More than a decade ago, my hair was falling out, weight was dropping off of me, and I had serious gastrointestinal distress. I was afraid that I was dying. I’d been to every doctor I could find to try to figure out why my stomach was in constant pain. No conventional doctor could find anything wrong with me, and they unanimously concluded I was making it all up for attention.
How to Eat a Gluten-Free Diet on a Budget – Foods & Benefits
Jaime A. Heidel
How to Self-Publish an eBook – KDP, Smashwords & PubIt! Comparison
Sandra Parker
About a year ago, I finally decided that it was time to quit dreaming and start writing fiction. As with most of my endeavors, I learned as I went: I honed my writing skills, and learned how to edit my own work as well as utilize graphics programs, such as Photoshop and Gimp. Eventually, I published my own ebook.
The ebook market is constantly shifting, and many publishers now offer e-publishing as part of their print marketing packages, which adds a whole new layer of complexity to the process. However, if you forgo the print market, creating and publishing an ebook can be quite simple.
Mutual of Omaha Bank Review – Banking Accounts & Mortgage Loans
David Bakke
Mutual of Omaha Bank offers a wide variety of financial products, including a checking and savings account, a money market account, a credit card, and mortgage loan options. Whether you’re looking to streamline your finances by having all of your accounts in one place, or if you simply want to open a checking or savings account, Mutual of Omaha Bank offers a range of perks that make it worth considering.
How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise at Work and Get It
Casey Slide
In years gone by, many workers could depend on receiving an annual or semi-annual raise – but unfortunately, for all but a few, this is no longer the case. In fact, many employers continue to cut back on staff or hours just to maintain in operation.
With that in mind, you might think that asking for a raise is an exercise in futility. After all, when money is tight, your company won’t be inclined to hand out extra cash like candy. However, management does want to do what’s required to keep an employee on the payroll if it helps their overall bottom line. After all, it costs money to hire and train new employees, and employee turnover is never profitable. So make a strong case for a raise and follow proper protocol, and your request is likely to be honored.
8 Common Tax Deductions for Job Search Expenses
Angela Colley
Searching for a job can be a frustrating and time-consuming experience – and worse yet, it can be extremely expensive. But if you’re tax-savvy, you may be able to recoup some of your job search expenses in the form of tax deductions. Follow the rules regarding what you can write off, and save all documentation related to every write-off you take. And don’t make the mistake of overlooking the deductions you’re due – ultimately, it can add up to a great amount, and every bit you save may go a long way in helping you get through a rough patch.
10 Beauty Products That Are a Waste of Money – Natural Alternatives
Jaime A. Heidel
It goes without saying that we all want to look and feel our very best. Unfortunately, these desires sometimes drive us so strongly that the latest diet fad or skincare trend can have us whipping out our wallets and plunking down obscene amounts of money, solely in the hopes of dropping a few pounds or looking a few years younger.
But slow down. While some products certainly are worth their price tags, some are not. Learn to look beyond the hype, and avoid spending money on the products that aren’t worth your money. That way, you can better afford those that are.
4 Secrets of Investment Success – Tips to Gain Wealth
Michael Lewis
Human beings have always been fascinated with “secrets” through which power is attained, riches gained, and success assured. Our belief in secrets and its natural cousins, conspiracies and superstitions, often appears when we are under stress, dealing with matters seemingly outside our control. According to Science Magazine, humans in those situations have increased illusory pattern perception, creating nonexistent causal links and correlations in an unconscious effort to rationalize the outcome and affirm ourselves.
How to Make a Good First Impression – Understanding Business Etiquette
Michael Lewis
Did you know that people decide how they feel about you within the first three seconds of meeting? This reaction, an auto-response generated in the most primitive part of our brains, evolved in our early pre-human ancestors when instant decisions about friend or foe were required to survive. The way we look and act generates subconscious impressions and comparisons with “stereotypes” in the minds of observers, often generating powerful emotions and judgments.
First impressions, even when untrue representations, are difficult to dislodge and change. A “good” first impression can be a powerful impetus for your career, just as a negative impression can be an impossible obstacle to overcome.
7 Wedding Planning Tips & Timeline Once You Get Engaged to Be Married
Jacqueline Curtis
If you’ve recently become engaged to be married, you’ve got a lot of planning to do. While you’re probably thinking about the dress, the flowers, and the wedding venue, don’t get too ahead of yourself. Planning a wedding entails much more than just imagining how you want the big day to be – you need to set the tone for your entire married life. Therefore, once you’ve alerted your family members and friends about the big news, it’s time to buckle down and focus on not only your wedding plans, but also your financial future.
5 Best Side Business Ideas for College Students – Things to Consider
Lewis Humphries
In the wake of the global recession, the American employment market has undergone a significant transition. This is part of an international trend, as individuals turn toward self-employment, contracting, and entrepreneurship as ways of earning a living. In fact, according to Quartz, it is estimated that more than 40% of the U.S. workforce will be working independently by the year 2020, equating to more than 60 million citizens. This entrepreneurial spirit was evident throughout the recession, as the Small Business Association (SBA) reports that approximately 27.5 million independent ventures were operating in America during 2009.
8 of the Latest Fitness Trends Worth Buying Into
Laura Williams
Just like death and taxes, you can expect new fitness trends to pop up every year, each touting to provide you with the hot bod you’ve always wanted. Unfortunately, most of these workouts and trends fail to live up to the hype and end up fizzling out after a season or two. Rather than becoming caught up in the draw of incredible claims (and spending big bucks in the process), why not choose a trend that’s actually worth buying into?
17 Online Shopping Sites With Free Shipping and How to Get It
Erin Brereton
Have you ever visited your favorite department store or electronics retailer in your pajamas? Of course, you have not – though online shopping can indeed afford you this comfort. In addition to the convenience, online shopping can, in some cases, offer a greater selection of sizes than retailers have displayed on their racks, as well as phenomenal deals not available at brick-and-mortar stores.
However, if you’re shopping at online retail stores to take advantage of great deals and save some cash, you don’t want to cut into (or even eliminate) your savings by racking up hefty shipping fees. Some retailers offer a flat rate for shipping, while others charge various amounts depending on how much you spend..
How to Use a Positive Attitude to Change Bad Financial Habits
Tana DeBoer
If you’ve ever made a promise to change your spending habits, only to break that promise repeatedly, you are not alone. After all, you still have to go past your favorite coffee shop every morning where a delicious (and overpriced) beverage is only minutes from your lips. Throughout the day, your inbox may bring news of sales and special offers from your favorite retailers. And your next travel adventure to bring warmth to your skin and sand to your bare toes is only a few clicks away. It’s tempting to spend, isn’t it?
3 Lessons the Social Gaming Model Can Offer Small Business Owners
Lewis Humphries
While the global economy has been blighted by prolonged periods of recession and sluggish growth since 2008, not all industries have suffered adversely. Take the social gaming industry, which has showcased considerable growth and has even threatened to supersede the popularity of traditional video gaming.
As a result of this vast and disproportionate expansion, the social gaming user base has swelled considerably, with a staggering 81 million global citizens playing at least one social game each day. This creates a compelling opportunity for small business owners across a range of industries to incorporate social gaming into their business model.
How to Protect Your Child From Bullies & Build Their Self-Confidence
Michael Lewis
One of the worst feelings a parent can experience is learning that his or her child is a victim of bullying. Anger is quickly followed by feelings of frustration, helplessness, and worry. And unfortunately, the problem is rampant: 15% of students do not go to school every day for fear of being bullied, and 1 of 10 students drops out due to repeated bullying. According to DoSomething.org, 90% of fourth through eighth graders report being victims of bullying.
Bullying has existed since humans began to socialize, and is likely to continue despite efforts of schools and parents to intervene and break the cycle. The unfortunate fact is that many Americans don’t take bullying very seriously.
