on other pages

Let’s continue talking about comments.

To help your Facebook page gain exposure, you can comment on other pages as well.

Find posts from pages within your industry. Comment on their content to spark a conversation and facilitate a discussion.

I’m not saying you need to go directly to your competitor’s Facebook page to do this, although I do recommend using tools to monitor your competition.

But in this instance, it’s better to find alternative pages to comment on. For example, let’s say your brand sells athletic equipment.

Rather than going to another sportswear company Facebook page, you can comment on pages for gyms and fitness centers. Do you see the difference?

Just make sure you’re not spamming other posts. Your comments should be genuine instead of just links to products on your ecommerce site.

Properly executing this tactic can draw attention to your page and lead to more likes.

Share authentic images and videos

While you might be clever with words, you should not post text only.

Include pictures and video content as well. Why? These types of posts generate more engagement.

Take a look at the engagement rates of videos and images compared to links on Facebook:

Adding photos and videos to your page will get more likes, comments, and shares.

As a result, more people will see these, and your page will be exposed to a wider audience. Now you have a better chance of new users liking your business page.

Create an effective profile picture and cover photo

This connects to my last point about sharing the right pictures.

The most important images on your page are the ones that people can see at all times. They are also the first things that get seen when someone navigates to your page.

That’s why it’s so important that you learn how to create an engaging cover photo.

Don’t just pick something random. Your logo may be a good idea, but go deeper than that. Find something that really speaks to your audience and reflects your marketing campaign.

Keep it simple. You don’t want to have a cover photo that’s confusing. It should be bold and have a clear point of focus.

It’s also important for you to review the Facebook cover photo guidelines. You don’t want to upload anything that’s in violation of Facebook’s policies.

Here’s something else to consider. You shouldn’t just set and forget your profile picture and cover photo.

Mix it up. Change it based on the season or a promotion you’re running.

Changing these images will show people that you are always updating your page. This gives them more of a reason to like your profile.

Offer discounts and promotions

Why do people follow brands on Facebook?

Aside from being interested in their products and services, people followed brands because they were interested in receiving promotions:

If you post exclusive promotional offers and discounts on your Facebook page, you will give people more reasons to follow you.

This also relates back to my earlier discussion about creating shareable content.

People may be willing to share these promotions with their friends and family, which is a great way to get even more likes on your page.

Stay relevant

You’ve got to consider the quality and timing of your posts. What is it about?

Post recent content needs to be up to date. Don’t share yesterday’s news or something that happened last week. People already heard about this somewhere else.

You need to stay up to date with pop culture, especially if it’s relevant to your business.

Just make sure you are always staying on brand.

When something happens that’s newsworthy, try to find a way to spin it and make it relevant to your company.

For example, let’s say you sell clothing. If a winter storm is heading toward a certain region of the country, you can use that to promote warm gear like hats, gloves, boots, and coats.

But avoid sensitive topics like politics, religion, and things of that nature. Discussing those subjects could end up hurting your brand’s image.

Run contests

Contests and promotions are a great way to create higher engagement with your Facebook audience.

Running a contest that encourages user-generated content will expose your page to a wide audience. As a result, you’ll get more likes on your page.

Caption contests are a great way for you to get more comments on each post.

But if you can get users to post pictures and videos to their own timelines and tag your brand, it will be even better for your brand exposure campaigns.

Here is a great example of a contest run by REI on its Facebook page:

It’s smart because it encourages users to share photos wearing gear purchased from the company.

Creating more brand awareness on Facebook will help the company get more likes on its page.

Take advantage of Facebook Live

Go live.

Broadcasting live videos on Facebook is one of the best ways to engage with your audience.

There are endless options for you to consider with your live stream. It’s a great opportunity for you to give a product demonstration. You may also consider giving exclusive tours of your facility.

Use your live broadcast to preview new products that are in development. Ask customers for their feedback to make them feel as if they are part of the creation process.

Facebook isn’t the only social media platform with a live video option, but it’s the most popular.

You can use this channel as an alternative method to run contests and promotions, which we previously discussed.

It’s important that you stay authentic and true to yourself. Don’t try to become an actor or be someone who you aren’t.

If you’re funny, tell jokes. Be entertaining.

If you can offer entertainment to Facebook users, they’ll tell their friends about it. The more people tune into your live stream, the more likes your page will get.

Leverage your distribution channels

So far everything we’ve discussed involves how to get people to like your page directly from within the Facebook platform.

But that’s not the only way to do it.

You have other content distribution channels to take advantage of.

One of the first places you should look to is your email subscriber list. I bet the people who signed up to receive email promotions from you also have an active Facebook page. Get them to like yours.

Be direct. Include a link in your promotional emails inviting people to like your Facebook page: “like us on Facebook.”

You can have a similar button on your website. Include a link to your Facebook page in the description of your YouTube videos.

Use other social media channels to your advantage as well to drive more traffic to your Facebook page.

Conclusion

Before you can master your Facebook marketing campaigns, you need to make sure people like your page.

Getting more likes needs to be a consistent part of your social media branding strategy.

Start by producing content that’s highly shareable. Then, make sure you post it at the right time to maximize your reach.

Short posts have the highest engagement rates.

Encourage users to comment on your posts. Reply to these comments. You can even comment on other pages to facilitate a discussion and drive traffic to your page.

Add images and videos to your page. Focus on a strong profile picture and cover photo.

Your posts need to be short and relevant. Offer discounts and promotions to your Facebook fans. Run contests that produce user-generated content.

Broadcast live videos. Promote your Facebook page on all your distribution channels.

Follow the advice in this guide, and you’ll be on your way to tons of new Facebook likes in no time.

How is your company encouraging more users to like your Facebook page?

Source Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/2Ip0tqp

Today’s Promise, Tomorrow’s Challenge

Most mornings, I wake up at about 5:30 AM and spend an hour or so waking up, stretching, doing a bit of reading and exercise and a few other odds and ends, and planning my day. The day before me feels like it’s full of promise and possibilities.

What will I do? How will I fill it? Will I be smart with my money and not buy anything foolish? Will I be really productive at work and write something that clicks with people? Looks like I have a morning meeting with my coffee group… will I have a lot of good conversations there and build some relationships? Will I learn some new things? Will I get some great exercise? Will I build up my relationship with my wife and my kids?

Today holds a lot of promise. Can I fulfill it?

Most days, I fulfill at least some of that promise. Some days, I write really well. Most days, I keep my spending completely in check. Most days, I have at least a few moments of genuine bonding with my children and my wife.

In other areas, I might fall short. I’ll clam up in a social encounter because I’m introverted and it feels much easier to just clam up. I’ll play a computer game instead of reading a challenging book.

At the end of the day, as I’m changing clothes for bed and brushing my teeth, I’ll think about the day that just passed and judge it. Was it a good day? Did I really do the things I set out to do? Did I do something positive in each of the major areas of my life? Did I practice good virtues? Or did I mess up and make mistakes?

As I go to sleep, I recognize that tomorrow is another challenge, another day. I could see it as just another day in an endless string of them, but I prefer to see each new day as a new challenge, to do things just a little bit better than the day before and to build on the good things I did today. Sometimes I succeed at that challenge; sometimes I fall short. What matters is whether I tried to do things a little bit better than the day before.

There are some really good pieces in all of this that anyone can pull out.

First of all, treat each day both as a fresh start and as a fresh challenge. Maybe yesterday wasn’t all that great, but today is a blank slate. You can control your spending. You can do great things at work. You can connect with people.

Don’t view the sequence of days that fill your life as an endless void of similar days, but as a constant opportunity to make yourself better. Today might seem similar to the last one, but if you genuinely use today to improve some aspect of your life – or multiple aspects – tomorrow will be just a little bit better. The difference might be so small that you don’t even notice it, but if you do the same thing tomorrow – genuinely try to make an aspect or two better – and then the day after that and the day after that, you will notice change.

Let’s put this in a personal finance context. There are really two ways to improve your financial state – spend less or earn more. Makes sense, right?

Today, what can you do to spend less than you do on a typical day?

Today, what can you do to put yourself in position to earn more money?

Ask yourself those two questions in the morning and come up with a genuine answer for each one.

For the first one, maybe it’s something as simple as skipping your morning coffee.

For the second one, maybe you can dedicate an hour of your time at work to taking care of an unfinished project that’s just been sitting around.

At the end of the day, think a bit about your progress on each. Did you manage to cut your spending a bit? Did you manage to do something that will nudge your career forward a little bit, or help you to launch a side business or take a new career step?

Ideally, that answer is “yes” (most of the time).

The question then becomes how can you keep that momentum moving forward to tomorrow. What can you do to build on this little success today? Maybe you can actually plan out a meal plan and a grocery list tomorrow and do some well-planned grocery shopping to take care of your food needs for a few days without breaking the bank, and then slowly get into a routine of cooking at home more often. Maybe you can start an online class to help master a new skill and then dedicate some time each day to going through the lectures and exercises.

To put it in simplest terms, today’s promise is the opportunity to do something positive; tomorrow’s challenge is coming up with a plan to build each of those little steps into something life changing and then sticking to it. Today’s promise, tomorrow’s challenge.

Which one is more important? I go back and forth on it.

At times, I relish today’s promise. I understand that if I can keep my eye on the ball today, that’s the fundamental element of building something bigger.

At other times, I relish tomorrow’s challenge. I plan for the future and try to come up with ways to channel today’s opportunities and time and effort into something bigger and better.

What I’ve come to realize is that in order to have the life you really want, you need both today’s promise and tomorrow’s challenge. You need to focus on making the absolute most out of today, but without putting some sort of direction around that effort, you wander in circles without really going anywhere or building anything.

I might be incredibly frugal each and every day, but if I don’t do something worthwhile with what I’m saving, it just goes to waste. At the very least, I should use it to pay down debt with a debt repayment plan or invest it for the future.

I might work my tail off today and do a great job, but if I’m not using at least some of that effort to make myself better so that I can perform better and create better things and simply do better work, I’m just going to run in circles forever.

We need today’s promise because that’s where all of the action is. That’s where we expend all of our effort and that’s where we get the results.

Without tomorrow’s challenge, all of today’s promise amounts to surprisingly little. We must take our best efforts today and build on them.

Today’s promise calls us to do our best this very day and be proud of those efforts. Tomorrow’s challenge is to build up all of those best efforts into something far beyond what we could ever achieve on our own with a single day’s efforts.

We need them both.

Today, live up to the promise that a new day gives you. Do your best to succeed at the challenge you have in front of you. If you’re trying to improve your finances, make the decision that today you will focus on making great spending choices. If you’re trying to improve your career, make today a great day at work. Only today really matters in terms of that actual effort.

Tomorrow, challenge yourself to build on those efforts and put them in a broader plan. If you’re trying to improve your finances, figure out what you’re going to do with the money you’re saving from your daily frugal efforts and put that cash to work. If you’re trying to improve your career, start building big resume-worthy things and improving your education.

Today’s promise, tomorrow’s challenge.

The post Today’s Promise, Tomorrow’s Challenge appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/2k41pGi

Book Award-Winning Excursions and Tours with These Travel Rewards Cards

The Starve & Stack Method: An Extreme Money-Saving Experiment for Couples

Do you ever wonder how other couples pay off so much debt so quickly?

Like this couple who paid off $13,000 on a combined income of $28,000.

Or this couple who paid off $50,000 in debt and now lives on a sailboat.

Or this couple who paid off $35,000 in debt AND RETIRED IN THEIR 30s!

It seems impossible when it’s your own life, but I can tell you from personal experience that it’s totally doable. My husband and I paid off $78,000 of debt in two years, and the Starve and Stack method is one reason we were able to hit our big money goals.

How to Save Money Fast: ‘Starve and Stack’

Don’t worry, there’s no literal starving.

The term “Starve and Stack” was coined by Nick Vail of Remove the Guesswork in a guest post on the popular personal finance blog, Budgets are Sexy.

The idea is that couples, especially newlyweds, combine their finances and live 100% on one income for 18 to 24 months.

You could either pay off debt or set yourselves up with a substantial nest egg that would grow exponentially thanks to compound interest.

Vail doesn’t recommend this as a way to save for a down payment on a house, which may or may not be the best investment for young people right now. It’s an opportunity to invest for your future early on and let the magic of compound interest work for you.

And the earlier you start investing, the less you’ll have to save in the long run.

The median household income after taxes for a married couple is about $59,000, so suppose a couple’s take-home pay after taxes is around $52,000. If they live off half of that (or even a little more), they could feasibly save $50,000 in two years!

If you have $50,000 in an index fund that returns an average of 6%, you’ll have over $287,000 in 30 years if you don’t add an extra penny to it. And if you continue to add $25,000 every year after that, you’ll be a millionaire in about 19 years.

Alternatively, if you have a $50,000 student loan with 6% interest and you pay it off in two years instead of 10, you could save over $10,000 in interest!

But How Do You Starve and Stack?

The elephant in the room is, how do I get my cost of living low enough to do this?

You’ll have to avoid the temptation of lifestyle inflation that comes with doubling your income. Moving in with someone doesn’t mean you deserve an upgraded car or a corner apartment. We opted for a tiny one-bedroom apartment we found through scoping out neighborhoods.

We also looked for free activities to have fun and ways to save on expenses we couldn’t completely cut out. Calling our insurance and phone providers at least once a year saved us big bucks on our monthly bills.

And if you can’t decrease your expenses any further, try a side hustle to make up the difference. There are tons of ways to make money at home in your spare time.

Jen Smith is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She and her husband Starved and Stacked to pay off $78K of debt in two years. Find her on Instagram at @savingwithspunk for money saving and debt payoff tips.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2jZGAvB

Are You Swiping the Wrong Credit Card? Here’s How to Fix It

All men are created equal, the Founding Fathers said.

Ah, but not all credit cards are created equal.

You might think plastic is plastic, and that’s all there is to it. After all, you whip out a Visa, Mastercard or Discover for the same reason — because you want to buy something now but pay for it later. They’re all the same, aren’t they?

No, no, a thousand times no! The credit cards we have at our disposal today aren’t the same credit cards your momma used to buy diapers back in the day. Credit cards have evolved. They’re specialized now.

The same way there now seems to be a million different flavors of Pringles or Oreos or Triscuits at your local grocery store, credit cards just keep multiplying.

You have choices is what we’re saying. Don’t just leaf through your junk mail and accept one of the offers that show up in your mailbox. That’s a good way to end up unhappily shackled to a card that’s all wrong for you.

To get some professional help choosing a credit card, you could try Even Financial. Its online marketplace helps find the right card for you, based on your situation and needs.

Start by asking yourself what you want most out of a credit card:

• Rewards: Some cards get you cash back on your purchases, discounts at the gas pump or points you can redeem for gift cards.
• Travel incentives: Other cards reward your spending with miles or points you can redeem for airline tickets or car rentals.
• Balance transfer: If you’re carrying a balance on a high-interest card, transfer that balance to a different card with a lower rate. As an incentive, some balance-transfer cards offer a 0% interest rate for a year or more.
• Credit improvement: One way to improve your credit is to keep your credit card balances low.

Credit bureaus look at your credit utilization, or how much of your available credit you’re using. You can improve that ratio — and, potentially, your credit score — by getting a card with a high credit limit. Just don’t increase your spending to match.

Even Financial reviews the information you provide, such as your credit score, annual income, and what kind of card you’re looking for. Then it’ll play matchmaker, connecting you with card issuers to see if you pre-qualify for the cards that are the best fit for you.

Pre-qualifying doesn’t commit you to a card or ding your credit score.

Lickety-split, Even’s matching algorithms help identify the right cards for you.

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He could really use a new credit card.

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.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2rNk3We