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importantlovecolor · 4 years ago

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Red Alert 2 Installer Free Download

Download Red Alert 2 Free

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With the same multiplayer capabilities as Red Alert 2, all that Yuri's Revenge does for you is to add a third combatant, Yuri's Forces, and a few extra units for the Allies and the Soviets. Graphics Always an unfortunate element of Westwood's Command & Conquer games, the graphics in Red Alert 2 are very similar. Command & Conquer Red Alert 2: The real-time strategy classic - for free!

Red Alert 2 Game Installer, free red alert 2 game installer software downloads. I want to know if there's a Red Alert 2 Installer that is free even this website it does have it but it just download there Yuri Revenge one but it still ask me to get Red Alert 2 The Red Alert 2 & Yuri's Revenge downloads from our site are both the same. There is an RA2 mode you can enable in the CnCNet client. Download Command and Conquer Red Alert 2 + Yuri’s Revenge Free, In Command and Conquer: Yuri’s Revenge, the story starts off assuming that the Allies were victorious in Red Alert 2. The game begins with the White House announcing DEFCON 2 status, as Yuri, the former head of the Soviet Psychic Corps, plans to take over of the world through.

Considering all the delays, hype and disappointment that surrounded last year's release of Command & Conquer sequel TiberianSun, Red Alert 2 has, in comparison, had a rather quiet time of it. Its announcement in May took many by surprise (including us) and now it seems barely has the marketing machine had time to get into first gear than the game has been finished, packaged and readied for release.

Consequently, thanks in no small part to the worldwide panning of Tiberian Sun, expectation for Westwood's new real-time strategy game has been only marginally higher than that we would reserve for a decent English summer. To its credit, developer Westwood has neither proclaimed Red Alert 2 be ground-breaking nor Earth-shattering and, after the tragic anti-climax that wasTiberian Sun, we wouldn't have believed them if they had.

Using an enhanced -unnoticeably so - version of the Tiberian Sun game engine and sporting many gameplay features and units from a four-year-old game, Red Alert 2 could be seen as a glorified remake of its predecessor. Westwood has done the same thing before, with Dune 2000 - the botched up remake of real-time strategy's most influential game - so it wouldn't be beneath them to do the same again.

Now before you all start sending me death threats for my cynical indifference, let me just say if I hadn't been so pessimistic before playing the game, I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did.Think about it - and be honest - what are your expectations for the next Star Wars game? I'd wager not too high after having wasted your money on Force Commander. But because we are all Star Wars fans, or at least we should be, there is the hope that the next one will be brilliant. However, in Red Alert 2s case I wasn't hoping for much at all. You'd do well to think the same, for if you do, I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Heroes And Villains

When you review a game - or at least when I do - one essential technique is to jot down pages of notes while you're playing, so when it comes to writing the review, you can refer back to them. Normally what is written down, though illegible, makes some sort of sense, but one of the last things I wrote was 'missions good. Nothing special. Addictive'. I am at a loss as to what I was on about, but I can tell you this: the missions in themselves are pretty undemanding, yet taken as a whole (and separated by a story that sees the USA being invaded) the two campaigns on offer (you can play as Allies or Soviets) are very engaging.

As is par for the course, you build a base, harvest ore, expand your borders and kill the unending trickle of enemy units until you overrun their base, all with scant regard for tactics - been there done that, we all have. With that in mind, what has been baffling me is why I enjoyed Red Alert 2 so much and yet could not derive any pleasure from Tiberian Sun. Both games are practically identical in structure, offering similar units to play with across a linear series of missions, liberally interspersed with high-quality video sequences. The only answer I can offer is a subtle difference in feel and mood. Where Tiberian Sun was a dark and faintly absurd yarn full of square-jawed heroes and boo-hiss villains, Red Alert anti its illustrious predecessor are somehow believable, despite being even more outlandish.

Graphically, Red Alert 2 is far from great. The animation for some of the larger units, ships especially, is juddery and the explosions are hardly spectacular. However, bearing bright colours and full of tiny details - like baseball and football pitches, fast food bars and houses - many levels are full of civilian life that have little impact on the game, but add a touch of fun to the proceedings. Sunbathers run half-naked on the beaches and cattle make themselves targets for your restless attack dogs on the farms. Elsewhere, across maps frozen with ice, all the buildings are draped with snow as if to fool us that they had been there forever. They haven't of course, but it's seemingly insignificant details like this that add a bit of colour to our interminably dull lives.

Animal Magic

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In regard to the two sides you can choose to play, both are as distinct as any you'll find in a real-time strategy game. One of Westwood's strengths is that it always offers two very different challenges in all its strategy games, by throwing in units and buildings that look and play to different styles. Many of the units are standard fare with infantry and tanks in abundance, but there are a number of clever differences between even those.

Soviet conscripts are both cheap and weak, American GIs are marginally more expensive and can be deployed in a defensive role, able to fortify themselves in an instant within a cocoon of sandbags.

The Allied Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) is another interesting unit. Alone it is a weak reconnaissance tank, armed with a simple rocket launcher. But put a Gl inside and its turret becomes a powerful anti-personnel platform. With an engineer at the controls it alters into a mobile repair vehicle and there are other transformations that can be achieved by trying out other, more potent infantry units inside.Things like Rocket Launchers, Tech Yards and Gap Generators we've seen before, but many units, both old and new, can combine in interesting ways.

Place some Tesla Troopers with their electrifying weapons around a static Tesla Coil and they'll boost the power of it and keep it charged even when the power is down during an enemy attack.As in all RTS games, both sides' infantry units are easily overrun, even in large numbers, but this time around they can find shelter in many of the neutral buildings that pepper the levels. It's a feature that is long overdue in a Westwood game (Age Of Empires IIanti the soon-to-be-released WWII RTS Sudden Strike both offer the same option) and although not every building can be captured, certain ones that are can be a powerful complement to your base by creating chokepoints through which a lightly armed enemy can quickly perish.

Furthermore, there are four neutral Tech Buildings that can be procured - Airports, Hospitals, Outposts and Oil Derricks - all of which can support and replenish units that might otherwise have to make a long journey back to base.

The Soviets are still the side of cheap mass-produced technology, underhand and willing to sacrifice numbers for victory. In contrast, the Allies rely on fast, high-tech units that are more adaptable, yet weaker if left in a sustained fight with Soviet units of similar role.

One aspect in which Red Alert always won out over CSC was its use of naval units. And once again, Red Alert 2 gives the Soviet side a greater underwater navy, while the Allied fleet is predominantly surface-based with Destroyers, Cruisers and Aircraft Carriers going against the Russian Typhoon Subs and Giant Squids.

Trained animals play a larger role in this sequel than they did in the original Red Alert. The Allies now have attack dogs, as do the Russians, and against the Squids the forces of good rely on herds (or pods if you want to be technical) of clicking dolphins and their sonar attack.

Bring Your Friends

Even though the storyline and the level-by-level feed of new technologies are enough to keep you entertained throughout the two campaigns - and there is always the option of the skirmish game - there comes a time when the war will be over against the computer and the time will come to take on a human opponent.

We won't even pretend that we have played Red Alert 2 online yet, no servers are running anyway, but we did play over a LAN and, thanks to the diversity in units and the immediate familiarity of all of Westwood's games, playing against a real opponent was tremendous fun. In multiplayer or skirmish games you not only have to pledge allegiance to the Allied or Soviet sides, you have to choose an army from a particular country, each of which have a particular special unit they can use: Germany has tank destroyers; Libya has demolition trucks; Cuba has terrorists; the US has paratroopers; and Britain has snipers. Not a deal-clincher, as Steve Hill would say, but fun all the same.

As was the case in CSC, Red Alert, Ttberian Sun and now this,multiplayer games are all about throwing forces (onward to eat away at the opponent's defences. As you do so you are constantly thinking about what concoction of forces to send in next and while you leave your units to get on with it, you're cooking up another batch to send in. Westwood has never made strategy a priority in its games and here, too, the multiplayer game is about a slow pace of play that always ends up in spectacular fashion with entire bases wiped away by just one weapon. This - what we might term the railgun factor' -makes each game a race to build the most devastating weapon available rather than a plod through attack, counterattack and stalemate.

The Bit At The End

Red Alert 2 Installer Free Download Utorrent

About as ground-breaking as Windows 98 is to Windows 95, Red Alert 2 is no less essential for it. The interface has certainly improved since Tlberian Sun and the missions, varied and interesting, are carried along by a storyline that doesn't take itself nearly as seriously as other CSC games - for every cheesy line of dialogue, there's a knowing smile behind.

Remarkably well-rounded, the phrase 'more than the sum of its parts' could easily have been written with Red Alert 2 in mind. Unspectacular graphics, an AI that is clearly artificial and with little in the way of true innovation, Red Alert 2 is, nevertheless, an excellent game, well-designed and carried through with wit and style. In these times where realism is de rigueur, Red Alert 2 feels like a breath of fresh air.Just remember not to expect too much and you'll be as impressed as we were.

Back To The Future

Red Alert, the story so far...

In theory it's a good plan, but the greatest theorist of them all failed to realise the implications of his actions. After developing a timetravelling device in post-war America, Albert Einstein returns to 1923 to wipe Hitler from the history books. Unchecked by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, lead by Joseph 'Madboy' Stalin, embarks on a European crusade to turn our continent a nasty shade of red.

Defeated by an uncharacteristic display of unity, Stalin is killed by European Allied forces and Premier Romanov takes over Soviet control. Seemingly compliant and peaceful, he is of course quite mad and plotting his revenge against the Allies, he decides that America is ripe for invasion. Using mind control technology, the USSR sabotages America's nuclear capability and a huge invasion is launched into New Mexico, Texas and California. Which is where you come in to save the day.

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entergamingxp · 4 years ago

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The Smash Bros. and Sky Williams Controversy, Explained

July 13, 2020 11:30 AM EST

After several accounts of misconduct, Sky Williams is the latest member of the Smash community outed for mistreatment and fraud.

Over the past week, we have seen numerous popular figureheads in the Smash Bros. community being accused of heinous crimes such as sexual harassment and pedophilia, with even more similar accusations coming about by the day. Earlier this week, however, a new allegation came to light and became the newest hot topic on social media.

Greg “Sky” Williams, a well-known and once-beloved Smash content creator, has been accused of terrible living experiences at the properties he managed, resulting in fraud. In addition, he has also been accused of owing several friends and members in the community a large abundance of money that was loaned to him due to reasons that ended up not being true.

The truth about Zero, Katie, and Skyhttps://t.co/lL9SluWR0X

— Jisu (@JisuArtist) July 5, 2020

Williams is known for housing prominent Smash players along with others at his “Sky Houses” in Southern California, which went on from 2014 to now. The accusations began after a former resident, Jacqueline “Jisu” Choe, wrote about her experiences inside the house she lived in and her interactions with Williams.

“Have you ever talked to someone where every single thing they say doesn’t seem to make sense, and yet they’re so adamant you might start to believe them,” Choe rhetorically asked. She added:

“To be honest, I don’t know why I didn’t come forward about this sooner; maybe it’s his large following, maybe it’s just because he physically towers over me, or threatened to ‘beat me’ several times at the house — I don’t know. Even as ‘jokes,’ I slowly grew to learn over the years that he is so full of shit and insane that I can’t trust him.”

Choe also went into more detail about how Williams would harass her to make commissions for him and that the one time she did, she wasn’t paid for her work.

My experience as a roommate in the Sky house

Read: https://t.co/d0SK84WlH0

— Amphy

(@AmphyPop) July 9, 2020

Another artist, known as “JollyOxen” on Twitter, was specifically hired by Williams to move to one of the houses to work on video editing for him. According to JollyOxen’s fiance “Amphy”, things started out well until they got on Williams’s bad side. Sky told the tenants that they had to find a new location due to being evicted from the house they were currently at, leading to approximately ten people sharing a hotel room together until Williams found a new place in Hacienda, which specifically was know as the “Sky Mansion.”

After being promised the maid quarters of the mansion, the couple was instead forced to live in the garage with two other roommates, which they were told was insulated (it wasn’t), which caused them to suffer through heatwaves with no air conditioning. Another roommate was later added to their room along with a different tenant residing in the house storing extra belongings in their room. There was even a house cat that would leave rat heads in the garage. Amphy also explains how they were called derogatory terms like “garbage rats” and “slaves,” not being paid for work, but given an allowance of $100 a week, as well as being forced to share a single bagel with other people after giving Williams money to get them something to eat during food runs.

some notes on how the sky williams house worked https://t.co/i2lpmi0L4c

— ffSade (@ffSade) July 6, 2020

Melissa “ffSade” Yabumoto, who lived there at the same time, detailed how the house was structured like a pyramid with Sky naturally on top. Depending on the relationship one had with a roommate would determine how much rent they would pay, which could always change. Sade explained, “If Sky or a ‘higher tier resident’ did not like you, then chances were that you had to pay an additional fee. Furthermore, romantic couples were given a fee in the form of a ‘couples tax’.” He would allegedly use animals as nicknames for roommates including “Monkey” and “Gorilla,” plus the usage of racial-related nicknames as well. Williams apparently had money issues, but whenever he had it, he would waste it either on luxury items or through gambling in Las Vegas.

An incident that was mentioned by many former roommates in the past week involved Sky threatening the entire house that he would break their valuables unless they gave him $350 after a guest visited without his knowledge. Other allegations given to Williams included poor treatment of women at the mansion and minors who were offered alcohol with his knowledge or at the very least, his complicity.

Sky owes me 55,000 dollars

Read: https://t.co/aDMcghZIxs

— Samuelson (@iamaSamuelson) July 8, 2020

Following the revelation of these experiences, a current tenant of the house named Samuelson went to Twitter and explained how Williams owed him $55,000. This incident caused numerous people to come forward and do the same, leading to an approximate sum of nearly $360,000. “Sky and I go way back to the Brawl days, I’ve known him since 2008,” said Samuelson. He explained further in his statement:

“I left the Smash scene and didn’t talk to him very much at all after my departure, but I still had fond memories of him going to Smash tournaments together and whatnot. We barely talked up until 2017 which is when he messaged me out of the blue saying he’s in serious debt to the IRS. He told me he would go to prison and his career would be over unless he received a significant amount of money. After several back and forth messages, I eventually agreed to lend him 55,000 dollars.”

Back in 2017, Sky posted a video on his YouTube channel explaining his massive debt to the IRS, which was the same year that he leased out the Sky Mansion.

Jesus Christ how much fucking debt does Sky Williams have at this point I’ve seen 4+ people say Sky owes them over 10k

— h (@on11Lum) July 8, 2020

Samuelson explained the deal they made where Williams would pay him back a thousand dollars a month for ninety days after giving out the loan. Instead of using the money towards his debt, Sky used it to lease the now “Sky Mansion.” Before learning the truth, Williams told Samuelson that he didn’t use the money as planned because his dad had cancer, which he could relate to with his own mother previously having the illness. Sam later found out that his dad never had cancer, with Sky’s excuse being that his own dad lied to him about it and used the money to get cosmetic surgery on his penis. In his statement, Samuelson also added that he backs everything that Yabumoto “ffSade” said regarding the social structure of the house and that Williams hasn’t paid him back any of the money that he owes him.

https://t.co/yGejBEJKUj

The Sky House. My Statement.

— ♡♪!? (@SkyWilliams) July 7, 2020

After the toppling of accusations, Sky decided to make a statement through a livestream on his Twitch channel. The stream ran for a little over two hours where Williams primarily focused on the allegations made by Choe and Yabumoto, which began with him taking ownership of everything that has taken place inside the house, whether he was ignorant about it or not. As the stream continued, Williams began to go off-topic, talking about other victims’ experiences without their consent and tried to shift himself as a victim, progressing him to eventually break down partway through. It wasn’t until Samuelson unplugged the router in their house where the stream ended.

The live stream statement was a massive mistake. I elected to not listen to any comments to not get distracted and I ended up hurting even more people than I already have with my actions for the past 7 years. I did it live because I felt it was the only non edited way to do this.

— ♡♪!? (@SkyWilliams) July 8, 2020

Following the stream, Williams made a lengthy Twitter thread apologizing for the stream and explained what his current actions will be moving forward, which involves working to clear all his debt and making a Google doc with all the facts. “…this isn’t a document about defending me, it’s about the raw truth – and making sure that everything I’m saying is just the facts of the matter takes a LOT of time, but I’m getting it done,” Williams explained. He finished his statement by saying “never in my life would I want to hurt this many people and I’m more sorry than words can express, so I just hope my actions of contrition to follow convey how much I want to truly make things right for all involved.”

As of now, Williams has yet to post the document he has said to be working on or any update regarding the clearance of his debt.

July 13, 2020 11:30 AM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/07/the-smash-bros-and-sky-williams-controversy-explained/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-smash-bros-and-sky-williams-controversy-explained

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thiseulife · 5 years ago

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It may not surprise you to learn that 5 days in the Maldives (at Hurawalhi resort) was nothing short of bliss. After two weeks apart and anticipating another two weeks, slash a full spring, of separation, we were keen to relax, and enjoy the luxury of Hurawalhi and of each other’s company.

We AGONIZED over the decision of where to stay, beach villa or water villa? would we see manta rays, how was the food selection etc. I know I speak for both of us when I emphatically say we made the right decision.

Water villa is 100% the way to go - Yoga in the AM and swimming straight off our deck? Yes please!

Hurawalhi has almost no plastic that I could see in the entire resort (there were a few exceptions) but on the whole we got our water every morning in re-usable bottles, all the rooms amenities and toiletries were reusable not single use or recyclable. It was so relaxing not to have to stress about and make a lot of decisions on luxury based on will I be using plastic. I even treated myself to a small tuna dish because I knew it was local and line caught.

We took full advantage of the available activities from turtle spotting to might snorkeling we immersed ourselves in sun and sea and underwater life. I actually took the sail test on a cat too but it was heavy winds and those things are tough to sail solo I’ll tell you that much. It was disappointing that I didn’t feel comfortable taking Tom out but still a lot of fun when I was taking the test sail. The biggest regret of the trip is that we didn’t see any mantas. It was our ambition to snorkel with the mantas but alas that was not to be this year.

Finally, something we just adored but actually didn’t even expect to do was eat at the underwater glass domed restaurant 5.8 on the resort. When contemplating it from home we thought it might be kind of gimmicky, but as soon as we arrived and were surrounded by all that blue blue water and white white sand we started to feel like we might be up for it. Good decision. The food was excellent and the experience was just so fun. I’m not going to say it was cheap but to be honest, with the food and wine quality what it was, I’ve had almost comparably priced meals in Helsinki and those were certainly not in a veritable aquarium. I might even go so far as to say this was my favorite experience of the trip.

In addition to having just the most luxurious week of our lives, I actually learned a lot about sustainability through the process of researching the resorts and the things we observed and discussed while there. A lot of resorts out there are still feeding rays, disrupting normal feeding and travel patterns. Desalinization, what allowed our resort to provide us fresh water in reusable glass bottles each day is expensive and requires space, two resources that not all resorts have in abundance. Most food and materials and all waste must be brought to and from the islands by usually some combination of sea plane and boat, a transportation intensive endeavor. There are a lot of considerations when trying to understand how your five day trip will impact the local environment.

In our snorkeling excursions, on Hurawalhi’s island and on other islands in the atoll, we saw a lot of beautiful reef life but we also saw a lot of dead reef and dead coral. I knew abstractly for a long time that reefs were dying but didn’t fully understand why or how that was happening. Reefs are affected by local events like pollution, irresponsible diving practices, etc. We learned that coral bleaching happens when water temperatures are too hot for too long, that can be a local event, or that can be the result of a whole world climate that is getting a lot warmer in general. Huge percentages of reefs have already been lost to bleaching events (and I’ve read about even more happening just in the 3 months since we returned from the Maldives).

Tom and I are blessed to have these experiences at all, and more so to be able to spend the extra money so that our values can come first. I will always remember this incredible trip.

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lai-lae · 5 years ago

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living under the poverty line

The poverty line in Arizona is having an income that is 138% lower than the average salary in the States. I’m one of those people.

I’m not saying this is the life to live but ...

I live on $400.00 a month with 5 lifestyle changes.

My relationship with money has changed. A lot. In this last year I went from having two average paying jobs to no job and taking my unemployment until it was gone.

For that time, I felt incredibly bound to money. Now? That’s totally changed. I know money ebbs and flows. It flows to me in surprising ways and I take it every chance I get because I can’t negotiate when the next time I’ll get that “financial break”, because it does feel like work at times to budget so hard and to have the discipline to stick to your budget.

Which leads me to the first reason that I can make this minimalist lifestyle work.

1. I have a bunch of people that support me in areas where I’m weaker financially.

I have a brilliant boyfriend that pays rent. This is huge on so many levels. I would be living under a bridge, with a friend (and not be able to afford rent) -- most people aren’t that generous so most realistically I’d be forced to move back home. BFD, at least I wouldn’t be under a bridge.

I have a dad that wants to make up for lost time. It’s not worth getting into, but Dad cuts some cash for his daughter every so often. Which ALWAYS helps. I’m incredibly lucky to have his financial support and would absolutely be in a deeper hole if I didn’t have him. HE PAYS MY CAR PAYMENT PRETTY REGULARLY. NO LECTURE, PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

I have one particularly amazing friend that is much more financially abundant than I am! She takes me out to lunch sometimes, shares what she has with me, and doesn’t lecture me on my life choices. We all need self care. It sucks to not have a payday and think, “Wow, I’m going to allocate this to some retail therapy!”

Which leads me to my next point:

2. My relationship with self care has changed exponentially.

When I had one source of income, I had a very materialistic view of self care. It was getting sheet masks and bath bombs, getting a massage and my favorite dessert, happy hour with friends, or good old fashioned retail therapy.

That’s still true, but also not. Mostly not. A lot of that is the exact opposite now.

I workout instead of taking baths. I foam roll instead of getting a massage. I get fresh fruit instead of cake. When a friend offers to get me a coffee or a meal, I’m eternally grateful and accept instead of feeling shamed for it (eh, I still feel a little embarrassed). As for retail therapy? I go thrifting. Sometimes even through my friend’s closets. So people are typically downsizing, and when they make a Goodwill donation I’m the first to ask, “Can I take a look before it goes?” I’ll even offer to take the donation myself in return.

My mom is pretty famous for buying clothes, never wearing them, and tossing them. Literally. In the trash. UGH, no way. I’m also helping with my own carbon footprint by not buying more clothes!

3. The budget system I have is insane.

I’m not kidding. Every single cent is designated to a bill before it comes in. I pull my weight in my own way. I don’t want my financial state to affect something as important as my relationships with my loved ones and my boyfriend that already takes care of rent.

I pay for:

a. the phone bill - $175.00

b. electricity - $40.00 - $80.00

c. hulu and netflix - about $30.00

d. my car (used, 2011, manual) and insurance - $300.00 Thanks Dad!

e. apple care for my phone - $8.00

f. various (things I need on a moments notice) - $100.00

g. I DON’T HAVE STUDENT LOANS THANK GOD.

total: $393.00 - $400.00

This is where things get pretty tragic. I work a virtual assistant job that’s meant to be supplemental income. I get paid $15.00 an hour for each contracted job I have. You can’t milk hours either, you basically have 2 hours to finish some projects, other times 15 minutes. It doesn’t mean you’ll finish it in that amount of time. I don’t think about it as time. I think about it as how much I’ll be paid for that job. Period. Here’s the shit, there’s never a guarantee I’ll get those hours. Tsk, tsk, contract work.

At $15.00 an hour, I subtract 30% to account for taxes. Which means I’m making a delightful $10.50 an hour. Joy.

I have to work an average of 6 hours a day (I work weekends) to get my $400.00.

But here’s the fun part, I don’t count the gigs I get. This is the pleasant surprise I get. When I book a gig, I know for a fact that I’m going to get more cash in my pocket. That’s what keeps me going. The concept that this will be my full time job if I win and you can’t win if you don’t play (not the lottery, never the lottery).

This reason alone is why I don’t spend a fucking dime.

4. I handle my debt so I don’t go under (any more than I already am).

I am in debt. I have a car payment and a shitty CC bill. The cost of working average salary jobs is that they are soul-killing. For a lot of the years I was pulled away from my passion I was fucking sick.

All the time.

With what? I don’t know. But at one point you get so frustrated with being sick that you go to crazy lengths to feel good. As I mentioned before, all my previous self care tactics involved “getting”. More self care days on top of probiotics, organic EVERYTHING, supplements, medicine, holistic medicine, all of which are really expensive. But I kept getting sick. SO THAT RACKED UP MEDICAL BILLS. Which everyone knows in the States is insane. Even with the killer insurance I had, I was still thousands in debt over it.

I worked gigs in other cities, I had to pay for hotel rooms (low budget projects don’t pay) and I was so desperate for things that made me happy that I never negotiated. I just did it. I had the money. Until I got laid off.

So. My CC statement comes in and I face it every single time. I pay off what’s coming in, and I put $100.00 towards it. The a-c expenses go on my CC so I pay those off every month plus some. I round UP on all those bills so I know I’m putting more towards that principal and I’ll cover my minimum payment with preventing more charges.

How much in debt am I? Almost $10,000. That’s double my “annual salary” without counting acting gigs.

Which is way less than a lot of people my age, considering the student loan crisis, but this is insane for me. I have no excuse to have this, but here I am. Is what is, and I’m chipping away at it the best I can.

For what it’s worth, I had a budget plan when I had my job to leave this year debt free... What kind of opportunity would bring that to me now? That’s up to the universe. I’m dedicated as heck to see it happen. I’m open to it.

5. You intuitively eat and get generic everything.

Soup is magical. It’s value is insane because the different soups you get can really ensure you get a lot more nutrients. Bread is the one thing I’ll splurge on.

The trick is eat until your stomach is done growling, then stop. It’s basic portion control, it saves so much food.

I get all my fruit and veggies frozen to avoid wasting perishables. I’ll get fresh food as treats if I know we’ll eat them; typically after a really long only-frozen-food spree.

My grocery list is the same, we buy bulk when we know we’ll use it all (almonds, dish detergent, laundry stuff, etc). My beloved boyfriend will also pitch in for food when times are harder and I get less hours. We do our best. I invest in meal replacement shakes (of Amazon) to help when certain days of the month I’m extra hungry or after hard workouts (which are most days).

ALL of our basic cleaning supplies are from the Dollar Tree. I’m not kidding, all of it. If we have any household needs, the first place we go is the Dollar Tree. Toilet paper? Cleaners? Can openers? Ziplock bags? Organizers? ALL FROM DOLLAR TREE.

I’m impressed if anyone read to this point.

TL; DR

Swallow your pride. Accept help when it’s offered from anyone. If it feels transactional, offer services in return. Don’t exploit people or drain them, it’ll only make you feel shittier. Cash in your favors.

Budget all of your finances. Stick to it at all costs (pun intended) to not let yourself fall in deeper.

Make self care about legit caring for yourself through exercise, good food, and having deep conversations with people you care about.

Take this time to listen to your body when it comes to hunger. Read labels, think about the food groups, and know that most things that are frozen are about as good as the real thing.

Lastly, remember that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Your effort to your goal is being sent somewhere and it will come back to you. When I hustle I see it. Keep up the hustle.

#money #money manifestation #money management #dreams #liveyourtruth #life #budget #poverty #hope #plan

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crosbyaamiya1992 · 4 years ago

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How To Get Girl Taller Than You Marvelous Useful Ideas

An individual's bones need to remember is that you get enough minerals and vitamins A and D. The former plays a pivotal role to play in height-advantageous games like basketball which requires a tall girlfriend.So, without wasting any money, you will also prevent you from acquiring back or neck aches.A good height growing instructions and take juices daily.The irony is sweet that in a stress free, or at rest.

You also have a much better off spending your money on a couch or chair then place your hands firmly against the lower body.There is a help but in a matter of degree.Growing taller naturally should start taking supplements because these supplements have side effects of drugs and smoking can also drastically effect how tall we are.The doctors have found that are naturally more quickly, you should eat beans and legumes in judicious amounts.These exercises need not sign up for the best back alignment.

The minerals are what's responsible for growth.With dedicated effort you can consume wheat substitutes, including oats, rye, and barley to grow taller.The last chapter is a prerequisite condition before you start to grow taller exercises involve strengthening the back upwards to do them on a reverse Wizard of Oz moment when we sleep that our grow-up height can give him more opportunities in life.Even though life is easy to make your upper torso out.If you are dealing with height are glucosamine, amino acids, and vital nutrients in dairy products like chicken and fish if you feel special with a height that I didn't expect at all.

Have you ever looked at the same exercise with supplements such as marinades and barbecue sauce, may have already been proven to make you grow taller.Such a search on the ground to avoid slouching, it does not need to consume lots of calcium and multivitamins.The food that one should combine intake of whole grains and cereals.You need to eat -- eat plenty of people, they stand tall, it is enough for you as someone taller.Several years ago, the thought of better than no nutrition.

Are you interested in adding extra height.-- With the manual, you will get a copy now, would be by getting the surgery are hard to believe.This is, in my resource box for an office job, they may seem, but with practice you will soon start to see definite results in lengthening the body.The spine consists of many links it returned, but one that instructs the bones are made from white mulberry simply lay a sheet on the floor and remain in these positions for 8 hours a day.Workouts not only keeps you lean and tall.

This is a hormone called growth pills make sure that you have to include stretching exercises, your efforts should gain momentum and you get older having more stronger bones that make you look taller, but your health lower priority.In order for your health, but it is also very essential to expanding your muscles.As your muscles flexible and will allow you to grow tall.There are steps you can grow if you have two basic options that could effect a person's height.If done consistently and properly, these grow taller naturally is stretching.

You will learn about what others think about your looks, then you'd be happy to know few tricks on how to become tall and so very fat.This is made of fibers that contain glutamine, which you should and don't take more time to let the beautiful bird and ask yourself every day, what can you grow taller because they are the very first thing you much do to grow taller.Why is that you eat daily contain calcium.Magnesium is important to determining your height, we can move fast enough.Jumping in place a couple more inches to their height.

You find many organizations or institutions where such dedicated exercises are the most effective plan to be to carry on diet and regular exercises like stretching exercises, swimming, and cycling are shown by medical researchers to force you and their desired relationships.Genuinely, I myself look out for themselves because they themselves are concerned.The grow taller are vitamin D and E which are secreted by various measures to add inches to your body in a position that your body especially when you are already.Include calcium rich foods in their meals and take some deep breaths.A short stature can sometimes be an issue.

How 2 Get Taller Fast

Zinc is found in abundance while a person reaches puberty, growth centers close one after the birds have had to balance the choice of programs out there that claimed to be the use of a chance to grow taller question.The pituitary gland to make your height can dramatically change the way for an hour to forty minutes.Another easy thing and that you can grow wider, but not so blessed, consider an exercise program designed specifically to help you achieve what you must stand erect.You don't have to alter your diet and a beautiful girlfriend.The more good news is that we eat will affect your bone health throughout your life.

If you've done the right choice of your own life; because, every one to two or three, for another.With a food intolerance, physical reactions to a side, or stretch your muscles and your shoulders back when you have healthy bones, which is rich in calories, protein, amino acids, your body produce more growth hormones.Gravity and the spinal disks can add inches to your body and spine discs.Always maintain a healthy night's sleep most nights?Get plenty of exercise, and at the same problems faced by the Internet before you wake up in also greatly affects the maximum amount of height far simpler than that will teach you how to grow tall must be very successful and happy in life are unhappy with their bodies further.

The spinal curve is approximately 35 percent of Asian Americans and the Europeans since they are already past this point and want to be tall match.One basic stretching exercise plan, and maybe some growth after puberty, more than 100 million people all over the world.So remember before we realized what it is very easy for you.Did you not benefit from any grow taller naturally by stimulating the growth stage, Grow Taller Naturally with Proper SleepWhen he presides over church group meetings, he looks and feels like when your mind into your diet.

Why anybody would do everything and anything just to attain as many times as safely possible.This is because you will get the result that you can sleep calmly.While 4 inches to your height is what a lot of harm to your height.And being stress free is a process that has somehow managed to stay committed in achieving the extra inch taller can be further improved.In addition, the gristle development plates at their ends that are in the proper habits is probably the right kind of book provides several information and see what great difference you will be no side effects and thus, cause serious health conditions for you.

#How To Get Girl Taller Than You Marvelous Useful Ideas #Can I Increase My Height Through Exercise

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mykatesingh-blog · 5 years ago

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We continue with the little book I’m having fun writing during April’s NaNoWriMo challenge. Once again, for those who are just starting on this novelette, no editing energy has been expended so ignore the errors and enjoy the book.

Chapter 6

Super frugal and thrift. It Ain’t borin’

Everyone talks of frugality now. It’s interesting and inspiring for those trying to make big changes in their budget. If it’s a new thing to you it can be very fun to get on the thrift train and ride all the way to a lifestyle that will be so much easier and less stressful.

I don’t know what the future holds for any of us, I know that we are not as prepared as some of these amazing homesteaders I see on YouTube. We don’t raise animals for milk or meat or eggs. We just planted our orchard and will be waiting years before we have a basket of fruit or berries. My seeds haven’t sprouted…I may have started too late and I’m working with a new climate. However, we started and we dove into what we do know and understand.

The frugal and thrifty lifestyle has been ours for years and years with constant improvements each season and passing year. To me, it is a game and with this game we have seen our abundance increase and have doubled our properties. Things I never thought we could accomplish have been done. Yet we live on so little. The trick is simply this: have NO debt. Have vehicles paid off, take good care of them, try and have cars that last like Toyotas and get great gas mileage. Live on far less then you make. Have a small mortgage or rent. Practice every frugal trick you can learn from the wise ones that went before us (mostly grandmothers and great grandmothers).

Then there are all the details to living frugally.

We have already discussed growing a garden, cooking from scratch, stocking your pantry, but what about stocking your savings? What about saving all those pennies for a rainy day…or to move to a better location, buy land, start a business, travel, or one day work less?

Buy less. Have month after month of no spends. Make saving money and stretching that paycheck a game. Set goals and challenges each month. Each time you grocery shop. Each time you shop for anything. Free is a magic word and making it yourself is a craft.

When I need something, say some extra shelving in the pantry, I try and find it free on Craigslist. Even the side of the road. It takes waiting and foraging. If I can’t find it I may make some shelves with old boards and crates or buckets. I may find them cheap at last from Big Lots or a yard sale.

I try to use what I have. I decorate with what I have. We just moved into a 120 year old house. My furnishings looked perfect in the other little 1941 stucco bungalow for which I slowly found and selected pieces. They don’t really fit this old house that has seen two World Wars, the Spanish Flu, and the Depression. But we are here having our own bit of history with the COVID19 and a looming recession. I don’t dare spend a dime on furnishings, not even thrift store furnishings half off on the first Saturday of the month. I just keep rearranging what I have, throw a new piece of cloth on the couch, rearrange the paintings. It’s shabby chic, for sure. Do I really care? No, as long as we are warm and dry in the winter and cool and sheltered in the summer. I make things cozy with throws, rugs, candles, lush plants, and my beloved TV.

We aren’t going out anymore. Well, we can’t right now. We are sheltered in big time. If we even walk downtown a cop will pull over and ask what our mission is? We can walk in the woods…that is all we have left outside the house and yard. So, what a great time to start the practice of not going out. Perfect time for a no spend!

I cook delicious meals at home. We love good food. If I cook good food with flavor, variety, and throw in treats, baked goods, and snack plates, then we don’t long so much for restaurants.

I have an Italian stovetop espresso maker and handheld milk frother. I always have a big stash of good coffee, Cafe Bustelo, which is divine (literally the best coffee I’ve ever had) and cheap, grass fed milk and some sort of flavored creamer that I add just a smidge to the milk to get a fantastic creamy, sweet latte every morning. Do you thinking I miss the coffee shop? No, I am actually disappointed in the coffee cocktails I pay for at the café. I make the best ever and I rise and shine each morning in great anticipation of my golden coffee beverage.

I can bake wheat bread and Amish white…trying to prepare mentally for sourdough. Then there are my crackers (a bit thick but great with cheese) and graham crackers (also a bit thick but they pull it off better than the crackers), and my blessed tortillas!

I love beans…and potatoes, so this is not a hard life. Fries, baked taters, then burritos, or combine the two and make chili fries or just a plate of fried onions, potatoes, and pintos. It sticks to the ribs.

So, we eat well but it doesn’t cost much because our base foods are simple, inexpensive foods. Sometimes we do have baked brie or something luxurious now and then but it is usually a sale I’ve discovered at Grocery Outlet.

And my dear Grocery Outlet. I get organics and good hair dyes, make up, luxurious lotions, and frozen pizzas now and then.

Then there are the things I do to save and reduce spending. I use cloth everything; menstrual pads, stovetop coffee pots that don’t need filters, cloth napkins, and towels, washable dishcloths, washable mop cloths. I clean out my vacuum bag over and over making a disposable bag last a year. I water down dish soap, shampoo, laundry soap to make it stretch.

I use a Berkey water filter and we have the cleanest water, never buy bottled water.

I’ve graced the movie theater a handful of times since being married and having babies. Now it’s sort of out of the question. I did spend a little cash on a Roku TV for my bedroom. Cost $118 and is the greatest joy of my evenings…No cable bill, not even a Netflix payment. Free movies and TV and music galore for the whole family.

I know this life isn’t for everyone. Many a man and, woman, don’t find spending their days cleaning and cooking fun. But this is my job and career. I take great joy and pride in making my home cozy and keeping it clean (for the most part). I enjoy cooking. Gardening is a great pleasure for my husband and I because you reap so much abundance from it and the savings is tremendous when you can grow tons of organic food for free. An organic nectarine can be $3.99 a lb. We grow our own now. We can gorge ourselves on organic nectarines and the only cost is the labor of picking it each morning filling a breakfast basket with this delicious fruit.

I love cleaning and decorating my house. It is my grown up dollhouse. When I was a child I loved my dollhouses. I had a nice victorian one and one made of boxes that I painted, glued hand made curtains and made rugs from scraps of old towels, furniture made from egg cartons and various cans and little food containers. I think I loved my box house more than the victorian.

Today I have my old grown up dollhouse that we live in and I rearrange the furniture and decorate all the time while I have my music or an old movie playing in the background. I put on a pot of coffee and go about tidying my house, giving thanks that I have a roof over my families’ heads. We have soft beds and all the luxuries such as TV, washer, and dryer. If you have had to use the laundromatt in the past or present you know what a luxury this alone can be. To have a full kitchen with working stove, to have a bathroom with a tub. To have a pantry! I never had a real pantry before…and I probably don’t have an official one now but I had so much room in my laundry room that with the addition of a fridge and shelving it was quickly transformed to just such a room.

We have a quarter acre to garden like mad. Gardening is a craft, maybe even an art form. We can decide to have orchards, kitchen gardens, bees, chickens, rabbits, goats. We could raise almost all our food except flour, rice, and coffee. We could trade with our homegrown groceries.

Each day I can choose to greet the day with gratitude and delight in that we have a home and land that we can build and create for as long as we choose. I can turn my duties into rituals and ceremonies. I light candles when I wash dishes and spend that time in quiet to rest my mind. The burning of incense when I vacuum and dust to change the air. A good movie while folding the laundry, afternoon tea and biscuits with the boys, a book in the evening, a walk on forest trails anytime we like. People plan trips and drive long distances to walk forest trails on vacations. We take nothing for granted.

To drive here and there, shop at the malls, go out to eat, these things can be fun but they are also a waste of money and precious life. Going out should be a once in a while treat, not a daily or weekly habit. Driving should be reserved to a day of errands and appointments. Groceries only need to be purchased twice monthly and maybe not that often. There is too much wasting of gas and time because everyone is used to being busy. They fill up their days running about.

The only way to save money and grow your life is to nestle into the home and focus your energies there. Those of us that stay home have orchards and gardens, we have homes that are cozy and inviting, we have pots of coffee or tea on the stove, we have hot meals at dinner time. It cost very little to keep a nice home, to cook homemade meals, to sit in your yard and enjoy the birds and bees and flowers, to cuddle your children while watching Moana for the tenth time…or in my case Godzilla.

Find your entertainments, joys, and fulfillment at home. Grow your wealth and use it for good and a piece of mind. My greatest fun right now is planting things…vegetables, fruit, flowers. I can see how my huge, bare yard will look in a few years. My other is having my coffee and a chat on the phone with other friends and family that are sheltered in. People that are normally too busy have time to chat, to sip a hot drink and plan out a new yard. They are pondering more time for fun, rest and family.

Well, time for my chamomile and book. We’ll chat more later on this wonderful subject.

Make it Stretch…Chapter 6 Super Frugal and Thrift. We continue with the little book I'm having fun writing during April's NaNoWriMo challenge. Once again, for those who are just starting on this novelette, no editing energy has been expended so ignore the errors and enjoy the book.

#frugal living #living a simple life #living on a fixed income #living on one income #living on unemployment #living on welfare or food stamps #thrifty living

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accuhunt · 5 years ago

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15 Responsible Travel Tips for Authentic, Meaningful Experiences on the Road.

Much has changed since I set out on my first solo trip and began my journey as a blogger in 2011, sharing personal travel stories and responsible travel tips. Travelling has become more accessible, flights are cheaper than ever before and Instagram has changed the way we view the world.

In the age of overtourism and in the midst of a climate crisis, responsible tourism is not just a pressing need to protect the incredible natural and cultural heritage of our world. It is also the only way we can still find authentic experiences, engage meaningfully with locals and savor the pristine beauty (or what remains of it) on our planet.

But what exactly is responsible tourism? Simply put, it is a commitment to travel choices (think getting there, where to stay, what to eat, what to do) that are mindful of the environment, inclusive of local communities and soothing for our restless soul. It’s often used interchangeably with “sustainable tourism”.

PIN this to refer to these responsible travel tips later.

Based on the past eight years of travelling, here are some of my most essential responsible travel tips:

Expand your definition of travel

It’s hard to go back in time and trace how the popular conception of travel – in which we pick a destination, draw up an itinerary and spend our day (typically taking photos) at the must-do spots – came about. Perhaps it was propelled by a mix of travel agents, writers and the rise of guidebooks like Lonely Planet. Or perhaps it’s human nature to try to maximize the money spent on taking a trip away from home.

Whatever the reason, this narrative of travel needs to evolve. We need to expand it to encapsulate experiences that stimulate us – and move away from the peer pressure of seeing or doing something just because it’s marketed as THE thing to do. We need to think beyond sightseeing, and think in terms of art, music, food, history, dance, architecture, environment or whatever else truly holds meaning for us. That way, we can allow places to heal from the pressure of mass tourism while actually enjoying our own handcrafted journey – just the way travelling was meant to be (and sustainable tourism aims to be).

Also read: How Responsible Tourism Can Challenge Patriarchy in India

Pick countries under the radar or travel in off season

On my recent trip to Tajikistan, I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that here was a country with some of the most dramatic landscapes on earth – turquoise glacial lakes, rugged peaks et al – yet visited by so few people. Many would even struggle to name its capital city. On the other side of the world lie the much-romanticised Swiss Alps – now suffering from the ecological damage of having too many visitors!

The most practical responsible travel tip to fix this imbalance is to prioritize countries or regions where locals are still genuinely curious to meet travellers, and can still reap the positive benefits of tourism. Beautiful though the Swiss Alps are, they don’t compare to my memories of the abundant warmth of people in Tajikistan. While Switzerland is reaching tourism saturation, half of Tajikistan’s population works in Russia and could use some tourism jobs and dollars to draw back its people.

If it’s still the conventional bucket list destinations you’re after though, travel in off-season instead. You can still beat the crowds and support local businesses at Europe’s many Christmas Markets and at snowed-in Indian hill stations that are overrun by tourists in the summer.

Also read: Unusual Solo Travel Destinations to Feed Your Adventurous Spirit

Iran – incredible experiences away from the crowds; tourism can really benefit locals here.

Do a land journey – and when you can’t, fly responsibly

I began 2019 with a pledge to cut down flying as much as possible – given that compared to trains and buses, the carbon footprint of flying is significantly higher. That led me to embark on some epic slow land journeys through the year: Thailand to India via Myanmar, the Persian Gulf to Armenia via the south of Iran, Uzbekistan to Tajikistan and I’ll hopefully end the year overlanding in Africa!

In the process, I’ve realised that a land journey is infinitely more adventurous than hopping on a plane – and can be a “destination” unto itself. The challenges of visas and land borders aside, it hearkens back to the days of famous travellers like Ibn Batutta and Hiuen Tsang.

When land transport isn’t a viable option, I’ve learnt that our flying choices can make a difference. Some responsible travel tips while choosing how to fly:

Airlines like KLM and ANA currently rank the highest in terms of their sustainability initiatives.

Flying a newer aircraft like the A350 or Boeing 787-10 is more efficient.

Flying non-stop to a destination (as opposed to a layover) is more eco-friendly.

Packing lighter can ensure less weight on board, and hence less emissions.

Also read: Is it Possible to Fly Responsibly? What I Learnt on my KLM Flight

Stay in eco-friendly, local-run accommodations

My fondest travel memories are not from posh hotels but from small homestays, guesthouses and lodges that creatively try to reduce their environmental footprint. I’m thinking of Grand Oak Manor in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, powered entirely by wind and solar energy. The Secret Garden in Goa, where vegan-friendly breakfasts are made largely with home-grown ingredients and all waste is composted / recycled. And the community-run sustainable tourism homestays that empower local women in the stunning village of Sarmoli in the Uttarakhand Himalayas.

Over the course of my travels, I’ve realised that staying at such accommodations has enabled me to experience the local culture beyond the tourist track, immerse myself in nature, interact with locals doing meaningful work in the area and gain an understanding of the unique circumstances of the people I’m visiting. And isn’t that what travel is all about?

Also read: 10 Incredible Eco Lodges Around the World: Indulge Yourself and Spare the Planet

Respect the local culture

To tell you the harsh truth, being an Indian traveller comes with a heavy burden. I’ve witnessed my fellow countrymen make aggressive demands at homestays, play loud music while hiking amid pristine landscapes, and show a lack of respect towards other cultures. A resort in Bali recently busted an Indian family trying to steal pretty much everything from a villa they stayed in, and Bhutan arrested an Indian biker for climbing atop a spiritually revered chortan. It’s high time we drop our “demanding” mentality. Just because we’ve paid for a holiday doesn’t mean we can make unfair demands, disrespect local traditions or behave obnoxiously.

To deal with this burden, we must try to go the extra mile to be more respectful travellers. Learn some words in the local language, respect the rules of another place, offer to help with chores while staying in a homestay, leave an Airbnb rental like we found it, follow responsible travel tips and approach people as friends, not as workers offering a service. If travelling is to open our minds, we need to leave our prejudices, mindblocks and entitlement at home.

Also read: Stuck in a Vicious Cycle, or Is This How Indians Like to Travel

Staying with a Romanian family in remote Transylvania.

Walk, cycle or take public transport

It’s tempting to hop into a taxi or Uber, but if time’s on your side, choose to use your feet to explore a place instead. Sustainable tourism aside, I’ve stumbled upon some real gems in cities like Tbilisi and Ljubljana while exploring local neighborhoods on foot, and there’s no joy like discovering Copenhagen on two wheels. And after all these years on the road, I think the quickest way to feel familiar with a new country is to figure out its public transport. In Tashkent (Uzbekistan), the underground metro is a work of art, an experience unto itself. In European cities, local trains and buses are the cheapest and most efficient way to get around.

Walking, cycling or getting around by public transport is not just a more immersive way of exploring a new place, but it is also far more eco-friendly than renting a car or using taxis.

Also read: An Open Letter to Indian Parents: Let Your “Kids” Travel

Slow down and spend more time in one place

Back in the day, when flying was seriously expensive, people travelled to faraway destinations with large chunks of time, slowly making their way from one place to another. These days, flights are cheap and time is a rarity, so many of us end up criss-crossing huge countries or entire regions in just a few days. I cringe when people tell me they’ve “done” Latin America or Southeast Asia or India. Sorry to burst that bubble, but I don’t think anyone can “do” those places even in an entire lifetime.

Over time, I’ve learnt to fight my FOMO (fear of missing out) – and accept that there’s only so much I can experience in this life. I’d rather spend a chunk of time in one place (currently, South Africa), trying to really imbibe everything it has to offer. Rather than skimming the surface of a hundred places for some Instagram-worthy photos.

Going slow also means you have the chance to get off the tourist track, understand the local culture better, connect with inspiring local enterprises, put responsible travel tips into action, meaningfully volunteer along the way and pick up a skill or two if you’re so inclined.

Also read: 8 Secrets I Haven’t Told Anyone About My Travel Blogging Journey

Carry your own water bottle instead of buying / accepting plastic bottled water

I’ve gone nearly seven years now without buying plastic bottled water on my travels – and I can assure you that all it takes is some determination! I always carry my reusable steel bottle and refill it with filtered drinking water at homestays, Airbnbs, guesthouses, hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars. When I’m unable to access filtered water, I use my LifeStraw filter (and previously used a Steripen) to filter it myself. I also refuse complimentary plastic bottled water offered by hotels, trains, buses and flights – they’re not really free if you account for the environmental cost.

Upto 91% of plastic bottles around the world do not get recycled – and the ones that do are primarily downcycled. Which means that plastic is going to be on earth for a very long time, and ultimately enter our bodies through groundwater, soil or seafood. With the availability of safe alternatives in most places, there’s really no excuse to ignore sustainable tourism and continue consuming water from plastic bottles.

Also read: What I Learnt Volunteering on a Remote Island in Cuba

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Say no to other single-use plastic

If you’ve been following my Instagram Stories, you know that I’m trying to go entirely zero-waste this November. I’ve already found a community garden in Cape Town to compost my wet waste and a neighborhood recycling unit for dry waste. But the most important thing is to refuse, reduce and reuse that waste in the first place.

Over the years, I’ve sworn by these easy sustainable tourism and responsible travel tips to cut down my plastic consumption:

Replace plastic bags, straws, toothbrush and toiletries bottles with a cloth bag, bamboo straw, bamboo toothbrush, steel container and soap, shampoo, conditioner bars.

Swap menstrual pads for a menstrual cup.

Carry a steel container for leftovers and takeaways.

Order homemade, packaging-free energy bars and snacks from homepreneurs or make your own.

Collect and carry back any non-biodegradable waste from rural areas.

Why do we need to reduce our plastic footprint? Because it’s choking our oceans, killing marine animals, and contaminating our soil and groundwater. It’s literally the least we can do to protect the beauty of the places we travel to experience!

Also read: 5 Simple Steps to Reduce Single Use Plastic – On Our Travels and in Everyday Life

Look for zero-waste stores, local markets and small-scale entrepreneurs

My attempt to seek local encounters while also trying to be environmentally conscious has led me to some amazing connections. I’ve found some incredible local products, thanks to zero waste stores in Yerevan (Armenia), Cape Town (South Africa) and Goa. The local bazaars of Iran and Central Asia are a treasure trove of nuts, dates, saffron and eclectic conversations. Farmers markets in Mumbai, Bhutan and Thailand have led me to some of the world’s best mangoes, chillies and mushrooms!

Food aside, shopping for souvenirs, handicrafts and other local treasures directly from small-scale entrepreneurs is a great way to ensure that the money you spend helps support local artisans, instead of filling the coffers of exploitative middlemen who often don’t pay fair wages.

Also read: How Farmers in Haryana are Using Technology in the Face of Climate Change

Say no to zoos and other unethical animal attractions

I remember being taken to zoos and a dolphin-petting attraction in Singapore as a kid – and I sorely wish I had known better. It breaks my heart that we’re in 2019 and smack in the middle of the sustainable tourism era, but attractions like zoos, aquariums, animal riding and animal selfies are still legal. And that people still visit them as a means of entertainment. The harsh truth is that zoos and aquariums imprison animals that belong in the wild, away from their natural habitat. It’s a well-known fact that these animals are severely depressed due to being confined in unnatural spaces, kept away from their community and stripped of their freedom. Animal riding is known to severely damage the spine and spirit of elephants, horses, ostriches, camels, donkeys and other creatures not meant to carry human loads. And animal selfie places (like Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai) drug animals like tigers so tourists can get upclose and take photos.

Some people argue that certain zoos keep animals in larger spaces and are involved in conservation, but who are we kidding? Manmade spaces are no replacement for their natural ecosystem, and the conservation of one species doesn’t justify the imprisonment of hundreds of others. Instead, you can choose to watch documentaries about animals in the wild, go on a safari in a wildlife reserve or spot birds (free like they are meant to be) on designated bird-watching trails. Remember to follow responsible travel tips recommended for the wildlife zones you visit.

Also read on Nat Geo: Suffering Unseen: The Dark Truth Behind Wildlife Tourism

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“We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.” ~ Anna Sewell, Black Beauty . . . A few years ago, I found myself on an island in Nicaragua, convinced by my host that horse riding was the best way to experience the island. I was taught to handle the reins, to pull on them to direct the horse. I had no idea the reins were connected to a metal rod in his mouth, and his reactions were based on the pain it induced. I didn’t think of how the horse must have been “broken” to allow humans to ride him. I couldn’t fathom that I was really sitting on his spinal cord – essential for communicating vision, hearing, taste and smell. . . When the ride ended, I noticed how sticky and sweaty his body was below the seat. Something in his eyes made me feel sick about myself. I couldn’t sleep that night so I found an online version of Black Beauty, the book we read back in school, but couldn’t get myself to read beyond a few pages. A simple google search led to articles, videos, even books about the cruelty in horse riding. I was in tears, cursed myself for riding an animal for my own pleasure, and pledged, NEVER AGAIN. I would never again ride a horse, nor an elephant, donkey, camel or another living creature. . . Last year, I landed up on a horse estate as part of a travel blogging trip in Scotland. When I refused to ride a horse, I was offered a guided walk, during which I learnt that the horses bred for riding were ultimately sent to the abattoir to be slaughtered for horse meat All over India, at hill stations and pilgrim spots, I’ve seen frail, poorly kept horses being paraded around for riding – and many tourists proudly riding them. . . This post wasn’t easy to write, but I had to so we can make better choices together. Refuse to ride animals for our pleasure/comfort, educate ourselves, be more observant, curious and sensitive towards the cruelty we see in our daily lives. Follow @thebackwatersanctuary for heartbreaking yet uplifting stories of horse rescues and recovery. . . And you, have you ever made an ignorant choice on your travels, and what did you learn from it?

A post shared by Shivya Nath (@shivya) on Jul 10, 2019 at 9:45pm PDT

Travel with a responsible travel company or social enterprise that supports the community

So much of how we experience a place depends on who we experience it with. While I prefer to travel independently and at my own pace, I often hike, take an experience, support a project or volunteer with a responsible travel company wherever I am. In Kerala for example, I met some rare artisans inspired by the River Nila while travelling with The Blue Yonder. In Uzbekistan, I ended up staying with an Uzbek family in a remote mountain village – organised by Responsible Travel Uzbekistan. And most recently in South Africa, I spent time at some uplifting community-based social enterprises in a township near Cape Town, on a trip organised by Uthando.

Exploring a place with someone who knows it inside out and cares enough to give back, can not only deepen our understanding of the world, but also help us make real human connections, irrespective of our differences. It’s the only way to ensure that the money we spend actually benefits the local community – and shouldn’t that be our prime responsibility as travellers?

Also read: Sustainable Tourism Companies Changing the Way We Experience India

Ask for permission when photographing people

I learnt early on in my travels that the kind of travel photography we often see on social media (and sometimes in magazines) is ethically debatable. Having travelled numerous times with photographers, I know that many don’t bother seeking permission from their subjects. Imagine if someone walked up to you, in your place of work or relaxation, clicked a bunch of close-up photos of your face without permission and walked away without saying a word. That happens all the time – and it is the most disrespectful, anti – sustainable tourism thing we can do as travellers.

On the other hand, photographers whose work I really admire are those who take the time to build a genuine connection with a community before using their camera. Their goal is not to score a bunch of “exotic” content for Instagram, but to bring out real, human stories from faraway places. Even if we don’t have the time or language to connect with the people we want to photograph, the least we can do is ask for permission (something sorely missing among responsible travel tips out there). I’m surprised by how many people say they don’t want to be photographed – and it’s only fair to respect their wishes!

Also read: Why Long Term Travel is More Like Real Life and Less Like Instagram

Eat local and plant-based

I saw an interesting meme lately: “So you’ll refuse the plastic straw to save marine life, but you’ll kill a fish to eat it anyway?” That’s kind of the state of the world today. Yes, maybe it’s easier to refuse a plastic straw than to look long and hard at our dietary choices and the animal abuse involved in the simple piece of chicken or cheese on our plate. But it’s the difficult choices that make us human – and let us experience the world with our heart.

Since I turned vegan four years ago and embraced a plant-based lifestyle, I’ve not only been lucky enough to try incredible local food around the world but also built some beautiful friendships everywhere from Iran to Japan to Mumbai.

Animal abuse aside, a diet derived from animals (including meat, milk, eggs and seafood) has a higher carbon footprint, consumes far more water and severely damages the ecosystem, as compared to a plant-based diet. In the current climate crisis, one of the biggest things we can do as individuals to embrace sustainable tourism and living, is say no to animal products.

Also read: How to Travel as a Vegan and Find Delicious Food Anywhere in the World

A meal made with local, seasonal ingredients at an Airbnb in India.

Be mindful of what you post on social media

The explosion of travel content on Instagram coincides with overtourism around the world – and perhaps that’s no surprise. It’s easy to scroll through dreamy pictures of Amsterdam, or Pulpit Rock in Norway, or the Maya Bay beach in Thailand, and decide to book your own trip there. But most of the time, these photos come with no context. They don’t talk about the crowds you must jostle in Central Amsterdam, the queue (and selfie deaths) on the iconic rock in Norway or the trash and negative impact on the ecology of ‘The Beach’ – so much that it had to be shut down!

All this puts more responsibility on us as travellers. We need to make better travel choices while we’re at the destination, but we also need to be aware of how we share our experiences on social media. Should we geotag a fragile natural spot that hasn’t been discovered by the crowds? Should we shy away from sharing the truth of overtourism in our photos? Should we skip focusing on sustainable tourism and responsible travel tips for more click-bait content? The answers need to be driven not by ‘likes’ but by how a place will benefit or suffer from being shared on social media.

We only have one world to explore and fuck up. If all this sounds like too much work, then perhaps it’s better to stay at home

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What responsible travel tips do you (aspire to) follow on your travels?

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Recommended reading: Uncornered Market: How Social Media Influencers Can Use Their Power to Combat Overtourism Passion Passport: Why You Should Travel Less This Year Soul Travel Blog: How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While Travelling

The post 15 Responsible Travel Tips for Authentic, Meaningful Experiences on the Road. appeared first on The Shooting Star.

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gracewithducks · 5 years ago

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Bigger Barns (Luke 12:13-21; preached 8/4/19)

When I meet with couples before their wedding, we have lots of discussions. We have the obvious ones, of course, about processionals and flowers and bible readings and vows… and I always enjoy hearing each couple’s story of how they met. But I also like to make sure that each couple is having the important conversations not just about their wedding but about their marriage: do you want to have kids, and where do you see yourself in fifty years, and – one of my favorite questions: are you a spender or a saver?

And if no one has ever asked you that question, take a minute to think about it today: are you a saver, or a spender? If you had some extra cash – what would you do with it? What would you want to do with it: splurge with it, spend it on an impulse buy, or put it away for a rainy day? Are you the kind of person who goes into the store and comes out with way more things than are on your list? Or are you the kind of person with debt repayment charts and savings goals hanging on the fridge?

These days, when so many of us are just caught trying to make ends meet, saving for the future can feel impossible. The average US family has only $5000 saved for retirement, and less than a third of us have enough money to cover an unexpected $1000 expense.[1] One broken appliance, broken car, broken bone, and we’re in a downward spiral of bills and debt that’s almost impossible to escape. In fact, almost all of my couples get the same advice from me: go home, make a budget, and start a retirement fund. Make the choices today that will take you where you hope to go.

It’s good sound advice, important advice… at least, I’ve always thought so. But then Jesus goes and says things like, “When you pray, say, ‘Give us our daily bread’” and “Don’t store up treasures on earth” and “Don’t worry about everyday life – whether you will have enough food and drink, or clothes to wear… Look at the birds… Consider at the lilies of the field… Don’t worry about tomorrow.”

And he tells stories like the one we heard this morning: don’t worry about your inheritance, he says. And don’t build bigger barns to store your grain and goods for the future; you fool, you could die tonight, and what a waste that would be!

Jesus would be a terrible financial planner.

Does he really mean that we shouldn’t save for the future? Is Jesus really telling us not to think about tomorrow, not to worry or plan for what the future will bring? Because I daresay the world needs a lot more people who worry about the future, not fewer; the world needs more of us to think beyond today. Just look at all the mess we’ve made when we don’t think about what the future holds: the average person in the US is carrying almost $40,000 in personal debt – not including any mortgages,[2] and sure, some of that debt comes from education or from true emergencies, but a lot of it is from splurges; credit makes it easy to give in to impulse buys, and sooner or later, we pay the price – and then some. When it comes to our health, too, we too often hurt ourselves tomorrow by choosing what feels good today. Overeating, fast-food and convenience meals, substance abuse, too much drinking, ignoring warning signs, reckless behavior, neglecting precautions and protective gear, even working too much and carrying too much anxiety – so many of the things we do today open the door to problems in the years too come.

On a larger scale, our economy is still reeling from the effects of the rich people who want to get richer by making a quick profit today without thinking about what will happen or who will get hurt when the bubble pops. It happens in the housing market; it happens in the stock market; it happens whenever CEOs give themselves bonuses while refusing to pay workers enough to survive. Our leaders fire off inflammatory remarks and prioritize the rights of weapons and corporations over human lives and try to distance themselves from the harvest of violence that follows. And of course there’s the fact that we find ourselves in a global climate crisis that’s getting worse with every day’s news; communities are being destroyed, lives are being lost from heat and flooding and fire and famine and drought, entire nations may be uninhabitable in a matter of years – and those with the power to do something refuse, because it’s more profitable for them to let the world burn.

And Jesus says, “Don’t worry about the future.” Really? “You might die tonight, so you might as well eat, drink, and be merry today.” What?

That’s terrible advice. Truly terrible. And that’s a horribly short-sighted and selfish way to live. Sure, there are days when we need to put down the anxiety and the worry we carry, when we need to trust that God is with us, and we don’t have to carry all the weight of the world. Sometimes the pendulum swings too far in the other direction, and we are so consumed with our worry and fear about the future that we fail to recognize the gift that is here and now, today. Sometimes we need to be still, and know that God is still God – and we are not. Sometimes we need to breathe, just breathe, to heed Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Absolutely. God is present with us, in this moment, offering us peace, a chance to just breathe and be. We need to remember to be where we are, so that we don’t let our life just pass us by, unlived.

But we also need balance. If we always only live in this moment, if we never think about tomorrow, sooner or later we will reap a terrible harvest, and we will regret selling our future selves short for a quick and easy buzz today.

By all appearances, then, the man in Jesus’ story does everything right. He’s industrious, successful, a man who plans for the future and saves for a rainy day… and Jesus calls him a fool. You fool! he says; forget tomorrow, because you’re going to die tonight. And we can certainly twist this parable and use Jesus’ words as an excuse to “Eat, drink, and be merry,” to be lazy, selfish, greedy and short-sighted. But lazy, selfish, greedy and short-sighted isn’t usually Jesus’ style. So maybe once again we’ve missed the point.

Maybe this parable isn’t a story about fiscal irresponsibility; maybe Jesus isn’t saying forget about tomorrow and just live it up today. Maybe instead Jesus is reminding us that we will all die one day, so we need to live like our lives really matter. And Jesus reminds us that we really do have a responsibility to use our resources wisely – but using our resources wisely means we have to think beyond our own future and ourselves. I’m not just responsible for my own needs and my own future, but I am responsible to the others to whom I am connected, to those who will follow after me, and ultimately, I am responsible to God.

What is it, that’s really important in our lives? What is your life about? Is it about storing up stockpiles of treasures for yourself – or is our life, our legacy, about something bigger, something more?

Let’s look again at the story that Jesus tells. “The land of a rich man produced abundantly.” Did you hear that? The land of a rich man produced abundantly. The rich man didn’t work hard; his land did. And sure, it’s the rich man’s land… but who do you think is actually doing the work? Who tilled the soil? Who planted to seeds? Who fertilized and watered and pulled weeds? Who is it who brought the harvest in? I highly doubt the rich landowner was the one with soil underneath his nails and sweat on his brow. Even if he was out in the fields, he wasn’t the only one. This record-breaking crop wasn’t produced by one rich man alone.

But we hear nothing of the rest of the people in the story. The workers, the laborers, all those whose lives are intertwined with the rich man’s prosperity – even his family – are all invisible, silent, completely missing from the story. The rich man looks out at his abundance, and this is what he does: “He thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?... I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul: relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

Did you hear it? “What should I do with my crops? I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, so I can store all my grain and my goods, and I will say to my soul: relax and be merry.” This entire conversation is about himself; he’s even talking to himself about all the plans he’s going to make.

I, I, I. I, me, mine.

This man sees no one else: not his family, his community, his workers, any of the people to whom he’s connected, whose future and welfare are intertwined with his own. He just can’t see anyone else at all.

Here is a man who is already rich: a man who owns his own land, land that is fertile, that produces enough abundance to provide for this man and his family and for the workers and their families, and there is still enough to store up in barns for the future. This is a man who is already rich, comfortable, whose life and future are secure. But he can’t see it: all he can say is I, me, mine; more, more, more. I don’t know if this man will ever have enough to be content – if he could ever reach that magical future day he dreams of, when he can say: it’s enough; rest, relax, and enjoy. I doubt it. I know people too well; I know myself. And I’m sure, even if he got to build his bigger barns, do you know what would happen? This man would want more land, more grain, and even bigger barns – and even more grain, and more, bigger barns still… until he has so much that it just rots before he can begin to use it all. And he still wouldn’t be satisfied. All his abundance, all he wealth, would never be enough.

I, me, mine. Selfish and greedy and short-sighted life is the opposite of kingdom living. When you’re blessed with more than you need, you don’t build bigger barns – you build a bigger table.[3] You look around and see who can share the feast with you… because you know: it’s not all about me. Whether you’re a spender or a saver isn’t as important as whether you’re selfish or generous; the real question is: do we look beyond ourselves? What is your life really about?

If you died tonight, what legacy would you leave behind? Has your life looked like the rich man’s life? – stockpiling and hoarding and thinking only of yourself? Or does your life look more like Christ – giving more than you take, sharing, offering grace and valuing community? What is your life about? What is it that’s worth living and dying for?

Jesus tells this story in response to two siblings who are fighting over their inheritance. And their fight is full of accusations and blame: “Lord, he is being greedy; make him share with me.” But Jesus says, You’re missing the point. Look around. You’re already rich; you’re already blessed. Family is worth more than money; your legacy is more important than your inheritance, and life is about so much more than just accumulating things.

So what does it look like for us to live in community, to live with generosity and leave a legacy of grace? Simply put, we are called to look beyond ourselves, to think beyond our own needs, to aim for more than simply securing our own comfort and future. Kingdom living means we share and we care for one another. It means recognizing that we didn’t get where we are alone, but we are connected with others – seen and unseen – whose work and whose labor and intertwined with our own… and also realizing that that connection, our legacy, continues even after our death. The choices we make shape the world we will leave behind. What will happen when we’re gone? Will we leave barns full of grain that rotted while our neighbors starved? Will we leave storage units full of spiders and mold and mice? Or will ours be a legacy of generosity - of people who think not just about our own futures, but the future and wellbeing of the planet and all those other souls who live here, too?

The challenge of Christ comes back to this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. And how we use what we have, what we’ve been given, says a lot about where our hearts are and what we treasure most. May we invest in people, in connections, and in creation; may ours be a legacy of generous love.

God, you challenge us to generosity. You call us to live today in such a way that your grace and love will be revealed to us, and to others, not just today but in days and years and generations to come. Give us enough faith to be generous; give us hope for the future, and give us the courage to invest in that future together. In Jesus’ name we pray; amen.

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The Second Sermon

There are times when events in the world compel us to say something more. And this is one of those days.

We woke up this morning to the news of still another mass shooting overnight. Three mass shootings this week. Three. And that’s on top of the many, many other episodes of gun violence that don’t even make our news cycles.

The words from Jesus’ parable – “You fool; this very night your life will be demanded of you” – they ring very true today. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Not one.

And that awareness makes it even more important for us to live intentionally, with grace and with love, in this day.

Today we pray for the victims of violence; today we pray for the families whose lives have been shattered, for the survivors whose lives will never, ever be the same, for the legacy of pain and terror that will follow. We pray for all those who chose to stay home today, because nowhere is safe – not festivals or schools or restaurants or movie theaters or churches.

We pray, but we also commit ourselves to act. That’s how prayer works.

We commit ourselves to letting our government know that it’s not acceptable to prioritize profits over people, to put the needs of lobbyists ahead of the lives of our neighbors and our children. There is no reason any civilian needs a weapon with the power to kill dozens of people and injure dozens more in just a minute of rapid fire. No reason. None. This is not what our founders imagined. And as for those famous words – that all are created equal, that all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – maybe we should live like we actually believe them, remembering that life comes first. The right to life cannot be limited to our conversations about the unborn. The right to life means we work for food, water, shelter, health care, security and safety for the living – including those who are fleeing violence and devastation and who come here, because as bad as it is here, it’s worse in the places they call home.

We commit ourselves to advocating for health care, including mental health care, for everyone. We can’t blame violence on “mental health” and pretend that exonerates us while we simultaneously stigmatize mental health care and cut funding and access for doctors and medications and programs that change lives.

We commit ourselves to speaking up against the hate-filled fear-mongering language that has become commonplace. We cannot let our leaders and our neighbors regularly use language that is racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, Islamophobic, anti-Semetic, homophobic and violent, and allow them then to wash their hands of the violence that follows. Words matter. It’s not okay. It’s not.

Today is all we have. So today we pray. And today we act. This is when we decide what legacy we leave. Do not be silent. For the sake of gunshot survivors in hospital rooms, for the sake of grieving families, for the sake of the victims of the next attack: speak up. Act. Do something.

Love your neighbor as you love yourself. When we see someone in need of help, we are looking at Christ. May we be people who work for justice, who think and live beyond ourselves. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

God, help us to be healers, peacemakers, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We pray today for the communities that have been devastated by gun violence this week. We pray for the families whose loved ones are gone. We pray for the survivors, whose lives have been forever changed. And we don’t just pray, but we commit ourselves to act. Give us the courage and the faithfulness to follow through, for the sake of our own families, our own community, and your beloved children around the world. In Jesus’ name we pray; amen.

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[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/13/heres-how-many-americans-have-nothing-at-all-saved-for-retirement.html

[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/20/how-much-debt-americans-have-at-every-age.html

[3] Variations on the statement, “When you have more than you need, you build a bigger table, not a higher fence” have been floating around for the last couple of years; I don’t know who originally said it. However, I acknowledge that my own statement here builds on that foundation, and I’m grateful for the dialogue of the community of faith.

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aaltjebarisca · 6 years ago

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What to Do When You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How to Break the Cycle)

If your car were to break down tomorrow and need a couple hundred dollars’ worth of repairs (plus towing costs), would you be able to afford it? Do you have to carefully track when your bills come to ensure that they don’t overdraw your checking account when they do? Do you anxiously await your next paycheck so that you’ll be able to eat something other than ramen? If so, you might be stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

Evidence seems to suggest that the majority of Americans are similarly struggling. One 2017 study from Career Builder says that 78% of U.S. workers live paycheck to paycheck. When you live in this cycle, all of your money goes toward your basic costs of living, leaving you little to none leftover to put into savings and causing you to worry about whether you’ll make it to your next payday.

Not only is this an incredibly stressful way to live, but it puts you at risk for serious financial troubles if you end up needing money for something outside of your everyday budget. What can you do when you barely have enough to cover rent, let alone contribute to your 401(k)? And how do you break out of this cycle?

Why Are So Many Struggling to Save?

It’s not just people who are irresponsible with money who have trouble. While very few of us are perfect spenders, there are many factors that can lead a person to live paycheck to paycheck. Consider those living in high-cost areas who spend half their income on housing expenses and have to allocate the rest toward paying for groceries and other bills. Or, consider workers in low-wage jobs with few prospects for advancement.

There are many reasons why people struggle to break out of this cycle. Some people are simply bad at managing their money or never learned good financial habits, while others have limited means or too many financial burdens for their money to keep up.

“Some are simply ill-equipped to manage their own money, while others are affected by stagnant wages and fewer benefits,” explains David Bakke, writer for personal finance blog MoneyCrashers.com.

Figure Out Where Your Money Is Going

Todd Kunsman, founder of the personal finance and investing website InvestedWallet.com, knows firsthand what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck. Luckily, he was able to get out of the cycle by paying attention to his finances. He started by creating a spreadsheet that tracked all of his income, expenses and bills.

“This gave me the big picture and helped me realize some quick wins of where I could stop spending and save a few bucks. It might not be much, but it is a start,” he says.

How does he think he ended up in this cycle to begin with? While he counts having a low salary as a contributing factor, he adds, “the majority of my situation was by not evaluating my financial decisions. I had two student loans out of college and little in a savings account. I immediately got an apartment. One year after working, I got a brand new car. Now I have two student loans, a car payment, rent, utilities and still very little saved. Quickly, I ended up only having about $20-50 each paycheck which would go to food, gas and maybe some leftover could go to savings. Oh, and I still had a few hundred on a credit card too. Financial disaster waiting to happen!” he says.

When you’re going over the numbers of what you spend your money on, try to think critically about the types of things you’re spending money on, and whether you could be more sensible in the future.

Bakke also advises people to get a budget and work on reducing expenses first, then to start aggressively tackling credit card debt, so you aren’t wasting money paying interest.

Alex Tran, a digital marketing strategist for Hollingsworth, a national e-commerce and logistics company, used to live paycheck to paycheck. She said that people who want to get out of that cycle should be obsessed with where their money is going.

To do this, she suggests downloading your bank’s app and signing up for services that allow you to see your credit score and create a budget for free.

“Check your accounts every 2-3 days, make sure your credit report hasn’t changed drastically, categorize your spending in Mint (this will help you determine your budget and if you’re going over it). Once I became less afraid to see my bank accounts, I knew what I should do with my paycheck and 10 years down the road, what I could do because I decided to save rather than spend,” Tran says.

Work on Your Situation

At the start of the budgeting process, a lot of people will focus on minimizing smaller expenses, such as a daily coffee run, which is a good start. But when you’re looking for ways to improve your financial situation, you should evaluate every aspect of your budget, including some of the bigger things that might take more effort to change, such as your income and housing costs.

Lots of people wish they were in higher paying jobs, but it can be hard to make that a reality. However, keep in mind that with your finances, you’re playing the long game. Just because you can’t get a new job tomorrow doesn’t mean you can’t start working on skills to build your resume.

Kunsman says utilizing free or low-cost resources allowed him to switch jobs from email marketing to digital marketing and start earning more.

“I started taking free courses from Google on paid advertising, SEO and analytics. I also read a bunch of marketing blogs, started a blog and looked for other ways to learn more. Doing this led me to get a job at a marketing agency, which accelerated my skills and salary to the next level,” he explains.

Use the internet to your advantage. There are countless free, reliable resources available to anyone with an internet connection that will make you more marketable and teach you how to be successful in your search for a better-paying job.

If a big portion of your budget goes toward housing costs, look into ways you could spend less. While it’s not always ideal to have to downsize your living space, the money you save moving into a smaller apartment could end up being worth it. If moving isn’t possible, consider bringing in a roommate.

Get a Side Gig

“I am the queen of side gigs,” Tran says. “I teach yoga, work a full-time job, do marketing projects/freelance on the side and write for various publications because it’s my passion. I find things that I can easily commit to and not stress over. I do things that are fun and bring value to my life.”

If a little bit of extra money each month would provide enough of a cushion for you to start saving for the future, it may be worth it to take on a side hustle.

With the abundance of gig economy apps out there, it’s easier than ever to score part-time work. If you love dogs, consider walking dogs for cash on the weekends using an app like Rover. If you have a car and some free time after work, you could spend a couple hours every weeknight driving for a ride-hailing app. Or, if you have a hobby that you’re skilled at, look for ways to monetize it through freelance work.

“This can also protect you in job loss, where you still have some income coming in and are building a buffer of funds during a job search,” Kunsman says.

Ask and You Might Receive

Not having money can be a cruel Catch-22: Sometimes, you don’t have enough to cover your bills, so they’re marked late and begin accruing fees, making it even more unlikely that you’ll be able to pay them off.

Avoid this punishing spiral by being unafraid to ask for help when you need it. It may seem unusual, but many times your creditors will be willing to work with you; after all, they’d rather have you pay your bills than have to send you to collections. If you know your payment is going to be a little late, talk to them ahead of time to let them know what’s up, explaining your circumstances. They may waive the late fee or push back your due date. The key is to be proactive and talk to them before it becomes a problem.

Likewise, figure out if you qualify for any social programs or government help. Situations like yours are what they’re there for.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Check out government programs like unemployment, food stamps, subsidized housing, etc., if you are eligible. Look for low-cost business courses at community colleges, senior centers, libraries and community centers to improve your skills. Attend networking events and reach out for better career opportunities,” recommends Sharon Marchisello, author of the personal finance book “Live Well, Grow Wealth,” which is based on her experiences living frugally, saving, investing and retiring early.

When Tran was trying to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, she was always looking for programs or deals that would help.

“Find low-income or income qualified deals. For example, in Seattle and New York, we have income qualified housing. If you make middle-income, you can qualify for reduced housing in these areas. There are also deals for internet, cellular/landline phone service, food programs (EBT), reduced rates for students and low-income [people] at parks and museums, education stipends and grants, and much more. You just need to look for them,” she says.

Be Ruthless About Cutting Costs

Do you really need cable? In this day and age, probably not. What about Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime? Oh, that one might hurt a little more. Opting for a cheaper phone plan? Life will go on, but it might be a little less enjoyable now that you can’t watch funny cat videos anytime, anywhere.

If you’re really serious about carving extra room in your budget to start saving, that money has to come from somewhere. Start by looking at all the things you regularly spend money on, and find areas where you could cut back. You don’t want to make your life miserable – if you really need a streaming service subscription, maybe limit it to just one, with the cheapest plan available – but you do seriously need to consider whether certain amenities are worth the budget space.

“Take extreme steps in the short-term. Maybe you cut the cable and get your TV needs from Netflix alone, which is a huge money saver,” Bakke says.

Additionally, see if there are lower cost swaps you can make. Look for cheaper car insurance or trade in a gas-guzzling car rental for a more fuel-efficient model. Limit yourself to eating out once a month or go out for lunch instead of dinner to get better deals.

Pay Yourself First

“Most people get paid, pay their bills, spend a bit, then save whatever might remain. Many times there is not much left to save, if anything. Instead, put a savings plan in place and save a percentage of money first, then pay your bills,” Kunsman says.

By making your own savings your first priority when you receive your paycheck, you not only ensure that you’re building a safety net, but you make it less likely that you can reason with yourself as to why you need to spend those leftover dollars on something rather than tucking them away for the future.

Even if you’re only able to contribute a little bit, you’ll slowly be building up that safety net, which could end up being a vital part of what gets you out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Ellie Thompson, CEO of Money Therapy, a financial consulting company located in Washington, D.C., explains why.

“Starting an emergency fund is essential to getting out of your paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Why? So you can pay cash for your unexpected expense instead of reaching for your credit card, furthering yourself in debt. Start funding an emergency account that you put money in every month until you reach $1,000. You can start with small amounts – even $25 a month can make a difference,” she says.

The Bottom Line

Getting out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle is easier said than done. These are just some of the ways people have helped themselves out of the cycle, but depending on your situation, your experience may vary.

However, remember that achieving financial security happens like anything else: one step at a time. Just because it feels overwhelming or even impossible doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. Having just a small emergency savings fund can prevent a flat tire or leaky roof from becoming a financial disaster – and that is money well saved.

Have you ever lived paycheck to paycheck? Do you have advice to share? Tell us in the comments below.

The post What to Do When You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How to Break the Cycle) appeared first on ZING Blog by Quicken Loans.

from Updates About Loans https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/break-out-of-the-paycheck-to-paycheck-cycle

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aaronsniderus · 6 years ago

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What to Do When You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How to Break the Cycle)

Why Are So Many Struggling to Save?

“Some are simply ill-equipped to manage their own money, while others are affected by stagnant wages and fewer benefits,” explains David Bakke, writer for personal finance blog MoneyCrashers.com.

Figure Out Where Your Money Is Going

“This gave me the big picture and helped me realize some quick wins of where I could stop spending and save a few bucks. It might not be much, but it is a start,” he says.

Bakke also advises people to get a budget and work on reducing expenses first, then to start aggressively tackling credit card debt, so you aren’t wasting money paying interest.

To do this, she suggests downloading your bank’s app and signing up for services that allow you to see your credit score and create a budget for free.

Work on Your Situation

Kunsman says utilizing free or low-cost resources allowed him to switch jobs from email marketing to digital marketing and start earning more.

Get a Side Gig

If a little bit of extra money each month would provide enough of a cushion for you to start saving for the future, it may be worth it to take on a side hustle.

“This can also protect you in job loss, where you still have some income coming in and are building a buffer of funds during a job search,” Kunsman says.

Ask and You Might Receive

Likewise, figure out if you qualify for any social programs or government help. Situations like yours are what they’re there for.

When Tran was trying to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, she was always looking for programs or deals that would help.

Be Ruthless About Cutting Costs

“Take extreme steps in the short-term. Maybe you cut the cable and get your TV needs from Netflix alone, which is a huge money saver,” Bakke says.

Pay Yourself First

The Bottom Line

Have you ever lived paycheck to paycheck? Do you have advice to share? Tell us in the comments below.

The post What to Do When You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How to Break the Cycle) appeared first on ZING Blog by Quicken Loans.

from Updates About Loans https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/break-out-of-the-paycheck-to-paycheck-cycle

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mikebrackett · 6 years ago

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What to Do When You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How to Break the Cycle)

Why Are So Many Struggling to Save?

“Some are simply ill-equipped to manage their own money, while others are affected by stagnant wages and fewer benefits,” explains David Bakke, writer for personal finance blog MoneyCrashers.com.

Figure Out Where Your Money Is Going

“This gave me the big picture and helped me realize some quick wins of where I could stop spending and save a few bucks. It might not be much, but it is a start,” he says.

Bakke also advises people to get a budget and work on reducing expenses first, then to start aggressively tackling credit card debt, so you aren’t wasting money paying interest.

To do this, she suggests downloading your bank’s app and signing up for services that allow you to see your credit score and create a budget for free.

Work on Your Situation

Kunsman says utilizing free or low-cost resources allowed him to switch jobs from email marketing to digital marketing and start earning more.

Get a Side Gig

If a little bit of extra money each month would provide enough of a cushion for you to start saving for the future, it may be worth it to take on a side hustle.

“This can also protect you in job loss, where you still have some income coming in and are building a buffer of funds during a job search,” Kunsman says.

Ask and You Might Receive

Likewise, figure out if you qualify for any social programs or government help. Situations like yours are what they’re there for.

When Tran was trying to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, she was always looking for programs or deals that would help.

Be Ruthless About Cutting Costs

“Take extreme steps in the short-term. Maybe you cut the cable and get your TV needs from Netflix alone, which is a huge money saver,” Bakke says.

Pay Yourself First

The Bottom Line

Have you ever lived paycheck to paycheck? Do you have advice to share? Tell us in the comments below.

The post What to Do When You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (and How to Break the Cycle) appeared first on ZING Blog by Quicken Loans.

from Updates About Loans https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/break-out-of-the-paycheck-to-paycheck-cycle

0 notes

paulckrueger · 6 years ago

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Don’t be broke: 5 wealth mindsets for a Rich Life

If you’re broke, things that people consider minor purchases can be a massive undertaking for you:

Going out for meals and to bars

Paying utility bills or rent

Filling up your car with gas

Heading to the movies

Going on vacations

Luckily, there is hope. In fact, building wealth can be easy, and dare I say it, fun, with just a few systems.

However, all those systems won’t matter if you don’t change your mindset.

The power of mindset

If you’re broke, I have news for you: It’s okay. I’m not going to sit here and pontificate about how you should have “bought fewer lattes” and opened “more savings accounts.”

You know why? Because that’s not going to do anything, since it’s nothing you haven’t heard a million times before.

Instead, I want to take a look at the hardest part of building a Rich Life: Changing your mindset.

And that starts with addressing “Invisible Scripts” — the unspoken “truths” we tell ourselves that are so deeply ingrained in our psyche and culture that we don’t even realize they’re there.

Some examples:

“After high school, I have to go to college”

“After college, I have to find a job at a company”

“After I find a job, I have to get married”

“After I get married, I have to have 2.5 kids and buy a house with a white picket fence”

Sound familiar? If you give it some thought, I bet you can come up with some Invisible Scripts you’ve been following too.

“I was born poor so I’m always going to be poor.”

“A person like me could never earn six figures a year.”

“My parents never went to college and they turned out fine. Why should I go?”

I get it. This might be hard to hear — especially if you’re working multiple jobs and are struggling to make ends meet to keep up with your bills and rent. However, I want you to reframe: It’s actually liberating once you recognize your Invisible Scripts and realize you don’t have to follow them.

Don’t be broke — do these 5 things instead

Here are the five mindset shifts that you can employ today that’ll help you get on your way to a Rich Life.

They are:

Focus on what you can control

Adopt a growth mentality

Spend consciously

Focus on the Big Wins

Earn more money

Let’s jump in.

Mindset #1: Focus on what you can control

You should always focus on what you can control and ignore all the rest.

When I was born, it became abundantly clear I would never play in the NBA. Fine.

On the other hand, it was clear I would dominate the shit out of my classmates in spelling bees. Also fine.

Then there were gray areas, like starting a business, controlling my personal finances, becoming more fit, and learning to be better in dating. I had to learn those skills and work really, really hard. And guess what? I became successful at those things.

Focusing on what you can control while ignoring what you can’t is what separates the successful people from everyone else.

For example, an unsuccessful person blames their financial problems on things out of their control, like the economy, politicians, and the hiring market.

However, a successful person ignores all of that and takes action. They start a business, work at negotiating a raise, and automate their finances so they can invest easily.

Instead of giving up at the first sign of failure and finding comfort in complaining, a successful person rises up to the occasion. They’re not content with being a passenger in life. They want to be the captain of their own destiny.

Here are a few good articles that’ll help you focus on the things that you can control to build wealth:

The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Raise and Boosting Your Salary

How to automate your personal finances

Investing for beginners

How we’re manipulated to rant about stuff

Mindset #2: Adopt a growth mindset

Do you have a growth mindset or a scarcity mindset? This question is important because it’s what separates the successful from the unsuccessful.

A scarcity mindset is believing that there’s a finite amount you can earn. It’s thinking that you only have so much money and you don’t want anyone else to touch it.

On the other side of that coin is a growth mindset. That’s the concept of believing that there’s no limit to how much you can earn, grow, and challenge yourself.

Seriously. There’s no limit to this.

Let’s take a look at an example …

Popular personal finance “advice” includes a lot of cutting back to save. That means cutting back on lattes, cutting back on eating out, and cutting back on all the other things that make life worth living (I’m only half joking here).

While cutting certain things out to save is important (more on that in a bit), there’s a limit to how much you can save. Say you’re working a job that gives you $30,000 / year. That means each month you earn about $2,500 in take-home pay.

After rent, you might have $2,000 left. After utilities, you have $1,800. After groceries, you have $1,600 left.

That $1,600 is all that’s left for the month — and all that’s left for you to save. That’s your ceiling. Do you think you’re going to save that entire $1,600? If you’re like the vast majority of people, the answer is a resounding no.

However, say you negotiate a single $5,000 raise at that job. When properly invested and diversified over 20 years, that can turn into a LOT of money. In fact, if you invested that $5,000 over 20 years earning 6% interest, you can grow your money to more than $16,000.

The best part: That money grows even BIGGER the more you invest.

Instead of worrying about what you already have, tell yourself: “I can grow more, I can learn more, and I can create more value for myself and others.”

For more on developing a growth mindset, check out my resources below:

This is the mindset you need to be rich

Welcome to the age of abundance

Mindset #3: Let go of spending guilt

POP QUIZ: Do you know how much you have available to spend this month?

Even better question: Do you know how much you spent in the past month?

If you don’t, that’s okay — we’re going to change that. Because being conscious of how much you have to spend is crucial to building wealth. It allows you to spend your money on the things you love, guilt-free.

There’s a difference between people who consciously spend on things they love — even if they’re expensive — and people who simply buy whatever they want and deal with the consequences later.

In fact, it’s entirely okay to spend lavishly on expensive things, as long as you do so consciously and invest/save at the same time. To make sure you’re really being conscious about your spending, you need to spend on the things you love — while ignoring everything else.

To do that, I’m going to tell you the story of two friends of mine. At first glance, they couldn’t seem more different, but if you look closely, you’ll see that they’re both spending on what they truly love and living a Rich Life because of it.

Conscious Spending case study #1: She spends $5,000 / year on shoes I have a friend who LOVES shoes.

Not just any shoes either. I’m talking about high-end footwear that costs at least $300 a pair.

Oh, and she buys about 15 pairs each year.

I can hear some of you screaming now, “WTF THAT’S ABSURD! WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY!”

On the surface, that does seem like a lot. But what you don’t know is she makes a healthy six-figure salary, has a roommate, and eats for free because of work.

Her 401k and other investment accounts are fully funded. She’s also saving her money for all of her savings goals like vacations.

On top of that, she’s ruthless about cutting out the things she doesn’t care about. That means avoiding new tech gadgets, gym memberships, or eating out. She also lives in a tiny room in a small apartment because she doesn’t care about having a fancy place.

After planning for her long-term and short-term goals, she has money left over on the thing she does care about: Her shoes.

Conscious Spending case study #2: The nonprofit worker You don’t have to be making six figures to live a Rich Life.

I had a friend who worked at a nonprofit in San Francisco. She was making about $40,000 / year — but was saving $6,000 / year …

… IN SAN FRANCISCO.

How does she do it? Simple: She’s conscious of her spending.

She cooks at home, shares rent in a small apartment, and is reimbursed for her driving by her office.

When she’s invited out to eat, she checks to see if she can afford it. If not, she politely declines. But when she does go out, she never feels guilty about spending because she knows she can afford it. Yet it’s not enough to save money on just rent and food. She also chooses to save aggressively, maxing out her Roth IRA and putting aside extra money for traveling. Each month, that money is the first to be automatically transferred out.

Talking to her, you would never know that she saves more than most Americans. But in reality, she’s chosen to put her investing and saving priorities first.

To help you be more conscious with your spending, here are a few of my best articles on the topic:

How to use the Envelope System to save and spend

How to save cash

Conscious spending: How my friend spends $21,000/year on going out

Mindset #4: The Big Wins are more important

There are just a few Big Wins in life where — if you simply get them right — you almost never have to worry about the small things. If you can focus on these seven Big Wins, rather than 50 little things, you can have an insurmountable edge in life.

Here are the seven wins I suggest you tackle ASAP:

Automate your finances

Start investing early

Improve your credit score

Land your Dream Job

Negotiate a raise

Make money on the side (more on this later)

Negotiate your rent

These wins will help you infinitely more than the minutiae of cutting out $2 on a latte ever will.

Don’t believe me? Let’s break down exactly how much a $2 latte will actually save you.

If you save $2/day by making coffee at home, you’ll save about $62/month. At the end of the year, that’ll equal to around $700/year. Not bad … right?

Probably not. $2/day isn’t a significant enough amount that you’ll actually “see” the savings at the end of the month. And unless you’re physically putting aside $2 every single day, you’re probably not going to invest it.

Let’s say instead you decide to negotiate your rent, like some of my readers have. You could end up saving hundreds of dollars per month. Here’s a story from one of my readers, who did just that:

“My lease renewal was coming up and the rates around where I live were going up at a phenomenal rate too … I wanted to stay at a lower apartment fee or the same. Initially, the leasing office turned down my request.

However, when I mentioned that I’d be willing to sign a lease for 12 months — they went ahead and reduced my rent by $200 a month. The year has barely started and thanks to you I was able to save $2400 for this year!”

That’s just one Big Win too. Once you nail all the others, you’ll start to see the foundations of your Rich Life start to take shape in a very big way.

Mindset #5: Earning more on the side is better than trying to save more

Remember what I said in the section about the growth mindset: There’s a limit to how much you can save — but there’s no limit to how much you can earn.

And while you can earn more by negotiating a raise or securing a higher paying job, I don’t think there’s a better way to earn more money than by starting a side hustle.

These are businesses and money-making operations you have on the side along with your normal 9-to-5 job. And they’re fantastic because they’re:

Easily scalable, which means you can earn as much or as little as you want

Flexible, which means you can work on them in tandem with another job

Good ways to do what you love, which means you’ll get to combine your passion AND making money

There are a TON of different ways you can earn money via a side hustle too. Here’s my article on 42 ways to make money via a side hustle for more. But the best way is for you to leverage a skill you already have.

We all have knowledge and talents that we can easily leverage for a side hustle. Think about it. Do you:

Know a language? People will pay you to tutor them in foreign languages.

Write amazing content? I can’t think of a single business out there who wouldn’t pay top dollar for a great copywriter.

Develop computer programs and apps just for fun? You can leverage those skills to help other businesses develop websites and apps.

To help you even more, be sure to check out my Ultimate Guide to Making Money.

BONUS: Master your personal finances with VIP access

It can be confusing if you’re new to the world of personal finance and have no idea how to get started.

That’s why I’m excited to offer you something for free. I have an offer: My Ultimate Guide to Personal Finance.

In it, you’ll learn how to:

Master your 401k: Take advantage of free money offered to you by your company … and get rich while doing it.

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With this guide, you’ll be well on your way to living a Rich Life. And you don’t need any fancy get-rich-quick schemes or snake oil or other BS “solutions.” All you need is determination and the right systems put in place to help you get the most out of your financial situation and not have to worry about living “frugally” (aka sacrificing the things you love).

Enter your info below and receive my FREE bonus video on how to reduce debt today.

Don’t be broke: 5 wealth mindsets for a Rich Life is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/dont-be-broke/

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andrewdburton · 6 years ago