Tag Archives: cash money

Apr25

High Paying & High Powered: The Careers You Can’t Afford To Dismiss

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High Paying & High Powered: The Careers You Can’t Afford To Dismiss

There is a lot of conflicting advice out there about how to pick the perfect career after college, with many experts emphasizing how vital it is to do what you love. However, it is also important to acknowledge that 99.9% work because we need the money to survive. With this in mind, careers at the top of the pay scale should always be considered before you make your choice. Read on to find out about some of the highest paying and highest-powered careers there are out there that might be a good fit for you:

Stockbroker:

Fancy working on Wall Street, wearing smart suits, and partying as hard as you work? Then the role of stockbroker may be for you. Of course, it’s not all champagne lunches and, in fact, it can be a pretty stressful environment to work in. Because along with the potential for high returns, dealing in stocks and other financial investments is super risky.

Now, as a stockbroker working on Wall Street, you can expect an average salary of around $300,000 a year. Although, you won’t be investing your own money but currency provided to you from commercial or private clients. You may even work with mutual funds where a collection of investors group together so that they can secure a bigger stake in the market.

You will also need to be highly knowledgeable about stocks and shares as well as other investment opportunities such as forex, ISAs, and CFDs. The latter being entirely different to actual stocks because the money is not exchanged for tangible assets. Yes, it’s a complicated process, but luckily you can get some more info about CFDs by researching them online. Although, do note that unless you have a stellar track record, it’s likely you will need a fiance or mathematics degree to get into this field.

Doctor:

Everyone thinks of medical doctors as being at the top of the pile when it comes to high paying and high powered jobs. Such a role is certainly high powered, as doctors end up making life or death decisions on a daily basis, and have to take the responsibility for these, as well.

Doctors need to use their salary to offset their student loans. However, regarding pay, you might be surprised as to how little doctors earn. In fact, the average MD wage in the US is £200,000 per annum. Although, this can be increased by specializing in a specific area or going into private practice.

Unfortunately, as there is so much schooling needed to become a doctor in the first place, the high loan debts that newly qualified medical professionals have often absorb a significant part of their salary. Perhaps making it a less wise choice for those to whom salary is the most crucial factor.

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Pixabay Image

CEO:

A CEO or chief executive officer is the person within a company that makes the high powered and high pressured decisions. The ones that whether the company will sink or swim are based upon. Of course, this makes it a super stressful environment, but many people thrive on this and enjoy carving out a name for themselves and their company in the commercial market.

Also with the average US CEOs salary being at around 13 million a year, the monetary reward is there, too; making it a fantastic career goal you cannot afford not to consider.

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#girlpower

We live in a world where the moolah is everything, and the above jobs can definitely give you a lot of it!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Apr18

Learn To Live For Today And Plan For Tomorrow

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Learn To Live For Today And Plan For Tomorrow

We all walk a fine line with our finances. We don’t want to spend our time doing nothing, we want to enjoy ourselves and experience life’s little luxuries from trips away to fun purchases. If you constantly favor saving over spending, you’re going to have a pretty boring life. At the same time, though, we have to prepare for tomorrow. We need to think about making sure that we are going to be financially secure ten days, ten months, or even ten years from now.

It seems that we are under constant pressure to plan for tomorrow. Just look at the housing market. As soon as you hit your twenties, there will be people around you, telling you to buy a home. A home gives you some form of financial security sure, but it also ties down your finances. Now, for years, you’ll need to fit in mortgage repayments into your budget. These can be incredibly expensive and will make paying for those luxuries that you love just that little bit harder. As such, it might be wise to not buy a home until you have the income where you can easily cover this cost and still live a full life. Or, simply prepare to accept the fact that, at least for a short time, you won’t be able to afford those fancy trips or that new car. You can learn more about whether you can afford to buy property on www.cnbc.com.

The lesson here, is that it’s a balancing act. It’s about balancing what you need with what you want. It’s about balancing what you must spend with what you’d love to purchase. It’s about planning for the future while still enjoying the present so that one day you’ll be able to look back at the past with no regrets. So, let’s explore some of the ways you can do this, and we can start by thinking about budgeting:

How Should You Budget?

Budgeting is actually easier than a lot of people realize. You need to start by working out exactly what you make per month. This is the total amount you have to play with, and it should include all of your incomes. So, if you have a side hustle, make sure that this is counted. Unless you would rather see that as extra money.

Don’t forget about cryptocurrency too, which certainly counts towards your income. More and more people are turning to bitcoin and the like to make more money. Does the concept of cryptocurrency go over your head? You’re not alone! Check out this Reddit best cryptocurrency guide to learn more about cryptocurrency exchanges.

Then, subtract all of the costs that you are aware of. This includes bills, rent, mortgage repayments as well as an average food cost. So, you might budget fifty a week or more for food. Now, the amount you have left should be halved. Half of this must go into savings. Set yourself a goal to save each month and put this as a direct debit on your account. Just like a tax, it will leave your account at the end of each month. This cuts out the choice of hanging onto it and spending it. Congratulations, you’ve just made a smart choice on how to prepare for your future.

The other money you can spend however you like. Put it towards your holiday, use it for presents or nights out. Maybe an evening at the casino or playing online games at home with friends? Learning how progressive jackpots work can most definitely help to increase your spending money!

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Budgeting is key!

Play With The Numbers:

This is where you need to start cutting costs on things that you need so you can afford things you want. An example of this would be something like energy bills. We all have to pay energy bills, but they should be more manageable if you can go a little more green. Make changes to your home to save energy, and you’ll have a little extra to spend each month. It won’t be much, but it will make a difference. Since you have already set a target, add that to your spending budget for now.

You can also think about boosting your income. What you’re looking for here is a passive income. There’s no point in taking on a second income to enjoy your spare time if you’re going to end up with no time to spare. There are various options for passive incomes from the stock market to property or even looking into cryptocurrency. Research a few and find out which one will benefit and suit you the most. There are plenty of resources available for gaining a better understanding of cryptocurrency like how to YouTube videos or step by step websites. Comprehensive guides can be most helpful and sites of those from local experts or bitcoin trader deutschland will give you a run through of how cryptocurrency works.

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Flickr Image

Preparing For Disaster:

Of course, your budget is based on your income. Any hit to your income will kill both your spending budget and your savings. Worse still, it might mean that you have to use your savings to cover expenses that you can no longer afford. You can see how this would be an issue. Suddenly, you don’t have any money in your account for the future. This is where great budgeting advice that is found on www.lifehacker.com comes in handy. But how do you handle this situation?

You have to prepare for any disaster that can be foreseen. You’re probably thinking, wait a minute – unexpected costs can’t be foreseen. That’s why they’re unexpected. It’s not true. You might not expect to develop a disability, but you can forsee that it’s a possibility so you should plan for it. Anyone could develop a disability. You might be involved in a car accident, you could fall at work, or it may even develop due to biological causes. Since it could happen, you should plan for it. According to www.insurestat.com, doctors should definitely do this because anyone working in the medical field who develops a disability will probably be unable to work. As such, they should protect their income. You can protect your income with disability insurance and guarantee that you are always on roughly the same level of pay. Regardless of whether you can work or not.

This isn’t the only disaster you need to prepare for. You have to consider the worst-case scenarios that could impact your finances. Medical bills, for instance, are one of the greatest causes of debt in the USA today. You can plan for this by buying into the right health coverage plan that provides everything you might need.

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Insurance is a must.

Don’t Always Wait For Tomorrow:

Tomorrow doesn’t always come. Or rather, you can miss too many tomorrow’s and before you know it you’ve run out of time to do what you want. This may sound morbid, but you could die tomorrow. So, you might constantly be putting off that holiday to a point where you can easily afford it and when you’ll still have savings. But what if that day never comes? Most people do live their lives on an average, basic income. They never reach that 100K a year paycheck, and yes you can wait until retirement and use your 401K. But, after you’ve retired, you might not have the energy or the health to do everything you wanted. Don’t let life pass you by while you wait around for the right moment to do something.

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 #justdoit

Live For What You Love:

Finally, you need to make sure that you’re not spending your hard earned money on things that you don’t want and that you don’t need. This happens all of the time. We’ve already mentioned one example, and that’s property. Buying a home can be right for some people. But, if you are still moving around and haven’t settled, it’s just a waste of money and adds plenty of stress to your life that you don’t need. Instead, you should continue to rent. While it might be dead money, it can be far cheaper than purchasing a home that you may never pay off.

Ultimately, you have to live your life in a way that makes sense for you and financial purchases should be part of that decision. Some people spend their whole life traveling around the world, work by freelancing, and never once think about settling down into a comfortable routine. This site, www.justonewayticket.com, has some great advice on spending your life traveling. Could this be the lifestyle of your dreams? Perhaps! And as long as you have a plan for tomorrow, you can live however you want to today.

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#goals

Featured Image By: Maxpixel

Mar27

Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

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Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

Do you wish that your clothes would last you for longer than they do? If they did, you wouldn’t have to replace them quite so often, which would help you save a whole load of cash. So, imagine if there were ways that you could prevent all of the wear and tear that your items of clothing have to go through.

Well, there are a few ways you can do just that! And don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a lot of money trying to increase their longevity and lifespan. In fact, these simple hacks can help you see a big difference when it comes to making your wardrobe last longer.

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Cuuuute!

Know What To Fold And What To Hang:

Did you know that storing your clothes incorrectly could shorten their life? It’s true; some clothes need to be hanged up while others should be folded away neatly. For instance, sweaters and hoodies will stretch out of shape when they are hung on hangers in a closet. They need to be folded up in drawers. Similarly, dress shirts won’t fare too well when hung up. However, jackets and coats need to be hung – you can use shirt hangers to ensure that they don’t stretch too much on the hanger. Dresses and skirts also need hanging in wardrobes, as well.

Reduce Your Laundry:

If you regularly wash clothes, they will end up losing their color and the material will also start to fray. So, no matter how tempted you are to pop an item of clothing into the wash, you should try and hold off until it really does need cleaning. Ideally, you should wear everything more than once before it goes in the washing machine. There are some things that can help you put off your washes. For example, lint rollers can remove any hairs from your sweaters and you can also buy anti-stain pens that you can dab onto your clothes to remove any small stains and spills.

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I need that outfit!

Keep A Smoke Free Home:

It’s also a good idea to try and keep your home free from smoke. This includes smoke from cigarettes and vapor pens. The odors from each type of cigarette and e-cigarette will just cause your clothes to smell, even if they are put away in your wardrobe. Cigarette smoke and odors can end up all around the house and will get into your closets and other storage units. Not only that, but the smoke from traditional cigarettes could end up permanently staining your clothes.

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Kaboom Pics Image

Watch Out For Pests:

It’s not just cigarettes that are putting your clothes at risks – any pests that are sneaking around your home could also be causing damage. For example, rats and mice like to nibble on anything they can get their paws on. If they make their way into your bedroom, you might start to find bite marks on the edges of your clothes. They might also do their business on your clothes, which could cause stains and smells. Thankfully, this company can help you take care of your pest problem. You might also want to add some mothballs to your wardrobes, closets, and drawers so that you don’t start to have a problem with moths. These little creatures are known for eating clothes whenever they get the chance!

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Love that backpack!

Work In Old Clothes:

Ideally, you should always keep some old clothes that you can carry out all of your dirty work in. It’s really not a good idea to wear your best shirt and jeans for doing your cleaning and other chores around the house, for example. You will be on your hands and knees, which could wear down your jeans, and you might also spill some harsh cleaning chemicals on yourself which could stain your clothes. So, it’s a good idea to keep some old clothes that you aren’t bothered about for these jobs. You should also invest in an apron for when you are cooking in your kitchen. Just one splash of tomato sauce could end up ruining a crisp white shirt!

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Fun shoes!

Reinforce Your Hems:

As soon as you buy a new skirt, pair of pants, or dress, you should always find the time to reinforce the hem before you wear it. It’s really easy to do, as you just need to know one simple stitch. If you have your own sewing machine, then it is even easier. Doing this will make the hems a lot less flimsy and they won’t experience quite as much wear and tear as usual. Knowing how to sew hems can also help you raise or lower them, which means you will be able to adjust your skirts and dresses to keep up with hemline fashions.

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Definitely wear your play close while exploring!

Invest In Good Quality:

One of the best things that you can do when you are shopping for clothes is to invest in good quality items. If you just buy cheap clothing, you will find that it regularly needs to be replaced. That’s because it hasn’t been made with the best materials or using the best possible techniques. As a result, it will be flimsy and a lot more likely to stretch out of shape.

Plus, you will find that the colors fade quickly. So, rather than scrimping and saving in budget stores, it really is worth investing in top-quality items. These will last you a lot longer so, even though you initially pay more, you will end up saving money as you won’t need to replace them so often. When you buy expensive clothes, you should look for timeless, statement pieces as these won’t go out of fashion quite as often as items of clothing that are bang-on trend right now.

Your clothes should always last you for at least a year. If you find that you are replacing items more often than that, you might really benefit from all of the tips in this post. Good luck with your wardrobe’s new lease of longevity!

Featured Image By: Kaboom Pics

Mar6

Spending Money To Save Money

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Spending Money To Save Money

Money is by far the most challenging area for modern people to handle in their life. With jobs paying less than they have for a long time, the world’s finances in tatters, and temptations around every corner, it can often feel impossible to save a little for when times are tougher. This leaves a lot of people feeling worried about their position. Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way, and a lot of people have the tools that they need to start saving right in front of them; they just need to spend a little first.

With the world in such bad shape with money, it can often feel like you have to work to save wherever you can. While this can be a good mentality to hold, it can also cause some damage, forcing people to avoid spending anything at all. In cases where quality, time, and value are all factors, this doesn’t always work out. Instead of saving a buck, you will have to go back and pay again, resulting in spending over double what you initially budgeted. This sort of issue only applies to certain things. In most cases, any professional service should be handled like this, and you can find some examples below to help you to do it correctly:

Accounting/Investing:

Given that money is so important, it doesn’t makes sense for you to manage every aspect of it yourself. When it comes to something like taxes, you will need to work hard to make payments correctly, and this can be a challenge without the right skills. Making a mistake here will often result in fines which are far larger than the costs of some support.

Investing is another great example of “spending money to make money”, but it can be hard to know where to start. For something like investing, reputation is everything so you need to find someone you trust for help. Resources like AAIG or even local investing clubs can help give you the tools you need to make smart investment decisions.

Moving Home:

When you decide to move to a new place, there are a couple of people ready to help you; estate agents and moving companies. The first will be able to find your new place for you, dealing with the complex and monotonous paperwork which comes with it. The second will be there to help you to pack, transport, and move all of your items into your new home without (hopefully!) breaking anything.

Construction:

There are loads of parts of the home which you need to be qualified to work on. Electrical, plumbing, and gas can all be very dangerous, and the work that you do on these areas will often be refused approval on the grounds that you don’t have the right credentials. This can result in having to pay for the same fees more than once, resulting in big bills which will be hard to pay.

Hopefully, there will be very few times in your life when you need help like this. For the regular jobs, you will often be able to find people willing to work on a subscription-like basis, saving loads of time when it comes to booking them. In some cases, you might need something bigger, though. In either situation, spending a little extra can save you a whole lot, especially when you’re dealing with high-value items.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Feb2

Makeup Free Days

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Makeup Free Days

Howdy! Back in the day, I used to complete my makeup routine almost daily – even if I was staying home for the day. As the years progressed, I realized just how silly this was and began slowly easing into Makeup Free Days. This originally started out as a Sunday occasion, but now, I spend at least half of my week with no makeup on. It’s crazy!

I wouldn’t say that I have this sky high confidence that makes me feel okay with no makeup on. It’s honestly more of a lazy girl thing. I apply my makeup and do my hair when I’m working in the community. But, if I am working from home or just running random errands during the day, I really don’t see the point of painting my face. Once I realized that going out in public with no makeup on wasn’t the end of the world, it became easier and easier to leave the house bare faced.

Of course, makeup free days save me time, but my skin and wallet are also definitely thanking me. I’ve noticed that my skin has looked increasingly healthier as I make my way through the year, because the products that I use after washing my face really gets a chance to sink in and work as opposed to being suffocated by the makeup on top. And, days without makeup equals using less of it, which equals buying less products, which equals more money in my pocket!

It’s a little surprising to me how within a handful of years, I went from caring so much about what complete strangers might think if I left the home in anything but full makeup perfection to running about town fresh faced for three or four days of the week. I guess that’s part of growing up. Getting older sucks. But, feeling okay makeup free is something that I’m definitely okay with!

Has anyone else had a makeup free epiphany similar to mine? How often do you apply makeup during the week? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan22

A Myriad Of Money Management Mistakes

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A Myriad Of Money Management Mistakes

It is a fact of life that some people simply don’t manage their money particularly well. If you feel like you are one of these people, there are several things that you can do to change things. First and foremost, you need to work out the mistakes that you are making in the first place. In this article, we are going to take you through just a few of the most common ones so that you can avoid repeating them:

Lifestyle Inflation:

If you get a pay rise, you shouldn’t automatically ‘improve’ your lifestyle by that same percentage. Instead, you can use this extra cash to clear some of your debts, channel money into your savings, or make some sound financial investments. Just because you have the cash doesn’t mean you have to spend it!

Paying Bills Late:

Getting into a habit of paying your bills on time is a positive step that you can make. You can even automate this to happen directly from your bank account so it can be one less financial worry to have every month. The last thing that you want is to incur any additional fees or payments than you already have.

Paying Bank Fees:

Bank fees can come in multiple forms, but most of them are totally avoidable. For example, you should never use an ATM when you are charged an operational fee. Avoid paying late fees on your credit cards by clearing the balance in full every month. Compare bank accounts online to make sure that you are not paying more fees than you need to.

Not Educating Yourself Financially:

With all of the free tools and articles about money out there these days, you have no excuses for not educating yourself financially. You should know all of the different options available to you about where you can best invest your money, as well as information regarding where you can get quick support such as bad credit personal loans with guaranteed approval. Read as widely as you can and you can avoid many common money management mistakes.

Lack Of An Emergency Fund:

Though it may be frustrating to channel some of your paycheck off into an emergency fund every month, you will be very thankful for it once you need it. There are all sorts of life situations out there which could require a great deal of cash such as job loss, medical expenses, car repair, and essential home maintenance. Whenever you make a withdrawal from your emergency funds, make sure that you replace what you have spent as you never know when the next situation may arise.

Not Having a Budget

If you haven’t got any sort of household budget, you have no idea what is coming in and going out of your bank account every month. There are plenty of budgeting apps out there which allow you to clearly track all of your expenses. Otherwise, you can track everything manually along the way.

Now you know some of the most common money management mistakes so that you can avoid making them yourself. Budget wisely and watch your bank account increase over time.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan15

Is Further Education Worth It?

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Is Further Education Worth It?

Going into further education after leaving school seems like the best option for many. At eighteen years old, you don’t know what you want to do. So instead of going full time at a job you despise and would love to bring down from the inside, you choose to pursue the highs and lows of university life.

But is it all worth it? Tuition fees have skyrocketed, and continue to raise, leaving graduates mired in debt. Furthermore, the jobs you wanted aren’t available, too many applicants, not enough positions. Was your three, four, or five years sitting hungover in lecture halls a waste of time?

Finances:

Paying for college is expensive and a student loan will ease a lot of money troubles when at university and websites like SoFi (read here) can help to find the best loan for you. While some choose to work while they study, there are others who don’t want to or can’t and will need to consider what financial shape they will be in upon graduating.

While there are national student debt relief programs available to help graduates through this, you should also consider other ways of paying off your loans. It is smart to begin paying back as soon as you graduate. Otherwise, you will find it hard to start prioritizing your debt when you need to pay for rent, food, and everything in between.

Keep in mind that there are less expensive alternatives to a full on university. Trade schools will give you all of the knowledge you need to start your career as soon as you graduate. Online schooling can also help cut costs. If that is something you are interested in, you can take a look online to See Learn Now IGCSE courses, or you can get in touch with one of your local community colleges.

Health:

You are allowed to let loose at college. If you aren’t there for the social side, then you will miss out big time on some priceless experiences. But doing this can cause your health to suffer in the long run. People get so into the party lifestyle that they can develop conditions such as alcoholism or nicotine addiction due to their actions while studying.

It’s hard to keep on top of your health; you eat what and when you can and many often suffer from the Freshman Fifteen when first starting. You have so much free time at university that it pays to get into good habits then and not try to repair the damage later. Furthermore, the stress that comes from student debt and deadlines can hurt your mental health, as well. However, universities will offer free counseling if you find yourself struggling to cope with the demands.

Career:

Studying something at university is supposed to set you up for entering a related career in the future. But how many people have you met who studied something, say marketing, and are still droning away behind a till?

It takes time to find the job that you want, and getting it straight out of university is unlikely, but now we are seeing people some five or more years in the future still working away at the same job they had in school. Some people have taken steps towards fixing this by retraining later in life to give them much-needed experience, without having to quit their job.

Or, it might be the case that you are looking to further your existing career and education is the way that you can do this. You can look into something like dod cysp if this is relevant to you such as if you are a whiz with computers and want to help the government to help you pay for your further education.

So, if you want to go to university, then go for it. This isn’t supposed to warn you off pursuing further education. But you know yourself, and you need to be aware of what the future may hold upon graduation. Most people who graduated will tell you that university is worth it, but not necessarily in the way that you might think.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Sep28

Can I Trust My College With My Student Loans?

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Can I Trust My College With My Student Loans?

Congrats! You’re going to college. All of those years of studying hard and living at home have finally paid off. Within a couple of months, the bags and boxes will be full and you’ll be ready to meet your roommate. What a time to be alive (lol). Well, it is as long as you make it that far. If there is one thing that we know about higher education, it’s the price. According to The Economist, the average student loan debt is $37,172. It doesn’t matter how many weekend jobs you have because you ain’t going to save that money.

So, this is where the government comes in handy and finally pulls its weight and lends you the money. And, you gladly hand it over to the college of your choice without a second thought. Wait a minute, though. What if that was a mistake? These are the signs that you can trust a college with your student loan, because things can go south very quickly:

Retail Price:

Career coaches won’t tell you to do this, but what’s the point of being a teenager if you aren’t going to rebel (YOLO.)? Think of a college like property. Before you make an offer, the savvy thing to do is check the prices throughout the neighborhood. That way, no one gets conned over the price. Universities are the same because they will try and charge extra for a course which is no different to its competitors. They might have an “excuse”, but it has to be a good one. As a rule, the majority of the courses throughout the major colleges are the same, barring a feature or two. An establishment that is trying to milk you for as much as possible isn’t a trustworthy one.

The Paper Trail:

The foundations of a con doesn’t change from the bottom to the very top. Whether you’re dealing with a petty criminal or a rogue college, they all require trust. Not to be cynical, but keep your cards close to your chest. Again, not something a counselor would advocate, yet an important piece of advice, nonetheless. Fake unis and colleges attempting to improve their bottom line act like butter wouldn’t melt. So, the idea of education fraud doesn’t even appear on a potential student’s radar, not unless it’s on Call of Duty. However, it’s a problem which is impacting the school systems around the world. The good news, is that a receipt of payment is a simple fix. I know you wanted something a bit more James Bondish, but there are no fancy gadgets here. Nope, it’s just a piece of paper with the time, date, and a total amount.

Their Reputation:

Universities aren’t exempt from the rumor mill. Whether it’s Oxford and Harvard or a community college, campus gossip is something that you shouldn’t always take with a grain of salt. There will always be rumors and experiences from previous students. If you hear anything that sounds sketchy in the murky underworld that is higher education, don’t be afraid to investigate. A little piece of gossip can be the difference between tens of thousands of good debt, and a fraud case.

Keep in mind that all colleges aren’t the beacon of morality of which they claim. Some are dishonest and unreliable, plain and simple. Do your research, because your student loans are going to impact you until you finally pay them off.

Featured Image By: Flickr via CafeCredit

Sep24

Moving Past Open Mics With Your Indie Band

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Moving Past Open Mics With Your Indie Band

Sure, there are people out there who are going to tell you that now is the time to be a musician for the simple fact that there are more avenues than ever to explore. But just because there are a lot more ways to get heard does not mean that it is easier. In fact, being an indie band now is probably harder than ever before for the simple fact that there are so many options. Playing yet another gig at yet another tavern hidden way off the beaten track, the kind of place that makes you pay for your own water is not exactly a great way of making it. Don’t believe us, just look at your band’s communal wallet.

However, just because you’re broke and living at your bass player’s mom’s house does not mean that you should give up the dream. That is because you can still make it and live out your dream of touring some far-off country where fans chant your name in their adorable local accents. It is just about following the rules and knowing how to maximize your chances.

Of course, telling you that and then skipping town would hardly be rock n’ roll of us. So, to help you start living the dream and escape your bass player’s mom’s house (No offense, Barbara.), we have pulled together a list of insider tips and tricks. Check it out:

  1. Get To Know Your Fans Like The Back of Your Hand:

Pennies are short and, for some reason, no record labels seem to hang around open mic night’s held in Big Dave’s Garage (lol.). Basically, there is no sign of an advance floating your way just yet, which means your fans are your biggest financial life jacket. That is why you need to make sure that you are giving your fans something for their loyalty and love. Get to know the names of those guys and girls that are always in the front row. Give your fans a way of listening to exclusive music or interviews by creating a band website and then sharing this sort of content there. Share video recordings of acoustic sessions and behind the scenes banter on your social media pages and make sure that you are replying to any comments or messages that float your way. We used the life jacket analogy for a reason because, in the same way, you need to inflate your life jacket by blowing air into it, you need to give your fans something in return for being so awesome.

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 Party over hereeee!

  1. Play Your Strengths As Well As Your Guitar:

Every band has their own strengths, so make sure that you are aware of what yours are and then play to them in every way possible. Just being great songwriters with above average talent and the technical know-how when it comes to uploading your music onto Soundcloud, Youtube, Spotify or whatever else isn’t enough. You need to find other ways to shove your musical abilities into the realms of greatness, and that requires a little bit of magic (aka creativity). If you’re a band that offers more stage presence than the lovechild of Katy Perry and Bruno Mars, then try and play as many live gigs as possible, and maybe even consider getting a residency somewhere. Not only will you get paid, but you will see your star start to rise as more and more people see you. It could be that your sense of humor is your secret weapon, in which case document this and share it, get interviews with niche magazines and little radio stations, and then let this personality of yours show in your music videos. OK Go became famous for their viral worthy music videos, which means that it is totally possible to emulate this approach to success.

bandd2

 A cool band name is a must!

  1. Grab People By The Eyes And Ears:

Having a sound that people recognize is one of the most important factors when it comes to carving out some Top Of The Pops like success. But so is having the right visual branding, too. That is why it is worth spending a little bit of time and money (Presumably borrowed from your parents. Barbara, we’re looking at you.) on a graphic designer. This branding of yours is going to be stamped across all of your promotional material – Facebook page profile pictures, website homepage, Instagram, flyers, album covers, t-shirts, USB drives, and pub mic-night posters – and will help establish your place in the industry. Think about some of the greatest and most famous bands to ever walk the boards of the biggest venues. The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Run DMC, Daft Punk. All of these legends created a visual identity so powerful that just their shadows would halt you in your tracks. Basically, get your branding right and you’ll have people want to sport your promotional products, whether t-shirts or posters, and that will spread the good word faster than the flu.

  1. Forget All About A Record Deal. Period.

No one from a record deal is going to turn up at one of your small gigs – or your bass player’s mom’s house (No offense, Barbara.) and hand you the golden ticket that is a record deal. That just isn’t going to happen, nor should you want that to happen. The hard work is there to be enjoyed, used in your music, and make you successful. Most importantly, though, you need to understand that no record label has a secret recipe that guarantees success. They just don’t. Instead, they pick up talent based on their independent success; so they will pick you up based on your independent success. That is what you want. You want to use this as a bargaining chip should the day ever come where labels start to notice you instead of getting snapped up early and dropped or, worse, hung out to dry. Concentrate on what you are doing, focus on your trade and doing your own thing; that is what will lead to success – not trying to chase the money and the labels.

Being in a band is cool. Finding success in something you love is cooler. Prepare for a lot of hard work and with just a little bit of luck, you won’t be crashing on Barbara’s couch for much longer.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Sep19

Cleaning Out My Closet

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Cleaning Out My Closet

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! Okay. We all know by now that I am a clothing hoarder. Everything from accessories and shoes to purses and a closet full of gorgeous duds – I have a lot of it. It’s no secret that I love to shop, BUT it’s also not a secret that I rarely do a closet overhaul because I never know when I might need that five year old cardigan!!

My clothes make me happy to look at, but even I have to admit that it was becoming a chore to squeeze new purchases into my overflowing closet and dresser. It really had me wishing I had a team like those at Closets Etc. to help me organize the clothing chaos! Alas, it was left to little old me so I made an effort to go through my clothing collection and take the rejects to Plato’s Closet and then donate the items that they didn’t want. I have to say – it was really hard!!

During my closet clean out, I tried to follow the “if I haven’t worn it in a year, get rid of it” rule. However, this proved to be pretty difficult since I really do wear everything that I own. When I go on shopping trips, I purchase things that I know that I will get a lot of use out of. I am mindful of the quality of the piece that I’m considering and if it will still be in excellent condition one, two, or five years from now. So, with that in mind, you can see how this overhaul was a struggle. It was seriously almost like trying to decide which one of my two beloved dogs that I like the least. Lol, as you can see – I really love my clothes!!

Despite what myself and the good lord knows was a difficult task, I was able to manage filling up my vacation bag with clothes and accessories to take to Plato’s Closet. Although I do try and wear all of the pieces in my wardrobe as often as I can, there definitely were some items that haven’t been in the spotlight for quite some time. Maybe not an entire year’s worth of time, but long enough that I could picture myself without having the top, bottoms, etc. So, into the bag it went.

I would be a liar if I said that I wasn’t pleased with myself. Even though I had a hard time with my closet clean out, I still managed to purge a decent amount of stuff. With an “I just finished a marathon” smile on my face, I made my way to Plato’s Closet to see if I could get myself at least a tank of gas with my fallen clothing friends. I had a pretty good feeling about this, because I take excellent care of my clothes to the point where my wardrobe looks like it’s filled with brand new pieces. But:

APPARENTLY PLATO’S CLOSET DIDN’T THINK SO!!!

Plato’s Closet baffles me – which is why I don’t even like going into the store. They always seem to take the clothing that I wasn’t confident that they would want but threw in the bag anyways, rather than the actual nice pieces that I have to offer. Out of the lovely fall coats and sweaters that I was willing to part with, they ended up taking the random odds and ends of my unwanted items, instead.

It was just confusing to me as to how I only received seventeen dollars for clothing that I know will be marked up to an ungodly price. Does this sound petty? Yes. But it’s okay, because everyone who has sold to Plato’s Closet before has thought that so it definitely needed saying. Of course, I’m happy to be rid of some if the items collecting dust in my closet, but there’s always going to be that “wtf” confusion when an old T-shirt was chosen rather than something with the tags still on it (Gifts! I buy my clothes to wear, remember?)!

Am I bitter? I’m always bitter. But, I did get a tank of gas out of my closet cleaning Plato’s Closet excursion, which is what I set out to do, so it’s cool. (It’s not.)

Cleaning Out My Closet proved to be immensely difficult and the payoff was minimal, but I’m glad to have gotten it over with! What are your closet cleaning tips? What are your thoughts on Plato’s Closet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: PopKey