One of the most incredible things about world travel is the ongoing discovery of fresh perspectives, ideas, and worldviews. Immersing yourself in a new culture can introduce you to a great diversity of thought. Yet, it can also highlight how much we all have in common. Optimism, the simple art of positive thinking, is an inherent human capability that transcends language, national borders, and cultural divides. It is one of the few ideas that continues to prove a universal and connecting element of the human experience. Around the world and throughout time, across every medium available, the same idea continues to resonate. There is immense power in big ideas and a positive attitude. 12 Quotes About Optimism1. Don’t Let Your Feet Hold You Down“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” — Frida Kahlo Optimism often relies on overcoming limiting beliefs. Sometimes, accepting circumstances by default can lead you to miss greater possibilities. Sometimes, even when something appears to get the job done, it could be distracting you from something that could work even better. The path that you follow to your goals is up to you. Yes, you have feet in your shoes, and they may well take you to the places you want to go. But what might happen if you think bigger, choose optimism, and see where your wings can take you? 2. The Power of Interpretation“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – William Shakespeare There are many reasons we still celebrate and teach Shakespeare’s works even centuries after his death. For instance, his masterful use of the English language to poetic effect and how effectively his plays keep high school students bored out of their minds. More importantly than any of that, though, is the profound wisdom and deep human insight that linger in his writing. This quote from Hamlet holds one such piece of wisdom. It reminds us how much the world around us is up to our interpretation. The claim here is that nothing is inherently good or bad. It is all open to interpretation. Therefore, it is up to us to choose happiness. 3. Turning the Bad Things Into Good Things“There is just no getting around that turning bad things into good things is up to you.” — Deepak Chopra Echoing our Shakespeare quote above, Deepak Chopra reminds us that we often have the choice between focusing on the positive or the negative. Critically, Chopra takes this point and drives home the ultimate responsibility we each have in the situation. I cannot tell you if you will have a good day today or tomorrow. However, I can tell you that your choices will play a significant role in your life’s journey. This sort of mindfulness can strongly influence your overall well-being. Positive self-talk can help you stay positive even when you feel the situation pulling you in another direction. You can let your negative emotions shape your experience, or you can use them as a motivational tool to make meaningful changes to your situation. 4. You, Too, Can Move MountainsFew can claim to understand the power of positive thinking as well as David Schwartz, author of “The Magic of Thinking Big”: “Those who believe they can move mountains do. Those who believe they can’t, cannot.” ― David Schwartz Many people misunderstand optimism. They think it is not simply a passive way to feel better about what happens to you. However, thinking positively also has several documented, practical benefits. For instance, an optimistic mindset can create new possibilities and pathways to new outcomes. What you believe shapes what you can achieve. If you determine that you will be able to find a way to reach a particular goal, odds are you will find one in time. On the other hand, if you convince yourself that you can’t do it, you have most likely created a self-fulfilling prophecy. 5. Suffering Yields Strong Souls“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” — Khalil Gibran Many of these optimistic quotes have focused on defining (or redefining) what is good and what is not. While we each have a great deal of influence over how we experience things, there is no denying that there will always be some experiences that hurt. The good news is that painful experiences are essential to human growth. You can endure and acknowledge difficult experiences and still think positively. Part of that process is to realize that struggle is helping you grow and develop. Even coping through a dark chapter can be part of a beautiful story. 6. Quit Making LemonadeSince we’re already exploring so many unique corners of the world for meaningful quotes about optimism, why not take a brief foray into a fictional world? In this case, one from a video game: “When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons. What the hell am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager!” — Cave Johnson in “Portal 2” It may seem like a somewhat off-putting thought at first. After all, isn’t making lemonade when life gives you lemons the thing that all optimists do? Not necessarily. Some would say that when life gives you lemons, you don’t have to make lemonade. Imagine it like this: When life gives you lemons (that is, a situation you don’t want), one option is to make lemonade (accept the circumstances and move on). Alternatively, you may be able to reject some of these lemons entirely while fighting for a more positive outcome. 7. The Seed of a Greater Benefit“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” — Napoleon Hill It has become quite common among entrepreneurs, self-help personalities, and industry leaders to see failure as valuable. No longer synonymous with defeat, many now treat failure as an essential component of learning and progress. While this notion of gratitude for the process is relatively mainstream today, at least one person was ready to be optimistic about failure nearly 100 years ago: Napoleon Hill. In the above quotation, Hill illustrates how even our most challenging experiences can all contribute to our progress. 8. Infinite PossibilitiesHow better to travel the world of optimism than by looking at how your optimism can affect the world? “My optimism rests on my belief in the infinite possibilities of the individual to develop nonviolence… In a gentle way, you can shake the world” — Mahatma Gandhi Many of the positive quotes on this list focus primarily on outcomes. That is to say, the speakers we’ve looked at so far have primarily focused on how staying positive can lead to more favorable results for you. Gandhi, however, offers us a wholly different way to be happy. He gives us a way to channel our optimism into the common good. This form of optimism relies on faith in people. When you see the people around you as generally good, you are more likely to treat them better. Plus, studies have shown a direct link between kindness and happiness. So try sharing this form of positive energy, and inspire others to pass it on. 9. Choosing Optimism Through Effort“I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.”― Antonio Gramsci Antonio Gramsci here offers a sobering reminder that although we are all born with a negativity bias, we still have the option to be optimistic. In other words, we have a natural talent for negative thinking, but that doesn’t mean we’re bound to be unhappy. If you look for reasons to be pessimistic and hold onto a negative attitude, you will undoubtedly find many difficult things. The more you learn about this world, the more opportunities you may find for negativity and pessimism. At the same time, you will have as many opportunities to see the good in this world and overcome the natural pull toward negative thoughts. 10. Heading in the Right Direction“Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.” — Nelson Mandela As some of the quotes above have shown us, to live a positive life isn’t necessarily to live a life of nothing but happiness and positive emotions. Hardship and struggle are a natural part of the process. A common mistake among budding optimists is to ignore (or even outright deny) these stressful aspects of life. Unfortunately, this “glass half full,” “look on the bright side” attitude often leads a person to spread toxic positivity unknowingly. However, being positive in a productive way is more than that. As Nelson Mandela outlines here, healthy optimism means taking it all — the exciting, the difficult, and the scary — and choosing to keep your head up and your feet moving anyway. Negative self-talk may come up, but it doesn’t have to cancel out your positive thoughts. 11. Be Brave and Take RisksContinuing to build on the “failure is progress,” “difficulty is worthwhile” theme, here is one of the more inspirational quotes about optimism on this list: “Be brave. Take Risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” — Paulo Coelho It takes an optimistic person to be willing to take the most critical risks in life. Leaps of faith are pathways to some of the most extraordinary highs in life. Pessimists tend to avoid these risks. They are risks, after all, and that means they might not work out the way you’re hoping. There are always things that can go wrong. Positive people know that they’ll deal with it if something goes wrong, and it’s worth taking the chance to change your life anyway. 12. What Else Is There?We are going to close out our journey through quotes about optimism from around the world with one of the most quotable figures of the twentieth century, Winston Churchill: “For myself, I am an optimist – it does not seem to be much use to be anything else.” ― Winston Churchill It’s as simple as that. What else is there? If you can choose happiness, progress, joy, and growth, or whatever else comes along instead, what will you choose? There will always be negative people, demanding situations, and painful emotions. It is up to you whether to let those negative things define your experience or if you will process those emotions and let go. Each day is a new chance to embody an upbeat, optimistic attitude and feel happier. Optimism isn’t the only option, but time will continue to tell if it’s much use to be anything else. Related: How to be Happy at Work: Stop Doing These 11 Things Immediately! Final ThoughtsOptimism is not a new idea. It is not an idea unique to any one person or culture. On the contrary, positive thinking is an essential element of the human experience, one of those precious few links that connect us all. As you’ve seen here, great minds from across five continents (Sorry, Oceania. You too, Antarctica), several centuries, and at least one fictional world all agree: it pays to develop a good attitude and a positive outlook. This post originally appeared on Savoteur. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/quotes-about-optimism/
0 Comments
Mining cryptocurrency has its similarities and differences with mining for gold. It might be the new age equivalent of being a gold miner, but a crypto mine looks much different than a gold mine. There is a whole emerging industry dedicated to mining cryptocurrency. Why is that, what is crypto mining, and how do you mine are all good questions to ask when relating to mining cryptocurrency. What Does Mining Cryptocurrency Mean?Blockchain is the foundation for cryptocurrencies such as Etherium and Bitcoin. A blockchain is a system for recording transactions on the network. Miners are in charge of adding to and verifying transactions for new blocks. Most crypto networks charge their users a transaction fee. This transaction fee is used to pay the miners a reward for verifying the transactions on the ledger. In Etherium, this transaction fee is called gas. You can add different types of transactions to the blockchain. For instance, it could be the trade of Ethereum or the minting of an NFT. How do you Mine Cryptocurrency?Cryptocurrency is mined by having a computer process complex computations to verify transactions. The simplest way to start mining cryptocurrency is to install the NiceHash miner on your computer and run it. The NiceHash miner will automatically pick the most profitable algorithm for your hardware and start the mining process. They then convert the mined cryptocurrency into bitcoin and payout each individual. What is a Crypto Currency Rig?A cryptocurrency rig is simply a computer that has been set up for mining. There are two common types of crypto mining rigs. The first is called an ASIC, which stands for Application-Specific Integrated Circuit. ASICs are hardware built from the ground up to mine a specific algorithm. Then there are GPU miners, which use the graphics card on a standard PC to mine. Typical setups for GPU mining rigs can vary from 1 single GPU in a standard desktop pc case to having eight or more GPUs with a specialized rack case. There are various ways to keep this calm, including air cooling, water cooling, and even immersion cooling. The most common method is air-cooled. Is Mining Cryptocurrency Legal?Mining cryptocurrency is not banned or illegal in most countries, including the USA. However, there are countries where it has been made illegal, most notably in China. While mining and transacting cryptocurrency in the USA is not illegal. However, users could use it illegally. One of these ways would be to mine it without reporting the gains to the IRS, which means that you should take caution to comply with all laws—many of the rules you have to comply with our financial regulations that are not fiat currency dependent. How Much Can you Make Mining Cryptocurrency?The payout of cryptocurrency mining depends a lot on the power of your mining rig. The current reward is 6.25 BTC per block. Therefore, the present value for a block is approximately $200,000. It is improbable that you would win a block as an individual. That is why many miners choose to work together in pools. These pools normalize the earnings. The average earnings per day on a single S19 Bitmain ASIC is currently about $10. The current payout per GPU is about $4 for an Nvidia 3080. A rig with 8 Nvidia 3080’s would earn about $32 a day, adding nearly $12,000 a year. It will likely take more than one rig to get you a 6 figure income. What is a Cryptocurrency Mining Pool?Cryptocurrency is increasingly mined in pools. These pools operate very similarly to lottery pools. A group of miners puts all their computational power together and agrees that they will split the proceeds if they receive the reward on a block. The reason for people to join a pool is that the algorithm itself is winner take all. So if there are 50,000 miners all trying to find the winning hash, and one finds it, there are 49,999 miners that get nothing. So miners started pooling together using the resources of 10,000 of those miners. The pool now wins about one-fifth of the time. Meaning it has frequent payouts. Then, instead of doing a winner takes all system, they usually distribute the winnings equally based on the number of hashes processed by each pool member. Is Mining Cryptocurrency Passive IncomeStrictly speaking, mining cryptocurrency is not passive income because it requires you to maintain the hardware and make sure the machine is actively mining at optimum levels. Cryptocurrency mining is pretty passive, though. Many days will go by without requiring a cryptocurrency miner to put in any work for mining. Also, compared to something like rental property investing, if something goes wrong, you can fix it on your own time. The benefit of fixing your cryptocurrency rig on your own time and only being out for the potential earnings of the downtime rather than fines or being forced out of business in certain other investments makes cryptocurrency more passive than some investments. If you want to be more hands-off than self-hosting a rig at your own house, colocation centers offer full-service hosting for ASICs and GPU miners. They will ensure your machine receives power and runs for a monthly fee. In addition, many of them will be able to repair a rig for you and send a bill for the repairs. These colocation benefits allow a bitcoin miner to operate more passively. What is A Wallet?A wallet is software or hardware that holds a private and public key to access your cryptocurrency. This cryptocurrency is stored on the ledger of the blockchain network. If you are holding cryptocurrency in your wallet, it is very similar to operating as your bank in fiat currency terms. If you are holding your cryptocurrency in an account at an exchange, that is much more similar to having a custodial account at a bank. The bank is in charge of keeping your money safe. Though the exchanges are not FDIC insured. So if you hold your cryptocurrency at an exchange, and it is hacked or otherwise loses all the cryptocurrency. It is just gone. That is why people like to hold their cryptocurrency in their wallets. That puts the responsibility for keeping the wallet safe on the owner of the crypto. It also makes it more of a decentralized risk. An exchange with millions of dollars worth of crypto on its ledger is a much juicier target to a hacker than a single individual’s balance. What is a Cryptocurrency Exchange?A cryptocurrency exchange is a platform built to facilitate the exchange of various cryptocurrencies and various fiat currencies. A crypto exchange will have a desk or exchange set up for each supporting currency. In recent years, the crypto exchange has been a place with massive fintech investments. Some exchanges deal in buying and selling, but others have allowed their users to do cryptocurrency staking on their platforms. Proof of Work vs. Proof of StakeProof of work cryptocurrencies uses miners’ work to verify the transactions in their blockchain. These are usually very energy-intensive processes. The currency’s value in these networks is somewhat coupled with the energy price because that is one of the primary raw materials required to create more of the coin. Proof of stake networks differs by allowing owners of units of the currency to stake their coin and have a chance at being the ones to verify the subsequent blocks to add to the blockchain. They are then granted the award for doing the verification. What is Staking?Staking is a way to earn a return on your existing crypto. It works by putting your cryptocurrency to work in verifying the transactions. For example, in proof of stake networks, the coin holder puts their coins at risk or stake as a guarantee of the transactions that they are verifying’s legitimacy. The network typically does this, or the exchange you are staking with handles the nuances of the process. Some exchanges offer rewards for staking that are more effectively just a different term for lending. They are not genuinely staking in the crypto sense but simply paying interest on being able to utilize the coins for a certain period. The borrower delivers interest in the format of that currency, but some may payout in bitcoin or monero. ConclusionMining cryptocurrency can be an effective way to make money. However, it is a relatively passive way to earn an income. Depending on your miner style, there are many different ways to build a rig to mine crypto. Earning money from mining cryptocurrency is new, like earning income by making TikTok videos. That does not make money earned from it any less accurate. But if you hold all your income in the mined crypto, you have the risk of what happens when the value drops. This post originally appeared on Savoteur. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/mining-cryptocurrency/ When most people open Instagram on their smartphones, they see an opportunity to post pictures of their weekend activities, #selfies with their #besties, and images of the delicious meal they had for dinner. Many more see a chance to check up on their favorite celebrities and connect with the brands they love. Others, though, see an opportunity and think about how to make money on Instagram. And for a good reason! Of the many social media platforms out there, Instagram is uniquely positioned as a vehicle for income generation. It is hugely popular, highly visual, and offers many practical ways to make money with a slew of attractive features. Indeed, many Instagram users are earning serious sums of money on the platform as we speak, with some successful influencers charging over $1,000 for a single sponsored story. Are you hoping to leverage this platform for similar purposes vs. just a fun thing to do with friends? Well, you’re in the right place. Here’s an introduction to how to make money on Instagram. An Overview of Instagram’s AudienceUltimately, the reason you should try to make money on Instagram boils down to its popularity. Since its inception in 2010, this free photo and video sharing app has become one of the top 4 social media platforms online. According to Backlinko, it now boasts a whopping 1 billion active monthly users, equating to almost 25% of internet users worldwide! In addition, Instagram was also one of the top 5 most downloaded mobile apps in 2020 (with only WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, and Zoom coming above it), demonstrating its sustained growth (something that’s no mean feat in the ever-changing tech space). Instagram’s enormous audience reach isn’t its only strength, though. The medium itself also contributes to its potential. For instance, its visual nature facilitates story-telling and helps develop a relationship with an audience. It’s also lower-touch and more accessible to engage with than written-form content (try digesting as many long-form blog articles as Instagram videos, and you’ll see what we mean!). Rates of engagement are sky-high, too, and hashtags enable you to extend your reach even further (as well as tap into a specific audience and capitalize on current trends). You get the idea: Instagram’s full of money-making potential. Can You Make Money on Instagram?People can and do make money on Instagram! We aren’t talking about trifling sums either. We’ll take a closer look at this topic next, but with some influencers earning 6-figures on Instagram alone, the sky’s the limit on how much money you can make. However, attaining monetary success on Instagram requires time, commitment, and hard work. So, while there are plenty of effective strategies to speed the process along, don’t expect to create a profile, post a few photos, and start rolling in Benjamins overnight. How Much Do Instagram Influencers Make?There’s no straightforward answer to this question. While influencers with over 1 million followers can earn over $250,000 per post, most bring home much smaller sums, such as $25 to $50. The good news is you don’t need a vast following if you’re wondering how to make money on Instagram. Far from it! According to Business Insider, a few thousand followers is enough to start generating money as a side hustle, and 100,000 followers can produce a flourishing full-time income. Although there’s no ceiling on what you can earn, the amount you make depends on two interconnected factors: the size of your following and the level of engagement your posts receive (the specific niche you’re in can make a difference, too, with categories like travel, beauty, and fashion being particularly lucrative). Although a large following can help, size certainly isn’t everything. After all, having 1 million followers sounds great, but what if only a tiny percentage of them see or respond to your posts? It’s hardly enticing for a brand that wants as much exposure as possible, so engagement (i.e., likes, shares, and comments) is the real secret to success. Having fewer followers with a higher engagement rate is always preferable when learning how to make money on Instagram. How to Make Money on Instagram: 4 Effective WaysWe’ve looked at why Instagram’s such an excellent social network for earning money and addressed how much you can expect to make. Now let’s consider four specific ways people earn a living through the platform: 1. Sponsored Posts and StoriesSponsorship’s arguably the simplest, most common, and most lucrative strategy for anyone wondering how to make money on Instagram. That is when brands pay you to promote their products and services in your feed. Imagine that you’re consistently publishing pictures and videos of your cat doing funny things. Whether they reach out to you or vice versa, a company like Petco might be willing to pay you to feature its products in forthcoming posts. Then, you’d walk away with money in your pocket after mentioning them in the caption, including a branded hashtag with a link to their business, and sharing it with your audience! 2. Affiliate PromotionsAffiliate marketing is when you promote a brand’s products or services to your audience and receive a commission every time someone buys something through your referral. Promoting affiliate offers is another popular approach people take when learning how to make money on Instagram. However, unlike sponsored posts, there’s no guarantee you’ll earn anything! That isn’t to say affiliate posts can’t be profitable, though. On the contrary, they can pay more than sponsored posts if you can generate enough sales. That, as you can imagine, is where having an engaged audience is so valuable. 3. Instagram ShoppingDo you already sell products via an online store? If you aren’t already using it, Instagram Shopping could be a perfect new sales channel with which to experiment. A dream come true for e-commerce store owners, you can post photos, videos, and stories that include your products and tag up to 5 of them at a time (up to 20 if you’re posting a carousel). People can then view those products in the app and click through to your store to buy them. 4. Monetizing ContentThat could be the best option for anybody wondering how to make money on Instagram with minimal effort! Just as you can monetize YouTube videos by allowing businesses to advertise on them, Instagram lets you do the same. Once you’ve set them up, IGTV (Instagram TV) ads deliver 55% of any advertising revenue generated through your videos (assuming they’re at least 2-minutes long). Similarly, badges enable you to monetize any live videos you produce. Think of them as tips. As you’re filming yourself via the platform, viewers can buy badges (worth $0.99, $1.99, or $4.99) that put money straight into your account. Tips for Earning Money on Instagram1. Focus On EngagementWhile it’s tempting to focus on your follower count, it makes more financial sense to focus on engagement. After all, as we’ve noted, the more likes, shares, and comments your posts receive, the more valuable your profile becomes to brands. Here are a few ways to boost engagement even if you can only work part-time:
2. Don’t Go Overboard with Sponsored PostsSponsored posts are an effective way to make money on Instagram. However, there’s a caveat. Posting them too frequently can frustrate your followers and cause them to lose trust in you. Instead, try social media maestro Gary Vaynerchuk’s “jab, jab, jab, right hook” approach. In other words, focus on giving value freely in every post and only occasionally ask for something from your audience via a sponsored post. Likewise, make sure you believe in (and, in an ideal world, actually use) anything you promote. Common Questions About How to Make Money on InstagramHow Long Does It Take To Earn Money on Instagram?Building the engaged following that’s fundamental to success takes time and perseverance. How much time is anybody’s guess! The more high-quality content you post, the sooner you’ll start making money. What’s the Best Way to Make Money on Instagram?Once again, this depends! It’s different for everyone. Everything from your specific niche to the size and nature of your following comes into play. Try experimenting with the various options to find which works best for you. How Many Followers Do You Need to Make Money on Instagram?You’ll struggle to make money on Instagram with fewer than 2 to 3,000 followers. Remember that engagement trumps numbers, though. Someone with 1,000 loyal fans could make more money than a creator with 100,000 unengaged ones. People on Instagram are making serious money, and there is no reason you cannot do the same. This article originally appeared on Wealth of Geeks. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/how-to-make-money-on-instagram/ Who doesn’t want an easy job that pays well and is not overly stressful? It is a dream to find a job we love without being overworked. There are many options out there, and some of the easiest high-paying jobs don’t require much education or experience. If you are looking for fun and easy jobs that pay well, this post is for you. What Determines an “Easy Job”Before going through the list, let’s take a moment to understand the meaning of an easy job. It is subjective because “easy” means different things to different people. An easy job can mean a stress-free position or work you find enjoyable. It could also mean one that requires less education or training. For the most part, an easy job is a combination of these things. It’s low-stress, fun, and straightforward to do. Here are the top 18 easy jobs that pay well, as well as a few recommended courses that will help you develop the skills you need to land these types of jobs. 1. House Sitter / Pet SitterConsider being a house sitter if you want an easy job that doesn’t require a degree or specialized training. As a house sitter, your primary responsibilities are taking care of the house while the owner is away. Some examples would be watering the plants, checking the mail, and light cleaning. You may also work as a pet-sitter and get paid a little extra. Although it’s not typically a full-time job, it could be a good side hustle to earn easy money. How much you make will depend on where you live, your duties, and how long the gig lasts. On average, house sitters make $25-$50 per day, with some making as much as $150. International house sitters, however, may not pay you, but instead provide free accommodations. Recommended online courses:
2. FreelancerIf you don’t want to work for someone else or want a side gig, you can make money by freelancing. Many people are looking for ways to make extra money, and freelancing is the way to go. If you have a specific skill in a particular field, people are willing to pay you for it. Don’t you love getting paid for something you are good at? You can be a freelance writer, graphic designer, website designer, business consultant, and so much more. You don’t need a degree to freelance because most people learn as they go. Your experience and portfolio matter more. You set your hours and rates as a freelancer, so salaries can really vary. For example, you can charge an hourly rate of $30-40 for freelance writing. You can make up to $49,000 at the junior level and $90,000 per year for a freelance website designer if you have more senior experience. Overall, it depends on what you charge and how many clients you have. Recommended online courses:
3. Flight AttendantDo you love to see the world? As a flight attendant, you are responsible for your passengers’ safety, security, and comfort. How amazing is it to take care of the passengers and travel to new places simultaneously? It is a win-win situation. You don’t need a college degree to be a flight attendant, but you need a high school diploma. Having an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is preferred and gives you a better chance of getting hired. It’s also helpful to have other skills like being fluent in another language. Being a flight attendant is an extraordinary job but can require long shifts and a lot of flexibility. The median salary is $59,000, with the top 25% making around $71,000. Recommended online courses: 4. Personal TrainerWhy not become a personal trainer if you possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities to design an effective fitness program? You get to help your clients by providing exercise programs that minimize the risk of injury. This job is excellent for those who have a passion for fitness. Your duties as a personal trainer include demonstrating and modifying exercises, providing information or resources on general fitness and health problems, and leading fitness programs with your clients. To be a personal trainer, you need a high school diploma and the industry license or certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) or the National Academy of Sports Medicine. You can make an average of $43,000 or become the top professionals who exceed $88,000. Recommended online courses:
5. Massage TherapistAs a massage therapist, you perform therapeutic massages to clients to improve circulation, relieve pain and stress, increase relaxation, and aid in their wellness. If you are interested in this job, you need a high school diploma with professional training from your local institutions or association. Programs can range from 300 to 1,000 hours, depending on where you live. You also need to be licensed since it is a requirement to practice massage therapy. As a massage therapist, you can earn $39 per hour. Recommended online courses:
6. LibrarianBook lovers will enjoy being a librarian where you spend your days surrounded by books. Your tasks are not complicated and consist of organizing and shelving books, checking out items, ensuring materials are in good condition, and helping people find what they need. You can work in a school or community library. Some libraries require knowledge of librarianship, like a degree in library science. To find the perfect position, you should check your local library requirements. As a librarian and library media specialist, you can make about $30/hour. However, librarians that work for colleges or the government can earn about $60/hour. Recommended online course: 7. Tour GuideIf you love and know the city well, you can become a tour guide. Working as a tour guide, you meet new people, travel, and share incredible experiences. You get to show them the main attractions and talk about the history behind the town. There are no education requirements for working as a tour guide, but a high school diploma is usually needed. Being a tour guide, you can make $20 to $25 per hour, with an additional $50 per day in tips. It’s also a great way to make extra money in your spare time. Recommended online courses:
8. Private TutorDo you excel in a particular subject or have a unique skill? Why not make money teaching it to others? Working as a private tutor is an easy job where you get to see your students’ light bulbs go off. The best part of being a private tutor is setting your own schedule. You don’t need qualifications or work experience to be a private tutor. However, if you have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, it can show credibility that you have the proper education. As a private tutor, you can charge anywhere from $20 to $100 per hour, with $25 being the average. It depends on how unique the subject you teach is and how much experience you have. Recommended online courses:
9. Dental HygienistYou do have to go to school to become a dental hygienist, but the job itself is not that stressful. As a dental hygienist, your responsibility is to improve dental health by removing tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth. Going to school is part of understanding the foundation, but the real experience is when you help patients. To become a dental hygienist, you only need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. Depending on what school or programs you take, the requirements can differ. It can take around two to four years to become a dental hygienist. After that, you need to get your license. As a dental hygienist, you can make an average salary of $83,000. Recommended online courses: 10. OptometristEven though you need to go to school, the job itself is not that complex. To become an optometrist, you need to go through eight years of school with four years of undergraduate and four years of optometry school. So that part might not be easy for everyone. Once you have gone through school and training, you can get your license. After all that is done, your work as an optometrist is pretty straightforward. You help patients determine their vision prescriptions, diagnose their eye disease, and address their eye injuries. With the help of machines, you just need to know how to use and read numbers to help your clients. As an optometrist, your average salary is $123,000, with top earners making $385,000 (so the extra years in school may be worth it). Recommended online courses: 11. Virtual AssistantBeing a virtual assistant is pretty much laid back since you can work independently. You have a flexible schedule where you can balance work and life. All you need is a laptop or computer with an internet connection, and you are good to go. Virtual assistants are usually independent contractors who provide administration services to clients. You don’t need to have a specific education to be a virtual assistant. However, most employers look for workers with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree and experience. If you specialize in a particular area and the employer needs you, you have a higher chance of getting hired. Working as a virtual assistant, you can get paid an average of $61,000 a year to work from home. Recommended online courses:
12. Product ReviewerNew products are being made daily, and companies need people to test them. You can get paid up to $3,000 per month to review products. Reviewing a product is pretty easy since you just test it and write your opinions about it. Being a product reviewer, you don’t need a degree since it’s straightforward. As a product reviewer, you can make between $23 and $31 per hour. Recommended online course:
13. Website TesterSimilar to product reviews, some websites need to be tested as well. As a website tester, you explore different content and website designs. Most companies don’t require education for this particular position. Still, it would be helpful to have a computer science degree for jobs requiring technical feedback or software testing. As a website tester, you can make about $25 per hour. You can also do this as a side hustle and make money online through sites like UserTesting and IntelliZoom that pay $10+ per test. Recommended online courses:
14. InfluencerBeing an influencer may seem like a lot of work, but it’ll be easier once you get the hang of it. If you love to be on camera, this is a suitable career for you. Being an influencer, you can use your power to promote a brand. You don’t need a degree to become an influencer because all you need is social media followers. You can make a lot of money as an influencer (about $35/hour), but you could also make very little (less than $7/hour). On average, a social media influencer makes $22/hour. Recommended online courses:
15. BloggerBlogging isn’t easy – until it is. Blogging takes a lot of work upfront to get to the point where you’re making money easily with passive income. Once you get there, though, it can be very lucrative. There are several ways to make money blogging, including affiliate marketing, creating and selling online courses, and working with advertisers. How much money you make as a blogger can drastically vary. Some struggle to make $200 per month, while others make more than 6-figures. Recommended online courses:
16. Voice Over ArtistIf you like to perform, being a voice-over artist might be an excellent fit for you. You can use your voice for radio, television, theater, and film as a voice-over artist. Your voice will either be used for character or to give the audience information. You don’t need a degree for this, but it would be helpful to have training and education in voice and acting to show your experience and credibility. Depending on where you live, various companies have different requirements. It is an easy job where you get to be part of something big without being in front of a camera. The best part is having fun changing your voice for various roles and getting paid for doing it. As a voice-over artist, you can get paid an average of $31/hour. Recommended online courses:
17. RecruiterRecruiters are responsible for finding and screening candidates for open positions. They may post job ads, contact potential candidates, and conduct initial interviews. Most recruiters have at least a bachelor’s degree, although some employers may prefer applicants with a degree in human resources or business. The median annual salary for a recruiter is about $57,000, but recruiters in the tech industry make $94,000. Recommended online courses:
18. Event PlannerEvent planners are responsible for coordinating all aspects of events, from start to finish. This job includes booking venues, arranging transportation, and working with caterers, florists, and other vendors. Event planners must be able to multitask and stay organized in order to succeed in this fast-paced industry. While a degree is not required, many event planners have a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or event management. The median annual salary for an event planner is about $52,000, with the top 20% making $88,000. Recommended online courses:
Final ThoughtsWhen job hunting, you look at the job duties, companies’ reviews, the salary, and the benefits in search of something you’ll like and is suitable for you. Hopefully, these are unique opportunities for you to find the perfect easy job. Whether you are switching careers or wanting a better life, as long as you are willing to put in the work, you can find an easy job that suits your needs and pays well. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/easy-jobs-that-pay-well/ Celebrations are always fun at the workplace – whatever the reason is. Who doesn’t want cake on a Tuesday afternoon? We celebrate many different occasions at work, from birthdays and holidays to employee appreciation days and retirement parties. Work anniversaries, however, don’t always get the same level of recognition. Celebrating a work anniversary should be a tradition at every workplace. Doing so can foster employee loyalty, increase morale, and keep the bond and interaction between colleagues strong. When it comes to work anniversaries, there are many reasons to celebrate. If you are a manager that cares about your employees, you have to show it. Employees are constantly reviewing their experience with their employers. If they feel unappreciated, this can lead to burnout, toxic work environments, and people quitting because they hate their jobs. They are human beings and not just a number. If you recognize them, they will feel appreciated and valued, and their performance will reflect this. It’s also important to celebrate your own successes. After a while, the months and years can start to blur, so take some time to do something special each year and celebrate your accomplishments! If your workplace doesn’t do anything to acknowledge your work anniversary, mark the occasion on your own or with your coworkers. Here are some fun activities and ideas you can do to celebrate a work anniversary. 1. A Day OffA hectic work schedule is frequently to blame for upsetting an employee’s work-life balance. Taking a break or a day off to rejuvenate and spend time with loved ones is a great way to recharge. Giving your staff a day off to celebrate their work anniversary is a terrific way to set the tone. It gives them the impression that you care about your employees and recognize the value of personal time. Or you could use your paid time off to take the day for yourself. (I also do this for my birthday.) 2. Sleeping InAre you tired? The chances are good that you are. By giving your staff the morning off on their work anniversary to catch up on sleep, they’ll feel more recharged than ever. Giving your employee more sleep is simple but effective. Letting them sleep in can make them more productive when coming into the office. 3. Workplace RecognitionOne of the best ways to celebrate employees’ work anniversaries is to spotlight them. Nothing beats being acknowledged for years of service in front of their peers. By making this a tradition, no one will ever feel left out. Workers will have a sense of belonging in a place where they can thrive and are appreciated for their contributions. When you encourage your workers to recognize each other’s accomplishments, you’ll create a better relationship with everyone. Having a strong connection and bond with your team will keep the company growing stronger. 4. Shoutout on Social MediaAll companies should have at least one social media profile. By giving your employees a shoutout on social media, people will know how well you treat your staff. For example, you can write a fantastic description about your employee and share it on LinkedIn. This is a creative way to display the company culture to the world. 5. Commemorative VideoIf a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth ten thousand. Thanks to technology, it doesn’t take that long to put together a fantastic video. You can get all your workers to participate to surprise that one particular worker. Everyone can share their experience in the workplace by recording themselves speaking. Better yet, they can talk about anything memorable. Once you get everyone’s clips, you can make them into one long video and send it to your workers on their work anniversary. They’ll be so happy! 6. A Plaque or CertificateEmployee recognition can really go a long way. Mark milestone work anniversaries like 10 and 20 years with an engraved plaque or nice certificate. 7. ScrapbookWhy not give your employee a memorable gift such as a scrapbook? Who wouldn’t be delighted to receive something that’s personalized and meaningful? This is the perfect idea for someone who has been with your team for many years which shows how much you value their time and contributions. Ask others to contribute to the scrapbook since finding photos and putting them together takes time. 8. Workplace ExplosionHow would you feel if you arrived at work and found your desk decked with thank you cards, beautiful flowers, balloons, and other goodies? You would probably feel important and touched that everyone remembers you and your contributions to the team. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful day to start your day? Everyone deserves to feel special. If it is not your work anniversary, you should congratulate others if it is their day. By conveying your wishes to your coworkers by giving them cards or flowers, they will feel appreciated. 9. An Office MakeoverYour employees have worked hard all year long and may deserve an office makeover. Whether they work at home or in the office, you want them always to be comfortable when working. People tend to be disconnected due to their space. People working from home due to the pandemic can get to the point where it starts to affect their health and well-being. Giving them a chance to have an office makeover can increase productivity and help their health. An office makeover is one of the best ways to celebrate their work anniversary. It doesn’t have to be a lot but a meaningful budget to upgrade their office space and make it where they will feel pleased. Even a fresh coat of paint or a new office chair can go a long way! 10. Pay for Education or New SkillYou want your employees to be the best at what they do. To ensure they are constantly learning and growing, you want to invest in their education and training. To help the company grow, your employees need to succeed. Your staff is the ones that ensure your company wins at every turn. It is never too late to learn something new. What could be better than assisting an employee’s desire to learn? It’s a fun and exciting way to celebrate a work anniversary. For example, you could take your company on a trip to a fantastic convention or seminar. It will allow your employees to explore new areas and bring out the best in themselves. 11. Fun ActivitiesCelebrating your work anniversary with activities and prizes will be an extraordinary experience. You can host competitions where your employees can win prizes. Competition is a great way to interact and share fun memories with everyone. You can do many activities like a scavenger hunt, video games, singing, puzzle, etc. The best part is bonding and having a better relationship with your peers. This interaction is an irreplaceable thing. 12. Lunch with the BossThe boss can seem like an unapproachable person at times. If your employee has an opportunity to have a free one-on-one lunch with them, they will surely feel special. It will allow your employees to show their talents and skills to the boss. The boss will also benefit by learning more about each employee and what’s happening on the front line. 13. Executive DiningWho doesn’t love a free and delicious lunch or dinner? People don’t usually say no to food. One of the nicest perks you can give your workers on their work anniversary is executive dining. If you have a large team, you could host a big lunch for them once a month. Employees will feel valued when they are recognized for their accomplishments and appreciate the chance to socialize outside of the office. 14. Company SwagAn easy way to celebrate another year with the company is to give your hard-working staff some swag or merchandise. This could be a sweater or hoodie with the company’s name or logo, a stationery set, a travel mug, tech accessories, or outdoor apparel. As a bonus, your company gets a bit of free marketing every time your staff uses these products. 15. Office PartyNothing beats a party at the office. When you throw a surprise party for a work anniversary, you are not celebrating only one employee, but all of your workers too. So get the champagne, cake, music, and food ready because it’ll be a long, fun day. Throwing an office party shouldn’t happen too often, though. It’s more fun and memorable if you throw one big one every 5 or 10 years. If you do it frequently, the value will be more meaningless. 16. Game NightA fantastic way to bring the whole team together is by having a game night (or afternoon). It doesn’t matter if it’s a card or board game; it’ll be exciting if everyone participates. Instead of having a big party, this is an alternative way to give everyone in the office something to look forward to. 17. Gym MembershipHealth is an important aspect of your life. Your employees might be working around the clock with their busy schedules to the point where they sometimes give up their health needs. If they are burnout, checking up on them and seeing how they are doing is your job if you are their manager. If it is their work anniversary, consider giving them a gym membership to encourage a better and healthier lifestyle. Giving your employees a company-sponsored gym membership on their work anniversary will undoubtedly help them get started on their fitness journey. 18. Self-Care GiftsYour employees’ health and well-being should always be the top priority. Giving them self-care gifts such as a massage gift card, spa day, gift baskets, etc., will rejuvenate your employees’ energy. It is one of the best ways to celebrate your work anniversary. Many people neglect self-care, so you want to ensure your employees are doing well. By considering their health needs, they will feel important. 19. Gift CardsYou probably have a diverse group of people that work with you. You can never go wrong with gift cards. For instance, you might have a coffee lover that would appreciate a Starbucks gift card or a beauty addict who shops at Sephora. Giving them a gift card to their favorite places will show how much you know your employees. 20. A Basket of GratitudeYou could never go wrong with a basket of goodies. If you want an easy and simple gift, a gift basket is your best bet. You can purchase a fruit basket or a goodie basket to express your gratitude. This present can enhance your employee’s work environment for the entire week. Adding a “thank you” card can make it more meaningful. If you want, you can go smaller by giving them indoor plants to help their wellness and to remind them of the company’s gratitude. Plants are shown to make people feel happy since they enable you to think positively. Final ThoughtsWhether your employees are new or have worked there a long time, they deserve recognition. Companies grow as a result of your employees. If you show them gratitude, they will show their dedication and hard work. By showing them appreciation and celebrating their work anniversary, they will help your business thrive in return. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/celebrate-a-work-anniversary/ With inflation at its highest level in four decades, saving money by any means necessary is a high priority. Coupon apps are one way to ensure you are getting the best deal on every shopping trip, whether online or in-store. No matter what products you are buying, there is often a coupon available to help you hold on to your hard-earned dollars. Even better, gone are the days of clipping paper coupons and dragging them with you from store to store. With a smartphone in your pocket, there’s an app (or apps) for that! Here are some of the best coupon apps available to help you save money when you need it most. The Best Coupon Apps for 2022While there are dozens of coupon apps out there, some are better than others, and some only work for certain types of shopping. For example, some apps work exclusively at grocery stores, while others offer coupons for a wide array of retailers. In addition, some apps are set-and-forget apps, while with others, you have to browse and select coupon offers before shopping. Everyone’s shopping habits are different, so what apps work best for you may not be the same as those that work for someone else. While you won’t be bringing in a windfall every month with these apps, you can realistically expect to save several hundred dollars over the course of the year. Before we get into the details, here are some of our top picks for various categories.
1. RakutenRakuten is one of the oldest, largest, and best cash back apps, having paid out more than $2 billion to its 15 million members since 1999. Rakuten allows you to earn up to 40% cash back on purchases at thousands of retailers, although the typical savings are 1-3%. They partner with many well-known brands such as Target, Lowe’s, Kohl’s, Best Buy, and many more. Sound too good to be true? Rakuten earns a commission for sending business to these retailers, and in return, they offer their members a portion of that as cash back. Once per quarter, Rakuten issues you a “Big Fat Check” via Paypal or paper check in the mail with your earnings. How It Works: Download the Rakuten app and create a free account. When you shop through the app or use the Rakuten browser extension, you will be rewarded with cash back in your Rakuten account whenever you purchase with one of their many retailers. How to Cash Out: Rakuten makes it easy to collect your earnings. You get paid via check or Paypal once per quarter and can check your balance and watch it grow. 2. HoneyHoney is a browser extension for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Opera that automatically scours the web for the best coupon codes available to apply to your shopping cart. Honey is a substantial time-saver over the traditional route of tediously searching for coupon codes online, only to type them in and find out they are expired or do not work. According to their website, Honey members save an average of $126 per year at 30,000+ participating merchants. This app is a no-brainer if you do any online shopping at all, as it works in the background to save you money without needing any input from you. How It Works: Install the Honey browser extension, sit back, and save money. Honey will automatically alert you to promo codes at the checkout page and apply them to your cart for instant savings. How to Cash Out: Since the browser extension searches for and applies coupon codes, there is no balance to track or points to redeem. You save money on each order you place where Honey finds a valid coupon code. 3. DoshThe Dosh app offers over 10,000 places to get cashback and is one of the easiest apps to use. There are no receipts to scan or digital coupons to clip. Connect your credit or debit card to the app and shop your favorite stores and restaurants. You can earn up to 10% cashback, deposited directly into your Dosh wallet. Unlike many of the apps on the list, Dosh offers rebates at many local restaurants. There is even a map inside the Dosh app that shows you nearby locations that offer cashback. If you shop online, things aren’t quite as automatic. Just remember to start in the Dosh app and click through to the retailer to get the cashback amount offered. How It Works: Download the app, connect a credit or debit card, and Dosh does the rest. Shop in-store and eat at local restaurants and get automatic cash back deposited into your Dosh wallet when using your connected payment method. How to Cash Out: After accumulating $25, you can cash out via bank transfer, Paypal, or Venmo. 4. IbottaWhile Ibotta has expanded into other ways to earn cashback, its claim to fame is offering virtual coupons on groceries. Since its founding in 2012, Ibotta has paid over $1 billion in cash rewards to its 35 million users. You can browse digital coupons for hundreds of grocery staples and save money on every purchase with the app. One of my favorite things about Ibotta is they even offer coupons for unbranded products, such as 25 cents off any brand of milk or 50 cents off any meat purchase. They even offer coupons just for scanning a receipt. Ibotta is also one of the best sign-up bonus apps, offering a generous $20 just for creating an account and redeeming offers. Ibotta has also branched out into grocery delivery and has exclusive offers with brands such as Walmart and Shipt. How It Works: Download the app, select your store, then add coupon offers for products you plan to buy. Once you have finished your shopping, take a picture of your receipt in the app, and the cashback will be automatically applied. How to Cash Out: Once you have at least a $20 balance, you can redeem your cashback savings through Paypal, gift cards, or a transfer straight to your bank account. 5. FetchFetch is similar to Ibotta but even easier to use to score savings on your grocery or retail shopping. There’s no need to select coupons in advance, just complete your shopping trip, scan your receipt, and Fetch will give you points for any purchases of their 250+ participating brands. You can also link your online accounts for Amazon, Target, Home Depot, and more and earn points from your online orders – no receipt scanning required. How It Works: Download the free app, shop your favorite stores, and snap a picture of the receipt in the app. Fetch will do the rest by matching line items on your receipt to coupons and offers with their participating brands. You can also connect your online accounts to earn rewards for shopping at many retailers online. How to Cash Out: You can cash out as little as 3,000 points (worth $3) for gift cards to many major brands, including Amazon, Chipotle, Lowe’s, and more. 6. TargetIf you shop at Target as much as we do, you might benefit from the exclusive Cartwheel offers and coupons offered within the Target app. Then, multiply your savings with the Target REDcard, which gives you 5% cashback in-store and online and free shipping. Browse the Cartwheel section and add them to your list to see current offers. When you’re checking out, scan the barcode at the register, and the coupon will apply to your receipt. While Cartwheel is mainly used for in-store shopping, you can apply the savings to online purchases if you are picking them up in-store. How It Works: In the Target app, browse the Cartwheel coupon offers and select the ones you want to use. At checkout, scan the barcode, and the savings will be applied. You can also sign up for a Target REDcard (debit or credit) to save an additional 5% on every Target purchase and get free shipping. How to Cash Out: Your savings are applied automatically to each purchase, so there is no balance to track or minimum cash-out requirement. 7. Coupons.comDo you still like the feel of paper in your hand? Coupons.com offers a wide array of printable coupons to take with you to the store to save money on everyday purchases. Coupons.com has the advantage of a vast assortment of offers on almost any name-brand products from groceries, household items, healthcare, and even pets. There is also a Coupons.com mobile app that lets your earn cash back on eligible purchases and connects various loyalty program accounts so you can track them in one place. You can also apply digital coupons to your loyalty accounts to use in-store. How It Works: Browse Coupons.com online to view available offers and print coupons. You can also download the app to earn additional cashback and connect your store loyalty programs. How to Cash Out: You can cash out at any time through the mobile app; no minimums are required. Best Coupon Apps – The Final WordIf the idea of “clipping coupons” sends shivers down your spine, these seven apps can help give you all the benefits of coupons without spending a Sunday afternoon with a pair of scissors and the newspaper. While these coupon apps won’t make you an overnight millionaire, they can be a practical side job from home, helping you put extra money back in your pocket each month. This post originally appeared on Hello Sensible Via https://mylifeiguess.com/best-coupon-apps/ Are you struggling to get your finances in order? Do you feel like something comes up and throws you off every time you get on top of your budget? Unexpected bills can quickly derail your budget if you’re not prepared. If you’re looking for a way to take control of your finances and get your budget on track, now is the time to create a budget binder. Learn what a budget binder is, how to create one, and tips for staying on track with your binder. What is a Budget Binder?A budget binder is a great way to keep all of your financial information in one place. The binder includes your income, debts, medical costs, and anything else that impacts your financial status. Having a budget binder can make life easier because you won’t worry about losing receipts or forgetting to pay bills. Plus, it’s a great way to get organized, stay on top of your finances, and plan for the future without the cost of hiring a financial planner. If you have a family, a budget binder can help you track your family’s spending and income to ensure everyone’s needs are being met and increase your family’s financial stability. The best part about a budget binder is that you can customize it depending on your financial goals. How To Use a Budget BinderBy organizing your financial life in your budget binder, you can decide how to use your resources best and ensure that you live within your means. Here are some tips to help you get started using your budget binder: Set GoalsSetting goals is the first and most significant step in creating a budget binder. Whether your goal is to save for a down payment on a house or get out of debt, setting specific goals will help you stay on track. The best way to tackle goal management is to break up your long-term goals into short-term goals. For example, if your goal is to pay off $10,000 in debt, you can have it paid off in 2 years by paying $417 towards your debt each month. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to begin, consider asking a financial advisor for help setting goals using your budget binder as a resource to reference. You want your goals to be obtainable and always front and center, so you don’t forget about them. Breaking goals down into smaller, more manageable steps and tracking your progress in your budget binder is a great way to make your financial dreams come true. Record Income and ExpensesOnce you set goals, you can track your earnings using the budget binder. Be sure to include all sources of income, such as your paychecks, side hustle earnings, and investments. Make a list of your fixed expenses, such as your rent or mortgage, car payment, insurance, and subscriptions. Then, track your variable costs, such as groceries, gas, and entertainment. Pay Bills on TimeWho doesn’t hate late fees? Getting your bills paid on time is crucial to keeping your finances in good shape. A budget binder is perfect for keeping your bill payment calendar, storing your paper bills, and documenting your payments. If you prefer to use your binder along with technology, sign up for automatic bill payments. Automatic bill payments are convenient and can help you avoid costly late fees that may throw off your budget. Then you need to follow the monthly calendar in your budget binder to check that your automatic payments went through. Debt Payoff TrackingAnyone who has dealt with debt knows it can be a real burden, keeping you from reaching your financial goals. Every day, you’re faced with the looming payments, the high-interest rates, and the seemingly never-ending debt cycle. To prepare to start paying off your debt, first list the type of debt, the balance, and the interest rate for each of your loans. You can also create a tracker to mark your progress toward debt payoff milestones, so you can celebrate as you reach them and maintain your motivation to become debt-free. Budget PlannerDeveloping a budget is one of the most significant steps you can take to get out of debt and take control of your finances. Now that you’ve set financial goals and taken a look at how much money you have coming in and going out, you can plan your budget. Take a look at your discretionary expenses and see where you could cut back spending and increase your savings or debt payments. Add your monthly debt payments and fixed expenses to your budget to ensure you’re always on track with your goals. Store Cash EnvelopesA cash envelope system is an organization method where you allocate a set amount of cash for specific discretionary purchases, such as groceries or restaurants, and then store the bills in labeled envelopes. Using cash envelopes is a good system for those who want to see how much money they have left to spend each month. When every dollar in the envelope is gone, you’re done spending for the month. If you struggle with overspending with credit cards, cash envelopes could help you curb your spending. You can store your cash envelopes in your budget binder for safekeeping. Supplies You’ll Need To Build Your Binder When planning your finances, you want something visual and tangible to help you stay on track. All you need to build a budget binder is a little imagination and some basic supplies. Here’s a list of supplies you’ll need to create your budget binder:
Must-Have Budget Binder PagesNow that you have all of your supplies, you can start adding content to your binder. Here are some must-have pages for your budget binder: Binder CoverThe cover is at the front of your budget binder, which will help you stay motivated as you flip through your pages. Get creative and design a binder cover that reflects your style. You can use neutral colors or even photos to create a unique binder cover that you’ll love looking at. Goals PageThis page in a budget binder is all about setting money goals. Write down your long-term and short-term financial goals, including your specific savings goals. Write the date that you hope to accomplish each goal, and be sure to update this page as you reach your goals. Monthly CalendarThe calendar page in a budget binder is an essential tool for staying on top of your financial responsibilities. By recording when your bills are due, when you get paid, and important financial dates like tax day, you can plan ahead for financial success. Monthly Fixed ExpensesMonthly fixed expenses are the costs of living that remain relatively constant every month. These include mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and loan payments. You’ll want to document your fixed expenses, how much they cost, and when they are due. Monthly Variable ExpensesMonthly variable expenses are expenditures that vary from month to month. These include gas, medical bills, health insurance, and shopping costs. When keeping track of variable expenses in your budget binder, you will want to write down what you’ve spent each month and develop an average to help you create a budget over a few months. Annual ExpensesThis page in a budget binder is for expenditures usually paid once a year, such as insurance premiums or business and property taxes. Christmas and other holiday gifts are also annual expenses to keep in mind. Keep tabs on when these payments are due so you can budget for them in advance. Savings TrackerIf you’re working towards a specific savings goal, use this page of your budget binder to track your savings progress for a particular purpose, such as a down payment on a house or a new car. Record how much you’ve saved monthly and watch your savings grow. Debt TrackerIf you’re working to pay off debt, this page can help you stay on track. Make it happen by listing all your outstanding debts and the monthly payments and interest rates. Don’t forget to update your debt tracker to see your progress as you meet your milestones. Emergency Fund TrackerAn emergency fund is a crucial part of any financial management plan. This page can help you track your progress as you save for those unexpected payments that always seem to pop up. Include your savings goal, the date you hope to reach it, and how much you’ve saved each month. Paycheck TrackerAs you receive your paycheck from your regular job, use this page to track your salary and budget for each pay period. This can help you ensure that you have enough funds to cover your expenses and still have money left over for your savings. Sinking Funds TrackerA sinking fund is a savings account you use to set money aside monthly for future expenses. Making regular contributions to your sinking fund can help you reach your financial goals and avoid taking on debt to pay for significant costs. Use this page to track your sinking fund balances and ensure you’re on track to cover your future expenditures. Free Budget Binder PrintablesHaving a budget spreadsheet is already a solid start when managing your finances. And why spend money on a pre-made binder when you can easily DIY one at home? You can get creative and customize your binder to fit your style. There are tons of great budgeting blogs with free budget binder printables if you search online. Make Your Money Saving Binder Today!Now you know how to create your money-saving budget binder. There are many ways to organize your budget binder to meet your needs, so feel free to be creative and make it work for you! Keep in mind that no matter how creative and well-designed your budget binder is, the only way it will be effective is if you stick to using it regularly. Make sure to set aside some time each week to update your binder and track your progress towards your financial goals. This post originally appeared on Hello Sensible. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/how-to-create-a-budget-binder/ Imagine a world where there was a recipe you could follow to get rich. What ingredients do you think would feature in it? A high-paying job? A diversified investment portfolio? Disciplined saving? No arguments there! Each of those elements can undoubtedly play a role in the bid for financial success. But something else is even more fundamental: something you might not expect to be as pivotal as it is – your mindset. Or, to be more specific, having what the psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck calls a growth mindset. While you’ll never be able to think your way to a million bucks, your beliefs about what it takes to succeed, combined with the way you approach problems and make sense of the world, can profoundly impact your bank balance. We’re going to break down how these two things are related by defining what a growth mindset is, outlining its importance in personal finance, and offering some advice on leveraging its money-making potential. Let’s dive in! Introduction to Growth MindsetWhy are some of us crippled by failure when others take it in their stride? Why do so many people struggle with minor setbacks when others rebound quickly from the direst of straits? And why do some people settle for mediocrity when others can’t accept anything less than perfection? A few decades ago, Dr. Dweck and her colleagues answered those questions. This research led her to a conclusion that’s now seeped into the popular consciousness, public school curriculum and came to inform societal understanding of success. Dweck found that people fall into 1 of 2 camps regarding our underlying beliefs about learning and knowledge. We either have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. What Is the Difference Between Growth and Fixed Mindsets?With a fixed mindset, you believe your talents, skills, abilities, intelligence, and character are fixed. You think they don’t change throughout your life and thus perceive talent (i.e., what you’re born with) as the key to achievement. As a result, if you can’t do something, there’s little point in trying. In essence, you’re resigned to your fate. A growth mindset is the opposite. You believe everything from your intelligence and capabilities to your overall lot in life is subject to change. With time and effort, anything’s possible; it’s up to you to make it happen. Furthermore, failure’s an opportunity to learn and grow rather than a sure-fire sign you aren’t cut out for the task. Why Is Mindset Important in Developing Positive Habits? One TaleOn May 6th, 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. He broke a record that had stood since the dawn of time and achieved a feat contemporary experts said was impossible. It was thought the human body couldn’t move fast enough to run a mile in under 4 minutes until Bannister came along and proved everyone wrong. But that’s not the most remarkable part of this story. It is even more noteworthy that 1000+ runners have broken the 4-minute mile since then (one of them did it just 46 days after Bannister). Nowadays, even high school students do it. The lesson? Firstly, everything’s impossible until somebody does it. And second, you have to believe something’s possible to make it happen. As Shiv Khera once said, “If you can see the invisible, you can achieve the impossible.” Bannister saw the invisible. And, as soon as other people realized a sub-4-minute mile was an option, they could see (and do) it too. Think about this concerning having a fixed versus growth mindset. Would Bannister have been able to break that record without believing it was doable? Probably not. The same is true for any positive habit, whether you want to quit smoking, eat a healthier diet, or get better with money. To see any point in trying, you must first believe the outcome is attainable. You have to think your effort will yield results, that the sacrifices will be worth it, and that dedication and hard work will take you where you want to go. In other words, you need a growth mindset. Embracing the Growth Mindset in 4 StepsThat begs the question: how do you develop a growth mindset around money if you’ve spent forever thinking your skills and abilities stay fixed throughout life? When you shy away from challenges because a) you’re afraid of failure and b) making an attempt seems pointless in the first place? Here are four strategies to get started. 1. The Power of Yet“I can’t invest; I don’t know how.” “I don’t know how to get out of debt.” “Budgeting doesn’t make sense to me.” “I don’t understand how to save money each month.” Do any of those thoughts sound familiar? A simple and powerful way to shift your perspective is to put “yet” at the end of each sentence. For example, if you’ve thrown in the money towel because you’re “just not good with money,” tell yourself you’re “just not good with money yet.” Likewise, it’s not that you don’t know how to invest; you don’t know how to invest yet. Suddenly, there’s hope! The power of yet leaves open the door to positive change and reframes feelings around money. 2. Replace the Word Failing With LearningFailure’s a dirty word when you have a fixed mindset. However, not only is failure a natural part of life, but it’s also (from the perspective of a growth mindset) a cornerstone of progress. As Dweck says, “In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like a failure, means you’re not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn’t need effort. In the other world, the effort is what makes you smart or talented.” Nobody who succeeds in life does so without their share of failure. Why? Because it teaches you what you need to do differently next time! No failure, no lesson. So, don’t say, “I’m failing at this.” Instead, say, “I’m learning.” It’ll shift your perspective on making mistakes and motivate you to keep trying. 3. Acknowledge and Embrace Your WeaknessesIt’s always tempting to hide from our failings and imperfections. However, no good ever comes from burying our heads in the sand. Instead, acknowledging, confronting, and embracing our issues and weaknesses is key to overcoming them. Remember, nobody’s perfect! If your current financial situation leaves something to be desired, then you’re certainly not alone. Just like a recovering addict, though, the first step to turning it around is acknowledging there’s a problem. If you recognize that you need a tool that invests your money on auto-pilot instead of remembering to do it, that’s pretty easy to set up and get started. 4. Remember Your Brain Is PlasticNever forget that our brains can change throughout life too. A rapidly growing body of research shows they’re amazingly malleable- a trait allows us to recover from brain injuries, grow new brain cells, forge and strengthen neurological pathways, and learn new skills. That is called neuroplasticity, and it’s a compelling argument against the idea that our skills and abilities are fixed! On the contrary, your brain can and will change for the better (which lends extra credence to the power of yet). 5 Ways to Use the Growth Mindset to Grow Your MoneyThat’s all well and good. But how can you harness a growth mindset to bolster your bank balance? Here are five suggestions to get you started. 1. Action over AvoidanceConduct an audit of your current finances and consider what you could be doing differently. Whether you’ve been struggling to pay off your credit card debt, save for retirement, or are unable to summon the courage to ask for a raise, a growth mindset should make it easier to acknowledge the problem and take the first steps to address it. 2. Celebrate the StruggleBuilding wealth doesn’t happen overnight. You have to be committed, resilient, and patient while working toward the goal! Use your growth mindset to reframe matters. Remember: you don’t have financial freedom yet. Not only is the potential for success exciting, but you’re also happy to embrace the challenge, build the necessary skills, and tackle whatever obstacles arise along the way. 3. Continue LearningA growth mindset goes hand in hand with the willingness to learn. So, let those thoughts of failure fall away and set your mind to learning, adapting, and mastering better financial habits instead. Whether that’s how to budget effectively, streamline your savings process, use debt wisely, or invest in real estate, you’ll soon have the skills required to elevate your net worth. 4. Seek SupportPeople with a growth mindset are always looking for new tools and tactics to help them reach their ambitions more efficiently. That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to hire professionals for help. With support from accountants, tax advisors, and financial advisors, you’ll access essential information to lever yourself into a stronger financial position and avoid expensive mistakes. 5. Take RisksAll failures are learning opportunities for people with a growth mindset, so taking financial risks becomes less daunting. Whether you ditch your 9 to 5 to pursue a business idea or implement a riskier investment strategy, you’ll pave the way to greater monetary rewards in the process. This post originally appeared on Savoteur. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/growth-mindset-can-grow-your-money/ Business travel in the last few years has taken a back seat. With the increase in virtual meetings and online conferences, the need for traveling for business was pretty much eliminated. However, as we start to move out of the pandemic and things go back to normal, there will likely be some return to travel as before. The setup in the future is likely to be some hybrid of online and in-person meetings and events. Business travel has changed, and we must adapt to the new norms. Here are some business travel tips to save time and money and make the most of the resources available to us today. Business Travel Tips To Save Time & MoneyThe most significant part of traveling is the cost of the flight and the hotel. If you’re an entrepreneur who has to foot the bill, charge all expenses to a business credit card to maximize benefits and easily keep track of costs. Finding A Place To StayIf you have that travel credit card, put it to good use! Find out if you can use points for your stay, get extra nights for free, or score complimentary perks. Consider these sites to find affordable pricing options outside of the travel credit card realm. If you don’t have membership or status at hotel chains or are traveling somewhere where budget-friendly venues are limited, consider non-hotel options. These include: With Phone a friend, I’m referring to reaching out to your network and see if they have a place for you to stay temporarily. You may also consider asking if your friends have timeshare options in the city, you will be visiting. If they aren’t using their dates, and it works out, you can sublet the timeshare! Along with extended stay sites, this option may benefit longer business trips. Finding The Best FlightsBusiness travel credit cards can come into good use here. You can find an extensive list of the best ones here. Each travel credit card has different perks. Some are associated with certain airlines; others are universal in giving you extra points for travel purchases. Yet others have excellent cash-back options. The one you choose should suit your overall business needs. If business travel for you is rare, then a cash-back card might be best. An airline card may give you the most perks and bang for your buck if you travel often. Alternate resources for finding the best flights for your business travel needs are:
There is also the Hopper app. This app allows you to put in the destination you need and travel dates. It helps you to track and watch airfares over time and will alert you when the prices are likely the lowest. If you can plan your business travel, this app can help you book and save at the right time. Plan Your Trips in ClustersIf you have several meetings or in-person appearances to make, and they happen to be geographically close, consider planning your business travel in clusters. Traveling between cities that are close by allows you to explore other modes of transportation and save on flight costs. For instance, you can take a bus, Amtrak, or rent a car if your destination is close enough to your starting point. Doing this can save you both time and money as you’ll be able to knock out several business meetings in one trip! If You’re The Host Of A Business MeetingIf you’re the one asking people to come to you, consider hosting a hybrid event. That means you invite those who are most needed in person and set up a live virtual event so that others can join in from home. With this option, you can get the work done, be inclusive of everyone, yet save time and money on event space, meals, and the like. Going AbroadFor international business trips, you should be prepared for that as well! Save time at the airport by enrolling in TSA precheck (saves time at check-in) and Global Entry (saves time while coming home). They cost $100 each and last for about five years. Many travel credit cards will also reimburse you for this expense, which is absolutely worth it. For these longer trips, booking a vacation package with a flight and hotel can sometimes be more cost-effective for your wallet. You may also ask your event host if they are offering discounts at nearby hotels for conference attendees. Another idea is to see if your colleagues are also going. You can plan to share a hotel and split the cost, saving you a lot of money for the whole trip. Regarding car rentals, doing this abroad can be expensive and is often unnecessary. Instead, look for ground transportation or public transportation options, as both can help you save money. Shared rides are another option, especially to get from the airport to the hotel. Related Article: 15 Job Skills You Can Learn From Traveling Hybrid EventsAs mentioned above, the future of business meetings is likely to be hybrid events. If you’re an employee gearing up for business travel, or an employer looking for ways to keep your staff connected, this trend is important you adapt to it. As an employee, ask your company about online options for business events. If the possibility exists, you can save time and money by attending online. As an employer, you must be mindful of your remote work employees and their limitations. That is also important if you cannot fund business travel for everyone. Hybrid events allow people to choose what works best for their needs while remaining engaged with work and the company. Related Article: 20 Video Interview Tips to Rock Your Next Job Interview Pandemic PrecautionsMany business events will likely still have Covid precautions in place. That is important to note as you may need to arrange for proof of vaccination, exemption, or negative test results to attend the event in the first place. As an attendee, check the guidelines and prepare accordingly. If you’re hosting the event, stick to company policy in this regard and be sure to accommodate the different needs of your attendees. That includes having extra masks available, hand sanitizer, and a plan for cleaning in between events or meetings. Business Travel ManagementAs a side note, if you’re an employer who is preparing for an upswing in business travel for your employees, then consider utilizing the services of a business travel management company. An example is Concur, which has a platform to help you keep track of expenses, reimbursements, and the like. This kind of software can help keep things streamlined and fair, allow everyone to stay up to date on their travel and expenses, and clarify where the most travel expenses are occurring. Final ThoughtsBusiness travel’s recovery may not look like what you imagine. Adapting to a new normal is essential for sustainable business travel in the future. Travel smart as a professional with these tips to save time and money while growing your career! This post originally appeared on Savoteur. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/business-travel-tips/ Credit cards are something that people often use with caution. They can bring on unnecessary debt if you lack the discipline, and generally, people carry around one to two cards personally. Credit card churning is a method of opening and closing many credit cards to obtain points and miles to travel for free. If you want to grab lots of points and miles, having many credit cards can help create this path. Gaining rewards and not damaging your credit can be tricky and make many people feel uneasy. The Reddit churning thread often has good information to help guide people along their journey to secure free travel, but a word of caution you must be organized and pay off your card at the end of each month. It takes strategy, and sometimes you must turn to other platforms to figure out how to do this. Credit card churning is often frowned upon by credit card companies. They are not in the business to lose money but are in the industry to make money. It is a delicate subject that many companies try to warn about. As a travel hacker, I try to keep things simple, but you must have some strategy. Travel hacking can sometimes use credit card churning to help achieve their goals. What is Travel Hacking?Travel hacking is the mode of gaining free or cheaper travel by earning points and miles through credit card sign-ups and bonuses. Simply put, credit card companies want people to sign-up for their cards. They give out bonuses for hitting minimum spending, and the customer now has money they can use for travel. Travel hacking is not illegal, but specific modes such as manufactured spending can be seen as unlawful or taking advantage of credit card companies. Still, it is about earning points and miles to travel for free. Through travel hacking, you can learn how to maximize your credit cards to earn more points and miles. Most people do it the old-fashioned way; you fly a specific airline or use a particular hotel to reach more miles and awards. Credit cards like Chase, Capital One, Citi, and American Express, allow you to have higher category bonuses through their portals of using their cards. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred allow 5x of any money spent in their portal. The Capital One Venture X card allows the same thing. With these category bonuses, you can rack up more points and miles to transfer to airline programs like United or Singapore Air’s KrisFlyer program to book business or even First class tickets to international destinations. Some of the best rewards credit cards are travel cards. You can pair these up with cashback cards and business credit cards to reap even more rewards. The possibilities are endless. What is Credit Card Churning?Credit card churning opens up cards, hits the sign-up bonuses, and closes them. People will use credit card churning to earn air miles, travel rewards, or cashback. You can achieve many bonuses and reap the rewards through many cards like Chase credit cards or American Express cards. Credit card churning makes the process of earning points and miles quicker. All You Have to do :
Many travel hackers use this method to gain business class and first-class air travel throughout the year. It is part of their long-term strategy to travel for free. Many credit card companies have put in security measures not to allow this to happen. Certain companies allow you to obtain a second bonus only after 24 months, or companies like Chase have the 5/24 rule. You can only apply for five credit cards in 24 months, or you will not get a new card. Some of these strategies may not be right for everyone. There are many downfalls to these strategies, and you also must be dedicated and organized to pull this off. How Credit Card Churning Affects CreditWhen opening up new credit cards, you must be wary about the factors forming your credit score and how companies look at how much you are spending and how many applications you are opening. The credit score considers many factors such as:
With the influx of new applications, you may throw off some red flags, and banks may think you are in financial struggle. Also, be wary of your available credit. Credit card companies like users to use less than 30% of their credit. Opening cards can allow you to increase your credit score. By paying off debt and being responsible, you can move your credit score from a fair score to a much higher one. Banks Protecting Themselves From Credit Card ChurnersThe Chase 5/24 RuleWhen looking at creating a strategy, you must be mindful of the Chase 5/24 Rule. Chase doesn’t want people to be signing up for cards and canceling all the time. They can see this when you apply for new cards. They are pretty clever with this kind of stuff. What you need to do is pick out some cards that are Chase cards that you can apply for without hitting the Chase 5/24 Rule. I am a fan of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. You can even partner these with Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex. These two cards help gain even more points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. Next, I would apply for other cards that are non-Chase. Applying for other cards later helps you to avoid the Chase 5/24 Rule. American Express RulesAmerican Express only allows one welcome bonus for one person over their lifetimes. Once you get that bonus, you will never get another bonus on that card again. Citi Credit Card RulesCiti has a 48-month rule. Once you get their sign-up bonus, you cannot get their bonus again for 48 months. Apply Some Manufucatured Spending ConceptsNow manufactured spending may sound a little illegal, but it is not. Manufactured spending is spending money to achieve card rewards from credit cards. You have to manufacture enough spending where you are not losing money. If you go out to eat with many friends, you could put the meal on your credit card and have the friends pay you back in cash. You can use your card to pay off rent through apps like Plastiq or even use your card to pay for bills. Anything you can spend money on can help reach those rewards. You can use the concepts to hit the minimum spend. Credit Card Churners BewareCredit card churning is not for everyone. It brings on many complexities but also brings on many rewards and bonuses. If you are thinking about doing some credit card churning, it is time to make sure some of these other factors will not affect your strategy. Buying a HouseIf you think of buying a home soon, be careful of churning credit cards. Mortgage lenders do not like those people opening and closing cards in a certain period. It brings on some fear to them in seeing if you can handle new debt. It is best not to churn many cards if you are getting ready to buy a house. Lack Of OrganizationIt would be best if you were to get organized. Some credit cards have considerable fees, and if you are not using them, you may be spending more on the fee than the card is worth. Some cards are worth the cost, like hotels that give you a night free, but it is best to be organized. One other thing about being organized is when you are manufacturing spending, and you know you need to hit a bonus, make sure you have a plan to hit the bonus. It will suck to come up short of hitting that bonus and lose out on that real opportunity. The organization goes a long way when playing the travel hacking game. Credit Card Debt IssueThe primary thing to be careful about is credit card debt. Credit cards have enormous interest rates, and we do not need debt to be added. If you seek out big bonuses, do not get into debt for the reward. It is not worth it. If you have had credit card debt issues in the past, be careful with any additional debt. It is always best to pay your credit card statement at the end of the month. Debt is not in the sense of credit card debt. Be careful and be aware. Making a Strategy For Churning Credit CardsWhen we are credit card churning, you must have some strategy. The strategy will help you stay organized and avoid any unwanted failures that could occur. You also must be mindful that banks want to protect themselves from credit card churning. Pick a couple of cards you would like to apply for to help you achieve your goals. If you want to take a specific flight, think about an airline co-branded card like the Delta Gold Card or the United Explorer Card. These cards can help you get miles quickly as a bonus to fly somewhere lovely. There are some excellent travel credit cards out there. You can also have a bank card like Citi, Chase, Capital One, or American Express that can give you points and miles that you can send to transfer partners. These points and miles can help you have free trips or cheaper ones as you book. Hotel cards are an excellent pick-up as well. They are great because they give you status, and usually, with the yearly fee, they give you an anniversary night that can be worth more than the fee. Pick a hotel you think you will be loyal to and start collecting points through their card. Final Thoughts:Credit card churning is not for everyone. It takes strategy, organization, and discipline to make things happen—one of the most fantastic perks you can have from credit card churning. Through travel hacking, you can use credit card churning to help you travel for free. Be responsible and take it slowly. Once you get the hang of the points game, you can learn more about accumulating points. The Reddit thread r/churning has many tips and tricks to help you out. The Points Guy is another valuable resource to continue to help you with your education. Learn, do, and have fun with the points and miles you can accumulate. This post originally appeared on Savoteur. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/credit-card-churning-to-travel-for-free/ |
ABOUT USMy Life, I Guess is a personal finance and career blog focusing on what it's like being in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, and surviving unemployment. We also offer advice and support for others in similar situations - including a FREE library of career & job search resources. We help others find jobs, facilitate career changes, and learn about money and self-care. Follow for financial tips, career tips, personal development, and more. Archives
April 2023
Categories |