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5 Things Happy People Do (That You Can, Too!)
Of course we all want to be happy, but sometimes—when work piles up, there’s friction in our relationships, or good news is hard to find—this feeling can seem out of reach. Here are five happiness-boosting habits that you can begin to incorporate into your routine today.
This Artist Knits the Most Beautiful Animal “Pelts”
Textile artist Ruth Marshall’s work makes viewers do a double-take. She crafts gorgeous animal pelts out of yarn.
5 Ways the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Books Stretched the Truth
Generations of readers fell in love with the “true story” of the Ingalls family’s pioneering lifestyle, as depicted in the “Little House” books—only things didn’t always go down in real life exactly as they did on the page. Here are five ways Laura Ingalls Wilder stretched the truth in her telling of her family’s tale.
Humans don’t have the luxury of hibernating through the winter. So when the weather outside gets frightful, turn to one of these eight delightful warming products.
This chic-looking device is small, but it packs serious heat: Even on low, it keeps several desks in the mental_floss offices warm. Its dual settings—low for personal spaces, and max for bigger areas—as well as an adjustable thermostat allow users to tailor the temperature to their needs.
Find it: Amazon
Pop these rechargeable insoles in your shoes and never have cold feet again. The insoles—which can be trimmed to fit into your shoes—have three temperature settings and are controlled via Bluetooth using a smartphone app. The battery lasts for 8.5 hours of non-stop use and can be recharged in just two.
Find it: Amazon
You don’t have to choose between warm feet and good traction with these insulated hiking boots from Vasque. Available for both men and women, the Coldspark UltraDry boots feature waterproof coated leather uppers and a rubber outsole molded to take on winter terrain. They perfectly weathered a New York City snowstorm, and we’re excited to pack them for an upcoming trip to Alaska.
A pocket built into the bottom of this ultra-plush throw keeps your tootsies toasty warm when you snuggle into your favorite chair with a good book. Or, as one clever reviewer recommends, bring it to your chilly office so you can surreptitiously slip your shoes off and pop your feet into the blanket under your desk.
Find it: Brookstone
At 6.4 ounces, this down-filled jacket is ultra light and packs down small. It’s not super puffy, so it can be worn inside when the heat isn’t cutting it—but thanks to its quilting pattern, which helps to trap warmth, it’s also great to take outside. We wore it on a trip to Iceland, where it kept us cozy on a hike up a glacier and when we got drenched by Geysir and the spray from waterfalls. It’s available in a number of colors and in a hooded version.
These leggings are made of breathable merino wool, which resists odor and keeps the wearer super cozy when playing in the snow. (The fabric also wicks away moisture when the user gets too hot.) We wore them daily as a base layer on a trip to Iceland and break them out on snowy days to make the trek to the subway more bearable.
What’s nicer than slipping into a comfy pair of PJs at the end of a long day? Slipping into a comfy and warm pair of PJs at the end of a long day. Interior heating elements and a thermal satin lining allow this pouch to heat your pajamas—or towels, gloves, or socks—to a balmy 118 degrees.
Find it: Hammachler Schlemmer
The only person who hates your icy toes more than you do might be the person sharing your bed. Banish cold feet with this electric warming pad. It has two temperature settings, is made of machine-washable micro-plush fabric, and shuts off automatically after eight hours so you stay safe while you warm up. And did we mention it comes with a lifetime guarantee?
Find it: Hammachler Schlemmer
February 9, 2017 – 6:00pm
Credit card companies claim they want to help you, by giving you access to funds for the things you want and rewarding you for good spending habits—and to an extent, this is true. But the credit card industry is a profitable one: It makes money by charging merchant fees, selling aggregated customer data, and, most lucratively, collecting customer fees and interest. The more debt you revolve, the more money they make.
You can beat them at this game—you just need to know their tactics. Here are five tricks to look out for.
A “0 percent introductory APR” offer—a common perk credit card companies use to get you to sign up—means you will not be charged interest on your balance for a certain amount of time. Once that introductory period expires, the card’s standard interest rate kicks in and you will be responsible for paying interest on whatever balance is left on the card.
Deferred interest credit cards are kind of like the sly cousin of 0 percent introductory APR cards. With deferred interest, you also have an introductory period during which you don’t have to pay interest. However, if you don’t pay off your card completely at the end of the promotional period (even if you have just $1 left), you will owe interest retroactively on all purchases you made during that time. For example, let’s say you open a six-month deferred interest card, rack up $1000 in purchases, and then accidentally leave a remaining balance of $10 on the card. You will owe interest on the entire $1000 balance.
The deferred interest details are often buried in the terms and conditions, so consumers are surprised to learn how much they owe after the introductory period. Worse, this often traps consumers into a debt cycle: If they can’t pay off the balance once the interest charges are added, they have to keep revolving it, paying even more in interest each month.
This isn’t to say that signing up for a deferred interest card is a terrible idea. The key in making it work in your favor is to pay the balance off in full by the end of the promo period. If you don’t have the cash on hand, though, you’re taking a big risk.
Getting a letter or email from your credit card company saying you are now allowed to spend thousands of dollars more can feel like you’ve hit the jackpot. But the credit card companies are smart—they don’t give increases to delinquent customers who don’t pay; they offer them to paying customers who may revolve a small balance. The purpose of this new spending limit is, therefore, to encourage you to spend more and revolve a higher balance, therein making the credit card company more money.
Also, many credit cards do let you spend more than your limit, they just charge you a fee when you do. You might think that all attempted purchases over your credit limit will be declined, but in many cases they can in fact be processed and you will be slapped with an additional $35 over-limit fee. The remedy for all of this, of course, is to know your account’s terms and to keep your spending to what you can afford, even if your limit increases.
If you use your credit card responsibly, credit card companies don’t make as much money from you; they want you to carry a balance. So to put a positive spin on it, they make it seem like debt is a benefit they offer. American Express, for example, gives cardholders a “flexible credit card payment option,” defined as “the option to carry a balance each month with interest.” In other words, revolving your debt. It’s certainly an option, but not one that’s a very good option for the consumer.
Credit card companies are allowed to increase your rate for a number of reasons. Fortunately, the Credit CARD (Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure) Act of 2009 keeps them from increasing your rate on an existing balance—unless you miss your payments. If you’re late a couple of times, they’re allowed to charge a penalty APR that can indeed apply to your existing balance and any new purchases.
The CARD Act does requires the credit card companies to warn you of the new penalty rate 45 days in advance and also to reconsider your rate after you’ve made six consecutive on-time monthly payments.
We really can’t underline enough how important it is for you to read the fine print on your credit card account. In addition to hiking interest rates, credit card companies can gouge you with hidden fees, so be on the lookout for the following when reading through your terms:
Balance transfer fees
Foreign transaction fees
Finance charges
Annual fees
Also, bear in mind that many rewards cards charge annual fees but waive them the first year.
February 8, 2017 – 8:00pm
Cold, dark mornings and dreary winter weather can make getting out of bed difficult for even the best early birds. But you don’t have to go into hibernation until April and wear out your snooze button in the meantime. Whether you prefer a quick jolt of energy to get yourself going in the a.m. or feel better easing into your morning, the following tips from trainers around the country will help you feel ready to go and refreshed in seconds.
If your phone doubles as your alarm clock, type a motivational phrase as a note in your alarm, suggests Sherica Holmon, an instructor at Flywheel in New York City. Try a personal mantra or a line from an athletic brand ad or song that fires you up. “Having the message attached to your alarm will force you to look at this message before you press that snooze button!” says Holmon.
Take advantage of your phone further by jotting down a quick to-do list or a couple goals you want to accomplish that day in your notes app as soon as you wake up, recommends Meghan Takacs, a personal trainer and running coach with the fitness app Aaptiv. Taking a minute to think about your priorities and to write them down will likely energize you to get up, she says.
If your alarm isn’t doing the trick and you’re still lying in bed feeling groggy, gulping a glass of water can help you get going. “Winters are tough, but incorporating some healthy habits into your morning is a great way to jump-start your day,” says Christi Marraccini, a head coach at Tone House in New York City. Marraccini knows a thing or two about supercharging your mornings: She teaches a class at 5 a.m. “A simple thing to do is keep a glass of water by your bed and drink it before you even get up. It helps to rehydrate the body, fire up your metabolism, and increase alertness.”
Giving yourself a moment to breathe and reflect can help you start your morning on a relaxed, pleasant note. “I’m a big believer in breathing practices,” says Elizabeth Brewer, a fitness and yoga instructor in Tucson. “I take a moment, pause, and smile.” She suggests centering yourself by sitting with one hand cupped in the other and repeating a mantra in your mind. Her favorite: thinking “present moment” as she inhales and “joyful moment” on the exhale.
Taking a few seconds to stretch while you’re still lying down can make leaving your warm bed seem a little less brutal. Takacs recommends hugging your knees to your chest while you lie face-up. “It’ll stretch out your spine and lower back, which will help wake up your whole body,” she says. Then flip over to child’s pose, advises Mike Donavanik, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer in Los Angeles and creator of the Extreme Burn workout series. Here’s how: Get on all fours, then lower your butt to your ankles, reaching your arms flat overhead and letting your forehead sink into the mattress. “It just feels so good on everything, and you literally don’t have to leave bed,” he says. “Just hold it for a minute or two, then get out of bed immediately after.”
Maybe save the clips of political news or press conferences for later (they might make you roll over and bury your face in a pillow). But checking out a new Under Armour commercial or clip from the CrossFit games or video of athletes crossing an Ironman finish line? Yeah, those should get you going, says Holmon: “Whenever I see a video of someone working out, I can’t wait to get a workout in myself.”
The thought of doing a bodyweight exercise in your bedroom might not seem all that appealing while you’re still lying down—but doing so is guaranteed to wake you up. Donavanik loves to hop out of bed and bust out some push-ups. It fires up the muscles in your arms, shoulders, and core and gets your blood flowing in no time.
Try to set a quick morning ritual that you love, suggests Marraccini—like taking 10 minutes to sit and sip coffee, read a chapter from a book, or meditate with an app like Headspace. Make it something that really appeals to you so the thought of doing it is enticing enough to prevent you from hitting the snooze button (again).
All images courtesy of iStock.
January 30, 2017 – 12:00pm
Online shopping—especially when using saved personal and credit card information—makes it really easy for credit card fraudsters and identity thieves to get their hands on your sensitive info. With a new update, Google Chrome is hoping to put your mind more at ease by alerting you when the website asking for your payment information is unsecure.
According to Engadget, Chrome will now display a red “not secure” warning message in the browser’s address bar when an unsecure page—which Google defines as any site that does not have an HTTPS designation—prompts you to enter your info. This update is a visual reminder that you should only give personal info to sites that begin with HTTPS , which is more secure than the common HTTP.
A second Chrome update (version 56), announced on January 26, makes it so your web pages refresh faster. There are usually two reasons you would refresh a web page, Google software engineer Takashi Toyoshima wrote on the Chromium Blog. One is because a page is unresponsive, and the second is because you want to see fresh content on the page. While the new update addresses both concerns, it was created with the second in mind.
Here’s how it works: Every time you visit a webpage, Chrome launches hundreds of network requests to connect your browser to the website’s servers. And when you reload or refresh the site, this process of requesting access starts over again (this process is called “validation”). With the new update, Chrome only validates the main resource and data that it believes may have been changed or updated between visits. Therefore, you can see fresh information without revalidating the entire page.
According to Facebook, which has a vested interest in its webpages refreshing faster, the new Chrome update allows Facebook pages to refresh 28 percent faster than before. Happy browsing!
January 27, 2017 – 7:30pm
Salary negotiations can be the most intense, anxiety-riddled part of landing a new job. But if you’re only thinking about your next paycheck when making a counter offer for a new job, you’re doing your wallet a huge disservice. Want to make radically more in the future than you do today? Start by kicking these salary mistakes to the curb.
Religion, politics and money used to be the trifecta of taboo topics—but not so for younger generations. “People were raised not to talk about money, but there’s been a huge generational shift around salary disclosure,” says Cara Silletto, founder of HR firm Crescendo Strategies.
The explosion of social media and crowdsourced salary sites like Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com plays a part, but even IRL talks about money are more common now than they were 10 years ago, she says. “Young women in particular have embraced this evolution of transparency as a way to empower themselves and advocate for fair pay.” Knowing your pal two desks over brings home 25 percent more bacon might light your fire to ask for a raise or job hop for more opportunities. Get gabbing.
We’ve all been there: A job application asks for your desired salary, and you hesitate, wondering if writing down your lowest acceptable salary might give you a better shot at being considered. “Definitely do not put down the lower number,” says Ryan Kahn, founder of The Hired Group and author of How to Get Hired. Sure, looking like you’re super cheap might indeed get you interviewed, but many companies will then base their offer on that lowball figure. In other words, prepare to get paid less than you’re worth. “Instead, give a range of what you’re truly comfortable with,” he says.
Sometimes, maximizing your long-term earning potential can mean taking a step back to make a giant leap forward. Switching fields, for instance, usually entails starting in a junior position that might pay just a fraction of what you’re earning now. But if senior positions in your new career pay dramatically more than what your current industry will ever pay, enduring a pay cut can be well worth it.
Yes, the dollars and cents that show up on your paycheck each month are important. “But salary is not the end-all, be-all of a job offer,” says Kahn. Are there stock options or equity on the table? Will the company pay for your professional development courses or give you a crazy high match for retirement savings? If you’re too fixated on negotiating the salary number, you might overlook some serious perks (or pitfalls) in terms of building your overall wealth.
Maybe a recruiter reaches out on LinkedIn or you apply to a job posting, then only once you’re nailing down the interview time do you learn the salary range is lower than you’d like. Don’t bail, says Kahn. “A lot of people have the immediate reaction of turning down the interview, but it’s always possible that you’ll win them over and they’ll consider you beyond the role they’re hiring for,” he says.
Dazzle them with your expertise and experience, and the org might pull budget from other departments to offer you a more sizable salary or keep you in mind when a more senior position opens up. That strategy can be a long-shot, Kahn says, but “they’re not going to know how much value you have unless you show up.”
January 25, 2017 – 6:00pm
Low-key Friday dinner parties are a highlight of my entire week. But when my wife and I tried to tighten our budget recently, I combed through our bank statements and realized those weekly gatherings were making our grocery bills balloon. Instead of putting the kibosh on dinner invites, I tried a new approach to the menus: I set a $20 limit on the main dish. Guests didn’t notice the difference—but my wallet did. Here are some of our faves:
The chipotle aioli (an easy blitz of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with lime and mayo in a blender) is what makes these tacos stand out—and you can save the leftover sauce for a zippy sandwich spread.
Get the Recipe: Oprah
Going DIY is cheaper than delivery by a mile. But the key to keeping this low-cost is to skip the gourmet toppings (burrata, imported salami) and stick to just a few veggies.
Get the Recipe: Food Network
Pancakes scream “budget,” but for some reason veggie-studded fritters feel almost decadent. And you can adapt this recipe to accommodate almost any extra veggies you have on hand. Serve them with a giant, simple salad, and dinner is done.
Get the Recipe: Smitten Kitchen
Bone-in chicken thighs are a thrifty cook’s best friend, and this sumptuous dish is one-pot to boot. We make dead-simple roast potatoes for the side, and guests leave happily stuffed.
Get the Recipe: The New York Times
Chef Aarti Sequeira relied on mujadara to stretch her husband’s unemployment check during the couple’s lean days. In this Lebanese dish, caramelized onions transform lentils and rice into something that feels posh. The main ingredients are so cheap, you can even spring for a sprinkle of pine nuts.
Get the Recipe: Food Network
You don’t need much meat to flavor an entire pot of pasta (a half-pound of well-seasoned sausage can do the trick for a party of four). But it’s the addition of cannellini beans or chickpeas that sets this dish apart.
Get the Recipe: Bon Appetit
Eggs are cheap, but for some reason my friends haven’t warmed to the idea of a scrambled egg party. Frittata, on the other hand, is a consistent dinner-time crowd pleaser, especially when it’s studded with tender potatoes.
Get the Recipe: The Kitchn
Madison’s recipes manage to coax so much flavor out of even a short and simple ingredient list, and this soup is no exception. Bonus: It actually tastes better if you make it ahead of time, then reheat just before the guests arrive.
Get the Recipe: Cookstr
Risotto is too fussy for some, but if you don’t mind stirring at the stove you can wow guests with a luxe, velvety bowl of basically rice, peas, and a bit of bacon.
Get the Recipe: MarthaStewart.com
You provide the giant pot of chili and ask your friends to potluck the toppings—because fixings like sour cream and shredded cheese and diced tomatoes really do add up!
Get the Recipe: Real Simple
January 20, 2017 – 12:00pm
You started the new year with the best intentions, but somehow life just got in the way of your fitness goals. The gym was packed, your kids were sick, you worked too late, it was raining—the excuses are easy to come by. But you can still do this! You don’t need to rely on pricey classes and personal trainers to get fit this year, all you need is your phone and a little bit of motivation. We’ve compiled a list of 10 of the best free apps to get you moving this winter.
Runkeeper is one of the original fitness tracking apps, but don’t write it off just because it’s not the “hot new thing” anymore. Runkeeper allows you to set goals, create a fitness plan, and then track your runs, walks, and cycling sessions with your phone’s GPS system. It’s the perfect tool for staying accountable and motivated, since you can track your progress over time as well as connect with friends in order to cheer (or heckle) each other on.
No time to exercise? Forget hour-long spin classes and 10 mile runs. All you need for an effective workout is a chair and seven minutes. The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout helps you squeeze fitness into your day when it works for you. If you choose to include the warm up and cool down sections, each workout is about 11 minutes. You can choose the intensity level, and the app will coach you through the entire workout.
If you’ve ever dreamed of a world where you’re rewarded for choosing carrot sticks over doughnuts and you actually get paid to work out, the Pact app could be for you. This free app allows you to commit to a set workout schedule or health goal each week—and then you bet (with real money) that you’ll be able to follow through. If you don’t hit your goal, your credit card gets charged. If you crush it, you’ll reap the rewards (financed by other app users who didn’t achieve their goals). Finally some motivation you can take to the bank!
YouTube sensation Cassey Ho’s energy and spunk will distract you from the fact that your abs are on fire during her pilates-inspired workout videos. The free Blogilates app provides workout videos, recipes, and a supportive community forum, and you can always upgrade to receive weekly workout schedules for $0.99 per month.
Charity Miles combines the ease and convenience of a typical fitness tracker with the warm fuzzies of doing something good for others. Just open the app any time you set off on a run or walk to get coffee and you’ll earn money for the charity of your choice (choose from over 30) for each mile you move. The app has already raised over $2 million from its sponsors.
If you’re tired of hitting the snooze button five times every morning, check out the Yoga Wake Up app. It’s designed to help you ease into your day by providing free yoga routines that you can do right from your bed. The 10-minute audio classes lead you as you set a daily intention, stretch, stretch, and meditate. You may even start looking forward to that alarm going off.
Find it: iOS
Do you love to run but have a bad habit of quitting halfway through your planned route? The Zombies, Run! app keeps you moving by putting a pack of blood-thirsty zombies hot on your trail. It streams your usual running music, but when you hear zombies running and breathing down your neck, you know it’s time to pick up the pace. The game even allows you to collect supplies and help fellow apocalypse survivors.
Let’s be honest: Getting fit and staying healthy is not all about the workouts. If you celebrate your five-mile run by wolfing down an entire pizza, you’re not going to hit your goals. The MyFitnessPal app helps marry your nutrition and exercise goals. This tracking app allows you to log your workouts as well as all your meals and snacks for the day. Their food database contains over 1,000,000 items, so it’s easy to log your store-bought or restaurant meals, too. They also have free discussion forums where you can connect with other health seekers.
Some of us will just never be gym people. If you dread the drone of the treadmill or smell of those locker rooms, get out into nature for your workout instead. Once you download Yonder, simply enter your location and the app will pull up suggestions for hiking, biking, kayaking, and skiing in your area. It even includes reviews of each trail from fellow users. So grab your phone and get some vitamin D while you work up a sweat this winter.
If you purged half of your belongings during your minimalist phase last year, no sweat: You don’t need any fancy equipment to get in a great workout with the Freeletics app. It contains over 900 bodyweight workouts that are tailored to you and your fitness level.
January 18, 2017 – 2:00pm