Author: Abbey

By now, you’ve likely heard about how much less expensive it is to forgo your cable package and fulfill your television needs with streaming services—heck, your friend/neighbor/cousin/chatty coworker has been droning on about it for months. You’re finally ready to take the plunge; but where do you start?

First, make sure your router is up to the task: Don’t invest time and money in setting up new subscriptions and gadgets only to wind up with buffering video. Look for routers with dual-band connectivity; Netflix recommends a download speed of at least 5 Mbps (Megabits per second) for HD quality video, and over 25 Mpbs for Ultra HD. Then, substitute your cable or satellite provider for one or a combination of these 12 options.

1. THE BIG THREE

Often referred to as “The Big Three,” Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime are considered the cream of the crop in online streaming because they offer outstanding original programming in addition to large catalogs of existing shows and movies. Subscriptions to all three start at around $25 per month total, which is cheaper than most cable packages available.

2. FLAT ANTENNAS

Since 2009, television stations have been required to broadcast exclusively in digital, rendering old-fashioned “rabbit ears” obsolete. Now, you can watch live shows on networks like NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, PBS, The CW, and others by installing a flat antenna in your home. Models by Mohu (starting at $19.95) and Channel Master ($10) are affordable and easy to install.

3. OTHER-THE-AIR DVR

The one drawback to relying on a flat antenna is that you must watch your shows in real time, with no fast-forwarding, pausing, or rewinding. Solve this issue with an over-the-air (OTA) DVR. Services like Tablo or Plex DVR allow you to record live TV shows and then store them on an external hard drive for delayed streaming. (The catch is, some of these services require you to purchase a corresponding device—they won’t work with just any antenna.)

4. SLING TV

Want more TV channels than are available through your antenna? For $20 a month, you can subscribe to Sling TV to get 28 live-streaming cable channels, such as AMC, CNN, TNT, Comedy Central, and the History Channel. A $40 monthly subscription will give you access to over 40 channels, including ESPN. In fact, Sling TV is the easiest way to get ESPN without cable.

5. SPECIALIZED SUBSCRIPTIONS

If you have more unique tastes than even Netflix can account for, chances are there is a specialized streaming service that can give you what you want. Fans of British television should check out Acorn TV, which allows you to watch episodes of Jeeves and Wooster and the original Prime Suspect on your smart TV or mobile device for only $5 a month. If anime is your thing, Crunchyroll professes to be “one of the few legal, official anime and drama streaming sites out there,” with premium subscriptions starting at $7 a month. Cinephiles have a few choices for popular art house and indie movies: Check out Mubi and Fandor for starters, and keep an eye out for the Turner Classic Movies/Criterion Collection streaming service FilmStruck, which is launching soon.

6. CHROMECAST

Google’s Chromecast ($35) quickly turns any HD TV into a smart TV. Just plug the Chromecast dongle into your TV’s HDMI port and connect it to your home Wi-Fi network. Now you can stream various apps (including Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Now, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, and more) onto the TV in your living room, while using your Android or iOS device as a remote control.

7. ROKU

Roku is a little black set-top box that connects your TV to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. It comes with a simple remote control and features more video streaming content than any other device or media streamer. You can even plug in a USB drive to play your own video and music files on your TV. Available in a number of models, including a USB stick version (starting at $49.95), many experts consider it the best and most reliable streaming device on the market today.

8. APPLE TV

If you’re an iTunes user who owns an iOS device and a MacBook, then Apple TV might be the best choice for you. Like Chromecast and Roku, Apple TV gives you easy access to the Big Three as well as HBO and Showtime; what sets it apart for Apple users is its seamless integration of iTunes and other Apple apps. It also comes with a nifty touch-surface remote that lets you swipe or use Siri to surf channels. With prices starting at $149, it’s the most expensive set top-streaming box for cord cutters, but it will be well worth the cost if you already live in the Apple ecosystem.

9. PLEX

If you already have a large digital movie, music, and TV library, you can use Plex to easily watch your media files from your computer or television. Sign up for and install the Plex Media Server (it’s free!) on your computer and it will catalog, organize, and label your files into a user-friendly interface that’s watchable on Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Android and iOS devices, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

10. STANDALONE PREMIUM NETWORK SUBSCRIPTIONS

In the past, if you wanted premium cable networks like HBO and Showtime, you’d have to include it to your cable subscription package at an additional cost. But the networks have gotten hip to the cord-cutting trend and now offer standalone subscriptions. HBO offers HBO Now for $14.99 a month, while Starz recently introduced a streaming service for $8.99 a month that is compatible with Apple TV, Android, Roku, and Chromecast. Showtime offers streaming for $10.99 a month, or you can add Showtime to your Hulu Plus or Amazon Prime accounts for an extra $8.99.

11. DIGITAL NEWS OUTLETS

There are also great streaming options for news junkies. While CNN and MSNBC don’t have standalone streaming services, the cable news networks are available on Sling TV. News outlets like CBS News, Sky News, ABC News, Bloomberg TV, Fusion, and Newsy, meanwhile, all offer free live streaming services for Roku and Apple TV.

12. SPORTS PASSES

For some people, watching live sporting events has been one of the biggest barriers to completely canceling their cable subscriptions. But over the years, major sports leagues and entertainment venues have started to cater to the demands of cord cutters. Now you can watch live, out-of-market Major League Baseball games on MLB.tv, hockey with the NHL GameCenter Live, and basketball with NBA League Pass. The NFL and DirecTV are now offering NFL Sunday Ticket to non-DirecTV customers, so more people can watch live, out-of-market NFL games every Sunday. You can even subscribe to the WWE Network for $10 a month for access to an extensive back catalog library and every new pay-per-view event.

Housing prices may be sky-high in many parts of the country, but Americans are thankfully catching a break at the supermarket: Grocery prices in July of 2016 were about 1.6 percent lower than they were a year before. Considering groceries make up a large portion of your budget, the dip has been a welcome one.

When dealing with the economy, however, what goes down usually comes up—and that goes for food prices, too. The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) recently released projections for grocery price trends in 2017, and it looks like costs in a few categories will increase in the coming year. The increases may be small (in many cases less than 2 percent), but they can have an effect on your wallet over the course of the year.

1. POULTRY

Poultry prices have dropped 3.2 percent in 2016 so far, and the USDA expects them to drop another 1 or 2 percent before the end of the year. According to the USDA, the avian flu, or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), led to partial bans on U.S. poultry exports, which resulted in an increased supply and, in turn, led to lower prices. This is projected to change in 2017. Next year, you can expect the cost of your poultry to increase between 1.5 and 2.5 percent (chicken breast costs, on average, $3.18 per pound, so a 2 percent increase would add roughly 6 cents per pound).

2. EGGS

Egg prices are extremely volatile, the USDA points out, and 2016 saw a 29 percent drop from 2015. The ERS doesn’t expect the low prices to stick around, though: They predict egg prices will rise between 1 and 2 percent next year.

3. DAIRY

Warmer weather has led to an increase in cattle grazing, which means cattle have been producing more milk. This has created a dairy surplus that, in turn, has decreased prices for the year. However, the ERS expects the price of dairy products to increase between 1.5 and 2.5 percent next year (meaning a gallon of milk would increase from about $3.30 to $3.36), due to the recent decline in dairy imports.

4. FRESH FRUITS

The California drought could have wreaked havoc on the prices of fruits and vegetables this year, but the USDA says a stronger U.S. dollar has made overseas produce sales more difficult, creating a higher supply at home and mitigating price increases. Still, the ERS forecasts the price of fresh fruit (which is up 3 percent from July 2015) to increase another 1.5 to 2.5 percent between now and January. Those prices will be even higher next year—by 1 to 2 percent.

5. OILS

Fats and oils, like peanut butter and margarine, will remain pretty stable for the rest of the year, but next year they’re expected to rise 1.5 to 2.5 percent.

6. RED MEAT

Lovers of red meat have likely enjoyed the nearly 8 percent decrease in beef and veal prices this year. Like poultry, there’s been a decline in U.S. beef exports, so there’s more domestic supply and less demand. The ERS says prices will drop another 4 to 5 percent this year, but will rise an estimated 2 to 3 percent in 2017.

Keep more of your earnings in your pocket with these sneaky (but totally legit) tax write-offs. Start saving your receipts now so that you don’t have to scramble come April.

1. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES

Many people don’t know that they’re even paying fees because they are automatically deducted from their accounts, and the fee disclosure is rarely obvious to them or to their accountants, says Holly Thomas, a certified financial planner and founder of Tampa-based Holly Thomas LLC. Thomas had a client with a brokerage wrap account who wasn’t aware it had a fee attached to it. When they went back over 10 years of statements, the client realized they had paid more than $20,000 in unnecessary taxes. To find out how much you’re paying in fees, look on the last page of the year-end statement you receive from your brokerage company. 

2. GYM MEMBERSHIP

If a doctor diagnoses you with a specific medical condition, such as obesity, and you’re using a gym membership to treat that illness as recommended by the doctor, then you might qualify for a deduction, says Jonathan Horn, a certified public accountant and senior manager with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Tax Policy & Advocacy Team. The catch: You can’t have gone to this gym prior to your diagnosis. 

3. MOVING EXPENSES

Moving expenses that aren’t reimbursed by your employer can be deducted by taxpayers if the relocation was the result of a job change. Eligible expenses include moving your items plus travel costs during the actual move, says Eileen Sherr, a certified public accountant and senior manager with AICPA Tax Policy & Advocacy Team. 

4. PRE-TAX DAYCARE AND PARKING AT WORK

Transportation benefits such as parking or train tickets can be written off, says April Walker, lead technical manager with the AICPA Tax Practice & Ethics Team. “Also, employer-provided childcare benefits and benefits for educational assistance programs can result in significant savings to employees,” she says.

5. DONATED STOCKS

If you made a pledge to a charitable organization that you need to fulfill by the end of the year, consider whether you’re holding any appreciated securities that you could transfer to the organization, says Henry Grzes, a certified public accountant and lead technical manager with the AICPA Tax Practice & Ethics Team. “As long as you have held the security longer than one year, you are able to deduct the fair market value of the security at the time of transfer without having to come up with the cash to fulfill the pledge,” Grzes says. “And you will not have to pay the capital gains on your individual income tax return.”

6. STUDENT LOANS

You can deduct your student loan interest, says Lawrence Carlton, certified public accountant and tax director with Carlton & Duran in Massachusetts. “Although many folks don’t have the level of deductions necessary to itemize on their tax return, you can still deduct up to $2500 per year of interest expenses on student loans without itemizing,” Carlton says. Even if someone else is making the payments, you can still take the deduction as long as you’re the one who is ultimately liable for paying the loan balance.

7. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

If it’s related to your work, then it’s eligible for a write-off, says Shannon Sullivan, accountant with Manning Silverman and Company.

Keep more of your earnings in your pocket with these sneaky (but totally legit) tax write-offs. Start saving your receipts now so that you don’t have to scramble come April.

1. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES

Many people don’t know that they’re even paying fees because they are automatically deducted from their accounts, and the fee disclosure is rarely obvious to them or to their accountants, says Holly Thomas, a certified financial planner and founder of Tampa-based Holly Thomas LLC. Thomas had a client with a brokerage wrap account who wasn’t aware it had a fee attached to it. When they went back over 10 years of statements, the client realized they had paid more than $20,000 in unnecessary taxes. To find out how much you’re paying in fees, look on the last page of the year-end statement you receive from your brokerage company. 

2. GYM MEMBERSHIP

If a doctor diagnoses you with a specific medical condition, such as obesity, and you’re using a gym membership to treat that illness as recommended by the doctor, then you might qualify for a deduction, says Jonathan Horn, a certified public accountant and senior manager with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Tax Policy & Advocacy Team. The catch: You can’t have gone to this gym prior to your diagnosis. 

3. MOVING EXPENSES

Moving expenses that aren’t reimbursed by your employer can be deducted by taxpayers if the relocation was the result of a job change. Eligible expenses include moving your items plus travel costs during the actual move, says Eileen Sherr, a certified public accountant and senior manager with AICPA Tax Policy & Advocacy Team. 

4. PRE-TAX DAYCARE AND PARKING AT WORK

Transportation benefits such as parking or train tickets can be written off, says April Walker, lead technical manager with the AICPA Tax Practice & Ethics Team. “Also, employer-provided childcare benefits and benefits for educational assistance programs can result in significant savings to employees,” she says.

5. DONATED STOCKS

If you made a pledge to a charitable organization that you need to fulfill by the end of the year, consider whether you’re holding any appreciated securities that you could transfer to the organization, says Henry Grzes, a certified public accountant and lead technical manager with the AICPA Tax Practice & Ethics Team. “As long as you have held the security longer than one year, you are able to deduct the fair market value of the security at the time of transfer without having to come up with the cash to fulfill the pledge,” Grzes says. “And you will not have to pay the capital gains on your individual income tax return.”

6. STUDENT LOANS

You can deduct your student loan interest, says Lawrence Carlton, certified public accountant and tax director with Carlton & Duran in Massachusetts. “Although many folks don’t have the level of deductions necessary to itemize on their tax return, you can still deduct up to $2500 per year of interest expenses on student loans without itemizing,” Carlton says. Even if someone else is making the payments, you can still take the deduction as long as you’re the one who is ultimately liable for paying the loan balance.

7. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

If it’s related to your work, then it’s eligible for a write-off, says Shannon Sullivan, accountant with Manning Silverman and Company.

It’s easy to get down on yourself when you’re having a rough time with a workout or don’t finish a race as fast as you’d hoped. But the power of positive thinking is real—especially when it comes to athletic performance. Staying optimistic not only ups your motivation, it also makes you less likely to burn out and more likely to appreciate your physical accomplishments, according to research from the University of Murcia in Spain.

Of course, thinking happy thoughts can be easier said than done when you’re huffing and puffing mid-exercise, but recognizing when self-doubt begins to creep in is part of the battle. “When I notice that negative thoughts are becoming my refrain, I work on switching my script a little bit,” says eternal optimist Deena Kastor, who won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics and holds the American record in the marathon. “I think, if I’m going to commit to that starting line, then I need to get optimistic on myself.” Read on for her tips on how to do just that and stay positive when the workout gets tough.

1. TEACH YOURSELF.

Thinking positively doesn’t come naturally to you? Don’t worry, it’s not an inherent trait for most people. The good news is, you can learn how to do it. “None of us are born optimists—you have to practice it,” says Kastor. “Practice makes perfect.”

When you notice yourself feeling discouraged, think about shifting your thoughts back to your goal and how you can achieve it or adjust it.

2. TALK YOURSELF UP.

Positive self-talk can help you power through a tough workout or race, but don’t always stick to the same mantra. To stay effective, what you say to yourself should evolve. “Mantras change over time,” says Kastor, who’s repeated phrases like “define yourself,” “believe and achieve,” and “find a way” to inspire herself mid-run. “Mantras change their power, so when they cease empowering you, it’s time to change them.” For new pump-up words, she suggests drawing inspiration from songs or powerful quotes.

3. KNOW IT’S NOT JUST YOU.

When you can’t reach one of your fitness goals, it can feel you’re the only one struggling with setbacks. “There are a million and one challenges out there; some people have multiple challenges, some are just trying to overcome one,” says Kastor. “But no one ever has a perfect race build-up or perfect training schedule. Life happens and we choose to focus on what’s good or what’s bad.”

4. THINK ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS.

If you’re dealing with a setback like an injury or illness, brainstorm different ways you can deal with it proactively. “You can change a moment of self-pity into a solutions-based mindset,” says Kastor. For instance, “Look at an injury as an opportunity to reassess your health.” You might need to stretch more, work on increasing your strength, or change up your diet.

5. LOOK FOR GROWTH.

Instead of focusing on aches or weakness or that you’re slower than you’d like to be, think about how much you can improve from your current state. “That mindset has made me face challenges with a sense of excitement, rather than facing it with a dread or sense of self-pity,” says Kastor. “It’s an exciting time. What seems like a challenge, which sounds negative, is actually a platform for growth.”

It’s fun to travel with other people, but going solo can be an exciting and enriching travel experience. When you’re on your own, you can set your own schedule, pursue your own interests (rather than following the crowd), and set aside time for individual reflection.

But without a travel buddy, you also become more of a target. All solo travelers, but especially women, should keep additional safety precautions in mind when in a foreign place. We asked travel experts and writers how to stay safe when you travel alone.

1. BLEND IN.

You want to fit in as much as possible when you travel, and that’s especially true when you’re traveling by yourself. Travel writer and blogger Ashley Christensen, who has been on multiple solo trips, including to New Orleans and Cambodia, tells mental_floss, “For safety’s sake while traveling alone, I try to be as inconspicuous as possible. I dress modestly—that means no short shorts, no cleavage, no high heels.” She also avoids wearing jewelry and expensive items.

But fitting in is about how you act as well as how you look. “I talk in my indoor voice at all times,” Christensen says. “I don’t run around, act a fool, or behave in a way that would make people look at me. In all honesty, this means I don’t get drunk.” In fact, Christensen says she rarely drinks at all while traveling, and most of the travel experts we talked to echoed this advice.

2. RESEARCH WHERE NOT TO GO.

You want to conduct a fair amount of research before any trip, and when you’re traveling alone, that means knowing which areas might be off-limits. “When I check into a hotel, the first thing I ask is what neighborhoods I should avoid and what the area’s safety is like,” says travel expert and Forbes correspondent Katie Lara. “I ask what time I shouldn’t be on the streets alone after. Cities vary widely on this. I have been in hotels where the desk staff told me to never really wander alone after dark in neighborhoods that I would have never guessed [were dicey].”

3. BOOK YOUR HOTEL STRATEGICALLY.

Speaking of hotels, you want to vet carefully, says travel writer Suzanne Wolko. Depending on your location, some hotels or lodging hosts will take care of coordinating nearly every aspect of your trip, from transportation to activities. “I like to book hotels or stays in the center of town so I can walk to attractions,” Wolko says. “I have the hotel book airport transfers in various countries so I don’t have to deal with language barriers or late night worries … I take the hotel business card and take photos of the hotel and landmarks in the area so I can easily find the location or the taxi can.”

Beth Santos, founder and CEO of Wanderful, suggests booking a room on the hotel’s third floor. “This way it’s easy to evacuate in case of emergency but difficult to climb up from the outside.”

4. MAKE SURE SOMEONE KNOWS YOUR PLANS.

You want to stay connected to friends or family back home, and that means more than just Instagramming the sights. Keep a point person apprised of your travel plans so they know where to find you in case of an emergency. In the U.S., the State Department makes it easy to do this with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). You register your trip with your nearest Embassy or Consulate, and STEP not only helps friends and family reach you, but will also keep you up-to-date on travel alerts and advisories for your destination.

And before you head out to explore on your own, “make sure someone always knows where you’re going,” Santos tells mental_floss. “If you’re taking a walk by yourself, tell your hostel or hotel concierge, especially if it’s at night. Give them an estimated time of when you’ll return. Never walk around at night to discover an area—make sure to explore it on foot during the day to get a feel for your new neighborhood.”

5. TRUST YOUR GUT.

If you get a sense that something isn’t right during your solo travels, it’s best to err on the side of caution and follow your intuition, says Diana Edelman, a travel blogger who has visited more than 30 countries alone. “If a situation doesn’t feel right, remove yourself from it,” she says. “Your gut instinct is something you should trust … Keep your eyes open and remember that generally people are kind and want to help; but avoid putting yourself in situations that can be avoided, like walking alone at night.” Edelman also recommends taking the time to read up on common local scams, and what you can do to foil them.

Lara agrees that it’s important to keep your wits about you. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of visiting a new, unfamiliar place, but “common sense is always the most important thing to bring with you on any trip,” she says.

6. SPLURGE ON SAFETY.

We all like saving money on travel, but one area you shouldn’t be afraid to spend a bit extra on is safety, Wolko says. If you feel significantly safer at a pricier hotel, for example, it’s worth it to shell out more for your lodging. Or, instead of taking the subway at night, you might consider hiring a driver.

Wolko says she also books private guides to show her around unfamiliar areas. “It’s nice to have a driver and meet locals,” she adds.

7. BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

“The first thing I do before any trip is Prepare for the Worst,” Lara adds. “Make sure you have copies of your passport or ID card, credit cards, and any other important documents. Also send yourself electronic copies, so even if your bags are lost, your life line is only an internet cafe away.”

She suggests keeping emergency contacts on hand, too, as well as bank and credit card information in case your wallet is lost or stolen. “I keep this in my email as well. That way, even if I lose everything, I’m just one internet connection away from having all the information I need.”