I’m a big believer in putting something away for a rainy day, but there’s more to planning for future financial needs than just having a well-funded emergency fund. In addition to your typical shtick about having 3-months’ salary in a piggy bank somewhere, I’ve found the following bits of advice to be valuable, as well. (All of them require action today in order to cash in later, though.)
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We’ve all heard stories about how social media activity has resulted in people losing their jobs. From the discovery of risque pictures on a teacher’s Facebook profile, to complaining about your boss on Twitter, there are a number of ways that social media can impact your career with a specific employer. But your social media activity isn’t just about being careful because your boss friended you anymore, as your online antics are being investigated by potential employers too. Before you are hired, you might be searched online — and what comes up in a public search could mean the difference between being hired and moving on to the next job interview.
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With the switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, it seems as if prices are on the rise as well. That perception isn’t exactly accurate as CFLs last much longer and use less electricity than their incandescent counterparts, but the outlay is clearly more on a bulb per bulb basis. CFLs also pose a certain level of risk as they all contain mercury and must be disposed of properly to avoid contamination.
There are ways to save money when purchasing light bulbs, especially right now as the switch takes place. The interest in getting you to switch over has provided some excellent budget-boosting options.
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One of the wonderful things about living in modern times is that we all have more choices available to us than our recent ancestors could even dream of. From the orange juice aisle to your company’s 401(k) plan, it’s possible to choose the exact product that will fit our needs.
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Our school system, with long summers away from the books, is based on an agricultural model where most families needed kids home to help with the work of actually running a farm. Today, there are about two million farms in the U.S, according to the EPA. Some of those farms are huge, requiring plenty of family labor (as well as hiring help), but not to the point that most kids go to work on a farm when summer rolls around.
I didn’t grow up knowing this, since my family doesn’t farm, but I did not get long lazy summers with nothing to do either. Even before I hit high school and could look for a job on my own, I worked for various family members in the summer time. One year, I was a mother’s helper to one of my aunts with younger kids. Another year, I helped a relative do a major inventory and move her store. I worked at both of my parents’ businesses.
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