There are things that we crush on and then there are things that we CRUSH on. To meet the criteria of a hard core crush an image or idea! has to really stop us in our tracks. Similar to the way our real life crush, Matthew McConaug-hottie, would stop us in our tracks if we say…perhaps strolled right past him on the street.
First, there would be the “moment of denial” – is this really happening? no, this is too good to be true. Followed immediately by the “moment of holy shit” – this is real life. people can’t just make this type of thing up! Then there’s the “moment of this is ah-mazing!” and now we can die happy after witnessing his golden locks and tanned skin just feet away. That thought process did in fact happen when we laid eyes on these capital-letter-CRUSH-worthy images! Just in a slightly less starstruck, but still equally obsessive way. This month…
We’ve got a crush on salmon-pink eyeshadow and sherbet pink shearling…
On charcuterie plates turned into charcuterie bowls complete with mini potatoes…
On black and white gallery walls mounted on a slightly higher horizon line…
On healthy desserts served with gold spoons obvi! like this Raw Oat Blueberry Pie…
On pink sequined pencil skirts paired with chambray shirts…
On wire statement stools around the table…
And on the next stop on our Wanderlust List: this stunning canyon in the Sierra Nevadas!
Which one of our crushes makes your heart flutter as much as it does ours? Obviously, it has to be that pink eye makeup from J Moon, right?! Or is it that blueberry pie? Seriously, get in mah belly! Maybe it’s those stunning Seven Tea Cup waterfalls because you never knew they existed before today and now they’re like, one of the coolest natural wonders you’ve ever seen?? Does anyone else know how to get to Johnsondale, CA?!
Whichever crush your heart chooses as it’s fave, just know, McConaug-hottie is off the table! He’s taken.
By us, obbvvvvviously. Happy March! PS: For our previous Crush Worthy moments CLICK HERE. And for our Top 10 Spring Must-Haves CLICK HERE!!
image 1 via J Moon // 2 via Canelle et Vanille // 3 via Nomad // 4 via Food Bandits // 5 via Stockholm Streetstyle // 6 via House Doctor // 7 via
Despite its shockingly low ratings, The Idol has managed to claim a top spot as one of the most popular newly released TV shows.
The provocative HBO series, which airs on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO, has been stained with controversy even before it premiered. From production drama to script rewrites, the show had quite a few obstacles to overcome before making its way on our screens.
While many find The Idol scenes hard to watch, there’s one thing we can all agree on – that mansion featured on the show is undoubtedly stunning. The palatial estate, which serves as Jocelyn’s home base is actually The Weeknd’s real-life home, and he spent an insane amount of money on it.
The Idol’s controversial debut
Hitmaker Abel Tesfaye, best known as The Weekend, collaborated with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson to write, create, and produce the show.
Tesfaye stars as Tedros, a cult leader who develops a toxic romance with pop star Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp. The series marks Tesfaye’s first major acting role, after appearing briefly (as himself) in Josh Safdie’s Uncut Gems in 2019.
Before The Idol’s press tour began, Rolling Stonewrote an exposé detailing a toxic production set, which led to director Amy Seimetz’s departure. The editorial piece called the show “twisted, torture porn”. Seimetz was later replaced by Levinson, who rewrote the show almost completely.
“It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show — and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better,” one source told the publication.
Meanwhile, Depp has defended the show several times in interviews, saying she never felt objectified or exploited despite being half-naked in scenes.
Showrunners Levinson and Tesfaye maintain that the public backlash was expected all along.
”We’re playing with genres with this show, we’re doing exactly what we wanted to do,” Tesfaye told People. “And none of this is a surprise.”
How The Weeknd’s $70 million mansion ended up playing the part of Jocelyn’s house on The Idol
The Blinding Lights singer dropped a whopping $70 million for his 33,000-square-foot Bel Air mansion back in 2021.
It was the largest, most expensive real estate deal in Los Angeles that closed that year, earning Tesfaye a spot in our list of the most expensive celebrity homes in recent history.
We won’t overwhelm you with the never-ending list of amenities the star’s mansion packs between its walls, but you can read all about The Weeknd’s extravagant property here.
At the time of purchase, there were no plans of using the mansion as a filming set. But, as production was shaken up, they needed a quick resolution.
“If we were going to reshoot from the beginning, I knew it had to be for less money. Sitting in Abel’s house, looking around at the 40,000 square feet, I said, ‘It’s stunning here—you can’t buy production design like this. What if we shoot it here?’” Levinson told GQ.
The megamansion came complete with luxurious amenities, expansive grounds, and gorgeous views, making it the perfect shooting venue.
Everything We Know about The Weeknd’s House, a Sprawling $70M Mansion in Bel-Air https://t.co/ke6NRgiacH
— Fancy Pants Homes (@FancyPantsHomes) October 21, 2021
There was little done to change the interiors and the singer’s personal home decor can be seen throughout the episodes. According to Levinson, he and his wife “essentially moved into Tesfaye’s house” during filming, while The Weeknd moved out to protect himself from blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
With the mounting negative feedback, the show’s fate for a second season remains unclear. Recent reports indicate that the series will conclude earlier than its initially planned six-episode runtime, wrapping up at the end of the fifth episode.
Several outlets claimed, however, that Levinson’s iteration has always been billed as a five-episode series, so it remains to be seen if Lily-Rose Depp, The Weeknd, and Jocelyn’s house return to our screens for a second season.
More stories you might like
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Hampsie, Lady Phoebe’s country house in ‘You’ & where to find it in real life
Tony Soprano’s house is a real-life home in New Jersey — and the pool and driveway look awfully familiar
I know, I know. “Movies are subjeeective. There is no such thing as good or bad.” Spare me. There ain’t no participation trophies in Hollywood. Some movies are great, others are trash, and most fall somewhere in the middle.
But some movies have been ranked improperly. Some movies have been labeled as outstanding by the majority, but are they merely (you might want to sit down for this) really good? Several widely-praised films have caught the eye of the take-yourself-down-a-notch brigade.
1. Interstellar (2014)
Even before it hits theaters, any movie directed by Christopher Nolan receives the “great” label. But some critical moviegoers feel that Interstellar is the Apollo 11 of movies—hailed as an outstanding American achievement by many, dismissed by others as a high-budget fraud filmed by a renowned Hollywood director.
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Now that you mention it, the recent spate of movies that appear targeted at 14 year old’s, but perform exceptionally well among adult critics, does seem odd. The odd case of a dark, gritty thriller cloaked in a superhero suit (The Dark Knight, Logan) makes sense—these are adult films with the serious cinematic cache.
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
But why does the 68th Spider-Man film, more logic-defying than the first 67th, have the same Rotten Tomatoes score as Dunkirk? Is this real life or a deleted scene from Idiocracy?
3. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp Fiction, Cult Classic. There is no doubt that the legendary film is a first-ballot Movie Hall of Famer. One critic complains that Tarantino’s voice penetrates the film too acutely. But, to be fair, have you ever seen a Tarantino interview? The dude is intense.
4. John Wick (2014)
Plot of John Wick: bang, pow!, blood squirts on the camera, punch, crunch (broken bones), pow pow! Repeat. Those who value optional movie elements like plot, dialogue, and fewer than four million gunshots fall asleep quickly after turning on John Wick.
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
One of the most talked-about movies of 2022, Everything Everywhere All at Once garnered plenty of controversy, no matter what its IMDb score reads. One pretzel-minded viewer gave up on the movie during the scene where “the guy was trying to jump butt-first onto the butt plug.”
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
That is as good a time as any to switch movies.
6. Midsommar (2019)
A film with a compelling trailer, and plenty of hype, Midsommar struck many as visually flashy but ultimately shallow, rife with unlikeable characters, and disappointing. While some retort that hate-able characters are essential in the movie’s plot, the haters say that Midsommar isn’t very good.
7. Forrest Gump (1994)
While Forrest Gump was a popular choice among moviegoers, I’ve included it on this list for one reason. That reason is to report all the blasphemers who believe that Forrest Gump is anything but a delightful masterpiece.
8. The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Big Lebowski is another movie that doesn’t belong on this list. I don’t mean to pull a bait-and-switch by including films that aren’t overrated (like Forrest Gump), but someone has to come to The Big Lebowski’s defense.
9. Star Wars (1977)
The Stuff Nerds in Locker’s lobby has apparently found its way to social media. One can’t help but feel that the endless slew of cash magnets disguised as Star Wars spinoffs have also slightly soured the original films.
9. Star Wars (1977)
Time is not kind to many sci-fi films made before 2000, and some say that the original Star Wars films have gotten too big for their intergalactic britches.
10. American Psycho (2000)
Christian Bale kills it in every role, but those who aren’t fans of American Psycho say he took the killing way too literally in this gore-fest movie.
10. American Psycho (2000)
Then again, one American Psycho of a commenter said, “I mean kinda like not going to lie, I liked the character Patrick more than the movie itself.” Ok, dude.
Source: Reddit.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
One of the biggest wealth transfers in history is about to unfold.
That is, it’s estimated that more than $68 trillion in wealth – involving 45 million households across the U.S. – will be transferred through inheritance in the next 25 years.
Will you be one of them?
If you’re a Millennial or a Gen Zer, chances are you may be in the group of Americans most likely to benefit from this massive transfer.
If so, you’ll need to know how to plan for an anticipated inheritance, even if you’re not sure of the details.
What’s Ahead:
1. Have a rough idea of the amount that you are set to inherit
Though this seems like a simple step, it often isn’t.
Not all parents or grandparents are open about their personal net worth (it’s a generational thing). And asking how much you can expect to inherit – or, if you’ll be inheriting anything at all – can seem presumptuous at best, and greedy at worst.
Some parents and grandparents will be open to this question. Some may even provide the information without you asking. But if that’s not your situation, you’ll need to proceed carefully and delicately.
How do I find out how much I will inherit?
You probably already have an idea of your parents’ approximate net worth, but if you don’t, don’t beat yourself up. After all, it isn’t always that obvious on the surface.
The best way to find out?
Just ask.
If your parents aren’t forthcoming about their finances, you’ll need to step back. That doesn’t mean giving up, however. You can let some time pass, then approach the subject later. Just be sure to frame it in such a way that you’re interested in protecting all they’ve worked so hard to accumulate.
2. Learn what makes up the inheritance
Some estates are very simple, while others can be incredibly complicated. The best scenario is a parent who rents his or her home (no house to sell) and has nearly all wealth sitting in financial assets, like bank and brokerage accounts.
Things get way more complicated when a large share of the estate is held in real estate, and especially investment real estate. More complicated still is business equity.
Collectibles, like jewelry and artwork, can also be problematic. You’ll first need to get a ballpark estimate of the value. But before they can be sold, they may need to be formally appraised.
Just as important, your parents may prefer to pass real estate, business interests, or collectibles to specific individuals. That may or may not include you, which is something you need to know before you plan to inherit them.
3. Know if there are other beneficiaries
This is as delicate an issue as requesting the value of your parents’ estate. If you are the sole beneficiary, it’s a non-problem. But if there are siblings, or others your parents may want to distribute assets to, the waters can get a bit muddy.
In a perfect world, your parents will set up an equal distribution for you and your siblings. But real life isn’t always so simple.
For reasons known or unknown to you, your parents may choose unequal distributions. This can be due to family politics, like one sibling being favored over the others, or one sibling being closer to your parents than others. In some situations, parents may choose to give a larger share to a child who provides for their direct care in their later years.
There may still be other situations where your parents want to make special provisions for one of your siblings or even a grandchild.
Yes, it can get worse!
But those aren’t even the most complicated beneficiary situations.
Given that divorce is common, and often involves a second set of children, there may be issues and limitations.
In some extreme situations, parents may disown one or more children, and exclude them from the inheritance. If that might be you, you’ll need to know.
Finally, complicated family situations can result in probate. That’s where the estate has to go before a judge prior to distribution. This can happen because of the nature of the family situation, or because one or more potential beneficiaries (or even an excluded party) challenge the distribution of the estate proceeds.
If that situation seems likely, it’s one that should be discussed with your parents. They may need to set up a trust to ensure each beneficiary gets the intended distribution so the estate can avoid probate.
4. Understand the intended distribution process
This primarily has to do with the timing of inheritance distributions. While the conventional distribution method is to distribute all beneficiary shares on a common date when the estate is settled, that’s not always the case.
Parents sometimes arrange to have estate assets distributed gradually.
For example: if one or more beneficiaries is considered to be irresponsible with money, the parents may set up a staggered distribution over a period of several years.
A staggered distribution is often accomplished through a trust. If your parents have set up a trust, either for part or all of the estate, you’ll need to know of its existence, as well as the intended distribution.
Some trusts are even more specific
For example, they may include provisions that will distribute funds based on certain milestones. Common examples include holding distributions until the beneficiary turns 30 (or some other age), or gets married (or divorced, if the marriage is shaky).
Trusts can be amazingly specific, which is why people set them up. That’s also why you’ll need to know any distribution method that will be used.
Some estates may also have provisions to make staggered distributions based on asset types.
For example: cash-type assets may be distributed early in the estate process. But real estate and business interests may not be distributed until they have been liquidated.
5. Estimate your personal finances at the anticipated time the inheritance happen
A big part of how you handle an inheritance will be determined by your own financial situation.
If you already have a sizable personal estate, you may be able to simply fold the inheritance into your existing plan. But if your finances are limited, you may need to be more intentional and figure out what you’re going to do with the inheritance when it arrives (ya know, so you don’t blow it all on a bright red Mustang).
The point is, only when you have a clear picture of your own finances can you make the best use of an inheritance. And to get the greatest benefit, it can help to improve your finances before you receive the money. The better positioned you will be when the inheritance comes in, the more flexibility you’ll have in choosing where to allocate the money.
If you’ve not been investing up to this point, you may want to begin before the inheritance comes in. It’s best to get investment experience with a small amount of money, so you don’t risk losing your windfall through poor investment choices.
Read more: Best Investment Accounts For Young Investors
6. Design a plan (aka what to do with the inheritance)
If you already have your own personal financial plan, planning for an inheritance will be much easier. But even if you do, you should have at least a loose plan for what to do with the new money. The worst choice is holding off until the inheritance is received. Without a solid plan, you may quickly draw down the new money, financing a series of wants.
Having a plan for the inheritance will ensure the money will provide for a better future. To learn how to set up a financial plan, check out our article: What Is A Financial Plan And Why Do You Need One?
Decide what your priorities are
The main purpose of a plan is to set up a series of priorities.
For example: if your retirement planning isn’t where you want to be, you can make it a priority to fix that with the inheritance. You can either use the new money to enable you to make larger retirement plan contributions or plan to set up an annuity specifically for retirement.
Take advantage of annuities
One of the advantages ofannuitiesis that they can be used to shore up an adequate retirement plan.
Read more: What Is An Annuity And Should You Consider One?
The investment earnings on annuities accumulate on a tax-deferred basis, like retirement plans. But the major advantage is that there are no limits to your contributions. You can make a single, large lump sum contribution to an annuity and let it grow tax-free until retirement. You can set a date that distributions will begin, which can even cover the rest of your life.
In addition, Dr. Guy Baker, CFP and founder of Wealth Teams Alliance, also points out:
“Annuities are a fixed-income alternative. The opportunity to get a market return with no downside risk can be dramatically better than the income from an investment-grade bond of comparable risk. The amount to put into an annuity should coordinate with the age of the beneficiary and the investment objectives. In general, an indexed annuity can provide significant benefits for no additional risk.”
However, since annuities are complicated instruments themselves, you’ll need time to do research and evaluate the best one to take. That’s best done in advance of receiving an inheritance.
Consider starting your own business
In a different direction, maybe you’ve been dreaming of starting your own business. If you lack the capital to do that up to this point, the inheritance can make it happen.
In the meantime, you can make preliminary plans for the business, andeven get it up and running as a side hustle. When the inheritance arrives, you’ll have an established business to grow, rather than starting a new one from the ground up.
Starting a business is always risky, though, so make sure you carefully consider such a big move if/when you do receive an inheritance.
Read more: How To Start Your Own Business – A Complete Step-By-Step Guide
7. Find out if there will be tax consequences
You’ve undoubtedly heard the saying,
“the only things certain in life are death and taxes.”
Well, guess what? Sometimes the two happen at the same time.
Officially, they’re called inheritance taxes. Because estates can contain a lot of money, governments view them as rich revenue sources. Just like they tax your income, your home, your utility bills, and even your purchases, there are taxes designed to snatch a part of an inheritance before you receive it.
There’s good news and bad news here.
Let’s start with the good news…
There is a federal inheritance tax, but the good news is that it only applies to very large estates.
Under current IRS regulations, estates that transfer from one spouse to another are generally tax exempt. But even when they pass to other beneficiaries, like children and grandchildren, there’s a federal estate tax exemption of $11.7 million, for 2021.
That means if the total value of the estate (before distribution) doesn’t exceed $11.7 million, there’ll be no federal tax on the inheritance.
Now for the bad news…
18 states impose some type of state-level inheritance tax. And while some of those states match the federal estate exemption, there are no fewer than 13 with lower exemptions.
On the low-end, Massachusetts and Oregon can tax estates as low as $1 million. Rhode Island sets the threshold at $1,595,156.
Not many Americans have a net worth of over $11.7 million. But there are many millions with estates of $1 million or more. Even if you’re not affected by the federal estate tax, you may be subject to it at the state level.
If any of the estate tax thresholds may apply in your situation, whether at the state or federal level, you’ll need to be prepared for this outcome.
So make sure you estimate for a lower inheritance
The best strategy is to estimate a lower inheritance, based on applicable estate tax rates. Fortunately, the estate will pay the inheritance tax before the money is distributed. But you still need to be prepared for a lower distribution amount.
If your parents are open about your inheritance, you may even be able to discuss the tax consequences with them. That way they’ll be in a position to take action to minimize them before the fact.
8. Decide if you’ll need a financial planner
If you believe your net worth is too small to justify a financial planner right now, you may change your mind when you receive a large inheritance. But you don’t have to wait until the inheritance arrives to at least consult a financial planner.
If you know the approximate size of your inheritance, paying for a meeting with a financial planner may be money well spent. The financial planner can help you to make decisions to both set up your current finances in anticipation of the inheritance, as well as to make intelligent decisions when it actually comes.
The financial planner may also provide ideas you may want to convey to your parents. They’re often unaware of strategies that will minimize inheritance taxes, or create a strategic plan for a more successful distribution of the estate.
In addition, if there may be questions surrounding the estate, perhaps involving the children of a previous or subsequent marriage, the financial planner may recommend consulting with an estate attorney.
The more you can do in advance, the less likely it is you’ll be blindsided when the inheritance arrives and the stakes are higher.
Read more: Are Certified Financial Planners Worth The Money?
9. Decide if you’ll need a trust
If you don’t have one now, receiving a large inheritance might make a trust advisable. It may even be completely necessary if the inheritance is particularly large, or if you yourself have children from a previous marriage.
A trust is a way to protect your assets, and to ensure the money is distributed as you wish upon your death.
Shawn Plummer, CEO of The Annuity Expert, explains further:
“You may need a trust if you want to specify how your assets will be distributed without a probate court getting involved. While a will can achieve a similar purpose, wills have to be authenticated by a probate court and can require more time and money.”
Just as important, a trust has the potential to protect your assets from seizure by creditors, or from litigation. With the larger personal estate the inheritance will create, you may need just that kind of protection.
And don’t worry, you won’t need to pay an arm and a leg to get these documents drawn up. Trust & Will offers estate planning help with plans starting at just $39. This can help you avoid racking up a high bill with an estate planner.
Summary
You’ve probably known of situations where someone came into a large windfall, only to be broke a few short years later. Unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon outcome.
The sudden arrival of a large amount of money can cause an unprepared recipient to blow what could be a life-changing opportunity. It could have the potential to dramatically improve your finances and your life.
You’ll need a plan to make that happen, and it’s never too early to start drawing one up.
Right before our Thanksgiving trip, the AC went out on our vehicle. $600 later, we had a functioning AC. What a way to start a camping trip.
The good news was that we had the funds set aside for that specific reason—auto repairs. We’ve never used one of our targeted accounts before, and now that we have, I can attest that they are a fantastic idea.
Obviously the repair would cost the same whether it came from a big account labeled “emergency fund” or a targeted one called “auto repair.” We’re out $600 either way, so why bother with separate, targeted accounts?
Two reasons:
By paying from a targeted account, the three-to-six months emergency fund (EF fund) isn’t tapped. We look at the EF as money for major or unforeseeable expenses only.
Paying for repairs is never a joy, but it’s easier when the money was there for that purpose.
It’s extremely easy to set up targeted EFs, and they’ll save you a great deal of frustration and headaches when faced with irregular expenses.
Step one: Calculate a reserve for targeted EFs Once you are free of consumer debt and have a comfortable EF, start creating targeted EFs for expenses that are inevitable, but irregular. For example, we have a savings account for property taxes. That’s a regular, yearly expense we can count on having to pay. We also have a good idea of exactly how much we’ll pay. A targeted EF is different because it’s meant for expenses that will hit at some point, but you don’t know exactly when or how much you’ll have to pay.
Here’s how to start creating your targeted EFs:
Gather your expense history for the last 12 months.
Calculate how much you spent on irregular expenses, such as car maintenance, medical bills, and home maintenance. You’re looking for expenses that you know you’ll have at some point, it’s just a matter of when.
Divide the sum for each category by 12.
Save those amounts each month to build up enough savings to handle the expense. Or, if you don’t have that much room in your budget, save up what you can in each category until you hit your reserve target.
Make sure you don’t confuse the purpose of your accounts. Saving for a car is not the same as saving for an auto repair for a vehicle you currently own. That said, try not to create too many targeted EFs. Make the categories broad, if needed. We only have two targeted EFs right now, and we’ll add a third for home maintenance next year.
Step two: Create sub-accounts My favorite method for targeted savings accounts is creating multiple accounts at ING Direct, which I learned about here at GRS. Other banks probably offer similar setups. As you set up each account, label it for its specific purpose.
Bonus points: Automate it Put your savings on autopilot to avoid the temptation to spend the money elsewhere. We started our auto repair savings account by setting up automatic deposits of $100 per month. In no time the account was big enough to cover our recent repair.
This is not a perfect method. Just because we only spent $600 on auto repairs this year doesn’t mean we won’t have a $1000 repair next year, but at least some money will be saved up to help cover the expense.
Peace of mind
One last benefit I want to mention is that when you’ve already predicted and accepted that you’ll have these irregular expenses, and you’ve set aside money for them, it is less aggravating when they occur. If we had to pull money from our three-to-six-month emergency fund, I would have started off our trip thinking about how quickly we could replace the funds, and where we could cut back to do it as soon as possible. Or worse, if we didn’t have any savings to cover the repairs, we’d be scrambling to figure out how to pay for it. Maybe we wouldn’t be able to go on the trip. Instead, I left feeling relieved that the money was there and a car repair didn’t blow our budget.
Peace of mind isn’t a tangible benefit, but to me, it was the best one of all.
Do you have separate accounts for irregular expenses, or do you have one big emergency fund?
J.D.’s note: As I write The Book, I’m amazed at how often I refer back to the idea of targeted emergency funds. I find them useful in Real Life, too. It’s so much less stressful to pull from your home-repair fund to fix a leaky roof than to drain your main emergency fund…
If you don’t already know Justina Blakeney and her virtual domicile, The Jungalow then you have to be living under a blogging rock. From the moment Justina came onto the scene she’s infused blogland with color, energy, humor, skill and all around badassness that’s impossible to ignore. She’s long been one of my favorites, not just because of her great eye her Instagram is ridic, crazy design skills this tabletop – hello! and always killer content, but also because Justina felt like a kindred spirit from day one – despite our styles being totally different! And just as I’d hoped when I first met Justina in person, her online aura totally manifests in real life. That doesn’t always happen in blogland ya’ know.
So I couldn’t be more excited that Miss B is debuting her most exciting project to date – her very own home decor book – The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes.
Her stunning tome of 20 jungalow-wothry interiors embodies Justina’s color-saturated, plant filled, eclectic, creative style to a tee – and I’m thrilled to get to share a little sneak peek with you. The book features the homes of fabulous creatives ranging from designer Erica Tanov to some of Justina’s own family – and of course it also includes her own stunning bungalow! The pages are truly brimming with life and all kinds of “woah, I never thought of that!” decorating inspiration.
Example upon example of dreamy textile combinations has me inspired to layer a bit more texture into my usually minimalist style. I’m already thinking of ways to implement the “Rugger”–a rug used as a table runner–duh.
The New Bohemians also offers a ton of tips and tricks to help you create special personal touches throughout your space. Each home tour features “Ideas to Adopt” and simple DIYs that feel entirely accessible and add much-desired personality to any room. If you’ve ever wanted to work on your fear of color {like me! or your reluctance to let your wild side peek through – Justina offers the perfect inspiration to step outside your decor comfort zone.
A huge congratulations to my dear friend Justina! And for more sneak peeks check out the rest of the New Bohemian Book Tour happening across many of our favorite blogs right now! Or simply grab your copy of the book right here!
Yesterday, as I was otherwise occupied (I spent five hours writing a post about programmable thermostats, a post nobody will even like!), the conversation on Donna Freedman’s article got a little cranky. Donna wrote about pinching pennies on some things so that she could splurge on others. In Donna’s case, that meant a trip to England.
Tyler K., who’s always a little cranky, wrote in response:
I’m just waiting for the post where someone’s passion, the thing they’re willing to scrimp on everything else so that they can afford, is a Range Rover. Or anything else but travel, really…It’d be fantastic to see someone write about not going to Europe so they could buy a luxury SUV…
The Other Brian expressed his frustration, too:
I agree with Tyler 100%. I’m pretty sure the person that wrote that post would get absolutely BLASTED in the comment section for their prioritization of Stuff over experiences…
And Jane, who is usually mild-mannered, chimed in:
I would love for someone to actually have the courage to write a reader story or guest post about how they scrimped and went without for a big screen television! Why is that any less valid than saving for a trip to Paris? I’m sure everyone would say that it is just as valid and cite J.D.’s mantra “Do what works for you.” But let’s be honest — there is a pretty obvious privileging on this site and others of certain types of ways to spend your money. Travel is one of the ones that people categorically praise.
First of all, I’m as tired of travel articles as everyone else. Yes, it’s one of my pet topics, but we’ve featured it a lot around here lately. Time for it to take a back seat for a while. Second, I think travel gets praised a lot because people enjoy it. For years, I heard people extolling the virtues of travel, but until I tried it, I didn’t really understand.
That said, Tyler, Jane, and The Other Brian have a valid point. We do talk a lot about Experiences here — but I think that’s because in Real Life, so much attention is heaped upon Stuff.
Stuff isn’t evil (though too much of it can certainly become a burden). Maybe it’s time for a little reality check…
How to Spend Your Money
Jane is right: My gut reaction is to cite my motto: “Do what works for you.” Because that’s what it’s all about. If you’re out of debt and meeting your savings goals, spend your surplus on whatever you want.
If you want a big-screen television, buy a big-screen television.
If you want a Range Rover, buy a Range Rover.
If you want a surfboard, buy a surfboard.
And if you want to travel, travel.
I don’t care what you spend your money on, and neither should anyone else. Travel isn’t inherently better than television, and I’m not arguing that it is. (For me, travel is better than television, but maybe not for Jane.)
I spend plenty of money on Stuff. In the past two years, I’ve bought a used car, a new bike, some nice furniture, season tickets to the Portland Timbers, and more comic books than a grown man really needs. (Trust me: If I’m buying all these comic books, I’m not about to judge you for buying a television!) I’ve also paid for an expensive gym membership and traveled to nine other countries.
I’m careful to avoid debt and meet my savings goals, but I spend my surplus on Experiences and Stuff. Both have value.
And Donna, who just wrote about eating lunches of cheese and crackers so she can afford to travel the U.K.? Well, Donna’s willing to pay $9 for half a dozen cupcakes. Is that frugal? Of course it is! Well, maybe not frugal, but it’s certainly a reasonable expense. Donna can afford it, and it makes her happy.
There’s no one right way to do this. Donna splurges on cupcakes. I splurge on comic books. Maybe you spend on cable television. So what? If these are conscious decisions and we can afford it, there’s nothing wrong with buying Experiences or Stuff. Or both. (After all, that’s why we scrimp and save.)
What Do YOU Splurge On?
Financial writer Greg Karp recently dropped me a line. “I’m doing a column on what people splurge on,” he said. “Any thoughts?” I wrote back to share my main splurges: travel, travel gear, fitness, and computers.
I did a similar survey of personal-finance bloggers almost three years ago. “What do you splurge on?” I asked. Free Money Finance spends on cycling gear. Trent at The Simple Dollar splurges on videogames. And SVB from The Digerati Life buys stuff for around the house. Most of the people I polled spend on experiences: especially food and travel.
What about you? How do you spend your money? Assuming you have some sort of surplus after saving, do you focus on Experiences or Stuff? Do any of these purchases ever make you feel guilty? Or do you see this spending as a reward for making smart financial choices? (I used to feel guilty, but now I see spending as a reward for doing the other things right.) Chime in with your comments.
And, hey — if you want to write a reader story about how you saved for a boat or a television or a Range Rover, please send it in!
I used to be guilty of spending money on the life I thought I lived, rather than the life I was actually living. To illustrate what I mean, consider the following past expenditures:
Snowboarding apparel, for my first and only snowboarding trip to date.
Evening dresses from Bluefly.com. Yes, they were purchased at a big discount, but I had nowhere to wear them!
A mountain bike. I was so dedicated to riding, for about three months.
Last week I read an article on the Psychology Today blog titled “What You Do Every Day Matters More Than What You Do Once In a While.” Written by Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, the main point of the article is that people are happiest when they make decisions based on their daily life, not the life they lead every once in awhile. From the article:
In his fascinating book, House Lust, Daniel McGinn notes that market researchers use the term maximum-use imperative to describe the fact that people will often buy something to accommodate a use that they need only rarely…Along the same lines, I’ve noticed that when making decisions, I tend to give too much thought to what I do once in a while and not enough weight to what I do every day. For example, I wear running shoes 29 days out of 30 days a month, yet I have three pairs of black flats and only one pair of running shoes.
Maximum-use imperative doesn’t just affect happiness, though, it also affects your bottom line.
Buying For Someone Else’s Life
It struck me that spending money on the things I used to do once in awhile was a large part of why I wasn’t saving money, or at least spending on the things that really mattered, and yes, that led to a lot of unhappiness.
For example, as mentioned earlier, I used to buy clothing for someone else’s lifestyle. I had clothes for snowboarding, cocktail parties, and mountain biking. I had several winter coats and countless pairs of gloves, and I live in Texas. Who knows how much I spent over the years, buying new apparel every time a new hobby interested me or picking up a little black dress without so much as an event on my calendar? Not only was the money wasted, but it also chipped away at my happiness. I had a closet full of clothes and nothing to actually wear. I also had to look at the result of my spending habits every morning when I got dressed, which only made me feel bad.
Then one day I’d had enough. I started cleaning out my closet and pared it down so much that my husband and I now use the same small closet — a huge accomplishment if you knew me 10 years ago! (If you’re interested, you can read more on my process and how I’ve maintained a streamlined wardrobe in a previous GRS post.) I’m not perfect in this regard, but I do ask myself if I’ll really wear something before I buy it, and I walk away more often than not, which surprisingly feels pretty good.
House Rich, Lifestyle Poor
Another example of maximum-use imperative is the person who buys too much house so he can host the entire family during the holidays. This isn’t far-fetched; I know more than one person who has done it. It’s a lovely sentiment to want your entire family under one roof, and a gracious thing to offer to host them, but if you’re a family of three and you buy enough house to accommodate 15-plus people, that’s a huge expense you’ll pay all because of a few days during the holiday season. The mortgage payments will be higher, not to mention taxes, interest, insurance, utilities, and then the time (or money) spent to clean a larger house.
Instead, if you think about your family’s daily needs and go with a smaller house, you’ll have more options, which might include the following:
Moving somewhere more central (paying for location instead of square footage)
Paying off your mortgage faster
Buying a smaller house and using the extra money to travel
Saving the money you’d spend on a larger house for long-term goals, retirement, and other investments
On a day-to-day basis, one of those options will probably make you much happier. Then, during those few days of the year when family is in town, you can find a way to make things work. Better to structure your life and your spending around the other 362 days of the year.
Invest in Your Real Life
I just returned from a trip to Italy and Spain, and I was tempted more than once by a great sweater or scarf that I saw in a shop window. One of my travel companions said, “You’re here, just get it so you won’t think about it later.” I thought about it for a second, and then I remembered that I have more than enough sweaters and scarves and decided I’d rather spend the money on tickets to a museum or a round of churros and chocolate, or maybe just save it toward the next trip.
As Rubin writes, “…we’re happiest when our decisions most closely match our natures and our values,” and that’s definitely applicable to our spending decisions. Instead of spending money on the things you use once in awhile, ask yourself how often you’ll need something before you buy it. Then invest in your day-to-day life, not your fantasy life.
Recently, someone visiting an online forum confessed that their whole life had been a lie once they learned that a piton gun like the kind used in the film Cliffhanger that fires climbing pitons directly and securely into the rock does not exist. That brings them to wonder, what other cinematic cliches have misled us? Here are what others volunteered.
1. The Magical Ability to “Enhance” Photos
People unanimously agree that detectives in TV shows where they’re investigating a crime and conveniently have a magical “enhance” button that suddenly produces a high-definition image from what was before a pixelated mess are the biggest TV lie.
However, some people in the thread claim that this technology does exist now, though it wouldn’t be valid for investigation purposes because it relies on software that makes an educated guess to make blurry photos look clearer.
2. Telling the Bartender to “Leave the Bottle.”
How often have you heard “just leave the bottle” in a dramatically somber movie scene where the character is drowning their sorrows? Probably too often, considering it’s entirely made up!
As one person says, “I worked in a bar, and a person can’t just say ‘leave the bottle.’” Yeesh, imagine uttering this line in real life after getting your heart broken, only for the bartender to cringe at you and say, “we don’t do that here.”
3. Cars Automatically Exploding in a Crash
One moviegoer points out that most American action movies involve highly explosive cars that blow up on impact. They explain that this is an annoying trope because cars don’t automatically explode in every crash or fall from a cliff.
As pointed out by another critic, some other funny tropes involving cars in action movies are the idea that people can’t shoot you through a door if you hide behind it and cars explode when you shoot at them.
4. Gun Silencers That Make No Sound
Gun enthusiasts have long parodied the depiction of silencers on film. However, just because something is called a silencer doesn’t mean it silences the blaring sound of a gunshot. An enthusiast pointed out that while silencers exist in real life, they’re wildly misrepresented in cinema, and a second added, “I’ve heard they’re still pretty loud.”
My favorite comment is, “I saw John Wick 2. I know they are silent, and you can have a shootout in a crowded place, and no one will notice.” But, on the other hand, guns are so loud they can cause hearing loss if your ears aren’t adequately protected.
5. Needing to Wait 24-48 Hours to Report a Missing Person
This one is important to discuss because it can have devastating real-life consequences. One individual claims that despite the common trope that you must wait 24 to 48 hours to report a missing person, this is untrue and nothing more than a useful plot device.
A second commenter adds that it’s terrible to think how many people were misled into feeling powerless if a loved one goes missing because they believe they must wait to report it.
6. You Get One Phone Call When Arrested
I wasn’t aware of this, but supposedly you don’t just automatically get one phone call if you’re arrested as they portray in the movies. Someone claims you can inform someone of your detention, but you don’t necessarily do this yourself.
The police can make the call for you, even if the purpose of the call is to get a lawyer. Upon Googling, I discovered the number of phone calls you’re entitled to can vary wildly depending on the jurisdiction and severity of your crime — anywhere from zero to unlimited.
7. Immediately Extracting Bullets From Wounds
Chill out, John McClane. Did you know that immediately extracting bullets from your wounds is a profoundly bad idea? A few commenters pointed out that removing the bullet often makes things worse because the damage is done once the bullet is in there.
People have died from sepsis due to removing bullets from their wounds. Real doctors, one states, often leave the bullet and shrapnel in the body.
8. Chloroform That Instantly Knocks You Out
Another film buff points to the repetitive depiction of characters holding a chloroform-drenched rag up to a person’s mouth to induce unconsciousness instantly. According to one user, even a soaked item in chloroform would take five minutes of inhalation to knock someone out. Understandably though, five minutes of inhaling makes for boring cinema.
9. Extremely Bright Luminol For Crime Scenes
You know those bright neon colors that pop up all over a crime scene in a criminal investigation, revealing blood spatter? As it turns out, this is less luminous or miraculous looking than it is in the movies, as several suggest.
“Wait, what? So it doesn’t light up like a Christmas tree?” This user clarifies that you need a dark room, and you need to wear glasses and use UV light, and it still isn’t as fluorescent as shown in the movies. I know, how disappointing.
10. Splitting a Chain Link Fence By Driving Through It
One movie-watcher loves Horrible Bosses because it parodied the cliche that you can split open a chain link fence by driving through it. You’d, in all likelihood, destroy your car, not the fence.
Source: Reddit.
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We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
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We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
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According to the FTC, Americans have lost $610 million to “income illusions” since 2016 – and $150 million of that was in the first nine months of 2020 alone.
Predatory get-rich-quick schemes have become so audacious, so prevalent that the federal government has launched a full-scale operation targeting them: Operation Income Illusion.
So what are all the modern scams and schemes that young people should look out for? How can you spot the especially sneaky ones? What are the early warning signs of a bad online business course or a phony job listing?
And how can you convince that one relative of yours that they’re in an MLM?
Let’s cover this and more as we explore modern get-rich-quick schemes (and how to spot them).
What’s Ahead:
Common signs of a get-rich-quick scheme
Before we get into specifics, it’s worth pointing out some of the most common signs of any get-rich-quick scheme:
A promise or guarantee of income.
Payment requested upfront to cover supplies/training/application fees.
Sketchy websites or email addresses.
Zero online reviews or ratings.
Hyperbolic marketing language (achieve your dreams, become your own boss, etc.).
The perfect opportunity somehow found you (instead of the other way around).
A request for sensitive info: credit card info, SSN, or a photo of your passport/ID.
They give you a bad gut feeling. When you have a bad gut feeling about a person in real life, you walk away. Do the same online.
1. Cryptocurrency
Ah, crypto.
Perhaps no other investment in history has produced as much FOMO as Bitcoin. After all, everybody knows of somebody who got rich off of it, or alternatively, some rare altcoin (read: any crypto that isn’t Bitcoin) that exploded overnight.
It would be an overreach to call cryptocurrency a scam, but it’s certainly not the investor gravy train it’s made out to be.
Read more: The Top 10 Things You Need To Know About Bitcoin
What they promise
A $10,000 investment in Bitcoin in 2017 became $640,000 just four years later. Invest your money and buckle up, because you’re about to get rich.
Or, alternatively, keep your eyes on the crypto forums. If you get in on the ground floor of a new crypto before it explodes, that’s another easy way to 100x your investment overnight.
What really happens
A $10,000 investment in Bitcoin in November, 2021 would be worth $6,175.36 in February 2022.
Cryptocurrency values are 100% speculation, upheld by investor demand alone. There’s simply no guarantee (or even near-guarantee) that your investment will grow in value in the short- or long-term.
That’s especially true of new or obscure “altcoins” that trade for pennies a pop. Sure, a small percentage of them may blow up – but many more are simply scams or pump-and-dump schemes – and it’s extremely difficult to detect which is which.
Read more: From High Risk To High Cost: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Bitcoin
How to spot a crypto scam
Any crypto that promises to multiply in value is a scam. Again, the only thing propping up crypto values is investor interest, which is fickle, fleeting, and unpredictable.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other bonafide cryptos aren’t scams, but they’re ultra-risky investments nonetheless. For more on why, check out Crypto Crash Course – Everything You Need To Know About Bitcoin, Blockchain, And More.
2. Multi-level marketing schemes
MLMs are notorious for using psychology and manipulation to lure unsuspecting income-seekers into their midst. Then, they squeeze capital out of them on the dangling promise of eventually multiplying their returns.
Now that John Oliver and others have shone a light on the industry, the MLMs have had to get even sneakier.
What they promise
Join [Herbalife, Amway, Infinitus] and you’ll become your own boss, get free training, and earn six figures in your first year!
Who doesn’t want to become their own CEO for a small initial investment of just $150, especially when you can make 1000x within 10 months!
What really happens
99% of MLM participants lose money, according to the Consumer Awareness Institute. Anyone appearing like they’re making money from an MLM on social media is simply trying to dupe others into distributing for them.
How to spot an MLM scheme
If you’re wondering whether the sales opportunity you’re considering is part of an MLM, or you’re trying to convince someone that they’re in an MLM, here are a few steps that you can take:
See if it’s already a known MLM. TitleMax (of all places) published a helpful list of the top 25 MLMs by revenue. If your future “employer” is on the list, take a hard pass.
Search for complaints about the company. Reddit, The Better Business Bureau, and your state Attorney General’s office website are all helpful places to find consumer ratings, reviews, and official complaints.
Vet the products. MLMs tend to sell sketchy products with dubious or unsubstantiated research proving their efficacy. If you wouldn’t buy the product, you definitely shouldn’t sell it.
ID the “startup fee”. If a company has a flat fee for upfront training or especially your first round of inventory, it’s most likely an MLM.
Get a second opinion. Ask the company to provide all of its contracts and legal documents, and have a friend, mentor, or your attorney look over everything with a skeptical eye. Don’t try to convince them it’s legit; ask them to convince you that it’s an MLM.
3. The lottery
There’s no more open and honest get-rich-quick scheme than the lottery!
Playing the lotto in tiny doses can be fun when you expect to lose. My better half and I buy a ticket or two per year and fantasize about how we’ll fill our 20-car garage.
Then we lose and laugh.
But playing the lottery with even the faintest expectation that your investment will eventually pay off is a slippery slope – both financially and psychologically.
Read more: Why You Should Never Play The Lottery – And How To Better Spend Your Money
What they promise
Whether it’s $10,000 or $10,000,000, you’re just a scratch away from winning life-changing money.
What really happens
It’s better to gamble your money in Vegas than to play the lottery.
I say that because generally speaking, you have a 5% to 30% chance of beating the house in a Vegas casino (WSJ). Your chances of winning the lottery are 1 in 300 million (CNBC).
But what about a non-jackpot? Can you profit from buying scratch-offs?
“Scratchies” typically list their odds of winning on the back of a card, usually between 5% and 20%. Your chances of winning something are better – but your chances of profiting are still extremely low.
Lotteries are also inherently problematic and controversial. Supporters say they benefit society by generating tax revenue – but it’s worth considering where that revenue is originating.
A mass study on the lottery’s net impact on society found that “the percentage of income spent on the lottery is significantly higher for players with low family incomes and low education,” hence the lottery’s ignominious nickname: “a tax on the poor.”
While it may be more transparent, make no mistake – the lottery is just as bad of a get-rich-quick scheme as an MLM (just with much worse odds).
4. Phony job listings
This one’s more of a straight-up scam than a scheme – and even as far as scams go, it’s pretty nefarious. FBI Special Agent, Jeanette Harper writes:
“Fake Job Scams have existed for a long time but technology has made this scam easier and more lucrative.”
What they promise
A supposed rep from a legit-looking company – or even one pretending to be from a company you’ve heard of – will reach out and say they’re hiring for a high-salary role.
They either say “no experience necessary” or that you’d be perfect for it, and since they want to fill the role right away, they’ll just do the interview via a chat window.
Before your start date for your high-salary role, they’ll need to add you to payroll and benefits – so you’ll need to pass along your W-9, 1099, and/or a scan of your ID.
What really happens
The scammer uses this sensitive information to steal your money and/or identity.
How to spot a phony job listing
Fake job opportunities are pretty insidious, but at least they’re pretty easy to spot. Here are some of the telltale signs:
The job listing appeared on social media (nearly all legit companies recruit via job boards, LinkedIn, or by referral only).
The rep’s email address doesn’t match the company name.
The company has no website/social media/LinkedIn presence (or a sketchy one).
The rep won’t reveal themselves – they won’t share their own personal data nor will they get on a video call with you – they insist on communicating via chat.
Everything they’re telling you seems oddly vague.
The interview process is moving oddly quickly – you’re accepted in minutes or hours, when the real-world process takes days or weeks.
The rep wants money – such as a $25 fee to submit your application.
5. COVID-era robocall scams
At the risk of sounding indelicate, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a target-rich environment for robocallers who peddle MLMs, phony jobs, or shady website building services.
To give an example, the FTC is going after scam company National Web Design for sending out millions of illegal robocalls specifically targeting people who’d just lost their jobs, guaranteeing them passive income if they just paid a little upfront.
I try not to use the term evil lightly…
What they promise
Here’s what National Web Design told its victims: you could earn up to $400 a day as an Amazon affiliate. Just let us build your site for $2,000 and your passive income awaits.
What really happens
The scammers may actually deliver a product, but it never works as advertised. You’re out $2,000 and they never pick up the phone.
How to spot a robocall scam
If someone calls you offering a job or passive income opportunity, it’s a scam. But don’t just hang up – report their call as spam on your phone and report the company to the FTC using this form.
BONUS: how to prevent robocalls in the first place
You can help stem the flow of robocalls to your own phone by adding your number to the official Do Not Call Registry. Don’t worry, it’s free and 100% legit.
The second thing you can do is to never, ever, ever give your phone to a business unless it’s essential to your wellbeing. Even companies that claim to “protect your privacy” will still sell your data to their partners (since it’s not a violation of their own privacy policy).
6. Bad online business courses
Here’s one that I fell for.
To my credit, it wasn’t named so blatantly – and I can tell that the instructor was being sincere in his advice – but it was still bad advice that I paid an embarrassing amount of money for.
Bad online courses always seem like good investments upfront. They’re taught by people who’ve “made it” in the industry and who promise to tell you all of their “best money-making secrets.”
They’re also sold to you at a weirdly high discount (e.g. 97% off) and sometimes, you even have to apply to be in the course.
But crappy online courses aren’t just dangerous due to high cost and missed expectations – they can teach you the wrong things that actually hinder your progress and take months to unlearn.
What they promise
Sellers of “How To Get Rich In XYZ Industry” courses promise exactly that – that you can make millions in a certain industry by simply following in the instructor’s footsteps.
What really happens
The advice you learn in an unaccredited online course can range from good to bad to downright toxic. And if you’re new to an industry, it can be hard to distinguish which is which.
You could be paying for advice that could win new clients – or immediately turn them off.
That’s why you’ll want to be extremely careful who you learn from. Some instructors truly are at the top of their industry and their tips are worth their weight in gold.
But others are on their way out – their way of doing things in their industry no longer works, so they’re packaging and selling bad and outdated advice to make up for lost income.
How to spot a bad online course
Part of the challenge to spotting bad online business courses is that they’re often marketed exceedingly well – so well, in fact, that if it’s a course in How To Make Millions Selling Bad Online Courses, maybe it’s worth it!
Facetiousness aside, here are some of the signs that the course you’re considering isn’t worth it:
The instructor has limited, outdated, or vague experience – e.g. they’ve “worked with dozens of Fortune 500 companies” but won’t say who, in what capacity, or how much they actually earned.
The course promises or downright guarantees income. No course can guarantee income, so that’s a huge red flag.
High-pressure sales tactics. If the vendor of an online business course gives you a short time window to decide, or says the price will increase in 13 hours, just shrug and hang up the phone.
No reviews or ratings. If the instructor can’t point to a single successful past student, that’s probably a sign that one doesn’t exist – and you won’t be the first.
A high price tag. Finally, if a 3-day “Mastermind” costs thousands of dollars, that could be a sign that the instructor values his or her advice. It could also mean that they need the money because their clients dried up.
7. Mystery shopper scams
Mystery shopping is when a restaurant, retailer, or third-party data company will hire you to go into a store or restaurant and report back on your experience. Mystery shoppers are often paid a flat fee per assignment, and sometimes even get the product/meal reimbursed, too.
From what I’ve heard, it’s a fun gig if you can get it. But since lots of folks are interested, the scammers are taking advantage.
What they promise
Mystery shopping scams often start with a text stating that you can earn $200 to $500 per assignment by becoming a secret/mystery shopper or “filling out a survey.”
All you have to do is visit a retail store, purchase a product or a gift card, send it to a specific address, and report on your experience. You’ll be compensated upon completion. Easy $500.
This may sound like an obvious scam, but in the victims’ defense, this isn’t too far removed from how legit mystery shopping works.
What really happens
In the case of the scam, you send the product or gift card and are never compensated. To rub salt on the wound, the scammer may sell or abuse the personal data you gave them.
How to spot a mystery shopping scam
Luckily, the Mystery Shopping Professional Association (MSPA) publishes a running list of all the mystery shopping scams they’ve seen.
If you don’t see the potential scam listed there, cross-reference it with their free online directory of legitimate mystery shopping companies.
Summary
To a pandemic-stricken society, get-rich-quick schemes are becoming harder to spot and more seductive all at once.
But by helping yourself and your loved ones avoid them, you can protect your money and ride out the storm.