I was looking at my cable bill this week and I can think of a million other things I would rather spend my money on. What happened that television is all of a sudden so expensive? Not to mention all the fluff channels you pay for but never watch.

As I move towards a healthier, more frugal lifestyle, I mainly watch television for the news in the morning, and maybe one or two shows at night. So why am I paying $100 or more every month? And there are so many commercials!

I’d rather use that money to invest, or even for a vacation. So I researched some other options for watching my favorite shows. Bonus points are added for everything that is commercial-free!

Netflix

Everyone’s favorite movie-watching system seriously just keeps getting better. Netflix’s original TV series and movies are absolutely amazing, captivating, and interesting. They recently signed a deal with Disney to get all of their previous and new releases, so you can get movies and TV shows that bring back nostalgic memories and share them with your little ones!

If Disney isn’t your thing though, no worries, because Netflix has tons of movies and TV shows from all sorts of genres. As long as you don’t mind waiting a few months for everything to show up on their streaming service, they have just about everything.

Once a movie or TV show comes out on DVD, that is about the time that it will arrive on Netflix. Bonus- everything is commercial free. Yes!

Hulu

Hulu has the option to get more recent television shows than Netflix- as early as the current season the day after an episode appears on the air. Hulu also boasts its own original content (which doesn’t quite match up to Netflix’s at the moment, but it will get there!).

It is definitely more of a television service, as it doesn’t have quite as many movies, but being able to watch your shows almost immediately is pretty awesome. Plus, it has two monthly payment levels. The less expensive will force you to watch commercials, but the more expensive option is commercial free. In my opinion? Worth it.

Sling TV

If you want to watch your shows live, you can look into Sling. This is a live, on-demand version that is just celebrating its second birthday. It has different pricing levels so you can choose which television stations you would prefer to pay for.

If you don’t want to pay for Bravo Tv or Nat Geo, you don’t have to! If you aren’t a sports fan, don’t worry- there’s a plan for you too. The price is a quarter of the price of regular cable television programming.

Okay, so if you have chosen which program you want to use, how do you get them onto your tv? The days of the cable box are over. If you have a Smart TV, you don’t have to worry about getting a separate device. You can just load up all of your programs onto the television itself.

However, if you have an older or non-smart TV, you can buy a separate device that just plugs in and lets you watch your shows. You pay one price for the device and then you don’t ever have to worry about it again! 

Roku

The Roku streamer has gone through a few different iterations, but it is a great all-around option. It even has a 4K streamer option to give you the best quality picture for the price. It can stream almost anything, with the big exception being Apple products. It also has a physical remote that is pretty small but works just like a regular television remote for a “normal” tv-watching experience.

Chromecast

Google’s streaming option is a love-it-or-leave-it choice. If you really want a physical remote, you won’t like this option as it is controlled entirely through your phone or computer. If you prefer this option, it can actually be much easier than bumbling around with arrow keys trying to search for your favorite TV show.

It also has a super cool feature that as soon as you select something from the app, the Chromecast box will turn your television on and switch the channel to the right input to begin playing your show immediately!

Amazon Fire TV

The Amazon option is similar to Roku with a physical remote and plenty of programs available for you to watch! It does have some problems with being sluggish, but as Amazon releases new versions they will keep fixing this problem. The remote also comes with Amazon’s “Alexa” feature, which allows it to be voice activated!

Conclusion

I’m not sure it really matters which faux-television box you go with. They will all be so much less expensive than a traditional television service. Plus, you can watch movies without paying extra for them or turning on your clunky DVD player.

I know that all the money I save switching over can be used for much better reasons. Maybe a steak dinner once a month? No, lets just put it to a fancy vacation on the beach in Florida. Yeah. That is much better than paying for a bunch of television

 

 

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What do you mean by a “successful life”?

Many people talk about having a successful life, but what do you mean by a successful life? Is it all about having luxury? Studies show that the suicide rate is a lot higher among rich people. If being successful was all about money, then rich people would never commit suicide. There are lots of factors to be considered in judging whether a person is successful or not.

Each and every person has different personality traits and habits. Some of the habits are good whereas some of the habits are bad. To have a successful life, we should never hesitate to learn. Moreover, it is also necessary to give up our bad habits.

Get rid of these 5 habits if you want to have a successful life

In this article, you will not learn new skills; instead, you will learn how to give up old habits that are bad. Yes, you will learn the art of giving up.

Here are the 5 habits you need to discard.

Get rid of your unhealthy lifestyle

If you want to have a healthy lifestyle, you need to be concerned about your overall health. To ensure a healthy lifestyle, you need to focus on two major things — healthy diet and physical activity.

Without a healthy body, you cannot even imagine having a successful life. No matter how much money you have, you won’t be able to remain happy without good health.

To achieve a healthy lifestyle, research about diet plans and choose the best diet plan for you. According to surveys, the majority of Americans are ignorant even about basic nutritional facts. Don’t be ignorant, and be informed about health and nutrition.

In addition to a healthy diet, you need to be involved in regular physical workouts. Regular exercise will enhance both physical and mental health.

See Also: 5 Easy Healthy Habits You Can Start Straight Away 

Don’t have a short-term mindset

In today’s generation, people want to have everything quickly. They are always in a hurry. Because of this habit, many people have developed a short-term mindset. Most of these people have no long-term goals in their life. If we look at great achievers, they always had a long-term vision in their minds. Every action taken by those people was motivated by their long-term goals.

If you want to be a success, give up on your short-term mindset. Start developing long-term goals.

Stop making excuses

There are people who always blame others for their failures. If they don’t have someone else to blame, they blame external factors like luck. Well, if you want to be a successful person, then stop making excuses. Stop blaming others and don’t blame Lady Luck either. You are responsible for your actions.

When you start to take responsibilities for your own actions, you will start to grow as a person. This is how you keep on growing and ultimately it leads to a successful life.

See Also: Stop Talking Sh*t and Start Taking Action 

Don’t be too dependent on social media and television

Do you get paid for watching too much TV or posting too much on social media? If you’re not paid, then avoid television and social media. Studies show that social media is highly addictive. Furthermore, this social media addiction could also lead to other substance addiction..

I’m not trying to say that you should completely give up your habit of watching TV and posting on social media. I’m trying to say that you should avoid pouring too many of your hours into them. Instead, you should utilize that time to enrich your knowledge and skills, which can lead to success.

Don’t try to control everything that goes around you

Some people try too hard to change everything. Instead of change, it brings stress in their life. Understand the things you can change and the things you need to leave alone. Adjust your behavior accordingly. Stay away from the things you are not able to control. Only focus on the things you can change.

This will help to reduce your stress, and reduction of stress will lead to relaxation.

Conclusion

Everyone wants to be a successful person, but only a few succeed in their life. It is because some people just don’t want to change, whereas some people are very flexible to change. The people who are humble enough to keep on learning by giving up their ego are the ones who are very successful in their life. Once again, I’m reminding you that success is not only about earning lots of money. It is about having a wonderful and satisfied life.

Once you give up all the bad habits mentioned in this article, you will realize that you’ve changed a lot. Your whole life will start to change. Remember that you should not only give up these habits for a certain period. No, this will not work out at all. You should permanently give up these habits. It will be tough at the beginning to give up these habits because it is not an easy task to give up on things you’re used to. It is hard, but it is not impossible.

Just don’t quit early. Keep putting in the effort, and at the right time, you will reap the fruits of your hard works. Have a wonderful and successful life.

 

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Interviewing for jobs is a stressful but unavoidable part of most people’s lives. Whether you are looking for your first job or looking to move up the corporate ladder, it is important that you nail the interview so that you can land that coveted job.

When you ask someone for tips on how to make an impression during an interview, everyone will give you a different answer. They are all helpful, but we wanted to make a short and sweet list of the best hacks to focus on.

If you can get these right, you are sure to land the job!

Research The Company Before You Arrive

Companies are more and more interested in making sure that you know the company you are joining. You don’t need to know everything about them, but you should know how long they have been in business, any key clients, and maybe even some of the directors. This will show them that you are geniunely interested and invested and are willing to do the extra few minutes of work to make a great impression.

It is also a great idea to do a little research on the company’s current projects and events. If you can walk in the door and tell them that you would be a great help with their current project because you have certain experience, they will eat it up.

Know Your Resume Like The Back Of Your Hand

Your resume is all that your interviewers know about you when you walk through the door. It is a safe bet that they are going to probe and question a good portion of what you have written in your resume. Make sure that you really know what you are talking about if you claim that you are an expert.

The company interviewing you is looking to make sure that you can speak intelligently on the topics you claim to know. Don’t take offense to that. They are just ensuring that you can come in and do the job that you applied for.

See Also: 16 Worst Resume Mistakes

Know What The Position Requires

Study the job description before you arrive so that you fully understand what they are looking for. Being armed with this knowledge is a huge benefit because you can tailor your answers to show that you are exactly what they are looking for. If they are looking for someone who can lead a team, make sure that you talk about leadership skills and examples of times when you led others to accomplish a goal in the past.

Aim To Show Up 30 Minutes Early

Remember that you are going somewhere you probably haven’t been before, so leave yourself time to get lost. You never know when you are going to make a wrong turn or find a closed road. You aren’t going to show up for a flight to the Bahamas right on time, so don’t do it during an interview. If you feel that you are way too early, you can always wait in the car!

Make A Great First Impression

I’m sure that everyone knows this by now, but first impressions are everything in an interview. Make sure that you start off with a firm handshake, eye contact, and a smile. A first impression starts the interview off on a good foundation that you can build on.

Be Yourself

Make sure that you be yourself throughout the interview. Don’t try and be someone else just to get the job because it will just bite you in the behind later. If you are not right for the position and team, you want to know that from the start. You don’t want to discover that four months into the position!

See Also: Interview Tips: What Not To Say During Your Next Job Interview

 

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Have you ever found yourself in front of your computer just staring at your screen? Worse, your calendar is showing a looming deadline. It could be for a project or proposal at school, or it may be for a business brief or marketing plan at work. Whatever the situation is, you need to write, and you have to do it fast. There’s only one problem: your mind decides to go blank right when you need it the most.

How do you write with the speed of light without sacrificing the level of quality you produce? Here are few tricks and tools that will help you do that.

Tips for Avoiding a Content Crisis: How to Write Faster and Better at the Same Time

The key to writing fast is getting your mind to work faster. You cannot force yourself to write the content ASAP, but you can inspire yourself to do so. There’s a huge difference between pressure and inspiration, and you’ll understand it as soon as you start working on your self-confidence.

Here are few tips to help you with that:

Get ready before you start writing

What do you need to finish this writing project?

• Your laptop/desktop computer
• Pen and paper for taking notes
• Tons of research
• A fresh cup of coffee

Take everything you need and organize your desk. Then, start the research process. You need enough facts and data from relevant sources to support your arguments. That’s the only way towards a believable piece of content.

The research process may take a significant portion of your time, but it’s worth it. Once you have the information you need, you’ll go through the writing stages with ease.

See Also: How to Organize Your Writing Workplace for Better Productivity

Don’t worry about making each sentence brilliant

When you try too hard to write perfect content, you block your ideas because you pay too much attention to every single sentence. Just let go! Set your ideas free. Try to connect them in a logical content flow and write away.

Remember all those grammar rules your English teachers taught you? You are already a natural so you don’t need to think about them as you write.

“Do I use passive in this sentence? Wait, I read an article that said passive was not okay. But it really works in this case. What do I do?” That’s the perfect recipe for getting stuck.

Many great writers will tell you they did their best work under pressuring deadlines. Why? – Because they didn’t think too much about polishing out the sentences.

Take some time to brainstorm and write as your ideas flow in your head. You’ll edit once you finish the first draft. That’s when you’re supposed to think about fixing the grammar and style.

Set expectations. Make them realistic!

How fast can you write? You can speed up the process, but you cannot go too far beyond your limits. You can’t write an entire Ph.D. dissertation in a day… that’s an unrealistic goal. Ask yourself these questions:

• How many days or hours do you have before the deadline?
• How much of that time can you devote to research and writing?
• What daily tasks can you sacrifice for the sake of this project?

When you have the answers, make a plan. Organize your time in a way that helps you write as much content as possible within the limited time you have. When you have the progressive steps marked in your calendar, the goal will seem achievable, and you’ll relieve yourself from a huge load of stress.

Don’t skip the outline

It doesn’t matter how close the deadline is; writing an outline is never a waste of time. Once you have a general idea about the project you’re supposed to submit, give it shape. Plan every single thing you’re going to write in the introduction, body, and conclusion of the content.

The outline will speed up the writing process because you’ll already be aware of the logical flow you want to achieve.

Focus

When you have a deadline to meet, something inside is telling you to organize all your clothes by color, clean the entire kitchen, or polish the silver. Any task seems urgent, but don’t fall victim to the tricks your mind plays on you.

If you really want to write that content by the due date, you need to glue yourself to your seat and work on it. Leave your phone in another room. Block all distracting websites. Tell everyone you need to stay alone and focus on the task you have to complete.

You can give yourself short breaks after each milestone you achieve. For example, you can take a coffee or a healthy snack after two hours of devoted work.

See Also: 4 Habits That Will Improve Your Focus And Destroy Procrastination

Tools that Help You Write Fast

When you think about the tools you need to write that piece ASAP, it may occur to you that you only need a computer and a notebook. Well, that’s not the case. There are great online tools that can help you work faster.

1. Pinterest

You didn’t expect this one, did you? Although Pinterest looks like nothing more than a mainstream tool for trendsetters, it’s perfect for collecting online sources. Create a private board and collect all important online publications there. Then, you’ll easily access them and you’ll always know where your ideas came from.

2. AdBlock or LeechBlock

These browser extensions (for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox respectively) will prevent you from wasting time on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other distracting websites. Adjust the settings and make sure to block all social media sites and forums that usually tempt you.

3. Quora

Do you have any dilemmas about the issue you elaborate? Post a specific question on Quora. You’ll get answers by knowledgeable people, who will give you fresh ideas related to your topic.

4. Google Calendar

This is the ultimate organization tool for writing projects. When you plan all steps that drive you towards successful completion, the goal will seem achievable and you’ll start writing with greater self-confidence. Make sure to plan the stages of completion in your calendar and follow them as precisely as possible.

Are you ready to tackle the next writing challenge? Take a deep breath and start working on it!

 

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Your job interview is over and you are confidently getting ready for your first day at work. But now it’s time to make sure you can make a good impression on everyone – your management, co-workers, and other team members you are going to work with.

Why does it even matter, you might ask. Because every company expects to hire not just good professionals, but also good team players who will gladly acquire new skills, show enthusiasm and willingness to collaborate.

A good first impression is not just about being good in someone’s eyes. It will help you achieve the following:

– Undeniably successful trial period
– Friendly and easy-going relationship with other team members
– Easier conflict management in a team
– Faster promotion to higher positions and salary rise
– More trust from the management
– Better reputation at your workplace
– Higher job satisfaction

Now let’s see what you can do to make it happen.

Look Professional

Your clothes can tell a lot about you. No matter what job you have, too informal clothes might create an unfavorable impression about you. If you are going to deal with clients, you’d better wear some formal clothes. If not, it’s enough to find a good combination of formal and casual styles.

Try to remember what others were wearing when you came for a job interview. It will reduce your confusion a bit. Make sure that your makeup, accessories, and clothes reflect the image of a professional career person.

Be Open to New Knowledge

Every employer expects to find candidates with the appetite for new skills and expertise. Don’t ever say that it’s not your job to do something.

Don’t leave the workplace as soon as your workday ends. Stay for a few minutes or even for an hour longer to show you are really interested in your new job.

Ask questions whenever you are unsure about something. Keeping yourself from asking questions may lead to misunderstandings later on and you might end up re-doing some of your work.

If your managers assign more materials for you to read in order for you to get to know your job and the company better, welcome this opportunity instead of complaining. You can even ask for more advice on honing your skills, or finding really useful literature and resources. Employers take note when they see employees making an effort.

Become a Part of the Company

Emergencies and deadlines are usual things. You might face them on the very first day at work. If you do, remember that it is not anyone else who has to deal with them. Show your willingness to help, especially if you have the necessary skills.

If you are asked to stay at work for a bit longer, don’t show your unwillingness and dissatisfaction. Your company’s success is your success and your company’s failure is your failure. You need to show that you care not just about job responsibilities, but also about the company as a whole.

If there is an opportunity, introduce your creative ideas into everything you are involved in, be it a project or upcoming entertainment event. As a new employee, there will be situations where you do not have the big picture yet but many employers will appreciate hearing fresh ideas and new takes.

Avoid Gossiping

You might notice that some of your coworkers spend a lot of time gossiping, browsing the web or simply chatting non-stop. It doesn’t mean it’s appropriate in this company and you should do the same. Just do your job as you have to. If this chatting distracts you, just put on headphones and concentrate on your work.

While some gossipers might consider you a nerd, your managers will appreciate your focus on your job. As you are a fresher, your progress will be strictly monitored. You might even be asked at the end of the day to show what you’ve done. Every minute of gossiping and chatting will make your results look poorer.

See Also: 3 Amazing Strategies To Increase Productivity 

That’s not to say you really have to be an antisocial nerd. Build a friendly relationship with other team members during lunchtime or short tea breaks. Engage them on “safe” and positive topics like leisure activities within the company, their job responsibilities, and the most interesting projects. Avoid speaking badly about your former job. Be friendly and optimistic.

Mind Your Time

Being late is a bad habit that says a lot about you. Make sure you get to your workplace on time, especially if the schedule is not flexible. Take traffic and other factors into account to make sure you are there when the workday starts. Otherwise, it might say a lot about your inability to meet deadlines or respect company rules.

Time is also important when you are given certain tasks during the day. Do your best to do all them in time. If you are falling behind on a task, inform your manager and ask for more time. Similarly, if you finish ahead of time, inform your manager that you are already finished and ready to move on to the next task. It will say a lot about how responsible you are and that you don’t feel comfortable wasting your time at work.

See Also: 5 Essential Time Management Tips to Live By 

Summary

Often, people’s first impressions depend largely on personality types. However, the rest is still in your hands. You already succeeded when your resume passed a stringent screening process and when you aced your job interview. The first days of work, however, is the time to prove that your employers made the right choice when they hired you. Just remember how easier it will be for you to build your career, deal with coworkers, and simply enjoy your new job if you make a positive impression.

 

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Have you ever watched the movie Moneyball?

The lead character Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, pressed forward in his plans to re-create the Oakland A’s baseball team. He pursued this goal with a single-minded determination, stating continuously, “It’s a process, It’s a process.”

Billy understood that in deconstructing the old way of doing things, you create the potential to build a new way. The story of Billy Beane is an example of how a systematic process can change the way you play the game. Following through from beginning to end is the key.

Research from Prosci indicates that “projects with excellent change management effectiveness are six times more likely to meet or exceed project objectives.” Completing the process improves not only the bottom line. It also builds trust and maintains continuity within the organization, thus reducing chaos within the organization.

Three Steps to Create an Effective Plan for Change

Use these steps as a template to create any new plan or goal. Change introduces the opportunity for an intentional plan that keeps the process moving forward.

These three steps may seem simple, but one misstep in any part of the process fractures the flow of the work. How many times have you seen a plan fall apart because there was no follow through on the goals?

Awareness

The first step in any process for change begins with an awareness of the situation. Awareness can come in many forms: the awareness that something needs to change, an awareness that there is a problem, or even an awareness that something just does not feel right.

As Claire Hartman, President of First Community Title in Temple, TX stated, “There was something I needed to work on from a professional standpoint, but I wasn’t sure how to get there. It was also personal. I could tell something was a little broken, but I couldn’t figure out how or what it was or even conceive how to look for what it was. It was a gut feeling. I didn’t know where to go.”

Awareness generates an opening for change.

Once you have created an awareness for change, then you start to look at the broader view and the available options. I sometimes call this the fantasyland view because, now, all things are possible.

Fantasyland view equals brainstorming. You explore all the possibilities, even the ones outside of your comfort zone. If you don’t expand your awareness of opportunities and issues, then you may miss options that change the way you accomplish business for the better.

Categorize both facts, which are verifiable and expectations, which are personal/organizational beliefs of what one wishes were true. The activity of awareness moves you into the second part, which is words.

Words

Words allows you to start putting form to fantasy. Words offer a place in the process where judgments of good or bad, or right or wrong do not exist. Talk about or write out all the possibilities that began to emerge with the first step of awareness. Confirm verifiable facts versus beliefs, which may differ from person to person within the group. With words, you create a plan for what you want to do and how you want to proceed.

The second phase offers individuals the opportunity to discuss ideas and encourages creativity or innovation. If the words, “We have always done it that way” are uttered in this step, then you may need to take yourself or others in the group back to the awareness stage.

Fantasyland narrows into feasible options for what you want to accomplish and how you are going to achieve these changes. You may set goals and timelines so that there is a systematic approach to the changes. You also set rules for engagement to help keep the focus on the plan, not the problems.

Actions

The third and final step offers actions. When you ask the question, “Which tells the true nature of a person or an organization, their words or actions?” almost universally, the answer is actions.

By this step, you or individuals within the organization should see renewed awareness. The goals and objectives are written out with timelines. Until awareness and words become actions, effective change cannot occur, either personally or organizationally.

Remember, it’s a process, it’s a process. The process of change management takes time and forward momentum to be effective.

A misstep of any of these three steps fractures the process. Without awareness, plans reduce to a narrower view, possibly missing key options that could benefit you or the organization. When you do not discuss possible options, then you may lose valuable information that identifies what regulations or limitations impede goals, and miss new emerging ideas. Without actions, the genuine nature of individuals and organizations diminishes due to inactivity and dissonance with the words.

As you forge through these steps toward your goals, it is important to remind yourself and others, “It’s a process. It’s a process.” The change you create by maintaining these three steps helps you and your team to become even more effective for a game-changing season.

 

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When an older car becomes useless for the owner, it may be stored in the yard or in a garage for many years until the owner decides to have it hauled away for scrap. In some cases, individuals inherit a property with a junk car on it and need to haul it away so that the property can be listed for sale.

Junk cars initially appear to be worthless, and they may even be a dangerous eyesore to have on your property. The good news is that you can easily use a junk car removal service to clear away the clutter on your property.

In addition, you may even be able to get cash for scrap cars if you know how to sell your old car properly.

Why Sell Your Car for Cash?

If you have a junk car on your property, you essentially have two options. These are to keep the car in place or to have someone haul it away.

Keeping the car in place is not desirable because the junk car may be taking up much-needed space on your property. It is unsightly to look at, and you may wonder about the safety of having rusted metal parts and perhaps even broken glass on your property.

Hauling away the junk car is a better idea, and you can either pay to have someone junk the car for you or get cash for scrap cars. The latter is obviously a preferred option. After all, why would you pay someone to take something that still has true value?

You may be surprised by how much money you can get by simply letting the right company haul your car away for you. Knowing that you can turn your junk car into cash with ease can entice you to act quickly to remove the vehicle from your property.

Remember that paying someone to haul the vehicle away means that your clunker is going to a landfill. On the other hand, hauling your car for scrap means that the material will be recycled in some way. Selling the car for scrap is therefore a better option for the environment as well as a preferred option for your wallet.

Where Can You Sell Your Car for Cash?

After you have decided to proceed with junk car removal, you must then decide which service provider to use for the job. Some junk removal companies will charge you a small fortune for junk car removal, and you should avoid working with these companies.

While your junk car may seem worthless, the materials it is made out of have value. When you sell your car for scrap, you can easily turn the vehicle into a stack of money.

Simply look for a junk car buyer who will pay you to haul your vehicle away. You should never have to pay money to have someone haul the car away for you. All vehicles can be sold as scrap cars for cash, regardless of their age, condition, make or model. This means that selling your scrap car for cash is a viable option for you to consider.

When Should You Sell a Junk Car for Cash?

There is no better time to sell car for scrap than right now. With each passing day that the vehicle sits on your property, it is taking up space that can be better used for other things. It is creating an unpleasant eyesore on the property, and it may even pose a danger to others who live with you or who visit your property.

More than that, you may need access to the cash that selling the vehicle provides. Some scrap car buyers can travel to your property to remove the vehicle within a few days, and this means that you may be able to have cash in your hand and the car removed from your property in a short period of time.

It is easy to overlook a junk car on your property that has been sitting in place for months or years. The longer the vehicle is present, the more accustomed you are to its sight. However, whether you are cleaning up your property while preparing to move, doing spring cleaning for your own benefit or looking for great ways to get extra cash, selling the junk car and turning it into money is a wonderful idea. The first step to take is to research car buyers in your area who are willing to pick the car up and who will pay you cash on the spot for the vehicle.

 

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Are you a boat enthusiast? Do you know the best US boat shows?

Boat shows are held all over the country and give boat owners and enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the latest boat designs and models. These events also allow companies to showcase the newest technology and software in marine electronics, accessories, gifts and apparel.

We compiled a list of the best in the country. In this post, we will show you 5 of the best boat shows in the US that you should be marking on your calendar.

Atlanta Boat Show: Atlanta, Ga
January 12-15

This is one you can’t miss in downtown Atlanta. It has been around for more than 50 years and includes everything from sport cruisers to fishing boats to houseboats. There are seminars and courses for everyone as well as a sailing simulator, Kid Zone, and an interactive learning center.

The fourth-generation Miss GEICO catamaran will make an appearance as well. For the James Bond fans, there will be a working replica of the iconic Lotus Esprit submarine car from 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me!

You will surely have a great time in this boat show as you will learn about so many things in one place. It will surely be a feast to the eyes.

Miami International Boat Show: Miami, Fl
February 16-20

Known as one of the greatest boat shows in the world, the Miami International Boat Show is one of Florida’s largest events.There are over 3,000 boats and 2,000 exhibitors offering everything from boats, apparel and more. There are powerboating classes running from one hour to three hours, basic and advanced docking skills and so much more.

You can also compare and try before you buy! Expanded demo docks and sea trials allow you to compare and talk with dealers to ensure you are making the right decision. So if you are ever planning to buy a boat, this boat show is one that you certainly should visit because you will get all the chance that you need to discover which boat is best suited for you.

World Championship Cardboard Boat Races: Herber Springs, AR
Late July

Held in Herber Springs, Arkansas, the World Championship Cardboard Boat Race puts contestants’ creativity and boat building skills to the test. Adults and children race on a 200 yard course.

Over the last 26 years, there have been entries such as USS battleships, trains, rockets and even the Starship Enterprise. They also have an array of activities that include food eating contests, tug of war and the famous Cardboard Boat Demolition Derby.

This is surely a different kind of boat show because you will get to see the creativity of each team. You will also be entertained by the varied themes and designs they are able to come up with. This boat show is one to watch!

Newport International Boat Show: Newport, Rhode Island
September 14-17,2017

Occupying 13 acres of Newport Harbor, this show allows you to enjoy everything the “City By The Sea” has to offer! You will be able to experience the debuts of a full range of powerboats and sailboats and attend educational seminars presented by the top professionals in their field.

The festivities do not end when the sun goes down. You can walk down the cobblestone streets, shop in the variety of specialty boutiques, and eat at some of the top rated restaurants in New England.

The boat show is not the only highlight here as you can discover the place on your own, starting with the gastronomical adventures you can have.

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Late October

Set in the “Yachting Capital of the World”, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat show is a South Florida staple. For over 50 years, it is also the largest boat show in the world.

From yacht builders and designers to rare exotic cars, the show is the the place to see and be seen. Over 18 different kinds of vessels including sportfishers, high performance catamarans and unbelieveable super yachts all displayed in six different locations and worth over a billion dollars. There will certainly a boat that is fit for you in this boat show as it caters to almost all kinds of boats for every kind of purpose.

Don’t miss out on these amazing events. Do your research, take your pick of these US boat shows, and bring a fellow boat enthusiast with you!

 

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Freelancing is an excellent way to build your income or your confidence if you are just getting started. If you are willing to put in the extra work, becoming a freelancer can be extremely lucrative.

Effective freelancing involves goal-setting, deciding how many hours to dedicate, and harnessing the support of family and friends.

We’ve put together a 6 item checklist that will break down the process and help you be a more productive freelancer.

Highlight Your Skills

It is not mandatory to freelance in the same field you work in now. Take into account all the abilities you have, including hard skills and soft skills. Determine the areas where you can excel.

If you are confused, there are career assessment tests available online to help identify your strong traits and evaluate where your skills lie. For example, if you are a good writer, you may want to consider freelancing as a content creator.

See Also: 7 Convincing Reasons for Working as a Freelancer 

Define Your Personal Brand

It is important not only to understand your skills and talents but to also make sure that potential employers know about them. Your skills must translate into relevant services that you can provide for them. Most employers don’t have the attention span to go through pages of content. So it is critical to nail your resume to stand out from the clutter and establish yourself as a brand.

Use Social Media to Increase Visibility

In today’s world, it is important to have a presence online. An easy way for freelancers to establish an online presence is through social media. Harness the power of social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to create an active presence online.

You can also use websites such as Upwork and Fiverr to reach potential clients directly and also use private networking communities on Facebook. It is an added advantage if you can support your social media presence with a professional website or blog. This lends legitimacy and credibility to your work and provides a professional platform. You will also be able to outline your expertise and services and project a positive image.

Be a Pro at Networking

It is important to build and use your network as a freelancer. Learning how to reach out to other freelancers and potential employers can help you grow your business in numerous ways. By projecting the right image of your brand to family, friends, and colleagues, you will set the groundwork for the future success of your venture.

Have a short pitch about the services you offer ready at all times. This will enable you to be clear about your message and the service you provide. Ensure that you practice this pitch so that it comes out naturally and does not sound awkward or forced. Be ready to take on new jobs at any time as a single conversation can lead to new job opportunities.

When an opportunity arises, you need to be able to convince the client that you are the ideal candidate for the job. The best way to approach a pitch is to talk to the client and understand their needs.

Decide On the Right Rate to Charge and Price Yourself Suitably As a Freelancer

When it comes to negotiations and pricing, it can be difficult to decide how much to charge as this is linked to how much you think you are worth. However, it is important to understand that the best clients are those who are willing to pay for the added value you provide and appreciate it. So setting the right price and not selling yourself short will pay off in the long run, although you may end up losing some business.

You can also adjust pricing as you go, but it is important to make a profit in order to continue. Nail the money-making aspect of your freelance business by scoping out each job and assigning a fee. When setting your rates, it is essential to take factors such as market, location, visibility and demand into consideration.

You can also do some research or talk to other freelancers to find out how much they charge. The freelancing community is very open and welcoming, so you can get useful tips from other freelancers on ways to operate.

Set Tangible Goals and Develop a Game Plan to Achieve These

To be successful as a freelancer, it is important to set goals and continuously move forward. This will help you graduate to the next level and enhance your skills. It will also allow you to gain new clients and even charge higher rates.

As a freelancer, you will not be getting a steady paycheck, so you need to plan accordingly and get ready for the ups and downs in cash flow. Learn about taxes, income and expense planning and become comfortable with handling these.

In addition to making money, it is also essential to do enjoyable work that makes you feel fulfilled. When you are passionate about what you do, you will be able to grow your freelancing skills organically without worrying about keeping your business afloat.

Final Thoughts

You can set yourself up for success as a freelancer by following the guidelines mentioned in this article. It is important to be organized and handle invoicing, deadlines, etc. with clarity.

Understand the job at hand and align your expectations with that of your client. Establish the top priorities of the project and ensure that you meet them. As a freelancer, the work ebbs and flows, so it can be difficult to maintain a consistent schedule.

Another important aspect of freelancing is time management. As a freelancer, you need to be disciplined and self-motivated to maintain a work-life balance. Be aware of the financial and legal obligations that come with the reality of being self-employed. Consistently meeting client expectations and managing your resources are keys to a successful and fulfilling career as a freelancer.

See Also: 9 Tips To Overcome Stress For Freelancers

 

The post The 6 Item Checklist for Effective Freelancing This Year appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Whether you are a college student, a recent graduate or a job seeker, you must have, at least once in your lifetime, written a resume. Resume writing is tricky for everyone. It is not an easy task even for the experienced writers. A resume has to be perfect because it marks the starting point of one’s professional career. However, there are several common mistakes that people make while writing a resume.

Here are 17 common resume mistakes that you must avoid making 2017 the year of your employment.

Try to make your resume short

Okay, you have achieved a lot starting from highschool to college graduation. You want to show everything to your recruiter and you expect them to read every word of it. You are gravely wrong.

Recruiters are saying that they want resumes that are just one page long. An average manager will not spend even a minute looking at your resume. Be sure that you keep the most relevant information on the top and hold it to one page.

Don’t overuse words

While writing a resume, people tend to use overused words and repeat the same words again and again. This makes your resume unattractive and annoying. At times, only vague information is provided.

Your resume should be creative and attractive enough to attract the recruiter’s attention. Make sure you use words and phrases that are straight to the point.

Make your resume productive in grammar

You should never use poor English or misuse words, use wrong spellings and punctuations. Such mistakes are not overlooked and they make your resume look bad. Just imagine a resume with several red marks. If you aren’t confident with your written skills, have a good editor go through your document.

Don’t fake yourself

Never give wrong information about yourself or your accomplishments. Remember, honesty is the best policy. Some details are too perfect to be right.

There may be situations in your career wherein you have to prove a wrong detail you provided in your resume. Don’t take chances. Be honest about yourself.

Go with the proper format

One of the most important things many people ignore is the format of any official paper. The format and appearance of a resume also matter a lot. Your resume should be cross-platform and compatible with all computers.

That is why most people prefer the PDF format for their resumes. PDF format appears the same on all computers. Also, make sure that you don’t use many different fonts, colors or graphs. Keep it neat and clean so that it is easy to read.

The objective statement

If you know what to include, then go ahead. This works if in case you are changing fields as this acts as a summary of your resume. If you simply add that you require a job, it is an utter waste of time. Specifically, if you include the fact that you need a job as an objective statement, then it is certainly not so unique.

Work Experiences

If you are sending a job application for the position of a chef, there’s no need to include your experience as an accountant. Do not include those irrelevant experiences. Be to the point and specific about your throw as a candidate.

Personal Stuff and hobbies

Marital status and religious preference – this isn’t your Facebook profile. These might have been a significant thing in the past, but apparently not anymore and for good reason.

In fact, if your employer asks for this information or data like Social Security Number, it is illegal. Also, do not waste space by writing hobbies that are unrelated to the job you are applying for. This is a major mistake in resume-writing that people often make.

Too much content

Right! If you have so much to tell your prospective employer, you can add a few points during the final round of interview where the employers are interested in listening to you. Do not include worldly content in your Job Resume. Keep it as short and significant as possible.

Also, if you are using a .5 inch margin, do not use 8 point font as this won’t be appreciated.

References

If your employers would like to have a conversation with your previous employers, they will let you know. This is where keeping good relations with your past employers helps.

Your Email Address

Always give out a professional email address. Avoid unprofessional-sounding ones like wildgirl28@yahoo.com. Having a professional email id plays a significant role in your job selection. Show the employers your professionalism right from there.

Your current business contact

Do not mess with this and give out false information. This is another stupid mistake a few people do in Resume Writing. If you wish to get immediately disqualified from the screening process, you can go ahead.

Social Media URLs

If you are not applying for the position of a social media analyst or a graphic designer or any position that requires a better social profile, do not provide your Facebook to Instagram URLs. You might have some information that your employer doesn’t wish to see, and you are done then and there.

It isn’t unheard of for companies and HR departments to research and find a promising candidate’s social media. So, be sure not to have anything damaging on your social media especially if you are job-hunting.

Salary information

If you have held some past jobs during your college days and are planning to include the salary you were paid, stop it right there. Salary comes later, much later. Employers do not prefer employees who are only and all about salary. Your resume is intended to show your professional skills and why you are the best fit for the job opening. It’s not to decide how much you should be paid.

Fonts and issues

If you are using a fancy cursive font just because you like it, forget even getting into the second round of the job. Non-professional fonts straight away get rejected no matter how skilled you are. Even if you are applying for a creative position, it doesn’t warrant hard-to-read fonts.

Also, avoid using old fonts such as Times New Roman. A standard sans-serif font like Arial will do. Your ultimate aim is to convey your skills – beautiful and sleek.

Reasons why you left your previous job

If you were consider adding this to your resume, please know that this is not cool at all. Leave it out of your one-page resume. This is usually asked during the round of interviews but it doesn’t have to go on your resume.

Many candidates mistakenly think stating their reasons will give their employers more reasons to hire them but this is incorrect. Let your interviewer address this and not you.

Apart from all of these, other silly mistakes include adding in your GPA. GPA doesn’t decide anything. Moreover, make sure to exclude your pictures, opinions, and short-term experiences from your resume as all of these can add negative points to your application. Keep it simple.

Good luck with the job-hunting!

See Also: What I Learned From Reading 1,000 Resumes 

 

 

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