It seems our society is hooked on information. We’re information junkies, and the Internet feeds our cravings night and day with the click of a few keys. We no longer have to plan trips to the local library or community bookstore to gather information, learn a new skill, or entertain our brains with a well-crafted novel. Digital eBooks from Amazon, Apple, and Barnes and Noble mean we can place a new book in front of our eyes in seconds, even if it’s 2 A.M. Besides the wealth of information available online from websites, wikis, and research portals, eBook services offer one of the best ways to obtain information quickly and easily, leading many to speculate that we may someday find ourselves living in a paperless society with all books converted to the digital format.
While I enjoy the look, feel, and smell of a traditional paper-printed book, my need to consume vast amounts of information in an economical manner has led to a whole-hearted embrace of eBooks. I can hop on Amazon or iTunes, enter my search terms, and have a new book in seconds, for far less than I would pay for the same material in a printed format. eBooks aren’t going away any time soon, and this rapidly growing industry provides an opportunity for additional income for those who embrace it.
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It is great to talk about new ways to save money or finding a new job that allows for a raise, but how do you value aspects of life that have no numerical value? For me, sleep, core values, and even leisure are of significant value, though difficult to quantify. Economists attempt to place values on them through various formulas, but they are different for everyone. I have seen situations arise in my life where I have to put a value on foundations such as these. How do you value them?
Sleep IS Important
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Your hard earned dollars are yours, and today is the day you can stop giving them away forever.
By taking care of those projects at home that you can manage on your own, you can trim thousands of dollars from your household budget with a bit of elbow grease.
Leave the pro jobs such as wiring, heavy-duty plumbing, and any major construction to the accredited professionals in your area, but set your sights on those problems you can easily solve with a little education and a lot less money.
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It’s income tax week here in the U.S., and if you haven’t filed yet, you still have a few more days to squeeze in those last minute deductions. Filing income taxes is one of those tedious, necessary chores that all must face each year. In general, most people try put a positive spin on their taxes in order to get the maximum refund possible each year. However, claiming each and every deduction possible may not be the wisest choice for everyone.
When Not to Take that Extra Deduction
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With baseball season comes a number of long bus trips, reading books is a great way for me to fill this time in a meaningful way. Getting lost in a good novel or learning something in a self help book is a productive way to spend rides. Do you enjoy reading books? Where do you get your reading material? There are a number of options to think about if you are an avid reader, but which one do you like? Here are the ones I like:
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Not too long ago, Canada announced that it is getting rid of the penny. It’s not a complete end to the one-cent piece in Canada; the government will stop minting pennies in the fall, but they will still be legal tender. The main reason that the Canadian government made this decision is that it costs more than a penny to manufacture a penny.
For years, a debate has been present in Canada about what to do about the penny. There has also been a similar debate in the United States. However, Canada finally decided to act, and will no longer produce pennies. In the United States, the debate continues: Are pennies any good?
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