book

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Note: For a modern look at this topic, check out six tips for money-making hobbies.

What would Get Rich Slowly have been like if it were produced seventy years ago? Maybe something like this. (Or maybe not.) All text and illustrations from Money-Making Hobbies by A. Frederick Collins, published 1938 by D. Appleton-Century Company. I am not making this up. Enjoy!

A Word to You
It is my private opinion publicly expressed that there is no need for any man or woman who is compos mentis to belong to the file of the great unemployed whether or not there is a recession on. This statement is based on the premise that every normal person is endowed by omniscient Nature with the innate ability to do some one thing well, and by dint of application to do it exceedingly well.

Now along whatever track of endeavor this faculty of yours may happen to run, you can convert it into a living wage, and often into a paying business, if you will but take your horse by the reins and fan it right out of the gate and keep on fanning it.

Things You Can Make Out of Paper

What are called surrealistic flowers are also made of crepe paper, but, while they look like flowers, Nature in her most cockeyed mood never made a species of them that were quiet so fanciful and intriguing as these hybrid concoctions of imagination and paper. One of these is the button-button tree, and, as you see, it looks like a Walt Disney Silly Symphony.

Making Corrugated Cardboard Animals — Surrealists love these animals because they are totally unlike any that ever trod the earth, and yet they look enough like certain species to be recognizable. All that you need to make them with is a little imagination, a few strips of corrugated cardboard which is not too heavy and is smooth on one side and corrugated on the other, and some strands of pulled crape for the hair, the heads, and the tails.

How to Dress Windows — If you have an eye for color, a sense for proportion, and ideas for striking effects, here is a winner and one that will net you a fair percentage. It is, in a word, dressing windows with crepe paper and cellophane…Obviously, the subject is such a big one that I can’t go into details of how to do it here, but if you are interested in its money-making possibilities, [then send away for another book].

Things You Can Make of Cellophane
There are a hundred or more things that you can make of cellophane, the outstanding ones of which are:

  1. book jackets
  2. rope-craft articles
  3. crocheted belts, collars, and hats
  4. woven belts, bracelets, and handbags
  5. lamp shades
  6. Manon Lescaut dolls [ed. — what does this mean?]
  7. glassip bird-cages and model houses [ed. — “glassip”?]
  8. party favors
  9. party table decorations
  10. fancy costumes

Weaving with cellophane ribbon is at once so simple and interesting and the results so striking and useful that you should lose no time in taking it up as a money-making hobby.

Party Favors and Table Decorations — If you will broadcast it around your locality that your hobby is making party favors and decorating party tables, you will find that your efforts will be most welcome here, there, and everywhere, but instead of doing it out of the kindness of your heart, just let it be known that you make a small charge to “defray expenses”, and you’ll get the business equally as well.

Making Cellophane Fancy Costumes — You can make the most gorgeous and spectacular fancy costumes by using cellophane instead of crepe paper, and they are just as easy to make as the latter.

Money-Making Printing Hobbies

Printing a Cook-Book — This is a sure-fire plan to make money with your printing press in a rural community or a small town. Get every woman in your church, society, or in town, to write down the recipe of one or more of her favorite dishes and sign her name to it. When you have fifty, a hundred, or more recipes print them on good white paper, bind them together in book form so that it will look interesting, and put an attractive cover on it.

You are now prepared to deliver your books and make your collections, and the way to do this is to interview every woman who has a recipe in it. Show it to her with her name printed over or under her recipe, and if she is like the other 99 wise women, she must needs have a copy and the money is yours — 25 or 50 cents a copy is not too much to charge for it.

Money-Making Photo Hobbies

Photography is one of the very best bets that I know of as a money-making hobby, and there are certainly fifty or more branches of it that are being used to-day as money getters. Now it is not my intention to go into all the different phases of it here, but what I shall do is to tell you about a few branches of it that, in my humble opinion, offer you the best opportunities to gather in shekels, with the smallest outlay for the necessary equipment…

I have selected five branches of photography that you can do with ordinary skill, comparatively inexpensive apparatus, and a minim outlay other than that of your own time. Named, these branches are:

  1. architectural photography
  2. home portraiture
  3. miniature portraits
  4. press photography
  5. photo-murals

Money-Making Entertainment Hobbies

Now there must be some kind of specialty or act that you can do and like to better than any of the others for the simple reason that you have a yen for it, and this is the one that you should, by all means, cultivate. I can’t go into all the various entertainment hobbies here, but I will tell you about three of them that you can make money out of, if you play the game according to the rules of business: music, mimicry, and magic.

The harmonica has always been a favorite with boys, and many of them keep on playing it when they grow up. The reason it has proved so popular is that it is of vest-pocket size, can be bought for a quarter, and can be easily learned. Since the hill-billies made their appearance on the air, the harmonica has taken on an added interest, and in Sonja Henie‘s picture, One in a Million, a quartet of harmonicists have shown that it possesses potential possibilities that had heretofore been undreamt of. All of the radio and picture harmonica players were once hobbyists; from this amateur standing they graduated into the professional class and are now making money.

To give a performance all by yourself at churches, clubs, etc., you must have a portable instrument of some kind, that is, one you can carry around with you and handle yourself, and the musical glasses fulfill these to a nicety… As a musical instrument, it requires a minimum amount of skill to learn to play and it makes the most beautiful sounds imaginable &mash; like those you would expect to hear in the celestial abode of the angels.

Money-Making Musical Hobbies — There are, as you know, numerous kinds of musical instruments, but the five chief ones that are best suited for the soloists are the harmonica, the musical glasses, the piano accordion, the marimba, and the harp.

The Punch and Judy Show — This is one of the oldest of the make-believe show, and is just as popular to-day as it ever was. Punch, as you will recall, has an enormous beak; he is at once the cleverest and meanest of all villains and the hero of the performance. Judy, his better, or rather his worst half, is an equally grotesque character, and what with their lively wit and squeaky voices they provide fun galore for not only the kiddies but the grown-ups as well.

The Ventriloquial Act — The art of ventriloquism consists chiefly of imitating the sounds of man and the lower animals and of various instruments, and apparently making them come from some source other than your own larynx.

Money-Making Silvercraft Hobbies

There is an indescribable charm about primitive hand-made jewelry that is wholly lacking in the most finished work which is turned out by civilize artisans and modern machinery. Thus, if you lay a Tiffany ring and a crudely fashioned one made by a Navajo Indian side by side, the former will be admired for its exquisite workmanship, but it will not emotionally excite the esthetic sense of the observer as will the latter. Since this is the way of it, you can make jewelry which is a close approximation of that produced by the Indians of the Southwest and, while it is simulated, still the prospective buyer will be intrigued with it.

Money-Making Weaving Hobbies

Weaving is not only one of the oldest crafts in the world but it is, next to agriculture, the most useful one as well. At the present time it is going stronger than ever, and it will continue to be in the vanguard of crafts as long as men have need of clothes and women love finery.

A watch fob is, as you probably know, a short chain, ribbon, or strand, one end of which is placed in the fob, or little pocket in a man’s trousers just below the waistband; the other end hangs free and very often carries an ornament of some kind.

Money-Making Woodworking Hobbies

Lawn and Garden Ornaments — In the good old days when the Floradora Sextette was in vogue, the lawn of the rich man’s home always had one or more life-size iron deer on it ot relieve the green monotony of the grassy expanse. Time marches on and like the original Floradora girls, the iron deer has vanished into the dim an distant past and now the strip-tease artists are in the spotlight, and painted wooden cut-outs of various specimens of the animal kingdom are seen on the lawns of Everyman.

The first things that Man ever fashioned with his hands were made of wood and it follows that woodworking is the oldest of all the crafts. Since this is true the natural desire and the innate ability to use tools are inborn in every one to some extent, and whether or not these qualities are developed in a concrete form depends on numerous factors and circumstances. At the present writing, woodworking is one of the five chief hobbies, and you can not only get a lot of pleasure out of it for your own edification, but you can, as thousands of other craftsmen are doing, make money out of it, if you care to do so.

Money-Making Model-Building Hobbies

There is something about a miniature model that has a great fascination for young and old alike, and if you have the knack of making good ones, you will always find buyers who will pay fancy prices for them.

How to Build Model Ships — Model ships are quite the vogue at the present time and as you can easily and quickly build them you should get busy and cash in on them while the cashing is good.

The Art of Electroplating

Plating is one of the most interesting and lucrative hobbies of the various branches of electricity that you can take up, for nearly every one has some metal article that he or she would like to have done over and made to look new.

Money-Making Radio Hobbies

In the early days of radio every one who had a receiving set must needs know a little about it so that if and when it should refuse to percolate he could make whatever adjustment was necessary, or repair it when it went blooey. To-day things are quite different, for the great majority of those who own radio receivers haven’t the faintest idea how they are made or work, and they don’t have to, for when anything happens to them all they need to do is to send for a service man (the word repair is now archaic, the word service having taken its place) and he will put it in order pronto and, naturally, he collects for doing so.

I purchased this book for $1 from the library book sale last October. I spent several hours scanning and re-typing these excerpts. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. If you enjoyed this, why not subscribe to the Get Rich Slowly feed?

Note: For a modern look at this topic, check out six tips for money-making hobbies.

Source: getrichslowly.org

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Appraisal, HELOC, Internal Audit, Correspondent Products; The U.S. Economy: Strong Like Bull?

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Appraisal, HELOC, Internal Audit, Correspondent Products; The U.S. Economy: Strong Like Bull?

By:
Rob Chrisman

Wed, May 17 2023, 10:47 AM

I head to Connecticut early today for the CMBA conference, but on another personal note, congratulations to Robbie Chrisman, host of the daily mortgage podcast based on this Commentary, who recently rode his single-speed bicycle from Manhattan, across the Appalachians, to Chicago, working when not pedaling. (In terms of physical prowess, I feel fortunate not cramping up putting my socks on in the morning.) The weather seems to have improved in most places, the Northeast included, and we’re approaching travel season. Here’s an interesting list of tourist scams to avoid during all seasons. (I’ve never had a baby thrown my way.) Perhaps the improving weather influenced homebuilder sentiment, as have falling lumber prices: sentiment has improved in May according to the NAHB off the lows of 2022. People need a place to live, but perhaps not one to work. “The ‘return to the office’ won’t save the office: More people are going to offices more of the time. Offices are still in trouble.” U.S. lenders, including banks who own those loans, are being warned that commercial property is “next shoe to drop.” Executives and investors fret about the impact of rising rates and empty buildings on the $5.6 trillion market. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s is sponsored by Richey May, a recognized leader in providing specialized advisory, audit, tax, technology and other services to the mortgage industry for almost four decades, helping transform the mortgage business. Interview with Richey May’s Nathan Lee on the best ways for lenders to leverage data, benchmark, and analyze various metrics to achieve profitability.)

Lender and Broker Products, Software, and Services

Servicers of all types and sizes trust their portfolios to MSP®, Black Knight’s loan servicing system. Just ask 7 Servicing, a credit union service organization that recently chose Black Knight’s integrated solutions. In addition to MSP, which supports all aspects of servicing, from loan boarding to default, 7 Servicing will use Servicing Digital to give its members a convenient, self-service application. Accessible via a mobile app or the web, Servicing Digital gives homeowners easy access to personalized and timely information about their mortgage and home. What’s more, organizations like 7 Servicing that use Servicing Digital can build deeper relationships and engagement with their members. This can lead to higher member satisfaction and increased retention. Learn how Servicing Digital can help you improve the customer experience at your organization in the blog post ”5 Ways to Retain More Servicing Customers Through Communication.”

“Rain just after you wash your car. Being late and hitting every red light. Some things in life happen just like clockwork. You know what you can also count on? Working with a consistent team of processors when you pass your processing operations to wemlo®. Our processing pod set-up means you’ll have a go-to processor, dedicated backup processor, and manager you can count on for every loan submitted. We know you don’t want a bunch of random processors in your files or working with your hard-earned clients – that’s why we’ve designed a workflow centered around business continuity. Ready for dependable third-party processing support? Learn more about wemlo’s consistent third-party processing services today.“

Best execution on a loan plus reduced repurchase risk at no additional upfront cost? A no brainer, right? Work with your hedge advisory firm and Plaza National Correspondent Lending for a “last look.” If Plaza Home Mortgage can match the pricing, you’ll get the best price plus Plaza’s Certified Loan Program that protects you from buybacks due to manufacturing defects. Reach out to Plaza for more information or see Plaza at MBA Secondary in NYC, May 21-24.

Still on the fence about DPA? Here what Click n’ Close client Steve Shelton, Managing Principal at First Choice Lending Services, has to say: “Click n’ Close’s proprietary DPA product has helped us tremendously grow our purchase money business and close more deals, especially when our borrowers don’t qualify for other programs because of income limits, or where seller-paid concessions weren’t available or in multiple offer situations. From management to account executives, inside reps and underwriters, everyone at Click n’ Close comes together to figure out how to make loans work and close them efficiently, truly a boutique style of service rarely seen in today’s wholesale marketplace.” Contact Adam Rieke or Kerry Webb (wholesale) or Julas Hollie (correspondent) to get started today. P.S. Don’t miss Michael Lima’s DPA session at the MBA Secondary Conference on Tuesday, May 23 at 11 am, or drop him a line to meet in person.

What’s an internal audit anyway and do you need one? An internal audit acts as a third line of defense for your mortgage operation. It provides comprehensive assurance based on the highest level of independence and objectivity to evaluate the effectiveness of management’s internal controls. This function should advise your mortgage operation on plans to achieve the company’s strategic, operational, financial and compliance goals. An effective internal audit should go far beyond just checking a compliance box; it should be an integral part of protecting your company. If you want to ensure you’re adhering to regulatory requirements and demonstrating good faith business practices, a Richey May internal audit is a good fit. If you’re looking to be Fannie Mae approved in the future or want to maintain your approved status, it’s required. If you’re unsure whether you need an internal audit, ask one of Richey May’s experts today or learn more here.

There are over 200 different species of chameleons in the world, each optimized for their own environment. Their ability to adapt and change color in their surroundings is key to their survival. In a rapidly evolving mortgage industry, lenders need to be able to adapt just as quickly. As home equity increases HELOCs present lenders with new opportunities, and innovative technology can help lenders offset the risks involved in home equity lending. In a Q&A with the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU), Wolters Kluwer’s Mark Mackey explored the effects of the shifting industry and the growing importance of Home Equity, particularly in regard to credit unions. He also examines the risks and benefits of HELOCs. Learn more about the importance of HELOCs in the shifting industry by reading the Q&A today.

You do everything to create a perfect origination experience, yet you send a link to some random AMCs your borrowers never heard of where they’re expected to share personal information and a credit card. For lenders with less than 50 loans per month, is it likely your AMC will create a dedicated page featuring your brand? Not likely. Well, enter Jaro. Not an AMC, but technology that empowers AMCs. This technology creates a branded landing page for your appraisal orders. Additionally, Jaro offers a suite of products to provide more predictability with your borrower’s values. On Tuesday, May 23rd at 2 pm ET/11 am PT, National Mortgage Professional, we’ll deep-dive into the appraisal process, identify its flaws, and discuss potential remedies made possible by Jaro, all without switching your AMC. This session will feature Jaro’s Managing Director, Gareth Borcherds. To be a part of this enlightening discussion, register here.

Capital Markets

Mortgage rates rose to the highest level in nearly two months yesterday as prices on the front-end of the yield curve were weighed down by better-than-expected data and long-end yields were pushed up due to Pfizer’s $31 billion duration-heavy, multi-tranche, fourth largest ever offering of bonds. There were also FDIC sales, $12.5 billion over Monday and yesterday in total, which contributed to the widening of MBS spreads to roughly 315 basis points. Retail sales, which factor into GDP, rose in April despite still-high inflation and borrowing costs as slow unemployment and steady wage growth continued to support demand. The 0.4 percent month-over-month advance in sales would normally be good but follows larger declines in February and March (-0.7 percent) and doesn’t take into account price changes, meaning that on an inflation-adjusted basis retail sales are actually down. Declining sales will eventually be a headwind to economic growth this year.

The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index rose to 50 in May, meaning an equal number of builders have as positive a view of the market as a negative view of the market. Though the figure beat both expectations and April’s reading, the index has been trending under 50 since last August and fell a record twelve months in a row over the entirety of last year.

The housing boom over the past couple of years was mostly in home prices, not in home building, and this report dampens expectations for much new home building leading up to and continuing during the spring season. This report, and the lack of home building in general, suggests that the dire shortage of new home construction is not set to change anytime soon, which is quite a head scratcher considering the extreme dearth of home inventory for sale.

As every lender knows, the inventory of homes for sale has dried up. So, where have the spring home selling seasonals gone? Ask the millions of American homeowners paying 4 percent or less on their mortgages who are deciding to stay put rather than trade up. One-third of housing inventory hitting the market is new construction, compared to historical norms of a little more than 10 percent. The annual rate of home building currently resides at 980k, less than half its 2.3 million average since 2000. Existing home sales are due out tomorrow morning and are expected to drop to a 4.3 million annualized rate, or down 3.2 percent compared to March, which in turn was down 2.4 percent compared to February. It’s rough out there.

After mortgage rates increased last week (even as Treasury yields were essentially flat), mortgage applications decreased 5.7 percent from one week earlier, according to data from MBA. We’ve also received housing starts and building permits for April (). Markets were looking for 1.44 million and 1.46 million compared with 1.42 million and 1.43 million previously. Later today brings a Treasury auction of $15 billion 20-year bonds. We begin the day with the 2-year back up to 4.07, Agency MBS prices better by a few 32nds, and the 10-year yielding 3.52 after closing yesterday at 3.55 percent.

I, and an estimated couple thousand industry execs, head up Manhattan soon. Adam Quinones, Founder of dataQollab and former Head of Mortgages at Refinitiv, has some advice for anyone going to New York for the MBA’s National Secondary. (Part 3 of 5.) “Be careful crossing the street: the yellow cars don’t stop. If you’re hailing a cab, look for yellow tops with their numbers lit up. That means the driver wants a fare. Once you’re in the cab, give the driver a cross street, not an address. “9th and 57th” for example. If you give them an address, they will know you’re a tourist and will be more likely to take you on a joy ride.”

Employment and Transitions

Evergreen Home Loans™ is passionate about changing the world one relationship at a time through homeownership. That passion has established Evergreen as one of the Western states’ leading residential mortgage lenders for over 36 years. Consistently named one of the best workplaces in America, Evergreen is known as a people-powered local lender with big advantages, committed to providing high-touch service that’s complimented by a robust portfolio of products that meets the needs of today’s buyers and real estate agents and an exclusive technology platform that brings mobility and convenience to mortgage origination. “When it comes to tools of the trade, our loan officers are armed for success. Modern technology helps us super serve customers and streamline the process for everybody,” said Todd Miles, executive vice president, loan production, at Evergreen. If you’re passionate about impacting lives through homeownership, visit the careers page and discover what’s possible with Evergreen.

“In an ever-changing industry, it’s more important than ever for a mortgage company to be able to pivot, adapt, and grow. Homestead Funding has been assisting borrowers with their home financing needs for nearly 30 years, and we continue to expand our programs, enhance our technology stack, and grow our sales team. Aletha of North Carolina joined our team for two main reasons: Homestead’s resilience in the mortgage industry, and the confidence in knowing there are colleagues, support staff, and senior management behind her. Dave from New York signed on for our focus on superior service for our borrowers and emphasis on partners’ experience. To learn more about why Loan Originators choose Homestead Funding, watch our video here. For more career information and confidential talk, contact Michele Teague today: (518)-368-1494.”

You’re obviously the kind of mortgage professional who stays in the know. Why else would you be reading the Chrisman Newsletter? If we have you pegged, you’ll love this: we tracked down 4 surprising mortgage stats that will change the rest of 2023. Just click here for the free infographic. Stat-savvy and looking for your next business move? Motto Mortgage brokerages are hiring talented loan originators in: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WA. Get all the info here.

“Are you a proven, high-performing Non-QM Account Executive? We’re looking to add YOU to our roster. Join the team of elite Account Executives who have access to uncapped commissions allowing you to earn what you’re worth, dedicated Scenarios Desk with HERO Broker Portal assistance, and exclusive loan products outside of what traditional Non-QM lenders offer including CDFI financing. Borrowers are leaving the 9-5 model and need solutions. Fill their financing needs & grow your own book of business while making an impact for diverse and underserved markets. Ready to change your jersey and dominate the Non-QM market? Reach out to Angela Castillo, VP of Talent Acquisitions, today for a confidential interview at 602.848.2967 or click here.”

Opus Capital Markets Consultants is excited to announce the addition of Pete Thomas to the company, to focus on creating new opportunities for the organization. “Pete has a tremendous industry background, particularly in Capital Markets, having been with Clayton/Covius, PHH, Freedom, and Bear Stearns, with deep relationships across the country,” said Pete Butler, EVP Strategy and Growth at Opus.

Dovenmuehle has appointed Ron Malik as SVP of default servicing to oversee Dovenmuehle’s special servicing initiatives and maintain a high level of compliance and service satisfaction in all areas of default servicing,

 Download our mobile app to get alerts for Rob Chrisman’s Commentary.

Source: mortgagenewsdaily.com

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The Christmas season is here and you want fun ideas to do!

To help make your life easier this year, I created a bucket list full of over 100 activities. You can use it as an actual bucket list or just enjoy scrolling through some fun things to do with friends and family before December 25th.

You will find everything from decorating ideas for your home (from simple snowflakes that are easy enough for kids to make) all the way to DIY recipes for Christmas treats.

Who doesn’t love a good list?

This Christmas bucket list is things you can do with your family around the Christmas season to make it more lively and enjoyable.

I made this list for my own kids, but I thought I would share it with you to use it too!

How can you make your Christmas bucket list more fun?

There are many different ways to make your Christmas bucket list more fun.

One way is to focus on new activities that you haven’t done before. Another way is to add food-related activities, which always make Christmas special.

You can also try incorporating some outdoor activities, even if it’s just for a (snowy) day.

And don’t forget about family traditions! They’re a big part of the holidays and can really enhance the experience.

No matter what you do, make sure you enjoy yourself (and not stress yourself out)! The holidays are a time for celebration and should be spent with loved ones. Merry Christmas!

Memorable Christmas Bucket List

While we love the classic Christmas bucket lists, we also are always looking for unique ideas to add to your holiday bucket list.

Some of these out-of-the-box ideas are pretty sweet and you may want to do them year and year again.

You can find everything from baking cookies to attending a German market to spending Christmas at a lodge. No matter what you choose, make sure you keep in touch with your family and friends during the holidays.

1. Go to Mexico. This is one of our Christmas traditions! There is something relaxing about enjoying the beach while Felix Navidad is playing in the background. (Gift hint… all of the beach gifts can be given to be used on the trip.)

2. Book a Wintery Mountain Stay. On the flip side, there is something magical about sipping hot cocoa while by the fireplace when giant snowflakes are falling outside.

3. Participate in a Neighborhood Luminaires Night. Organize one night for all of your neighbors to put luminaries outlining their driveways. It is a symbolic event with neighbors coming together in peace.

4. Roast Chestnuts. Just like in the famous song by Nat King Cole, it is your turn to roast chestnuts on an open fire.

5. Wrap Presents with Friends. For some wrapping presents is fun, for others it is a task. But everything is always sweeter to do with friends, so plan a time to wrap presents with friends. Appetizers and drinks are optional.

6. Order Matching Christmas Pajamas. This is a popular Christmas tradition for most families. Make sure you order your matching Christmas Pajamas in time. Some of my favorite places to find them are Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Amazon.

7. Wear Matching Christmas Pajamas. Depending on the age of your kids and spouse will depend on how well the matching outfits go over. Make sure to snap pictures!!

8. Kiss Under the Mistletoe. This is a fun Christmas tradition for kids and adults. Kids love this because it’s not just kissing their parents on the cheek, but they get to kiss everyone in the room! Adults love this too because it’s a great opportunity to get some alone time with your significant other.

9. Host a Progressive Dinner. This is a great idea to host a fun holiday party. For each course of a meal, you move houses.

  • For example, you start at house A for appetizers.
  • Then, move to House B for dinner.
  • Finally, wrap up at House C for dessert.
  • If you have more houses participating, then you can easily stretch to a 7-course meal.

10. Buy Ugly Christmas sweaters. This is a love-hate for many people. Are you totally into buying Christmas sweaters or do you want to shy away? Either way, it is always helpful to have at least one ugly Christmas sweater in your closet.

11. And then host an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. Time to invite all of your introvert friends for an epic ugly sweater party. The winner walks away with a prize!

12. Go to a Christmas Eve Service. If you’re feeling a little more spiritual, there are many churches that offer Christmas Eve services. If it’s your first time going to one, consider this a good opportunity to introduce the whole family and get them interested in going.

13. Classic Christmas Movie Marathon. This is always a popular idea! Especially one that is next to free to do! Pull up the classic movies and enjoy!

14. Read Christmas Books. This is another one that is uber-popular in our house! We try to stick with Christmas-only books in the month of December. One of our favorites is JK Rowling’s latest book!

15. Go on River Cruises. The river is a great place to find some peace and quiet. You can go during the day or at night.

16. Stay Downtown. Whether you are looking in another state or in your own city, you’ll find a new adventure.

17. Snowman Building Competition. Set up a snowman building competition in your neighborhood and let the winners decide what charity to donate the money raised! Bragging rites until the next competition is held.

18. Shake a Snowglobe. Maybe even add to your snowglobe collection. There is a great children’s book called Snow Globe Family. That is a super fun read.

Classic Christmas Bucket List Ideas

This is the list you think of when it comes to Christmas things to do!

Whatever you decide to do this holiday season, make sure it’s something that will create memories that will last a lifetime.

19. Bake Christmas Cookies. This is the classic holiday bucket list idea. Here are some of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

20. Watch Christmas Hallmark Movies. Did you know there is a countdown to when the Hallmark Channel releases their Christmas movies?!?! Yes, this is a must-do for many people. In fact, you may want to buy them the same Hallmark socks we gave our moms.

21. Host a Christmas cookie exchange. Yes, please! Cookie exchanges are the best. In fact, it is one of the most popular Christmas challenges.

22. Go Christmas Caroling. Is it a tradition? Or is it just something that you love to do with your friends and family? Bring joy to your neighborhood or nursing home by singing traditional Christmas carols.

23. Volunteer. This could be serving at a soup kitchen, organizing an event for people who can’t afford gifts to “shop,” or lending a hand to a neighbor in need. There are many organizations looking for help.

24. Build a Snowman. Yes, this is the ultimate idea for families. Make sure you have the snowman supplies to dress up your Frosty the Snowman properly. Don’t forget the carrot nose!

25. Build a Gingerbread House. This is a classic activity for many kids and you can easily pick up a gingerbread house kit for under $10. However, it is not just for kids. Check out this family’s gingerbread house display!

26. Christmas Portrait Time. Thankfully, this time of year you can find plenty of Pinterest-perfect backdrops to take portraits at. You can take family photos or one of each person in your house. This accessory helps your amateur photos look professional!

27. Mail Christmas Cards. This may have been a long-standing tradition for many years and slowly making a comeback. You can take Christmas photos just for the occasion or a collage of photos. Order your Christmas cards here.

28. Read Twas the Night Before Christmas. This Christmas classic must be read at least once on Christmas Eve. Grab your copy of the classic book.

29. Find Creative Ideas for Elf of the Shelf. Let’s face it. You jumped on this tradition … hook.line.and.sinker. Now, you must keep up with all of the Pinterest perfect ideas.

Christmas Outdoor Bucket List

Time to get outside and explore. Fresh air is always helpful!

30. Go Sledding. This is a classic bucket list item. Check out a new sledding hill in your neighborhood.

31. Build a Snow Fort. This is personally one of my favorite activities, but Mother Nature must cooperate with tons of snow! Grab some shovels and start building a fort!

32. Snowball Fight Time. Who doesn’t love a good snowball fight?!?! Grab some friends and head out for an epic snowball fight. Even better if you built the snow fort prior to game time!

33. Go Ice Skating. This is a classic especially if you live in the upper midwest. There are plenty of recreation centers that make ice skating a reasonable cost activity.

34. Skiing. Fresh powder sounds like the perfect Christmas tradition. Just make sure to book your ticket early.

35. Plan a Wintery Picnic. Grab a blanket, lunch, some hot cocoa, and your Christmas Pajamas for an outdoor picnic this winter! Make this time special with a special picnic basket to use.

36. Go Snowboarding. Time to shred the slopes. Check out the latest snowboarding gear.

37. Time to Go Tobogganing. What is tobogganing exactly? Much like sledding except you hit the snow-covered slopes and artificial-ice-covered chutes with a toboggan.

38. Give the Gift of Nature. Take your family on an outing to see some beautiful nature! Get out in the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature.

39. Make a Snow Angel. This is the perfect activity for kids to do. Yet, very calming and peaceful if you decide to get down in the snow and create snow angels.

40. Hunt for the Perfect Live Tree. Grab your permit and go on a hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. Make sure to bundle up and wear snow boots!

41. Catch Snowflakes on your Tongue. Regardless of your age, this childhood memory needs to be done yearly for your Christmas bucket list. Drop all of your worries off your shoulders as you catch a snowflake on your tongue.

42 Skate on Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks. Skip the indoor rinks and head outside to skate. Even more romantic if the snow is falling.

43. Create a Winter Wonderland. This one is a do-it-yourself project that doesn’t require any crafting skills.

44. Go for a Holiday Walk. Take some time out of the hustle and bustle by taking a walk outside.

45. Neighborhood Christmas Light Competition. Another great idea is to put your home in a Christmas lights competition! This can be really fun if you have friends and family who live close by. All you need is some creative decorations and an appetite for holiday cheer.

Name That Entertainment Holiday Bucket List

Time for friends, laughter, and fun!!

These are the social must-haves on your entertainment holiday bucket list!

46. Host Christmas Eve Dinner at your home. If you have room, open up your home to friends or family who might otherwise be alone for Christmas. Our Christmas Eve tradition is fondue!

47. Christmas Party Night. Invite your friends and family over for a Christmas party night! This is a fun way to get everyone together in one place, have some laughs, and enjoy each other’s company.

48. Wear Christmas Dress Attire. Everyone wants an excuse to dress up. So, make sure you have a special occasion to year your Christmas cocktail dresses.

49. Find Entertainment from the Seasonal Classics. This could be watching The Polar Express (it’s on Netflix now!), listening to holiday music, or reading a children’s Christmas book.

50. Host an Advent Calendar Party. It is so much fun to count down the days before Christmas! This works especially well in a classroom setting. Each day is a new activity to count down the days until Christmas.

51. A Christmas Story. Watch A Christmas Story and then read a few of the lines with your friends!

52. Home Acting. Put on your own production of your favorite movie or theater production!

53. Misfit Toys. Collect a variety of small, inexpensive toys and have your guests guess which toy belongs to each guest. To make it more fun, be sure to include some items that are broken or missing pieces!

54. Mistletoe Bingo. Get your guests in the Christmas spirit by setting up a bingo board with different categories for them to fill out!

55. Birthday Party for Jesus. ‘Tis the reason for the season – the birth of Jesus Christ. Plan a birthday party to celebrate everything Jesus gave to us.

56. Holiday Game Night. Christmas is a time for fun and games, so why not have a Christmas-themed game night? Some popular game ideas include playing charades, Pictionary, or Cranium. You could also try some new games that you haven’t played before – like Elf on the Shelf or Monopoly.

Holiday Season Bucket List Around Town

One of the best things about the holiday season is there are SO MANY activities to do with no money. You can find something to do each day for free.

The paid events are classics that create lifelong memories!

57. Book a Limo to Check out Christmas Lights. What better way to enjoy watching the Christmas lights and not having to drive? Personally, this works great when sharing the limo costs with friends!

58. Attend a Local Craft Fair. These craft fairs are becoming a hot place to find personalized gifts. Plus it is a great way to give back to local small businesses as well as the high school teams and clubs who organize the craft fairs.

59. Book Tickets to a Lightshow. This is a hot commodity so make sure to book your tickets early – like around Halloween. That way you will get the prime time you want to attend the light show. Also, many areas have more than one popular light show to see!

60. Attend a Ballet Performace. While the Nutcracker is a popular dance performance, there are plenty of other ballets at this time of year.

61. Watch The Nutcracker Live. I have danced in and seen the Nutcracker so many times that I have lost count. However, I love the production, the costumes, and the music! Make it more magical by taking a young girl who has never seen the Nutcracker before and watching the production through their star-struck eyes.

62. Visit Your Local Christmas Market. Every town has one. A local store stocked with all things Christmas! Maybe even see if your area has a German Christmas Market and check out the varying traditions.

63. Attend a Holiday Tree Lighting Event. Right after Thanksgiving, there are plenty of local tree lighting ceremonies. Check with your city for dates and times.

64. Attend a Holiday Festival. The holidays are the perfect time to attend a festival with family or friends. By attending, you can enjoy the activities and experience new things that may be on your list for next year!

64. Attend a Christmas Parade. Get out and see the Christmas spirit in all of your favorite holiday traditions. Most cities kick off the holidays with a parade.

Christmas Bucket List in the Kitchen (Recipes a Must!)

Around the holidays, the kitchen is the hub of the activity. More money is spent on food and drink in November and December. So, you must include a few of these Christmas activities on your list.

65. Decorate Sugar Cookies. This is a great project that tastes delicious. It’s also really easy and you’ll be surprised how much your decorating skills improve each year.

66. Make Hot Cider. Hot cider is a great drink to have this time of year. This Christmas treat can be made in the oven or on the stovetop, with just enough heat that it’s still perfect for kids and adults. Plus it makes your house smell naturally festive.

67. Enjoy Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows. This is a perfect wintertime drink. Surprise the family with cute Christmas mugs.

68. Drink Egg Nog. This is a classic must-have during the holidays. There is something that warms your belly with the creaminess of egg nog. Make sure to buy your Egg Nog early as many stores ran out at Christmas time. Which eggnog flavor is your favorite?

69. Gourmet Hot Chocolate Bar. Set up a hot chocolate bar with all of your favorite toppings, like cinnamon, heavy cream, and gourmet chocolates. This will make the holidays even more special!

70. Snowy Ice Cream Treats! Make some delicious homemade ice cream and put it in bowls or cups and hand them out to your loved ones.

71. Visit a Bakery. These places are filled with great ideas! If you don’t have time, pick up one of their creations. Or try to make your own at home.

72. Make Your Own Gingerbread House Kit. This gingerbread house kit contains everything you need to make a gingerbread house this season.

73. Make Homemade Marshmallows. These are so simple to make and perfect for hot chocolate or in a sugar cookie recipe!

74. Make a Birthday Cake for Jesus. There is a huge reason to celebrate! So, let’s bake a cake and celebrate!

Crafty Christmas Bucket List

You don’t have to be super crafty for any of these projects. Simple ways to make decorations!

For many people, making their own gifts is a great way to give awesome Christmas gifts when you are broke.

75. Get crafty! There are thousands of Christmas crafts you can do during this season! Some ideas include making ornaments or wreaths, cutting out snowflakes, decorating a gingerbread house, or making your own Christmas cards.

76. Make DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments. Okay, I will be honest … there are so many great ideas for DIY Christmas Tree ornaments that I freeze on which project to actually complete. So, pick 1 or 2 that you know are within your crafty skills and get started!

77. Make Paper Snowflakes. This is a classic Christmas activity to do.

78. Make a Christmas Wreath and Decorations with your kids or family members. This is great for the whole family to do together, as it helps create memories that are sure to last a lifetime.

79. Wonder the Craft Stores. With no agenda and plenty of time! Let your mind wander and fill with amazing Christmas crafts you could make.

80. Make Salt Dough Ornaments. This is the simplest Christmas craft for the non-crafty person! Learn how to make salt dough from Katie.

81. Create Candy Care Garlands. The options are endless on this one! You can use big candy canes or mini candy canes to make your garlands.

82. Decorate a Christmas Photo Frame. This is a fun project that can be completed in just minutes! Take any old frame and spray paint it white. Then, add Christmas decorations around it or use spray painted puzzle pieces.

83. Knit Christmas Mittens. This is a quick and easy project to knit up for the holidays!

84. Make Your Own Snowmen. Make your own snowman out of rice or beans, it’s fun and easy.

85. Put Snowflakes on the Windows. This is a fun and easy way to decorate for the holidays.

86. Make Your Own Poinsettia Wreath. These wreaths can be made in no time at all!

87. Find Creative Ideas for Elf of the Shelf. Let’s decorate the elf and make its day bright!

88. Make Wreath Cards from Last year’s Christmas Cards. This is a great way to upcycle and make unique Christmas ideas. Watch this YouTube video to learn how.

89. Decorate Staircases with Ribbons. This is a simple trick to make your house look more festive!

90. Make Orange Peel Poppuri. This is a simple and quick recipe that will make your house smell fragrant.

91. Make Christmas Cards. This is the perfect time to make your own Christmas card with all of your family members, friends, and even pets! There are so many fun ways to customize these cards. You can be crafty with paper supplies or use a digital template.

Decoration Christmas Bucket List

The decor is the major component of the holidays! Make sure you are ready to get decorating!

92. Decorate the Christmas Tree. This “to-do” should be treated with a little more emphasis. Plan an event around decorating the tree and sharing memories while hanging ornaments.

93. Create a Themed Christmas Tree. Star Wars fan? Barbie lover? Marvel fan? Sports diehard? Time to unleash all of your passion and decorate a themed Christmas tree in honor of your fervor. Find some ideas to jumpstart your creativity.

94. Hang Chrismas lights. Even better make your house look better than the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Order your lights here.

95. Upgrade Your Christmas House Lights to a Christmas Light Show. Thankfully, technology has greatly approved and you do not need to be an engineer to figure it out. You can pick up this up and quickly set your lights to music.

96. Pick a New Scent for the Holidays. Personally, I like peppermint.

97. Buy Cute Christmas Dish Towels. This is a simple decoration tip from the pros. With this simple purchase, it looks like your house has been staged for the Pinterest perfect Christmas dinner.

Shopping Place for Holiday Activity

Every bucket list has gifts on it, so time to get your shopping done!

98. Create your Christmas Budget List. While this may not be on the top of your list, this is a very important money management tip to master. Learn how to make a Christmas budget that works for you.

99. Shop for Christmas Gifts. This is a great time to find gifts for your friends and family. No need to rush, but shop early if possible! Amazon has a ton of gift ideas that are easy on the wallet too! Find a list of the best Christmas gifts under $10 for kids.

100. Purchase Christmas Flowers just for You! Buy some fresh flowers from your local flower shop and enjoy them for the holidays!

101. Wear Christmas socks. Hello, we all love cool socks! Make sure you pick up some new Christmas socks for your holiday collection.

102. Start A Collection. If you are looking for some easy gifts, start a collection that can be added year after year! A few examples include Christmas ornaments, books about Christmas traditions from around the world, and ornaments made out of candy canes.

103. Shop A Christmas Store. Find a Christmas Store; they are worth a visit if you want to get into the holiday spirit! They have everything from traditional nutcrackers to more unique items like Santa toilet paper holders. No matter what your interests are, these specialty stores have something for everyone.

104. Give Money Creatively. Did you know you could give money besides just writing a check? There are over 45 different money gift ideas for you.

Christmas Bucket List for Family Activities

Entertaining the kids is a must! Thankfully there are so many things to do.

Plus you can see the magic of the season through their eyes!

105. Write a Letter to Santa. This needs to be done in the first part of December in time to reach the North Pole.

106. Make Reindeer Food. Fruit and vegetables make a great snack for the reindeer, so it’s easy to do this activity with your kids. You can also experiment with adding different spices into the mix such as cinnamon or nutmeg.

107. Watch the Holiday Funny Movie Marathon. This is a fun way to spend a cold or hot day. Pick out some of your favorite hilarious movies and get cozy in front of the TV! Laugh til you drop!

108. Make Winter Slime. Yes, every kids LOVES slime and what is better than just slime… WINTER SLIME! Pick up Iceberg Frozen Winter Slime for your kid’s Christmas Party.

109. Host a Kid’s Christmas Party. This is something we have done every year is to host a kid’s Christmas party. It is a simple and festive way to share in the Christmas season. Provide some simple Christmas crafts, hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course), and easy snacks.

110. Sing Christmas Carols. This is a fun family activity that will make you feel festive!

111. Visit Santa. This is an old-fashioned tradition that never gets old. Visit Santa and find out if you have been naughty or nice!

112. Make Paper Snowflakes. This activity is a must for kids. Simple and easy to make. Plus they will get lost in the activity for hours! Find paper snowflake ideas.

113. Make Rudolph Pancakes. One easy way to make your Christmas bucket list more fun is by adding some creative and festive tasks to ordinary things like making pancakes.

114. Talk to Santa Claus. It’s hard to believe, but there are actually people who talk to Santa every year and make sure he has everything he needs for Christmas Eve. You can talk to him on the phone or online, and it’s a great way for your kids to get in touch with their inner child.

115. Go for a Christmas Scavenger Hunt. This is a great family activity that will have your kids having fun and learning at the same time. You can make it as easy or as hard for them to complete, depending on their age.

116. Make a Christmas wish list and check it twice. Have the kids pick out gifts they would like for themselves as well as give to others.

117. Have a Holiday Movie Night with your Friends and Family. Make some popcorn, grab your favorite movie, and cuddle up on the couch for an evening of laughter!

Holiday Bucket List to Help Others

You don’t have to be a millionaire philanthropist to help others in your community. You can make a difference by doing small things that will go unnoticed, but still, provide assistance for those who need it.

118. Participate in Random Acts of Kindness. This is a fun way to do something nice for someone else this Christmas. It’s also a great opportunity to practice your own “random acts of kindness” you want to give back in the new year.

119. Polar Plunge: A Fun and Festive Way to Help Others. Create a team of people who will pledge money for every degree the temperature drops below freezing! Make sure to follow through and take the polar plunge!

120. Donate to a Food Bank. Make a donation to your local food bank or homeless shelter in order to help those who are less fortunate during this time of year. This is a perfect way to help those in need in the wintertime and continue the tradition year round!

121. Be Someone’s Secret Santa. This is a fun and heartwarming tradition that works well for your whole family. It’s simple, too: just give out the names of people you would like to be Santa Claus for in December and tell them not to let the person know who you are.

122. Donate Toys. There are a ton of organizations that accept donations of toys or other items. Find the best charities to donate your old toys and help those in need this holiday season!

123. Make a Financial Contribution to a Nonprofit. Most nonprofits receive the majority of their financial donations in the last months of the year. Maybe see if you could make it a part of your biweekly budget and give more often.

124. Visit the Animal Shelter for a pet adoption event. It’s not just cats and dogs that need homes on Christmas Eve! Many of our furry friends are forgotten about this time of year. Stop by a local animal shelter.

125. Adopt a Family for Christmas. If you’re not into the whole Santa Claus thing, why not take it upon yourself to give back to the community? Adopt a family for Christmas by purchasing gifts, food, and necessities that they might not otherwise have. There are many families in need this time of year and it’s truly an act of love and kindness to give back in this way.

126. Give the gift of music. If you’re a musician or know someone who is, offer to play at a nursing home or assisted living facility on Christmas Eve. If you’re not a musician, sponsor the music of a local choir or orchestra.

127. Give the Gift of a Smile. Visit an elderly neighbor and say hi. Smile to the person behind you in line. It takes more muscles to frown than smile.

128. Pick a Tag from a Giving Tree. Many companies set up a tree with tags of people who are in need. Then, their employees can pick a tag and purchase the selected item.

129. Baking for Others: A Fun Way to Help Others. Bake for someone in your neighborhood and donate the ingredients to an organization that feeds people in need!

130. Pray for Peace and Happiness. Don’t stop praying during these hard times. Pray for peace, happiness and prosperity around the world.

Something Else for Holiday Bucket List Items

These are the ones that are still awesome ideas but don’t fit in the above categories!

131. Empty your Christmas Schedule. This is a great way to destress, especially if you have been stressing about your holiday season.

132. Start Dreaming About Your New Year’s Resolutions. This one is my favorite! I love rolling over to a new year with fresh dreams.

133. Grab your Yearly Planner before January 1st. Yes! Especially with supply chain issues, I recommend getting your yearly planner in advance. Here is the current yearly planner I use.

134. Create Your Own Advent Calendar. It’s easy to create your own advent calendar. Use a simple white board and some markers to create your own countdown to Christmas.

Christmas Bucket List for Couples

These are the top 10 ideas from above just for couples!

  1. Ice Skating at Night
  2. Kiss Under the Mistletoe
  3. Go on a Sleigh Ride
  4. Romantic Movie Night
  5. Catch a Snowflake on Your Tongue
  6. Enjoy A Fireside Cuddle
  7. Leisurely Stroll on a Snowy Mountain Area
  8. Escape for a Night Away
  9. Volunteer Together
  10. Dream About Your Future

Christmas Bucket List Template

Okay, we gave you TONS OF IDEAS!

There is absolutely no way you can accomplish them all in one Christmas season.

So, here is a template to use to pick your top 25 activities to complete.

If you’re like us then setting up the tree is something that you always look forward to. From decorating the tree, baking cookies, and watching movies under it with your family this Christmas is sure to be a magical time for all of us!

What are some tips for creating an ultimate Christmas bucket list?

There are a few things to keep in mind when creating your ultimate Christmas bucket list.

First, make sure that it includes experiences that you will really enjoy. This is not the time for obligation or duty–the list should be filled with activities that you and your loved ones will love doing together.

Second, try to include a variety of different types of activities, from traveling and vacationing to visiting new places and trying out new experiences.

And finally, don’t forget to add some classic holiday traditions as well!

KEY TIP… Plan Your Day Ahead: What are you going to do tomorrow?

How can you make your Christmas bucket list more meaningful?

When it comes to the holidays, many people want to do as much as they can.

The Christmas bucket list is often a great way to make sure that you’re able to check off all of the items on your wish list. But sometimes, we can become overwhelmed by all of the things that we want to do. This year, consider making your bucket list more meaningful by doing activities that will bring you happiness and joy.

Idea #1 – Be Happy

One way to make your Christmas bucket list more meaningful is by only including activities that truly make you happy.

For example, if decorating the tree or going shopping for presents isn’t really your thing, then don’t put them down as items that you have to do this year! Instead, focus on doing things like baking cookies with loved ones or taking a walk in the snow.

Idea #2 – Spend Time Together

Another way to make your holiday season more special is by spending time together over a fire. Whether you build one in your backyard or take advantage of one at a local park, this is a great opportunity for conversation and reflection.

Consider lighting the fireplace and reading a good book together–or having some deep conversations about what’s been going on in each other’s lives!

Idea #3 – Make an Advent Calendar

Making your own advent calendar is a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit. You can make it as simple or as complex as you want, but the key is to include activities that will get you excited for the holiday season.

For example, one day you might do an act of service for someone else, and on another day you might bake cookies!

Now, start brainstorming ideas with your family and friends.

Idea #4 – Get Prepared

Take time to figure out what kind of holiday experience you want, which helps narrow down the items on your bucket list.

Another way to make your Christmas bucket list more special is by preparing for Christmas Eve the night before. One great idea is to create a box filled with all of the things you’ll need for the following day. This could include pajamas, breakfast foods, and even some presents!

Use the printable to prioritize which activities your family would like to do during the holidays.

Idea #5 – Make it Personal

Finally, why not add a personal touch to your Christmas this year?

Make your list as personal and meaningful to you as possible by only including activities that are important.

Instead of using store-bought wreaths and ornaments, try making them yourself! There are endless possibilities when it comes to homemade decorations, so get creative and have some fun!

This isn’t the time to make your season harder – only what you want to do.

What are some things you can do to make your Christmas bucket list more exciting?

There are many ways to make your Christmas bucket list more exciting!

One way is to add a variety of activities, from festive traditions to outdoor adventures.

You can also mix up the type of activities so that you have something for everyone in the family. Additionally, you can make a point to do new things every year and keep your bucket list updated.

This will help ensure that you have an enjoyable and memorable Christmas season.

What are some tips for making your Christmas bucket list more fun for everyone?

One way to make your Christmas bucket list more fun for everyone is to try and do something that is meaningful and fun for everyone in your family.

This could be anything from spending time by the Christmas tree together, to doing random acts of kindness this holiday season!

A great tip would be to have everyone include their top three ideas that make the family Christmas bucket list.

All in all, you want to start Christmas traditions that the whole family looks forward to each and every year. This may be as simple as starting a new family tradition or making homemade gifts for your friends and neighbors.

Which Holiday Activities do you Need & Love?

So many ideas, right?

Your head may be spinning, but only put the holiday activities on your list that you want to do.

If you’re looking for something special to do this year, consider checking out one of the many Christmas productions around the country. From The Nutcracker to A Christmas Carol, there’s something for everyone.

And don’t forget about all of the amazing light displays – they’re definitely worth seeing!

It’s the most wonderful time of year, so you might as well make your family traditions more exciting by adding some creative tasks to what is normally a boring list of chores.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? I’d love to hear about them!

For more inspiration, check out our Christmas Pinterest board.

Merry Christmas!

Also, it might be time to start thinking about what do I want for Christmas?

Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!

Source: moneybliss.org

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Nestled in the heart of the American West, Montana is home to some of the country’s most picturesque landscapes and vibrant college towns.

From the bustling city of Missoula to the historic charm of Helena, there’s no shortage of excitement and adventure to be found in the Treasure State. In this article, we’ll explore the best college towns in Montana, showcasing their unique attractions, academic offerings and unique local cultures. If you’re considering pursuing your education in Big Sky Country, keep reading to discover the perfect place to call home.

Bozeman is known for its stunning natural beauty and unparalleled outdoor adventure resources. The city is nestled in a scenic valley surrounded by the Bridger, Gallatin and Madison mountain ranges, providing students with a breathtaking backdrop for their academic pursuits. Home to Montana State University (MSU), Bozeman boasts a thriving college atmosphere with a population of just under 50,000.

MSU is recognized for its strong programs in agriculture, engineering and environmental sciences, making it an ideal destination for students interested in these fields. In addition, the university’s focus on research and its proximity to Yellowstone National Park provides unparalleled opportunities for hands-on learning and discovery that you simply cannot access in other parts of the country.

When it comes to entertainment, Bozeman is a hub for outdoor enthusiasts. Students can explore the nearby Gallatin National Forest, ski at Bridger Bowl or hike the famous M Trail. The vibrant downtown area offers a plethora of dining, shopping and cultural experiences, including the Bozeman Symphony and the lively Bozeman Art Walks.

Missoula is a college town with a population of approximately 75,000. Missoula is home to the University of Montana (UM), which is well-regarded for its programs in forestry, environmental sciences and creative writing. UM’s sprawling campus is a lush oasis nestled alongside the Clark Fork River, with Mount Sentinel and its iconic “M” towering in the background.

The city’s stunning location at the convergence of five mountain ranges makes it an outdoorsy type’s paradise. Students here can enjoy a wide range of recreational activities, like hiking, mountain biking and fishing in the surrounding wilderness. Missoula is also a haven for river enthusiasts, with the Bitterroot and Blackfoot rivers offering opportunities for rafting, kayaking and some of the best fly fishing in the world.

Missoula’s vibrant arts and culture draw college students from across the country. The city hosts numerous festivals and events throughout the year, including the International Wildlife Film Festival, the Montana Book Festival and the popular Downtown ToNight summer concert series.

In addition, Missoula’s thriving downtown area is packed with galleries, breweries and eclectic dining options, ensuring there’s never a dull moment in this bustling college town.

As Montana’s capital city, Helena is steeped in history and charm. With a population of around 32,000, this college town is home to both Carroll College and Helena College, a branch of the University of Montana. Carroll College is a private Catholic liberal arts school known for its strong pre-med, pre-law and engineering programs, while Helena College offers a range of two-year programs and renowned workforce training opportunities.

The city’s rich history is evident in its well-preserved architecture, which includes the magnificent Montana State Capitol building and the beautifully restored downtown area. Students can soak up the city by taking a stroll down Last Chance Gulch, a lively pedestrian mall that was once the site of a major gold mining operation.

Helena’s location at the base of the Rocky Mountains provides students easy access to a variety of outdoor activities. Just a short drive from the city, you’ll find the Helena National Forest, where hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing are popular pastimes. For water enthusiasts, the nearby Missouri River Canyon Trail provides great opportunities for boating, fishing and more.

Throughout the year, Helena hosts a variety of community events that cater to college students and locals alike. The city’s Alive at Five summer concert series and Last Chance Stampede and Fair are just a few examples of the vibrant events that unite this truly unique college town.

A small town of around 4,000 residents, Dillon is home to the University of Montana Western(UMW). This hidden gem of a college town in Montana offers students a close-knit and supportive community as well as a unique educational experience. UMW is known for its Experience One program, which allows students to focus on one course at a time, providing an immersive and engaging learning environment from an entirely new perspective.

The town’s location in the Beaverhead Valley makes for a picturesque setting for outdoor enthusiasts. Students can explore the nearby Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, fish in the blue-ribbon trout streams of the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers or visit the historic Bannack State Park, the site of Montana’s first major gold discovery.

Dillon’s charming downtown is home to a variety of shops, restaurants and historic landmarks, like the Beaverhead County Museum. The town also hosts several annual events, including Montana’s Biggest Weekend Rodeo, which brings the community together and provides a fun and festive atmosphere for college students and longtime locals alike.

Butte is home to Montana Technological University, a leading institution in engineering, applied sciences and natural resource management. The university’s strong reputation in these areas attracts students from across the country and around the world.

Butte’s rich mining history is evident throughout the city, with its stunning collection of well-preserved Victorian architecture and the immense Berkeley Pit, a former open-pit copper mine turned environmental attraction.

The surrounding landscape provides opportunities for outdoor exploration, like the scenic Continental Divide Trail. In addition, students who stick around for the summer can enjoy numerous events and festivals, like the Montana Folk Festival, Evel Knievel Days and more.

The mountains of Montana are waiting for you

From the adventure-filled streets of Bozeman to the historic charm of Butte, Montana’s college towns offer a diverse and exciting array of experiences for students of all interests. From bustling city atmospheres to close-knit communities, you’ll find what you’re looking for in one of these fantastic college towns in Montana.

Source: rent.com

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Who doesn’t want to make a little extra cash these days? The price of digital cameras is dropping on what seems to be a daily basis. Why not put yours to some use? For the past five years I have been selling royalty-free stock photographs and will share my thoughts, ideas and concepts with you, along with some suggestions for getting started.

What is stock photography?
The Wikipedia entry for stock photography states:

Stock photography consists of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. Book publishers, specialty publishers, magazines, advertising agencies, filmmakers, web designers, graphic artists, interior decor firms, corporate creative groups, and other entities utilize stock photography to fulfill the needs of their creative assignments. By using stock photography instead of hiring a photographer to perform on location shooting, customers can save valuable time and stay on budget.

Everything for commercial use these days has some sort of marketing on it; often this marketing takes the form of a photograph. Take a look at your cereal box — there’s a photo on it. Flip through any magazine — someone took the photographs in all those ads. This website often uses images to help describe a story better — someone had to take those. You cannot legally just right-click and save an image from the Internet and use it on a website, print article or magazine. A marketing firm based in Florida may need a photograph of snow-capped mountains. They obviously don’t have mountains in Florida, so they turn to stock photos, which they can purchase at a reasonable rate. The photographer makes a percentage of that image sale.

How can you start making money?
This is the first question everyone asks, but there are some precursor questions that should be answered first:

  • Do you have the time to invest (perhaps as much as four hours per week)?
  • Can you capture images other then your immediate surroundings?
  • Will friends and family be willing to sign model release forms?
  • Is your camera of high enough quality?
  • Do you know how to properly edit a photograph?
  • Will you be able to associate keywords to go along with your photo?
  • Will you be willing to invest more into gear and cameras?
  • Can you be objective with yourself?
  • How well do you handle rejection?
  • Are you willing to invest time to learn continually?

Do you have the time to invest?
Editing photos takes time. So does giving them full descriptions and uploading full-sized images. This is aside from actually taking photographs. When I was doing this on a regular basis, I would often spend an hour or more a day just editing photographs, another two hours to upload and catalog them.

Can you capture images other then your immediate surroundings?
In order to sell a photograph, you need to give the buyer something they can’t grab themselves. This rules out most of your everyday surroundings, including everything at your desk, kitchen, living room, even your sock drawer. Thousands of these images exist in stock catalogs already.

Will friends and family be willing to sign model release forms?
One of the best ways to sell a photograph is to have somebody in it. In order to do this, the models in the images need to sign off their rights to collect any money for them. Often times, I will do a trade with friends and family. I’ll agree to bring my camera to so-and-so’s birthday party and photograph the event for them if one or three agree to give me an hour or two time around the house, at the park or wherever to pose and let me photograph them, and sign the release. This works out well for both parties.

Is your camera of high enough quality?
Many online stock sites now have minimum requirements for files they will accept. Generally speaking, the baseline where you want to start is a 5mp camera. A digital SLR camera, one that you can change lenses on, is much more desirable as they produce better quality images. More megapixels doesn’t always mean better images; the quality of the sensor has a lot to do with it.

Do you know how to properly edit a photograph?
Photographs can often be improved by making adjustments to them, such as:

  • Cropping
  • Color
  • Density
  • Shadow detail
  • Sharpening

A basic photo-editing program will be needed, as every image that comes out of your camera can always be tweaked a bit for better quality. I’ve been using Photoshop for years now, current version is CS2, but Photoshop Elements is acceptable. You might also like the GIMP, which is free for both Windows and Mac users. Any corporate name will also need to be edited out of an image. Logos, text or other copyrighted material cannot appear in a photograph that will be sold as stock.

Will you be able to associate keywords to go along with your photo?
Stock photography sites use their own internal search engines; you find an image you’re looking for by putting in descriptive words. Nothing magical about that. It is when you need to convey more then what is physically in an image. You could associate 50 or more keywords with an image. This light bulb is an example of a stock photograph. If this were my photo for sale, some of the keywords I would associate with it are:

  • Light bulb
  • Glass
  • Red
  • Clear
  • Transparent
  • Illuminate
  • Idea
  • Copy space

As you can see, some are descriptive of the actual item, others are there as adjectives. The key wording “game” is directly related to how well people will be able to find your images. This will be covered in greater detail later on.

Will you be willing to invest more into gear and cameras?
As you progress, you will find yourself needing better cameras and lenses, more gear such as studio lights, tripods and just spending more money. You may not make the money back for several months, maybe not at all, but would you be willing to make a small investment? I found myself shooting three cameras and in a studio paying rent for it at one point. It was very much worth it.

Can you be objective with yourself?
Self-editing can be a photographer’s biggest downfall. I don’t mean editing the photographs in an image editor like Photoshop — I’m referring to selecting the best possible image from a group. The photographer who took the above light bulb photo more then likely has a dozen of them at slightly different angles; however, she chose what she thought would be the best example of that group. Uploading 15 photos of essentially the same photo all at slightly different angles doesn’t give buyers more choices, it confuses them and often leaves them second-guessing. Only show and sell your very best of the best images. I’ve found myself doing shoots with models with 400 or more shots from a two-hour session. When it was all said and done, I had about twenty I was really happy with and that’s all anyone ever saw.

How well do you handle rejection?
More then likely you are going to get images rejected. How often? Don’t be surprised if 50% or more of what you submit gets rejected. Don’t let this get you down, use it as a tool to help build upon your growing portfolio.

Are you willing to invest time to learn continually?
Whether you are new to photography or have been shooting for years, learning is part of the game. I’m on several different forums on a regular basis chatting with other photographers about how to shoot, tips, techniques and most importantly, critiques. Books and now DVDs are becoming increasingly more important tools to mastering different techniques as well and I often reference them prior to doing a shoot.

Conclusion
As this series continues at my own site, I will be writing articles on specific topics, giving examples and suggesting ideas to really maximize a hobby into a source of income. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Much of this information is applicable to making money from any hobby. This article originally appeared at Randomn3ss in a slightly different format. The second part of this series gives a brief overview of a photographer’s workflow. The third part discusses types of images that sell well.

Source: getrichslowly.org

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This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.

Budgeting is not easy!

It can be stressful and complicated to stay on top of your finances.

It takes willpower, discipline, patience—but also creativity and flexibility in order for us to stick with it long enough that we start saving money as well.

A budget binder with envelopes is the perfect tool for keeping everything organized.

With this very simple and easy-to-use tool, you can organize all of your budgets and actual spending for multiple cash envelope categories in one place—all within an envelope that easily fits into a purse or wallet!

The hardest part is finding one that suits your needs.

In fact, 65% of Americans have no ideas how they spent their money last month.

In this post, we are going to review the topic budget binder with envelopes, so you can make a logical decision on what is best for you.

Why you should use a budget binder?

A budget binder is a great way to keep your finances organized. It can help you track your expenses, stay on budget, and save money.

In addition, with budgeting, you reduce your spending and plan for the future.

There are several ways to use a budget binder:

  • Set spending limits so you can save money
  • Label envelopes with category names like “groceries” and “dining out.”
  • Add money to an envelope as you spend it in that category, even if it’s not the last envelope for that category.
  • If there is leftover money at the end of the month, put it into savings or your emergency fund (or use it next month).

This type of detail will help you stay organized and aware of your spending habits. Learn more on how to create a budget binder.

Are budget binders worth it?

Though budget binders are not a new concept, they are still worth using to help you stay on top of your spending.

By recording where each penny goes, you can more easily track your progress and make necessary adjustments along the way.

Budget binders can be found in both digital and printed formats. They are often sold on Amazon, but they may also be bought online from other sellers like Etsy.

Budget binders are a popular way to stay organized and save money.

What to include in your budget binder

A budget binder is a place where you can keep all of your financial information in one spot–including accounts, receipts, and other important paperwork. This will help you stay up-to-date on your spending and make it easier to track expenses.

There are some key items that you should include in your budget binder so that it’s most effective for you.

It’s also helpful to have a section for current account statements and recent receipts.

When it comes to personal finance, the organization is key.

A great way to get your budget in order is by using a budget binder with cash envelopes. This method is very simple and can be customized to fit your own needs.

If you want to organize your budget in a simple way, then consider using a budget binder with envelopes. This will help you to easily separate your expenses into different categories.

Here are the best budget binders with cash envelopes to choose from.

This budget binder is a great way to organize your finances. It is lightweight and easy to carry, making it convenient for use at home, work, or school.

The A6 size fits easily in your handbag or backpack, and the money pocket and cards holder make it easy to keep your important documents safe and secure.

Additionally, waterproof sticker labels make it easy for you to categorize everything you need to carry with you.

This budget binder is a great way to organize your finances. It comes with money saving envelopes for cash, as well as inserts that can go into the A6 ring binder. You can also carry it with you anywhere thanks to its handy zipped up holders.

This SOUL MAMA A6 Budget Binder with Cash envelopes is the perfect way to budget your money. It comes with pre-printed inserts for saving money, and the color scheme is half holographic purple and half white. The labels are also written in beautiful rose gold font.

The material makes it both quality and tear-resistant, while the waterproof and soft-to-the-touch design keeps your documents safe. Plus, there’s a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can be sure that you’re making a sound investment.

This budget binder is a great way to organize your finances. The faux leather binder has a pen loop and card pockets, which are perfect for hiding passports, ID cards, bank cards, and other important things.

Plus, the personalized holographic design will make you feel like a boss!

There are a variety of cash envelope options to help organize your budget. The most common are envelopes for Mortgage/Rent, House bills, Car payments, Car insurance, and Groceries. You can find specialized envelopes or create your own system.

Label each envelope with the name of the category and the amount you plan to spend each month. When the money is gone, it’s gone!

You can find purchase add-ons with extra envelopes and budget tracking sheets in their shop.

Clever Fox cash envelopes are tear-resistant, water-resistant and durable, making them the perfect option for budgeting.

This Clever Fox cash envelope system is perfect for organizing your budget. The set includes a carrying case, 12 budget sheets, and enough envelopes to track all of your purchases and what you have left to spend. Each envelope has a different color for each budgeting category, so you can stay on top of your spending with ease.

I love the Clever Fox Cash Envelopes for Budget System because of its great features.

The tracker has a zippered storage case to keep everything together and each envelope has a blank category label. When you lift the flap, there’s another label with plenty of space to write down the details! Plus, the quality is fantastic and I love how they include purchase trackers with every set.

Recently, I stumbled upon this super cute budget book that is perfect for organizing your finances.

This A6 budget binder comes with a customized cash envelope system, which will help you stay on track with your budget.

You can choose the color of your binder, the font for your personalization, and the vinyl color. You can also choose to have your name printed on the front of the binder as well as a phrase of your choice.

The quality of the book exceeded my expectations, and the best part is that it’s just so darn cute! If you’re looking for a custom budget binder, I would highly recommend this one.

This SKYDUE Budget Binder comes with 12 envelopes for cash, which makes it easy to keep track of your budget. The binder also has 16 self-adhesive labels to help you stay organized, and it fits in your handbag, backpack, suitcase, or desk.

In addition, the SKYDUE Budget Binder with 12pcs Cash Envelopes is perfect for college students.

The binder and sleeves are made from durable materials that can withstand wear and tear, while the cash envelopes are a great way to start using the sinking funds saving method. Plus, the pouches are big enough to hold a decent amount of money without being too bulky.

A customized cover is a great way to personalize your budget binder!

This starter set gives you all the basics you need to get started. You can have a maximum of 8 envelopes in your binder for a comfortable fit, but feel free to adjust this number according to your needs.

The binder was well put together and the customer service was amazing. The money was well spent and there are many customers very happy with the final product.

A personalized cash envelope binder is a great way to organize your budget.

You can customize the binder with any name or wording in any font color! The set includes a binder and 5 personalized cash envelopes.

This is a great way to start budgeting and get your finances under control.

This cash envelope wallet is perfect for budgeting. It has RFID blocking to keep your cash safe and a heavy duty wristlet to make sure it stays with you.

There are 12 cash envelopes included so you can get started right away, and the vertical design of the envelope makes it easy to add and remove bills or track your spending.

Personally, I like the plastic tabbed cash envelopes because they are durable and small enough to be taken out of my planner system without getting squished. The vertical orientation is easier to see, which helps me keep track of how much money I have left in each category.

In addition, this binder comes with access to a library of 50+ A6 printable pages. There are 12 monthly budget sheets included helping you build your budget and get organized. With this system, you can take control of your finances and see where your money is going.

This budget binder from TNHomegrowndesigns is a great way to start organizing your finances. It includes everything you need to get started, including cash envelopes and a money holder. The cash envelope system is a simple way to budget your money, and this binder makes it easy to do.

You can choose the color and number of envelopes you want, as well as have it customized with your name. This is a great way to organize your budget in a simple way.

Budget Binders with Envelopes DIY

If you’re looking for a low-cost option to organize your finances, consider using a DIY budget binder with envelopes.

This approach allows you to maintain control over your spending even during income fluctuations. Plus, by using airtight plastic bags to store the envelopes, you can save money on buying new folders!

How do you make a budget binder with envelopes?

Honestly, it is just as easy to create your own budget binder as it is to buy one pre-made.

Here are the supplies you need:

The benefits of making your own are personal customization and adding what is important to your personal situation.

For more information, learn how to create a budget binder.

How to organize your budget in a simple way

There are a few different ways to organize your budget:

  • Income and Expenses: This is probably the most common way to organize a budget. It separates your income from your expenses, so you can see how much money you have coming in and going out.
  • Fixed and Variable Expenses: This way of organizing a budget separates your fixed expenses, like your rent or car payment, from your variable expenses, like your grocery bill. This can be helpful in seeing where you spend money.

There are a few different ways to organize your budget, but we think starting with a zero based budget is best.

How much money do you save with the envelope system?

The envelope system is a popular way to budget and helps people save money faster.

It works by allocating specific amounts of money to each category of expense and putting that money into an envelope. When the envelope is empty, you can’t spend any more money in that category. This helps people stay within their budget and avoid overspending.

If you need to save money on a tight budget, then the envelope system is helpful.

In fact, many people have had great success with saving over $5000 using the 100 envelope challenge.

Tips for sticking to your budgeting system

When it comes to sticking to your budget, there are a few things you can do to make it easier.

For starters, don’t spend more than you can afford.

If you have debts or other expenses, make sure you factor those into your budget as well.

Also, be sure to set realistic goals and limits for yourself- if you try to cut back too much, you’re likely to give up before you even start.

At the same time, don’t be afraid to experiment a little bit and try new things with the money you have. Just because something is outside of your budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it sometimes!

By being smart about how you spend your money, you can stick to your budget without feeling too restricted.

Which Budget Binder with Cash Envelopes is your Favorite?

A budget binder is a great way to organize your finances and keep track of where your money is going.

Cash envelopes help to visually budget your money. You can use them to plan and budget for what you are going to spend each week or month. This will help you stay on track with your finances and change your future for the better.

In this system, you will have separate envelopes for each category of your budget, such as rent, groceries, and utilities. This will help you track your spending and stay within your budget by paycheck method.

Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!

Source: moneybliss.org

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Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further

When they’re finally ready to make the jump from renting to home ownership, most first time homebuyers enlist a real estate agent to help them through the process. No wonder: buying a home is complicated and when it’s your first time, you feel like you could use some hand-holding.

Real estate agents provide a valuable service and are generally well-paid as a result. There’s nothing wrong with that. But money does have a way of distorting relationships — even when honest people are involved.

Here are some tips that will help you, as a first time homebuyer, take full advantage of today’s real estate market and get the most out of your relationship with your real estate agent.

1. Your agent is your agent

When you’re new to the process, it is easy to believe that the guy with 20 years’ experience calls the shots. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Your real estate professional is your agent: he or she works for you, gives you advice and negotiates on your behalf. He doesn’t make decisions for you and you should not expect him to.

2. Only fools fall in love

After you’ve looked at a few houses that weren’t quite right, your agent will probably tell you not to get discouraged, and that eventually you will “fall in love” with the right property.

Love makes you do stupid things. Stupid things like paying too much or looking past costly repair items. As a first-time homebuyer, you should develop a healthy ‘like’ for a property, but keep the relationship open, see other houses. There will be plenty of time for “love” after you’ve put in the 300 hours of sweat equity to make your house a home.

3. Be willing to walk away

If you never fall in love with a piece of real estate, you’ll never cry when you have to walk away from it. Real estate agents often use the phrase “my client will walk away” and some use it quite loosely to stress the importance of a point for negotiation. If you want to retain the full strength of your position as a buyer, you’ll need “I’ll walk away” to mean that you are done if your demands aren’t met.

For your agent to communicate this correctly to the seller, he needs to know that you mean what you say. And yes, if it reaches that point, you will need to walk away from a property. Not to worry: there are others out there. But don’t be surprised if you hear back from the seller a week later that he is willing to work with your demands.

4. Time is on your side

Your agent is going to tell you that you have to move quickly and make the best offer possible when you find the right property. This is not always the best advice. As a first time homebuyer, you are in a unique position of strength in terms of the real estate transaction. You aren’t selling your home, so you don’t have to move. You can look at and make offers on many properties. You can start with a low offer and negotiate upwards if the seller balks. You can table a counter-offer and look around a bit before deciding to pay more. The opposite is generally true of sellers in a buyer’s market. They need to sell the property and are motivated to move as quickly as possible. Use time to your advantage.

5. Your agent is not your friend

Your agent performs valuable services in the real estate transaction, but he really doesn’t make anything until you buy a piece of real estate. That makes him a salesman. Being a salesman, he wants you to feel like he is a friend who has your best interests at heart.

The reality is that your interests and your agent’s may not be aligned. He is actually better off financially if you make a quick decision and pay too much for a property. This is, after all, likely the largest business transaction of your life. Make sure that your agent, regardless of how personable he is, understands that you are a customer and that you need him to drive the best business deal for you.

6. The listing agent just might be your best friend

In the New York Times best-selling book Freakanomics, authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner point out that real estate agents typically market their own homes for 10 days longer than they market their clients’ homes. Is this because they are so busy with their clients that they don’t have time to market their own homes?

No, it really comes down to how we incent real estate agents with commission. When an agent is selling his own home, he enjoys the full benefit of any increase in sales price so he is extremely motivated to market for as long as possible to get the best sales price possible. But when it comes to a client’s home, an extra week on the market might lead to a higher sales price for the seller — but the agent will only enjoy a very small amount of that increase in the form of marginal increase to commission. Meanwhile, marketing a home for another week would take him away from marketing someone else’s property. As such, the listing agent is highly motivated to convince the seller that your offer is the best offer he is going to receive. Use this to your advantage and make offers that are good for you.

7. There is no such thing as an embarrassingly low offer

When it comes to a property that has been sitting with no action, there is no such thing as an offer that is too low. Some agents will tell you that that you could offend the seller or that your offer is embarrassing. A good agent will encourage you to make strategically low offers. Offers are really not a lot of work and the worst thing that can happen is that your offer is not accepted. Often, however, in a buyer’s market a low offer will turn into a counter-offer. Think of the first offer as the starting point for negotiations and be prepared to consider counter-offers.

8. Online real estate companies can save you money

Over the past decade, online real estate companies have started to take market share away from traditional brick-and-mortar agencies. They’ve grown by offering discounts and rebates on the traditional 3% real estate commission. RedFin, one of the leading online real estate companies, offers buyers a rebate of up to 50% of the commission at close. RedFin also compensates their agents with salary as opposed to commission, which alleviates some conflict of interest issues. Granted, the service may not be as extensive or personalized — but the extra cash may offset the drawbacks.

8 Home Buying Secrets Your Real Estate Agent Won’t Tell You was provided by CreditSesame.com

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If you’ve spent any time around TPG, you know that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of our most beloved cards. We often recommend it as a great travel rewards card for beginners and travel rewards veterans alike for its solid earning potential, excellent point redemption options and relatively low annual fee.

We love the card so much that it made multiple appearances on our list of cards TPG staffers can’t live without.

If (for some reason) you haven’t gotten it yet, make that your next move.

Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card with a sign-up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 in your first three months of account opening

But if you’ve already listened to us and gotten the Chase Sapphire Preferred, your next card decision might seem more daunting. If you ask a few of us which card you should get next, you will likely hear different answers. It can feel like choosing your next card is complicated when, in reality, there are just a lot of really good options of cards you can get to take you to the next phase of your points and miles journey.

Today we’re going to break down the three major schools of thought on which card you should get to pair with your trusty Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Three approaches

Your options fall into three categories:

There’s no single right answer that applies to everyone, so you’ll want to consider your own situation to identify which makes the most sense.

Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta

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Option 1: A card to earn additional Ultimate Rewards points

This is a great choice if you love the options to redeem and transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards points from your Sapphire Preferred. With one of the Chase Freedom cards, you can maximize your spending categories to earn even more of these points from your everyday spending.

On their own, the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex are marketed as cash-back cards. If you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, though, you’ll be able to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points and transfer them to the full range of Chase transfer partners.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

WYATT SMITH/THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $0.

Sign-up bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% on all purchases up to $20,000 spent in your first year.

Rewards rate: Earn 5% on travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 3% on dining and drugstores, and an unlimited 1.5% on all other purchases.

Why this card pairs well: This card is excellent to pair with your Chase Sapphire Preferred because it earns 1.5% (or points per dollar spent) on all purchases, which is 50% more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred (1 point per dollar spent on purchases outside of its bonus categories).

Even with my own more advanced card portfolio, this is a card I reach for often. It allows me to earn a decent return on purchases that don’t fall under most bonus categories, such as auto repairs and specialty items. With a current bonus of earning an additional 1.5% back on all purchases (up to $20,000 spent) in your first year, it’s a no-brainer for most Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders.

Related: Chase Freedom Unlimited: A great card for beginners and pros alike

Official application link: Chase Freedom Unlimited

Chase Freedom Flex

THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $0.

Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Rewards rate: 5% (or 5 points per dollar) cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. You’ll also get 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining, and 1% on all other purchases.

Why this card pairs well: With this card, you’ll get 5 points per dollar on qualifying purchases in merchant categories and at specific retailers that change each quarter. For example, during the second quarter of 2023 (April 1 through June 30), the bonus applies to Lowe’s and Amazon purchases — perfect timing for your spring cleaning and graduation gift purchases. This card gives you a great way to earn more Chase Ultimate Rewards points on different spending categories.

Related: Chase’s newest cash-back option — Chase Freedom Flex card review

Official application link: Chase Freedom Flex℠

If you find yourself ready to juggle a few cards but want to keep earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can use all three cards (Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Unlimited and Freedom Flex) to maximize your points earning potential on all your purchases. Just be sure to time your applications carefully to maximize your approval chances.

Option 2: A card to earn additional points with a Chase transfer partner

If you consistently transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards to a specific transfer partner, like United MileagePlus or World of Hyatt, you can get a cobranded card to maximize your points.

United Quest Card

THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $250.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.

Rewards rate: Earn 3 miles per dollar spent on United Airlines purchases (immediately after earning the $125 United purchase credit) and 2 miles per dollar on all other travel, including airfare, trains, local transit, cruise lines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, resorts, ride-sharing services and tolls. You’ll also earn 2 miles per dollar on dining and select streaming services and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Why this card pairs well: Since United is one of the most valuable Chase travel partners, this card will greatly improve the value you receive when you transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to United. For example, when you have a United Quest card, your miles will go much further due to the additional award availability offered to all United cardholders.

You’ll also receive a free first and second checked bag for yourself and a companion, priority boarding and access to Premier upgrades on award tickets. Other benefits include two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits, 25% back on United inflight purchases and up to a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit. A $125 annual United purchase credit will take the sting out of this card’s $250 annual fee.

If you fly United regularly, the United Quest card and Chase Sapphire Preferred combination offers valuable flexibility.

Related: 4 reasons to get the new United Quest Card

Official application link: United Quest Card

World of Hyatt Credit Card

THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $95.

Sign-up bonus: Earn up to 60,000 bonus points, including 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening and another 30,000 points by earning 2 points per dollar on purchases that normally earn just 1 point per dollar in your account’s first six months (on up to $15,000 spent).

Rewards rate: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties; 2 points per dollar at restaurants and on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit and commuting as well as fitness club and gym memberships; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Why this card pairs well: The World of Hyatt program is easily the most valuable hotel transfer partner offered by Ultimate Rewards, so you’ll want to enjoy as many perks as possible when redeeming your rewards for stays at Hyatt. You’ll receive Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open and five qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year. Plus, you can earn two additional qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000 on your card, making it much easier to reach the next tier of elite status even if you’re not on the road constantly.

Another popular benefit on the card is the annual free night you receive after your cardmember anniversary (valid at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort), as well as an additional free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year.

Related: The most award-friendly hotel program: Everything you need to know about World of Hyatt

Official application link: World of Hyatt Credit Card

Option 3: A card that diversifies your rewards

This is the one that opens the door to other options.

Suppose you feel comfortable using your Chase Ultimate Rewards and want to unlock even more possibilities. In that case, you’ll want to open a card that will build you another set of transferable points. Here are some great choices:

American Express® Gold Card

THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $250. (See rates & fees)

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 within six months of account opening. However, check the CardMatch Tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome offer (subject to change at any time).

Rewards rate: Earn 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants and 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). Earn 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or on Amex Travel and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Why this card pairs well: The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer a grocery bonus, so this is an excellent card to use at U.S. supermarkets.

Most importantly, you diversify your rewards by accessing American Express Membership Rewards, including unique transfer partners that Chase doesn’t have, such as Hilton, Delta Air Lines, ANA, Hawaiian Airlines and Qantas. Other benefits include up to $120 in annual dining credits and up to $120 each year in Uber Cash that you can use toward Uber Eats purchases or Uber rides in the U.S.

Related: American Express Gold card review

Official application link: American Express® Gold Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture card is packed with features and a solid welcome bonus. ISABELLE RAPHAEL/THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $95.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Rewards rate: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.

Why this card pairs well: The Sapphire Preferred has incredible transfer partners, but they can’t account for all travel purchases. However, the miles you earn from your Capital One Venture can be redeemed for statement credits toward nearly any travel purchase.

Capital One also offers you the ability to transfer your miles to a lengthy list of airline and hotel programs, which have little overlap with Chase’s partners. Valuable additions include Wyndham Rewards, Turkish Airlines, Qantas and Choice Privileges. However, you also have access to some shared transfer partners like British Airways and Avianca LifeMiles, so pairing the Venture with the Sapphire Preferred could accelerate your potential earnings with these programs.

This card also offers you up to $100 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.

Related: Capital One Venture Rewards credit card review

Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Citi Premier® Card

THE POINTS GUY

Annual fee: $95.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Rewards rate: Earn 3 ThankYou points per dollar spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. For a limited time, earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) when you book through the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.

Why this card pairs well: The Citi ThankYou Rewards program offers several transfer partners that Chase doesn’t, such as Qatar, Etihad and Turkish. It also offers valuable bonus earning rates at supermarkets and gas stations, which the Sapphire Preferred doesn’t. This card also comes with a hotel savings benefit worth $100 off a $500 single hotel stay (excluding taxes and fees), once each calendar year. However, that stay must be booked through Citi’s travel portal, limiting its utility to some extent.

Related: Sizable rewards, manageable annual fee: Citi Premier credit card review

Official application link: Citi Premier® Card

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is excellent on its own, but it’s even better when paired with other cards. Whether you want to focus on earning more Chase Ultimate Rewards points, build out your stash of points or miles with one of Chase’s transfer partners or diversify into another set of transferable points, you have great options available to you.

Remember, there is no wrong choice when choosing your next card. Regardless of your choice, you’ll build on the knowledge you’ve obtained through the Chase Sapphire Preferred and take another step toward paying for your next trip with points and miles.

Related: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred should still be the first rewards card in your wallet

Additional reporting by Jason Steele.

For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card please click here.

Source: thepointsguy.com

Apache is functioning normally

When I picked up The 4-Hour Workweek, I was worried it was some sort of “get rich quick” book. The first few pages didn’t do much to change my mind. The author, Timothy Ferriss, makes a lot of bold claims, such as: “How do you create a hands-off business that generates $80,000 per month with no management? It’s all here.”

But something happened during the first few chapters. When I read a book, I use small sticky notes to mark interesting passages. After the first 100 pages of The 4-Hour Workweek, the book was thick with stickies. By the time I was finished, I had used an entire pad!

Ferriss does make a lot of bold promises, and some of the details along the way do read like the confessions of a get-rich-quick scammer. But I believe that an intelligent reader can easily extract a wealth of useful ideas from the book. For me, it’s a keeper. I’ve read it three times already, and will probably read it again before the end of the year.

Let’s Make a Deal

After college, Ferriss took a soul-sucking sales job at a tech firm. He left to start a soul-sucking business of his own. He went from working 40 hours a week for somebody else to working 80 hours a week for himself. He hated it. The pay was good, but the business left him drained.

After learning about the Pareto Principle (more commonly known as the 80-20 Principle), Ferriss had a revelation: he streamlined his business, eliminating distractions and automating systems until it was not only more profitable, but also took less of his time. Much less. He took a “mini-retirement,” and then decided to write a book about “lifestyle design,” about creating a life that balances work and play, maximizing the positives of both.

The 4-Hour Workweek is divided into four sections, each of which explores one of the components to lifestyle design:

  • Define your objectives. Decide what’s important. Set goals. Ask yourself, “What do I really want?”
  • Eliminate distractions to free up time. Learn to be effective, not efficient. Focus on the 20% of stuff that’s important and ignore the 80% that isn’t. Put yourself on a low-information diet. Learn to shunt aside interruptions, and learn to say “no.”
  • Automate your cash flow to increase income. Outsource your life — hire a virtual assistant to handle menial tasks. Develop a business that can run on auto-pilot. (This is the weakest section of the book.)
  • Liberate yourself from traditional expectations. Design your job to increase mobility. This could mean working from home, or it could mean using geographic arbitrage to take mini-retirements in countries with favorable exchange rates.

The 4-Hour Workweek describes the specific actions Ferriss took to implement these steps. Sometimes these specifics aren’t particularly useful. However, I think it’s a mistake to let the details get in the way of his broader message. If you’re able to look past the details, to look at their meaning, you may discover principles that can change your life. For example, I don’t like much of what Ferriss has to say about automation. I question the virtue of virtual assistants, and I think that his business model works for his business, but probably isn’t applicable to most others.

However, it was while re-reading this section the other night that I began to think about automating my personal finances, about making them paperless. By absorbing Ferriss’ ideas and not his specific details, I was able to apply this to my life.

A Kick in the Head

Most of the time, The 4-Hour Workweek is like a kick in the head. The flow of ideas is relentless. Here’s one of my favorites:

Emphasize strengths, don’t fix weaknesses. Most people are good at a handful of things and utterly miserable at most. […] It is far more lucrative and fun to leverage your strengths instead of attempting to fix all the chinks in your armor. The choice is between multiplication of results using strengths or incremental improvement fixing weaknesses that will, at best, become mediocre. Focus on better use of your best weapons instead of constant repair.

Maybe this is obvious to most of you, but it’s a revelation to me. I spend a lot of time worrying about my weaknesses. Yet when I look at my life, it’s clear that everything rewarding and profitable comes from enhancing my strengths. Here’s another example:

Relative income is more important than absolute income. Absolute income is measured using one holy and inalterable variable: the raw and almighty dollar. Jane Doe makes $100,000 per year and is thus twice as rich as John Doe, who makes $50,000 per year.

Relative income uses two variables: the dollar and time, usually hours. The whole “per year” concept is arbitrary and makes it easy to trick yourself. Let’s look at the real trade. Jane Doe makes $100,000 per year, $2,000 for each of 50 weeks per year, and works 80 hours per week. Jane Doe thus makes $25 per hour. John Doe makes $50,000 per year, $1,000 for each of 50 weeks per year, but works 10 hours per week and hence makes $100 per hour. In relative income, John is four times richer.

Of course, relative income has to add up to the minimum amount necessary to actualize your goals…

I want to believe that if I had to choose between $70,000 per year earned with 70 hard hours per week, or $42,000 per year earned with 37 easy hours per week, I’d choose the latter. I’m not there yet.

A Garden of Tips

I don’t buy into everything that Ferriss writes, but I love how he shatters conventional wisdom. I love that he makes me think. Even if you reject his central thesis, there are dozens of tips and tricks here that can be extracted and used to optimize your life. Here are a few:

  • Ask yourself, “If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?”
  • How to double your reading speed in ten minutes.
  • Why it’s more productive to carry around a written to-do list than to keep one on your computer.
  • Learn the art of non-finishing. This is all about the sunk cost fallacy: just because you paid $10 to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3 doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to watch the entire thing.
  • How to be more efficient with e-mail.
  • How to reduce clutter from your life.
  • If you can’t define it or act upon it, forget it.
  • Life exists to be enjoyed — the most important thing is to feel good about yourself.
  • Why geographic arbitrage is a great way to enhance your relative income.
  • The value of a virtual assistant.

Related >> Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes — And How to Correct Them

My Recommendation

Despite its flaws, The 4-Hour Workweek is a great book. I think that most people can draw something useful from it. Borrow it from your public library. If you like it and think you’ll re-read it, then wait for it to come out in paperback. I’ve already read my copy three times, but that’s because it’s perfect for when I am in life; I’m not convinced that others will extract the same value.

A final note: perhaps best of all, this book has a 10-page index. Why don’t more books do this?

Source: getrichslowly.org