Travel

How to Afford to Travel When You Have a Mortgage To Pay

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Becoming a homeowner can be one of the greatest experiences of your life. However, it also means that you have a mortgage to pay on top of other costs related to maintaining a home. Therefore, it could mean that your travel budget is less than it used to be. The good news is that you don’t actually have to stop traveling. Let’s take a look at how you can balance your need to pay for a house with your desire to see the world.

Book Your Trips Well in Advance

As a general rule, you can save money by booking a flight, a plane ticket or other accommodations several months ahead of time. It can also be easier to save money when you book flights on a weekday or book hotel rooms when there are fewer people traveling. For instance, it may be possible to spend less on a trip to Europe during the winter months when people are avoiding the long nights and cold weather. 

Look for Ways to Keep More Money in the Bank at Closing

When you buy your home, it may be in your best interest to put as little money down as possible. Using programs such as the Chenoa Fund could limit your down payment to 3.5 percent of the purchase price. The Chenoa Fund or similar programs could also help fund your down payment as well. Ultimately, you get to keep more money in your savings account that can be used to fund your next vacation.

Take Advantage of Free Events

Many towns and cities will have community events that you can enjoy while out of town. These events may include public concerts, movie nights or tours through local parks. You can also use discount websites to find coupons to local restaurants or other attractions in the town or city you plan to visit next. 

Stay With Friends or Family Members

If you have friends or family members in a given area, they may allow you stay with them for the duration of your trip. This can save you $50 or more per night depending on the type of hotel that you usually stay at. Furthermore, your hosts may be willing to cook for you or let you use their pool at no extra charge. 

Rent Out Your Home While You’re Away

It may be possible to rent your home for the few days or weeks that you will be out of town. There are many websites that allow you to list your property at any price point that you want. However, you should check to see what state or local law says about taking such action. You may only be able to rent your home for a certain number of days or for a certain amount of money without a permit. Furthermore, you will need to be sure that your homeowners insurance policy will remain in effect while a renter is on the premises.

Owning a home doesn’t have to mean that you are no longer able to travel to different states or countries. If you are willing to create and stick to a budget, you should be able to afford a vacation or two every year without breaking the bank. It may be possible to refinance your home loan if you think that you could get a lower interest rate or other more favorable terms.

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Guest Post

Dutchess Partners Share 5 Ways to Reduce Your Monthly Payments

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Dutchess Partners

If you’ve mismanaged finances early on, odds are you’re probably at your breaking point with a monthly budget that can’t cover all your bills. Filing personal bankruptcy doesn’t have to be the answer to eliminating debts. In fact, Dutchess Partners have found five ways you can reduce your monthly bills without resorting to bankruptcy. 



1. Look at Your Current Monthly Bills

You may want to scream at your monitor after checking your monthly interest payments. However, this step is vitally important because you must see where your money is going. It’s the only way to determine how to reduce your monthly bills. Be tough. Include all monthly bills. In fact, print off bank statements, credit card bills and other statements to look at them. Write down all the debts and determine exactly where your hard-earned money is being spent.

2. Negotiate with Creditors

Another way to lower your monthly bills is to contact your creditors to work out a lower monthly payment. Let your creditors know that you are willing to pay what you owe. However, you only have so much money available to work with. Some credit card issuers may provide a hardship plan, which allows you to pay either a lower interest rate or a lower plan for a specific amount of time. Make sure to obtain an agreement in writing and have them mail or email it to you. 

3. Cut All Unneeded, Obvious Bills

After you know all your monthly bills, start cutting. Everyone has expenses that aren’t used to fill a need, such as entertainment, dining out, subscriptions and memberships. Cutting expenses doesn’t mean that you are required to live an unhappy, boring life. It just means that you are cutting things you really don’t need. For example, you may spend $40 for a gym membership each month but only go to the gym one or two times a month. Ditch the membership and save the money. The goal of cutting unnecessary expenses is to give yourself some breathing room in your budget and some extra cash. 

4. Cut Even More Expenses from Your Monthly Bills

This is probably the hardest step to reducing your monthly bills. You’ve cut all your obvious bills. The next step is to cut the expenses you feel it is difficult, but not impossible, to live without. This includes the extra cable channels or streaming services, ordering pizza during football games, or going out with your significant other every weekend. This may cut a big chunk out of your monthly bills. It also gives you additional money in your monthly budget. 

5. Try the Snowball Method of Lowering Monthly Bills

It’s often a dilemma. Do you pay more on all your monthly debts to get a handle on them, or a prioritize a specific debt? The snowball method focuses on building momentum. Make a list of debts that don’t include rent or mortgages. The list should be organized from smallest to largest balances. Make the minimum payments on all the debts, except the smallest one. Make an additional payment towards that monthly. 


Once that debt is eliminated, move on to the next smallest debt until your debts are gone completely. This may sound like a tough thing to do, but you are achieving two goals. The first goal is reducing your monthly bills. You make the minimum payment monthly but pay a little extra on one until it’s paid, then move on to the next bill. By the time you reach the top of the list, you don’t have any nagging bills and can focus entirely on what once seemed overwhelming.

 

You Can Reduce Your Monthly Debts

The power to lower your monthly bills rests in your hands. You can consolidate a loan via Dutchess Partners. It’s one way to avoid the high interest rate credit cards and regain control of your monthly payments.

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Education

Hornet Partners Shares Quick Ways to Lower Expenses

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Hornet Partners

While getting out of debt can often seem hopeless, with some quick and creative thinking, you can find effective ways to cut your expenses and start paying off your debt. Read on for eight ideas to help you reduce your expenses now. 


1. Bundle Your Services


Internet and phone services are an essential part of our lives, for better or for worse. While they can be purchased separately, bundling these services together can save you a significant amount of money. If you have some time on your hands, sift through your current plans and all available offers. By bundling these services, you’ll likely find an inexpensive deal that rivals the cost of each individual plan. 


2. Hold Off on Pet Ownership


Pets bring a certain unique sense of joy to our lives. If you’ve dreamed of having a pet, waiting to get your own four-legged friend may seem like torture, but if you’re hoping to limit your expenses, now might not be the best time to add a new pet to the family. 

The money that you’re saving now by not having a pet can be spent to pay off your debt. While this isn’t as exciting as teaching your dog new tricks, you will be able to give your new fur friend all the treats they deserve when the time is right to bring your pet home. 


3. Buy Food Wisely


We all must spend money to eat, but it is how and where we spend that money that really changes things. Instead of blowing your budget at a new restaurant every other night, carefully choose when you will dine out. Similarly, making every effort to prepare your food at home will allow you to significantly cut costs and put your money where it needs to go. 


4. Consolidate Debt


Wherever you stand with your debt and credit, it’s likely that you could be doing more to take care of your interest fees and handle your debt. With services provided by companies like Hornet Partners, you can consolidate your expenses. This will allow you to make one payment each month rather than individual payments to each of the various lenders. Additionally, consolidation through Hornet Partners or another reputable consolidation company serves as a unique opportunity to adjust your finances and create an aggressive budget for the future. 


5. Limit Your Electricity Use


Electricity can get pretty pricey but living completely off the grid isn’t an option for most people. However, if you’re looking for ways to cut back, you should make every effort to stop wasting electricity. Start simple by turning off the lights when you’re not home, installing energy-efficient bulbs, unplugging devices you rarely use, and anything else that helps you save a few dollars. 

One of the biggest users of electricity is air conditioning. If you really want to save money, consider keeping the central air off and opt for a few fans instead. During the nicer days in the spring and fall, keep the windows open as much as possible. 


6. Sell Your Car


While the majority of people rely on their car for transportation everywhere, if you can get by without a vehicle, try it. By selling your car, your money will no longer be going towards gas, insurance, or maintenance of your vehicle. Though you’ll have to spend some money on public transportation and ride sharing, it will be thousands of dollars less than what you’d be sinking into the cost of car ownership. 


7. Go on a Spending Strike


Ready to see how much money you can save? Stop spending for a weekend (or even longer). If you don’t work on the weekend, you have no real reason to leave the house. While you don’t have to stay indoors every day, you can stick to your spending strike by eating what you have in the house, entertaining yourself with your favorite shows or movies, and catching up with your friends and family by text or phone call. 

Though it may take a fair amount of determination, going two days without spending anything will really rack up some savings. The more you’re able to go on these spending strikes, the more money you can use to pay off your debt. 


8. Cut Back on Smoking and Drinking


Whether you enjoy a nice cocktail after work or prefer to smoke at least once a day, these habits eat away at your wallet. When it comes to non-essentials like smoking and drinking, if you can find ways to limit your intake, do it. While putting back a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of wine may not seem like much in the moment, the money you save over time will really make an impact. 

Getting out from under your debt is possible. Instead of waiting for something to happen, start taking matters into your own hands. Let these eight ideas inspire you to keep cutting back and save more money.

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News

Colby Lee Burke Hilton Head Expert Discusses The Most Exotic Place He’s Traveled To

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Colby Lee Burke

Colby Lee Burke, Hilton Head Expert has traveled to most places in the world, but one place sticks out the as the most exotic place he’s traveled to. Take a look:

“One of the most exotic places that I have visited was Florence, Italy. There is an incredible nightlife underneath the surface that many people oftentimes overlook when they visit. Edinburgh, Scotland is another favorite of mine too. The historical significance of that place is truly amazing and makes you realize the importance of Scottish history.”

Read the full interview by visiting:
https://erikawithak.me/colby-lee-burke-hilton-head/

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3 Ways To Optimize Your Freelance Writing For Social Media

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colby-lee-burke

Freelance writers are often in a disadvantaged position in the modern economy. They are expected to perform hours upon hours of work and then market that work in a crowded marketplace. In many cases, it is possible for individuals to become overwhelmed by this prospect. The writing abilities that they have do not always translate to marketing. Nevertheless, these individuals should not despair. There are a few basic steps that individuals can take to market their work and optimize their writing for social media.

Focus on headlines

Headlines are one of the most important aspects of freelance writing for social media. They are often the first interaction that the public has with an individual’s work. Freelance writers have to spend time perfecting and analyzing their headlines. They have to make sure that those headlines are properly worded and are tested for their appeal to a wide public. Many freelance writers use the tools of search engine optimization (SEO) in order to learn this connection. SEO involves picking the right headlines that will be viewed by the most potential visitors to an individual’s website on a wide variety of search engines and social media platforms. Writing the headline requires almost as much time and care as writing an effective short article.

Expand your audience

One common way of expanding an audience is by using different social media platforms. Freelance writing should be tailored to the platforms that an individual wants to work with. A particular article that is successful on Pinterest may not be as popular on Facebook or Twitter. However, freelance writers are often focused on gaining as many followers and views as possible. They should be willing to explore the opportunities offered by multiple networks with multiple headlines. Writers like Colby Lee Burke are able to tailor messages to these networks and gain a considerable amount of travel writing success. More social media platforms mean more viewers, more engagement, and the expansion of an individual’s base of readers.

Engage with commenters

Commenters are the secret to social media success for freelance writers. These are the individuals who engage with a post and write either in support or disapproval of an individual’s work. They are often seen as annoying or harassing. In some cases, they are in fact bad faith actors. These commenters should certainly be ignored by a freelance writer. But in the vast majority of cases, commenters are an opportunity to expand an individual’s reach and the depth and breadth of their social media support. A comment on a post is a method of engagement that shows an individual who is interested in their work and what support they may have. Comments on a post can be liked and shared. There can be replies that are either supportive or dismissive. Those replies serve as more content that can be viewed and shared by social media followers. In some cases, a clever reply to a comment can result in more social media traffic than an original post of freelance writing.

The job of being a freelance writer often seems daunting. There are no institutions to support an individual and no benefits systems to help them if they submit a poorly viewed article. Instead, successful freelance writers like Colby Lee Burke have to optimize their own work for the social media landscape. By taking these basic steps, writers can better position their work for likes, clicks, and eventual income from their work.

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Why Customer Success Should be a KPI for Every Business

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customer success

Why Customer Success is a Crucial Measurement of Your Business’ Overall Health

Although it is difficult to define, customer success is when your customers achieve their desired outcomes through their interaction with your business. Desired outcome is the sum total of what your customers seek to do with your products, as well as the user experience they get in interacting with your company. It answers the question, does product A from company X do what I need it to do effectively and adequately and what has been my experience dealing with company X?

To expand this further, a company can explore the UserIQ model, which brings together user intelligence, targeted engagements, and consumer health to figure out what your customers need and help you meet these needs as well as deliver meaningful interactions.

The traditional sales funnel where a buyer’s journey ends after a purchase is made, is no longer the reality in today’s business world. Think of it more like a cycle that needs to be fed and cultivated through and through over a period of time.

Why is Customer Success Important

Plainly put, whether your business stays afloat or not largely depends on this principle. If your customer succeeds using your products, they will come back and bring in more business through referrals. If they have a negative experience with your products, not only will you lose repeat business, but also some potential first-time clients.

Again, being in the information age has its downside to business. All it takes is a negative review online, and you could potentially lose customers. On the other hand, positive reviews can improve your reputation and bring in new business. The same goes for the kind of experience and interactions customers have when they engage with you. The emphasis is to keep the client longer while enriching the relationship .

Customer Success Impacts your business in the following ways:

• Increased sales which may translate to increased revenues.
• Increased publicity and media coverage.
• Improved online ratings.
• Increased cross and up-sales and customer retention.

Common misconceptions on this principle

1. Customer success and Customer service are synonymous

The most significant differentiator between these two concepts is that customer service is reactive while customer success is proactive. Customer service usually kicks in after a negative occurrence has already happened, while the latter tries to pre-empt and resolve issues before they become a “problem.”

2. It is a one-department function

Operating on this notion is bound to fail you miserably because this is not, and cannot be a one-department function. Rather it’s a value that needs to be in a company’s DNA, top to bottom.

3. NPS and customer satisfaction surveys give an adequate measure of success.

While gathering information through these channels is useful, they are too self-limiting when looking for specific, actionable feedback. You can use them regularly, but formulate other means of getting qualitative, in-depth information such as that gathered by the UserIQ platform.

Regardless of the type or size of business, this is not a principle that can be ignored. When you break this concept further, it disintegrates to the core of any business, which is winning and retaining loyal customers.

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Education

8 Ways To Get Involved In Educational Volunteer Traveling

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Chrissy-Weems

Are you looking to volunteer travel? If yes, then you should be ready to travel to the most adventurous and remote parts of the world, depending on the volunteer destination. Here are eight ways to get involved in volunteer traveling:

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

Lodging and board are provided for those who work on the farm for a day. You can volunteer for a week to several years. With multiple hosts present in 53 nations, there are volunteer opportunities ideal for everyone.

Turtle Teams, Global

This name represents the numerous small groups that assist sea turtles that are under threat. Majority of the groups are located in one or more nesting beaches that are facing the risk of overexploitation. The volunteer travel tour is week-long and all-inclusive, and cost ranges between some hundred dollars to thousands. The price tag can be seen in the accommodation style. But if you can take care of your room and board, almost all sea turtle organizations have room for volunteers. A few of them provide low-costing housing to individuals willing to volunteer in the long run. Look into groups at a local tourist office near any tropical beach to be part of this volunteer program. Similar to Turtle Teams, Origami Owl by Chrissy Weems is a jewelry company whose mission is to make a difference and to be a force for good in the world.

Conservation Volunteers, New Zealand and Australia

New Zealand, Australia, and few other international locations offer you the chance to work in groups to promote ecotourism and protect habitats. Volunteer opportunities are short-term and include meals, overnight stays, and lodging at about AUS$40 a night. Week-long projects start at AUS$208. The accommodation types vary broadly from bunkhouses to campsites. The Conservation Volunteers based in the UK provides programs for residents of EU ranging from day trips that are cost-free to International Conservation Holidays that are week-long and pricier.

Sudan Volunteer Program

This program offers you the opportunity to teach English in one of the top impoverished nations in the globe. Placements are at universities or schools, but the majority of volunteers assist with community projects as they teach. Volunteers have to incur the cost of airfare, but every other expense is catered for including a small monthly income.

Appalachian Trail Conservancy, USA

The Appalachian Trail in Eastern US is over 2000 miles long and home to about 2000 endangered species. Volunteers assist with trail maintenance and building in exchange for accommodation and food.

HF Holidays Trip Leader, Europe

HF Holidays is one of the most famous walking holiday operators in Europe, and they look for volunteers who can guide their treks. Trip leaders are offered meals, accommodation, and the opportunity to explore Europe in exchange for sharing their knowledge and passion with the accompanying groups.

Help Exchange, Global

The website lists global hosts who are searching for a helping hand to work in schools, help with religious projects, work on farms, construct community centers or houses, or just assist families in taking their children to school. A small membership cost is a requirement for accessing the details of the host. However, lodging and board are offered in return for your work.

Peace Corps, Global

This is a unique opportunity to live and work in another nation. You can participate in various projects including business development, environment, healthcare, and others. You are required to make a commitment of 27 months to the placement. It is open to US residents only.

To be like a Chrissy Weems, be a force for good by volunteer traveling. You will not only change the world, but you will also increase your self-worth.

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Tech

6 Of The Best Mobile Apps In 2018

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Sean-Seshadri

Chances are that some of us cannot remember the last time we downloaded an app we loved to use. If you are familiar with this narrative or you enjoy using the best apps, you should be ready for a home screen refresh. We are in the second half of 2018, and there are plenty of apps and games that have been released that deserve your attention.

Some apps have already become hits while others have not surfaced from the underground. If you want to try out productivity apps or a new game, Sean Seshadri would like to share with your apps that will create a good impression on you.

Fortnite

What an amazing game. Fortnite is a global sensation. It has become an addiction, and it is among the most popular games you can find in the App store. The game has gained $100 million within the first three months after its release. Apart from the game being am money minting machine, it has become an addiction. The app is, and it plays well with its other versions.

Camera+2

If you are a huge fan of taking photos, you will appreciate an app that offers you the option of undertaking manual photography. This app allows you to change the settings of your camera compared to the stock camera app that is in the iPhone. The first version of this app, Camera+, set a precedence of the things to come. Its successor which is Camera+2 has all the manual settings and advanced features of editing that you need. The beauty of the app is the speed and ease of use it offers its users.

Google Lens

This is the new future of search. Google Lens was primarily available to Pixel phones, but the standalone app was released as a standalone app. This app is set to use your smartphone camera to scan anything you place in front of it, and it provides you with the information of the item it is scanning.

This app can identify dogs, plants, barcodes, local landmarks, and provide you with details of artworks. Some of the features seem gimmicky, but its text-scanning capabilities make it a fun app to use anywhere you go.

Hole.io

In this game, you have to drag a hole around a city within two minutes while it eats everything it passes by as it grows in size. If you manage to outgrow the other players, you become the winner. Just by that description, the game looks predictable and straightforward. But when you play, it is addictive to the point that it claims the number one spot in the App Store, where it has more than 10 million downloads.

Google News

This year, Google launched its new app that is completely updated. The new version allows you to dive into any topic while it offers great features like personalized content and the ability to save articles for you to read them offline. Additionally, one of its great features that Sean Seshadri likes is the “full picture” feature. This feature aims to cut out filters that are induced by Facebook.

Otter Voice Notes

If you spend time transcribing audio recording, you know how tiring and time consuming it gets. Although various apps have tried to solve the issue, none has managed to crack it. Otter comes close to achieving this end. AI Sense created this app. Otter generates very interesting and accurate transcription of recorded conversations. It is a software that can lean your voice and identify voices of different speakers in one conversation.

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How To Tell An Honest Attorney From A Fraud

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Honesty and integrity are one of the main pillars of the justice system. Whether a person is a judge, attorney, prosecutor or someone from law enforcement, there are certain measures that they should live up to. As a client, you should be able to distinguish those who really want to help you versus those who just want your hard-earned money. According to Kinney Fernandez & Boire, a known Tampa personal injury attorney, there are several benefits in hiring a reputable lawyer:

  • Better chances of winning your case – reputable lawyers are experienced and know how to handle your case confidently and professionally. If a lawyer is confident that he or she can handle your case, you will increase your chances of getting a claim or delivering the verdict in your favor.
  • Quality service – some attorneys attempt to run their businesses in quantities. If you don’t avail a service of a trusted lawyer, you may end up just being ‘one of their clients’ with lack of preparation and appropriate correspondence.
  • Ease of process – attorneys who are experienced from the field already understand the most efficient ways to get through a case process. By hiring an experienced and honest lawyer, you can save time from having the burden of fixing your documents.

Kinney Fernandez & Boire helps us understand the importance of hiring an honest attorney and the signs of a fraudulent one.

 

How To Tell An Honest Attorney From A Fraud

 

  1. Lack of presence on the web

Although not always, the lack of presence in the online world such as a professional website may be a potential sign of a fraud. You can attempt to look for the name of the law firm or the name of the lawyer, and if nothing related to legal services pops up, it may be a red flag. Some attorneys only advertise through traditional means, but with the digital age we now live in, it is less than likely that they would not already have their professional website by now. The lack of presence on the web could indicate the use of a fake name or a fraudulent company.

  1. Sketchy payment schemes

There are many ways that a lawyer can get paid. For example, it can be through contingency fees, hourly rates, flat fees, or retainer plans. All of these payment options should go through a transparent process between you and your lawyer. If you sense that something seems unsettling with how they transact their rates with you, it may be a sign of trouble. For example, if you are looking for a Tampa personal injury attorney and you notice that the lawyer is requiring you to send money online to a different name while they are sending messages in an anonymous app, it should be a major warning sign for you.

  1. Lack of knowledge of expertise questions

Most lawyers will get to interact with their clients personally. Another way to distinguish an honest lawyer from those who are not actual case handlers is to ask questions about your case. An honest lawyer will be able to answer even complex questions in their expertise, which indicates that they are aware of the law in your area. Uncertain answers or a lack of knowledge on the topics they are claiming to know can be a bad sign.

  1. Absent in list of licensed lawyers

There are many resources you can use to find lawyers online. For example, you can use FindLaw to look for attorneys in your area. If a lawyer is absent from the list, it could also be an indicative sign.

Do not be swayed by fraudulent lawyers. By becoming more vigilant, you can find a professional who can best suit your needs.

 

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