3 Ways To Save Money With Foursquare

When Foursquare first came out, I was hesitant. Do I really want people to know where I am all the time? When I finally joined in, it was only because one of my favorite restaurants offered a discount for a Foursquare check-in!

Eventually, I was checking in on Foursquare almost everywhere I went, and I quickly learned there was more than one way to save money with Foursquare.

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5 Biggest Money Mistakes Moms Make

Want to save more money? Who doesn’t, right? While most of us strive our best to educate ourselves about finances and the changes that having children can bring, clearly not all of us optimize our money (unless you’re Suzie Orman).

Some experts say that because we are moms, many of us are ‘too nice’ or ‘too nurturing’ when it comes to money and we end up selling ourselves (and our families) short in the money department.

Here are 5 ways moms lose out when it comes to money.

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5 Money Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Vacation

When you're traveling, the last thing you want is for an ATM to eat your debit card. Whether you're traveling abroad or just within the country, having financial emergency back-up plan is not a bad idea. Here are a few of the most common money mistakes people encounter while traveling -- along with some fresh-from-the-road tips for how to avoid them in your own journeys.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"Life at any time can become difficult. Life at any time can become easy. It all depends upon how one adjusts oneself to life."

Morarji Desai


Photo by Chris Zapata Viado

12 Customer Do's & Don'ts

Use these quick and easy rules to make sure your customers keep coming back for more.

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How To Sell If You Hate Selling

Your success in business depends upon your ability to sell. It's time to get over your bad attitude.

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How To Build Customer Trust: 9 Rules

No one is going to buy from a person they don't trust. Here's how to build a better client relationships.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"In life, three things are certain. Death, Taxes, and Stress. The first two are inevitable but stress is controllable. Remember, uncontrolled stress leads to death, think about it."

Chris Zapata Viado


Photo by Chris Zapata Viado

7 Cancer-Fighting Foods

If you're wondering how you can protect yourself from cancer, take a look at what's on your plate. Recent research suggests that nearly one-third of all deaths from cancer may be related dietary choices. While there is no diet that guarantees you won't get cancer, there are some simple and inexpensive changes you can make that may substantially reduce your risk of developing it. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, you should start by making sure that two-thirds of what you're eating consists of plant-based foods. Beyond that, there are a variety of choices to make. Here are seven cancer-fighting foods that you should consider adding to your diet:

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7 Surprising Foods That Fight Stress

There's no doubt about it: stress kills. Whether your main source of stress is your finances, your work, or your relationships, people who suffer from excess stress are more prone to ailments including heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. You may think that in order to reduce your stress level, you have to fix whatever the "problem" is. While it's always good to find ways to be less stressed out, it turns out that how you treat your body is just as important, and that includes what you put into it. By eating certain foods (and no, we're not talking about high-fat comfort foods - although those can be indulged in occasionally!), you can help your body fight the physiological symptoms of stress, and you will really feel the difference. Here are 7 foods that are surprisingly effective at lowering stress:

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7 Foods That Can Enhance The Effects Of Exercise

Whether you're a work-out fanatic or just simply staying fit and healthy, these foods will help you enhance your exercise regimen.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"There is no achievement without goals."

Robert J. McKaine


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How Happy Are You?

Have you ever taken a test to measure your happiness? Curious to know how you stack up? Take this to get your on-the-spot happiness rating, plus 10 ways to increase your happiness right now.

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Why Does Good Go Bad?

Sometimes doing something good for yourself, like exercising or sleeping, can actually bring on more stress than you think...or want. But why? Try this three-step strategy to rewire your brain and experience more joy.

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9 Life Experiences You Won't Regret Missing

Thinking about going to your high school reunion, sailing the seven seas, or scaling Mount Everest? Well, if you don't a get chance to do it, don't worry, you're not missing much. In fact, missing these life experiences might be even good for you physically and emotionally.

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Illustrations: Peter Arkle

Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"Life is short. It's so short that sometimes in a wink of an eye or with a deep breath, it's all over. So relax, take it easy, and enjoy it while it last."

Chris Zapata Viado

Have a great week everyone and stay positive!

Photo by Chris Zapata Viado

What Employers Are Looking For On Facebook

You already know how important it is to clean up your Facebook and Twitter accounts when you're job-hunting-especially now that some employers are asking to look at your social media pages during the interview process. But now we know what they're looking for.

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4 Types Of Toxic Bosses -- And How To Handle Them

She seemed nice enough in the interview. It all started out great-but now it's week 2 on the job, and you're quickly realizing you might have a boss-from-you-know-where situation on your hands.

Unfortunately, you're not the only one who could write a tell-all work memoir that would make The Devil Wears Prada seem like a bedtime story. Bad bosses are out there-in every industry, at every level, at every organization.

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How To Score A Job At A Tech Start-up

Can you handle long hours, low pay, and impossibly high expectations? The start-up life might be for you. Here's how to break in.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"Life is about taking risks. Life with no risk is no life at all."

Chris Zapata Viado

Have a great weekend everyone and be safe!

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The Importance Of Giving Back

We volunteer at soup kitchens. We tutor kids. We donate. Not only is helping your community the right thing to do--it's also good business.

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How To Lead Your Company Through Change

Your employees will react differently to change. However they feel about a new situation, you can help all of them adjust.

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How To Survive Your Start-up's First Year

The bottom line about a startup's first year is that it's very scary. There are two aspects of fear that will trail you the whole year. The first is fear of failure. What if you tell everyone you're starting a company and then you can't and you feel stupid for years afterward? The other aspect of fear is financial: What if you run out of money and have to work at McDonald's?

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"Success is a journey, not a destination."

Ben Sweetland


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Burn Calories While Racking Up Karma Points

Did you know that you can burn calories while doing something good for your community at the same time? Well, it's possible! This article will show you how doing volunteer work can be good for you physically and emotionally!

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Nature's Touch: 5 Ways To Boost Your Health By Going Outside

Getting your Vitamin D dose from the sun is not the only benefit that you can get from being outside. Breathing fresh air and enjoying nature are some of the other reasons and benefits. But there's more. This article will show you 5 ways on how being outside can boost your health.

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Is Your Personality Making You Fat?

Are you wondering why you're not losing weight in spite of your diet and work out efforts? Perhaps your personality is what's making you fat! Whether you're an adventurous, spontaneous, or even a sweet person, this article will show you how your personality can affect your weight and what you can do about it.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"The difference between possible and impossible is not the level of difficulty of any task, but rather the person's willingness and determination to accomplish the task no matter what the odds and circumstances are."

Chris Zapata Viado


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How Your Attitude Can Determine Your Life

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? Whether you've had a bad day, month or year, keeping a positive attitude is the key to improving your situation. Ed and Deb Shapiro explain how to accept who you are and where you are on your life's journey and feel grateful for your blessings.

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How To Unhook Yourself From Negativity

Sometimes there are people in life with whom you just don't see eye-to-eye. Maybe they rub you the wrong way or, even worse, just don't seem to like you and you can't figure out why. Ed and Deb Shapiro explain why another person's negativity may have nothing to do with you and what you can do to improve the relationship.

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Running On Empty

Does it seem like you've got too much to do and too little time to do it? Are you running harder than ever but still feeling like you're always trying to catch up? Are you anxious at work—or anxious about not working? Do you find it hard to concentrate on one thing at a time?

Energy expert Tony Schwartz, author of the book, The Way We're Working Isn't Working, shares how running on empty can lead to a constant game of catchup.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"If you want to be successful in life, never, ever rely on others to make it happen for you. Success is the fruit of hard-work, determination, and perseverance, not because it was handed on a silver platter."

Chris Zapata Viado

Have a great week everyone and stay positive!

Photo by Jason Michael Conner

5 Ways To Keep Your Brain Sharp

Here are some tips from Dr. Oz on how you can keep your brain sharp.

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8 Ways To Save Your Heart

Here are some tips from Dr. Oz on how you can keep your heart healthy.

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Dr. Oz's 9 Numbers That Count

Are you concerned about your health? Here are nine key numbers you can easily tweak to make a huge difference in your overall health.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it."

Henry Ford


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Getting Through A Hard Time

“Cause there’ll be hard times...who knows better than I?” Ray Charles sang, and don’t we all know it. Difficulties are a fact of life, and it isn’t easy to see how to get through them while you’re singing the blues. But there are some antidotes that might help:

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The 7 Lies We Tell Ourselves

Experts weigh in on what are the things that people are absolutely certain about...that might not actually be true.

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31 Ways To Get Happy — For Free!

Everywhere we look these days there seems to be difficulty and trouble. Our world has become like a roller coaster in many ways. Prices are up, the Dow is down, grocery costs are rising, the dollars in our wallet are shrinking, heating oil is up, the temperature is falling. And although we feel hopeful, there are days when our spirits sink.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."

Morrie Schwartz

Have a great week everyone and stay positive!

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10 Tips To Climb To The Top Of Your Career

The corporate ladder can be very unstable, so we rounded up some of the best on-the-job advice to help you keep moving up.

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What To Do When Someone Takes Credit For Your Work

Managers love to extol the virtues of a team mentality. I can't count how many schlocky motivational posters I've seen emblazoned on middle management walls (or fabric-covered cubicle dividers, as the case may be) over the years, all claiming that teamwork is pretty much the solution to everything.

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Work Rules You Should Break

Most people think they know the keys to career success: Keep your head down and nose to the grindstone. Avoid personal, emotional, or awkward subjects (in fact, any elephant in the room) at all costs. Well, guess again. Here, experts reveal five on-the-job maxims that are worth challenging.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"If you are serious about your goals, drop the conditions. Go directly to your goal. Be your goal! Conditions often disguise strategies for escaping accountability. Why not just take charge and create the experience you are looking for?"

Eric Allenbaugh

Have a great weekend everyone and be safe!

Photo by Jason Michael Conner

How To Protect Yourself From Criminal Debt Collectors

As more and more Americans are racking up debt as a result of the poor economy, criminal debt collectors are taking advantage. These collectors employ illegal tactics, aggressively trying to get you to pay off your debts--or perhaps even pay money you don't owe.

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5 Reasons Why Having LESS Is MORE

by Chris Zapata Viado

In today's economic uncertainties, there should only be 2 important words that people must always keep in mind: FRUGALITY and PRACTICALITY. The days of expensive homes, luxury cars, extravagant vacations, and dining out are over.

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50 Ways To Improve Your Finances

A new year offers a fresh start. Whether you're ready to ramp up your earning power, start saving more money, or manage what you have more effectively, this 50-step guide is designed to help you improve every aspect of your financial life, from overall security to specific saving and spending strategies.

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Inspirational Quote Of The Day

"Never worry about what other people might think or say about you. People will always have something to say about you regardless."

Chris Zapata Viado


Photo by Chris Zapata Viado

5 Reasons Why Having LESS Is MORE

by Chris Zapata Viado

In today's economic uncertainties, there should only be 2 important words that people must always keep in mind: FRUGALITY and PRACTICALITY. The days of expensive homes, luxury cars, extravagant vacations, and dining out are over.

Being frugal and practical are crucial these days. Before spending your money on something, you need to ask yourself whether what you're about to purchase is something that you NEED and IMPORTANT. You simply cannot purchase something because you WANT it, unless of course you are financially capable of doing so and have the means for it. Compulsive buying is wrong, especially if you cannot afford it and have other financial obligations that are more important.


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Having MORE in life is unfortunately one of human characteristics that is usually caused by jealousy and envy. More money, more clothes, more jewelry, etc. This characteristic is the driving force that makes people feel that they are always in a "rat race". But it doesn't have to be this way. There is no need to compete with family and friends on who has more of "this or that" and who has nicer "this or that". Who cares if what you have is not as "fancy" as theirs. Life is about living comfortably, NOT SHOWING OFF!

Living a simple life is usually much better. Here are the 5 reasons why having LESS is MORE:

1) Less Financial Obligation
* House - If you live in a smaller house that you can afford, you can save a lot of money on your monthly mortgage and property tax bill.

* Car - If you have a smaller car, you can save a lot of money on gas and car maintenance, instead of owning a "gas-guzzling" SUV.

* Clothes / Shoes / Personal Accessories - Clothes, shoes, and personal accessories are all the same regardless where they are purchased. Why buy "designer" (branded) items in a department store when you can save a lot of money buying them from a discount store.

When you have less financial obligations, then you have less stress and worry.

2) Less Stress and Worry
Since you are living a life that you can afford, you're not stressed and worried about money at all.

3) More Money To Save
By being frugal and practical, you will be able to save money not only for your future but especially for emergency situations.

4) More Sense Of Security
Having money saved up gives a sense of security that no matter what happens, you know that you have a nest egg that you can always dip into at anytime.

5) More Peace Of Mind
When you have less financial obligations, less stress and worry, more money saved up, and a sense of security, overall, you'll have more peace of mind!

So, if you're currently going through some financial hardship, this might be the best time to rethink and change the way you live and the way you're spending your money. Don't worry about what your friends and family might think and say. It's your life after all, not theirs.

Bottom line...IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT, LET IT GO AND GIVE IT UP. YOU'LL FEEL MUCH BETTER AND HAPPIER!


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