All Things Interesting

Anything and Everything I Find Interesting

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I'm a College Student. Here's How I Stay on Budget

College students are notorious for running out of money by the end of the semester, but this doesn’t have to be the case! If you take the time to plan out your expenses in advance and stick to them, you can ensure that you stay on budget during your school year. If you follow these tips, you’ll never spend more than you planned in college again!

College Students, Take Note

Many college students think they know how to manage their money well in school, but in reality, they might not be budgeting correctly for what they’re actually spending each month. The lifestyle of a typical student usually includes food, housing and entertainment expenses with little left over for anything else. To make matters worse, studies show that nearly half of Americans spend more than their monthly income when it comes to living expenses—and 10% spend more than triple! If you don’t have any savings or assets when you graduate from college or university, then it could be extremely difficult to start building wealth later in life due to poor budgeting habits during your formative years. Thankfully, there are ways you can change your spending behavior today so that tomorrow is a lot brighter financially speaking.

Identify Your Fixed Costs

Are you paying rent or for college? Are you renting or buying a car? Are you budgeting child care for your family members who depend on you to help them out financially? If so, budget accordingly by keeping these fixed costs in mind when evaluating potential opportunities to save money, like cutting cable or eating meals at home instead of dining out. While some things are more flexible than others, make sure to include everything that is needed regardless of circumstance in your budgeting plan! Knowing exactly how much is due each month can be an incredibly powerful tool for limiting overspending.

Assess Monthly Income

Maybe you're watching TV too much or spending too much at coffee shops. Maybe you need to get your textbooks from an online store instead of campus bookstore. Whatever it is, identify where your money is leaking out and stop doing it! It’s easier than you think to cut back here and there without dramatically changing your lifestyle, so start small and adjust accordingly if needed. While cutting things out isn't necessarily fun, staying in budget can make all of life’s other major decisions much easier to swallow.

Decide What Can Be Cut

The first step in budgeting is to really figure out how much money you have to spend each month and what bills are non-negotiable. It sounds simple, but if you don't have a financial plan in place before you start spending, it can be hard to stick to one later down the line. Make sure that your plan matches up with your income, bills and expenses before starting any kind of shopping spree or making drastic changes to your routine. Get into good habits now so that they'll stick when things get tougher—like when that next round of tuition payments comes due! Be smart about which luxuries can be sacrificed—which ones are nice, but ultimately not necessary?

Step Away From the Entertainment Spending

Students will often fall prey to entertainment spending, but remember: You have other options! It may not be as simple or convenient, but keeping your social life going doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, maybe you can ditch cable TV for something cheaper and more interesting – like actual people! Go out to coffee with friends instead of giving in to that Friday night movie theater date—you can learn just as much from each other over coffee as you could from any movie screen. If you’re really struggling with entertainment spending, hit up some free events in your area; just check online for what’s coming up in your town before you go busting out that credit card. You might actually discover some freebies along the way, too!

Set Aside 10% Into Savings

If you’re going to splurge occasionally, make sure you’ve got money in your savings account to cover it, and remember that a little bit saved now can add up over time. Even if you don’t have thousands of dollars sitting around right now, even small amounts can add up quickly when invested wisely in interest-bearing accounts. Allocate 10% of your earnings into savings if possible—some months may be better than others when it comes to bonuses or returns from side hustles. Even if you need to cut back in other areas, consider starting off by automatically transferring 10% of your take-home pay into a savings account each month so that these monies are set aside for future use and won't be spent frivolously in the moment.

Set Aside 10% Into Investments

Most college students probably don’t spend much time thinking about investing. The best way to save money in college is to be intentional with your spending and to put aside some of it for future use by investing it in assets that will hopefully appreciate over time and, therefore, provide returns in addition to regular savings account interest. If you can set aside 10% of your disposable income every month and invest it in stocks or bonds, you could see positive growth during school and after graduation when you begin withdrawing from those investments later on down the road. That’s one of many reasons why IRAs are such powerful investment tools for young people just starting out their careers.

Stop Partying

OK, so there are times where it’s OK to blow your budget—like when you have an emergency or an unexpected expense. But these are exceptions, not rules. To get serious about sticking to your budget, forget about turning up at every party, bar or happy hour possible. Maybe skipping out on one event here and there won’t hurt too much (and will keep you in that job), but it’s when people start consistently blowing their budgets that they fall into financial trouble in college and for years after graduation.

Stop Buying Electronics

Teens and college students spend $115 billion annually in retail stores and online, yet most of them cannot name their favorite brands or identify popular designers. As with anything, if you're buying electronics just because they're advertised at a good price, you'll end up spending more money in the long run—and turning your friends into walking advertisements for stuff they don't need or even want to buy themselves. Look for quality over quantity and always research companies before choosing them to make sure they stand behind their products and services with stellar customer service, especially after purchase. If an advertised price is too good to be true, it usually is; wait until that sale goes live before you buy anything at all.

Stop Chasing A Fancier Lifestyle

The truth is that most of us only get one shot at true adulthood—the time in life when we don’t have to live with our parents, make excuses for our crappy clothes, or apologize for living like a broke college student (even though we all did it). That doesn’t mean you can’t be an adult and still enjoy your favorite weekend activities or keep up with your favorite TV shows; it just means you need to focus on long-term goals more than short-term wants. The money you spend today might be keeping you from attaining tomorrow’s goals—which should always come first if possible.

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Why You Should Write a Book

Writing a book may seem like an impossible task, but in reality, it’s quite easy if you break it down into smaller tasks. For instance, if you want to write about startups in the tech industry, start by looking at what makes these companies successful and their common characteristics. If you do research on successful startups in the industry, you can easily craft the outline of your book. Then you can work on filling in details to turn your outline into finished pages that make up your book manuscript. Once you finish your manuscript, find an editor to proofread it before having it printed or published online.

1. It Challenges You

When you create a book, you have to master an entirely new skill set. It forces you to look at things from different perspectives and be able to explain your ideas in words that others can understand. It helps you become a better writer and more effective at communicating with others. At it’s core, writing a book helps us become better human beings because it requires critical thinking skills, research skills, storytelling abilities and much more.

2. Looks Good on a Resume

When it comes to resumes, there are no guarantees. But if you're trying to transition from one field to another, writing a book is an excellent way to demonstrate your skills and experience in a different arena. In fact, business leaders often mention that having an unrelated bestselling book on their resume helped their job prospects. To learn more about how to start writing books, check out The Complete Guide to Writing Your First Book .

3. It Teaches You Discipline

Writing a book is one of most difficult tasks anyone can undertake. If you successfully write, edit, publish and market your book, it will force you to develop discipline. One of our primary goals in life should be to build up habits that make us successful. It takes hard work and commitment to achieve anything worthwhile. Writing a book is an achievement on any list of things you want to do before your time on earth runs out. You can’t just sit around or assume that success will happen if you don’t work for it. The more disciplined habits you create for yourself, the greater your chances of success in life will be.

4. It Hones Your Creativity

Everyone's got an idea in their head, but most of us can't translate that into something tangible. For most people, writing is just that—writing, not creating. And by putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, you'll learn how to take your thoughts and turn them into ideas that will be used by others; it's like lifting a fog from your mind and clarifying your vision. Writing is all about putting words together in ways that other people (or other things) can use for inspiration or guidance; it makes you more creative and better at coming up with new concepts.

5. Teaches You How To Communicate

Your writing will improve tenfold, and you’ll learn how to effectively express yourself in ways you never thought possible. By developing your ability to communicate, you’ll quickly find that your interpersonal skills drastically improve. And by learning to effectively communicate with others, you’ll better understand how they respond and why they respond that way. Knowing how people think will help you better read situations and thus make decisions that are more appropriate for any given scenario. Plus, communicating more clearly makes you come across as more confident! This can be especially helpful when trying to negotiate a raise or close a deal.

6. Helps Your Vocabulary

Vocabulary is one of those things that can get better with use. Sure, there are times where you're more focused on getting an idea out than choosing your words precisely, but over time and with practice, you'll develop new ways to express yourself while building on what you already know. People who write books tend to have larger vocabularies and it's not hard to see why: Writing is largely about finding and using new terms and phrases that best describe what you're trying to say. That means reading others' work (even if it's for feedback or editing purposes) helps improve your own writing style down the line.

7. Reinforces Proper Grammar

Writing is always fun, but grammar—not so much. Good grammar, however, is critical to communicating your thoughts with clarity and professionalism. Even if you’re not planning on self-publishing or becoming an editor for hire (which are two of my hobbies), it’s still important to think about proper grammar. Writing by hand can be messy, but writing by computer often comes with even more problems. Unless you’re monitoring your work very closely (which most people don’t do), incorrect spelling and bad punctuation are common—but easily fixed! One of my favorite editing apps is called Grammarly; it automatically checks for grammatical errors as you type!

8. Becomes an Interesting Conversation Topic

So you think your life is interesting? It’s probably more interesting than you realize, and you can take advantage of that by writing a book. Writing a book will provide great opportunities to learn and grow—and to meet new people. As an added bonus, it'll also open up doors to speaking engagements and other career opportunities that would otherwise be closed off. Just like your Facebook profile, Twitter account, and website (or even Google+), writing a book is an investment in who you are as an individual with unique experiences that can inform others around you.

9. It is Meditative

To write a book, you have to do nothing but sit down and write all day for many days. Anyone who has ever written any substantial amount of text knows how zen-like that activity can feel. When you are in that groove of typing word after word, sometimes for hours on end, everything else disappears into oblivion, leaving only your story in front of you. Whether it’s your first draft or your 30th draft, writing is meditative work—and if meditation helps reduce stress and anxiety over time (for some people), then that is yet another reason to write a book.

10. It is a Healthy Habit

One of the best reasons to write a book is because it will boost your health. If you're looking for a surefire way to stave off stress, anxiety, and depression, writing about what's on your mind may be just what you need. A study from Britain's Bangor University found that people who write about their deepest thoughts and feelings for 20 minutes three times each week experience reductions in anxiety and depression along with improvements in sleeping patterns and self-esteem. It’s also been found that writing can help reduce obsessive-compulsive behaviors like hoarding and even chewing fingernails. So if you want to lose weight safely by staying healthy mentally and physically, perhaps now is as good a time as any to start penning those deep thoughts—whatever they may be.

11. It Teaches You To Focus

Writing your book teaches you to focus. In today’s world, distraction is at our fingertips—on social media, on our mobile devices, wherever. But writing a book requires you to cut distractions and stay focused on one project for an extended period of time. This will give you great perspective and let you accomplish things in your day-to-day life that would normally feel like daunting challenges: end overwhelming e-mail inboxes, start that exercise regimen or learn how to invest. Simply put: focusing on something important will make everything else seem less important. And isn’t it time we all got away from feeling like we need to do it all?

12. It Creates a Quiet Space In Your Mind

Writing a book is a wonderful way to get away from it all, and not just in terms of physical space. When you’re writing, you don’t have time to think about your troubles at work or concerns about your health. Instead, you can focus on crafting an interesting narrative and using precise language to convey your ideas. Getting lost in writing can do wonders for both our mental and physical health—it’s even been shown to boost immunity by decreasing inflammation levels. The next time life gets stressful, remember that taking some quiet time for yourself is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Have you thought about what you would like your audience to gain from reading your book?

There are probably plenty of reasons why you want to write a book, but what do you want your audience to gain from reading it? If you can’t answer that question—or if your only reason for writing is to sell books—you may want to reconsider. You can build an audience around nearly any topic, but first you have to know who they are and what they need from you. Do some research and find out what your target readers want from you.

How long will your book be?

How long should your book be? Do you want to write a short and sweet 100-page guide, or do you have thousands of pages worth of information to share? If you’re writing nonfiction, your audience will often dictate how long it should be. For example, if I were writing a technical guide for computer programmers, I wouldn’t go beyond 400 pages. Readers would be unable to focus on such in-depth material for much longer than that. However, if I were planning on writing an entertaining fictional novel with lots of twists and turns in it, then there’s no limit to how many pages my book could be. Remember: books can and should vary in length depending on their genre!

What is your estimated daily word count goal?

Have you set aside time for your book? Writing is not something that just happens on its own—but rather, it takes an investment of your time and effort. If you want to get published, then block out some time every day (or at least every week) and get writing. If you find yourself in a position where something comes up and you have to postpone working on your book, make sure you know when it will be ready for action again. Take notes in your calendar so that when you come back to work on it, there’s no doubt in your mind about how much time you need to devote each day or week before publishing deadline.

Have you set aside time for this project every day?

Writing isn’t like other creative endeavors, like painting or sculpting. It's not that kind of art form where you can sit down and create something in one sitting. Think about it—how long does it take you to write an email? Maybe 10 minutes, tops? For some people, writing emails is easy. But most people, if they don't have deadlines looming over them, wouldn't write an email unless they had to. Writing is hard for many people because it requires hours of dedicated work—the same kind of focus necessary to do anything well. Most successful writers set aside time every day just for writing.

Do you want to write the entire book yourself? If not, what aspects do you need help with?

If you want to write your book, that’s fine, but think about what areas you could benefit from help with. For example, I’m really good at writing marketing copy and do it every day for my client’s blogs. However, I have never been great at fiction writing, so if I were to write a book about growing up in Brooklyn as a young Jewish man during World War II, I would probably hire someone to work on editing and story development because those are not my strengths. If you have an idea for a book you want to write yourself – go for it! But think about whether there are any aspects of it that might be better handled by someone else who has more experience.

Have you thought about a niche?

The easiest way to identify your target audience is to know exactly who it is you're writing for. What are their biggest concerns? What keeps them up at night? How do they spend their time online? The more specific your niche, or target audience, becomes, the better idea you'll have of how best to reach them.

Have you planned out chapters?

Perhaps one of the most common reasons new writers never finish their books is because they didn’t plan out what was going to happen. It’s easy to let inspiration take over and just write, but that can leave you without any direction or a clear destination. Start by thinking about all of your goals for your book. What do you want readers to get out of it? What do you want them to learn from it? What do you want them to remember from it? Try writing these ideas down as chapter headings, each about an idea. These are sample chapters—you’ll flesh them out more as you go along, but planning them out first will keep your thoughts on track and make sure everything makes sense at every step of writing your book.

Have you researched the topic?

Once you know what book you want to write, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, you need to conduct some research. Whether it’s interviewing experts in your niche or reading books by other writers in your genre, make sure that when you sit down to write your book, you know everything there is to know about that subject. The more knowledge and experience you have with your topic before writing, the easier it will be for readers to trust your advice and expertise. If you lack understanding of any aspect of your topic—no matter how small—consider hiring someone with expertise to help fill in those gaps for you before writing begins.

Have you thought about automating part of the process?

Writing a book isn’t always easy. It takes dedication, discipline, and time—just like most worthwhile endeavors in life. That said, you don’t have to do it all yourself. It makes sense to look for ways to automate some of your book writing process if it makes sense for your business. Consider outsourcing some of your writing to an online writer or editing service that can help get your message across clearly while also saving you time. If possible, include images in your books so that readers are more likely to enjoy what they see as well as read what they’re presented with.

What marketing events have you attended?

If you haven’t yet published your book, attend as many events as possible to make sure you get all of your marketing in order. These are some major events that can prove especially helpful: conferences, writing workshops, talks about online marketing or self-publishing. Get on social media and look for local events in your city. That way, when it comes time to publish, you'll already have a plan in place for how to promote your book.

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What you need to know before you buy a house

Buying a house can be one of the biggest steps you take in your life, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you have all the information you need before you start. There are some things that are absolutely essential to remember when you buy your first home, so read on to learn about them before it’s too late!

Different Types of Financing

The first thing any prospective home buyer needs to do is secure financing. While real estate agents and lenders will certainly guide prospective buyers through that process, it’s important that every homeowner understand the different types of financing available and how they work. When deciding what type of financing works best for your situation, it’s important to take into account: (1) monthly mortgage payments; (2) long-term financial goals; (3) short-term financial obligations; and (4) personal interests. For example, if your goal is to put down roots in a certain area for 5 years or less, buying may not be ideal. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mdctechie-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "eae8667ccda9277ac6bf917d8181fb83"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B091M69XNC,B089DNYRLS,B086DL32R3,B01CG62CCE,B08KSMKHF3,B074WK5GW9";

Mortgage Options

With so many loan options available, it can be hard to make sense of them all. One thing is for sure: You don’t want to buy a house without considering your mortgage options. After all, having 20% down might have been enough in 2007—but it’s not nearly enough today. You should consider other ways to finance your home, even if you’re well-off and can afford traditional financing. For example, there are special mortgages designed specifically for veterans who are looking for an alternative to conventional loans that require at least 20% down.

Where To Look For A House

Buying a home is an important decision that requires a lot of thought and consideration. Before buying, weigh your reasons for buying against your financial situation and long-term goals. Can you afford to make higher payments on a larger loan? Do you have enough money saved up for repairs and maintenance? Will owning instead of renting save money in tax deductions? Only once you've determined whether or not purchasing a home is right for you should you start looking at potential houses. You'll then be able to figure out which neighborhoods will be best for your needs—especially if cost is a concern—and decide how much square footage and which extra features are worth paying extra for.

How Many Bedrooms Do You Need?

The size of your home should match your lifestyle. Three bedrooms would be enough for a small family, and four might be ideal for an active household with children and pets. This is especially true if you like to host overnight guests regularly. Of course, what feels big or small depends on your current living situation—if you currently live in an apartment with limited space, buying something spacious will feel like pure luxury! If there’s no such thing as too much space in your current home, consider downsizing so that your finances don’t explode when it comes time to move into that cute two-bedroom bungalow down the block.

House versus a Farm

Rural land that’s perfect for raising cattle or growing crops can be cheap. Then again, there are plenty of people who would prefer not to live in a place with cows—or worse, chickens—next door. The down payment on rural property can also be prohibitively high compared with an urban area, where houses often come at lower prices. Furthermore, if it’s your first home purchase, moving into an area where you don’t know anyone can be difficult and stressful as well as inconvenient: You might have to go without certain amenities such as internet access or public transportation. Your budget is another thing to consider: Rural areas tend to cost more than cities for things like heating and utility bills.

Pros And Cons Of Fixer Uppers

Do you want to own your home so that you can live there for 10 years, or are you looking at it as an investment? These are very different ways of thinking about home ownership. The more long-term approach involves weighing current housing prices against future earnings potential. The more short-term approach is figuring out how much money and time is required now versus how much money and time will be saved in future.

Consider Your Reasons for Buying A House

The first step in buying a home is deciding why you want to buy one. Do you want financial security, or something more abstract like personal fulfilment? Maybe your family is getting bigger and renting isn’t practical anymore. Whatever your reasons are, be clear on them so that it’s easier for you to determine which properties match up with your needs. By knowing what factors are important to you, it will be easier for real estate agents and brokers to help narrow down houses based on those factors. For example, if children are part of your future plans, then now is probably not a good time for an old Victorian that hasn’t been renovated since 1908.

Create A Budget

To make sure you’re able to make your monthly mortgage payments, it’s important that you create a budget before buying your home. This will allow you to determine how much money each month is available for housing costs, as well as how much of that amount should be allocated toward principal, interest and taxes. The best way to do all of this is by sitting down with an experienced professional who can guide you through creating a realistic budget so that your financial goals are achievable. Plus, they can discuss what other financial considerations come into play when buying a home—such as furnishings and closing costs—so that everything fits within your overall financial picture.

Consider The Neighborhood

Neighborhoods are a big part of what makes a city feel like home. Think about where you’ll be most comfortable raising your family and living out your life—and not just how close it is to work or whether there’s a Starbucks on every corner. Schools, transportation, safety and more are all components of neighborhood selection. A good place to start researching neighborhoods in your area is with school data from GreatSchools . They have data from all over the country! You can look at average SAT scores for each high school or get an idea of which schools are ahead of their district in terms of academic performance. Or check out CrimeReports , which will give you an idea about crime rates by neighborhood—both actual stats and year-to-date incidents versus last year.

What Is The Crime Rate?

Before buying a home, it’s important to understand what crimes are occurring in your area. This will be different for everyone, but some areas may have more or less crime than others. If there is too much of one type of crime in your neighborhood, you might want to consider moving somewhere else until rates even out. Crimes like theft and vandalism can quickly add up and cost you money that could be spent better elsewhere. It’s also just not fun or comfortable thinking about criminals lurking around your property at all times.

What Are The Entertainment Options?

When it comes to living in a new place, ask yourself: Is there good public transportation? Are there local restaurants and shops I can enjoy with my family? If you’re looking for more of an urban feel, is there nightlife where I’ll meet friends and make new ones? When it comes to settling down, don’t overlook these non-obvious factors.

Consider the Commute

When calculating how much it will cost you to live in any one place, factor in transportation costs. You may be surprised at just how expensive that daily commute can be over time. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that Americans spend $72 billion each year on their commute, which equates to $300 per month—and $3,600 annually—on gas alone. If that's not enough of an incentive for carpooling or planning ahead and walking or biking instead, try comparing your potential new home city against other cities in your area when looking at housing prices and job availability so you can be sure moving there is actually going to help with your long-term financial goals.

Is Public Transportation Available?

This might seem like an odd thing to ask, but if your commute involves public transportation, make sure there’s actually a bus line running down your street. In some major cities, neighborhoods that are outside of city limits do not have access to public transit. It might sound silly, but it’s easy for many homeowners in suburban communities to forget about how much commuting sucks until they have an hour-long bus ride every day. This is especially true if you have young children and/or pets—it can be very hard on them when their schedule is all over the place. If you think your commute will be difficult or time-consuming, consider moving closer in so you don’t have such long travel times.

Consider the Utility Costs

If your budget is tight, make sure that utilities are included in rent—they typically aren’t in an apartment. Utility costs will quickly add up over time, so factor those expenses into your monthly home payment. If it looks like there isn’t enough money to cover every cost, consider ways to reduce utility bills, such as buying energy-efficient appliances or upgrading light bulbs. You may be able to get utility costs covered by paying less for rent or looking for apartments with lower overall prices. A little research can save you hundreds of dollars each year!

How to Save Money on Utilities

Buying a home is an exciting milestone, but it can also be stressful. There are lots of different moving parts—from setting up internet and utilities to registering with your new city—and you want everything to go smoothly. So here are some things to keep in mind when buying that new home: Check Utilities: Most houses include some utilities, like water and trash, but check whether there’s electricity or not. If there isn’t, you might have trouble getting connected by your provider. Plus, you'll have to get meters for any electrical appliances that use more power than usual—like air conditioning units or stoves.

Consider the Property Taxes

Property taxes vary by city and state. If you’re not familiar with property taxes in your area, talk to an agent or real estate company for more information. You should also plan on property taxes rising over time as your home appreciates in value. To save money, look for tax breaks on mortgage interest, property maintenance costs, and other costs associated with buying a home. The mortgage interest deduction allows people who itemize their deductions on their tax returns to deduct eligible mortgage debt up to $1 million, or $500,000 if married filing separately.

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Why the Scale Isn't the Only Measure of Weight Loss

The scale can be your worst enemy or your best friend when it comes to weight loss. That’s because even though you’re shedding pounds, the number on the scale may not change at all. So what gives? If you’re losing fat and gaining muscle, why isn’t the scale budging? This article will help you better understand what’s happening to your body on both sides of the scale so that you can rest assured that your weight loss efforts are paying off in full!

Benefits of Working Out

Exercise not only burns calories but increases your overall metabolic rate. Meaning that even while you're doing nothing, your body is still burning calories at a faster rate than normal (that's called EPOC, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). To lose weight safely and sustainably, you should aim to exercise for 30-60 minutes at least 4 days per week. I recommend starting out with 3 days per week for 12 weeks to build some sustainable fitness habits. Make sure to track your progress so you can get motivated! If you don't already have a gym membership, here are some ideas on how to get started with exercise without one. For example, check out my Get Fit With Bodyweight challenge or these 6 Ways to Exercise Without Exercise Equipment.

Improving Nutrition

To lose weight safely and efficiently, try to increase your intake of nutrient-dense foods. These are foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and other compounds essential for proper growth and development (things like fruits, vegetables, eggs, whole grains). Think lean meats like fish and chicken or complex carbohydrates like brown rice and oatmeal—not empty calories from candy bars or chips. And make sure you don’t go overboard; there is such a thing as too much healthy food! If your goal is to bulk up (rather than lose weight), then adding more protein will help you pack on pounds faster. We'll explore both options in greater detail below.

Stay Hydrated

Most people know you need to stay hydrated, but it's often hard to remember. By making sure you have water with you at all times, whether it's in a purse or your car, you'll be able to stay on top of your fluid intake. It can help to carry around a reusable water bottle or travel mug that way there's no excuse not to drink up! Drinking enough water daily can also help with another important weight-loss goal: regularity. If you're feeling constipated while trying to lose weight, try increasing your intake of H2O—it may just do the trick.

1) Stop Focusing on the Numbers

You’ve probably noticed by now that if you’re looking to lose weight, focusing on numbers like pounds and inches is far from a science. Since people come in all shapes and sizes, it’s impossible to compare yourself to others and make assumptions about whether or not you should lose weight. Instead, take stock of how your clothes fit as well as how you feel every day. Maybe that means making sure that your pants fit without you having to suck in or take them off when no one is around. Whatever it is for you, don’t forget that those numbers on a scale can be deceptive; they don’t tell the whole story and don’t always mean progress toward long-term goals.

2) Focus on Other Forms of Progress

If you’re not seeing weight loss results from your exercise routine, it’s important to focus on other forms of progress. In addition to increasing muscle mass and building endurance, working out can also lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels and your risk for heart disease. If you’re in good shape physically, you might even live longer than people who don’t work out at all—even if they're in much better shape than you are! Also remember that no matter how well-rounded you are as an athlete, proper nutrition is still essential for overall health. Don't forget that in terms of diet and physical activity, there's a difference between losing weight and getting fit.

3) Be Proud of What You've Accomplished

As you start to lose weight, make sure you remain proud of what you’ve accomplished. A lot of people who lose weight can become very rigid with their diets and exercise routines – they’ll only eat a certain amount or do certain exercises, for example. But it’s important to recognize that your body is always changing, so it may be time to change your strategy as well. You may need to slightly increase or decrease calories or go on a lower-intensity exercise routine than you were doing before if, say, your muscles aren’t getting enough nutrients.

4) Don't Do Anything Unsafe

When we're just starting an exercise program, our muscles and joints can easily become injured if we push ourselves too hard, too fast. Paying attention to your body and knowing how it's responding is crucial in gauging when you're pushing yourself too far. If you start to feel sharp pains in your knees or notice that your heart rate is elevated for several hours after working out, it's a sign that you need to cut back on both frequency and intensity levels until your body is ready for more work. Remember, low-level exercise for longer periods of time will help keep weight off over time better than intense exercise sessions for shorter amounts of time.

5) Create A Plan

As mentioned, it's important to make a plan before beginning your fitness routine. If you don't set goals for yourself, you'll have no way to keep track of how your performance is improving over time. Set measurable goals that are easy for you to achieve on a weekly basis. For example, if your goal is to run faster by next month, aim for three-minute mile pace by week 4. Focus on only one or two goals at a time so that they aren’t too overwhelming or complicated.

What a Good Workout Plan Entails

Make your plan clear. It should include three parts: strength, endurance and flexibility. Each section should have exercises that are progressive in nature, meaning they get harder over time. Beginners may not be able to do all exercises at first, but try your best. They can build up to them as they gain more experience. To stay consistent with workouts, consider putting them on a calendar so you don’t have to think about them all day long. If you miss a day or two at first, don’t worry—just try to get back on track quickly.

6) Create Other Measures of Success

What's great about your body is that it changes with you, but many people make one big mistake when trying to measure progress: they look at how much weight they've lost, which can be misleading. For example, losing muscle will weigh more than fat, so if you aren't gaining muscle mass as you lose fat mass, then your weight loss might not be as substantial as it sounds. Instead of looking at only scale weight (which often isn't even accurate), track other metrics like body fat percentage or waist circumference to ensure that your success is coming from real changes in overall health. Consistently tracking these numbers over time will provide a good snapshot of your progress and give you something positive to discuss with your doctor during checkups.

7) Finding a Partner

Studies show that people who exercise with friends tend to stick with their workout routines longer than those who exercise on their own. And while some studies suggest that workouts are more effective when they're led by a personal trainer, research shows that personal trainers don't have much impact on motivation or weight loss. If you want to lose weight, it's best to find an activity partner or group fitness class, where you can work out alongside others who share your same goals. But if you really want to get in shape—and keep it off for good—find someone to help hold you accountable and plan activities you'll both enjoy. That way, whether it's taking cycling classes together or meeting for coffee after a long run, your partner will be with you every step of the way.

Choosing a Good Workout Partner

If you’re new to exercise, or looking for some new motivation, try meeting up with a friend who likes to work out. According to Dr. Edward Laskowski, medical director at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, people are more likely to stick with an exercise plan if they're exercising with someone else. With a partner there's more accountability—if you don't feel like working out today then you'll feel guilty letting your buddy down! Working out together also helps keep things fresh; instead of doing the same routine day after day, mix it up and try something new. Even if it's just running on different surfaces (like track instead of treadmill). If nothing else, your friend will provide inspiration by getting fit too!

8) Finding Time

It’s not that you don’t have time to exercise—but rather, making sure you make it a priority. The old adage If something is important enough, I’ll find time for it is wrong. We all have 24 hours in a day, and if something isn’t important enough to make time for now, it probably won’t be important enough later. Use your calendar or to-do list as an extra kick in helping your find at least 30 minutes to get moving every day.

What to Give Up To Make Time

Losing weight might seem like an impossible task, especially if you work full-time. To make things easier on yourself, determine which non-essential (or guilty pleasure) activities you could give up to make time for exercise. For example, you might decide to stop going out with friends after work for happy hour every week night and take up running instead. This way, it's a treat (you can still go out) and not a chore (you're getting in your run). Depending on your personal circumstances, there are lots of ways to create extra time; an hour once or twice a week at first is fine to start.

9) Diversity of Training

To lose weight successfully, you must be able to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, increase your lean muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage. By not training each aspect equally, you won’t see optimal results from any one component. For example, a distance runner who neglects resistance training will eventually develop a disproportionately large amount of muscle compared to their level of cardiorespiratory fitness. In contrast, an aerobic exercise-focused program that doesn’t emphasize strength training will compromise lean muscle tissue and limit weight loss potential. Resistance Training: You burn more calories while doing it than while resting; therefore you should dedicate at least two days per week to weightlifting or other forms of resistance training.

Cardio Benefits

A regular aerobic exercise program can not only help you lose weight but also strengthen your heart and bones, improve your balance and coordination, reduce stress, and stave off a variety of diseases. As a result, it’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Your specific heart rate zone depends on your current fitness level. If you’re in poor shape when you start an exercise routine, it may be best to do something less intense like walking for 30 minutes five times per week. But if you’re already in good shape, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is very effective at boosting metabolic conditioning with little time commitment. High-intensity interval training is simply alternating periods of work with rest.

Weight Workout Benefits

A person’s weight can fluctuate depending on their diet, activity level and fluid retention levels. If you are working out but not seeing results on the scale, don’t give up! Instead, take note of your body’s changing measurements. Most trainers recommend weighing yourself once a week at most, to track your long-term progress more accurately. Measuring your waistline is a great way to monitor how well your workout routine is helping you slim down. Fat tends to accumulate around midsection first, which can eventually lead to health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Monitoring changes in waist size helps give a better picture of where fat is being lost as opposed to muscle gain or water retention.

10) Beating Boredom

It’s common to look at exercise as a monotonous, joyless chore—something you do only because you know it’s good for you. If that’s how you feel about working out, it might be time to change your attitude. For one thing, it might mean fewer pounds on your frame over time. More importantly, though, it means an increased quality of life. Make sure you don’t fall into ruts with your workout routine; keep your body guessing by doing things like mixing up strength training with high-intensity interval training or boot camp classes. It will make exercising more enjoyable—and more effective! After all, no one likes doing the same thing over and over again...except maybe rats in cages!

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Do You Want to Become a Freelance Writer?

Freelance writing offers many benefits to those who choose this field. If you’re tired of the monotony of day-to-day work and want to be your own boss, then perhaps it’s time to consider becoming a freelance writer. This article will outline how to become a freelance writer, as well as highlight some of the main challenges that you may face along the way. By the end of this piece, you should have all the information necessary to determine whether or not becoming a freelance writer is right for you.

1) Choose One Thing

If you're thinking about becoming a freelance writer, chances are there's more than one thing you're good at (and you might even be good at lots of things). But when it comes time to make an income, you can't do everything. Choose your main freelance skill and stick with it. While multiple streams of income is always great in theory, in practice most freelancers can only focus on one or two effectively (see #3). Acknowledging your strongest skills will allow you to market yourself accordingly—your resume is like your brand. Marketing yourself aggressively is necessary when competing against other writers who are also looking for work; if they're not willing to market themselves aggressively they'll fail before their career even starts.

2) Create a Portfolio

No, you’re not going back to school for an MFA. But even if you’re already working as a freelance writer or journalist, chances are you can beef up your CV with fresh content. Look around and see if any local publications would be interested in your work—and pitch them! Or look into whether there might be a market for what you have to say online: Post an essay on LinkedIn Pulse or Medium, or reach out directly via email or social media. If it resonates with people, that kind of personal storytelling could land you consulting gigs in addition to traditional writing assignments. However it works out, don’t overlook self-promotion when looking for freelance work—it pays off handsomely in terms of new clients!

3) Write About It

Before you can start earning money as a freelance writer, it’s important to define your goals for yourself. What kind of writing do you want to do? Do you want to focus on nonfiction, or fiction—or both? In fact, there are dozens of different types of writing jobs available. Some of them might be more lucrative than others. Do you have what it takes to be one type over another—or do you have something else in mind entirely (like blogging about your pets and selling advertising)? Write out an exhaustive list that describes your ideal career in all its glory and then work toward that goal. Make sure your potential clients know why they should hire YOU! And never lose sight of where you're headed.

4) Use Existing Projects

It’s easier than you think. If you have some written work already, even something small like an essay or some basic website copy, look for websites that are related to your writing and see if they accept freelance writers. Usually they do. Most publications have submission guidelines posted online or on their site somewhere. If you don’t meet their qualifications, no problem. Tell them why you’re qualified anyways! More often than not, someone will be interested in hearing your ideas and working with you on future projects. Good luck!

5) Hone Your Craft

If you really want to become a freelance writer, there’s only one thing left for you: Write. A lot. Start by coming up with your own ideas and reaching out to people in your network for connections. Asking questions about what kinds of stories they need help with and getting recommendations for how you can improve as a writer will help set you on track, but it’s important not to overwhelm yourself. If someone says no or isn’t able to give you solid advice, don’t take it personally—just move on and try someone else. And above all else: Don't quit writing! (Be sure and check out our guide: How do I make money as a freelance writer?)

6) Network

To land your first job as a freelance writer, you'll need to build a network of contacts in your industry. This isn't always easy or fun, but make an effort to attend events and meet people on social media. Once you've built up your network of editors and publishers, be sure to follow up with them regularly. Even if you don't have something specific that's right for their publication or website at that moment, these people will still remember you down the road. And good relationships can help lead to great work opportunities later on. In fact, some freelancers count their current gigs as just another one of their networking relationships! So start building those connections today!

7) Join the Appropriate Facebook Groups

There are tons of freelancing groups on Facebook, most likely some that are specific to your niche. If you're not sure what those are, search for (your niche) freelance or freelance writing in Facebook's search bar. If there aren't any groups for whatever reason, create one! Make sure it's open so that people who don't have Facebook can still see what's being discussed. Having discussions is vital to learning and growing as a freelancer. Networking with other professionals is also crucial if you hope to get clients or even just gain some valuable knowledge from others' experiences.

8) Save Money

Freelance writing doesn’t always mean you need to work from home. A common misconception of freelance writers is that they must sit alone in their room and type all day. In reality, some of your time may be spent working at an office or co-working space, while another part of your week could be spent at home with only your thoughts for company. Because of all these factors, and depending on what you hope to get out of it (income versus passion), you should decide if freelancing is right for you. If it sounds like something that would interest you, then good news: there are many resources available online that can help you with both starting and growing your business.

9) Invest in Products

This is a big one. Time and time again, I’ve read freelancers complain about not making any money. One of their biggest problems has been spending too much on services and products that they don’t actually need. Before you buy another WordPress theme or plugin, think about if it will bring you closer to your business goals. Even if it does seem like something you need now, remember: Many freelancers start out by doing it all themselves and build up their skills before outsourcing anything or buying any products or services. So do your research before you throw away $20-$100 on some silly product just because someone told you that you needed it.

10) Invest in Memberships

A lot of people don’t realize it, but one of the best ways to become a writer is by joining professional writing organizations like PEN America. A membership can cost less than $100 per year, but you’ll get plenty out of it. These organizations hold events where you can meet editors and journalists in your field, they share knowledge about trends in various genres, and they even give you access to publications that are always looking for great freelance writers. You’ll soon find yourself writing more frequently because you’re writing for an audience—and getting paid for it!

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So You Want to Travel Abroad? Here's a Guide to What to Pack

Are you itching to travel abroad? You’re not alone. Some of the most popular destinations in the world are abroad, with plenty of fascinating cultures and exciting cities waiting to be explored! However, there are certain challenges associated with traveling abroad, so it’s important to be well-prepared before you set off on your journey. To help you get ready, here’s what you should pack when traveling abroad!

Packing Mistakes

There are many mistakes that you can make when you're preparing for an international trip. Packing too much is one of them, but so is packing too little. However, not all bags are created equal, and not all travelers pack in accordance with their destinations' climates. For example, if you're planning on traveling through Europe during winter, it's best to pack different types of warm clothing than you would if you were planning on traveling through Brazil during summer.

Packing Checklist

The first thing you should do when you start thinking about your trip is make a packing list. This will make it easier for you to get ready, and it will also help you be more prepared for all of your upcoming adventures. Be sure to pack light! Overpacking can really slow down your journey, especially if you are traveling abroad by plane. It’s also important that you know what items are allowed on planes, especially if they are in checked luggage. Items like liquids must be stored in specific containers—and some may not even be allowed on board at all! Click here for more information about what you can carry with you on an airplane.

Packing Tips

Packing light is always recommended, but it’s especially true when you’re traveling abroad. The less gear you have to haul around, especially if you’re moving from place to place, the better. So what should go in your suitcase or backpack? If you can avoid it, don’t bring dress shoes. Unless you expect lots of formal occasions—and are prepared for them—your slip-ons will serve just as well. For women, make sure your outfit options cover all possible weather conditions. A small umbrella is useful in case of sudden showers and versatile jewelry pieces are smart accessories for any situation.

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How Do I Know When My Relationship Is Over?

Relationships are tricky things; they can make you feel like you’re walking on air one minute and like your world is falling apart the next. The truth is that all relationships end at some point, but it’s never fun to see your relationship come to an end or to be the one who ends it.

1) If You Feel Like You're Always Fighting

If you feel like your relationship is in a constant state of fighting, chances are it’s not something you can salvage. A healthy relationship shouldn’t be an endless battle. Sure, there will be disagreements, but when everything has to be one way or another—and if either person feels like they’re fighting with their partner all of the time—that’s probably not how relationships are supposed to work. If that sounds like your relationship, ask yourself if it’s time to call it quits. If you decide to do so, make sure you do what you can to end things on good terms; most conflicts don't necessarily need resolution in order for two people to move on.

2) If It's Not Fun Anymore

Sometimes, relationships get to a point where they are no longer fun for one of you. There's no way around it—it happens to all of us. But when it happens to you, what do you do? If your relationship isn't enjoyable anymore, then maybe it's time to take some time apart. Be honest with yourself about how things are between you and your partner. Sometimes being apart can help bring some new perspective on how things have become stale in your relationship. Also be aware that while not being fun may seem like a deal breaker, there are ways to work through these feelings so that both parties are happy again. For example, trying new activities together or doing something meaningful for someone else can revitalize positive feelings toward each other once more.

3) For Physical Appearance Issues

Take a step back and examine your life with an honest, unemotional eye. Are you eating well and exercising regularly? Do you feel good about your body in general, or are there certain body parts that bother you more than others? These are things that likely won’t change over night—and it might be best to cut yourself some slack. Remember, too, that society has set unattainable standards for what makes someone attractive, especially for women. If you feel like your partner is not attracted to you because of how he or she looks at other people (or when they look at pornography), talk to them about it in a way that doesn’t make them feel bad about themselves.

4) If There Are Certain Relationships That Have Become Non-Negotiable

Getting out of a bad relationship can be hard, but staying in one can make it even more difficult. If you’re involved with someone who requires that you engage in unacceptable behavior or consistently puts your safety at risk, then you should seriously consider ending your relationship with them. Just because people are family doesn’t mean they get to walk all over you—and if anyone ever does, know that there is help available. Try reaching out to a trusted friend or relative for advice and guidance on getting away from someone who isn’t good for you. Above all else, remember that abusive relationships don’t just hurt you; they can leave lasting scars on everyone involved in them, including children and other family members not directly involved in an abusive situation.

5) If The Other Person Stops Communicating

The healthiest relationships are two-way streets. You should feel comfortable discussing any issue that comes up with your partner, and if you’re not, it could be a sign that there are deeper issues at play. If you find yourself having an awkward or difficult time talking to your partner about something—whether it’s an argument or something unrelated—that could be a sign of trouble ahead. Your relationship can only work if both parties communicate effectively with each other; if one person is uncomfortable speaking up, things will fall apart quickly.

6) For Lack of Honesty

It can be difficult to tell whether or not you’re in a good relationship, but it’s not impossible. One of your biggest red flags should be if your partner is unwilling to talk with you about any issues in your relationship. Couples in healthy relationships are comfortable with honesty and open communication—they don’t need to hide their feelings or pretend that everything is OK when it isn’t. If there are problems in your relationship, address them directly with your partner; don’t let things slip away by ignoring them. By avoiding confrontation, you risk losing yourself and each other.

7) For Lack of Same Goals

If you and your partner do not share common goals, that may be grounds for ending a relationship. This is especially true if you want children or more out of life than he or she does. Being on different paths will only tear you apart over time. Instead of torturing each other, it’s best to acknowledge your differences and go your separate ways—or at least until one of you has had a change of heart. There are plenty of fish in the sea who are on more or less identical journeys with their lives as you are with yours, so there's no reason to force things just because you're comfortable together.

8) Age Differences

While age gaps aren’t always an issue, they can be particularly tricky for some couples. If you’re significantly older than your partner (or vice versa), it’s important to make sure you both still feel like you want to make an effort to maintain your connection with each other. If either of you start feeling that way, then it’s probably time to call it quits. Age differences are just one of many relationship issues you can read about here.

9) Value Differences

There’s an important difference between healthy differences and unhealthy ones. Healthy differences, like different lifestyles or work/life balance expectations, often make your relationship stronger; unhealthy ones can make it weaker. The key is figuring out which type of difference you’re dealing with. Whether you’re considering calling it quits on a relationship or putting in effort to make it better, communicating openly about issues is essential to overcoming differences. Here are some signs that your relationship might be over

10) Communication Issues

Fighting can be a sign that you’re growing as a couple, but if every time you talk to your significant other it turns into an argument, then maybe something is wrong. You should never feel as though you need to censor yourself with your partner. Each person should be able to bring up any issue, no matter how big or small it may seem, without fear of ridicule or confrontation. If there is constant disagreement in your relationship, then there are some clear issues that need to be resolved before things will improve. Communication is key for any type of healthy relationship. If you’re not feeling like your significant other hears what you have to say or respects your thoughts and feelings, then it might be time to consider moving on from whatever commitment you currently have together.

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So You Want to Travel Abroad? Here's a Guide to What to Pack

Are you itching to travel abroad? You’re not alone. Some of the most popular destinations in the world are abroad, with plenty of fascinating cultures and exciting cities waiting to be explored! However, there are certain challenges associated with traveling abroad, so it’s important to be well-prepared before you set off on your journey. To help you get ready, here’s what you should pack when traveling abroad!

Packing Mistakes

There are many mistakes that you can make when you're preparing for an international trip. Packing too much is one of them, but so is packing too little. However, not all bags are created equal, and not all travelers pack in accordance with their destinations' climates. For example, if you're planning on traveling through Europe during winter, it's best to pack different types of warm clothing than you would if you were planning on traveling through Brazil during summer.

Packing Checklist

The first thing you should do when you start thinking about your trip is make a packing list. This will make it easier for you to get ready, and it will also help you be more prepared for all of your upcoming adventures. Be sure to pack light! Overpacking can really slow down your journey, especially if you are traveling abroad by plane. It’s also important that you know what items are allowed on planes, especially if they are in checked luggage. Items like liquids must be stored in specific containers—and some may not even be allowed on board at all! Click here for more information about what you can carry with you on an airplane.

Packing Tips

Packing light is always recommended, but it’s especially true when you’re traveling abroad. The less gear you have to haul around, especially if you’re moving from place to place, the better. So what should go in your suitcase or backpack? If you can avoid it, don’t bring dress shoes. Unless you expect lots of formal occasions—and are prepared for them—your slip-ons will serve just as well. For women, make sure your outfit options cover all possible weather conditions. A small umbrella is useful in case of sudden showers and versatile jewelry pieces are smart accessories for any situation.

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8 Financial Tips That Will Make You Rich

Do you dream of living in a mansion and driving around in a Ferrari? Those daydreams may become reality if you start managing your finances more effectively. From the big purchases to the small costs, this article will give you valuable financial advice that will make you rich over time. In fact, if these tips are followed, they’ll make you rich beyond your wildest dreams!

Why Manage Finances?

Before you can truly manage your finances, it’s important to take a step back and look at what managing finances means. While it sounds good in theory, many people have a hard time getting started because they don’t really know where to begin. It’s important to remember that you aren’t alone. The hardest part of managing your finances is just getting started. If you're looking for tips on how to get started with finance management, here are eight money-saving strategies that could help you get there.

1) Budget

Being rich is about more than just saving money. The best way to get ahead financially is to create a budget that lets you save. Budgeting allows you to figure out where your money goes and how much you can put towards savings or other investments. It's important to maintain a consistent budget plan, even if it's only for a month at first—and even if it means cutting back on some of your non-essentials. In fact, budgets don't have to be grim or restrictive; they can make financial freedom seem more attainable by highlighting areas in which you could cut costs while still giving yourself room for fun purchases.

2) Don't Spend Money You Don't Have

Money management is crucial. This tip is obvious, but so many people fail to heed it. If you don’t have enough money to make a purchase, don’t buy it. The only way you can build wealth is if you’re putting more money into your pocket than you are spending on non-essentials. It may be tempting to spend on lifestyle upgrades—that new car or house—but don’t do it until you have extra cash saved up. 3) Set Goals The first thing you’ll want to do is set a goal for yourself. Do you want to have $500,000 in retirement savings by 50? Or maybe you just want to quit your job and be able to pay all of your bills each month. Either way, having a specific number makes it easier to start saving as soon as possible. While it’s true that some people win lotteries and inherit millions of dollars, those are extremely rare circumstances—and there’s no guarantee they’ll happen to you. Chances are, you need a solid financial strategy if you want a comfortable retirement someday.

4) Invest Wisely

Although a lot of people think a home-equity line of credit is a good idea for emergencies, it's probably not. It has an average interest rate around 5 percent and while that might be okay when rates are low, if you’re going to have money in an emergency fund you want it to grow into something that can help you handle any unexpected financial events—not just pay off high-interest debt. In other words, don't ever use your home as an ATM. If you have other savings options available to you—like a credit card or even your retirement account—you should probably use those instead. The key is to avoid carrying a balance month after month and paying interest on money you could otherwise keep in a savings account earning no interest.

5) Save for Emergencies

One of your financial goals should be to have three to six months’ worth of income saved in an emergency fund. This money can help cushion you if you lose your job or need expensive car repairs. It can also help prevent you from dipping into your retirement savings or other long-term investment vehicles. If you’re just starting out, consider building up an emergency fund with a cash app like Chime, which offers a user-friendly interface and features that allow for round-the-clock access to cash transfers. In short: Set aside some money for emergencies so that when they happen, you don’t have to panic—you have a plan in place.

6) Be Frugal

Car insurance isn’t just about protecting your vehicle, but your personal finances as well. If you damage or destroy another person’s car, you could be held liable for medical bills and lost wages related to any injuries sustained by that person. There are many other types of insurance, too. The basic types include auto, home owner’s, homeowner’s association (HOA), renter’s/condo association (Condo fees are separate from regular HOA fees) liability, umbrella liability, health/accident/disability, life/annuity & disability income. Before shopping around for rates on these plans it is recommended that you know how much coverage each plan provides and what exceptions there may be to your policy.

7) Get Insurance

If you have a good relationship with your doctor, consider purchasing your health insurance from him or her. A typical visit to a doctor's office costs around $100. If you paid for five visits a year at $100 per visit, that would cost you $500 annually. With a typical health plan deductible of around $1000, if something catastrophic were to happen and require you to pay for all care out-of-pocket, it’s possible that having paid an extra $500 could save you tens of thousands of dollars over time—potentially hundreds of thousands depending on how long you live and how much medical care costs rise in coming years.

8) Have Fun Saving Money

Fun is a good thing. Spending money can be fun. But not when you have to cut back so far that going out to dinner feels like a luxury. The less you spend, or save, for that matter, often comes with a whole lot of struggle and sacrifice. There’s no need to completely cut out things that bring you joy just because your bank account isn’t giving you any wiggle room. Simply being aware of how much money goes into each spending category—and then seeing if there are ways to re-allocate funds towards savings or investment accounts—can go a long way in making saving feel more enjoyable than painful.

9) Shop Around

Shop around for your credit cards, life insurance and health insurance—it could mean significant savings over time. But make sure you’re looking at all your options (including interest rates and fees) and not just going with what’s easy. Also, start early: The longer you can go without debt, whether it’s credit card or student loans, means that when you do take out a loan or buy a car on credit, that debt will be less expensive overall.

10) Grab Side Hustles

The first step toward building wealth is to take an honest look at your finances and see where you can free up some cash. Look for ways to increase your income, such as pursuing a side hustle or earning more money from your day job. Earning extra money can be as simple as taking on a second job, like freelance work. There are plenty of other great ways to make money: start a business, sell goods and services, or even rent out extra space in your home! The possibilities are endless.

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10 Ways to Live Better In order to live a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life, it’s important to make small changes on a daily basis. Small changes can make big differences over time, and if you implement these 10 ways to live better, you’ll find yourself happier and healthier in no time!

1) Use Deodorant

Skipping on deodorant isn’t just plain gross—it can have some serious side effects. Not only does it leave you smelling bad, but it also raises your risk of heart disease. Studies show that people who frequently go without antiperspirants are at greater risk for hypertension, even when they exercise regularly and live a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you put on some anti-perspirant before working out or heading into work.

2) Use Floss

Flossing your teeth isn’t sexy. In fact, many people skip it altogether because they think it’s a hassle. But flossing is essential for good oral health—and not just in terms of avoiding cavities and gingivitis, but because it prevents bad breath. To live better, remember that flossing doesn’t have to be a long process—just a minute or two twice a day will do.

3) Exercise (Yes!)

Working out might sound like a chore, but it’s critical for your mind and body. Many people gain weight when they stop exercising—and not just from packing in extra calories after a workout. Our bodies often work harder to burn calories after exercise, so we hang onto that calorie deficit long term. In one University of Georgia study, women who exercised before lunch burned almost 300 more calories over a 24-hour period than those who didn’t hit the gym.

4) Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth is one of those seemingly innocuous habits that actually has an impact on your overall health. It’s easy, quick, and free (provided you don’t go crazy with all that whitening toothpaste), but it’s also incredibly important. Getting into a good oral hygiene routine early on in life will protect you from a host of diseases later on.

5) Eat Breakfast

Studies show people who eat breakfast every day weigh less than those who don’t. What’s more, people who skip breakfast are more likely to consume extra calories later in the day. If you struggle with losing weight, skipping breakfast may be your problem. Switching up your morning routine could be all it takes for you to start losing weight safely and effectively today.

6) Get Enough Sleep

It’s hard to feel your best when you don’t get enough sleep. If you want to live better, start by setting a bedtime that allows you seven or eight hours of sleep every night.

7) Smile

Smile more often. Smiling has been proven to boost your mood and even improve your health, so it’s one of those things that everyone should do on a regular basis. Start smiling today and watch your stress levels drop!

8) Wear Sunglasses (on sunny days only)

If you’re serious about seeing more in your life, invest in a quality pair of sunglasses. The right shades will reduce glare and help you focus on what’s important, like big smiles and ocean views.

9) Be Kind

No matter who you are, there’s a lot of room for improvement. Be kind, not only to others but also yourself. You don’t have to be a saint all day every day, but try your best to do a little bit of good when you can. Whether it’s paying for someone else’s coffee or letting someone with less than you use your phone in an emergency. Just small deeds can make you feel better about yourself and about others around you!

10) Spend Time Outside (and not on social media!)

Going outside is one of those things we know we should do, but often don’t make time for. Make your health a priority and find ways to spend more time outdoors (on weekends, walking during lunch, etc.) and less time on social media. Unplugging from our devices and enjoying some fresh air will help boost our moods—and might even help us lose weight.

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Thoughts on Life and People

We all have to face life issues and stuff. There are always a plethora of stuff that can happen to us at any given moment. Your parents can get cancer or die suddenly of a heart attack. You can get fired from a job or get passed over for a promotion. It doesn't always get better or in our favor. You can do everything right and still get screwed over in life. You can meet a person's expectations and they can still wind up leaving. You can be everything to a person and they wind up cheating anyway.

Life Sucks

There are several adulting things that we have to do. Life isn't the fun and games that we were lead to believe as children. Life isn't the interesting things that we have to do but rather the mundane stuff to get things done. Responsibilities and the benefits suck. You have to pay bills and make sure that get fed. Then you have to take of little people so that you can contribute to the population growth so you are able to have that social security coming in if it has not gone bankrupt.

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Why You Should Not Be A YouTuber, Part One

It seems that YouTubing is a rather popular thing that many young people want to get into doing. It seems to be something that they seem themselves having as a career and they are inspired by many of the YouTubers that they see. You can check this post about being an influencer, something that relates quite a bit to most YouTubers. I feel that is a super relatable train of thought that many youngsters need to have these days in order to move forward especially if they are wanting to earning any sort of an online income. I am NOT discouraging you from YouTubing and not saying that you cannot earn a living from it. You might find it harder to make a good go of the income stream. It is important that you have a good frame of mind before you start getting into the industry.

AdSense Earnings Suck

First, you have to meet the insane requirements. You need 4000 hours of view time and 1000 subscribers at the time of this post (10/11/2021). You'll need a lot of videos and social sharing in order to help increase your reach in order to be able to even get close to these numbers. If you are lucky, you'll hit the payout month. Next, Google takes 45-55% of the earnings to pay for hosting. Once you get the payout, you have to realize that Google will take a good chunk of the money that you earn to pay for the servers that host your videos. So you are getting less than you think. You'll have to generate even more content in order to get to a livable wage from the content. This means mass creating videos just so you can get seen and noticed as well as a lot of marketing. Finally, you have to wait to get paid (up to 30-60 of month's end) and that's if you don't get banned. Trust me that it's easier to get banned and kicked out of AdSense than you think. There are literal horror stories about this and it can be seen from a simple Google search.

You Can Be Banned For Anything

Google has a pattern of banning people. It is very common to see people banned from Google's platform and it probably happens a lot more than people think. You really have to diversify away from Google. The topic list that can get you banned changes constantly. In the past year, anything associated with COVID was a problem issue. Anything LGBTQ+ or whatnot is in the same category. So on. You never know what the problems are when it comes to the topics that can create problems for you when it comes to your own channel.

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General Thoughts on a Lot of People

This is a short post about my general thoughts on a lot of different people.

First, who cares about what others think.

Second, allow others to express themselves comfortably.

Third, be your own person.

Fourth, plan for the future.

Fifth, let people make their own choices and decisions in life.

Sixth, focus n doing what you need to do for yourself to get ahead in life.

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Tips on Living a Better Life

These are just some of my thoughts on living better. Keep in mind, these are just from my experiences and it's just my opinion, but things that might help somebody get on the right path in life.

First, don't let others dictate your decisions. At the age of 18, I went to college because that was what my mother wanted for me as a person. She desired for me to have the kind of life that was just like my father's-college educated, job and a house. I regret it to this day for not just joining the military and benefitting from the discipline that came with it.

Second, plan and research. Never make a life changing decision without planning and researching. You will definitely regret it later if you don't think through or attempt to think through.

Third, reflect in the mirror. Sometimes your own situation and problems are caused by your own actions and behaviors. You will do better if you can take responsibility for your own actions and work on making yourself the best person you can be.

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Tips for Successful Blogging

Everyone dreams of having a successful blog. They dream of a blog that earns $$$$ and help them to escape the rat race. They have a desire to move forward and find a better way of making ends meet.

But not everyone has the toolset to be able to start blogging successfully. Not everyone has the toolset to be able figure out what works and what doesn't when it comes to getting the audience htat they need to be able to earn more.

Blogging is often not a set it or leave it type of a task. One has to devote lots of time to be able to keep it going. One has to devote energy constantly with their project blog in order to get it to the point of earning anything at all.

The List

Here are a few tips for being able to get started with successful blogging (these are not a guarantee but they are a good start):

1) Learn and read constantly.

Like a lot of other things, the more you know the better chances of success. You are more likely to pick up good tips for being able to learn how to do things and handle situations. You will learn ways to branch out and get yourself out there.

If you are not reading and learning, you are missing out on a lot of things that could work to your benefit. Even a fiction book can be beneficial to helping to learn how to better craft stories-things that you can use to help teach others things that you know.

2) Plan everything and revisit plans every 3 months.

Not having a plan sucks. You are likely to not commit to anything if you have nothing planned out. You are more likely to also learn what is a time waster sooner and you can weed out those activities that are not likely to benefit you at all.

Revisit this plan. This can make it better for you to also revisit what is working and what is not working. This is important because it makes it harder for you to continue working on things that are not really going to work on the long term. Revisit it everything 3 months can help reduce the negative effects of bad things that are not working.

3) Market yourself.

If you are not marketing, then you are not likely to get people to show up. People need to know that you exist. Gone are the days that you could have a website and people would show up. The internet is a very different place now. You have to perform outreach to get those people to show up on your doorstep.

Not having people makes it harder to do anything. You need them to see your content in order to be able to get them to share and talk to others about your site. And you can do this for relatively affordably and with some automation as well.

4) It is imperative to separate out niches.

Not mixing different topics works in your favor. Blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels benefit if the overall topic is generally kept the same. Choose a brand enough niche to have a variety of different topics to talk about but keep it narrow that you don't find yourself talking about too many things that are irrelevant to your audience.

It is best to stick with what you know and are passionate about as this can help in establish credibility. This is important if you are looking to establish an income stream from this venture. Credibility is imperative for those individuals looking at making sure that they are buying from a reputable source.

Final Thoughts

Blogging can be rather hard but rather rewarding if you do it right. Having the right mindset and patience with it can go a long way towards helping yourself get moving forward. Blogging is very much a long game and very much a patience building endeavor for those that are new to the industry.

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Thoughts on Influencer Careers versus STEM Careers

I have been seeing posts about people lamenting not enough people pursuing something like a career in the STEM fields (basically anything related to science or engineering of any sort). I can certainly lament on why they wish more people were interested in pursuing these science related careers. It will be imperative to learn how to balance those that are interested in these careers with those that want to be an influencer.

There are a few things that I want to address and touch upon on the two extremes when it comes down to the thing. There are certainly good things that go into being an influencer and there are certainly good things that go into doing a STEM career (or even something else). This might certainly be a controversial post for many on either side of the spectrum.

I am going to present 4 main things on this subject and this can be something that many may or may not agree with-and that is perfectly fine. These are just my thoughts and opinions and nothing more.

1) Influencers may earn less, but have more diversification opportunities.

The thing with working in a job is that it limits your time to create other incomes. Jobs do create a steady regular paycheck that makes it much easier to be able to move forward in moving up the corporate ladder and being able to pay for things such as housing and bills.

There is a theory of multiple incomes where having different income streams is essential (like donations, ads, affiliate products, etc) that work together to create a portfolio of money coming in. These often start off slow and then they have to be gradually built up to allow individuals to afford more down the road. This may or may not pan out for many individuals.

2) Influencers is a job, just not one viewed well in society.

A job is anything that brings in an income. Society still has plenty of things that they perceive in a positive light and many things that they don't. People see these types of individuals working as an influencer in a very negative light, which is understandable. Many of these people seem overly entitled. That ruins the situation for many of the others that actually want to make an honest living doing the profession.

Some over glamorize the profession when they often times earn incredibly little. People can often times be attracted to the glamor and the fame of everything but often times don't know the actual reality that goes behind it.

3) STEM careers can be incredibly rewarding, but very stressful.

STEM careers provide a lot of positive influence for society. They provide things that help make lives better and easier. There is research that continues to go on in these areas to help people move forward in all aspects of life-medicine, technology and more. The improvements in these areas are what helps us to be able to do more things such as having an easier time with communication, transport goods and services easier and more.

However, just like the influencers job and incomes being a bit of a challenge, there is a dark side of STEM as well. Many of the jobs in this field can be incredibly stressful-think of the doctors that have to perform life saving operations on individuals. Many of these jobs can also be low-paying just like the influencer job. You don't see many straight geologists or biologists making super amounts of money-unless they have years of experience and have the right connections to fund the research.

4) Some individuals value time, not money.

Sometimes the people that look at trying to live their life and not work as a slave to build wealth. Others try to focus on building wealth at the expense of experiences. There is nothing wrong with either extreme or path in life. It depends on what the person values overall and whether or not a certain thing is worth chasing.

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General Thoughts on Blogging

Blogging is a very time consuming task and many seem to not understand the amount of time that goes into maintaining a blog. People often go into the business thinking that they are going to be able to earn a lot of money quickly. In fact, you are likely to not going to earn very much at all. At least, for the first year or two. Each year should be more profitable than the one before.

Many have to learn to treat it like a business and learn how to perform basic marketing. It is important to learn how to outreach and let people know that you are there and existing. It is important that people learn how to analyze what is a good marketing strategy for getting people to know that you exist.