الجمعة، 19 يونيو 2015
Why You Should Have a Pet Companion in Your Golden Years
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How to Rollover a Former Employer’s 401(k) Plan
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Why We Like, Comment, and Share on Facebook
Have you ever wondered why people enjoy liking, commenting, and sharing on Facebook?
If you haven’t, you should. Why? Because understanding why people enjoy doing these things will help you generate more Facebook traffic.
So, if you want to get more Facebook traffic, first you need to understand what motivates people to use Facebook. I’ve created this infographic to help you gain that understanding:
Click on the image below to see a larger view:
Click here to view an enlarged version of this infographic.
Conclusion
When it comes to generating traffic from Facebook, I’ve seen firsthand that writing blog posts that are interesting, important, timely, and funny usually does the trick.
By leveraging the data in the infographic above, you should start seeing more social traffic.
How else can you get more Facebook traffic?
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George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila Launches #HouseOfFriends Social Media UGC Campaign
Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.
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Connecting The Dots With Device Targeting
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What ALDI could be plotting next
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The pizza making you some serious cash
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The Hidden Costs of Free Trials
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Some Thoughts on My Father
Photo: Giuseppe Milo
In the spirit of Father’s Day, I wanted to share some thoughts about my own father and the huge impact he’s had on my life, personally and professionally.
I grew up in a single income household. Most of the time, my father worked in a factory making construction equipment, while my mother stayed at home. We lived about a mile outside of a small town on a plot of land that was about 75% covered in woods.
Our house was very much a humble one. It was old and small, with three very small bedrooms. The largest bedroom in the house is almost completely taken up by having a twin bed in it, and the smallest? It’s basically a closet.
The center of our lives were family and friends. There were people constantly at our door, stopping by to say hello or to bring us something. We spent many evenings visiting other people, too, often with some item or another in hand to give to them. It was rare when a meal consisted of just people who lived in our home.
My father was constantly busy. Given the demands of his factory job and the fact that there were three kids at home, my father usually took on every bit of overtime work that was offered to him. He also often jumped from shift to shift to get better jobs with better pay.
This meant that there were periods where I didn’t see him as often as I would like. This was particularly true when he worked the evening shift, which meant that he clocked in at 3:30 PM and clocked out at midnight (assuming no overtime hours). Since I was in school, that meant he was at work during the evenings after school and asleep (because he got home at about 1 AM) when I got up in the morning before school.
He also maintained several “side gigs” as I was growing up. He grew an immense garden and sold the excess produce, both directly to neighbors and friends and to grocery stores. He was a small-scale commercial fisherman, an endeavor I helped with to an extent, especially during my high school years.
There were times when he was laid off from his factory job. The company that ran the plant went through some serious financial problems in the late 1980s through the mid 1990s and there were periods where the company almost went bankrupt. He was laid off for months at a time.
During those periods, my father just kept on working. He would throw himself into his fishing business and his gardening practices.
He always, always found a way to keep food on the table for my brothers and myself, no matter what. We never went without. That made a giant impression on me.
When I look back, I remember lots of times when I wish that my father didn’t have to work so much. I remember sitting outside when he was working on the day shift, waiting for him to get home from work. I remember staying up late sometimes on Friday nights so that I could give him a hug when he got off work when he worked the evening shift.
As busy as he was, he always made time for me and made sure that we had a strong bond, even if we weren’t always interested in the same things. I remember doing countless things with him, from mushrooming in the woods to fishing, from watching baseball games to playing catch in the yard. He somehow found time for this.
He had a great relationship with my mother as well. A few of my most vivid memories of them from my childhood involve them sitting together outside on a warm summer evening, just talking to each other about life as they sat close together, often sharing a glass of wine.
It wouldn’t be honest at all to say that my father was or is a perfect father. He isn’t. He was merely a great father, which is all I could ask for.
He also provided a great blueprint for my own adult life.
He taught me to have a strong work ethic. He worked at a full time job that often included overtime hours and always had other things to work on to generate income. He almost never sat still during the whole time I was growing up. The only time I ever seemed to see him be still was when he was asleep.
I try every day to match his work ethic. Some days I match up and others I fall short, but I haven’t missed a scheduled post for The Simple Dollar in many years.
He taught me to put my family’s needs before my own wants. Over and over again, he did this. He made sure we always had food to eat. He made sure that there were always Christmas presents under the tree and birthday presents on our big day. If we needed something for school or to improve ourselves, he always found ways to make sure that we had those things that we needed. He did that by putting us first rather than himself almost all the time.
I made the choice to become a husband. I made the choice to become a father. Making those choices means I accepted a lot of responsibility and it’s on me – no one else – to live up to those responsibilities. That means that I spend a lot of time and effort taking care of my family when I might want to be doing something else – and, in fact, I would be doing something else if I hadn’t chosen that responsibility. I chose the avenue that demands my responsibility, and it’s up to me to live up to that.
He taught me that having lots of income streams means that you’re not caught in a disaster if one of them goes away for a while. He maintained a fishing business and what amounted to a small gardening business pretty much constantly when I was a child, and sometimes dabbled in other things as well (such as junk trading and scrap metal collecting). Even if he happened to be laid off from his job due to a downturn at work, he still had ways to keep food on the table and keep the bills paid.
Again, I took this to heart. The Simple Dollar started off as a side gig. Even today, I take on little side gigs all the time. I run a pair of small businesses when I’m not writing that earn some additional money and could be scaled up if I was no longer able to write. Having income streams means having more security in life.
He taught me to appreciate what you have rather than longing for what you do not. My father never wanted much of anything other than a simple meal and a cold beer in the evenings. We never had lots of expensive things. He never needed a brand new truck to drive around in or a brand new boat to go fishing in. He never needed an expensive watch on his wrist or fine clothes to wear. He was – and still is – simple and humble.
The older I get, the more I aspire to that standard myself. I wear blue jeans and old button shirts and t-shirts almost all the time. I don’t wear a watch these days. I prefer simple meals – rice and beans and vegetables. I don’t have any need for finery. I’m happy with friends, family, the outdoors, and a good book on a rainy day.
He taught me to not give up when a setback happens. My father experienced long layoffs. He experienced devastating plant blight. He experienced long periods where the fish weren’t biting, and periods of drought and flooding where fishing and gardening were impossible. He didn’t give up on his family, his gardening, his fishing, or his job. He got right back up and gave it his best shot once again.
Setbacks are going to happen. That’s just part of life. The question is whether or not you allow yourself to be defined by those setbacks. I don’t want to be defined by my setbacks. I want to be defined as a person who, when he gets knocked down by setbacks, picks himself up and tries again.
He taught me to believe in myself. My father has a sense of unwavering confidence in his skills and, because of that, he has aways taken on challenges that pushed himself quite far. The size of the gardens he planned was ludicrous, enough to provide a gardener with a full time job. His fishing exploits involved extensive operations requiring several people to pull it off. The diversity and intensity of the things he pulled off was impressive, yet he just went ahead and did it. Why? He believed in himself.
Sometimes, this is hard for me to do. I find that whenever I’m afraid to take that leap, I can just think to myself about what my father would do. He’d take that leap, and so sometimes I do, too.
My father taught me a lot of things as I was growing up, and he continues to teach me things as he grows gracefully into his elder years. I can only hope that I can live up to even a fraction of his standard.
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A Trick for Sticking to Your Budget: Try the Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card
Sponsorship Disclosure: A huge thanks to Kaiku and Visa Clear Prepaid for working with us to bring you this content.
I enjoy small, everyday luxuries. I don’t mind treating myself to a latte, grabbing dinner out with friends or picking up a bottle of wine after work. But too many of those indulgences would leave me broke. So each month, I try to stick to a budget with strict limits for hitting the grocery store and just-for-fun expenses like coffee shops, restaurants and shopping.
But there’s a problem with my budgeting plan: I secretly know nothing will happen if I don’t stick to it, and there’s no real incentive to keep me honest.
Even if I only go a few dollars over each category’s budget each month, those expenses add up. And I know if I had budgeted better, all those pick-me-up lattes or fancy cheeses could have gone towards something much more luxurious — like a plane ticket to somewhere exotic.
Why Budgeting is a Challenge for Me
I use an online money manager to set my budgets and track spending, but there are no real repercussions for going over my limits. Even though the service warns me if I’m getting close to blowing my budget, I get a clean slate on the first of every month. I always have my debit and credit cards on hand, making it super easy to pick up a coffee, eat lunch out with coworkers or grab a few bags of chips at the corner store.
I’ve considered the cash diet — taking out a certain amount every single month and spending only what’s in my wallet — but I’ve never been a huge fan of carrying cash. Since those purchases don’t show up on my statements or in my money management service, cash feels like toy money. I can spend it however I want, then I’ll forget about it minutes later. This frivolous approach certainly isn’t helpful when trying to stick to a budget.
I’d like to set a firm budget for my groceries and treat yo’ self expenses, track my spending and cut myself off when I’ve hit my limit. Enter prepaid debit cards.
How Prepaid Cards Help You Stick to Your Budget
If you want to limit yourself to spending a certain amount in a certain category each month — say, $150 on groceries — you can simply load up that exact amount on a prepaid debit card. Swipe your card at the grocery store just as you would a debit or credit card.
But unlike your credit or debit card, you won’t be able to spend more than you have. When your balance hits zero, you can’t use credit or overdraft protection. You’ve only got whatever you’ve loaded onto the card for the month, which might make you think twice about tossing something extra into your cart you don’t really need!
Which Prepaid Card Should You Choose?
When I started looking for a prepaid card, I was surprised at all the options — and each card has different features and limitations.
I was excited to learn about the Visa Clear Prepaid program; cards that qualify for the program are required to clearly communicate their monthly fee plans, so you’ll know exactly what you’re signing on to pay. The Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card has a flat monthly $3 fee that covers a few cool features:
- No overdrafts permitted, so you can’t incur extra fees or spend more money than you have
- Deposit or share insurance to protect your funds, e.g. FDIC/NCUSIF
- Visa’s Zero Liability fraud protection*, which provides added security if your card is lost or stolen
Plus, you’ll never get hit with sneaky fees. The Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card has:
- No fees for declined transactions
- No fees for cash back
- No fees for customer service
- No fees for in-network ATM withdrawals or balance inquiries
- No fees to close your card
- No fees for replacing a lost card
The main fees include the $3 monthly fee, which you can avoid by loading $750 per month onto the card (like direct deposit), and $1.45 for out-of-network ATMs. For more information on fees, you can visit https://kaiku.com/fees.
You can use the card to make one-time or recurring bill payments, get cash at more than 55,000 AllPoint ATMs and even transfer money to friends who have the Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card. You can use the card anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted: supermarkets, clothing stores, drug stores, restaurants, online retailers and gas stations, just to name a few.
Join The Penny Hoarder 21-Day Challenge
To test this prepaid card as a budgeting tool, we’ve partnered with the Visa Clear Prepaid program to launch a 21-day challenge for the Penny Hoarder community. For 21 days, I’ll be using the Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card for all my grocery purchases.
Since I tend to overbuy at the grocery store, I plan to use my card to purchase only the groceries I need. Instead of ending up with more food than I can possibly eat, I’ll stick to the necessities — and stick to my grocery budget. I hope that limiting myself to only using my prepaid card will help me be more mindful of my spending.
Ready to get serious about budgeting for one of your everyday expenses? Join me in the 21-Day Challenge! Here’s how to get the card and get started.
How to Get Your Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card
Signing up for your Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card is super simple. Go to the Kaiku website, click Get Card, fill out some basic info and they’ll mail you a card. (Bonus! You get to pick from a few fun colors.) It will arrive seven to 10 days later, and you can call or go online to activate it.
Then, it’s time to decide how much money you’re going to load — I chose to add $150, my grocery budget for the next 21 days. You’ve got a few options to put your money on the card:
- Take cash to a Visa Readylink location. This is the fastest option because you’ll be able to use the card instantly, but vendors will charge a fee of $2.95 to $4.95 to load your card.
- Deposit a check onto your card by snapping a picture with the Kaiku app. If you’re not in a hurry, wait up to 10 days for the deposit to go through and you won’t have to pay a fee. Or, if you want instant access to your funds, you can opt to pay approximately 4% of the value of the check, with a minimum fee of $5.
- Sync your bank account and transfer funds straight onto your card. These transfers take two to four business days. Kaiku won’t charge you a fee, but your bank might.
My Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card is on its way and I’m looking forward to getting my grocery budget back on track! Will you join me in the 21-Day Challenge?
Your Turn: How would you use a prepaid card to help you stick to your budget?
* Visa’s Zero Liability Policy covers U.S.-issued cards and does not apply to certain commercial card transactions, or any transactions not processed by Visa. You must notify your financial institution immediately of any unauthorized use. For specific restrictions, limitations and other details, please consult your issuer.
Betsy Mikel is a Chicago-based freelance copywriter. She loves biking all over every city she visits to find its best taqueria.
The post A Trick for Sticking to Your Budget: Try the Kaiku® Visa® Prepaid Card appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Hershey to cut about 300 jobs, lowers 2015 revenue outlook
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Marketers Don’t Need To Choose Between Efficiency And Premium
Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.
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How to Build Your Brand on a Budget
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5 Ways to Balance Doing What You Love With Making Money
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The 2015 Father's Day Sales You Should Shop
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Content Creation Platform Visage Launches Web-Based DIY Tool For Creating Data Graphics
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Broadband switching to get easier
Switching broadband provider is to become easier from Saturday 20 June when it will no longer be necessary to get a MAC code from your existing supplier in order to leave.
That process was deemed "confusing" and "time consuming" for the customer and could deter them from moving to a better deal, said communications regulator Ofcom.
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Head to the Caribbean or Mardi Gras for Free: Enter These Travel Contests Worth $51,795
Are you craving some beach time? Are you wishing you could head somewhere new, but the finances just aren’t adding up?
Saving up for a vacation can take a while — unless you win one of these travel contests and get to head somewhere spectacular for free! Companies are giving away trips to the Virgin Islands, New Orleans and Oregon, as well as a fishing trip and even a brand-new car to get you wherever you want to go.
Ready to hit the road or the beach this summer? Here are a few great contests to enter. And don’t forget to check out our previous post on travel contests — most of them are still open!
Nature’s Way’s Caribbean Vacation Getaway
How does seven days on a beach sound to you? Sounds pretty spectacular to me.
The Caribbean Vacation Getaway, sponsored by Nature’s Way, offers a chance to spend a week relaxing in island paradise. The grand prize winner of this contest receives seven days and six nights at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Beach Resort. You get to bring one guest, and the two of you will enjoy a room with an island view, a snorkeling adventure, $1,000 of spending money and roundtrip airfare for a total value of about $8,000.
Enter the contest once per day between now and when the contest ends July 31. You must be 18 years of age or older. You can also earn up to two “bonus plays” during the course of the contest by opting into marketing emails and answering questions. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, you’ll qualify for a number of “instant win” prizes including $25 gift cards and coconut oil.
Garmin’s Fish With a Pro Sweepstakes
Are you a fishing fanatic? Would a fishing trip with the likes of pro fishermen Jason Christie, Bill Dance or Scott Martin be a dream come true? If so, enter Garmin’s Fish With a Pro Sweepstakes between now and July 12.
One lucky winner will receive a fishing trip for two with one of the pro anglers, including round trip airfare and two nights in a hotel. You’ll also receive a Garmin product for your boat plus a $2,000 Visa gift card, for a total prize value of about $3,800.
You can enter once a day, so set an alarm to make sure you get in as many entries as possible.
Tasting Table’s Tillamook 2015 Sweepstakes
Tillamook is giving away a $5,000 American Express cash card to help you take a trip to Oregon and see the Tillamook Factory and Dairy Farm. The prize includes $4,000 for travel expenses and $1,000 to enjoy the local culinary culture in and around Portland, Oregon. That $1,000 will buy you a lot of food and beverages!
Enter once per person before the contest closes on July 3. Unfortunately, Rhode Island residents are not eligible for this contest, and all entrants must be 21 or older.
Audi Bethesda’s 2015 Audi A3 Sedan Giveaway
Why let contest rules determine where you go on your vacation? This contest will take you anywhere you can drive yourself.
Audi Bethesda wants to see your best vacation photo showing where you’d take an Audi if you win it. Whoever earns the most votes for their vacation photo will bring home the grand prize: a brand-new Audi A3 sedan worth $30,000.
If you’re over 18, you can enter one original, unpublished photo per person between now and June 30 at 12 p.m. ET. Since the contest is based on votes, it makes the most sense to enter as soon as possible to maximize the time you have to ask everyone you know to vote for you.
Fandango’s Self/less Sweepstakes
Visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras is a dream come true for many travelers. Enter Fandango’s Self/less Sweepstakes to win a trip for you and a friend to travel to New Orleans during Mardi Gras 2016. You can even go to the set where Self/less was filmed and check it out for yourself.
If you win, you’ll get a $4,995 check which will cover airfare, accommodations and airport-hotel transportation, among other expenses. To be eligible, you must be 18 or older and enter by 10 a.m. PT on June 26.
Your Turn: Are there any other great travel contests we’ve missed? We’d love to hear about them!
Kristen Pope is a freelance writer and editor in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The post Head to the Caribbean or Mardi Gras for Free: Enter These Travel Contests Worth $51,795 appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Regulator to investigate fake online reviews
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to investigate whether companies are posting fake reviews on websites or paying for endorsements online without that relationship being made clear to consumers.
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France Wants Google To Target French Citizens Worldwide & Censor Their Search Results
Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.
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