Tag - lifehacker

Don’t Let the Online Retirement Calculators Scare You Away From Investing

I think I’ve told this story before, but I started my first full-time office job eager to save money. I was going to live below my means! I was going to build my emergency fund! I was going to contribute to my retirement accounts and get the company match!

Then I started doing the math.

Even if I saved 20 percent of my pretax income for retirement—which seemed like a phenomenal amount—it would take me five years of working to save up one year’s worth of income.

How to Manage Game Day Anxiety

Whether you’re playing a sport, preparing a speech, or getting ready to sing in front of an audience, it’s nearly impossible to control the pre-game jitters.

That’s fine. In fact, it’s expected.

Where to Shop This Memorial Day Weekend

If I were planning a big shopping trip this Memorial Day weekend, I’d be most interested in the Tempur-Sealy Memorial Day Sale, where you can save up to $700 on select mattress sets. I don’t need a new mattress at the moment, but I love my Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud pillow—and if you have a different favorite mattress brand, one that doesn’t include “pressure-relieving material originally developed by NASA to absorb the G-Forces of astronauts traveling to space,” it’s probably offering a few hundred bucks off its mattresses too.

Don’t Let Boredom Get in the Way of Your Goals

We all know how exciting it is to start a new habit. Today we’re going to be the type of person who wakes up early! Packs their lunch before work! Goes to the gym!

We also know how exciting it is to experience something that pulls us away from the daily grind. Today, we get to sleep in! A coworker suggested we try the new pizza place! The weather’s too nasty to make it to the gym, so we get to stay home and watch Netflix instead!

There’s nothing wrong with skipping the gym now and then, of course. (Rest days are just as important as workout days.) However, when your habits are in that tricky stage where they’re no longer new but not quite routine, it’s crucial that you stick to them.

Plan to Retire Even If You Don’t Plan to Retire

If you’re one of the people who has decided to solve the retirement problem by “working for as long as possible,” it’s time to ask yourself what might happen if your working days end sooner than anticipated.

You Don’t Need All the Qualifications Listed in a Job Posting

If you’re job hunting and you find a potential job where you only meet some of the requirements, go ahead and apply. Worst-case scenario, you don’t get the job. Best-scenario, you get hired—and find yourself in a position where you can grow.

Stop Feeling Bad If You’re Not Saving Every Penny to Buy a Home

If you feel a little behind on your homeownership goals—or if you’re wondering whether homeownership should even be one of your goals—don’t worry. First, you’re not alone. Second, it’s harder to save up for a home than it’s been in a long time.

How to Level Up Your Freelance Income This Year

Your goal is to develop the kind of client/freelancer relationship where they can count on you for work and you can count on them for money. The kind of relationship where they offer you more work before you even have to ask.

Make More Money as a Freelancer by Turning Down Work

In short: if a client offers you a gig and you’re not sure you have time to fit it into your freelance schedule, don’t take on the extra work and run yourself ragged. Tell the client you’d like to work with them but you’re currently fully booked, and see how they respond. 

Try Making Small Tweaks Before Big Life Changes

If you’re not happy with your life, is it better to make a small tweak or a big change?

The answer, of course, depends on what you’re hoping to achieve—and how much risk you’re willing to take to get there.