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There’s a lot of suspect information floating around about money. Avoid these myths and show your money who’s boss. Read More...

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Zina Kumok

Since I write about personal finance, I’m used to advising my friends about their own finances. It seems that every time I bring up the subject, I find myself correcting people.

With most of the information available readily on the internet, how is it possible that there’s so much misinformation?

But even I sometimes find out that something I believe is wrong. Personal finance is a complex topic, full of changing rules and expert advice. Read below to see if you believe any of these common money myths.

All adults need life insurance.

When I got married, I called my insurance agent a few days later to ask about life insurance. I felt so grown up, thinking about my future and impending death.

But my agent told me I didn’t need a life insurance policy. I didn’t have a mortgage or a child with my husband, so there was little reason to pay for a policy. If he died, I could still support myself.

I was relieved to know that I didn’t have to buy an extra form of insurance. I’m a fairly cautious person, but I like being able to avoid spending money if I don’t have to.

Of course, there are other factors at play, such as how much cheaper life insurance costs while you’re younger. You can also consider funeral costs for your parents if you pass. While you might not need life insurance right now, keep it on the back burner. It’s something you might consider before you hit 30 and rates go up.

Investing is risky.

Recent surveys indicate that millennials are afraid of investing, either because they don’t understand the markets or they’re shell-shocked from growing up during two recessions.

But Dani Pascarella, CFP and founder of wealth coaching firm Invibed, said that people who don’t invest are guaranteed to lose money.

“The current rate of inflation in the U.S. is around 2.2%, but most savings accounts pay less than 1% in interest,” she said. “That means if you don’t invest your savings, you are actually losing your purchasing power.”

That’s not to say that any form of investing is better than a high-yield savings account. People lose money every day in the stock market. But finding an investment that will not only beat inflation, but also provide a healthy return, is possible. You can research investing on your own, use a robo-advisor, or hire a financial planner.

And you might be surprised that you can start investing with very little. Companies like Acorns allow you to start with pocket change.

I need to keep a small balance on my credit card.

One of the most persistent credit myths is that you need to have a small balance on your credit card for the card issuer to report on your credit report. Some people mistakenly believe that if they pay off their balance every month, the issuer won’t report any activity on your account, which won’t help your credit report.

Not true. The only way a credit card company will report zero activity on an account is if you pay off the balance before the statement is posted. Once the statement is posted, you can pay off the entire balance with no fear of what it’ll do to your credit report.

This myth is dangerous because it entices people to keep a balance on a credit card that likely has a high interest rate. There’s no reason to pay interest fees every month, especially not for the false reason of boosting your credit score.

All debt is bad.

Most financial experts agree that you should avoid debt whenever possible. But not all debt is bad, and if you’re careful, you can use debt to create more revenue.

“The rich actually use it as a tool for building wealth,” Pascarella said.

For example, rental properties are a popular form of investing. Borrowers take on mortgages on properties that they believe will provide a solid stream of income. Not only do these rent payments pay for any expenses, they also provide a tidy profit.

Many business owners also got started by borrowing money, from a bank, family members or other companies. Without that initial loan, they wouldn’t be able to build their empire.

Renting is throwing your money away.

This is a myth I’ve heard a lot, mostly from people who buy a house way too quickly. They believe that a home is an investment and always better than renting.

But owning a home is expensive. Closing costs, private mortgage insurance, property taxes, homeowners insurance and maintenance fees can quickly drain your bank account. In general, if you plan to own a home for five years or less, you’ll likely lose money on the deal. That’s partly because when you first take out a loan, your initial payments mostly go toward interest. Only later do the payments skew more toward the principal.

That means if you sell a home three years after you bought it, you’ll have little equity to gain from it. Plus, the market isn’t likely to change that much in a short period of time, so you’re not able to get a huge rate of return.

Unless you plan to settle down in an area for more than five years and are prepared for the responsibilities of a house, stick with renting.

You don’t have to fall victim to these money myths. Instead, think about what matters most to you. Create a financial life around what you hope to see in your own future, and look for solid information that will help you on your path.

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Looking for more quality time with your S.O.? Start a business together. Just make sure you’re really cut out for a shared business. Read More...

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John Schneider

Many moons ago, actually 495 moons ago, my husband and I decided that we were done with our W-2s.

We were tired of working for someone else, seeking other people’s seemingly impossible approval, and letting someone else dictate our income and quality of life. So, we started our own business and haven’t looked back.

If you’re thinking of working with your life partner or spouse, you may want to know that it’s pretty awesome. It’s not just me who thinks that, as you’ll see. Others think it, as well. Here are some of the myriad of reasons to work with your partner.

You can spend more time together.

I’ll start with the most nauseous reason first. The first and primary reason we started a business together is because we want to spend more time together. We happen to like each other, so, why not spend more time together?

With traveling to and from work, preparing for work, working and sleeping, we were only seeing each other a few hours a day. We were living for the weekends, but the weekends were too infrequent and too short. So, we made an employment change.

Plus, rather than text each other all day from separate locations, we can now just look up across the table.

Masterminding.

There’s something special about growing something special with your best friend. This is usually why couples make babies. Growing a business isn’t too unlike raising children. They both take patience, perseverance, creativity, money, and love.

Holly Porter Johnson of the ClubThrifty.com says, “Working with your partner is awesome because you get to dream together! I love coming up with new ideas and bringing them to fruition with my husband by my side. There is no greater joy than growing something together and becoming successful as a team.”

We couldn’t agree more. Working with your life partner is a great way to boost all your ideas and make the most of life and business.

Dividing and conquering.

Even though it’s your own business, you still often must meet the expectations of others. Sometimes those expectations come with deadlines and sometimes they come with demands. In these circumstances, we divide and conquer.

Mrs. Frugalwoods of Frugalwoods.com says, “By dividing and conquering—and focusing on our individual strengths—as partners (in love and money), we excel at creating genuine, relatable content that not only expands our brands, but also deepens our relationship.”

We both understand our business and both have a vested interest in its success. Either of us can take the helm when necessary and we work well together the rest of the time. This makes for happier clients, better service, and a stronger bond.

Motivate each other.

Building a business is hard, but it’s easier when you build one with someone else. Getting out of bed is hard, but it’s easier to get out of bed when the person next to you is getting out of bed, too.

There are times when you just don’t wanna. Usually, we don’t have that feeling at the same time. So, when one needs a pick-me-up, the other’s there and vice versa. When it’s hard to see the bright side, the other is there to shine the light.

Working with your life partner is great when you have built-in support.

Complement each other.

There are some things he’s good at doing and there are other things I’m good at doing. This, like dividing and conquering, let’s us take advantage of each of our strengths.

Personally, my husband is great with coming up with a million good ideas. He fails on the execution of those ideas. I struggle with ideas and am good with execution.

Likewise, he’s good with technology and I’m good with words. So, with the foundation of our business being an online blog, he keeps the lights on and I keep them coming back for more.

Save cost-of-working costs.

The reason many families have multiple cars is because each family member has a different job. That’s more cars, more gas and more car insurance. When you’re a home-based business of two that shares a bed, you really only need one car.

Working with your life partner cuts down on other costs, too.

Aside from our public speaking, most of our business is behind a laptop. Therefore, we don’t need as many “work clothes,” packed lunches, and Tupperware or contracted services such as a cleaning person or personal chef. We had a personal chef for a year while we were building out business and both working a W-2.

Now we have the time to take care of these things.

Lunch dates.

Even though fewer people do work lunches anymore, some business partners have the occasional lunch date. When you work with your partner, every lunch (and breakfast and dinner) is a true-blue lunch date.

Usually, we eat lunch while we watch an inspirational talk or video on YouTube, but it’s more special watching these with your someone special than watching them alone. Likewise, when we’re inspired we have someone with whom to be inspired.

Not only are these lunch dates good quality time, but they’re also a relaxing time to brainstorm solutions to struggles we’re having. As Mrs. 1500 of 1500Days.com says, “The Mister and I have a pretty solid relationship. He’s my best friend, and I know that he has my back with anything. That part’s really important.”

If you’re considering working with your life partner, know that it’s a work relationship that can work.

It may not be for everyone, but the from the other co-working couples we know and our own personal experience, it’s pretty lit.

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Yes, it is possible to legally sell yourself. You might be surprised that some people are willing to pay you just for who you are. Read More...

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Miranda Marquit

At some point, any number of us are looking for ways to earn a little fast cash.

Whether it’s an extra $50 this week or a desire to find an extra $1,000 in the budget this month, the ability to make extra money entices all of us.

But how do you make extra money quickly? And can you get the cash when you want it?

One way to get that paper quicker is to sell yourself.

Not like that. That’s illegal.

But there are ways to sell some bits of yourself and it’s totally legal. Here are some of the ways you can make extra money by selling what your mama gave you:

Hair.

Believe it or not, people want to buy your hair. You’ve probably heard of people donating hair, but you can actually get money for your hair.

Your best bet is going to be if you have long hair (at least 10 inches or so) that hasn’t been treated or dyed.

However, even if you have shorter hair, or hair that was treated or colored at some point, you might still be able to get some money.

It’s possible to make up to a few hundred dollars when you sell your hair. There are websites like HairSellon that allow you to list your hair for sale. There’s even a hair price calculator to help you estimate what you should list your hair for.

I just did my own hair and discovered that it is worth $70. (It’s been dyed). Not bad considering all I need to do is cut it off.

Blood plasma.

I know several people who have made decent money by donating blood plasma. You can make $25 to $50 per donation, depending on where you live.

It’s also possible to donate up to twice in a seven-day period. That’s up to $200 a month. I know a guy that paid for his family’s groceries just with his blood plasma donations.

Companies like BioLife can provide you with the ability to make extra money quickly and easily. You do need to make sure you meet the requirements, including a medical screening and testing negative for hepatitis and IV, and follow a recommended diet.

Eggs (for the ladies).

When I was in college, I saw an ad in the newspaper for egg donations. I was intrigued. Ultimately, I didn’t go for it. But sometimes I wish I had.

When it comes to egg donation, you can earn thousands of dollars. One company, Growing Generations, starts at $8,000. You get $750 of it upfront, as you begin the medications required.

Most egg donation isn’t just about getting the compensation for the donation itself. All your expenses are paid. This includes mileage if you have to drive and airfare if you have to fly. Meals, hotel, and other expenses are covered.

However, the downside is that this can be harder to do than just lop off your hair. You have to go through a whole cycle of medications. Plus, you have to be healthy. The ad I saw insisted on high intelligence as well.

I’m almost too old to make a good candidate now, but there are times I wish I’d gone for it when I was younger. I was a good weight, not totally unattractive, and doing quite well in school.

It’s something to think about if you want to make extra money and don’t mind the idea of your genetic material being given to someone else.

Women can also make money by selling their breast milk and by being surrogates. But you really have to be committed to make extra money in these ways, since it requires going really above and beyond.

Sperm (for the dudes).

Men can also get in on the genetic material racket by selling their sperm. This is easier than being an egg donar, though. You can make up to $1,500 a month if you meet the requirements to be a sperm donor.

You have to make a commitment, though. You need to come in at least once a week for between six months a year. You might also need to meet a height requirement and pass a health screening.

Realize, though, that you could end up with some of your progeny coming to find you. Even if you ask for confidentiality, there are ways for determined people to find out the truth about their biology — and come looking.

You can find a local sperm bank using a directory.

Poop.

Yes, poop.

A company in Boston is willing to pay you $40 per stool sample.

You do need to pass a screening and be willing to donate several times a week for 60 days. But that’s not too bad, when you think about it.

However, it’s limited to those who can get to the centers in the Boston area. So if you aren’t local enough, it’s not going to help you. But if you do live in the Boston area, your poop could save lives — and be profitable.

Clinical trials.

I recently had a medical procedure. Because I was willing to answer questions about it, I received $75 in Amazon gift cards.

While it’s not cold, hard cash, it was still useful. And I shop at Amazon regularly, so it was very helpful. Not bad for 45 minutes worth of talking on the phone.

You can also participate in clinical trials to make extra money. If you meet the requirements, you can try out pharmaceuticals and other medical items.

You can search for clinical trials in your area to see whether you have a nearby trial that you qualify for.

Of course, the downside is that you can end up with adverse reactions and serious discomfort. But if you’re willing to stick it out, it can mean thousands — or even tens of thousands — of dollars.

Used panties.

Finally, you can wear your panties like normal and then sell them. Websites like Pantydeal can hook you up with buyers looking to sniff your used panties.

It’s part of the adult industry and a way for you to make some money easily and even quickly.

Websites that deal in panties promise discretion, although you are likely to make more money if you are willing to share pictures and videos.

If you consider yourself “adventurous,” there might be some money in your old underwear.

Bottom line.

Before you get too excited about selling yourself to make extra money, think through it. It can be hard to give bits of you away. And some of the best-paying opportunities can be painful and inconvenient. B

But if you are sure, look into ways that you can take your income potential to the next level just by being who you are.

Have you ever sold your body parts legally? Are you interested in taking that step? Let us know in the #Adulting community on Facebook.

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Debt doesn’t have to be a financial death sentence. You can overcome it. Put together a plan and get to work. Read More...

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John Schneider

Twelve years ago, my husband, David, and I found our sitting on the floor of our basement apartment as two financial services professionals with $51,000 in credit card debt between the two of us.

Like the cobbler’s kids with unfortunate shoes and the emperor with off-the-rack clothes, we were helping other people with their money and not ourselves.

We put together a debt payoff plan and got rid of that debt in two and a half years and built a business based on our experience becoming and living financially free.

How did we pay off so much debt?

We’re often asked in interviews how we paid off so much debt so quickly.

The underlying question is, “What tools or tricks can you give us to help us become financially free?”

The problem with tools and tricks and that what works for us may not work for you and vice versa. That’s why our first response to that question is that we figured out what we most wanted in life.

We found our “why,” and as Jim Rohn says, “When you know what you want, and you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it.” When we figured out what we most wanted and not what we thought we should want or what others thought we should want we had the motivation to pay off our debt.

When times were tough, and they were, we used our why as fuel to continue our path to being debt free and stick with our debt payoff plan.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t tips and tricks you can try. Here’s the five-part plan we used to become and live debt free. You can see if some — or all — of this plan might work with your own style to help you reach your financial goals.

Be money conscious.

My husband and I thought we coined this term. To us, it initially meant being clear on how much money we earn, have and spend. It meant having a basic understanding of the economy and how the economies of the world affect us personally.

We later learned that Napoleon Hill thinks he coined “money consciousness” in his book, Think & Grow Rich. Hill talks about money consciousness on a metaphysical level. The results on both a practical and metaphysical level produce the same results, as Hill says, “only those who become money conscious ever accumulate great riches.”

Live below your means.

Living below your means sounds outdated and old-fashioned, but it’s critical to getting and staying out of debt and achieving financial success. This rule affects everyone, rich and poor, black and white, gay and straight and everyone in between everyone else.

Living below your means is such a powerful principle that it brings down many seemingly successful movie, music, and sports stars.

Cash is king.

Living on cash gives most people a 20% raise. Studies show that individuals who use only cash spend less money in addition to paying less in interest fees. When we had our debt, we were paying $10,000 a year in interest payments. When we paid off our debt, we gave ourselves a $10,000 raise and dramatically improved our quality of life.

Have a financial plan.

Just like you can’t drive from New York City to Los Angeles without clear directions, you can’t achieve financial goals without a financial plan. A good financial plan includes knowing the starting point of where you are financially and the ending point or goal of where you want to go.

It wasn’t until we knew which direction we wanted to go with our financial lives and our lives in general that we could go from a negative net worth of $51,000 to a positive net worth over $700,000. Therefore, you need to have a financial plan.

Creating and maintaining a financial plan isn’t hard and doesn’t limit us from enjoying life. Our budget and financial plan help us do all the things we want in life by letting us know when we can have and do what we want. As Søren Kierkegaard said, “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.”

Now, how do you pay down your existing debt?

The Avalanche and Snowball methods.

The Avalanche Method says to pay off highest interest rate debt first while making minimum payments on other debts. Then, proceed to the next highest interest rate debt and so forth until all debt is paid off.

The Snowball Method, popularized by Dave Ramsey, says to pay off the smallest debt first while making minimum payments on other debts. Once the smallest debt is paid off, proceed to the second lowest debt and so forth. The Snowball Method gives quick wins.

For my husband and me, neither seemed fast enough, especially because all our debt was credit card debt and we saw a loophole.

Our Debt Lasso method.

We first contacted all our credit card companies and asked them to lower our interest rates. The Debt Lasso method helped us to start saving money immediately. Any savings we had immediately went towards our debt.

Most companies obliged even if it took some explaining. It helped that despite having all that debt, we rarely missed or were late on payments. The only thing holding down our credit scores were our debt to income ratio.

It, also, helped that we explained how dire our situation was and that we didn’t want to miss or be late on future payments or file for bankruptcy. So, it was in everyone’s best interest to accommodate us.

Next, we looked for 0% interest-rate-credit-card-promotions with no annual fees. When we found a credit card and promotion that suited us, we calculated the cost of a balance transfer to that card. This strategy required reading a lot of fine print to be clear what we were getting.

At the time, 3% balance transfer fees were standard. There were some that charged less than 3% and even some that charged 0%. The 0% interest-rate-credit-card-promotions with no annual fees and 0% balance transfer fees were gold. Some exist today!

Most of the 0% interest-rate-credit-card-promotions lasted between six to 18 months. The longer the promotion, the more time we had to pay off our debt. Then, we diligently paid off as much debt as we could as fast as we could. When one card was paid off, we put more money towards our remaining debt. We continued this strategy until all our debt was paid off.

This is the five-part debt payoff plan we created to destroy $51,000 of credit card debt and, then, stay out of debt. If it worked for us, it can work for you. So, get working.

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Don’t get caught in the buy low and sell high fantasy. Your path to best long-term results is boring AF. Read More...

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The Dow recently closed above 20,000. It seems like we’re still seeing a bull run, even with some losses. Indeed, even with recent drops, the Dow is still above 20,000. But will it last?

It’s tempting to try to time the market. But the problem is that, as humans, it’s hard for us to make good choices when it comes to investing.

We talk about the need to buy low and sell high, but is this actually practical advice? Let’s look at how likely this is for you to accomplish.

Concepts

What it means to buy low and sell high.
The realities behind trying to get in low and sell high.
Does stock picking make sense?
Downsides to frequent trading.
A look at indexing and how it works.
Riding the market instead of trying to beat it.
Why most people end up selling low — they have to.
Should you invest cash instead of having it just lying around?
The psychological downsides of trying to buy low and sell high.
The concepts of rebalancing and asset allocation
How to create “buckets” of money based on your time horizons.

This week’s DO NOWS are all about taking action for a better investing future. Consider opening an investment account and setting up an automatic plan to invest in an index fund or ETF. One good place to start is Acorns, which allows you to use pocket change to start investing in ETFs.

We also suggest picking up a couple of books to learn more about investing:

This week, our listener asks about investing with a small amount of money. The good news is that you can invest, even if you feel like you’re broke. We talk about different choices you can make when you’re running low on funds, and how to make the most of each dollar. You can also read our article on how to invest when you’re broke AF.

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For a limited time you’ll receive our new book, The Best Bank Accounts for Adults, when you sign up!

Travel doesn’t cost as much as you think. Especially if you use credit card rewards programs to reduce the cost. Read More...

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Zina Kumok

When my husband and I got married, we didn’t exactly have a lot of money to throw around.

We weren’t poor by any means, but our idea of a honeymoon was leaning more towards a relaxing weekend at the family cabin than a transatlantic tour of Europe and the UK.

Thankfully, my then-fiance and I had been racking up points on a credit card with a travel rewards program.

Before I even started to come up with honeymoon ideas, we’d earned enough mileage to fly to London and Croatia for free.

Instead of heating up s’mores in the microwave and burning through a pile of DVDs, we were exploring ancient palaces and stuffing ourselves with Croatian seafood. It was perfect.

Travel rewards are a slam dunk, as long as you’re responsible enough to reap the benefits. If you’re looking to adventure on the cheap, here’s how to find the best credit card for you and use credit cards to travel.

Examine your credit.

If you want to start earning airline or hotel points, you have to see if your credit is good enough to qualify for the best credit card rewards programs.

The most lucrative cards often require credit scores of 750 or higher, although some will approve people with scores between 620 and 749.

You can get an idea of your credit score for free through sites like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.

Don’t like what you see? Look at your credit report to see what’s dragging you down. It might be a high debt-to-income ratio, frequent late payments, or large credit utilization. Work on improving your score before you apply.

If you already have a credit card, pay off the balance each month in full and on time. Doing so regularly for a few months will boost your credit score.

Choose the right card for you.

Almost every airline and hotel company has their own credit card, so it’s easy to find one that fits your needs.

Before you sign up for any cards, research which one makes the most sense for you. If your local airport is mainly a hub for Southwest, it doesn’t make sense to sign up for the United Airlines card.

Many consumers apply for cards based on their initial sign-up bonus. Often signing bonuses are worth at least one round-trip domestic flight.

These bonuses usually require users to spend a certain amount within three months to qualify. Some of these cards only ask that you spend $1,000 in three months, but others demand you spend closer to $3,000 or $4,000 in three months to receive the bonus.

A family of four could probably spend that amount easily, but it’s much harder for a single person. It’s a waste to sign up for a card when you won’t be able to earn the bonus.

Also, it’s not worthwhile to carry a balance on a card just to get the extra points. Travel cards often have higher interest rates, and it’s never worth the free trip if you wind up in credit card debt.

Do the research.

Credit card travel expert Brad Barrett of Richmond Savers said the best airline deals come with traditional frequent flyer miles, but they also sell out the fastest. The key to maximizing any credit card reward is to be adaptable in your plans.

“If they can’t be flexible with their dates, and that often means even plus or minus a few days, then it will be very difficult to use traditional frequent flyer miles,” he said.

Every card has its pros and cons, but some are better than others. One of the perennial favorites is the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which offers 50,000 bonus points that can be redeemed through almost any airline. Another popular option is the Southwest Rapid Rewards card, which has a

One of the perennial favorites is the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which offers 50,000 bonus points that can be redeemed through almost any airline. Another popular option is the Southwest Rapid Rewards card, which has a 40,000-mile bonus. Flights through Southwest can cost as little as 2,000 points, giving you great bang for your buck.

Barrett’s other favorite picks include the Capital One Venture and Barclaycard Arrival Plus, “which allow you to buy the travel with your credit card like normal and then log in after the fact to redeem your ‘miles’ to wipe the expense off your credit card statement.”

For hotels, Barrett loves the Starwood and Hyatt cards, “since they allow you to use your points to book any ‘Standard’ room they have available.”

“Most hotels aren’t at full occupancy, so you can almost always use your points, even on last-minute stays,” he said.

Read the fine print.

You have to pay taxes and fees when you travel, even if you book your flight for free. Taxes for domestic flights are usually less than $20. However, those taxes and fees can cost more than $100 for an international flight. Don’t forget to include this cost when budgeting for your trip.

Used to traveling at the last minute? Reward flights have to be booked months in advance or you’ll face staggering prices (like 40,000 points for a flight that usually costs 20,000).

Stay on top of your credit rewards.

When you use credit cards to travel, you can build up points for your next trip. Many cards give you double points on your travel, helping you earn rewards faster.

Pay attention to how you are earning points. Use your points to book free airfare, free hotel rooms, and get discounts on rental cars.

You might be surprised at how cheap travel becomes when you use your rewards credit cards.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tara Falcone, the founder of ReisUP, was forced to adult at the age of 13 due to difficult circumstances when growing up. Read More...

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Once in a while, we present Adulting.tv LIVE! Subscribe on YouTube to hear about future events, and share your questions about or suggestions for our next discussions!

Show Notes

Today, Tara Falcone from ReisUp joins Harlan and Miranda. Some of us delay adulting as much as possible while some of us have been forced to be responsible at an age when our friends were busy being young.

Find out why Tara had to start adulting at age 13 and how supporting herself financially changed her life.

Tara Falcone, CFP® is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, former Wall Street analyst, and Founder of ReisUP LLC. ReisUP is an early-stage financial services company dedicated to increasing investing education and access for everyday investors. Her mission is to empower people to “rise up” and play a more active role in achieving their financial goals.

Watch the video, recorded live, above, or listen to just the audio using the player below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Hosted byHarlan L. Landes and Miranda Marquit
Produced byadulting.tv
Edited and mixed byHarlan L. Landes
Music bybensound.com

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Want better health? You may have to get off your lazy ass. The good news is that you might not have to get off it for very long. Read More...

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Miranda Marquit

I hate exercise.

I literally have to trick myself into it by being active in ways I don’t associate with exercise.

Unfortunately, it’s not always effective. I can’t make it to the pool each day. I don’t always make time for a bike ride. Getting to the mountains for a hike isn’t always feasible.

In a world where the research says, “Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity,” it can feel like a serious endeavor to live healthy.

Generally, in order to make it work, the experts recommend spreading the workouts over a period of days. Exercise every day (or at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week), and you reap the benefits.

But what if you could stave off early death and a host of problems by exercising only two days a week?

Nice!

Thanks to science, you might be off the hook. At least for some of the time.

Health benefits from exercising one or two days a week

What if you don’t want to try to exercise each day?

Sure, you can break it up into 10 minutes sessions each day to feel better about the whole thing. But what if you don’t even want to do that?

But what if you don’t even want to do that?

According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), it’s possible to get solid health benefits from cramming it all in on the weekend.

Here’s what one of the study’s authors, Associate Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, said about the results:

It is very encouraging news that being physically active on just one or two occasions per week is associated with a lower risk of death, even among people who do some activity but don’t quite meet recommended exercise levels.

That’s right. Even if you don’t get up to that 150 minutes of moderate (or 75 minutes of vigorous) exercise, even just going for it one or two days a week can help reduce some of the health risks that come with a sedentary lifestyle.

Adopt the weekend warrior exercise lifestyle.

This takes the concept of minimum exercise to the next level. And it also makes it easier to follow the “trick yourself” method of exercise.

Think about it: I don’t have to try to exercise every day. If I just take half a Saturday, my son and I can ride bikes to the Greenbelt and then go for an exploratory walk. It’s perfect. That’s a nice combo of vigorous and moderate exercise.

And it does the job.

As a bonus, I get to enjoy quality time parenting my child and making good memories.

This is really easy during months when the weather is is pretty good. Yardwork. Picnics in the park. Hiking. Biking. Family basketball games in the driveway. Tennis. A day playing in the municipal pool.

It’s harder for me during winter because I’m not into skiing and snowshoeing. But a Sunday afternoon sledding with my son and his friends or a couple hours building a snow fort does the trick.

Hell, when my cousins come over to play Rock Band, I can get a couple hours of “moderate” activity just by jumping around like an idiot in the family room, pretending I can actually sing.

If you have a free Saturday or Sunday each week (or one other day during the week), you can engage in the minimum exercise you need to not die too early in one fell swoop.

Get some benefits with even more minimum exercise.

Is the prospect of giving up half a weekend day to exercise just as horrifying as exercising 30 minutes a day?

There are indications that the absolute minimum exercise you can do is a 10-minute walk each day. This is especially true if your life is mostly sedentary.

Going for a walk can be a good way to boost your cardiovascular health. If you can manage 10 minutes a day, it’s an upgrade. You won’t see the same results of doing 30 minutes a day (or powering through the weekend), but you can still see positive results that reduce the chance of dying horribly and dying early.

Plus, a side bonus of going for a 10-minute walk each day is that it can help you feel instantly better about life.

Just finding 10 minutes in your day to go for a walk can mean better emotional and mental health, as well as better physical health.

Don’t forget about your eating habits.

Of course, just doing the absolute minimum exercise alone isn’t going to save you from heart disease, diabetes, and any number of ailments.

If you’re serious about your health, you might also need to address your eating habits.

When you don’t up your exercise, you need to change what goes in, if you want to avoid some of the worst of the debilitating illnesses related to your daily habits.

That might mean switching to healthier foods, eating less crap, and generally paying attention to these things. When you make that move, you are more likely to get away with doing as little exercise as possible.

At one point, I managed to lose five pounds just be eating better. No extra exercise needed. Score!

Healthier habits = better quality of life.

In general, better health habits mean a better quality of life. Despite my hatred of exercise for the sake of exercise, I know that physical activity will help me feel better in the long run.

When I make sure to exercise every day (even if it’s only a 10-minute walk or a few minutes of yoga in the morning), limit the junk I eat, and get enough sleep, I feel better.

I make better decisions. I feel more energetic. I’m less grumpy with my son (and other people in my life). I get more done.

So, even if you only do the minimum exercise, make the effort to change things up with your other habits.

Baby steps toward a healthier overall lifestyle can have positive consequences, even if you never become a health nut.

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Want to make more money without the hassle of a second job? A little ingenuity can go a long way. You might be surprised at what’s available to you. Read More...

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John Schneider

I became a fan of multiple streams of revenue ever since I started hating my one, single W-2 job.

Even with my emergency savings account, I detested the idea of one person or one entity dictating my cash flow.

If you’re like me, or simply want to make more money on the side, here are seven recommendations for you to increase your income without getting another job.

Update your W-4.

The only thing I detest more than relying on someone else for all my income is giving The United States Government an interest-free loan.

Can I get a “Hell yeah?”

I’m sure I heard something.

Too many of us give Uncle Sam too many interest-free loans between April 15^th and April 15^th year after year. The IRS reported that it refunded $125 billion in tax refunds last year in 2015 with an average refund of $3,120.

A great start to seeing more money in your budget without getting a second W-2 is to update your W-4. Increase the number of allowances you claim on your W-4 so that you owe or are owed near $0.

You’ll keep more of your paycheck each month, resulting in better cash flow. Sometimes that matters more than whether or not you get a tax refund.

Sell stuff.

Most of us have more stuff than we need. Try watching Minimalism: A Documentary about the Important Things and tell me you don’t agree. Consequently, stores are bigger and cars are bigger and TVs are bigger, and everything is bigger.

Many of us have tools and exercise equipment we don’t use. We have clothes we bought a year ago that still have their tags.

Most of us have more gadgets than we know we have or need. When I got my first laptop, it was special. When we got our first iPad, it was special. For this article, I did a quick search, and my household of two has three laptops and two tablets. Laptops and tablets aren’t special anymore.

This overabundance is an opportunity to make money. All of these items, new and used, can be sold. You can sell used clothes on sites like Tradesy and Material World. Sell new clothes and gadgets on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Amazon.

Get a roommate.

A quarter of a million millennials live at home with their moms and dads. That sucks for them, but it’s an opportunity for you. If you have an extra-large closet, you can rent it to someone in need of independence. That may be an exaggeration, and it may be illegal, but you get my point.

People need a place to live and rent’s expensive. Having one or more roommates will either increase your income or decrease your expenses. Either way, you’ll have more money.

Airbnb.

If you don’t want a full-time roommate but have the space for an occasional guest, try Airbnb or competing marketplaces to make money on your extra space. Alternatives to Airbnb include VRBO, Tripping, and Couch Surfing.

After a vetting process, you can rent your extra space to travelers looking for a homier or a more affordable experience than a hotel. You can pick and choose what dates to rent your space, so you’re not constantly hosting. When you travel away from home, you can make money while you’re away.

This is a great way to make more money. And other areas of the sharing economy, including driving for rideshare businesses while you run errands, can be a good way to make a few extra bucks.

Blog.

My name is John Schneider and I’m a blogger. You should be a blogger, too. I think most people could make money blogging about their expertise, their hobby, or whatever they want.

I think most people could make money blogging about their expertise, their hobby, or whatever they want.

When you start a blog and create a following, your site traffic is money. You can monetize your site with affiliate advertising, such as Google Adsense, and Amazon.com affiliate codes. You can add particular affiliates that are appropriate for your particular niche. You can even sell your products and services.

If you make art, design clothes, are into woodworking, or do any number of creative things, you can monetize your hobby and sell your creations in a store on your website. If you already have a hobby, you may as well make money doing it.

Take surveys.

Data is king in these days of statistics and algorithms. Businesses and organizations want to know more things about more stuff.

Use their piqued interests to make top dollar. Rather than scrolling through Facebook or Twitter, go to sites like My Survey, Swagbucks, and others to earn money taking surveys.

Write a book.

This suggestion may be another version of monetizing a hobby, but Les Brown says that the graveyard is filled with a library of unwritten books.

With sites such as Smashwords and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, it’s never been easier to publish a book. If you’re already writing or want to be a writer, publish your book.

Granted, for every story you read about a self-published author who rakes in $500,000 a year, there are thousands of stories of self-published authors who make nothing.

As a self-published author of three books, I know from experience that it isn’t easy. There is a social strategy, though, to get one book in front of a lot of people or gain a following by self-publishing books regularly.

As co-blogger Miranda Marquit would caution, don’t self-publish a book through a company that needs an unreasonable amount of money from you first.

If you’re already writing or want to be a writer, you may as well try to earn some money. If nothing else, you can tell your next date that you’re a published author.

These are just seven ways to have a second, third, or fourth income without needing an equal number of jobs. It just takes a little creative thinking. Hopefully one of more of these ideas will help you increase your income or, at least, inspire ideas of your own to make more money.

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Todd Tresidder is our featured guest, speaking about setting goals for building wealth that make sense despite today’s financial difficulties. Read More...

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Show Notes

Today, Todd Tresidder from FinancialMentor.com joins Harlan and Miranda to speak with the Adulting.tv audience about setting the right kind of goals for building wealth over the long term. Thinking about the future is hard when you’re struggling, but this is the best time to put plans into action that will help you in the long run.

Todd Tresidder graduated from the University of California at Davis with a B.A. in economics and a passion for creating successful businesses. A serial entrepreneur since childhood, Todd went on to build his own wealth as a hedge fund investment manager before “retiring” at 35 to teach others. Today, he provides advanced investment and retirement planning education at FinancialMentor.Com showing you what works, what doesn’t, and why based on a depth of proven experience.