How to Increase Your Sales ?ith Instagram Stories

No social media marketing strategy is complete without Instagram. But there is much more to Instagram than just uploading pictures and videos to your profile.

With a standard post, you’re somewhat limited to how much content you can upload in a given day or a week.

Let me clarify. Technically, you can post as much as you want. But that strategy won’t work.

On average, most brands post about 10 times per week. Uploading content more than once or twice per day to your Instagram profile will have a negative impact.

According to a recent study from Sprout Social, 58% of consumers say it’s annoying when brands post too much on social media. And 46% of users will unfollow a brand for doing this.

But you want to share your content with your audience. Sometimes, posting once or twice per day isn’t enough to get your point across.

That’s when you should be leveraging your Instagram story.

Unlike a traditional post, your Instagram story won’t flood the timelines of your followers. You can upload more than ten pictures or videos to your story, and it won’t hinder anyone’s experience. This isn’t the case with posts posted directly to your profile.

Instagram has more than 400 million daily active users. One-third of the stories with the most views are uploaded by businesses.

Taking advantage of this feature is a great opportunity for your brand to generate sales on Instagram.

It’s worth mentioning that the longer your Instagram story is, the less of a chance it has of being watched in its entirety:

That said, nearly 60% of people will watch your entire story that has 20 frames.

That’s more content than you would upload with traditional posts to your profile in an entire week.

You can create a new Instagram story every day since the old stories disappear after 24 hours. This means you get to start off each day with a clean slate.

There are many different approaches to Instagram stories that drive sales. That was my inspiration for writing this guide.

I’ve identified some of the best examples of Instagram stories from a wide range of brands. Using these approaches in your Instagram posting strategy will help you avoid stale content for upcoming posts.

This is the approach you need to take if you want to generate more sales on Instagram.

Set up a shoppable story

For years, in order for businesses to directly drive sales on Instagram, they had to rely on adding links to their bios to drive followers to  product landing pages.

That was ineffective since the user had to take too many additional steps.

But Instagram recently rolled out an update allowing brands to increase product sales with shoppable posts.

With a shoppable post, you can tag products in an image, the same way you would a person. When a user clicks on the tag, they are directed to a landing page that gives them the opportunity to buy what you’re selling.

Clicking on a shoppable tag has far less friction than having to navigate to your bio.

While many brands are taking advantage of shoppable posts, many don’t realize they can also use shoppable stories.

The same concept applies here.

On your story, just tag an item from your product catalog. Users who view the story will have an option to click on the tag and be directed to a page where they can complete the purchase.

If you want to directly drive sales, this is one of your best options.

You can add dozens of different products to your Instagram shoppable story. Or maybe you’ll take another approach and use your entire story to promote one product.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll be able to generate more sales with these strategies.

Run a poll

Polls on Instagram stories are a great way to drive engagement.

Unlike with a shoppable post, participating in a survey won’t directly drive sales, but it will still pique your followers’ interest.

Polls can triple your engagement metrics on a story.

That’s because they are easy. All a user has to do is click on one of the two options to participate. Plus, that’s the only way they’ll be able to see how other people have voted.

Here’s an example of how Microsoft Surface used this strategy in a sponsored story:

It’s a very simple question.

They’re asking what’s more important to users, power or portability?

Here’s the catch. When users swipe up, following the “learn more” CTA, they’ll discover this product has both power and portability.

You’ll see more of this swipe up style CTAs throughout this guide.

Take advantage of the swipe up feature.

According to a case study from Marketing Land, 15-25% of users who see these links on Instagram stories are swiping up.

MeUndies participated in this study.

On average, 20% of users who saw its story swiped up to learn more. And 90% of those people have never visited the website before.

Adding a poll to your story increases your chances of getting higher engagement rates and, hence, makes it more likely that users will click your CTA. You’ll be able to generate more sales as a result.

Showcase testimonials to increase brand credibility

Testimonials are one of the best ways to increase credibility of your brand, products, and services.

In fact, 92% of consumers refer to testimonials when making a purchase decision.

Further, 88% of consumers trust a testimonial as much as a recommendation from someone they know. And 72% of buyers say they trust a business more after reading a positive testimonial about it.

Adding a testimonial to your story will definitely increase your chances of driving sales.

Here’s a great example from Mack Weldon:

It used a testimonial from Men’s Health to add credibility to its product.

If a reputable magazine such as Men’s Health says this is the best underwear for the gym, then they must be, right? That’s the idea behind this testimonial.

As you can see, Mack Weldon is also taking advantage of the swipe up feature.

By clicking this CTA, users will have a chance to buy products directly from the landing page. This process limits friction, which improves conversion rates.

It’s much more effective than asking your followers to navigate to your website by opening a separate web browser. Conversion rates for that method would be much lower.

Partner with a social influencer

You can also use influencers to increase your product’s credibility.

This strategy works for the same reasons as testimonials do. Followers will see a promotion from someone whom they trust and follow their recommendation as a result.

With influencer marketing, you don’t even need to post any content on your story.

Instead, you can have the influencers with whom you’re working promote your brand with their own stories.

Take a look at how CALIA by Carrie uses this strategy:

CALIA by Carrie partnered with professional surfer and model Anastasia Ashley.

Anastasia shares this content on her own story, so it’s viewed by her followers. Now people who may have never heard of this brand are exposed to the promotion.

This strategy is a great opportunity for you to increase your reach.

With this widened exposure, you’ll have a better chance of getting more followers and increased website traffic. Both of these metrics can help you drive sales.

Encourage interactivity

This strategy is similar to that of the story polls, which I talked about earlier.

The whole idea behind encouraging interaction with your followers is they engage with your content. Keeping people engaged will help your brand, products, and services stay fresh in their minds.

Check out this example from Tropicfeel:

Tropicfeel is a startup company that makes the ultimate travel shoe. All of their promotions target people who like to travel.

Everyone travels for different reasons.

Adding this content to its story gave users a chance to share their answers about their travel preferences.

The level of engagement it takes to complete this survey is much higher than just clicking on a poll.

A user has to take a screenshot, then add the same image to their own story with their answers circled.

Then, Tropicfeel shared those responses back on its original story:

It’s a clever strategy.

If you plan on doing something like this, you can’t expect the participation rates to be extremely high. That’s because it takes extra effort.

But it’s still effective. Even if some followers aren’t participating, they’re watching the story to view responses from other people.

All of this makes the company’s target audience think about traveling and potentially planning their next trip.

Maybe its followers need new shoes before their next excursions, which would entice them to make a purchase from this brand.

Repurpose user-generated content (UGC)

In the last example, you also saw repurposed user-generated content.

The only difference is it was produced as part of a campaign. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

There will be instances when your customers tag you in their stories without any encouragement from you.

Maybe they put on a new pair of sunglasses they just ordered from your ecommerce shop and want to show them off to their followers. So they upload an image to their story and tag your brand.

You’ll be notified any time your brand is tagged in a story. From here, you’ll have the option to share that same content to your own story as well.

Look at how Patara Shoes uses this tactic:

Repurposing UGC accomplishes several things.

First, this type of content will have the same effect as a customer testimonial, which I previously discussed.

Sharing a story like this also shows your followers you’re willing to repost content your brand is tagged in. This gives them some encouragement to do the same for a chance to be featured.

With more of your followers posting about your brand on their personal profiles, you end up getting social influencers free.

These people may not have thousands of followers as the influencers whom you’re paying, but their content is still valuable and can lead to additional sales from anyone who sees their stories.

Follow a progression

Earlier I talked about how you can upload lots of frames to your story each day, which isn’t recommended for a traditional post.

But the frames shouldn’t be random.

If you refer to some of the examples you looked at so far today, you wouldn’t want to combine all of them into one story.

I see brands make this mistake all the time. They forget that their Instagram story should actually tell a story. This means it needs to follow a logical progression.

Here’s an example from Thule:

The story starts with a date.

This will grab the attention of anyone watching and make them curious as to what’s happening on this date.

As a result, they’ll continue watching to learn more information:

As the story continues, they’ll learn there will be some type of celebration.

Users will continue on:

Now things start to get more specific.

Thule shares the time of the celebration and hints at a product launch.

This story had seven frames. We looked at just three.

Imagine if all three of these frames were combined into one. That would be way too much text on the screen.

Now imagine if seven frames of text were crammed into just one.

It would be overwhelming and difficult for people to read. The message would be lost.

A progression like this makes it easier for people to consume it and more likely that they will do that.

If you’re trying to introduce a new product or event to drive sales, you can do it over several images or videos as opposed to just one.

I’ll show you another example of this type of progression below.

Introduce your team

I love the idea of showing your employees on your Instagram story.

This concept adds a human element to your brand, which goes a long way. It allows your followers to see you’re more than just a company. Real people they can relate to are the driving force behind your operation.

Let’s look at how Allbirds did this on its Instagram story:

As you can see, this story follows a progression as well.

Instead of showing its employees out of context, the company starts the story by saying it wants to share images of where the team has gone with the product.

Here’s one example from the dozen or so posted:

Maria, an employee from the supply chain team, wore the company’s product to the Great Wall of China.

This story shows that its employees stand behind their products. They own them and actually use them.

But if you don’t have this type of content to share on your story, it doesn’t mean you can’t introduce your team.

Another way to do this is by showing behind-the-scenes looks at your operation.

Any time an employee achieves something, you could share that accomplishment on your story.

Again, this strategy will humanize your brand and make you more relatable to your followers. These types of posts are perfect for your story.

Promote a new product launch

As I said earlier, you don’t want to flood the timelines of your followers with promotions all the time.

This is annoying and will eventually cause people to unfollow you.

But if you have a new product coming out soon, it’s a big deal. You want to start promoting it as soon as possible. That way, your customers are ready for it by the time it’s released.

Use your story to accomplish this.

Here’s a simple example from Vuori Clothing:

It’s a great way to use the 2018 holiday season to drive sales.

You can go into greater detail about your products in your story, depending on what you’re promoting.

For example, you could upload a video tutorial to your story showing how to use the new product.

Combine this strategy with some of the other tactics on this list and have a social influencer do the same thing for you.

Building hype for your products before they launch increases your chances of generating sales when they finally become available for purchase.

Conclusion

Instagram has become a powerful tool for brands. But that’s only the case if you’re taking advantage of all the features available.

Simply posting content to your profile isn’t enough. Plus, you should be uploading only one or two images or videos each day.

You have much more flexibility with the amount of content you post to your Instagram story.

Promote your products directly by using a shoppable story.

Run a poll and encourage interaction to drive engagement.

By showcasing testimonials, partnering with social influencers, reposting user-generated content, and introducing your employees, you’ll be able to add more credibility to your brand and products.

All of your stories should follow a logical progression.

If you follow the tips and examples I’ve outlined above, your Instagram story will help you generate additional profits.

How is your brand using Instagram stories to drive sales?

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Questions About Coaching, Used Guitars, Family Gift Exchanges, IRAs, and More!

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Stock market dropping!
2. IRA maximum income question?
3. Simple small business budgeting software
4. Financial coaching services
5. Smartly using a small windfall
6. Improving communication skills at work
7. Environmental benefit of reusable bottles
8. How to find used guitars?
9. Thoughts on nootropics
10. Long lasting computer?
11. Holiday gift exchanges
12. Are Christmas lights just disposable?

I admit it. I went shopping on Black Friday.

I bought a discounted HDMI switch for our television because our old TV has two HDMI ports and we have three devices that need to be hooked up. Now, rather than unplugging and plugging things, we can just hit a button. Total cost? $10.

I also bought a Christmas gift for my wife, something I’ve thought about for years. The retailer that makes them had a Black Friday sale on their site, something I don’t believe they’ve ever had before, so I used their discount code and bought her that long-planned gift.

That was the extent of my Black Friday purchases. I’m a big spender, let me tell you.

On with the questions.

Q1: Stock market dropping!

In the last two months the stock market has lost about 15% of its value. Are you still recommending stock investments?
– Alex

To me, the day to day and month to month ups and downs of the stock market are basically irrelevant.

Here are the questions I care about: are large American blue chip companies in a wide variety of industries failing all at once? Are people simply not creating new startups? If you start answering “yes” to those questions, then we might have something to worry about.

As long as the big blue chip companies keep chugging along without mass failure, and as long as new startups are launching consistently, I’m not worried about the long term health of the stock market one bit. There are always going to be ups and downs, bull markets and bear markets, hot economies and recessions. That’s all cyclical, and this is a normal response to almost a decade of straight positive moves in the stock market. We’re due for a recession of some kind.

If you’re investing in stocks in such a way that short term changes (1-3 years) really matter to you, then you shouldn’t be investing in stocks. You should be in something less volatile, like bonds or cash.

Q2: IRA maximum income question?

My income (filing jointly with non earning spouse) may exceed 189k (not sure as commission based) in 2018. i have already contributed some money in my traditional IRA. what should I do if my income gets over maximum requirement?
– Tim

There are no income limits for traditional IRAs. You can contribute to a traditional IRA no matter what your income is.

However, there are income limits for being able to deduct traditional IRA contributions from your taxes. In 2017, singles with an income of $62,000 and married joint filers with income of $99,000 (or less) were able to deduct their full contribution. Above that, the deduction gradually phases out, disappearing entirely at $72,000 (for single filers) and $119,000 (for joint filers). You’re far above that.

So, to summarize, you should be able to make traditional IRA contributions with no problem, but you won’t be able to deduct those contributions from your taxes.

Q3: Simple small business budgeting software

I am looking for a budgeting software similar to Mint, but that works for small businesses. I read the blog post on budgeting software, but can you recommend one that works for small business budgeting and tracking?
– Jane

The closest thing to Mint for small businesses is Quickbooks, which is actually made by the same parent company as Mint, Intuit. I used an early version of Quickbooks in the past, though my need to do so has passed, and it was very user friendly and convenient.

The only catch is that Quickbooks is that it’s a subscription-based package, with a thirty day trial and plans starting at $6 per month.

I would give that low end version a try, at least through the 30 day trial, and see if it works for you. I really do recommend it.

Q4: Financial coaching services

Do you offer financial coaching services? What are your rates?
– Oleg

No, I do not offer financial coaching services, nor will I ever. It is an avenue by which I could make significant money, as I have had many situations in the past where people have requested my financial coaching services.

There are two big reasons why I don’t do it. One, my first piece of advice to anyone hiring my service would be to cut out non-essential spending, of which one piece would be my services as a financial coach. That, to me, should be the first piece of advice from any financial coach worth their salt – cut out nonessential spending – and that advice, if taken, would result in the elimination of that financial coach. To not give that advice would mean that I wasn’t doing my best job for the client, so I’d be in a situation where I was either telling people to fire me or being a huckster, and I have no interest in either.

Two, all of the advice and “coaching” you need is freely available on the internet. Financial change isn’t complicated at its core – it mostly boils down to having the willpower and discipline to actually execute. If you can’t summon the discipline to say “no” to an unnecessary expense on your own, then no coach can help you; if you do have that discipline, then you don’t need a coach.

Q5: Smartly using a small windfall

I’m a single woman in my mid-40’s with no debt. I have a 6 month emergency savings fund, with an additional $15K earmarked for a car if/when I decide to buy one. My retirement savings include approximately $60K in a Roth IRA (have maxed out for last 4 years and will continue to), $4K in a pension, and a small Acorns fund. I’m great at frugality and saving. Years of low salaries, under- and un-employment have been challenges. My employment is stable for now, but I’m looking to switch careers. I’ve been gifted with $10K I’d like put towards my retirement savings. My goal is to open an account with this money, then contribute $150 weekly. Any suggestions on where to invest or the type of account to open? I like what I’ve read about Betterment and Swell (Swell’s probably too risky for my taste right now). I consider this money as a kick start for more retirement security and want it to grow well.
– Dana

If I were you and were contributing that much to start, I’d just open an account directly with Vanguard and put the money into one of their index funds like the Total Stock Market Index Fund. Sites like Betterment and Swell are good for getting started, but once you get into the five figures, you’re usually better off investing without the training wheels.

Spend some time looking at what Vanguard has to offer, like their LifeStrategy funds (they’re pretty good for targeting a certain risk level) or just browse all of their funds.

I recommend Vanguard because it’s what I use. I have my Roth IRA with them and some additional investments as well.

Q6: Improving communication skills at work

I read in your article that your boss gave you this advice: “You are good at writing but extend that to speaking.“ I am also working on the “data world” and those words exactly resonate with me. At work, i’m just always heads-down busy and focused in my data analysis tasks. But at the end of the day, I keep telling myself “I wish my job will entail more human interaction and communication”. If I could be a good speaker, I will welcome that, too! So, what actionable advice can you give me regarding this “desire”?
– Lisa

I’m assuming from your question that there are limited options to present at work, or even to talk to other people in your field. In that case…

Go to conferences. That’s my number one recommendation. Identify a few conferences related to your field and attend them. Attend only the sessions that really speak to you, and then spend the rest of the time talking to people in your field. You’ll really have to turn on your “social” game when you’re there.

After you have your feet wet, try to get a presentation slot at a conference. Submit a proposal for a talk and, if you get a slot, practice it and hone it until you could give it blindfolded.

Until then, see if there are any professional groups or special interest groups in your area related to your field. Meetup is a good place to start. Start going to their meetings and getting to know people. If there’s a chance to present something related to your work, jump on it.

Q7: Environmental benefit of reusable bottles

I think it’s important to include the environmental saving of Sodastream as well, you’re obviously not adding to the single use plastic bottle problem, I for one use Sodastream knowing that I won’t be discarding a soda bottle and choking a dolphin tonight.
– Erik

This is a big part of why I use reusable water bottles as much as possible. I really don’t want to fill up a landfill with my disposable plastic water bottles. I’d far rather use a water bottle for years and only dispose of it when it actually cracks or breaks.

For carbonated water, SodaStream is basically a specific brand of home carbonator set up to make it pretty easy to do with reusable bottles.

I kind of “weaned” myself off of wanting fizziness in my water. I used to feel like it was essential, but now it’s not a big deal. I mostly just fill up bottles with noncarbonated water from the tap.

Q8: How to find used guitar?

I want to take up playing guitar as a hobby. I don’t want to go buy an expensive new one. Tried finding a used one locally on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace but no luck. Any ideas on how to find a used guitar?
– Jerry

First, I’d check Freecycle in your area. I have seen used guitars on there. I’d also look at your local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores.

Next, I’d put a shout out to my social network. Ask your friends if they have an old used guitar in the closet that you could have or buy for cheap. You’d be surprised how many people have a guitar stowed away that they intended to learn how to play and never bothered.

If that doesn’t work, you could put out a request in a community group, especially if you are in a buy/sell/trade group. Most towns and cities have Facebook groups dedicated to local buying/selling/trading and if you’re looking for something you can just put out a request.

If you exhaust all of those options, I’m pretty sure you’ll find a guitar.

Q9: Thoughts on nootropics

What do you think about nootropics? Do you use any? Do they help you focus on work and be more productive?
– Alexandra

For those who don’t know what nootropics are, they’re drugs, supplements, and other substances that are intended to improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, and motivation. I like to think of them as “vitamins for the mind.”

The only “nootropic” I take is coffee and pretty potent green tea in the mornings. I’ll drink them in an alternating fashion right at the start of my workday and then turn on some “focus” music. I find that it’s a useful part of getting me primed to write in the mornings and I do notice when it’s not present. At the same time, if I do that every single morning, the effect starts to slide. I’m far better off drinking a bunch of coffee and potent green tea once or twice a week rather than every day. (In nootropic terms, this means that I consume caffeine – mostly from the coffee – and l-theanine – from the green tea – in rapid sequence.)

Although I have friends that have tried other things to help cognitive function, I’m not sold on the relative risk and reward of such things and generally avoid them.

Q10: Long lasting computer?

Where can you buy a computer that will last a long time? We are finally getting rid of computer we bought in 2003. We use it for email and internet. Don’t want to get junk that will fail in three years. Suggestions?
– Danny

Computers are not really “buy it for life” items. They don’t slow down per se, but over time software becomes more and more demanding and resource hungry as it’s expected to do more and more things. Since 2003, your computer switched from barely being online to probably being expected to watch high resolution video and that’s a much higher demand on a computer, thus it runs that application much slower.

In my experience, if you’re buying a computer for maximum lifespan for normal home use, you can get a cheap one that will keep up for 4-5 years or an expensive one that will keep up for about 8 years. Since the price of a cheap one is about a quarter of an expensive one, I’d vote for getting a good cheap one.

Consumer Reports suggests that the best budget desktop out there right now is a Dell Inspiron 5680. Dell identifies the model as a “gaming desktop” but it’s actually just a pretty well built all around computer for the price. For basic home use and without intense games on it, it should last for several years. That would be my choice.

Q11: Holiday gift exchanges

At Thanksgiving our family decided to draw names for a gift exchange. We used to give presents to everyone but now with 13 people at Christmas it’s getting expensive. We got into a big argument about how much each person should spend and how to handle the children. The family with children wanted to exclude the children and everyone get gifts for them. They said that they were willing to spend more in the exchange to ‘make up’ for it. Then someone else complained that two people would get great gifts and everyone else would get worse gifts. We ended up voting and putting the kids into the drawing and I didn’t draw a kid and I want to give them something anyway but I don’t want to start a big family fight. How can we fix this mess?
– Jamie

Very simple. Make a rule that you’re only required to give a gift to the person you drew, but if you want to get something small for someone else, particularly the kids, it’s entirely up to you. Suggest that if people do get gifts for the kids outside of the exchange that they be small ones, like a pack of trading cards or a $5 toy or something.

We’ve run into this situation with our own family. The way we’ve handled it is by just giving nicer gifts to people but keeping our kids out of any exchanges. If people want to give our kids a gift, they can do so, but there’s no need to or requirement to. Most of their aunts and uncles get them something small, which is appropriate.

The thing is, in situations of gift giving when people start to add expectations of reciprocity, hurt feelings are inevitable.

Q12: Are Christmas lights just disposable?

So I was going through the Christmas lights from last year and half of the strands didn’t work. I saved some replacement bulbs and tried to figure out which ones to replace because there were blocks of burnt out bulbs but it didn’t matter what I replaced it didn’t work and it was clear the problem is in the cords. Are Christmas lights just disposable nowadays?
– Amber

Most of the holiday light sets you buy at the store are pretty cheaply made. They’ll usually make it through a holiday season or two, but beyond that, it’s really a crapshoot. The issue I’ve found is that replacing bulbs usually doesn’t fix what’s wrong with them, as you’ve noticed. It’s in the socket, and fixing that is beyond what the strand itself is worth.

I don’t know of a good solution to the problem other than just being careful with your strands. We wrap our external lights up carefully after taking them down and store them in the garage on a hook and they’ve worked for about ten years. Our internal lights are looped and stored in a box just by themselves and those have lasted about five or six years.

I think you just buy bulb strands, hope for the best, and decide about replacement when the strand starts to fail.

Got any questions? The best way to ask is to follow me on Facebook and ask questions directly there. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future mailbag (which, by way of full disclosure, may also get re-posted on other websites that pick up my blog). However, I do receive many, many questions per week, so I may not necessarily be able to answer yours.

The post Questions About Coaching, Used Guitars, Family Gift Exchanges, IRAs, and More! appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Do You Qualify for These Class-Action Settlements? Wendy’s is Paying Millions

What do a burger data breach, vehicle crash parts, unwanted phone calls and a fire-prone lawn tractor have in common? They all include circumstances surrounding alleged violations of consumer law that could result in compensation due to the most important customer of all: You.

See if you qualify for one or more of the following class-action settlements. Hurry, many of these offers will end faster than it takes to get through most drive-throughs.

Wendy’s Data Breach

Would you like a few bucks with that burger?

Wendy’s has agreed to pay a $3.4 million class-action settlement over allegations the company failed to protect consumer information from a data breach in 2016.

Class members include customers who used a credit, debit or other payment card at particular Wendy’s locations between Oct. 25, 2015 and June 28, 2016 and had their personal information compromised in the February 2016 data breach.

Potential awards range all the way up to $5,000 for those who submit documented evidence; without documentation, eligible class members may collect a total of $30 for two hours of undocumented time spent tending to data breach issues (calculated at $15 per hour).

For more details and to submit a claim by the March 21, 2019 deadline, click here.

State Farm Vehicle Repair

Did you make a vehicle repair claim on your State Farm casualty insurance policy between July 1987 and February 1998?

If so, you could be eligible for a portion of a $250 million class-action settlement with the insurance giant.

Class members include “All persons in the United States, except those residing in Arkansas and Tennessee, who, in between July 28, 1987, and February 24, 1998, (1) were insured by a vehicle casualty insurance policy issued by Defendant State Farm and (2) made a claim for vehicle repairs pursuant to their policy and had non-factory authorized and/or non-OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) ‘crash parts’ installed on or specified for their vehicles or else received monetary compensation determined in relation to the cost of such parts.”

The $250 million settlement stems from allegations State Farm contributed to campaign funds for a judge’s re-election on the condition the judge reverse a $1 billion consumer fraud class-action lawsuit judgment regarding the use “crash parts” on State Farm policyholders’ vehicles. State Farm admits no wrongdoing under the settlement terms.

The settlement award will depend upon the number of class members who submit timely and valid claims.

Class members should be notified by mail, but if you qualify and do not receive a postcard, click here and file a claim by the Jan. 31, 2019 deadline.

Sekure Merchant Solutions ‘Do Not Call’ Phone Calls

If Sekure Merchant Solutions contacted you on your cell phone between July 26, 2013 and Feb. 1, 2018, you could be eligible for a portion of a $6.25 million settlement.

Sekure allegedly violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by calling cell phones to make a sales pitch even when certain numbers were on the National Do Not Call Registry.

The TCPA prohibits telemarketing calls that invade cell phone users’ privacy by contacting the consumers without explicit written permission.

If you received a robocall from Sekure Merchant Solutions during the specified time period, you could be eligible for an estimated payment of $30.

Qualified class members should receive a postcard in the mail with a claim ID number on it, but you may also complete a claim form by clicking here by the Nov. 30, 2018 deadline.

Campus Debt Solutions Unwanted Phone Call

Education Financial Solutions LLC, doing business as Campus Debt Solutions, has agreed to a $1.1 million Telephone Consumer Protection Act class-action settlement.

Campus Debt allegedly used an autodialer to contact consumers regarding programs for loan forgiveness or loan consolidation without the consumers’ consent to receive such calls.

Class members who received such a call on or after Oct. 16, 2013 are eligible for a potential reward of $20.

 

Those who received notice of settlement do not need to submit a claim form, but if your address has changed since you received the robocall or if you did not receive notice of the settlement, click here to file a claim.

Sears Craftsman Riding Lawn Tractor

Did you buy a Sears Craftsman Riding Lawn Tractor between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2015?

If so, you could receive a free inspection, repair and/or up to $125 cash in a Sears class-action settlement regarding allegations a fuel line defect poses a fire risk.

The $125 is available for class members who paid for fuel line repairs on their own.

Sears denies the allegations but agreed to the settlement to avoid further expenses of ongoing litigation.

Class members should have received an email with a Notice ID number, but if you didn’t receive the notice, you can click here to see if the model you purchased is covered and to submit a claim by the Dec. 19, 2018 deadline.

GameStop Online Data Breach

Did you buy (or attempt to buy) an item from GameStop’s website between Aug. 10, 2016 and Feb. 9, 2017?

If so, you could receive a portion of a data breach class-action settlement. GameStop notified affected customers about the breach of about 1.3 million debit and credit card numbers in June 2017.

Class members can claim up to $10,000 for out-of-pocket expenses linked to the data breach, including fraudulent debit and credit card charges.

 

Consumers also may be eligible for up to $235 for out-of-pocket expenses incurred to reverse fraudulent charges, including bank fees and long distance phone calls.

GameStop admits no liability under the terms of the data breach class-action settlement.

To make a claim, click here to submit a form supporting documentation by the Dec. 13, 2018 deadline.

Suunto Dive Computers Incorrect Depth Readings

If you purchased a Suunto dive computer by Aqua Lung that was made between Jan. 1, 2006 and Aug. 10, 2018, you could be eligible for compensation from a class-action settlement.

Consumers allege the functions of their Suunto dive computers took a dive once placed in the water. Allegedly defective pressure sensors caused the depth and temperature readings to be incorrect.

Class members may qualify for a replacement or repair of their defective Suunto dive computer, but this settlement does not include coverage of claims of wrongful death or personal injury that may have resulted from incorrect readings.

For a full list of affected Suunto dive computers, serial numbers, required documentation and a claim form, click here by the Feb. 24, 2019 deadline.

Cricket CDMA Phones

When Cricket and AT&T merged, many consumers complained they couldn’t get as much as a chirp out of their Cricket Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phones.

After several years of litigation, a class-action settlement has been reached for consumers who bought a Cricket phone between July 12, 2013 and July 9, 2018.

Under the settlement, class members are eligible for one of three benefits:

• Unlock Benefit: Settlement class members will be able to unlock their qualifying CDMA phone, which may allow them to activate the phone with another wireless carrier.
• Data Benefit: Settlement class members will be able to port an existing wireless number onto a new line of Cricket service without paying an activation fee and receive an additional 1 GB of high speed data for free after maintaining one month of service.
• Four Month Data Benefit: Settlement class members who maintain one month of future Cricket service on either an existing or new line of Cricket service will be able to receive 1 GB of free high speed data for up to four subsequent consecutive months of timely prepaid service.

Click here for more details and to submit a claim form by Feb. 4, 2019.

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11 Mental Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Holiday Season

The holidays can be pretty fraught, thanks to tons of familial and social pressure to create a picture-perfect setting (looking at you, Pinterest) plus a relentless onslaught of advertising.

The pressures are both complicated and formidable, which is why otherwise reasonable people lose their dang minds every November and December. We’re so anxious to do things the right way – the right décor, the right gifts, the right entertaining – that we can lose sight of our everyday values.

Ever taken on too many projects and wound up stressed and exhausted by Dec. 24? Or overbought wildly and then dreaded the arrival of the January credit card bills?

You’re not a bad person. You’re just human. Understanding what you’re up against will help you avoid seasonal mistakes that can wreck your budget and your peace of mind.

Mistake #1: Trying to Compete

At last year’s big family Christmas gathering, you gave your fiancee a pretty necklace and a book by her favorite author. At the same event, your brother gave his girlfriend a weekend ski getaway.

Boy, did you feel cheap. So this year you plan to buy your now-wife a car and really show up your brother.

No one wins in this game, because the recipients wind up overindulged and maybe developing a sense of entitlement. Meanwhile, the givers feel additional pressure as the bar gets raised higher each year. Oh, and those January credit card bills are murderous on your finances.

Don’t let other people – relatives, friends, marketing experts – decide what’s right for you to give. It’s not a competition.

Mistake #2: Seeking Perfection

“The perfect gift” is a phrase you’ll hear and read a lot at this time of year. A common inference: “If I give the right gift, it shows how much I love the recipient.”

And the corollary inference: “If I don’t give the right gift, I’ll be a failure.”

That’s not how any of this works. Give gifts if it makes you happy to do so, and put some thought and care into the giving (e.g., don’t give a steakhouse gift card to a vegan). But don’t put pressure on yourself to be “perfect.”

Mistake #3: Succumbing to Marketing Ploys

My main trigger is music. When I hear stores playing the carols I once sang in the junior choir, I am suffused with nostalgia and want to buy another round of gifts for everyone I know. It’s scary how quickly this Ghost of Christmas Past could wreck the budget. I’ve learned to stick to my list and get the heck out of the store.

Maybe for you it’s television commercials or online ads about “the perfect gift” that lead directly to temptation. Identify your weak spots and deal with them. Make a list of your own and stick to it. Bring along a shopping buddy to talk you down. Wear headphones blasting Brahms or Black Sabbath to drown out a store’s holiday music.

Whatever your particular weak spot, know that it can be conquered. And if you give in and buy too much? Return some of it, right away.

Mistake #4: Being Cyber-Careless

You’re at the coffee shop or at a fast-food place when your phone or laptop displays a flash sale. “Just this once” you figure it will be okay to enter your credit card number on a shared public network, so you can snag a screamin’ online deal that’ll stretch your holiday giving budget.

Or maybe you caught a glimpse of the store clerk doing something a little off with your card (e.g., running it twice), but you were on the phone apologizing to the babysitter for running late and felt too harried to confront the employee. And on the way home you realized you didn’t have enough to pay the sitter, so you used the ATM outside the convenience store to get some quick cash.

Credit card fraud is a big deal all year long, but the holidays really kick it up a notch. We’re distracted, we’re super-busy, and we’re buying a lot of stuff online. According to Experian, holiday fraud is most likely to happen on Thanksgiving Day, Dec. 21 (the cutoff date for express shipments), or Christmas Eve.

Being careful about credit is a good idea year-round, but be ultra-vigilant in November and December. For more on this topic, see “Protecting Against Credit Card Fraud.”

Mistake #5: Succumbing to the ‘Easy’ Buy

One-click sales and saved credit card info makes it feel less painful when we overdo it for the holidays. Behavioral science expert Jeff Kreisler says such options make us “less aware” of our spending.

Would you be quite so blasé about purchasing that expensive bauble or well-advertised toy if you had to take a series of $20 bills out of your wallet? Maybe. But maybe not.

“We should be skeptical of the latest technologies, especially those that are designed to demand less of our attention and make it easier for us to part with our money,” Kreisler says.

One workaround is not to complete the online shopping trip. Revisit the virtual cart in a couple of days and decide whether you really should buy. The retailer may send you a discount code during that time, but don’t be swayed: If you can’t afford a purchase, then it’s no bargain. And if you decide you can swing the purchase, any discount will make the deal a little sweeter.

• Read more: A Deeper Look at My ‘Wishlist Strategy’ for Curbing Spending

Mistake #6: Ignoring Opportunity Cost

The National Retail Federation predicts the average U.S. shopper will spend a little over $1,007 on gifts, special foods, and other items during the 2018 holiday season. Even if you don’t spend that much, think about the long-term impact of the money you do spend (or overspend) — and what you could do with the money you don’t.

Let’s say you ordinarily spend the average amount, but instead keep the tab at a much more modest $500 this year. Next, think of that extra $507: What could it do for you in some other capacity? For example, you could pay extra on a student loan, shore up your emergency fund, purchase the start-up equipment needed for a money-making side hustle, or add those five Benjamins to your retirement fund.

Finally, think about a decade’s worth of profligacy versus restraint. Assuming you don’t go over budget by the same amount every year, that’s $5,000. How much closer to your long-term financial goals will you be once you learn to rein in your impulses?

Mistake #7: Treating Holiday Spending Differently

Throughout the year, price jumps on essentials like groceries and gasoline make you really nervous. But come the holidays, the logic center of your brain may shut down.

For 11 months it’s painful to come up with an extra $100 for a new tire or a medical co-pay, yet in December you decide that a $99.99 Harry Potter Lego set is a must-have.

Spending is spending. It’s the same $100 whether it’s going toward heating oil or toys. If you struggle to balance the books all year long, it’s not OK to overbuy for the holidays.

Try this exercise: Divide that $99.99 (plus tax and shipping, if applicable) by your current hourly salary. You’re looking at just how long you had to work to pay for that ugly Christmas sweater or the plush Christmas tree that sings “Jingle Bells.”

Hours of your time traded for stuff that will be used rarely, if at all. Ho-ho-no!

• Read more: Figuring Out Your True Hourly Wage – and What It Means

Mistake #8: Taking on Too Much

If you’ve got two kids in the community theater production of “A Christmas Carol” and work full-time and throw a huge mid-December open house and have to drive for five hours to be with your folks for Christmas, maybe this isn’t the right year to declare it an “all gifts will be homemade!” holiday.

Similarly, if you work full-time and are in a men’s chorus that performs half a dozen holiday concerts and volunteer for Toys For Tots, perhaps you could say, “Sorry, not this year,” to additional entreaties for your time. Just because someone asks doesn’t mean you have to say “yes.”

Too many activities can lead to financial stress, e.g., lots of additional miles on your car and more takeout because you’re too overscheduled to cook. The constant busy-ness can also take its toll on your peace of mind, and on your own enjoyment of the season.

When you take on too much, something’s got to give – and it might be you.

Mistake #9: Losing Sight of Value

Somehow we take the major retailer’s word for it that the Lego set really is worth a hundred bucks. That is, we let someone else decide the value for us.

Instead, why not look around for the best prices with a site like PriceGrabber.com or NexTag.com? And even then, we’re the ones who should decide what we buy — and if a particular item’s worth those extra hours at work.

Resist following the crowd. It’s up to you to decide whether to buy a gag gift or wear an ugly Christmas sweater vs. blindly following the crowd.

Mistake #10: Automatically Buying Retail

If you do decide to wear that ugly Christmas sweater, your friendly neighborhood thrift shop can probably hook you up. Check a few thrift shops. Gag gifts abound there, too.

But so do some pretty great regular presents, too. I particularly enjoy browsing the books section, which bulges both with bestsellers and classics alike.

(Pro tip: Some secondhand shops have sales every so often, or even every week. Find out when the next discount days take place.)

• Read more: 12 Things I’ve Bought from Secondhand Stores in the Past Year

Mistake #11: Not Learning From the Past

Last year you went into debt for the holidays. Serious sacrifice plus a part-time gig delivering pizzas helped you pay it all off by the end of April.

Not exactly a happy ending. Again, think of the opportunity cost of the interest paid and the fact that the extra money you earned went toward unnecessary debt rather than future goals.

Trusting past decisions means we aren’t learning from our mistakes, which means we’re doomed to repeat them.

Award-winning journalist and veteran personal finance writer Donna Freedman is the author of “Your Playbook for Tough Times: Living Large on Small Change, for the Short Term or the Long Haul” and “Your Playbook for Tough Times, Vol. 2: Needs AND Wants Edition.”

More by Donna Freedman:

• Christmas Gifts That Matter: Buying for People in Tough Times
• More Than Just Wrapping Paper: How Post-Holiday Clearances Can Slash Your Budget All Year Long
• 32 Ways to Give Back Without Derailing Your Own Finances

The post 11 Mental Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Holiday Season appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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