Author Archives: alanhs961

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Save $Money$ on Hotels with a VPN

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When traveling, most of us try to find the best deals for hotels. Hotels and lodging options often take a big bite out of your travel budget but finding deals are usually quite a challenge. Going through many comparison websites just to find the best deal can be time-consuming, though the worst part can be the fluctuating prices.

The main reason why it’s nearly impossible to pin down that elusive good deal is that those comparison websites usually track the location you’re accessing the site from. From this tracking, the sites give you prices based on where you browse from and demand the rate in your specific region. (Flight websites are the same, but you can also find deals on them with a VPN.)

Comparison websites track your location using:

  • Cookies – Cookies track and store your browsing history, which allows comparison sites to detect when you query the search engines for the same search item several times and as such increase the price of available hotels.
  • IP Address – Your IP address also known as Internet Protocol, is the easiest way travel sites are able to detect your location and therefore serve you different hotel prices accordingly.
  • Mobile tracking – The GPS feature on your mobile device, like your smartphone or tablet, can indicate your location. If you are browsing travel sites from your mobile device you will likely see different prices depending on your location.
  • Wi-Fi – If you give websites permission, they will be able to detect your location using your Wi-Fi.

Here’s how to save money on hotels

August is a big month for summer holidays and travel. We decided to check out staying at a luxury hotel, The Goring, in London. This five-star hotel is right next to Westminster Palace, the hub of United Kingdom and right on the doorstep of the Queen herself.

If this place seems a little too pricey, don’t worry. What we’re showing you can be used with any hotel.

We decided to stay for a week from August 11th to 18th on our fictional holiday and the prices below are per day of stay. Here is the original cost of staying at The Goring for one adult:

As you can see, £475 per night for one adult is quite steep even with the promotional offer of 11% off but is the best price available with free cancellation.

Browse from a lower income country

Using a VPN, set your IP address to a lower income country and watch the price difference. For example, if you set your IP address to a server in Indonesia whilst browsing the comparison site Kayak, you will see the prices in the native Indonesian currency. Quickly Google the exchange rate to find out the cost.

A single night’s stay at The Goring costs 8,078,384 Rupiah. However exchanged into GBP, that becomes £470, £5 lower than the original price. It isn’t much, but it adds up over the week stay.

However, if we were to change our IP address to the USA, the price changes again.

When we exchange currencies from USD to GBP we find that the price has gone down from the original £475 to £392, which is a saving of a whopping £83 per day. Over the week that adds up to £581 saved! Whilst in London that can be turned into a shopping spree or a luxurious few days at a spa. Even though the timing for the bookings is the same, the prices vary from the original.

Although browsing from lower income countries typically results in lower hotel rates, it is not always true. Take for example Greece, which has been hit with increasing amounts of debt since the financial crisis of 2008-2009. Greece recently joined the European Union and in doing so rid itself of its former currency and now uses the Euro.

When we exchange the currency of the Euro to GBP the price actually increases by £1. It is not a monumental increase, but you don’t want to be spending more if you don’t have to.

The greatest saving we found happened to be using an Argentinian server:

When we exchanged the Argentinian Peso to GBP we found the price to be £387, which is an even greater saving of £88 per day. This low price is also because of the promotional offer of 18% off as can be seen above.

Not only have we saved due to the currency exchange, but we also saved from a promotional offer on the comparison site itself. Double win! With prices like these, staying in a luxury five-star hotel in the middle of London just got more affordable.

When quoting hotel prices, comparison sites consider your location, the currency you pay with along with the point of sale, and other factors. It is common for customers in different countries using different currencies to see different prices for the hotel.

It goes without saying that if you are looking to save money on hotel bookings, without wasting too much time going through the different sites for a good deal, your best bet is to simply hide your location using a VPN.

Alternative ways of saving money on Hotels

Clear your browsing history

As mentioned earlier, comparison sites track your location and browsing history based on the cookies stored in your browser. They take that information and adjust the prices accordingly. Clearing your cookies and browsing data can help to reset those prices and allow you to see the initial booking cost of your hotel.

However, there is no guarantee that you will be able to secure the cheaper prices you seek, just as if you were browsing anonymously using a private browser session or VPN. It may be beneficial to use the international version of a comparison site e.g. (.co.uk) for Britain or (.in) for India to see different price quotes for hotel bookings, so you may get lucky.

Choose Off-Peak times of the year

If you are more concerned with saving money rather than the time of year you’d like to book your hotel stay, consider booking a hotel during off-peak periods.

Off-peak periods tend to be during the school term as well as when there isn’t a public holiday coming up. Choosing these times to book your hotel getaway can significantly lower the price you’re offered compared to when everyone else is also booking their hotels at peak times.

Is it legal?

If you’re worried about the legalities of using a VPN to book your hotels, rest assured thatcomparison sites don’t have a problem with this. These sites quote different prices for customers in different locations and browsing with a VPN can help you take advantage of these differences and make a considerable saving.

Looking for a good VPN to save money on hotels? Check out our top VPNs.

 

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Stuck In A Rut? Give Yourself a New Lease Of Life!

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Life can get busy, and before you know it; you’ve been stuck in a routine that you don’t particularly enjoy. Repetitive tasks, jobs, and behavior can have a negative impact on your mood if you find them unfulfilling and if you’re growing tired or feeling stressed and fatigued. Therefore, you might need to shake things up a little and make some vital changes. Change and new experiences is often a positive thing, and you’ll give yourself a new lease of life and the boost you need to continue feeling motivated. The following are some ideas for those who feel their stuck in a lifestyle rut that’s no longer making them happy.

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sunset-sun-silhouette-orange-36463/

 

It’s Time To Travel

 

A break from you’re used to doing or seeing will enrich your mind and help to give you a boost; especially when you’re enjoying new things in another country. Backpacking, or booking a vacation can seem a little intimidating, so book your first trip for a short time, and you’ll see (and feel) what a positive impact it’s had on your life. Check out sites like Shape.com and discover where you should be heading to clear your head and soak up a different way of life. You’ll return from your trip inspired and full of ideas; it could have the butterfly effect that you life needs and you’ll begin to make more changes as a result. Many say that nothing good comes out of your comfort zone; keep this saying in mind when you’re off on your travels and step out of your routine with vigor and enthusiasm for the best results possible.

 

A Career Upgrade Or Change

 

Being stuck in a job you hate will impact your mind and health badly; you spend a large majority of your time at work, so you should be somewhat happy with your situation. You may well return from your travels inspired to do something new or develop your skills further in your current field. Take a look at websites like DontPayFull.com for some vouchers or deals on retraining and qualifications; focusing on developing the new you will bring you happiness every day, and you’ll be able to enjoy the challenges of life, rather than dread them. If you’re determined to stay in your chosen career path; ask your boss about your options and future in their company so that you’ll be able to decide whether to move on to a new role somewhere else. There’s nothing less motivating at work than no prospects, so it’s time to create your own.

 

Do More Of What You Love

 

Sometimes the simplest things in life will make you the most happy and can help to beat stress; so take a step back and think about what, who, or where makes you the happiest. Once you’ve figured out your happy places; spend more time in them. Learn to say no to things you’re not going to enjoy; life is short and you’re not being selfish by putting your health and wellbeing first. The sooner you prioritize getting out of our rut; the quicker you’ll feel a new zest for life.

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Beat The Commute – How To Work From Home More Often

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Most full-time workers hate their morning commute. It takes too long. It’s stressful. There is never anywhere to park. These are just some of the complaints from commuters who have to drive to work. There are, of course, many more. What if you could eliminate the commute from your day? Would it make any difference? The technology exists for many workers to work from home. Is it something you would consider?

 

Why Would You Want To Work From Home?

The average commute in the US is over four hours per week. In other countries, it can be much higher. These are the hours of your life when you can achieve little else. You have to focus on the road, even if the traffic is stationary. Worst of all, you’re not getting paid for those hours, yet you have to sacrifice them to get to work.

 

The cost of commuting, even by car, is much higher than you would think too. The fuel costs can be very high if you have long distances and lots of stops and starts. There is wear and tear on the car too. The cost to the environment can be quite substantial too. It’s not just the exhaust fumes you might worry about. The particles in the air from brake pads and tires are now known to be causing ill health for those that live close to main roads.

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Parking’s not a lot of fun either. It costs a lot to leave your car in a garage all day, and the time taken to find a spot is more time you lose from your day. Then, of course, are all the accidents that occur during the morning and evening commutes. According to this car accident lawyer, the losses you might experience from a typical crash could extend far beyond a couple of days wages.

 

Would My Boss Approve?

More and more big businesses are keen to be seen as supporting the varied lifestyles of employees. This can include workers with school-aged children and those that have additional needs in the workplace. If working at home means you are more productive, then why wouldn’t your boss agree? Take the commute out of your day, and you’re likely to be less stressed, less tired, and less likely to start the working day late!

 

Not all bosses are happy to let the employees work remotely. There is a trust issue there. You might need to prove yourself first. Why not ask to take a single day working from home? You’ll have a chance to get a feel for it as well as proving to your boss that you are productive.

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Some managers firmly believe that face-to-face meetings work best for team collaborations. It’s worth proposing video conferencing as an option here. It is also possible to stay logged on to a video call all day so your boss can see you are at the computer and working. This might feel like an invasion of privacy, though, especially as you are in your home. However, you might prefer it like this as you can still feel like you’re part of the office culture. Of course, cloud-based collaborative working will confirm you’re online, and your colleagues will see your input as it happens.

 

How Do I Set Up My Home For Working?

The most important thing you need is a high-speed internet connection and a good computer. This is often all a remote office worker needs. The rest will depend on your home lifestyle. If you live alone, you might be happy sitting on the sofa working. Of course, an appropriate desk and chair are less likely to cause back pain, neck pain, and postural problems!

 

A dedicated home office is ideal if you have a family at home with you. It gives you a separate environment for work to your home life. It will also be quieter, and you can work undisturbed while your family gets on with things elsewhere in the house. If you have to handle hard copies of documents, it’s essential you have a fireproof lockable cabinet to keep these things private and protected.

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Many people like working from home because they can enjoy TV in their lunch breaks and the chance to catch up with housework and cooking. However, it can be really easy to let your work life and home life leak into each other. This isn’t always a good idea and can lead to stress and even overworking.

 

Ideally, you should have a cut-off point or set hours for working that are similar to what you would have in the office. Yes, you should definitely get up, shower, and dress every day for work. It just puts you in a better. More professional mind-set for the job. Why not try a fifteen-minute walking commute around the block each day? It’s good exercise and is a healthy approach to working from home.

 

How Often Should I Work From Home?

Many freelancers and self-employed people work only from home. If you have a job, then you might only be able to work from home once or twice a week. The choice is down to you and your boss. Sometimes it’s nice to head back into the office for some company. Life at home can get quite hectic when you have to work there as well!

Image credit

 

Working from home should be beneficial to you and your employer. It shouldn’t just be about saving costs and time. You should feel less stressed and more productive, and that should be evident in your work. How many days a week will this be true? Every day can be different. The number of days you choose to work from home might vary from week to week.

 

Beating the commute is certainly something most of us wish we could do. Working from home might be just one answer to the problem. Moving closer to your office, or taking a job closer to home could change your commute dramatically. Would you prefer to work from home more often?

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Seven Steps To Financial Freedom

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Things like retiring can seem like a long way off for many. But if you are in the same situation now as you are then, will you even be able to afford to retire? Many of us do just put it to the back of our minds as it can seem like so far off. But it can come around quite quickly. And if you’ve not put any plans in place, then you can get there, and you won’t be prepared at all. So here are some steps to take and tips to follow, so that you can be better with your finances and be able to enjoy life (and retirement). Money and financial concerns can be a massive stress in your life, but it doesn’t need to be.

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Plan Early On

 

No matter your age, it is never too early to start planning for the future. You might think that you only need to start planning for your retirement or later years when you are in your forties or fifties. But really, you should be planning for your retirement at any age. Think about how much money you could save by putting aside a hundred dollars a month for the next thirty years. That is a lot of money; over 35,000 dollars! So starting early can mean that you enjoy life later on and achieve financial freedom. Look for a good savings account to set up and just get started. There is no time like the present.

Set a Budget

If you don’t already live by a budget, then that needs to change pretty quickly. If you don’t plan your finances, then you are planning to fail with them. When you don’t set or stick to a budget, you could get into debt, and things could spiral out of control. And if you’re not keeping track of what you earn and what you spend, you can easily get into debt. It is tempting to just spend on a credit card when you have no idea what is in your bank account. So sit down and figure out how much money you have coming in each month. You can then figure out how much you spend each month on the necessities of life, like your bills and groceries, for example. From there, you can decide how much you can save a month. Then what is leftover, is what you have for other things. You can still have fun when you set a budget. It just means that you’re living within your means and not spending what you don’t have. You don’t want to get into your later years with masses and masses of debt. So start early by setting a budget, and then most importantly, stick to it.

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Earn an Extra Income

If you are looking at your finances and feel that at the moment, you can’t save any money each month, as what comes in goes right back out, then you could look for ways to earn a second income from home. If you can earn an extra income from home, by doing relatively little, then why not get that extra income? It could be used for savings or put towards special things like vacations or family events. So why not look online for 70+ legit work from home jobs with no start-up fees? If it doesn’t cost you anything to set it all up, then it makes it easy to get started, with much less pressure too. So what are you waiting for?

Keep Savings Separate

As has been said, setting up a savings account is a really good idea. You can earn a good rate of interest on your money, which is much better than it sat in a low-interest checking account. The key to having a separate savings account is that the money is gone right away. If it sits in your current account, then it can be tempting to spend it. So with a savings account, it certainly is out of sight and out of mind, which can only be a good thing when you’re trying to save. So keep things separate where you can. It will help!

Consider Your Family Situation

What you can save as a family will depend on your family situation. So talk with your family about what they are doing to prepare for the future. If you have a spouse, what are their plans for the future? Are they saving too? If they aren’t, then you need to think about potential pensions and what it will cover. Will there be enough for your spouse or any dependents that you might have? It can feel like a bit of an awkward conversation to have. But it is a really important conversation to have.

Look For Ways To Invest

If you have some spare cash, or you want to use some of your savings, then investing in the right thing could be a really good option to make more money. If you’re new to investing, then it could be worth speaking to a financial planner, for example. As they could guide you to the right thing for you to invest in (though nothing is ever a guarantee). You could look at something like matched betting or the stock market, if you think that you have knowledge in those areas. It helps to feel confident in what you are investing in, as otherwise, you could sell your shares too early if you’re lacking confidence in it. So speak to others for guidance, but only go for what feels right. But it could be worth a try in order to maximize your savings and help you to prepare for the future.

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Be Frugal

It is nice to have nice things in life. But it is also nice to have the necessary things in life. So get in the habit of only spending what you need. If you are a bit of a shopaholic, then it could be detrimental to your future, especially if you haven’t budgeted well and keep spending money that you don’t always have. So learn to be more frugal in your life. It could be that you repair clothes rather than buying new ones or you make more of your own food from scratch, rather than eating takeout that costs more. You could grow some of your own food, as well as looking at cheaper alternatives for things in the home. Switching brands for things like washing powder, including making your own, could certainly save you quite a bit of money. So why not give it a try? Make sure you assess what needs and wants are in your life too. Do you really need those new shoes because your other pairs are falling apart? Or are they just pretty and you only want them? Questions like these will help you to live within your means and save. Standing you in good stead for the future.

The bottom line is that there are several factors that will affect your retirement, and they need to be dealt with now. You are the one that can decide the future of your finances, making sure that you enjoy your life later on. So start today and make some changes, even if it is just setting a budget or opening a savings account. If you’re already in your retirement years, then these things still apply and can be started at any point. Starting will make things easier, no matter what stage of life you are currently in.

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I Can’t Stress The Importance Of Beating Stress Enough…

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Stress is something that all of us will encounter at one stage or another. Unfortunately, though, many of us find ourselves coming up against it on an increasingly frequency basis.   

 

Knowing how to fight stress is essential if you want to lead an enriched life. After all, those mental strains will take their toll on virtually every aspect and activity. Here are five ways to reduce the damage caused by your next bout while also reducing the likelihood of it coming back anytime soon.

Pixabay

 

#1. Pay Attention To Your Needs

 

In this fast-paced modern world, it’s very easy to get our priorities in a muddle. Overlooking the importance of self-care and attention is one of the most common issues. This guide to giving your mind and soul the TLC it deserves can have a huge impact on your mental state of mind. Furthermore, it should go a long way to boosting physical health as well as the way you are received by others. Perfect.

 

#2. Spend Time With Loved Ones

 

People are the central focus for happiness in this life. Many people go through their adult lives without seeing their nearest and nearest nearly enough. Of course, social media and video chats are a great substitute. However, there’s nothing like human interaction to relieve the sense of stress. Family hikes and bike rides can be particularly good as the exercise releases endorphins too. Meanwhile, making time for seeing friends is vital too. If nothing else, it gives you a chance to open up about those fears.

 

#3. Build A Happier Home Environment

 

Home is the foundation of your lifestyle, and it has a huge impact on daily activities. If those four walls are making you unhappy, it will quickly become a major source of stress. Even if funds are tight, you can easily transform your home with a few coats of paint. A decluttering session will also make the property look and feel far bigger. Add a few house plants, and everything will start to feel more relaxed.

 

#4. Don’t Become A Victim

 

Life is hard enough without mistakes. Personal errors are a great source of frustration. In truth, though, nothing will harm your mental state quite like being the victim of mistreatment. There is help out there to fight those moral and financial injustices. Whether it’s contacting car accident lawyers or the local workers union, the expert touch can be hugely helpful. You don’t have to fight those battles alone. The sooner you realize it, the better.

 

#5. Avoid The Unknown   

 

There’s no greater stress than worrying about the unknown. Worse still, there are many occasions where you’ll be fearing things that are solely in your head. This is most common when dealing with health aspects. Speaking to a medical expert is the only solution. Meanwhile, prescription discount cards can remove the financial fears. Getting into the habit of self-diagnosis is only going to harm your emotional health as you’ll never have concrete answers. Besides, if there is an issue, it’s better to fight it early.

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10 Mistakes That Cause Kickstarter Projects To Be Delayed

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Crowdfunding can be incredibly thrilling, right?

You’ve been dreaming about something for months, maybe even years, and now you finally have a chance to bring it fruition. And so you carefully put together your Kickstarter campaign, estimating how much it will cost and when you’ll be able to ship it.

Hold on. Don’t take it live yet. There is something you need to know.

A huge number of Kickstarter projects are delayed:

A study in 2012 found that a whopping 84% of Kickstarter’s top 50 projects shipped late.

Before you launch your project, you need to know why so many projects ship late so you can know how to avoid those mistakes.

Here are 10 common problems that cause Kickstarter projects to ship late.

 

#1 – You’re Way Too Confident

 

Why so many crowdfunding projects get delayed

 

When you’re in the initial stages of creating a product and preparing for your Kickstarter launch, it’s hard not to be excited. Confident. Thrilled. You’ve seen the early results and know that you’re onto something big. You can already see that this is going to change things.

When you’re in this state of mind, you usually feel incredibly confident. Confident that you can make everything work. Confident that you can get the product to market in time. Confident that you can navigate all the challenges.

But when you actually get into the process of turning your initial idea into a mass-produced reality, you suddenly realize how complex everything is. You have to deal with supply chains and backorders and power outages.

You have to figure out how to ship everything to your backers as well as stay on top of any issues that arise. A single break in any of these links can cause your Kickstarter project to go off the rails. Before you know it, you’re delayed weeks, maybe even months.

 

#2 – You Didn’t Price Your Rewards Correctly

 

You might think that pricing is easy.

You simply add up the cost of the materials, assembly fees, and any other obvious fees.

But when productions actually begins, you may find that you didn’t leave enough room for yield losses (example: damaged products that didn’t make it the whole way through the assembly line) or design changes.

When complications arise, you usually only have two options:

  1. Eat the losses
  2. Delay shipment

It’s hard to stomach these types of losses, which is why many creators choose, or more often are forced by their circumstances, to delay their shipments.

 

#3 – You Sold Way Too Many

 

Sounds like every creator’s dream, right?

You hoped to sell 1,000 and end up selling 10,000. And while this certainly can be exciting, it almost always leads to significant delays.

Several reasons for this:

  • Problems are discovered when producing initial large batches, which then need to be scrapped, which then eats up money.
  • Supply chain issues arise because you didn’t anticipate the volume of parts needed.

Speaking of his own experiences with Kickstarter, Triggertrap creator Haje Jan Kamps writes:

[Some companies can’t handle] the adequate orders of magnitude: A company that is an expert on designing a product that will be manufactured in a quantity of 30 units at a price point of around £1,000 is not necessarily good for a production run of 1,000 units at £30: They are completely different skill sets.

Ideally, you’ll be able to start a bit smaller and then ramp up as all the problems get ironed out. This will allow you to ship on time.

As CNN noted:

Over and over in our interviews, the same pattern emerged. A team of ambitious but inexperienced creators launched a project that they expected would attract a few hundred backers. It took off, raising vastly more money than they anticipated — and obliterating the original production plans and timeline.

The timeframe you estimated for shipping during your campaign was based on a smaller order volume, it normally takes more time–often a lot more time–to process larger orders. In many cases, the factory you talked to during your initial planning won’t be able to handle the larger order and you’ll lose time finding a new manufacturer.

 

#4 – You Over Promised

 

One of the great temptations with crowdfunding is to promise too many features.

You’re excited, and you can’t wait to show people what your product can do. And, you really want to get people on board with your campaign. This often leads to promising way more than you can actually deliver.

It’s far better to start simple and make sure you can deliver.

Start with your core, most powerful features, and then slowly expand over time. With each iteration, you can add in something else. Rather than promising everything at the start, promise one great thing.

Yes it’s cliché, but you can better ensure your Kickstarter success when you underpromise and overdeliver.

 

#5 – It’s Difficult To Scale Your Prototype

 

Challenges of Scale when Crowdfunding Successfully

 

Many prototypes are made in homes. You create your own mold, buy some supplies, and figure out how to do everything yourself. It hardly costs you anything and doesn’t take a crazy amount of time. You then estimate overall costs and delivery time based on your very small efforts.

However, when you start to scale, you realize that there is no way you can mass produce your product using your original process.

Suddenly you need to bring in experts and factories and large suppliers. Costs rise, production time increases, and all your initial estimates go out the window. Your only option becomes delaying shipping.

 

#6 – You Encounter Cultural Barriers

 

When you outsource some or all of your production overseas, you may find yourself encountering unexpected barriers.

Communication challenges can cause confusion, different expectations can create tension, and a lack of knowledge about importing and exporting can seriously delay things.

In order to avoid this, do research about the manufacturing process in the specific country your product is being made.

Know what you’re getting into so that you properly estimate the ship date.

 

#7 – You Underestimate Lead Times For Components

 

The “lead time” is how long it takes for component manufacturers to actually get the components in your hands. It’s incredibly easy to underestimate how it will take to have components delivered.

When it comes to securing the components, you usually have one of two options: go straight to the manufacturer or use a distributor.

If you’ve done your research and know the lead times involved for you product, you can usually use a manufacturer, which will be much cheaper than going with a distributor.

When you use a distributor, you’ll be able to get the components much more quickly but will end up paying more, which can quickly burn up your cash.

 

#8 – Your Scope Keeps Getting Bigger

 

Idea Plotting Crowdfunding Plans and Tips

 

What happens if you are shooting for $10,000 and end up raising $150,000?

Sounds like a dream, right?

You’ll probably start adding on stretch goals and hire more people to speed things up.

But adding stretch goals means you have more to deliver and hiring more people means you have a bigger staff to manage. Both of these things can end up significantly delaying your product.

Even more, with more options available for your backers, the complexity of your shipping compounds:

For example, when you have customized items for each backer–a common stretch goal perk–and/or multiple different sized rewards that will all be shipped in the same package because then your shipping price may increase unexpectedly beyond your estimates due to things like volumetric/dimensional weight rules that most shipping carriers enforce.

 

#9 – You Hire The Wrong People

 

Sometimes you hire people who are completely wrong for a job. You contract a manufacturer who makes big promises, only to completely drop the ball. This happened with the Kreyos Smartwatch, which raised $1.5 million out of a $100,000 goal.

Creator Steve Tan wrote of the manufacturer:

What I don’t understand till now is, with the success of Kreyos, and the amount of money we paid him, why didn’t Pro [CEO of Viewcooper Corp] invest in talent or hiring the right people. The total amount of people working on Kreyos from his end was only around 4 people, some of whom we realized are just working part-time. We wouldn’t have minded him pocketing so much money if he at least delivered something that we can fix for our backers and customers and continue selling for a few more months until we conceptualize a new and improved version.

Tan’s mistake ultimately ended up killing the entire project.

 

#10 – You Run Out Of Money

 

Sometimes, despite all your best efforts, you simply run out of money.

You run into massive production problems or encounter cross-cultural assembly issues you never expected. Maybe you discover a design flaw and have to scrap a large batch. You’re only option is to throw money at the problem and try to fix it.

When you have to throw a lot money at problems, there’s a good chance you’ll burn through all your raised funds. In that case, you’ll have to look for outside funding if your project is ever going to ship. The best case scenario is that you get those funds and ship late. The worst case is that you have to scrap your entire project.

 

Conclusion

 

Kickstarter is an amazing platform that allows creators to create amazing projects.

However, it’s also a swamp that is full of potential pitfalls. Successfully taking a project from prototype to being shipped takes skill.

  • Do your research.
  • Ask the right questions.
  • Figure out what some projects are delayed and then plan for those types of delays.

In the end, when you do things correctly up front, you’ll be spared innumerable headaches down the road.

 

Related Crowdfunding Fulfillment Tips

 

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A Life Filled With Love: The Options Of Working With Children

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Children are a gift. They’re the future generation, and as adults, we have the opportunity to guide them in the right direction. It’s an amazing feeling and one that manifests in most of our lives when we have children.

But, there’s no reason that those of us who don’t have kids around the place can’t enjoy the experience too. It may be that you don’t have a desire to have children, or that it’s not happened just yet. Whatever the reason, it’s possible to make a difference to future generations without a child of your own. There are plenty of career options out there which involve working with youngsters. As well as being some of the most satisfying jobs available, these are an amazing way to make a difference. To prove the point, we’re going to take a look at some of the top contenders.

Social work

If you want to dedicate your life to the cause, it’s worth looking into social work. If you go down this route, you’ll be working closely with troubled children. You’ll work with kids in their family homes, and those who have been removed from their parent’s care. It can be a harrowing job at times, but satisfaction doesn’t get much better than this. This is a fantastic option if you want to work in close collaboration with many kids. Often, you’ll become the only stable in these children’s lives. As such, it’s crucial you know that this is a job you can stick at.

It’s also important to note that you can’t jump straight into social work. You will need to either do on the job training, or look into something like these msw online programs. This amount of responsibility does require high levels of qualification. But, that might not be a bad thing. During your training, you’ll get a good idea of whether the job suits.

Foster care

If you want to care for kids, but don’t want to give up your job to do so, consider foster care. As a carer, you’ll offer your home to children in care while their social workers seek to find them a family. While all care centers have different foster requirements, the majority are keen for volunteers. To ensure you’re a good fit, you will probably need to attend a day course and undergo extensive checks.

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And, it’s important to consider whether you’re mentally prepared for a role like this. These children, some of them troubled, are going to come into your home, heart, and life. You need to ensure that you have what it takes to care for them. While not a full-time job, foster placements can really take it out of you if you aren’t prepared.

That said, this can be an amazing experience. Better than helping children is the opportunity to let them into your home. Yours may well be the first loving home these kids ever experience. Few others jobs offer the chance to make such a huge difference.

Childminding

If you have time to dedicate to the cause, childminding may be worth some consideration. Within this job role, you’ll be taking care of children, either throughout the day or for a few hours at a time. Most parents who use such services do so because of their work commitments, so the times of care will vary.

To become a childminder you’ll need to complete a short course, and get yourself registered. If you want people to put their trust in you, you need to ensure you have a seal of approval! It’s also worth completing a first aid course so that you have the know how if you need it.

Much like with foster care, children will likely come to your home for the duration of your time together. But, you’ll get the relief of knowing that their parents will pick them up at the end of the day. Bear in mind that, while the other jobs mentioned allow you to work with kids of all ages, childminding puts you with children younger than school age. If you think you’d be comfortable with younger kids, give it a go. If not, this may not be the job for you.

Schools

Teaching requires extensive studying, which you may not want to undertake. But, that’s not the only school job available. You could opt for a teaching assistant position. This would involve working in the classroom, but with much less pressure. You’ll be there to help the kids, rather than teach them. And, their teacher will always be there to take over if need be. This can be a nice way to build relationships with the students. The teacher isn’t always the most popular person, but teaching assistants go down much better.

Or, if you’re looking for something with less commitment, you could work in the school kitchen. You don’t need to be a top chef to do this, as the meals are all pre-prepared elsewhere. For the most part, you’ll be a friendly face while the kids get their dinner. Bear in mind, though, that your interaction with the children would be minimal. If you want to build close relationships, this may not be the best option.

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Creche/Preschool

If you want the chance to work with younger kids, it’s worth considering a creche or preschool instead. The work and age group involved won’t be dissimilar to those in childminding, but there’s less pressure here. For one, the care won’t fall on you. In most cases, there will be at least two supervisors a class. Plus, you won’t have to take work home with you.

The best part about this work is that you normally do your training on the job. So, if this sounds like the ideal option for you, you can easily get stuck straight in. Another benefit to this option is that the hours are a stable nine to five, fitting in with those busy parents. So, you can be sure you’ll be earning a set amount each month.

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Putting One Foot In Front Of The Other At Work

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When you start a job in a new company, you generally begin with a fresh outlook and an excitement that this job could be it – the one that changes your life. It very well could be. You could start a role and feel like this is the place you were always meant to be and there is a very clear-cut path to the top of the food chain. However, if the job you have begun doesn’t end up that way, and you cannot see how you can progress within your career, then you have a lot of soul-searching to do. Hating your job can mean you spend day in and day out wishing for something bigger and better, but without being able to see what comes next, it can be very difficult to decide on how you handle your next steps.

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You have a number of choices ahead of you when you aren’t happy within your job. You can choose to stay put, stall and be unhappy. You can choose to risk it all and leave your job before you have any other options. You can choose to job hunt and try to balance interviewing with other firms with your current hours. Lastly, you could choose to better in your job by studying up to the next level. Half the problem with those who hate their jobs is that they’ve taken a role that was never meant for them in the first place. Those working in secretarial work may have preferred to be in management or leading a team to success with a project, but never got that far. Those working in the bottom rungs of healthcare may have been desperate to do an online RN MSN course but never got around to it. Working in a job that makes you unhappy as it isn’t your dream job isn’t easy, but there are ways around it. You just have to want to chase those options. There are some steps you can take to leave your current role and scramble up the ladder to success elsewhere, but before you do that you have to have a plan. You need to plan your next career move and this can take some time and thinking.

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Putting one foot in front of the other at work is not easy. You firstly have to be in a position where you make or break: make it work and air your concerns about your job to your management team, or break away and try something new, effectively starting all over again. No one wants to do that. But how can you plan your next career move? How can you put it out there that you want more, even if that means staying where you are and working on it getting better? We’ve got a five-step plan to help you figure out what you should do next, so the next time you panic about whether you should move forward in your career, you can come back to this post and know you have a solid plan ahead.

Plan Your Day. Before you know whether you want to leave your job, you have to understand what you want to leave your job for. Don’t look at the big picture to start with, look at the smaller one. If the fact is you don’t like the job you are in, work out WHY you don’t like it. Is it the hours? The people? The workplace? The actual role? The way you handle your next move in your career is going to depend on any one of those options. Practice planning out the ideal day at work, and be realistic about it. Think about what you want from your career and go from there.

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Find Your Happy. Being exhausted and overworked can make you feel miserable. This then taints anything that makes you exhausted and can bring on feelings of resentment toward your job. Find things in your work that make you happy. Do you manage projects through to completion, giving you a sense of achievement? Does your commute make you unhappy? Find out what makes you happy and work on those areas. If you can’t find anything, it’s a sure sign you need to make a move.

Find The Sadness. Work out the things you dislike about your day and try to change those. If you are stuck with a team you don’t enjoy the company of, ask to be transferred to a different department to work on other skills. If your commute is getting you down, discuss the possibility of working from home. The only way you will be able to get your boss understanding why you’re unhappy is to talk about it.

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Plan Your Decade. That awful question about where you see yourself in five years crops up a lot in job interviews, and if you can think further enough ahead you should be able to see what you want for yourself in the future. If you cannot see a time where you are going to be happy in the job you currently are in, you need to take steps now and move on. You don’t want to be sat at the same desk for 10 years only to decide that you made a huge mistake.

Make Your Move. Life is a game of chess, and making the moves you make can see you back to the start, or checkmating the King. Once you’ve decided exactly what it is you want from life, you can make your move across the board and start doing what you want to do. Feeling stuck in a job doesn’t mean you have to stay with it, so make your move early enough and do something you truly want to do.

Having a plan for your career isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s probably the smartest thing you can do. Don’t waste your time on unhappiness – find your happy and make it your life.

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Your Family & Their Health: Making Those Vital Changes

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Everyone has the desire to ensure that they and their family ar as healthy as possible for as long as possible. But knowing how to make this a reality is often something of a challenge. If you have come to realise you could probably be doing more towards this end, then you might want to know what it is that you can do. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the major changes you can make which are going to dramatically change how you approach the issue of health and happiness in your family forever. You might not have considered some of these changes, and they are not all for everyone – but each one of them is a powerful way to make your family much healthier effectively and swiftly.

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Prioritize It

 

Put simply, one of the best ways to ensure that your family remain as healthy as possible is to make it a priority within the family unit. Only then can you really be sure that your family are going to feel as looked after as possible, so it is essential that you get this right. Knowing how to make health a priority in the family is tricky in itself – but most of all it is just a matter of rearranging how you do things in order to place health at the top. If you find that you probably don’t eat as well as you could, then you could set up a plan to improve that fast. Or if nobody in your family really exercises very much, you might want to set that up as a priority by penciling in some workout sessions in your diary. However you do it, it is only by changing your approach to health that you can hope to make it work better for you.

 

Get Some Education

 

You don’t need to work in healthcare to benefit from some medicinal education; those who are concerned about their families might also find that there is much to be gained from taking a masters in nursing education or something similar. When you have at least a basic understanding of medicine and healthcare, you are much more likely to be able to properly look after your family in terms of their health, so this could be an extremely powerful thing to do here. Or it could just be a case of being trained in First Aid; that alone will make you and your family feel much more relaxed around the whole issue of health emergencies, which in turn leads to better practices. Consider getting a little education soon if you are serious about your family keeping strong and healthy.

 

Talk It Through

 

The best way to enact any real changes in a family unit is to talk about it as thoroughly as you possibly can. Getting it out in the open is always a powerful way to do this, and it just might be the best things that you do for your family this year. Start to talk about health and how to improve it, and everyone will get on board and change their ways for the better in no time.

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Reviewing Subaru XV: A Luxury Car To Be Counted On

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Updates in car safety have long taken the motoring world by storm, but it’s the technology advances and the luxury upgrades that are the game changer. Sure, everyone wants a car that is easy to use and safe to drive, but you can get basic car models that do those things. Throw in some high-tech gadgets, some excellent entertainment and a car that is so clever it parks itself, and you have a luxuriously attractive car. Car enthusiasts the world over flock to car shows and review the biggest and best cars around with the features that the public cry out for, and if there’s one brand that is able to give people what they want it’s Subaru. From the Outback to the Impreza, Subaru have taken the time to update their profile as brand that thrives on luxury every year.

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New car creation is always an exciting time, and the Subaru brand have year on year brought out new models that are bigger and better than before. The Japanese brand have this year brought out the Subaru XV, an updated all-wheel drive that is a crossover hatch. However, you won’t find reviews that are screaming about the positives of the XV, purely because the way this car has been modelled. It takes a very different approach compared to the rest of the crossover market. The Subaru XV has a car-sized body, so it’s not giant in size like it’s sister Outback, but it has all the underpinnings of an off-roader. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, because while the positive reviews aren’t splashed across the world wide web, they are still there and those who have the privilege of driving the XV know there are aspects to be admired. It’s important to remember that the XV is not a standard 4×4, and the styling of the vehicle is very unique. Its roots are from the Impreza range, but don’t be fooled: they are very different vehicles in what they offer. The alloy wheels are a distinctive feature, and the XV stands out because of them.

One of the biggest most talked about features of the XV is the fact that there is a blockbuster entertainment system. The Subaru brand are all about infotainment and the entertainment features of the car itself are high-end in the luxury car market. 8” in-car touchscreens that are enabled for Apple CarPlay and Android use are able to read your texts out loud to you while you drive. Not only this, you can bounce the mapping system of your smartphone to the screen – instant sat nav! This type of interlinking safety with convenience is what draws people to the Subaru brand: they think of more than just the sat-nav! The best bit about the screen at the front of the car? It’s voice-enabled, which means if you need to change your destination or even the radio station you can keep your eyes on the road and ask your car instead. Clever technology is a huge selling point for people – especially those who have children.

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Speaking of clever technology, the Subaru brand is renowned for its technological safety features, as well as its impressively regular updates on each of its vehicles. The EyeSight technology that has been featured in other cars, like the Subaru Outback, is prominent in the XV. EyeSight will tell you when it’s time to go, so you don’t have to announce to other vehicles that it’s time to keep moving forward. The safety sensors in the XV adjust as you need them to, helping you to keep in control of the car. Combining the tech features with the need for utmost safety is a huge plus with the Subaru XV, and the adaptive cruise control and Vision Assist technology are there to bolster the safety of the car.

The all-wheel drive is the signature of the Subaru brand, and the XV doesn’t miss out on it. The want for a vehicle to have a grip on all surfaces that is consistent, whether on road or off, is highlighted with the XV. One of the biggest reasons people love Subaru, is the ground clearance. It’s obvious on any one of their vehicles, but they sit high and above other brand name cars. The XV has a stunning 220mm ground clearance, which is one of the highest in the small SUV class of vehicles. When you need a car that has all the features of being fashionable but also urban, the Subaru XV should be on the top of your list of considerations. The XV fits nicely between the niche of the of the small and medium SUVs such as the Honda HR-V or the Mazda CX-5.

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The interiors of the XV are close those that were sported by the Impreza, but there are some touches that ensure these two vehicles stay worlds apart. The orange contrast stitching on the doors, seats and dash is seen in some models in Japan. The dash itself is far more modern it has ever been and that’s due to the sleek style and larger screen on offer. The XV offers a larger interior space to make room for the wider, more comfortable front seats and the larger foot space of the back seats. This makes it a popular choice for families, as there is more space for a car seat. If you love to go on holiday, then the roof rails on the XV have been increased by 15% and are well designed so they won’t stick out like most roof rails on vehicles. The door mirrors on either side are as aerodynamic as ever, and are smooth and functional. Function has been in the mind of Subaru during the design of the XV, and that much is plainly obvious to all who test drive it.

Subaru went to a lot of trouble to ensure their engine offers a smooth and quiet ride. It’s not just the engine either, the impressively big wheels stand at up to 18” and reduce the vibrations of the car as well as road noise. This kind of quiet drive is great for driver concentration and means you don’t have to shout to be heard with the other passengers on board. While we are on the topic of sound, check out the way the windows close on the XV compared to other models. They slow right down just before closing, which makes for a softer close and is an impressive addition to the car overall.

Road Utah Wanderlust Travel Rocks Roadtrip

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The torsional rigidity has been increased, which means that there is greater handling on the XV. This allows the suspension to do the right job rather than reducing the handling accuracy. When you want to road trip in the XV, you’ll be impressed by the power steering and the handling you have on the vehicle. The X-mode that was on the Forester has been added to the XV, and in doing so, Subaru have managed to adjust the stability control response. This then better suits the conditions that are low-grip. There is also an impressive Hill Descent feature, which you can read about in more detail right here. The Subaru XV is an automatic drive, but that doesn’t mean you cannot switch to manual handling. Taking control on those steep road curves can give you everything you need in power-assisted driving and let you do more on your road trip. Speaking of those sharp curves, the XV directs its power into the outer wheels. Better turning on the road means for safer driving and a sleek interaction with the way the car is handled. It can make it so much easier for you to drive on the road, no matter the terrain, because you are the one in control of the car. Subaru made a name for itself when it comes to off-road handling, and the XV is very well-suited to off-road exploits. It just doesn’t disappoint!

Subaru have always prided themselves a brand that is great value for money, with a fab reseller value on its models. The XV is a very dependable car to own, meaning that while the initial face value of the car is rather steep when buying new or used, the running costs are manageable. The after sales coverage with Subaru, which you can read about here, is very enticing. Overall, the XV by Subaru is a decent car. It’s efficient, practical and luxurious for the model. It has a charming simplicity, and is very much an appealing option for those who want to avoid the open flashiness of the 4×4 counterparts. It has been reimagined for the audience that wants better technology, larger interiors and great car handling. There will always be a market for luxury cars, but for now, the Japanese brand have clearly outdone themselves with a range of vehicles to suit everyone. The XV simply fits beautifully in with the rest!

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