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Showing posts from September, 2024

The Budget Roller Coaster

Sixty-four million Americans freelanced in 2023, whether full time or for gig work, according to an Upwork study. That not only represents a new high for that category of work but also a significant percentage: 38% of the American workforce is earning income on a per-job basis. Freelancers often trade in traditional 9-to-5 jobs for benefits such as flexible work , setting their own hours and independence. However, freelancing comes with trade-offs, many of them financial. Freelancers face irregular income, a lack of employer-supported benefits, such as a retirement plan and health insurance, and shouldering the full federal income tax burden. These trade-offs don’t necessarily have to be viewed as disadvantages. With the right mindset, planning and financial strategies, freelancing can be a stable(ish) form of work or additional income stream. Navigating Instability Employees receive regular paychecks in fixed or anticipated amounts. However, freelancers must ride the tide of pay fo

Working From Home Used To Be A Dream Job. Now, It’s A Source Of Marital Conflict.

Pre-pandemic, most office workers might have said, like me, that working from home sounded like a dream. Rolling up to your desk to check your morning inbox in pajamas, catching your first meeting on your front porch or eating a hot lunch on your back deck. What’s not to love? But, as in all “grass is greener on the other side” situations, there are some unexpected downsides. After a decade of marriage in which both of us worked full-time outside the home, the new change in venue, where I work from home and my husband still heads out to his nine-to-five job, has become our No. 1 marital rift. It’s the little things that get too big, such as whose job is more taxing and who might be more inconvenienced dealing with day-to-day tasks, like picking up a sick kid early from school. Turns out, I’m far from alone on having work from home (WFH) and marital issues. One Reddit user shared that she and her new husband seldom have sex since they both started working from home, likely because t

Mark Matson: Experiencing The American Dream And Why It’s Still Worth Chasing

As a thought leader, financial educator, and founder and CEO of Matson Money, Mark Matson is proud to say he has achieved his American Dream. But after coaching thousands of others on the value of hard work and his patient, “passive management,” investment philosophy, he also knows that many now see its core tenants as a pipe dream. In his new book Experiencing The American Dream: How to Invest Your Time, Energy, and Money to Create an Extraordinary Life , Matson offers a rebuttal to that idea. Through his personal story and some practical advice, the founder of Matson Money seeks to inspire another generation to keep chasing the dream and building their own future—which, in the process, makes the world a better place. Speaking with SUCCESS.com from the Ritz Carlton in New York City, Matson explained what he thinks the American Dream represents these days, why it matters and what people can do to keep theirs alive. SUCCESS.com: Let’s Start Broadly. Why Do You Think The American Drea

Saving Starbucks: What We Can Learn From Brian Niccol’s Vision to Refocus the Coffee Giant

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This month, Brian Niccol was announced as Starbucks’ new CEO. The 50-year-old businessman has high hopes for the global coffee chain, demanding critical changes to its operations and promising a major overhaul of its crumbling brand image.  Niccol hopes to steer Starbucks back on track, as the company has struggled in recent years to regain its dominance on the street corner. In the early 2000s, Starbucks flourished in a golden era of high sales, global expansion to Asia and an honest trademark that brought communities together. Starbucks understood something crucial early in its development—prioritizing the best coffee shop experience above anything else.  The strategy behind alleviating consumer guilt in a new age of consumerism In 2012, social critic and philosopher Slavoj Žižek argued that the Starbucks experience in the early 2000s mastered a crucial marketing strategy: alleviating consumer guilt.  “When we buy a cappuccino from Starbucks, we also buy quite a lot of ideology

Tupperware Files for Bankruptcy: Why Bankruptcy Doesn’t Mean the End of a Business

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Plastic container-manufacturing company Tupperware has formally filed for bankruptcy, with its president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman citing financial struggles brought about by the “challenging macroeconomic environment” in a statement.  The 78-year-old brand, founded by inventor Earl Tupper, who developed the first Tupperware products in 1946, has seen ups and downs throughout its existence—mostly ups between the 1950s and 1960s when “Tupperware parties” were a thing. Its direct sales business model made it a household name, and so it stuck to it for more than seven decades and only started selling products in retail settings in 2022 .  Just a year after Tupperware’s bold move to start selling its plastic food storage containers in Target stores, however, Tupperware disclosed in a regulatory filing that it had sought help from financial advisers as it was already struggling to stay afloat financially.  On Tuesday, Tupperware officially filed for bankruptcy . But despite the negative

Imposter Syndrome Book Selection: Uncover Key Strategies

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Have you ever felt like you weren’t good enough despite your skills and achievements? You’re not alone. Imposter syndrome can strike anyone, and we’ve all experienced self-doubt or inadequacy at one point. In fact, according to this study published in 2019, up to 82% of people have felt the psychological impacts of imposter syndrome. For many, imposter syndrome feels like a combination of emotions. Those affected often fear failure, have low self-esteem or undervalue their contributions. So, how can you conquer imposter syndrome ? Fight back ! Knowledge is power, especially in the form of an informative imposter syndrome book. Seeking wisdom and support through insightful resources can help individuals combat imposter syndrome . Below, we’ll share the best books about imposter syndrome and explain its different types to help. Imposter Syndrome Types  Imposter syndrome can strike anyone regardless of age, gender, profession or racial demographic. It also manifests differently in i

Will the Second Apparent Assassination Attempt on Trump Affect the Election?

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President Donald Trump was an apparent target of what appears to be another assassination attempt this past weekend, only nine weeks after the first attempt to assassinate him in Pennsylvania.  The former president was at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sunday around 1:30 p.m. when Secret Service members spotted a gun pointing out of bushes while sweeping the area before Trump moved forward.  Once the suspect was discovered, agents opened fire toward the man. Allegedly, Ryan Wesley Routh, the 58 year old suspect, was detained on a nearby highway after fleeing from the Secret Service in an SUV. Authorities have stated that Routh never fired a shot and was only 300-500 yards away from Donald Trump, putting him within range with the gun the suspect was carrying.  Agents found his belongings in the woods, which included an AK-47-style rifle with a scope containing an unreadable serial number. Routh’s cellphone records showed that he was around the area of the golf c

Top Productivity Apps Of 2024 To Simplify Your Life

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Being productive is as universal a desire as getting rich or being happy. It’s no secret. We all have deadlines to meet, goals to achieve, hobbies to nurture and people to care for. All of it requires the invaluable resource called time, which, unfortunately, is limited to 24 hours a day. We want to be productive and get it all done efficiently, but more often than not, we miss out on one important thing or another. Productivity apps promise a way out of this conundrum. They claim to help you be more organized, manage multiple tasks and most importantly, get more done in less time. Sure, you may take these claims with a grain of salt, but some good news is that productivity tools actually work. That’s why we have created this list of some of the best productivity apps available in 2024. No, they are not “the best” in the typical sense—the best productivity app is a myth—but, rather, ones that can likely be the best for your specific needs. Choose What’s Best For You As universal as

What To Do If You Hear Rumors About Your Company Or Yourself

On the last night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, rumors were swirling that a “special guest” would make an appearance. Speculation on social media was rampant. Guesses included singers Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton and politicians Mitt Romney and George W. Bush. However, after the celebrity gossip site TMZ “confirmed” that Beyonce would be appearing, the rumor hit a fever pitch. DNC Executive Producer Ricky Kirshner told the Hollywood Reporter that even his own staff didn’t believe him that Beyoncé was not coming.  After Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination, the DNC quickly drew to a close without Beyoncé or any other surprise guest making an appearance. TMZ later apologized for their role in the debacle. “We got this one wrong,” they said .  The biggest fallout from the DNC rumor was disappointed fans, but rumors can have major consequences for companies and individuals if not addressed appropriately.  How Rumors Can Hurt You

Empower’s Budget App Will Teach You All About Smart Money Management

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Empower is a financial management platform that’s free and simple to use. It’s centralized, making it easy to monitor your financial life.  The Empower budget app offers many features, including the ability to track your cash flow, see your net worth at a glance and more. These tools help you stick to your budget, manage investments and achieve your financial goals. The app syncs with thousands of financial accounts to make setup easy, and it offers both a mobile and web platform to manage money at home and on the go.  With our help you’ll discover whether this Mint alternative is right for you! What Are The Key Features Of Empower’s Budget App?  Empower promises a “360-degree view of your finances,” and it delivers. Beyond seeing all your accounts at a glance, it also provides a range of tools that simplify many aspects of financial management.  In other words, it is far more than just a budget app. In fact, its strongest features are centered on investments and tracking overall