Your Costco Groceries Can Soon Be Delivered By Shipt. Here’s What You Need to Know

Costco is a beautiful thing; whether you’re married, single or even have fur babies instead of real babies, it can fulfill your needs while making the membership price worth it.

Buying in bulk can get tricky, though; managing to load up your car with giant boxes of toilet paper, cereal, beer and whatever else your heart desires is truly an art. I envy those who can manage to fit everything in their car on the first try.

Now, though, shopping at Costco is about to get way more convenient — and you won’t even have to leave your house (or play grocery jenga in your car!) to do it.

Costco Groceries Can Now Be Delivered

Thanks to Shipt, a grocery delivery app, Tampa residents can now have their Costco groceries delivered straight to their doorstep.

Costco paired up with the grocery delivery service to compete with the ever-growing online shopping industry,

The best part? You don’t have to be a Costco member to order the groceries through Shipt. If the rising cost of the wholesale retailer’s membership is still freaking you out, we hope that puts you at ease.

Shipt launched in Florida mid 2015, and as of now it’s only available in its native state. However, the service plans to expand nationwide by the end of the year.

According to CNBC, the grocery delivery service will be available in 50 markets and more than 30 million households by the end of 2017, meaning it’s likely that you’ll have the opportunity to have your Costco groceries delivered to you by the time you ring in 2018.

But Isn’t Grocery Delivery An Expensive Luxury?

For an annual fee of $99, Shipt members have access to an unlimited number of grocery deliveries that can be dropped off within an hour of them being ordered.

At first glance, that $99 annual fee can be a bit intimidating. You may be thinking of all of the other things you would rather spend nearly a hundred bucks on, but listen up: Grocery delivery services can actually save you money in the long run.

Since you’re not actually wandering around in the store, you will be less inclined to make impulse buys (you probably didn’t need those cookies) and you’ll know exactly how much money you’re spending before you head to the checkout section.

For more information of how grocery delivery services could save you money, check out our entire article on it here.

Your Turn: What do you think about Shipt now delivering groceries from Costco?

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder. Catch her on Twitter at @keywordkelly.

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Having Friends Pays Off: 35 Refer-a-Friend Programs That Pay You

Have friends? Coworkers? Family members?

If you fall in love with a product or service you use, you’re probably going to buzz about it. (I know we do!)

Did you know you can actually get paid to refer friends, though? Here’s an example:

Oh my gosh, I used this really cool ride-sharing service. It’s like a taxi, but it’s not. You use an app to request a ride, and it’ll arrive in, like, five minutes.

That was a lot of us four years ago. What we should have done — and still can do if you find the rare gem who’s new to the ride-sharing world — is send them a referral email or link. When they use it, they’ll likely get rewarded. And so will you. (See No. 32 below.)

We scoured the internet and found 35 companies offering awesome referral rewards. If you take full advantage of these programs, you can easily bank thousands of dollars. But sometimes a crisp $5 bill is nice, too.

1. Clarity Money, $5 (up to $15)

The free Clarity Money app helps you keep your finances in order. It’ll even negotiate existing bills for you. Check it out for yourself if you haven’t already.

Then, once you realize how much you love it (because you will), refer a friend. Once they sign up and link one account, you’ll bank $5 in your Clarity savings account.

2. Ibotta, $5

The Ibotta app is an easy way to save money on groceries. Snap a photo of your receipt, and earn money back. You’ll earn money back when you refer a friend, too. Once your pal claims the $10 welcome bonus, you’ll pocket $5. Once you join (for free), you can get started.

3. BevRAGE, $2

BevRAGE is the Ibotta of alcohol. It’ll give you cash back on your alcoholic purchases. Plus, when you refer a friend, you’ll get an extra $2, a perfect discount on your next purchase of boxed wine.

4. Bluehost, $65

This web hosting service allows any of its users to sign up for the affiliate program. You’ll need to sign into your Bluehost account to see all the details, but you can earn $65 per recommendation!

5. Aspiration Summit Checking Account, $25 to a charity of your choice

This online-only bank account makes dealing with your finances a lot easier. The whole “no fees” thing and 1% interest rate is nice, too.

If you have an Aspiration Summit Checking Account, refer a friend. Unfortunately, you won’t bank extra money; however, Aspiration will donate $25 to the charity of your choice, which puts sweet karma on your side.

6. Digit, $5 (no limit!)

Once you connect all your financial lines to this savings app, it’ll analyze what’s going on and automatically push the appropriate amount of money (based on your lifestyle) to a savings account.

If you like using Digit (one Penny Hoarder saved nearly $2,000), go ahead and refer a friend. You’ll get $5 in your Digit account — no limit. Plus, you already bank $5 when you sign up, so why not?

7. Netspend Prepaid Debit Card, $20 (no limit!)

Open a Netspend account for free, then start referring your friends! For each friend who loads at least $40 into the account, you’ll both get $20. And apparently there’s no limit, so that’s cool, too.

8. SavvyConnect, $5-$15 (or more)

SavvyConnect is one of those online platforms that pays you while it “unobtrusively” tracks your online behavior. It’s really not as scary as it might sound. While earning extra passive income each month, you can also refer friends to make even more.

For every project your referrals complete, you’ll earn $5-$15. And for every project completed by someone they refer (indirect referrals), you’ll earn another $2-$6. Learn more here.

9. Swagbucks, $5 + 10% of your friends’ earnings for life

Do note this is a special that’ll end March 31.

If you refer a friend (or friends) to Swagbucks, the place you can earn free gift cards for doing little tasks, you’ll score $5, plus 10% of that friend’s earnings — forever.

And if you keep hearing about Swagbucks but aren’t sure what it exactly is, here’s our beginner’s guide. Read that before signing up.

10. Credible, $500 (up to $25,000)

Credible refinances student loans, and the service has saved graduates a ton of money (like $50,000).

When you refer a fellow sufferer of student loans, each of you banks $500. Right now, until March 31, Credible is holding a contest. Those who have the most referrals will share $25,000 in prizes.

Just enter your email here to get a referral link, and start texting that sucker out to everyone you know.

11. Decluttr, $10 (up to $100)

It’s exactly as it sounds: Decluttr is an online platform where you can purge all your old media (CDs, DVDs, etc.) and electronics. When you gently remind your friend to clean out their childhood bedroom, you’ll earn $10 — up to $100 total.

12. Ebates, $5 (up to $75)

Whatever you do, before you go shopping, you better use Ebates. Users get up to 40% cash back. And when you refer a friend, you can bank $5. Until March 31, that can multiply into $75.

13. HealthyWage, $20 (no limit!)

This site pays you to lose weight (these women did it!). You place a bet on yourself and if you carry through, HealthyWage pays you. When you recommend a friend, it’ll add $20 to your wager. So, for example, if you invite 100 friends who sign up, that’s an additional $2,000.

14. The Honest Company, $20

Jessica Alba’s sustainable products empire, The Honest Company, has a solid refer-a-friend program. Invite a friend, and bank $20 in your account for your next purchase. (This is perfect for moms!)

15. MyPoints, 25 points (and other stuff)

This is one of those sites where you get paid to take surveys — but it’s legit. You’ll want to sign up now because you can earn a $10 Amazon gift card when you spend $20 or more. Then refer your friends because you can earn 25 points toward more gift cards (or 750 points if your friend makes a $20 purch!).

16. GlassesUSA, $30 toward glasses

Eyecare isn’t cheap, so any little bit helps. GlassesUSA offers (more) affordable frames and lenses, and when you recommend a friend who buys a pair, you’ll get $30 toward your next purchase.

17. Amazon Prime, refer a friend, $5

Know someone who hasn’t jumped on the Prime bandwagon? This is a great opportunity to send them a referral link. They’ll get $5, and you will, too.

18. Airbnb, refer a friend for up to $5,000

I’m so mad all of my friends use the Airbnb app already — maybe I need to make more? If you refer a friend, you can bank tons of travel credit that can go toward staying in places like this.

When you refer a friend, there are two opportunities to earn travel credit. From the Airbnb website: “You earn credit when your friend completes a qualifying reservation as a guest and also when they complete a qualifying reservation as a host. You can earn up to $5,000 USD in travel credit overall.”

19. Achievemint, 250 points

When you download the Achievemint app, it works passively to track your steps and activities and rewards you with points, which convert to dollars. Once you hit 10,000 points, you earn $10.

Help reach that goal by referring friends and earning an extra 250 points without even leaving your couch.

20. AAA, refer a friend for 20 AAA Dollars

Got AAA? You can help a friend out without changing their tire on the side of a highway by referring them to AAA.

You’ll get 20 AAA Dollars, which will go toward your card’s renewal. Plus, you both can score awesome, unexpected discounts.

21. Chase, refer a friend for credit cards, varies

A lot of credit cards offer great refer-a-friend deals, especially Chase. I have the Chase Sapphire card, and when I refer a friend, I get 10,000 points, which is enough to cover a flight (depending on where I’m going).

To find out if your Chase card offers a refer-a-friend bonus, enter your information here.

22. Clink, $5

Clink is a super simple investing app. It basically does everything for you, and you need only $1 to start. Plus, when you refer a friend, Clink puts $5 in your account!

23. Costco, refer-a-friend membership, $10

Got a Costco membership? When you refer a friend, you’ll both get $10 in Costco cash. (Then, read up on the other discounts you can get!)

24. Cricket Wireless, $25 account credit (up to $250 a year!)

Cricket Wireless is known as one of the most low-cost cell phone carriers. If you’re looking into signing up, see if a friend who uses Cricket can recommend you: You’ll both get $25. Then, you can start recommending up to 10 friends a year for your own credits.

If you don’t have Cricket, check to see if your phone carrier has a referral program.

25. DISH, $50

If you’re a DISH customer and want to save on your monthly bill, refer a friend. You’ll both save $50.

26. Groupon, $10 in Groupon Bucks

All right, Groupon has wacky deals sometimes, but you can find real gems (like pizza) and save a ton. When you refer a friend, you can bank $10 in Groupon bucks to spend on the next greatest deal.

27. Grubhub, $7 off your next order

This delicious company (it’s a food-delivery service) offers $7 to you and a friend when you refer them. Just shoot them an email!

28. Poshmark, $5 Posh credit

Selling items on Poshmark for extra money is simple (if you know how the pros do it). Also simple: Snag an extra $5 in Posh credit if you refer a friend. You’ll need to unique referral code, which you can find in your Poshmark app.

29. Rent the Runway, $30 off your next order

Rent the Runway is an affordable online shop that lets you rent designer dresses for a fraction of their price tags. (Former Penny Hoarder Susan Shain loves it!)

When you refer a friend, not only will they get $30 off their next purchase, you’ll get $30, too.

30. Sam’s Club, $10 e-gift card (no limit!)

Love warehouse clubs? When you refer a friend who signs up for a Sam’s membership, you’ll get a $10 e-gift card. (They’ll snag a $20 one!) There’s no limit.

31. Shipt, $10 for groceries

Shipt is a somewhat new grocery delivery service. If you’re curious, read about how it works here. If you already use it, recommend a friend. Both of you will get $10 to go toward your next grocery bill.

32. Uber, a free ride

Uber offers two options: When you’re a driver and refer a friend to start a new side gig, you can get rewarded. But if you’re a passenger, you’ll snag a free ride when you refer friends and they use your code before requesting their first trip.

33. Verizon, up to $100

Cell phone bills are way too expensive these days, so $100 could really help. A lot of phone providers offer rewards for referrals, so find the friend who’s most fed up with their provider and send them Verizon’s way.

They’ll snag a $50 Visa gift card; you’ll get up to a $100 Visa gift card.

34. Walmart Online Grocery, $10 (up to $200!)

Love using Walmart’s grocery online pickup and delivery service? You might as well spread the good word, and refer your friends. They’ll get $10 for groceries — and so will you.

35. Xoom, $20 Amazon gift card (no limit!)

Xoom is a money-transfer service operated by PayPal. If you try it out and like it, go ahead and refer your friends (because they’re probably the ones who owe you money, anyway). You’ll both get a $20 Amazon gift card. Then they can finally pay you back.

Your Turn: With so many refer-a-friend programs out there, tell us your favorite. If we missed it, we can add it to our list!

Disclosure: Our friends stopped inviting us over because we were always digging for loose change between their couch cushions. We use affiliate links instead so we still get invited to a few parties.

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s been humming the Beatles’ “I get by with a little help from my friends” tune while researching this post. Off-key, of course.

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40% of Freelancers Don’t Have a Formal Retirement Plan. Here’s Why

Being self-employed has its perks.

You get to be your own boss. You get to set your own hours. Want a day off? Well, you get a day off.

You can make a decent living doing it, too. According to a poll conducted for Small Business Majority, a national small business advocacy group, 48% of entrepreneurs surveyed said they make at least $50,000 annually and 53% identify as “doing well” or “doing very well.”

In fact, only 6% want to quit freelancing and go back to working full time.

That’s despite the fears most freelancers had before taking the plunge. Those concerns included:

• lacking an employer-sponsored retirement plan (52%)

• losing employer-sponsored benefits like health care (54%)

• their ability to generate work (63%)

According to the survey, retirement is still top-of-mind for many freelancers. Seventy percent reported saving for retirement was either “somewhat of a concern” or a “major concern” for them.

Freelancers Aren’t Prepared to Retire

Yes, freelancers love their lifestyles, but they don’t necessarily plan to work until the day they die. Unfortunately, retirement might be more difficult for freelancers than their friends who work traditional 9-to-5 jobs.

According to the study, 40% of freelancers are not saving enough for retirement. For those neglecting their nest egg, it mostly comes down to income.

Of the freelancers failing to save, 69% of them say it’s hard to establish a formal retirement plan because they either aren’t making enough money or their income varies so widely each month that it can be tough to save consistently.

When answering another poll question, 35% said they won’t be able to retire comfortably unless they find another source of income or increase their contribution to their savings plan.

As for those who are making enough money and feel comfortable putting cash aside, there’s another concern — a lack of retirement savings plans that fit their needs.

What Freelancers Want Out of a Retirement Plan

When it comes to the perfect retirement plans for freelancers, flexibility is key, the study shows.

In fact, 83% of freelancers said they would be more likely to make retirement saving a priority if they had the option to withdraw money without paying a penalty. That would allow for more financial flexibility in a pinch.

In a perfect world, retirement plans would also include automated features that adjust investments based on age and streamline the process of contributing to the plan while paying quarterly taxes.

If either of those options were available, freelancers said they would be more than 70% more likely to save.

When it Comes to Saving, All’s Not Lost

The lack of availability of those options means a sizable portion of gig-economy workers are still not saving for retirement.

But there’s also some good news: 60% of freelancers are actively putting money away for retirement with the options they have now, and the majority are contributing regularly to a traditional IRA, Roth IRA or 401(k) account.

For the freelancers who have been saving, about 16% of them say they could retire today but are still working by choice. Another 25% say they still have some saving to do — but are otherwise on track to retire comfortably.

Getting ready for retirement can be difficult and confusing. But these five retirement options for freelancers can help you start stacking your cash.

Your Turn: Freelancers, have you started saving for retirement?

Desiree Stennett (@desi_stennett) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She spent 18 months as a freelancer and is sad to admit she was among the 40% not saving for retirement during that time.

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Here’s Why Wells Fargo Just Introduced Cardless ATMs (It’s Actually a Really Smart Reason)

ATM skimmers may have to find a new hobby.

With the rise in funds being stolen from innocent consumers due to ATM skimming, major banks around the country are developing innovative ways to protect their customers.

While most of these new technologies are still being piloted, one major banking chain recently announced that all of its ATMs will now be better equipped to protect its customers from having their debit card information stolen.

Wells Fargo Introduces Cardless ATMs

In an effort to protect customers against ATM skimming, Wells Fargo has announced it will begin implementing card-free access to its ATMs.

Starting on March 27, all 13,000 Wells Fargo ATMs in the U.S. will be accessible via an eight-digit code in addition to PIN numbers. Customers will be given the unique code via the Wells Fargo mobile banking app, giving them access to their funds and enabling them to make cash withdrawals without a debit card.

The machines will still accept debit cards. However, the move toward eliminating them completely is in the works; the large banking chain hopes to eventually grant customers access to ATMs by holding their smartphones up to the machine instead of entering a code.

After last year’s ugly scandal that involved creating unauthorized accounts for customers, checking account openings have fallen 43%. The rollout of the new cardless technology is being seen as an attempt by the company to amend ties with both its current — and potential — customers.

How to Protect Yourself From ATM Skimming

Skimming is a booming business for thieves all around the world; from 2014 to 2015, the number of ATMs compromised by skimming practices increased 546%, according to the FICO Card Alert Service.

How it works: Hidden electronics gather information from PIN keypads or your debit card. While skimming can occur anywhere you swipe your card, 94% of security breaches stem from ATMs.

To protect yourself against compromised ATMs, here are a few warning signs:

• Odd appearance, such as mismatched colors or graphics on the screen not being correctly aligned

• Loose card readers, as they can be a sign that thieves placed a fake box over the original card slot in an attempt to record account and pin numbers

• A lack of flashing lights on card readers means that a skim device may have been placed on top of the original card reader slot

For more information on how to protect yourself from ATM skimming, check out our article here.

Your Turn: What do you think about Wells Fargo’s new method of accessing ATMs?

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder and a senior at The University of Tampa. Catch her on Twitter at @keywordkelly.

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Savvy Moneywise users remortgage to get the best deal

Helen Knapman

money-houses.jpg

The majority (32%) of Moneywise.co.uk users look for a new mortgage deal as soon as their existing fix is about to end, according to our latest poll results.

The majority (32%) of Moneywise.co.uk users look for a new mortgage deal as soon as their existing fix is about to end, according to our latest poll results.

However, the 3% of who said they’ve stuck with their mortgage standard variable rate (SVR), as remortgaging is “too much hassle”, should consider switching.

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Millennials Will Have to Save More Money For Retirement Than Their Parents

According to this retirement calculator, I’ll be broke by the time I’m 75.

OK, so that’s only if I keep saving for retirement at the same rate for the rest of my career.

But still, saving enough for a realistic retirement is pretty stressful to think about. And while I’m not quite as stressed as my co-worker, it might be because I’m just living in a state of denial.

But it looks like I’m not the only one.

According to the latest retirement confidence survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 63% of workers aged 25 and up who calculated their retirement goal said that they would need to save less than $1 million by the time they retire. A very frugal 21% said they would need to save less than $250,000.

Millennials Will Need to Save More for Retirement

Conventional wisdom recommends saving between $1 million and $1.5 million to retire comfortably. And while not everyone has to hit that benchmark, up-and-coming millennial retirees will have to save a bit more than those who have gone before us.

The issue is that millennials and Generation Xers (and everyone who follows) are going to miss out on something that our parents and grandparents depend on: Social Security.

It’s an inevitable truth — Social Security benefits are running out faster than we can replenish them. In fact, it’s projected that by the year 2034, benefits will be reduced by about 25%. And while that model, functioning at about 75%, will be sustainable for a while, there’s no concrete information on how the system will progress into the future.

But we’ll skip speculating on how our grandchildren will live when they retire (they’ll be floating around in plastic bubbles because we’ve wrecked the planet, so what will they care?), and just focus on that 25% reduction figure.

In 2016, the average monthly Social Security benefit was $1,360. If we take 25% of that number, we end up with a $340 reduction in benefits. This means that during each year of retirement, we’ll be living on the future equivalent of $4,080 less than retirees are living on now. And considering most people spend about 20 years in retirement, that’s a deficit of about $81,600.

Another thing that will affect how much you need to save? People are starting to live longer and healthier lives, and there’s a good chance some of us will outlive our retirement accounts — especially if they’re under that million-dollar mark.

So What’s A Millennial To Do?

Bottom line: Millennials will have to save more money for retirement.

If you’re worried about your own funds, start by actually planning out your retirement. I’m firmly in camp “it can’t hurt to oversave,” so I like to inflate my numbers juuuust a little for the fun of it. Besides, I know that as I develop in my career I’ll have the ability to add a little extra to my retirement account each month.

Then, open up a retirement account and make a habit of contributing — even if you start with just $5. If you don’t have a 401(k) through your workplace, here’s a good alternative.

Whatever you do, don’t settle for being a part of the two-thirds of Americans who aren’t saving for retirement at all.

The only thing worse than turning 65 and worrying about not having enough money is turning 65 and worrying about having no money.

Your Turn: Do you know if you’re saving enough for a stress-free retirement?

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

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How Much More is Life Insurance for Smokers in 2017?

It may not seem so on its face, but obtaining life insurance for smokers is super easy.

When I tell people that I used to smoke, they are completely shocked. Being a health nut and Crossfitter, that's the last thing that people would expect that I would do.

To my defense, it was during a stressful time in my life. While I was deployed to Iraq I smoked a cigarette at least every day. It even got to the point to where I was buying cartons of cigarettes.

My wife wasn't keen on the idea, but I promised her when I returned I would quit for good. Since I got back home in 2006, I've smoked (I think) 3 cigarettes total.

How's that for going cold turkey?

If you smoke, it’s going to hurt your life insurance rates. Since this habit carries so many health risks, smokers generally need to pay more for their coverage and also could have a more complicated application process.

If you handle your application properly though, you can minimize the extra costs you’ll need to pay. Here is a complete guide to life insurance for smokers to help you get prepared.

Life insurance is one of the most important investments that you’ll ever make for your family. It’s the best safety net that you can buy. It’s one of the only ways that you can ensure that your loved ones will be taken care of, regardless of what happens to you. If you’re a smoker, you may think that you won’t be able to get an affordagble life insurance plan.

Can You Get Life Insurance as a Smoker?

You can absolutely get life insurance if you are a smoker of any kind.  In fact, you can even get instant approval through some life insurance companies.  This is not to say that you will not pay higher rates.  Since smoking has been proven to increase the risk of various ailments, smokers will pay higher rates than non-smokers who otherwise have the same risk factors.

So if you have two men, both are in good shape, both have similar family histories, and both pass their exam, but one is a smoker and the other is a non-smoker, then the smoker is going to have a higher premium.

How Much Higher are Smoker Life Insurance Rates?

Most smokers realize their life insurance rates will be more expensive, but many are shocked by just how high their rates actually are. A smoker in his 30s can expect to pay about two to three times as much for a policy than a nonsmoker. A smoker in his 40s can expect to pay three to four times as much.

Insurance companies charge this massive price increase because smokers have such a higher risk of death than nonsmokers. In addition, smokers often have other health problems like a poor diet or an inactive lifestyle. This is just one more example of how it pays to quit smoking.

Sample Life Insurance Quotes for Smokers

	30 Year Old Male 20 Year $500k Policy	40 Year Old Male 20 Year $500k Policy	50 Year Old Male 20 Year $500k Policy
Preferred Plus Non- Smoker	SBLI $20.88/mo	SBLI $30.45/mo	SBLI $81.35/mo
Preferred Smoker	SBLI $77.00/mo	Banner $134.31/mo	Transamerica $337.75/mo

Testing for Tobacco

If you are a smoker, you won’t be able to hide this fact. First of all, your life insurance application will ask you directly about whether you smoke. You need to be honest and say yes because if you don’t, it’s a form of insurance fraud.

Most policies also require that you see a nurse or doctor for a medical exam. As part of this exam, you’ll need to give your blood and urine for testing. The insurance company will check to see if tobacco shows up in either. If you test positive for tobacco but reported that you didn’t smoke, your odds of getting a fair insurance rate plummet.

Even if you can hide your smoking from the insurance company, you’re still taking on a big risk. The first two years of a life insurance policy are known as a contestability period. If you die during this time and the insurance company discovers that you were smoking, it can deny paying out your death benefit. Being honest is the best way to deal with smoking.

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Cigars, Electronic Cigarettes, and Chewing Tobacco

If you smoke cigars or chew tobacco, you should make sure to note this distinction with your insurance agent. All these forms of tobacco would show up on your blood test and could get you rated as a smoker.

However, insurance companies are sometimes more lenient with these types of tobacco use. For example, some companies give a non-smoker rating to applicants that only use chewing tobacco. If you only smoke cigars a few times a year, you might also be able to qualify for a non-smoker rating by not smoking for several weeks before your application.

Each company looks at different forms of smoking with various medical underwriting. Some companies will still give you preferred rates if you smoke electronic cigarettes, but other companies are going to lump you with smoker’s rates, regardless of what kind of smoking that you do.

The best rule of thumb is to let your insurance agent know what’s going on ahead of time so you the underwriting department won’t just assume you smoke cigarettes.

Vaping and Electronic Cigarettes

Vaping has completely changed the way that life insurance companies must look at smoker’s rates. There are thousands and thousands of people that are starting to vape or are switching from traditional cigarettes to vaping. In fact, a lot of smokers are using vaping to kick their tobacco habit, which can work wonders on your health, but how is it going to impact your life insurance rates. When you’re applying for life insurance coverage, you may wonder how vaping is going to impact your rates, and the answer is, “it depends.”

Just like with other kinds of smoking or tobacco, every insurance company is different. Some companies are going to automatically give you smoker’s rates if you vape, but other companies will give you non-smokers rates or have a separate category. Finding the perfect companies for people who vape could save you hundreds of dollars on your insurance plan.

Because the idea of vaping is new, there is little research on how it will impact smokers in the long-run, which means that insurance companies don’t know how to rate it. As more studies come out on the impact on vaping, insurance companies can accurately calculate the risk associated with vaping, but until then, you can expect to get rates that vary drastically from company to company.

Quitting Smoking Helps

You can use your life insurance bill as one more motivation to quit smoking. If you smoke now and can only get a smoker rate, you could still qualify for a discount later on. You need to quit smoking for at least one year. At this point, you can request another health exam. If you come through clear as a nonsmoker, your insurance company will start charging you the lower nonsmoker rates.

Smoker Case Study

I had a 34 year-old male client that was seeking $250,000 of term life coverage.  He had been smoking for most of his adult life but was determined to quit.  He had two young children so getting some life insurance coverage was a major concern of his.  He had stopped smoking for just 4 months so it he would have still been subject to smoker rates. What I suggested was to take out a shorter term policy (10 years vs. 30 years) to make sure he had the coverage he needed while not having to pay a fortune to have it.

The only reason I suggested this was because I knew my client was serious about quitting. If you've been trying to kick the habit for years and have been unsuccessful, get the full term of life insurance you need. If you’ve been wanting to kick the cigarettes once and for all, the thousands of dollars that you would save is a great incentive. Not only will quitting smoking work wonders on your health, but it will also work wonders on your bank account as well.

Find the Right Company

Each life insurance company has a different process and different rates for smokers. In addition some treat all forms of tobacco the same while the best companies for smokers make a distinction for cigars, electronic cigarettes and/or chewing tobacco. Taking the time to find the right match for your situation could make a big impact on your insurance premiums.

To help you in your search, you can work with an independent insurance broker like our company. We regularly work with smokers so we are experts in this market. We can show you how to put together a smart application and match you up with the best companies for your needs. To learn more about our service, call or fill out our online application form for free life insurance quotes.

Unlike a traditional insurance agent, independent brokers represent dozens of insurance companies across the nation, which means they can bring all of the lowest rates directly to you. Don’t waste your time calling dozens of insurance companies and answer the same questions over and over again.

Working with an independent insurance agent is going to save you both time and money on your life insurance policy. Because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow, you shouldn’t wait any longer to get the insurance protection that you and your family need.

Getting the Right Amount of Coverage

Aside from picking the right kind of policy, it’s vital that you get enough insurance coverage to protect your family. If you were to pass away, your loved ones would be responsible for all of your debts and final expenses, which can make an already difficult situation a lot more stressful. It’s extremely important that you have enough life insurance protection to give your family the money that they need if anything tragic were to happen to you.

When you’re calculating your life insurance needs, there are several different factors that you’ll need to account for to ensure that you have enough coverage. The first thing that you should calculate is your debts and final expenses. Your family would be left with your mortgage payments, car loans, and much more. All of those can put your family under a mountain of debt.

The next thing that you should account for is your paycheck. The secondary goal of your life insurance is to replace your income. Your family would struggle financially if they no longer had your salary, but that’s where your policy comes in.

These are only two of the things that you should consider when adding up your life insurance needs. I can help you make sure that you’re getting the coverage that you need, and at an affordable price. Just because you’re a smoker doesn’t mean that your life insurance plan has to break your bank every month.

The post How Much More is Life Insurance for Smokers in 2017? appeared first on Good Financial Cents.

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26 Marketing Tools for Non-Tech-Savvy Marketers

Marketing tools are essential for streamlining and automating the more arduous aspects of the process.

The only issue is that you’ve got to actually learn how to use them.

You have to learn their capabilities, their limitations as well as their nuances.

It’s no biggie if you’re tech-inclined.

But what if you’re not so tech-savvy?

Using marketing tools can nearly negate the purpose if it’s a struggle just to figure them out.

That’s why I compiled a list of 26 marketing tools for non-tech-savvy marketers.

Each one is practical and user-friendly and requires a minimal learning curve. Many are even free.

Content creation

1. WordPress

Let’s start with the absolute basics: WordPress.

You could consider it to be the “OG” of content management systems.

As of late 2015, it powered 25% of the world’s websites.

And it’s very likely that number is even bigger today.

A large part of WordPress’ appeal is its utter simplicity and non-technical nature.

You can create and maintain a beautiful website with literally zero knowledge of coding.

And if you happen to understand HTML, you can completely crush it.

If you want to create a site for your business or blog, I highly recommend WordPress.

You can learn how to do it from scratch with this video from Quick Sprout.

2. Google Drive

When it comes to cloud storage, I think of Google Drive as being the universal platform.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve worked with clients or business partners who’ve made Google Drive their platform of choice.

Like most Google products, it’s super intuitive and easy to use.

I use it for writing and backing up content as well as for sharing content with others.

It’s perfect if you have multiple people working on a project because sharing and editing is a cinch.

Besides docs, you can create slideshows, drawings, spreadsheets, and more.

3. Grammarly

I don’t care if you’re Mark Twain, everyone is bound to make mistakes when writing.

Whether it’s a silly spelling error or poor grammar, it’s impossible to catch everything.

But Grammarly will do just that (or pretty darn close to it).

Add it to Chrome, and Grammarly will monitor everything you write, point out any issues, and offer advice on how to resolve them.

It goes above and beyond Word and will make you look like an expert even if your writing skills are lackluster:

The cool thing is that it will also scan your emails before sending them out so you don’t look like an idiot when corresponding to customers or clients.

I highly recommend it!

4. Word Counter

Word count is kind of a big deal, especially if you’re writing long-form content and need to reach a specific number of words.

But not all online writing platforms display word count.

I love this tool because I can quickly copy and paste a body of text, and Word Counter will let me know how many words I’ve written.

It’s super quick, and I’ve never experienced any sort of glitch.

Content ideas

5. Google Trends

Coming up with new ideas for content can be a major struggle.

Even if you’re an expert, it’s not always easy to come up with stellar ideas.

I’ve found Google Trends to be a great place for getting a sense of what’s popular at the moment.

Often, it will point me in the right direction, and I can then use it to gauge the exact interest in a particular topic.

For instance, here’s how the interest in content marketing has grown over the past five years:

6. Alltop

Using Alltop is a breeze.

Simply type in a search phrase, and hundreds of popular blog posts on that topic will pop up:

I use this for brainstorming all the time, and Alltop has helped me come up with some epic ideas for blog posts.

7. BuzzSumo

Words cannot express how much I love BuzzSumo.

Pretty much anyone can figure it out within minutes, and it’s the perfect tool for generating an arsenal of content ideas.

But what separates it from other tools is the fact that it provides you with key info such as:

• how much engagement content receives
• who is sharing it
• links pointing back to the content

The only caveat is that you must purchase the Pro version to unlock all the features.

But you can still do a basic search with the free version.

8. Ubersuggest

This one is a bit like the Google Keyword Tool, only simpler.

Enter a search term, and Ubersuggest will spit out dozens or even hundreds of ideas:

It’s really easy to use, and it’ll keep supplying you with topics whenever you need them.

Communication and collaboration

9. Basecamp

If WordPress is the OG CMS, Basecamp is the OG of project management and team collaboration.

Countless other products have been developed, many of which are cooler and sexier.

But Basecamp still retains its status and continues to be one of the big dogs.

I love its clean interface and how intuitive it is.

It’s very non-intimidating even for the most non-tech-savvy of marketers.

10. Trello

At this point, you probably know I’m big on visuals.

Images make it easier for me to absorb information and stay on top of my game.

That’s why I love Trello.

It involves a system of boards where you can communicate with colleagues and keep tabs on project progress.

It can easily be scaled up or down as necessary and can really boost productivity.

I know many people who swear by it.

11. Asana

This is another visual-oriented platform that I’ve used on several occasions.

I prefer Basecamp over Asana, but it’s the number one team-collaboration platform for many marketers.

In fact, some companies that use it include TED, The New Yorker, and Uber.

My favorite aspect of Asana is the ease with which I can track a project from start to finish.

I’m a stickler for deadlines, so this helps me ensure they’re always met without a lot of stress.

12. Slack

When I think of Slack, I think of hipsters. But in a very good way.

It’s perhaps the coolest, sleekest, sexiest collaboration app in existence.

And it’s dead simple to use.

Slack revolves around creating “channels” where you communicate with team members either publicly or privately.

Drag and drop your files to share with others, and search your archive any time you need specific information.

Slack makes it easy.

Task management

13. Wunderlist

I stay busy, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when I’m bombarded with a barrage of tasks on a daily basis.

One of my favorite weapons to counter that is Wunderlist.

I place it on my desktop so I can see exactly what’s going on and what I need to take care of on any given day.

And, of course, I can also access it from my smartphone or tablet.

I can easily save links, photos, and other media I want to keep.

I also use it to set reminders of specific tasks’ deadlines and make note of any business/project ideas that pop into my head.

In other words, Wunderlist helps me keep my you-know-what together.

14. WordPress Editorial Calendar Plugin

If you use WordPress (like I recommend), you’ll want to take advantage of this plugin.

It’s a little like Google Calendar, but specifically for scheduling your blog posts.

You can:

• Manage drafts
• See what’s been posted
• See what needs to be posted
• Manage posts from different authors

Like most things on WordPress, it’s user-friendly, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out its features.

15. Todoist

The tagline of this platform is “Accomplish more, every day.”

And that’s fitting because I’ve found Todoist to be a major catalyst for productivity.

You simply record tasks, prioritize them as needed, collaborate with others, and get stuff done.

I love its no-nonsense interface and minimalist vibe.

SEO

16. Yoast SEO

This is another WordPress plugin and one that I highly recommend if you’re fairly new to the SEO game.

Here’s a screenshot of its features:

In other words, it handles nearly every major aspect of SEO.

The best part is its simplicity.

I love Yoast SEO because it’s very hands off and automates many of the more arduous SEO tasks like creating optimized URLs, keeping track of keyword density, and so on.

Before you publish your content, Yoast SEO will rate its readability and your keyword usage by giving it a color: red for poor, orange for okay, and green for good.

If you loathe the technical nature of SEO, this is a great plugin to use.

17. Google Keyword Planner

If you were to use only one tool for performing keyword research, this is it.

Even the biggest SEO nerd will agree that it’s useful because you’re gathering data right from the horse’s mouth—Google itself.

The cool thing is that you don’t need to be technically adept to figure it out. Most of the features are pretty self-explanatory.

18. MozBar

In my opinion, Moz is perhaps the Internet’s number one resource for all things SEO.

I especially love its Whiteboard Fridays, offering in-depth analysis and insight.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to determine key SEO metrics like links, page authority, and domain authority, I highly recommend MozBar.

Simply add it to your Chrome toolbar, and you’re good to go.

19. SEMrush

This is another great SEO tool that’s amazingly easy to use.

Just enter a URL or keyword, and you instantly get a boatload of useful information such as:

• Organic search volume
• Backlinks
• Top organic keywords
• Main organic competitors
• Branded search

If you’re looking to perform competitive analysis for keyword or content opportunities, look no further than SEMrush.

Images

20. Canva

If you’re creating content, you’ll need plenty of beautiful visuals.

In my opinion, Canva is hands down one of the best platforms for creating your own images and documents from scratch.

It’s really easy, and Canva offers a wide array of images that are totally free.

You can modify them as needed for your content or for branding purposes.

The best part is that you can do this with virtually no design experience.

21. PicMonkey

PicMonkey is a photo editor that allows you to design, resize, do touch-ups, create collages, and a lot more.

Using it is no sweat even if you have no clue what you’re doing in terms of design.

It’s perfect if you have your own images you want to customize, and PicMonkey helps you make them look like a million bucks.

22. Pixabay

Here’s my take on stock photos.

I prefer to pay for them and get the best of the best.

But if you’re just starting out or are on a budget, Pixabay is one of my top picks.

Everything is royalty-free and available for the public to download, modify, and distribute.

They have a massive archive of pictures that covers most topics, and the quality of their images has really improved over the past couple of years.

Here are just a few samples:

23. Creative Commons

Creative Commons is basically an aggregator of images free to use for commercial purposes. These images can be modified, adapted, or built upon.

You enter a search query, and choose from multiple platforms like Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, Open Clip Art Library, and even Google.

It’s a great tool for streamlining your image search.

Metrics

24. Google Analytics

There are countless metrics platforms out there for measuring your website’s performance, traffic numbers, and so on.

But I think it’s safe to say that Google Analytics is the be-all and end-all tool.

The free version is more than sufficient for diagnosing your website and, in my opinion, quite easy to use.

I’ll admit there is a bit of a learning curve, but most people can figure out the basics in a day or two.

25. Bitly

Bitly is perhaps best known for being a URL shortener.

In fact, I use it all the time for condensing URLs on my Twitter page:

But it’s useful for way more than that.

Here’s the deal.

Bitly allows you to track individual links and gather key information about their performance.

You can tell what your audience is responding to (or not) and tweak your marketing efforts accordingly.

26. Clicky

Finally, there’s Clicky.

Despite its comprehensiveness and level of detail, I consider it to be one of the most user-friendly analytics tools.

You can see what’s happening on your website in real time, monitor the actions of visitors, and even look at heat maps, which I love.

I know some marketers who actually choose Clicky over Google Analytics.

Conclusion

I totally understand the frustration that many non-tech-savvy marketers feel.

There are many tools that are great but require serious knowledge to be utilized properly.

These can really cramp your style and drive you crazy.

But the marketing tools I’ve listed are ones that will get the job done without being overly complex.

With most, the core features can be learned within just a few minutes.

This way, you can spend less time trying to figure out your marketing tools and more time reaching your audience.

Can you suggest any other easy-to-use marketing tools?

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Thoughts Become Desires

One of my biggest work distractions is looking at interesting websites, particularly ones that I think will help improve my life (this might sound an awful lot like you at the moment). Quite often, I’ll stumble across an article that will talk about a particular book or a particular app or a particular item that really seems to click well with what I’m doing in my life, and that article sets my mind in motion. I’m suddenly thinking about something that wasn’t on my radar at all, and if I think about it for too long, I’m suddenly making a case for buying it.

A few weeks ago, I was at a store that sold a lot of pretty high quality do-it-yourself kits. Many of them were focused on hobbies and tasks that I basically never really considered before, but I brushed by most of them without much of a second glance. What did attract my attention was a calligraphy kit, which they had set up for people to try. I had never even attempted calligraphy before, but I had quite a bit of fun following the instructions and spelling out my name and I couldn’t help but think of some really neat projects I could do if I mastered this skill. Suddenly, there was a thought in my heat, one that quickly started to turn into a desire.

It happens over and over again, in my life and likely in your life. For any number of reasons, something you never really thought about before is brought into your attention. Most of those things just slide off of you, but some of them catch in your thoughts, and they come up again and again in your thinking. Soon, those thoughts become desires and you find yourself wanting something that you weren’t even aware of yesterday.

Thoughts become desires.

This is something I’ve struggled with for a long time, all the way back through my entire adulthood. I have a strong imagination, one that easily visualizes a lot of scenarios in which I could use a particular item or technique. The first time I saw a truly good smartphone, my mind reeled with the possibilities for weeks. I actually made a list of more than 100 smartphone apps I’d like to see (almost all of which now exist, unsurprisingly). Whenever I walk into a bookstore, I don’t see just one book I want to read – I see hundreds and the challenge becomes ignoring the ones that most draw my attention, because I can imagine myself enjoying multitudes of books in pretty much every section. Whenever a hobby begins to really click with me, I visualize many, many enjoyable experiences down the road and those visions include enough details to include a lot of gear that I become suddenly convinced that I must have.

Overcoming this tendency of my thoughts running wild and turning into expensive desires has been a real challenge. I’ve only really come up with a small handful of things that work in terms of keeping these desires at bay so that they don’t transform into expenses that I don’t need in my life.

Asking “Why Do I Want This?” and Repeating the Question

Whenever I find myself desiring something, I simply ask myself “why do I want this?” If I can’t answer that question, I don’t buy it. Then, whenever I come up with an answer to that question, I ask myself “why do I feel that way?” and then I keep repeating that question.

Eventually, I end up coming around to some sort of sense of personal inadequacy. My desires are usually founded in some sense that my current life is somehow not up to snuff and the desire I have is usually perceived as some way of fixing it. I’m patching some hole in my knowledge or I’m making up for poor choices in terms of my time use or something like that.

The solution, then, is to directly attack that flaw. Rather than focusing on the desire, I intentionally focus on fixing whatever flaw I’ve discovered and I find that when I address that flaw specifically without throwing money at it, the desire usually goes away on its own.

Postponing Action

A second strategy that I find invaluable when putting desirous thoughts to bed is to simply postpone taking action on that desire. When I desire something and want to spend money on it, I postpone it for at least thirty days if at all possible. There’s almost nothing that I desire that I can’t agree to postpone for a while.

Almost always, when I decide to postpone a purchase, anything that isn’t a truly, deeply held desire fades away pretty rapidly. Often, I don’t even remember the desire thirty days later.

What I do is pretty simple. I just mentally agree that I won’t buy the item for thirty days. If the item is still in my head after a few days, I add it to a list with a date that’s about a month or so in the future, which can give me the sense of “taking action” on it. When I do that, I look at all entries that are past the date and, perhaps unsurprisingly, I almost always delete those entries.

Why? Over the course of a month, those desires just fade away. They seem so urgent right now when the thought is fresh in my mind, but when I don’t buy it and I go on with my life, I think about other things and unless that desire is really meaningful, it fades. Eventually, it vanishes.

So, if I can simply get myself to agree in the moment to put off the actual choice to buy, that desire often becomes nonexistent on its own, which means that it was a pretty good choice not to spend the money! If something actually is important to me over a period of time, I can always still buy it later.

Focusing Intentionally on Things Money Can’t Buy

Another valuable strategy for keeping my mind from wrapping around desires is to intentionally spend my time and focus on things that don’t encourage spending money. I read a book. I go on a hike in the woods. I play a long board game I already own. I play soccer with my kids. I pray. I meditate. I write in my journal. I study something.

Those activities force my mind to focus on different things. I think about nature. I think about big ideas. I think about strategy. I think about the details of my life. I think deeply about my stances on the issues of the day.

When I intentionally move my mind onto topics that aren’t going to lead me to building up the desire to buy things, I find that any desires I have hanging around simply fade away over time… and new ones don’t come in to replace them.

This goes directly hand in hand with the final strategy.

Limiting Media Consumption

By this, I mean that I make a conscious effort to minimize the time I spend watching television and other videos and reading low-quality articles and social media. I enjoy entertainment as much as the next guy, but I make a strong effort to choose things that won’t persuade me to buy things or ignite desires or bring me to poorly-founded conclusions.

If I’m too tired to read a thoughtful article, then it’s time to go to bed. If I just want to be entertained, I turn on a comedy routine or a well-regarded movie – for example, have you actually watched all of AFI’s 100 greatest movies? I’ll read a well regarded book or an article from a writer or a publication that I really trust (and there aren’t many of them). Those things alone provide more entertainment than I’ll ever need.

I’m also slowly cutting all social media out of my personal life, though I still do use it for professional purposes like communicating with readers who send me individual questions.

Why make these choices? Social media, television, and low-quality articles seem to do little other than to drive desires and emotions. I’m left either feeling upset or feeling a strong desire for something I didn’t have just before I started reading – and that desire usually isn’t a useful one, either. There are too many good options available to me that I feel I have the freedom to choose things that don’t inflame my desire to buy more things and spend more money without giving up any quality of life.

Final Thoughts

Thoughts left unchecked become desires, and the wrong desires left unchecked become expenses. Avoiding that pathway is a challenge, but when you find ways to reroute your thoughts and your desires in new directions, you can find yourself with a deeply fulfilling life without the need to open up your wallet in the face of every desire you can conceive of.

When you do that, it becomes a lot easier to build the type of financial independence that you want.

Good luck!

The post Thoughts Become Desires appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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OPENING BELL: US stocks start higher ahead of uncertain health care vote

For most of this week investors have been waiting for answers about the fate of the Republican-backed American Health Care Act.

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Broadband providers to pay automatic compensation for shoddy service

Helen Knapman

compensation.jpg

Landline and broadband customers who suffer slow repairs or missed appointments will receive automatic compensation from their provider, without having to ask, under new plans put forward today.

Landline and broadband customers who suffer slow repairs or missed appointments will receive automatic compensation from their provider, without having to ask, under new plans put forward today.

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Deal of the week: earn Avois points as you invest with Nutmeg

Adam Williams

avios_32694919093072.jpg

Earn yourself a flight or hotel stay by collecting Avois points as you invest with Nutmeg.

Earn yourself a flight or hotel stay by collecting Avois points as you invest with Nutmeg.

What’s the deal exactly?

You can earn up to 50,000 Avios points when you create and fund a Nutmeg account for the first time. This can be general investing, a stocks and shares Isa (individual savings account) or a pension. 

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Here’s How to Make Money With Airbnb — Even if You Don’t Have a Spare Room

Disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Airbnb.

Although the online accommodation marketplace has been around 2008, I just booked my first stay through the app last summer. It was the sweetest little garage apartment in a quaint Nashville neighborhood.

I’ve been hooked ever since.

The other side of Airbnb — the hosting side — fascinates me, too. In fact, my boyfriend and I dream of owning a house with a garage apartment.

Random? Yes.

But if Airbnb is still around, it could make for some substantial side income — maybe even enough to pay our mortgage.

But now you don’t even have to have a space to rent to make money with Airbnb, thanks its new feature called “Experiences.”

What are Airbnb Experiences?

Back in November, Airbnb unfurled Experiences.

Basically, locals can host, well, experiences.

“Book experiences designed and led by some of the most interesting people out there,” Airbnb states on its website. “You’ll get to unleash the sushi chef or street artist you’ve always wanted to be.”

It’s a way for travelers to connect with locals, immerse themselves in the city’s culture and experience something totally new — or spark up an old hobby.

Experiences range from Parisian food and wine tastings to sunset bike tours of Tokyo to a night of dancing in Havana.

Who Can Be an Airbnb Experience Host?

You, probably. (Do note it’s only been released in several big cities thus far, but Airbnb says more will come.)

“Hosts are chefs, hikers, or just knowledgeable locals who want to show others little-known pockets of their community,” Airbnb states on its website. “They can host an experience or multiple ones over the course of a few days.”

Do you know a whole lot about your city’s history? Do you have a backyard pottery or painting studio? Do you know all the hidden speakeasies in town?

Find your niche, and design an experience around it.

How to Design an Airbnb Experience

You can choose to create one experience or you can opt for an “immersion.”

One experience lasts two or more hours, but is more brief than an immersion. Airbnb describes it as a “quick glimpse into your world.” Examples of this would include a walking tour, bar-hopping or a workshop.

An immersion can last a couple of days. This could be something like surfing all day and then camping under the stars at night.

Once you decide what you’d like to do, you can sign up in four steps (at the bottom of this page).

You’ll fill out bits and pieces of information to go on your experience page, including photos, a personal description and an outline of the experience. As long as you have plans in place, the process shouldn’t take too long.

If your experience meets Airbnb’s standards, you can set up shop!

How Much Money Can You Make as an Experience Host?

You get to set your experience’s price.

The average price of experiences booked thus far has been $100. For immersions, the average price has been $270.

Airbnb offers helpful guidelines when deciding how much to charge. Some tips include:

• Offering a good deal when you first start so you can build your reputation with substantial reviews. You can raise the price over time.

• Considering that price will set your customers’ expectations. If you set a high price, well, they’re going to expect the best.

• Be sure to consider how much you’ll spend on materials, time spent and cost of food or rentals. Airbnb recommends calculating these expenses based on a group, rather than per individual.

And remember: Airbnb has to make some money, too, so it takes a 20% cut from your earnings, Fortune reports, which is a bit heftier than the 3% it takes from home bookings.

However, if you’ve partnered with a nonprofit, you’ve got nothing to lose (in terms of money).

And this might be a “derp” tip, but Airbnb says the experiences that cost less are usually booked more, so keep that in mind when planning!

Your Turn: Are you an Airbnb experience host? We’d love to share your story!

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. If she hosted an experience, it’d probably include sitting on the couch and watching Netflix because that’s what she’s best at. (Just kidding.)

The post Here’s How to Make Money With Airbnb — Even if You Don’t Have a Spare Room appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Should you follow the crowd and buy the new Neil Woodford fund?

Marina Gerner

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Celebrity fund manager Neil Woodford’s second income fund has opened its doors to investment and it is expected to prove popular with both do-it-yourself investors and financial advisers.

Celebrity fund manager Neil Woodford’s second income fund has opened its doors to investment and it is expected to prove popular with both do-it-yourself inves

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These 3 College Students Took Gap Years — Here’s What They Learned