FAMILY & MONEY

Deandre Ayton on Suns trailing in NBA Finals: I like it;

Most players would be quite unhappy to be facing elimination in the NBA Finals, particularly after holding a 2-0 series lead. Deandre Ayton apparently isn’t one of them.
The Phoenix Suns center said after Saturday’s Game 5 loss that he liked that the team was now the underdog against the Milwaukee Bucks, adding that it’s “more fun” to be the desperate team.
“I like it. It’s fun; the tables are turned now,” Ayton said, via Mark Medina of USA Today. “Now we’re the desperate team. We had our chances of being up and trying to finish the job, now we’re in the same position that they were in. They’re up, and now we got to go get it. That’s why it’s a little bit more fun.”

It’s anyone’s guess whether Ayton is trying to talk himself into that mindset or he’s just enjoying the pressure. The Suns have battled and overcome adversity all season, and maybe that attitude has something to do with it. Still, it’s a safe bet that even if Ayton likes this spot, he’d much rather be up in the series or have it clinched already.
Ayton scored 22 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in Game 1, his best performance of the Finals so far. He might have to be that good again for the Suns to win in Milwaukee and force Game 7. He certainly won’t want to end up on the wrong end of one of the biggest plays of the series again either. […]

FAMILY & MONEY

Team USA vs. Australia basketball exhibition game canceled due to COVID protocols

Team USA Basketball announced on Thursday that its upcoming exhibition game against Australia has been canceled.Friday’s game against Australia would have been the fourth of five scheduled exhibition games for the U.S. Men’s National Team. The team lost its first two exhibition games before bouncing back to beat Argentina on Tuesday. They were scheduled for a rematch against Australia, but health and safety protocols will prevent that. […]

FAMILY & MONEY

Team USA players struggling with not getting NBA superstar calls in exhibitions

Team USA Basketball is 1-2 so far in exhibition games ahead of the Olympics. Their two losses match the total amount of losses Team USA had in exhibition games from 1992 until this summer.
So, why is the team struggling?
Some of it has to do with the lack of rest some players had between the end of the NBA season and the start of international play. Some has to do with the team barely practicing together before embarking in games. Some has to do with poor defensive efforts. But another very big factor has been the lack of “superstar calls” the NBA players are used to receiving.
In a story published on Yahoo, Chris B. Haynes stated that multiple players like Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum were staring down officials after not getting the star treatment to which they are accustomed.

Here is an example of Damian Lillard not getting a foul call he was expecting: […]

FAMILY & MONEY

The Teams that never won a championship quiz

If the Milwaukee Bucks go on to win this season’s NBA Championship, the Phoenix Suns will look back at Game 4 and wonder how they let that one slip away. An all-around awful game from Chris Paul and a missed foul call on Devin Booker certainly provide some answers. Now tied at two games apiece, things shift back to Arizona for Game 5. Head coach Monty Williams hopes he can stop the proverbial bleeding, while Coach Bud and the Bucks will try to win their first away game of the Finals. If successful, Giannis and company would then have the opportunity to close things out in Game 6 in front of their home crowd in Milwaukee. The festivities get underway Saturday at 9 PM ET on ABC.Which brings us to today’s quiz of the day. A total of 40 teams in the big four North American men’s sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) have never won their respective leagues’ modern championships. The Suns hope they will soon take their name off this list. So with that in mind, how many of the 40 teams can you name in five minutes?Good luck! […]

MONEY

Smell After COVID & How Parosmia Changes Food Budgets

In the United States, there were over 550,000 people who tested positive for COVID-19. A number that reached 180,000,000 people worldwide, according to the CDC. While symptoms varied, a common (and weird) symptom became loss of smell. Afterward, some people noticed after their smell came back, it was distorted, making some food smell and taste rancid. This phenomenon spiked thousands of Google searches for the term “Parosmia”. I was one of those who dealt with Parosmia, and while it’s nearly gone. I wanted to talk about Parosmia after COVID and how Parosmia is changing people’s food budgets. I’ll start with I’m one of those unlucky few with jacked-up smell and tastebuds. I can no longer eat my favorite foods as they now taste like rancid trash. My go-to budget food like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are now a pipe dream as peanut butter tastes like Styrofoam. It’s a rough life, but smells and tastebuds do come back.When our smell first started to go south for Parosmia, we tried everything to get it back. Including home remedies on Tik Tok which included eating a burnt orange. It did nothing except taste like a burnt orange.Parosmia Is Just Screwed Up Smell and TasteParosmia is common after a viral infection like colds but became more popular due to COVID-19. WebMD says perhaps up to 7% of the people who had COVID-19 developed a distorted sense of smell called “Parosmia.” People discover it about 2.5 months after the initial COVID-19 infection, and it can continue for at least six months.What’s frustrating is how closely your sense of smell is tied to taste. When your smell and taste are off, it’s surprising how much it affects your entire life. Imagine 30% of Food Tasting Like Garbage, That’s ParosmiaHere’s the deal. Having a screwed-up sense of smell is terrible, but Parosmia takes it to a new level. For most people, it takes the scent of specific food profiles and replaces them with the smell of rancid garbage.Weirdly, the smell is of the same rotten garbage. Like my brain forgot what 30% of food smells like and replaced it with a generic smell of rotten garbage. For example, I’ve noticed that everything from Pizza to a McDonald’s Big Mac to a moldy wet towel has the same horrible garbage smell. When things smell like rotten garbage, they also taste like rotten garbage. This has significantly changed my weekly grocery list!Everyday Foods That Smell & Taste Terrible With ParosmiaHere is a list of foods that smell and therefore taste terrible, taken from my personal experience and the numerous Parosmia Facebook/Instagram Groups that have popped up since 2019. Each person seems to have slightly different degrees of how bad foods are and what causes their rancid smells, but here are the common culprits.Foods That Smell & Taste TerribleChickenEggsBaconOnions (bye-bye Pizza & Pasta)GarlicFishBeansPeanut ButterCoffeeFrom personal experience, these foods taste terrible. Even if you force yourself to eat through the terrible rancid taste, I’ve learned your body still finds a way to reject it. I won’t go into more detail there but think bathroom. Bacon was terrible with Parosmia. I could immediately tell while cooking, but I had to try. I can confirm the normally delicious bacon tastes awful with Parosmia. Life Sucked.Most of this is trial and error, as the Parosmia community cannot find a common denominator for what makes certain foods smell rancid.Even if you remove all of these items from your house, it’s still a challenge ever going out with friends.I find myself at restaurants going through the ingredients of each dish and trying to avoid those mentioned above. A tedious process where onions and garlic make most dishes impossible to avoid. Then the process of explaining the complex nature of Parosmia to your waiter in hopes of substitution is enough to make me want to crawl under the table. Foods That Seem To Be OK With ParosmiaI’ll start that most food will always taste a little off with Parosmia. There is no way to get around it. Simply your nose is broken so that food will feel a little off. The best you can hope for is food tasting tolerable because asking for food to taste good again is like asking to fly.Here is my weekly grocery list with parosmia. It’s nothing special but has become a safe haven for my deteriorated taste buds. It’s heavy on fresh fruit, ramen noodles, and protein shakes. When we first got parosmia, we did a lot of charcuterie boards. We incorporated lots of fresh fruit and experimented with different combinations to see what worked for our smell and taste buds.Here is my Parosmia grocery list for my family:BreadMilkApplesStrawberriesGrapesCutiesDiced TomatoesMozzarella CheesePotatoesEggsMac & CheeseGround BeefCerealProtein Shakes Ramen NoodlesThese have seemed pretty safe for my family, but I’ll add that anything sugary like cereal is also OK. It appears that sugary foods mask any rancid taste. I know most people will balk at the surgery cereal, but it pretty much saved me when my smell and taste first started to skew. It was the only thing I could eat without gagging. I used sugary cereal as a base and started to branch out and experiment with other foods from there. However, as you may expect, the sugary cereal was KILLER on my diet, and my workouts had to compensate heavily, which was great for walking with Stepbet. So learn from my mistakes for your grocery list. I’ve added a protein shake to most of my meals to get my daily protein since I can’t eat chicken like I used to.Bland Food Is Your Friend, But So Is SpiceAt first, I only ate bland food with simple ingredients. I figured I could swap out ingredients to find which foods caused the worst reactions. Learning from trial and error became second nature during Parosmia. HOWEVER, as you may expect, my family had a short tolerance for bland food. It was safe, but the monotony was draining our morale. So we discovered an unexpected craving, spice.Let me preface, myself and my family is NOT a fan of spicy food. We were total wimps when it came to any heat levels. Yet, spice became a welcome addition to all our meals that breathed new life into our meals. We used bottles of spices like red chili pepper for the first time since we bought a spice rack. It was an incredible discovery!Our Favorite Meal During ParosmiaIn addition to buying Ramen noodles in bulk for their bland, safe flavor, we practiced with different recipes at night to find new flavors that friendly to our pallets. Here is one of my family’s favorite recipes. Homemade Pizzas – Take Nann Bread as your crust. We usually top with store-bought pasta sauce, but it’s packed with onions and garlic. So we create a homemade sauce with a can of diced tomatoes and blend them into a sauce with red pepper flakes. The heat helps with the bland flavor. Then add fresh mozzarella and oven-bake for 12 minutes. It’s great!BONUS Tiramisu Crepes – I honestly don’t know the recipe because my girlfriend did them as a surprise and they were amazing. However, if you message us on Twitter I’ll see what I can do.My girlfriend made these amazing tiramisu crepes. The sugary treat was perfect for parosmia but perhaps a little unhealthy. However, it tasted wonderful, and that’s a rare luxury for when everything else tastes terrible.Expect Your Food Budget To IncreaseOne of the most significant ways my food budget has increased is that meal prep has become significantly more complicated. It seems that anytime I reheat meals in a microwave or oven, the reheating causes food to have more pungent rancid tastes. So we no longer do many leftovers. Most of our meals are cooked the night off.  Also, purchasing all the ingredients from scratch makes food taste a little fresher but comes at a premium price. It’s not terrible, but something to be aware of. Luckily we have a couple of different income streams that make this easier. Parosmia Makes Eating Healthy Difficult, but Not ImpossibleAdmittedly Parosmia initially caused me to gain significant weight because the foods I’m used to eating, Pizza, Pasta, Chicken, became intolerable.I clung to the sugary foods that provide some sense of flavor. Eventually, as I learned more, I introduced more fresh fruit and learned to cook meals from scratch to control all the ingredients. So I turned a horrible Parosmia experience into a learning experience teaching new skills and introducing more fresh ingredients into my diet. Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!Join the AwesomeWallet Squirrel List!Join our mailing list to get helpful money ideas & encouragement to do cool things!I will guard your email with my life. […]

MONEY

The 9 Best Disney Channel Shows That Kids Love (And Parents Won’t Hate)

Your entire life changes the moment you have kids. While most of us understand that becoming a parent will mean less sleep and lots of diapers, we drastically underestimate the amount of kids shows we will watch. Show let’s explore the 9 best Disney Channel shows that us parents won’t hate!Your favorite shows will be replaced first by cartoons, then live-action kid’s programs, and finally by tween and teen sitcoms. The good news is that The Disney Channel has several kid-friendly shows that parents won’t dread watching too.Watch these 9 Family-Friendly Disney Channel Shows to Bond with Your KidsIf your family is like mine, one of your favorite ways to relax at the end of a long day is to gather on the couch, turn on the TV and watch our favorite family-friendly shows. And before you start worrying about screen time, you can take a deep breath and relax. Shared viewing experiences, in moderation, can actually be a positive thing.There are many benefits to watching TV with your kids, including opportunities to discuss your family’s values, having some family bonding time, and turning screen time into quality time with your child.According to The Child Mind Institute, watching your kids’ favorite show along with them not only “brings you closer to your child at a time when they are becoming less likely to confide in you, but watching together can spark conversations about subjects or issues that they otherwise might not feel comfortable discussing with you.”Many kid-friendly shows lack storylines or characters that adults can connect with. As a mom of two kids, I’ve had great luck finding fantastic family-friendly shows on The Disney Channel that the whole family can enjoy.The Best Disney Channel Shows for Families: SitcomsWhile the Disney shows that you knew and loved as a kid, like “Boy Meets World” and “Doug,” are long gone, there are now plenty of series that are ready for the next generation to enjoy. No Disney Channel? No problem! Many of these shows are on other platforms like Disney Plus, Netflix, Prime Video, and the Disney Now app.Here are nine shows from The Disney Channel that are kid-tested and parent-approved! So grab a bowl of popcorn and enjoy some couch time with your kids.1. TrickedBest for families with kids of all ages.Who doesn’t love mind-blowing magic and hilarious hidden camera pranks? Well, this series combines both of them in one program that your entire family will enjoy. Watch as YouTube personality, and magician Eric Leclerc amazes kids and adults through his magic on the streets of New York and Canada. You’ll be in awe of his creative and amusing antics like floating popcorn, a chalkboard that solves math problems and creating friendship bracelets in his mouth.2. Raven’s HomeBest for families with kids age seven and up.This Disney Channel gem stars Raven Symone in a spinoff of “That’s So Raven.” This show shares the story of two single moms, who are also best friends, as they move in together to raise their children. The two moms have very different parenting styles, which pay off when dealing with three kids under one roof.The show does a great job of incorporating modern challenges to allow families to discuss their values and priorities. Kids and adults will enjoy the hilarious antics and realistic scenarios.3. Liv and MaddieBest for families with kids age seven and up.Liv and Maddie Rooney are teenage twins who are complete opposites. Maddie is a student-athlete, while Liv is a famous actress and singer. Dove Cameron from “The Descendants” fame plays both characters, amazingly. However, Liv and Maddie aren’t the only reason that your entire family will love this show. All of the characters in the series are hilarious and loveable.The storylines are lighthearted, relatable, and totally entertaining. While Liv and Maddie are the stars of the show, their mom’s character will leave you all laughing hysterically with her comedic delivery.4. Coop and Cami Ask the WorldBest for families with kids age seven and up.Coop and Cami Wrather are a brother-sister duo who have created the successful online show “Would you Wrather.” The savvy tweens harness the power of social media as they poll the show’s audience with this or that questions to make all of their decisions. From what they will eat for dinner to whether their mom should date the school principal, they always follow through with the results of their surveys. With a strong emphasis on family relationships and friendship, kids will enjoy the show’s events and characters, while the heartfelt and funny content will amuse parents.5. Just Roll With ItBest for families with kids age seven and up.Part sitcom and part improv, this family comedy series on The Disney Channel is like no other. The actors on the partially scripted show have arrived to film with their lines memorized in front of a live studio audience. Everything goes along as planned until the foghorn blast, and the audience gets to choose what happens next. No matter what the audience decides, the actors have to just roll with it and make it happen without any preparation.The scripted portion of the show includes a heavy emphasis on themes that include blended families, step-parents, and other relatable issues that parents will appreciate. The series takes inspiration from “Whose Line Is It Anyway” and “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, and the result is an entertaining and engaging show that you’ll all enjoy.6. Bunk’DBest for families with kids age eight and up.This popular series is the type of show that Disney is famous for. “Bunk’D” occurs at Camp Kikiwaka, where the CIT’s (Counselors in Training) are the main characters in the show. As you can imagine, a kid’s summer camp provides the perfect backdrop for tons of family-friendly episodes covering topics like roommates, rival campers, and mysteries in the woods.7. RideBest for families with kids age eight and up.American teenager Kit Bridge’s entire world changes when her family moves to England. Her father’s been hired at Covington Academy, an elite boarding school that she now attends. “Ride” is a funny, heartfelt series that focuses on the relationships and challenges that we all face as we navigate changes in our lives. Filmed in an actual castle in Northern Ireland, you will enjoy the scenery as much as you enjoy the series. Chosen by Common Sense Media as one of their top picks for families, this Disney Channel show is sure to become one of your family’s favorites too.8. Secrets of Sulphur SpringsBest for families with kids age nine and up.A new original series, “Secrets of Sulphur Springs,” is full of family-friendly mystery and drama. Set in the fictitious town of Sulphur Springs, Louisiana, the show tells the story of middle-schooler Griffin Campbell. The boy and his dad have moved into the supposedly haunted Tremont Hotel, which is full of adventure, including time travel, ghosts, and an unsolved disappearance.The mildly spooky show has enough suspense and mystery to captivate adults and kids at the same time while avoiding blatantly scary scenes. The veil of secrecy surrounding the story’s events provides a sounding board for discussing the importance of forgiveness and honesty.9. Sydney to the MaxBest for families with kids age nine and up.This modern family comedy series follows the lives of tweenager Sydney, single father Max, and grandma (Caroline Rhea) as the three generations navigate life together. The plot follows outgoing Sydney as she struggles to understand why her overprotective dad throws down so many rules and guidelines for her to follow.Embedded into the show are flashbacks to the 90’s showing Max and his mom navigating many of the same situations that Sydney is currently experiencing today. The show’s premise helps kids see that parents faced the same challenges growing up and that they really do understand what they’re going through.ConclusionWhile parents traditionally tend to avoid kids’ shows due to annoying songs and cheesy actors, these Disney Shows are actually enjoyable to watch together and present a comfortable way for parents and kids to talk about sensitive topics.With a wide variety of options from sitcoms, mysteries, dramas, and reality shows, you’re sure to find something that your family will love and perhaps become part of your family’s weekly routine.This post originally appeared on Your Money GeekWallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!Join the AwesomeWallet Squirrel List!Join our mailing list to get helpful money ideas & encouragement to do cool things!I will guard your email with my life. […]

MONEY

Income Report – June, 2021

June was an amazing month for Andrew and me! First off, we traveled together out to Maine to visit our best friend Tristan. Tristan surprised us with a sailboat trip! What fun that was!Secondly, we had the best month, income-wise, ever! In June, Wallet Squirrel brought in over $1,200! How amazing is that?!?!Our monthly income reports are an opportunity to share exactly what it’s like to run Wallet Squirrel. These are a transparent look at what we make, all the struggles/successes, and perhaps most importantly, how we build from an audience of zero to 17,000 this last month.If you’re curious about our progress, we share these income reports every month.What We Accomplished in JuneAndrew finished the make-over on our Affiliate Website which makes it more Amazon Affiliate.Adam started the execution of a new social media campaign through Instagram (more about this soon).We worked with many great partners to continue syndicating amazing new content on Wallet Squirrel.We worked on several projects that will help gain wider brand exposure for Wallet Squirrel.Our June Website TrafficIt is still a little crazy we share our website statistics, but we sincerely hope those reading get an idea of what it’s really like to run a blog. It’s very tough, but incredibly rewarding when we see people appreciating our content.A majority of our traffic comes organically from Google. Strong SEO tied with the perfect keyword really does work! Here’s what the month’s traffic looked like!Our June Website IncomeSorry, I already spoiled the good news. I still can’t believe we jumped to over $1,200 in income this month! Our switch to Ezoic for Website Ads continues to prove to be a winner. This move has almost tripled our ad revenue. We tend to take this money, immediately reinvesting in us and Wallet Squirrel.A big contributor to our high income is our How To Start A Blog page which continues to be one of the best on the internet (in terms of design). These affiliates are great, but we hope that our website ads and additional affiliates will become bigger contributors as we grow!Plus two awesome high-quality sponsored posts brought in some nice income! That’s the “Additional Income” tab.Every month we continue to try different ways to make money, and these passive income experiments continue to boost our potential income. Every day these grow and will eventually replace our entire income through blogging. Cool Right!Monthly Expenses for Wallet SquirrelWhile it’s great to talk about the money we make. We also spend money to help our blog grow. Here is how much money we spent in June.Monthly Expenses – $293Bluehost ($36) – hosting serviceSitelock ($8) – extra security add-on from BluehostDomain Name ($2) – so we can reserve the domain name WalletSquirrel.com.Bloom ($7) – our creative email signup forms.Grammarly ($12) – A necessity for any writer/bloggerNoun Project ($4)  – Unlimited Icon Downloads. It’s been great for graphics and social media.Ezoic Premium ($58) – Ezoic is our advertising network and offers a premium service, but completely worth it.Money Mix Insiders ($166) – Great mastermind group for finance & travel bloggers + Ahrefs MembershipIn addition to our monthly blogging expenses, I did purchase a few dividend stocks to add to my stock portfolio. I purchased a few shares of Microsoft and Verizon. These purchases will continue to boost my monthly dividend income!What’s Next For JulyWe look forward to continuing on pushing to new heights in July. June’s income report and a nice vacation have really rejuvenated our spirit. Adam will continue to build on top of a solid start to the social media campaign. Andrew plans on creating lots of new evergreen content. We also might be participating as guests in our first podcast appearance (the details are still in the works).Overall, we are very proud of what June provided. We look forward to what July has in store for us.Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!Join the AwesomeWallet Squirrel List!Join our mailing list to get helpful money ideas & encouragement to do cool things!I will guard your email with my life. […]

MONEY

How To Protect Your Financial Future

It is very important that you look after your financials and plan for your future accordingly to protect your financial future. There are a few ways you can go about this while keeping in mind the sort of lifestyle you are hoping to achieve and maintain.There is obviously your pension plan, which you do have to keep one eye on to make sure that it is on track for paying out the kind of money you would like it to. Despite a wealth of free information, like this from the USA Gov website, not many people know enough about their own pensions and what to do to make their financial future more secure.In addition to this, there are other things you can do to help your financial future be what you want it to be.Plan aheadMake a plan of how you want to live in the future and work out the kind of outgoings this will create. Of course, you are unlikely to be able to work out the rate of inflation accurately, though there are places you can go on the internet where a rough guestimate is available. It may give you an idea of the sort of income you will require.Start a saving fundStart a saving fund. This can be in the form of another pension or as a separate savings account or other investment, and skim off any earnings you feel you can afford into it. If you are lucky enough to have had a pay rise but could live quite comfortably on the earnings you had before, perhaps putting the difference aside into a savings account may be the first step you need. Alternatively, starting a side hustle and putting the money away can offer the same results.Make a strategy to pay off debtsStart making a strategy to pay off any outstanding debts or loans. You may find this easier to manage if you consolidate all your loans and credit cards into one, and you may save a bit of money in the process on interest payments. See this article for information on how your credit score could affect you.Create your plan for retirementCreate your plan for retirement, work out when it is you are likely to retire and how much money you will have by then versus how much money you will want to have by then so you can start working towards your financial future.Put your plans into actionPutting your plans into action is the final part, though you will have to keep track of how well you are doing and be prepared to change any of your plans as time goes on.Obviously, there will be a time in life, albeit a short period, for example, where mortgages are paid off but income from employment is still present, when you may find that you have a little more money than previously. Make the most of these times, be money wise and invest what you can for your future.Final thoughts The best way to go about your financial future is to plan it out and then work out what you want to happen. Once you have done this, you will be able to work backward to make sure that you hit every goal you need to hit to get to your desired destination. Join the AwesomeWallet Squirrel List!Join our mailing list to get helpful money ideas & encouragement to do cool things!I will guard your email with my life. […]

MONEY

6 Chinese Money Plant Benefits, Care And Its Epic History!

Money plants are famous for the exciting myths around their benefits, but their recent popularity on social media has brought a new wave of interest for home offices. As personal finance enthusiasts, we can’t help but cover the benefits of money plants, different types of plants considered “Money Plants,” and their exciting history around wealth.6 Chinese Money Plant BenefitsThese are the most widely known Chinese Money Plant benefits on the internet. The benefits apply to both money trees and money plants (more on the differences later). We’re not here to say if they’re right or wrong, but simply enjoy the lore around these fun plants!1. Brings Prosperity and Wealth – Money plants are most widely known to bring good luck and wealth to the homeowners that take care of the plant. The healthier the plant, the greater prosperity it will generate!When you give a clipping of your money plant to friends, it’s believed that you are giving your friends wealth and prosperity. The clipping will grow with little effort and bring great joy to whoever receives your generous gift.On the other hand, some lore suggests a power to growing a money plant from clippings stolen from another homeowner. In this case, the thief will gain wealth while the previous homeowner will lose their wealth. It’s like stealing someone’s luck, so some homeowners are protective around their money plants.2. Reduces Marital Problems – Whether it’s the calming nature of plants or the unique properties of this plant, money plants are known to minimize marital problems.The five-leave patterns of money trees relate to the five fundamentals of Feng Shui, so many people associate the properties of money trees with the properties of Feng Shui. In this case, money trees kept in the southeast direction of the home help maintain peace and a healthy environment for marriage. This positive environment reduces bad luck, thus providing good fortune and wealth for your marriage.3. Creates A Positive Environment – This is similar to #2, but we wanted to stress that you don’t need to be married to enjoy the positive environment that money plants create. Plants brighten the atmosphere of any room. Studies have shown that biophilia or viewing nature can positively impact people’s health, so having an actual plant in your home can only help create a more positive environment. You’ll feel calmer, happier and those feelings will lead to a more positive life!4. Health Benefits – There are many myths around the health benefits of money plants in reducing stress, providing an atmosphere, and bringing calm. Often referred to as biophilia, viewing nature has many health benefits. Many hospitals are filled with photos of nature because it helps feel good and improves recovery.PLEASE KNOW we’re speaking to the calming effect these plants have. Some plants considered money plants are, in fact, poisonous if ingested. Often they won’t kill you but will cause vomiting and illness symptoms if ingested by dogs, cats, or tiny humans. Check each species of the plant before bringing it into your home.5. Purifies The Air – In 1989, NASA was involved with a study that tested plants’ ability to filter the air onboard space stations. It was a small study and contained a controlled environment, but the study showed that plants clean the air! Further studies showed that plants could help remove harmful gases in the air, which helps improve health. These studies created a surge of house plants during the 1990s.Later, reviewers argued you would need hundreds of plants in your house to achieve the same level of air quality that the small NASA study achieved. However, if we take the benefits of money plants to heart, any in your home could improve your health and wallet!6. Helps Fight Radiation In Your Home – Many people often forget a small amount of electromagnetic radiation radiates from the gadgets in our homes. From wifi, phones, TVs, and more, we’re bombarded with signals regularly. In most cases, these signals are harmless and nothing like standing next to a nuclear reactor. However, some people claim to have electromagnetic hypersensitivity and express symptoms such as headaches and sleep disorders when surrounded by these EMF fields.Luckily money plants and other anti-radiator house plants help absorb these electromagnetic fields with no harm to the actual plant. You’ll see some people place their money plants by their computer, wifi router, and TV. Their money plants help protect them from the EMF radiation they may be hypersensitive to. Cool right!Money Plant History Around WealthHistory around the Money Plant has several iterations, as any myth does, but all these myths agree that it started initially from the Money Tree. A petite Asian tree that, when its stems were intertwined, the tree would continue to grow in this pattern on its own.The unique braided stem of the money tree stirred massive popularity and speculated many myths around its mysterious nature. Some of these myths connected the tree’s five-leaf pattern and the five fundamental Feng Shui elements (wood, water, fire, earth and metal), which symbolized good luck and good fortune. While other wives’ tales speculated, its leaves resembling the shape of paper money could bring wealth to the home.Types of Money PlantsNumerous plants represent wealth and prosperity as wive’s tales have spread over the years, and it’s easy to get confused. We find it simpler to focus on the Money Tree, whose leaves are said to represent paper money, and the Money Plant, whose circular leaves are believed to represent coins.Pilea Peperomioides (Chinese Money Plant)Pilea Peperomiodies is the botanical name of what many consider the Chinese Money Plant due to its circular leaves resembled the leaves of the Money Tree but in the shape of coins. Other names for this plant include the coin plant, the friendship plant, the pancake plant, and the UFO plant.This plant is excellent for beginners as it’s easy to care for, usually only grows 12 inches tall, and maintains beautiful dark green leaves to decorate any home!The Chinese money plant creates lots of little offshoots to collect and give to friends. However, getting your hands on one can be difficult as not many nurseries keep this plant in stock. We’ve found the Chinese Money Plant on Amazon as the best option to start with a single plant.Chinese Money Plant CareTo help your Chinese money plant care, beginner houseplant owners need to keep their money plant in a bright room but away from any harsh rays piercing through windows. Usually, watering once a week will be perfect in well-drained soil. A rule of thumb is the 2” of topsoil should be dry between waterings. Also, consider periodically rotating your plant so it’ll grow symmetrically.To help gauge the health of your plant, here are a couple of guidelines.Money Plant Leaves Turning YellowIf your money plant leaves turn yellow, it’s likely due to overwatering, or your pot isn’t draining well. Your money plant roots could be waterlogged and may rot in the damp soil. Simply let your soil dry out before you water again, or if the problem continues, you may need to replace the soil.Money Plant Leaves Curling, Drooping and WrinklingWhen your money plant leaves are curling, droopy or wrinkling, it’s likely thirsty for water. Think of it like a sponge wringing itself out to get every last drop of water stored. This plant needs lots of light, but direct light may be harsh and drying it out. Give the poor fellow a deep watering.Give Money Plant Cutting To FriendsThese plants are perfect for giving to friends as they produce lots of little offshoots that can be easily separated to place in a new pot. Simply find an offshoot on the edge of the massing and get enough of the offshoot that includes some roots with a clean sharp knife. Place the offshoot in a pot at least 2” wide and care for it as usual. Give it as a perfect gift to friends and wish them a good fortune!Pachira Aquatica (Money Tree)The Pachira Aquatica is the botanical name for the Money Tree and one of the most popular indoor houseplant trees. As we stated in the history of the money plant, the Money Tree and its mysterious ability to braid its stems are what started the myths bringing owners good luck and good fortune.Another reason leading to its popularity is its easy care. The money tree needs little water (once a week), will grow in most pots, growing up to eight feet tall.An exceptional little tree for people to start their house plant collection, the money tree will bring a little wealth to your life. We’ve found several retailers selling them online and found the Money Tree on Amazon one of the best places to start your money tree journey.Money Tree CareThe money tree is easy to care for as it requires little water (usually once a week) and loves bright light while avoiding direct sunlight. To help grow the money tree, add fertilizer no more than once a month.To help gauge the health of your plant, here are a couple of guidelines.Money Tree Leaves Turning YellowIf your money tree leaves turn yellow and fall off, it’s usually a sign of overwatering or a problem with the light. Remember, the money tree only needs water once a week, so if the soil is always wet, the roots may be waterlogged and leading to root rot. Let the soil dry completely before watering again, and feel free to prune any overly yellow leaves on the tree.Overwatering is usually the problem, but it may be over or under-lighting. Make sure the tree is placed in a bright area of the house while avoiding direct light.Money Tree Shriveled Leaves or TrunkIf the money tree has leaves shriveling up or its trunk becoming wrinkly, soft, or shriveled, the problem may be underwatering. Think of it like a sponge where the tree is trying to wring itself out for any last water storage. Use this as an indicator to give it a deep watering.Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!Join the AwesomeWallet Squirrel List!Join our mailing list to get helpful money ideas & encouragement to do cool things!I will guard your email with my life. […]

FINANCE & TECH

Public App Review: Free Stock Market App With Fractional Shares

Platform FeaturesMany newer investing apps are severely limited in what you can do, but Public actually offers some great functionality.You can buy any stock regardless of its share price, and the platform also has some interesting educational and social features that can help investors of all experience levels. Buying Partial Share Slices – Fractional SharesWith the traditional stock market model, to buy a share, you need to pay the full share amount and receive a percentage of the company. While this usually works fine for most investors, there are some great companies that have incredibly high stock values. Google, Amazon, and other giants can command thousands of dollars per share. So for small time or newbie investors it may not be an option to buy even a single share of stock in these companies. Public works a little differently. This platform allows you to invest whatever you can afford. So, if you have $100, you can buy a $100 slice of one share, allowing you to invest in your favorite companies without the high dollar barrier to entry. Public does also allow you to buy full shares of stock. When you do this, you can access market, stop order, and limit types. This allows you to trade more extensively. Share slices just provide a unique bonus for the platform. Instant, Real Time Fractional StocksGenerally, many investment brokers will queue up orders for fractional shares of stock. They may only put them through once a day or even once a week. This can create a problem of a lack of accuracy on the price you receive when you buy the stock. So, you wont know the precise price you are working with until the buy order goes through.Public, however, is a little different as it immediately executes your stock order. This allows you to see in real time the price you are getting, which will give you a more accurate picture. Additionally, Public will also reinvest your dividends if you ask, so you can increase your earnings by quickly reinvesting your money, instead of letting it sit dormant in your account.Friendly Categorization Of StocksFor many new investors, looking at a list of stock options can be daunting. Since you may not be familiar with the stocks, they may appear to be in a strange order that doesn’t appear logical. This is because the stocks are arranged by industry. So, you need to know how a company is categorized to find it. However, Public has turned this on its head. On the app, the stocks are organized into themes, creating more user friendly categories. So, if you are interested in new age industries or female led companies, you can quickly browse these sectors and invest in companies of interest to you. Just some of the examples of the themes, include New Kids on the Block, Bio-Tech, Cannabis, and The Future is Female. Social InvestmentAs we touched on above, Public takes its name from the social investment aspect that its platform has. Public has a large community forum where traders can ask questions or make comments about trade related issues. You can share your experience or ask questions from people with some direct experience in the specific category. This creates a social aspect where you can get insight and feedback to enable smart trading. This social feed can be a real game changer. Historically, financial institutions are closed off from a free flow of information about the investment approach taken by other users. Since you can follow people on Public and see their portfolios, you’ll be able to get some really good information and insight into how others are investing. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you establish whether someone you follow is reliable before you take note of any tips or make major investments. But, the platform will give you an overall feel that you are not going it alone. Investing can feel like a jungle filled with aggressive investors who dominate while the little guy struggles to get ahead. For newbies, this can be intimidating. Public can help you to feel that you have some support and guidance to help you over your first few hurdles as you’re learning to invest. Chat SupportLike many free stock app options, Public does not have physical locations where you can speak face to face with a broker. However, the platform does provide chat support. This provides access to the customer support team if you have an investing questions or technical issues using the app. Referral ProgramOne of the nice features of Public is that it has a generous referral program. When you sign up you’ll receive a referral link, and when someone you refer signs up, you’ll receive a slice of stock. Additionally, your friend will get one too. Currently referrers and referees will receive a free stock worth up to $15.To get your referral link go to the gift icon in your app, select to “copy invite link” and then send that referral link to your friend, family member or acquaintance. Once they have established a “qualified account” through your link, you’ll both get your free stock.See the Public FAQ site for full referral program details.The Pros and Cons of PublicAs with any financial platform or product, Public is not perfect. There are both pros and cons that you should assess to make an informed decision about whether it is a good choice for your specific needs. The Pros:Free Investing: The biggest pro for Public is that it is completely free to use. Of course, this will be appealing for first time investors who only have small amounts to buy shares. However, it will also benefit the savvy investor who doesn’t want to pay exorbitant fees and commissions. Public allows you to invest, trade money in, and take money out without paying a penny. Bear in mind that some advanced features such as order flow payments or share lending will attract a fee. Investment Community: Public helps you to feel that you are not alone on your investment journey. There is both chat support and an investor community. This can help you navigate your first time investments and gain insight into some more advanced options. Real-Time Fractional Stocks: Public is quite unique as it also offers real-time fractional investing. While Acorns, Betterment, or Robinhood may offer fractional shares or free commissions, they don’t typically combine both features.Ample Investing Information: Many free investment apps have very basic information. However, Public aims to help you learn more about investing, including seldom discussed topics. This includes areas such as best practices and investment trends. There is even background information on individual companies. So, it can help you if you want to invest while supporting a cause.The ConsStill A New Company: Public has only been operating for a few years, and while the company does seem to be promising in what it offers, it doesn’t have a decade long (or longer) track record to show that they’re around for the long haulUSA Only: Public is currently only available to residents of the USA. If you’re in other areas of the world, you will be unable to open an account. Getting StartedIf you like what you’ve read so far and want to get started, rest assured that Public aims to make the sign up process as easy as possible.The entire process starts by downloading the app. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Just visit the website through our link below, enter your cell phone number, and then download the app on the device of your choice. The company is constantly releasing updates and improving the app.You can do download it here:Create a ProfileAfter you download the app, you’ll need to answer some basic questions.Public will ask you for information such as your name, social security number, bank details, and age. Bear in mind that you need to be 18+ to open an account. Choose Stocks To Start Real Time TradingPublic has over 5,000 stocks listed that you can trade. These are organized into themes. This will help you to discover new companies in categories of interest to you. Simply choose a category, browse the list, and pick a company that seems interesting. Public does provide lots of information on each company. So, you can explore company histories, comments, and trends. There is even a list of sub brands. You can even see what other brands a parent company owns. This will help you to learn a great deal before you choose to invest. This app works incredibly quickly. After you open your account, you can immediately start investing, regardless of how much you deposit. The moment your funds transfer clears, you can start real time trading. As long as the market is open, you can immediately execute trades. Investment TrackingAfter you’ve selected and bought some stocks, you can sit back and watch how they do in the markets. If you choose to buy small fractional slices of stock, you’re not likely to make a fortune right away, but it can be interesting to view and track your investments as they grow over time. Public automatically deposits dividends in cash as a default. You can opt into Public automatically reinvesting your dividends, however.Simply message the support team, and they can activate the service. Or, if you prefer, you can go to your “Account” page, click on the “settings” icon and then scroll down to the “Dividend Reinvestment” section to enable it yourself. I would recommend reinvesting your dividends, that way none of your money remains un-invested in non interest-bearing cash deposits, it will go back into the markets to grow as the dividends come in.Is Public a Good Option for You?Public has some great features for newbie investors and those looking for fee-free trading. That makes it an attractive proposition that is worthy of serious consideration.If you don’t have a lot of money but want to get started investing, or need help and guidance to develop your investing skills, Public has a lot to offer. Additionally, the lack of commissions or fees will also be attractive to most investors. Public is an excellent app for many investors, but it may not be for everyone. If you live outside the US, regularly day trade, or need more automation tools, you may be better suited to another platform. It is also worth bearing in mind that Public does not facilitate more complex trade options such as cryptocurrencies or OTC stocks. Want to get started with this free trading platform? Click on the button below to sign up! […]