Thursday, December 15, 2016
10 Savvy Tips For Christmas Shopping Thrifters
We’re getting closer to Christmas with each passing day. Have you started shopping for the best gifts for men, women, children, and your loved ones yet? You might think that you have plenty of time, but that’s the surest way to find yourself on the edge of the holiday with a lot of shopping still to do (and not enough time to take advantage of shipping discounts!). Suddenly, the prices of everything that your children, your husband, your mother-in-law – everyone on your list, in fact – wanted will start to shoot up before you know it. Fret not and take a look at our top ten pieces of advice to beat the rush, and save some cash in the process.
1. Use discount apps.
Have you heard of Wikibuy? It’s just one browser extension that pops in when you are shopping, and when you head to the “Checkout” page, it automatically starts scouring the Internet for a better deal on that same exact product or service. If there’s better deal for cat litter out there, for example, it will pop up for you.
2. Sign up for emails from your favorite stores.
If you have an email account with a provider like Gmail, which separates your promotional offers out from the rest of your inbox, then you should go ahead and sign up for email alerts from the places you like to shop. They filter into your promotional tab, and you can take a look through there and see if one of your favorite stores is offering a deal. You don’t have to surf through store websites – they will just pop up in your inbox.
3. Finish your shopping as early as possible.
That might sound unrealistic, but hear me out. TechieState says that in those last ten days before Christmas, prices will starting going up, as retailers take advantage of procrastinators. Even if you’re shopping online, you’ll start to see those “FREE SHIPPING” offers dry up as you get closer to the big day. This way, your packages have plenty of time to get where they are going.
4. Mix needs in with wants.
No, your kids won’t get excited to open a package with a sweater inside or a jacket. However, if you have also gotten them a few things off their “wants” list, you can combine your winter “need” shopping with what your kids want.
5. Sign up with the major discount websites.
Sites such as Overstock, Groupon, and Living Social put out new deal emails every day. Websites like Groupon Goods offer deals on a wide variety of gift ideas, often with discounts well above 50%. With a Gmail account, these messages will slip into your Promotions tab, and you can pick out the ones you want to read.
6. Consider experiences instead of objects.
Does your son want an XBox One? That’s going to set you back at least $300 new, and then the games are $50 – $75 each – and special edition games cost even more. But is your son also a huge fan of your local NBA team? You can get two pretty good tickets for $100 each – less than the XBox One – and you’ll make a memory with seats at the big game.
Another way is to give your loved ones a year subscription of your local gym or a complete course of 21 day fitness rock, just in case your recipient is an exercise aficionados. A roundtrip ticket to some nice place, a concert, or holiday festive cruise within the country also works great. It isn’t just unique, they are going to love the life experience and memories it will give them for years to come.
7. Start next year’s shopping in January.
OK, if you max out your cards in December you might have to wait until February or March. But here’s the deal – if you buy when most people aren’t, you’re always going to get better deals.
8. Don’t forget local discount retailers.
Stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Big Lots often carry name brand items for pennies on the dollar. People who stay at home and just shop online can miss out on huge deals this way, especially if you are thinking about what to buy for a baby, as these products are running low during holidays. If you can slip out on your lunch break and hit the store (and ideally take an early or late lunch), you can avoid the rush that comes in the evenings.
9. Consider memberships instead of lump-sum gift prices.
There are clubs for the Beer of the Month, the Fruit of the Month, even the lingerie of the month. Buying this sort of present gives your loved one something to open all year – and you can accept monthly billing instead of having to buy a larger present all at once.
10. Never stop hunting new discounts.
One thing that’s always true – new sites are opening all the time to give you access to new ways to shop. Keep pounding the pavement – and you’ll keep saving money. Happy Holidays!
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6 Business Ideas to Earn Online Money
Starting a business is not an easy task. It requires a lot of brainstorming and homework. You need to have a business idea that stands out and then create a marketing strategy which offers visibility to the business and make it a success.
The Internet has provided an excellent platform to start any business with no or very little capital. Since entry into an online business is a bit easier, however, risks are higher too.
So if you are ready to take the risks, here are some of the online business ideas that will earn you money and only require a small budget to start.
1. The Consultancy Business:
If you want to make quick money online then a consulting business is one of the best options. A consultancy business offers professional advice in different business and personal niche markets.
To be successful in consultancy business, however, one needs to be aware of all the latest trends and new knowledge about the nice industry in order to offer better advice.
Once you establish a good reputation you will be able to earn more clients and make money online.
2.The Affiliate Business:
Earning money as an affiliate is not easy. It requires training and a little experience. But once you get the hang of it, you can earn a lot of money.
There are several affiliate programs that you can choose from with different pay structures, helping to make online money.
You will have more success if you focus on product niches which are profitable. You need to do your research and find profitable niches like providing best dash cam products at really higher margins. Higher margins with best selling products make you real money.
3.Freelancing:
Freelancing is becoming increasingly popular. In a bid to find more free time and work at home, more and more people are adapting freelancing as a new career. Freelancing allows you to take advantage of whatever your unique skills are and earn money by using them.
The best thing about freelancing is that you can always find work that suits your skills. You can use design, technical, writing, teaching, or even oratory skills to earn money. All you need to do is to determine your special skill and look for work accordingly.
4. Starting the Domain Business:
One of the best online businesses is buying and selling domains. It is a simple business. You can buy domains at a low price and improve the traffic to the domain, then sell it at a higher price.
More profitable domains are the ones which are generic in nature and are hard to find. You need to do a lot of research to find good generic domain and build its authority in order to resell it at the later time.
5. Start a Blog:
You do not need to have any technical skills to start a blog. To create a successful blog, all you need to have is a unique and distinguished idea and good writing skills. If you have the right ideas about the content, then starting a blog is not difficult.
A blog allows you to share your knowledge and expertise with other people. By sharing unique and good quality content you will be able to build a following and can start earning.
Unique blog ideas are more successful than the blogs on general topics. If you have specialized knowledge about any market such as reloading press (used by hunters) you can easily provide advice on what the best reloading press is and how hunters can use them. Such niches have smaller but dedicated following and if advice is absolutely great, your small community can reward you big.
6. Providing Online Marketing Services:
An online marketing agency is a small time investment to help small businesses. One of the key advantages of such business is that it is location independent and your clientele can be global.
To distinguish yourself from the competition, make sure you develop your expertise in marketing particular products like hybrid bikes. Such niches are developing and yet not many persons are actually good at understanding new breed of hybrid bikes therefore if you can develop your expertise in less competitive niches you can reap long-term benefits.
These are some of the online businesses that could earn you a lot of online profit.
Featured photo credit: Tuannam via i.ytimg.com
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4 Ways Your Kids Might Get Around in the Future
Many adults can remember movies like Back to the Future or Star Trek from when they were kids. They may even look back at these movies with fond memories and note that many of the technologies that seemed so impossible in those movies actually exist today. That sentiment leaves many of today’s youth wondering what their old age will be like. How will kids be getting around in ten, twenty, or thirty years? Here are four ways they just might be getting themselves from point A to point B.
1. Hyperloop
The hyperloop[1] is the brainchild of Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. The concept is similar to that of a train, except ten times faster. To make the technology work, a hyperloop between two cities must be created. It is essentially a tube that has been vacuum sealed, and people ride in pods from one end of the loop to another. Because it takes place in a vacuum, it is expected to be able to travel at over 700 mph.
If hyperloops become mainstream, then residents of the future can travel at speeds faster than most planes, and interstate travel can become much simpler. Kids of the future will step into a pod and exit an hour later two states away.
2. Hoverboard
If you have followed hoverboard news at all, then you know there were many issues with the original hoverboards and catching on fire. Fortunately, most of that has been resolved. What is more unfortunate is that what we call hoverboards today actually do no hovering whatsoever.
Fortunately, there are plenty of companies out there pushing for real hoverboards. And, there is a decent list of real hoverboards,[2] and the various technologies that they are using to fulfill many people’s sci-fi dreams. They range from hoverbikes to hoverboards that resemble skateboards.
3. Smart Car
Many people have heard of Google’s smart cars or Tesla’s nearly-smart cars that are already on the roads. These cars have the ability to drive themselves. Most major players in the auto industry are already hard at work with their own version of a smart car.
Many of these auto makers expect to have the vehicles road-ready by 2020.[3] This means within three years society can expect smart cars to begin selling to mainstream consumers.
One way smart car technology will change the world is with rentals. Some experts are already envisioning a world where no one owns cars. Imagine just pulling open an app on your phone, saying you need a car, and within ten minutes a completely autonomous smart car has pulled up, and is ready to take you to your destination. When the car needs servicing it will take itself to the auto shop.
4. Flying Cars
Perhaps even more exciting than smart cars are flying cars. Henry Ford himself actually dreamed of a day when cars could fly and everyone could own their own “personal airplane.” Unfortunately, reality was much more complicated when it came to planes, and nothing ever came of it.
Recently a company called Skycar[4] has been pushing for flying vehicles. The biggest obstacle to overcome has been a necessary ability for vertical takeoff. If a personal flying vehicle had to have a runway to get into the air it would likely never become mainstream. Fortunately, Skycar claims they have resolved this issue and are currently in the prototype stage.
Whichever technology ends up going mainstream, you can expect that kids of the future will have a much simpler travel experience than those of today. Whether the journey is easier, safer, or faster, it will definitely be an improvement. Some industries will explode with these changes, and others, such as insurance or defensive driving courses may find themselves readjusting or desperately clinging to an old way of life.
Reference
| [1] | ^ | http://ift.tt/16agYkr |
| [2] | ^ | http://ift.tt/2g3N9cg |
| [3] | ^ | http://ift.tt/1oIqDUI |
| [4] | ^ | http://moller.com/ |
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8 Fascinating Ways To Learn History
Sometimes I wonder why so many people find history boring. I’d keep hearing the same joke whenever I say I like history. “What’s so interesting about learning the lives of a bunch of dead guys?”. History like literature is full of stories, mysteries, romance -there’s actually more to it if one should look closely.
People’s distaste of learning history might have gone way back to history classes in school, where every exam was dreaded because it’s always about memorizing dates, names of people, and places. Back when most history teachers didn’t emphasize the significance or tried even just a little to tell the great stories of the past. That’s what made history boring. But it shouldn’t be.
Learning about history should be exciting. It is after all OUR journey. it is the story of mankind. It is our story. So, how can you make learning history more fun and interesting? Here are ten fun ways to try:
1. Historical Atlases
Learning history through hardbound history textbooks can be confusing. Most historical books today tend to assume readers have a decent amount of historical knowledge already. According to historians, the best way to learn history is to consult a timeline or a historical atlas. Historical atlases include maps and charts that depict the evolution of geopolitical landscapes. They help people understand history in a broad view by pinpointing the era when historical events happened.
2. Watching Historical Movies
Movies that portray the past are some of the best ways to learn history. While not all movies do portray history accurately, there are lots of films out there who do a great job depicting the events that happened in the past. For example, if you want to learn more about the Holocaust, you could go watch Schindler’s List, The Boy in Striped Pajamas, or The Pianist.
3. Reading Inspiring Autobiographies
Biographies are another way to learn more about history. It helps you experience the past through the lives of people who lived it. Examples of great autobiographies include Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, The Diaries of Samuel Pepys, and Testament of Youth by Vera Britain.
4. Visiting Museums
The Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Image by Horst Friedrichs
There’s nothing like looking at history through a visual perspective. Most museums today hold artifacts and various historical gems like old clothing, tools, and ancient rings that tell more about the history of a place of than your history book. These things can almost take us back to the period or era by helping us understand how life was back then.
5. Touring Historical Places
Visiting a memorial site where they have commemorated a battle or war, or where they honored soldiers can inspire you to learn more about the subject. The problem with most people visiting historical places is that they simply take pictures and post it on social media without bothering to learn the significance of the place.
When visiting a new country or place. try walking the streets, visiting the oldest places like temples and old churches. Nancy R. Newhouse’s In France, Honoring the Fallen in the War to End All Wars is a great example of a historical visit.
6. Attending Cultural Events
Experiencing a culture through its traditions can be a wonderful experience. When visiting a new place or country, try to attend performances of traditional dance and music. If you can, try participating to get the most of the experience.
7. Tracing Your Family’s Historical Roots
Relating history to your life is one way to cultivate a love for the subject. So why not try tracing your family tree to see your historical roots? Wouldn’t it be awesome to find that you were actually related to George Washington? Today there are lots of sites which can help you accomplish this. For example, Ancestry.com is a great place to trace your historical roots. It has a huge collection of historical resources and facts that will help you learn more about your family’s history.
8. Cooking Historical Recipes
Viking Food on Viking Culture Day. Photo by weekendnotes.com
What did Vikings eat for breakfast? What kind of cakes did people like to eat during 1935? What ingredients did they use to make donuts in 1833? No one can find the subject of food boring. Anyone who wants to learn more about their country’s historical past should start by eating like their ancestors. Who knows? Researching about historical food recipes may help bring out the chef in you.
History doesn’t have to be boring. Cultivating a love for history by appreciating and reminiscing the past helps us understand our present and future in a more humane way. The best way to learn history is to experience it through different perspectives.
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5 Ways to Build a Solid Community on Your Blog
Blogging is tough, to say the least. But, like all other tough things on Earth, it comes with a marvellous return. Whether you are blogging for a business, trying to build your own community, or simply taking it as a part-time job, the foundation of any blog is a loyal community that listens, thinks and appreciates your work.
That being said, there is a lot of hard work, dedication and sleepless nights that have to be invested before you can start seeing any return. So, here are the main 5 things you should consider when building up your blog from the ground.
1. Understand your audience
Before marketing or even starting your blog, it is important to understand who is your target audience. What is your niche? What are those people searching for? If you take this part as simply flipping a coin, your blogging journey will not last for long. Therefore, consider choosing a subject that you are knowledgeable in, enabling you to really target a specific audience.
It is crucial that you know who you are reaching out to, and once you understand that, you can tailor the content to meet their needs. This will then enable you to create an effective content marketing strategy, as well as understand the services and products your readers may be interested in.
2. Offer value to your readers
Understanding your target audience will mean that you can provide content that is valuable, relevant and useful. You will need to offer content that is not only helpful to your current readers but also potential users and clients. Make sure you follow the latest content marketing trends to avoid being left out.
If your readers are freelancers or passionate bloggers, then your content strategy would probably include tips, how-to guides and top-10 lists. This is where you need to be as specific as you possibly can be because you are addressing their needs, questions and any concerns that they may have.
When the time comes for you to offer a service or a product, your readers will have the confidence in you to give them the value that they need, and this will lead to them making a purchase of an item that you endorse, whether it be your own product or an affiliate deal.
3. Clever headlines
A catchy headline will capture your audience and make them want to read more, that is, if you get it right. Getting it wrong will turn your readers away, it is as simple as that. If the headline does not interest the reader or the content itself does not deliver on promises, they will sail on by and never return.
You will have to put a bit of effort into the title, so do not use the first one that comes to you. Write it down, think about it and play with words until you find something that works. You may write amazing content, but if the headline lets it down, then it won’t get any traction.
It is also vital to have an “Under-promise and over-deliver” approach with the content you write. Fat too often, bloggers make use of catchy headlines, while content is of very poor quality, leaving users with a bad association with a brand (unless you are BuzzFeed).
4. Build a relationship with readers
You are providing content to your readers for them to use, enjoy and benefit from, but, your work does not stop there. You have to create a direct relationship with your visitors by interacting and listening to their thoughts & opinions.
If your blog has a comments section, this will give them the opportunity to engage with your work. There, you can reply and discuss topics with readers, helping you to build a long-lasting relationship. If they value your work and your blog, then they are likely to listen to what you have to say. Take negative comments and thoughts with a grain of salt – don’t take them personally.
5. Show some passion
To create a good blog that retains readers and attracts new visitors, you have to show your passion for blogging. You have to love what you write about, and that has to come across in what you say and what you write. If you try faking it, your readers will find out the real intentions behind your posts. It is always more effective to write about the topics you have knowledge and experience of.
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7 Smart and Simple Ways to Improve Your Home Security
Home security is one of those things that many of us don’t think about until we need to. (Believe me: After somebody breaks into your home, ignoring the issue of home security no longer feels like a possibility.) But as with eating right and exercising, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to home security.
Many people avoid burglar-proofing their home because it feels like a daunting task. People might feel like they don’t know where to start, or they’ll worry about the cost of securing their home. That’s where these tips come in. Not only do they give you a great foundation for home security, but they’re also simple and (for the most part) inexpensive. Dedicate one Saturday to implementing these strategies, and you’ll benefit from improved peace of mind for years to come.
1. Beef up your locks
Door locks won’t do you much good if you have a weak door jamb. Reinforce your door jamb with a heavy steel strike plate and long screws, both of which will help strengthen your door against potential break-ins. You can purchase strike-plate reinforcing hardware at virtually any hardware store, or enlist a handyman to help out if you’re not competent with a drill. While you’re at it, replace weak locks with stronger grade deadbolts, make sure all of your exterior doors use interior door hinges, and change all locks if you ever lose your house key.
2. Reinforce your windows
Nobody needs to nail their windows shut—all of our homes can benefit from regular doses of fresh air. Get the best of ventilation and home security by installing window stops, which allow windows to be opened a few inches but not wide enough for a person to fit through.
3. Install motion sensor lighting outside your home
Leaving the porch light on while you’re away seems like a good idea because it can help convey that somebody’s home. But when the light stays on 24/7, it has the exact opposite effect: It becomes obvious that nobody is home to turn off the light. The solution? Install motion sensor lighting that turns on whenever somebody comes within range of the sensor. This will help deter potential intruders and save you money on your electricity bill.
4. Hide valuables in unexpected places
No, I’m not talking about the sock drawer—that’s been done to death, to the point that thieves know to check there. Instead, try hiding your valuables in more unusual places, such as a tennis ball, a box of tampons or menstrual pads, or inside other random household goods.
5. Consider mail and newspaper delivery when you go away
Nothing says “nobody’s home!” more clearly than stacks of mail piling up in the mailbox and a mountain of newspapers on the front porch. Whenever you go away, make sure to ask the post office and newspaper to hold your deliveries. Or enlist a friend or neighbor to collect newspapers, mail, and fliers from your property every day while you’re gone.
6. Reinforce air conditioning units
Unsecured window air conditioning units can easily be pushed inside the house, leaving a wide-open window for burglars to crawl through. Eliminate this risk by using a bracket, sliding window lock, and/or corner braces to secure the air conditioner in place.
7. Store ladders inside (not on the lawn)
Leaving a ladder in the yard is like extending an invitation to thieves to enter via the second floor. The easy solution? Store ladders in a locked garage or garden shed to limit easy access to your home.
These strategies work best when they’re consistently enforced, so make sure everyone living in your home knows the drill and is committed to implementing these practices. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to purchase renter’s or home owner’s insurance—that way you’re still protected financially in the (now unlikely!) event that a burglar finds their way inside.
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