Debt Reduction: When “Just Skip The Coffee” Doesn’t Work

Coffee
This is a sponsored post.

If you’ve ever read a typical article about saving money or paying off debt, you’re probably sick of hearing things like “Just stop eating out! Skip the latte on the way to work!” While I don’t doubt that many people could tighten their belts and redistribute their funds to good ends, I also know that many of the people who are most crushed by their finances are already doing all of these sensible things. If someone is working two jobs and doesn’t have enough money to even cover basics, never mind luxuries like Starbucks, this kind of advice is useless – so let’s put a different spin on the usual “Reduce your spending/buy frugal food/skip the latte” advice.

What I notice is that this advice usually ignores the point that things like cooking healthy, frugal meals also take a lot more time than eating more expensive junk. If someone is working 14 hour days and balancing things like child care, elder care, and other basic household duties, they may literally have to choose between meal prepping and getting 8 hours of sleep. Plus, if someone is stressed and feels like they’re getting nowhere fast, they are probably also exhausted and depressed, which is going to make it even harder. So I’m going to say what no other financial advice article will: It sucks, it’s not fair, and I’m sorry! Being frugal isn’t easy – that’s why so few people are.

However, just like working out and taking care of your health, making these changes can help improve your life in the long run and be worthwhile if you hang in there. So sit down and look at your time budget as well as your financial budget: How many hours do typically you spend at work? How much time do your other commitments take? Is there anything at all you can outsource or stop doing? Do you have anyone who can help you – a spouse, relative, or friend? Can you swap babysitting services with your neighbor? Can you have a get-together with friends to do freezer cooking and help each other out? If you don’t have much of a support system, are there any local MOMs groups, community centers, or churches that might connect you to others?

When you’re stretched thin, it’s easy to feel trapped, so try talking over your options with another person if you can to help brainstorm. If you can carve out slices of your precious time to get important things done, then you can come up with a gameplan for how you’re going to realistically reduce your food budget and find time to cook meals ahead, clip coupons, and so forth.

Once you’ve carved out a dedicated time to tackle your financial issues, it’s time to sit down and look at your income and bills. How much are you earning, how much do you owe, and to whom? what options have you explored so far in dealing with them? Here’s a few places to start looking:

If you’re behind on utilities, call each company and find out what your options may be for getting on a payment plan; if you’ve received a shut-off notice for a basic utility such as power, you’ll likely be able to get on a payment plan to make small monthly payments on the past due balance. If you owe the IRS money, you can set up a payment plan with them or even apply to settle the tax debt for less than the full amount – click here for more information on the various options the IRS has available.

If your debt is becoming significant or otherwise out of control, then you may also consider speaking with a credit counselor to get advice for your specific situation. Some people choose to enlist a debt settlement service such as Nationwide Debt Reduction Services – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a good article here about what to look for if you’re considering a debt relief company.

This is just scratching the surface of a very complicated issue, and every situation is different; but I hope this article will help you feel a little more empowered and inspired if you’re tired of being told to ditch the non-existent coffee!

3 Tips For Hiring The Right Consultant

3 Tips For Hiring The Right Consultant
This is a sponsored post.

If you run your own business or work in management, then it’s likely that at some point the topic of consulting will come up. However, “Consultant” is such a broad term that it could mean everything from a medical doctor to a self-professed expert on a niche topic. So what exactly is a consultant, what do they do, and how do you hire the right one?

#1: Research What it Really Means

Broadly speaking, a consultant is anyone who specializes in a particular area of expertise and is available to advise others. In large organizations, consultants can work full time on staff to direct different departments in best practices. In other scenarios, consultants will also run their own independent consulting company full time and be hired on a case-by-case basis by others who need coaching for a set period of time. These type of advisers can be found in a range of fields, offering a wide variety of services to help guide and develop specific needs. There are even consultants who train other people how to be a consultant themselves!

#2: Know Where to Look

How you find a consultant will vary greatly depending on your field and what you’re looking for. If you’re a business owner looking to develop and improve a particular aspect of what you do and need a dedicated consultant, you might research consulting firms, ask for referrals, recruit on a job board, or even scout LinkedIn for potential hires. In other instances, an expert may be hired to consult on a temporary basis in addition to their regular job – for example, a filmmaker writing a script about dinosaurs might hire a paleontologist on a one-time basis to consult on their set to ensure accuracy. Ask yourself what your needs and goals are, and use that as a jumping off point to start the search.

#3: Learn How to Spot The Right Candidate

Since consultants are meant to be experts in a specific industry, word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted colleagues in your circle carry weight and can help you narrow down potential candidates. Credentials will include their education, resume, and any accreditation with relevant organizations – for example, management consultants can join The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes – but since consulting covers such a broad swath of specialties, not all areas have an organization such as this. As with hiring any candidate, vetting their resume, background and references is of utmost importance; and when it comes to a niche like this that is rife with corporate buzzwords, you want to make sure you’re hiring an actual expert – not just someone who has talked themselves up with nothing behind it.

10 Helpful Tools For Setting up Your First Blog

10 Helpful Tools For Setting up Your First Blog
This is a sponsored post.

Starting a new blog is a big project. If you’re dipping your toe in the water for the first time, it can be hard to know where to start, so today I’m sharing 10 helpful tools to assist you:

1. Hosting: There are lots of free platforms available for starting a blog if you just want to put together something quickly for fun, but if you’re planning on using your blog professionally, then you will want to purchase hosting and a domain name. This doesn’t have to be a big investment: Small hosting packages start around $10 per month, and you can register an inexpensive domain name on GoDaddy.com – check RetailMeNot for coupons and you can usually get a URL for around a dollar!

2. Blogging Platform: I use WordPress to create and run all of my websites and highly recommend it. There are many in-depth tutorials that are just a click away on Google, so you can learn your way around it and set it up yourself, or you can hire a web designer to do everything for you.

3. Stats: It’s crucial to set up a system for analyzing traffic and search data on your blog. I personally use a combination of AWStats and Google Analytics. If you want to go even deeper than that, Profisee MDM has a roundup of 30+ more data management tools that you can check out.

4. Graphics: You’re going to need an image program to create and edit photos for your blog posts. Adobe Photoshop is the gold standard for graphics, but if you’re just starting out, you’re probably going to want to keep it simple. I like GIMP, an open source image editing program, while many others find PicMonkey to be an easy-to-use tool.

5. SEO: “Search engine optimization” is exactly what it sounds like: The process of making your content easier to find on search engines. For example, you might write a great post about your Grandma’s one-dish creamed chicken recipe, but if most people are searching for “Creamed chicken casserole” instead, they’re more likely to miss your post because of the word choice. You shouldn’t sacrifice originality, but there are occasions where small tweaks that don’t impact a piece creatively can better target them to be found among the billions of posts on the Internet. Two good tools for learning your way around this is Google’s Keyword Planner tool and the Yoast plugin for WordPress.

6. Writing: Back in the old days, I used to keep a dictionary and thesaurus by my typewriter (!). Nowadays, everything is just a click away online! Spellcheck will automatically catch most spelling errors, but Merriam-Webster is still your friend for verifying word definitions. I use the Dict.org online thesaurus when I’m writing something redundant and need inspiration for alternative phrases.

7. Editorial Calendar: Whatever posting schedule you decide on, you’ll need a way to keep track of what you’re publishing, deadlines, and other to-dos. I personally use a pen and paper planner because that system works best for my brain, but the almighty Google Calendar is a good virtual option for those who prefer to keep track of their schedule in the cloud.

8. SPAM: Oh, you got your first blog comment! Oh – it’s SPAM. All blogs get inundated with SPAM, so you will need a filter to keep it manageable. Akismet is an anti-spam plugin for WordPress with plans starting at $5 a month, while Antispam Bee is a free alternative.

9. Social Sharing: If you don’t have an easy way for people to share your content, they won’t! Make sure you have a plugin that will add social sharing buttons to your posts so that people can easily share your post on Facebook, Twitter, and so on. I use the plugin Shareaholic for this purpose.

10. Caffeine: Setting up your first blog is a huge job, so stock up on the coffee – you’re going to need it!

What are your favorite blogging tools?

How to Gain Readers For Your New Blog

How to Gain Readers For Your New Blog
This is a sponsored post.

Congratulations! You just launched your first blog. At first, you may feel like you’re talking into the ether when you’re posting for essentially no one. Building a reader base takes time, so for today’s Blogging 101 lesson, we’re going to talk about the basics for driving traffic to your brand new blog.

Gaining & Maintaining Readers: Content, Navigation & Value

If you’re in the process of hiring a web designer and launching a blog for the first time, you may hear buzzwords like “User engagement” or “Customer onboarding” thrown around. UserIQ has a lengthy article explaining what customer onboarding is, which basically boils down to the practice of streamlining your product – in this case, your blog – to make it more user friendly, direct readers to your best content more efficiently, give them an incentive to return, and analyze your traffic data to better refine what you do. For a blogger, your “Customer onboarding” experience is going to focus on three key areas:

  • Content
  • The Internet is an endless rabbithole of websites and entertainment, so if you want to gain readers, you have to offer content that is valuable. What is your blog about? Are you here to entertain, inform, help? Who are you appealing to and what do you want to achieve? Regardless of your niche, you have to offer something that people want in order for them to read. I’ve been blogging for 10 years now, and in recent times I’ve seen a great number of successful blogs fold and shut down. There are many reasons for this trend, one of which is that it’s tough to compete in a saturated market and many people get fed up with it. This is why I think that it’s more important than ever to follow your own voice and offer something unique, rather than trying to follow the same template that XYZ Blog does. What would you want to read? What do you need when you do a web search?

  • Navigation
  • Having a user-friendly blog is very important. If readers can’t find what they need easily, they will give up and move on to the next search result. Make sure your best content is easily accessible so that people don’t leave! And don’t forget your “Other” customer – the PR representatives and companies that you’d like to work with. Make sure your email address and relevant social media links are effortless to find; this may seem like a no-brainer, but I’ve worked on several PR outreach projects myself and you would be amazed at the number of professional bloggers who don’t have an email anywhere on their blog. I wasn’t able to contact those people, even though I wanted to work with them – so don’t let that happen to you!

  • Value
  • If you want readers to return to your blog, you have to offer an incentive. Having interesting or helpful content is the best way to inspire people to bookmark your blog, but it’s not always enough by itself. To maximize the number of readers that you can reach regularly, you can offer something valuable in exchange for them subscribing. Think about offering your email subscribers a special perk, like a free download, an exclusive ebook, or an entry into a giveaway.

What strategies have you found helpful in growing your audience?

4 Photography Tips For Bloggers

4 Photography Tips For Bloggers

This is a sponsored post and contains my Amazon Associates link. As always, all opinions are my own!

So you’ve decided to start a blog! One of the things you’ll quickly learn is the importance of photography. Social media is image-heavy by its nature, and if you plan on turning your blog into a business, you’re going to need to learn how to produce images for your clients in addition to your written deliverables. I’m often approached by aspiring bloggers asking for advice, so I thought this would be a great topic to tackle since it plays a large role in blogging. Here are my top four photography tips for beginning bloggers:

1. Do Your Homework

If you’re a novice, you’ll want to start by learning everything you can about photography basics. You can pick up a huge amount online – Google will point you to hundreds of tutorials and videos explaining the basics of things like aperture, ISO, and so forth; for example, photographer Summit Shah has a blog where he shares photography tips and gear recommendations. Once you’ve gotten to grips with some of the basics, you may want to consider taking a photography class at your local community college to further expand your skill set.

2. Invest in Gear – Wisely

Having a decent camera is important, but for someone just starting out, I’d advise starting with just the basic building blocks. So many people spend thousands on fancy equipment that ends up just sitting in their closet because they didn’t end up getting far with their blog, or just ended up not needing as many accessories as they initially thought. Remember, you can always buy new lenses and upgrade your gear as you progress! For example, I’m partial to Canon’s EOS Rebel kits because they come with the camera base, lens, battery, strap and charger for a competitive price.

Also, don’t overlook the importance of a good lighting setup. Lighting can make or break a photo, so spring for good lighting before you buy dozens of lenses! I personally bought this studio lighting kit off Amazon for $119, and I love it because it includes everything: Four lights and their corresponding accessories for manipulating the light, a backdrop in three different colors, and a carrying case.

Finally – make sure you also have a smartphone with a quality camera built-in! In the blogging world, you’ll often find yourself at events that you need to document on social media, and a full DSLR is not always practical or desirable in these situations.

3. Get (Mad) Props

As a blogger, you’ll likely spend much of your time photographing still life scenes such as products or food. This is where props really shine! You can find hundreds of specialty photo props for sale on sites like Etsy, but I’d recommend starting with items in your home first to get a feel for what looks good. (Again, you don’t need a closet full of expensive, unused items!) Experiment with different colors and textures of tablecoths, placemats, baskets, dishes, and small decorative items. Move your props around and photograph your subject from every angle to see what works and what doesn’t.

4. Practice Makes Perfect

Learning any skill takes time and practice. Good photos don’t magically materialize; they take thought and work, regardless of your skill level or amount of equipment. Keep practicing and have fun!

3 Halloween Costume Ideas Using Wigs

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

Halloween is my favorite holiday! I always have fun dressing up, so I will seize any excuse to put on a costume. I always go all out to make my Halloween costumes as convincing as possible, so I have several wigs in rotation that I’ll pull out and modify to suit the character. Sometimes, a wig is all you really need to pull a costume together! So to give you a little inspiration for your next costume party, here’s a few of my favorite fancy dress ideas using wigs:

Super Villain

Dr. Octopus

Back in 2012, I hosted a Spider-Man themed Halloween party and decided to make my own Dr. Octopus costume using dryer hose! You may not realize it at first glance, but my brown hair in this photo is actually a wig – my own hair was dyed black and blue at the time, so I took a long brown wig that I had and pinned it up to resemble Doc Oc’s famous bowl cut!

Rock Star

My 2015 #Halloween costume: Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran

A post shared by Beeb Ashcroft (@beebashcroft) on

A few years later, I pinned up that same brown wig when I dressed up as Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran.

Adam Levine costume

On another occasion, I used a short black wig and went as Adam Levine for Halloween!

Cartoon Character

And for a costume with true whimsy, all you need is a pink Trolls wig! (And maybe a doughnut dess!)

Super Star Wig

Whether you want to channel your inner rock and roll star for an awesome costume, or just have a little fun with your usual look, Divatress has you covered. Divatress are an online retailer specializing in synthetic wigs, with a slew of fun colors and styles at affordable prices. I’m actually thinking about buying this red Super Star wig for the costume I want to do this year – Elmyra from Tiny Toons! Now that I’ve become the Crazy Bunny Lady adopting multiple pet rabbits, it just seems too perfect, and this wig looks just like her cut and color. I also love that it’s made to be used with hot irons for styling – if I tried that on any of my other wigs, they would melt, so I definitely need a few Divatress wigs in my life! And yes, I love Halloween so much that I’m the kind of person who can decide on their costume in January. 😉

Have you ever made a Halloween costume using a wig?

Don’t Miss Cars.com at The Chicago Auto Show!

Displays at the Chicago Auto Show

2014 Chicago Auto Show


Sponsored post.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll recall that I covered the Chicago Auto Show for Beeb-Log back in 2014. I love CAS – it’s become something of a tradition for me over the past few years! There’s so much to see at the Chicago Auto Show – and I never pass up an opportunity to get a slice of authentic deep dish pizza while I’m in town. 😉 Regrettably, I had to pass up the invitation to attend this year, but for a great reason – Jai and I will be traveling in Europe for all of February to celebrate our wedding with all my family in the UK and do a little honeymooning in Iceland! But I’ll still be able to keep up with all the fun in Chicago while I’m on my trip thanks to the #CAS18 BUZZHUB sponsored by Cars.com!

Cars.com is your top resource for researching new vehicles, as well as buying and selling vehicles in your area. This year, they’re signing on with the Chicago Auto Show as a premier partner to power the BUZZHUB, where attendees can recharge their devices and share their favorite moments from CAS on social for a chance to win daily prizes. Even more fun? They actually made this announcement using a photo of me, Tweeting away at the social hub during the Chicago Auto Show in 2016:


I’ll be following along with the #CAS18 hashtag while I’m in England to keep up with all the news and fun from this year’s show – be sure to check it out from February 10th through the 19th, and follow Cars.com on Twitter @CarsDotCom!

How to Save Money on Running Gear

A post shared by Beeb Ashcroft (@beebashcroft) on


This is a partnered post.

Last May, I completed my first-ever 5k race, Run on The River. Running has been a great addition to my fitness regimen – having a race to train for gives me a tangible goal, but I can still work my my training around my hectic schedule, since the beauty of running is that you can do it anytime, anywhere. Running requires virtually no equipment, but over the past year I’ve collected a few items that make my jogging routine easier and more fun. I’m not one to dump a lot of money on unnecessary gadgets, so I thought I’d give you a rundown of what items have been beneficial for me and how I’ve cut costs.

Saving Money on Fitness Gear 101

Mama told me you better shop around: Before I buy anything, I research my options, check out reviews and read discussion forums. For example, I subscribe to r/xxfitness on Reddit, which is a forum for active women. I’ve found it helpful to see overall opinions and recommendations from other ladies who run and share my needs. From there, I can compare product categories to see how the price and quality stack up between similar items.

Groupon

Clip those coupons: Once I find something I like, I make sure to check Groupon Coupons before I place my order to see if there are any coupon codes that can save me money. Boasting a collection of 78,880 promo codes and sales across 11,833 stores, Groupon Coupons can help me find extra savings with a quick glance. Trust me, it’s worth the 60 seconds to check for a promo code before you hit “Purchase”! I’ve linked to the Groupon Coupons page for each retailer below so that you can see what sales are currently active.

Running Gear: Favorite Products & Where to Shop

Clothing & Shoes:

Activewear and shoes are the only gear you “Have” to have for running, but unfortunately, that’s also the most expensive part! I try to stock up on leggings whenever there’s a clearance sale (usually around New Year’s), but as time goes on I’ve gotten more picky and started to pay more for leggings that I know won’t pill up or ride down. With sneakers, I try to take advantage of price reductions and special coupons when I can, since they’re always so pricey. I had a run gait analysis done last year and specifically asked them to look at my shoes so I could get an idea if I was buying the right kind of footwear, since I don’t want to mess around with something that isn’t going to be supportive; I think that the price you have to spend on your shoes really varies based on personal needs.

Here’s a few deals currently running (pun intended) for shoes and clothes:

Accessories:

There is very little that you need to go running beyond clothes and shoes, but as I’ve become a regular runner, I’ve found a few items that make my life easier. I’ve bought all of these products on Amazon, which is one of my favorite places to shop! Not only do they carry affordable items that generally have free shipping, but you can also snag Amazon coupon codes from time to time that will bring the price down even further. These are my favorite running accessories available on Amazon:

  • FlipBelt – retails for just under $29: This belt is sold by Level Terrain and fits around your waist, holding a phone and keys or other small items. If I’m running around the block, I need somewhere to put my keys, and I personally can’t run without music so my phone is always there, too. I was using an armband previously, but it was getting cumbersome trying to get the phone in and out and keep it from slipping down; it also didn’t work for my house key, which actually fell out and left me searching by the road for it! So after looking around, I saw the FlipBelt recommended many times on Reddit and decided to go for it. I haven’t gotten the opportunity to use it much yet with our terrible Oregon weather this year, but I like it so far – I can put my large phone in it easily without it shifting.
  • Thermos Intak Hydration Bottle – $9.99: I wanted a water bottle that could easily track my water intake over the day, and I opted for this one. It has a simple dial at the bottom that you move each time you refill it, to indicate how many bottles you’ve had that day from 1 to 6. The bottle holds 24 ounces, so I know that if I refill it 5 times, I will have met my water goal for the day. It’s a simple thing, but it helps me, and the bottle is nicely made and sturdy. I had this bottle on my list for a while and ended up ordering it in February with a few other things because there was an Amazon coupon on offer that month which saved me over $8, paying for most of the bottle!
  • Batiste Dry Shampoo – under $10 per bottle: In order to keep my hair healthy, it’s important that I don’t wash it every day, so dry shampoo is my friend. Although I tie my hair up and wear headbands to try to protect it from sweat, I still feel gross after working out and didn’t feel like a little bit of powder was cutting it. Batiste seemed to be the hands-down favorite with female athletes on Reddit and once I tried it, I saw why. It thoroughly sprays your hair down and works through to get rid of oil and make your hair feel clean.

Are you a runner? What are some of your favorite accessories?

Tomato Cream Cheese Tulips Recipe

Tomato Cream Cheese Tulips

Photo credit: Sean Kramer.

I love making playful recipes like Spider Deviled Eggs (Or even Turkey Deviled Eggs!). So I love this idea for tomatoes and cream cheese designed to look like fresh Spring Tulips! This recipe was created by The Hotel Saugatuck in Saugatuck, Michigan and will be served all through the month of May to correspond with a local Tulip festival. If you can’t make it to Saugatuck this month, you can still recreate this recipe at home:

Tomato Cream Cheese Tulips

Recipe by The Hotel Saugatuck

Ingredients:

1 pint grape tomatoes
1 package (8oz) cream cheese
2 bunches green onion
1 large garlic clove
10 chives
Juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch kosher salt

Directions:

1. Cut off the roots and ends of the green onion
2. Let cream cheese sit out for 1/2 hour to get to room temperature. Then chop chives and garlic together using an electric mixer. Next whip the cream cheese, chives, garlic, and salt until blended evenly. Add lemon juice and blend into mixture.
3. Using a skewer, poke a hole in the stem side of each tomato. Keeping the stem side down, make a cross (2 slices) 1/2 way down the tomato using a small spoon (or the tip of an old fruit peeler) scoop out the seeds from the inside of tomato.
4. Take a pastry bag and tip, fill the cut side of the tomato with cream cheese, and
insert the green onion into the hole at the stem end of the tomato.

See a Health Care Provider From Your Smartphone With Health eXpress

Health eXpress

This is a partnered post.

I didn’t have health insurance for most of my 20s, so any of my doctor’s visits came out of pocket. Anyone without health coverage will know the feeling of putting off hospital visits and waiting to see if an annoying condition like a sore throat is really “Bad enough” to have to make an appointment. I became very familiar with the rates for local walk-in clinics in order to cut costs when I had to go in for something, but would still easily have to pay $100 just to have a doctor write a prescription. So when I heard about Health eXpress, an app that allows you to see a health care provider from your smartphone, computer or tablet, the first thing I noticed was that it only costs $39 per visit.

HealtheXpress App

Health eXpress is a very futuristic way to see a provider. This app uses secure technology to connect you live to a Providence doctor or nurse practitioner, who can see and hear you through streaming video. You don’t need an appointment and can connect usually within 5 minutes. You will only be charged the $39 if your condition can be treated by Health eXpress, so if they can’t provide you with a diagnosis, treatment recommendation and/or a prescription, you will be advised to seek immediate offline treatment and will not be charged. This is a great option for conditions such as cold/flu/cough, allergies and urinary tract infections – things that are easy to treat, but are often tolerated over paying hundreds to see a provider.

Health eXpress is specifically for people in Oregon and Washington and is a part of the Providence family, accepting Providence insurance and other select health coverage plans. Although I’m in my 30s and have fantastic health insurance now, I can still see a number of situations in which a “Virtual” appointment with Health eXpress would be preferable to a standard appointment:

  • Getting a doctor’s note: Many employers require a doctor’s note before they will allow an employee to call in sick, resulting in many people going to the hospital for the common cold – and spreading their germs to everyone in the waiting room. Through Health eXpress, you can have a health care provider confirm your cold and write a note to your employer while you sit comfortably on the couch and keep your germs at home!
  • Help for busy moms: Through Health eXpress, moms can check in with a provider without trying to wrangle their children into the car and doctor’s office, making life that much easier.
  • Seeing a provider after hours: Murphy’s law seems to dictate that we will always get sick at the most inconvenient time. When I was younger, I remember counting down the hours over a weekend so that I could see a provider without racking up thousands for an ER visit. Health eXpress is open from 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday and from 8 AM to 8 PM on weekdays, giving you a lot more options!

To learn more, visit HealtheXpress.com to create a free account and download the app on iTunes and the Google Play store.

Have you ever paid a virtual visit to a health care provider like this? Would you use Health eXpress?