Managing Money: 3 Unconventional Strategies to Adopt

When it comes to improving your money management knowledge and skills, a little unconventional thinking can go a long way. Instead of simply being a victim of your impulses, spend your hard-earned money in a more conscious manner.

Here are three strategies that can help you:

Shop Smarter, Guided by Practicality

Gone are the days when your location and a store's sales limited your shopping habits. Thanks to online shopping, the options are endless, making good bargains more accessible than ever before. You no longer have to wait for Black Friday to get the best deals on your holiday shopping, either.

But avoid emptying your bank account for the sake of fulfilling your holiday shopping list. To save more money around the holidays, downsize your list and check everything off before the holiday madness begins. Get creative by giving gifts you can create on your own. Or, if you must buy something for someone, make it as practical as possible. For instance, instead of buying your spouse a new iPad that they don't really need, buy them a new set of winter tires for their car, or a new winter coat. Necessities are the new "fun" gifts.

Think of the Future like the Present

Many of us fail to save as much money as we could — and should — due to plain old procrastination. Why do it today if you can put it off until tomorrow, right? But that line of thinking — the assumption you have plenty of time to save money — is precisely the problem, and it sneaks up on you.

UCLA behavioral economist Keith Chen found a direct link between our failure as a culture to save adequately and the manner in which we understand the future is near. Chen divides languages into two categories: futured and futureless. Like the English language, futured languages have different verb conjugations for the future tense. However, in futureless languages, like Japanese, Chinese and German, the same verb forms are used when the speaker is expressing something in the present or future tense.

This seemingly minor difference actually makes a major impact in how we perceive the "future" based on our native tongue. Those who speak futured languages tend to view the future as something significantly different from the present, thus making it easier to disregard its imminence and the need to save for it. Meantime, futureless language speakers view the future much more similarly to the present and, as such, tend to be much more successful at saving money for the future.

In order to better manage your own personal finances and savings, try to adopt the same concept of the future that futureless language speakers have. In other words, think of the future like it's tomorrow or just months away and allow it to positively impact your bank account so you can enjoy the benefits.

Question Your Motivations

Many industries are taking advantage of an emerging field called behavioral finance, which combines principles of cognitive and behavioral psychology. In business, the concept is used to manipulate consumers into doing what big business wants: for you to spend more.

To avoid falling for these behavioral finance ploys, it pays to be conscious of when your emotions are signaling you to make a purchase. Companies often use or take advantage of consumers' emotions in order to influence their decision-making and override their rationale. Instead, consumers like you should be especially mindful of their instinctive reasoning. Instead of going with the flow and following the herd mentality, be especially prudent of potential purchases if you know other people who have recently made the same purchase. A little extra caution will go a long way to help you better manage your money.

Finding Relaxation in a Busy City

Did you know that where you live may be increasing your stress levels, hindering your motivation or even causing depression? Your mental health is an important part of your life, and it is vital that you learn what affects it and how to improve it.

According to the University of Minnesota, living in a busy city in particular can take its toll; the hustle and bustle may increase stress levels and make it more difficult to relax. But that doesn't mean all hope is lost for city-dwellers. If you are looking to move to a new city, here are some tips to finding peace in your fast-paced new life. They may also provide some ideas for how to make the time in your current city more enjoyable.

Choice of City

Before you take the leap and move, do plenty of research on the different neighborhoods in the area, looking specifically for the busy vs. the calm areas. If you love being near the water or find peace surrounded by trees, search out a city that caters to these needs. Helpful resources such as ParkScore, rank the average resident's ease of access to green space by city. Philadelphia, for example, might not have many open spaces, but just a quick train ride out of the city will bring you to more rural areas of Pennsylvania. Love hiking to relax? A place like Denver will provide you with that option just a few minutes outside the city lines.

You can often find reviews of your city online via Yelp!, local community forums, and by connecting with people you've met who live or work there. I have found good connections that can provide a local's perspective through connections on LinkedIn and Facebook, for example.

Location of Home

Once you know where you are going to move, it is time to find an apartment or home in that area that will keep you stress free. Take Chicago as an example. While the city is highly populated and full of action, you can easily find homes that fit your criteria. Start by checking online for available apartments to rent — you may find listings that face Lake Michigan, giving you a scenic view of the water, or overlook one of the many parks in the city. Be sure to read user reviews to find out if complexes attract busy and loud neighbors. If you are someone who needs peace and quiet for your mental well-being, see what the tenants say about the building before making a move.

Think about your commute and other lifestyle elements when you decide where to live - if you like to cycle, living near a good bike path would be helpful. If you plan to commute, make sure you know what you're getting into (distance, time in traffic, options for public transportation or biking / walking to work, for example). This is a good reason to rent for a while before you buy - try they location for a while to see if it is compatible with you.

Peaceful Activities

You can participate in peaceful activities like yoga, meditation or writing in any city. If you don't have a lot of access to the outdoors or quiet places, turn your apartment into a serene oasis. Set aside time each day to meditate to clear your mind and relax. If you are new to the practice, use an app like Calm, which lets you choose the length of your session, voiceovers, background sounds and more. With a pair of headphones and your eyes closed, escape to the peaceful area of your dreams. Try a few different activities and reflect on which makes you feel the most calm, and then stick to a routine to improve your mental state.

Moving to a busy city doesn't mean your mind has to speed up to keep pace. There are plenty of places to relax and find peace if you do your research and set aside time for your mental health.

I like to get out into the country for a hike, horseback riding, or volunteering at charities - all of these are relaxing for me. Your particular relaxation needs might be different, so make a list of "must haves" and "nice to haves" from an activity and amenity perspective, and plan so you have good options for the things that are important to you in your new home city.

4 Great Lessons to Be Learned from an Entry-Level Job

College graduation time is here. Around the country, hundreds of thousands of fresh-faced 20-somethings are raring to go out and make a difference in the world. For many, this includes getting an amazing job with a killer salary and lots of benefits.

While this is a great dream and certainly a reasonable goal to strive for, the reality is that most grads will be hired for an entry-level position — one that will pay the rent and not much more. But as it turns out, these basic jobs can provide you with all sorts of invaluable lessons that are worth far more than a beefy paycheck.

My son happens to be graduating in a few weeks, and that gets me in the 'pondering' mode about what's next. He and I have spoken about entry-level jobs, and he is definitely pragmatic about getting into a "grunt work" kind of job in order to prove himself.

So - what are the benefits of an entry-level job anyway?

Entry-level jobs offer a peek into the industry

A low-paying position in an industry that you are interested in offers an insider’s look at the company and the way that the business handles the executive roles. In some cases, you may realize pretty quickly that what you thought would be your dream job is actually a nightmare position. You may hear stories from your boss about 90-hour work weeks, endless business trips and very little time with his or her family. Starting at the bottom rung often helps you realize that you don’t want to climb that ladder any further.

One of the things I've noticed is that there are an awful lot of people who end up doing something totally different than what their degree area - an entry-level job can be a great way to figure out if you really want to focus where you once believed you would.

Additionally, you'll learn a lot about the culture of a company from the way they treat the inexperienced new employee. If you don't like the culture, you can always look for another place.

Entry-level jobs provide great lessons in self-discipline

Entry-level work offers an outstanding opportunity to learn self-discipline and persistence, especially if the job is with a company that you really like. It can be time consuming and challenging to move up in the corporate world, and these first jobs really help hone those skills of striving to do more than is required and putting in extra hours to make a favorable impression on the managers. If you want to take a more self-directed and entrepreneurial route, look for entry-level positions in companies like Amway that offer these types of opportunities.

Entry-level jobs are an excellent vehicle for learning the basics like: showing up on time; listening well before acting; figuring out how to meet and learn from experienced people; determining what you'll tolerate for a commute; and so forth.

Entry-level jobs help you learn “soft skills"

Higher level positions may include some major training and learning significant skills like heavy duty software systems and more, but the “soft skills” one learns in entry-level jobs are also incredibly important. Never discount how crucial it is to learn how to communicate with managers, work in a group, speak with customers and be on time for work every day. In many ways, these basic-yet-invaluable skills will be used far more over your career than a more specific task.

Entry-level jobs help you learn to see the big picture

Sometimes, when young employees are getting started in their careers, they are so focused on making the big bucks that they forget that jobs are about much more than a fat paycheck. In many cases, the happiest people are those earning a small salary doing a job that they genuinely love.

Jobs that people may consider to be menial or not important can be immensely rewarding, and they are also positions that have a lot of merit and are important to the company. The ultimate goal should not be a certain title or annual salary, but rather to find work that makes you feel good about yourself.

When I think about my early jobs, I still remember some key things from my first couple of jobs:

McDonalds: I was lucky enough to work in a franchise owned by the Valluzo family in Louisiana. They insisted on quality, cleanliness, and customer service in their restaurants and drilled it into the employees' (and managers') heads - and their McDonalds locations stood out. If you didn't have high standards, you didn't last in the Valluzo's franchise. I started out mopping floors and ended up doing just about every job at the restaurant over time.

A lot of the things I learned there still stick with me, including how to treat your employees like team members, not subordinates.

In short, embrace the entry-level job - it can be a great foundation for your future.

Making Exercise Part of Your Everyday Routine

If you're anything like the average American, you may not be getting all the exercise you need for a healthy lifestyle. The American Heart Associationrecommends adults get at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Meantime, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends undertaking moderate or high-intensity muscle-strengthening activities, like using weights or resistance bands, two or more days a week.

Yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports less than half of adults meet these aerobic recommendations, and barely 20 percent get both aerobic and muscle conditioning workouts in regularly. With long hours at work, taking care of the kids and little leftover time to socialize with friends and family, it's no wonder exercise doesn't receive high priority.

Exercise doesn't just help you look fit and firm; it improves mood, sleep, sexual activity and energy levels, in addition to helping prevent the risk of stroke, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, depression, cancer and falls, according to the Mayo Clinic. Use these tips to give exercise the preferential treatment it deserves.

Hold Yourself Accountable

A study by Dominican University of California found that more than 70 percent of participants who updated a friend every week about their exercise and weight-loss goals reported success compared to the 35 percent of those who didn't share their goals or write them down.

While recording your goals could become burdensome, smart devices focused on fitness, like the Apple Watch Sport, allow you to view progress on daily goals related to moving, exercising and standing. Since wearable technology measures your every movement, you can more accurately gauge your fitness progress beyond the scale and be inspired by every victory.

Make Exercise Fun

"Exercise is boring" is not a valid excuse for being a couch potato. Whether you enjoy being one with nature or enjoy pairing music with aerobic movement, exercises such as hiking, dancing and yoga offer plenty of enjoyable ways to burn calories and strengthen muscles. If weight lifting intimidates you, make it more approachable by taking a class at a local gym that plays energetic music and gives explicit guidance. Or, use an app or video featuring a trainer you can relate to for direction.

Grab a workout buddy to get moving. This allows you to still have a social life but participate in an activity that benefits your body, rather than overloading it with harmful calories from fatty foods or alcohol at a meal or happy hour.

This One Trick Makes It Easier To Work Out On The Road

I was talking with a coach of mine about how to get workouts in while traveling. He told me about a mind game he plays, and I have found it to work very well. Instead of writing "Workout" on my task list, I now write "Movement."

The subtle difference? In my mind a "Workout" is a specific kind of activity, and I can often say "I don't have my equipment with me," or "I don't have time to do a full workout," so I end up skipping it. However, "Movement" is very liberating - it could be a 10 minute walk, a longer jog, a hike, or anything else the is convenient at the time. Give it a try and see if this trick helps you.

Exercise Without Knowing It

Making small, incremental changes that get you more active is an easy way to naturally progress to a healthier lifestyle. Think about how you can incorporate more exercise into your daily life, including:

• Bike or walk to the grocery store
• Walk around your office to avoid long periods of sitting
• Stand rather than sit at social gatherings
• Take a 10-minute walk with your dog
• Walk a few blocks to a food cart, or bring your lunch and walk to the park to eat it
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park far away from the door of the mall or store when you go shopping
• Carry your luggage through the airport instead of rolling it on its wheels

Stay motivated to continue your healthy lifestyle by setting up rewards when you accomplish your goals. Think about the money you will save on future medical bills by avoiding the instinct to super size your fast food meal. Instead, treat yourself to a massage to soothe the muscles you've worked.

Avoid hitting plateaus by trying new fitness routines that keep exercise interesting. Be grateful for taking the time to give your body the respect it deserves, and watch how the extra energy from exercising uplifts you and gives you more time to accomplish goals and pursue hobbies.

The Benefits of Writing By Hand

Many traditions just aren't appreciated like they once were. Technology has changed the way people communicate, interact and play. So why wouldn't it change the way people learn too? College, high school, and even intermediate classrooms have integrated computers, in part because more time outside of the classroom is spent on computers or mobile devices. But the benefits of hand written notes do have some advantages. Handwriting is important, even in this digital age.

Notes By Hand vs Laptop

While most students can type much faster than they can write by hand, this doesn't mean it's a better way to take notes. While it's true that people who take notes with a laptop will, on average, take more notes than those who write notes by hand, there is a difference in memory retention that is reliant on the medium the notes are taken in. According to the Scientific American three experiments were done by Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer that tested different aspects of the handwritten word. In one study they had half the subjects take notes on a lesson with laptops and the other half take notes with pen and paper. While those with pen and paper took considerably fewer notes, they nevertheless showed a stronger conceptual understanding of the material. They were also more successful when asked to apply said knowledge.

I sometimes take notes by hand, and sometimes on my computer, and I've noticed that I retain and recall information from handwritten notes better, even when I don't go back and review the notes. I am not sure how much of that has to do with my bias toward visual learning, or whether there is something about how handwriting a note engages my brain - I just know it works well.

Verbatim vs Conceptual

Those who use computers for notes typically take down larger portions of information, mainly in verbatim chunks, because of the ability to take notes so much faster than those who take notes by hand. However, Mueller, via The Atlantic, said, “The people who were taking notes on the laptops don’t have to be judicious in what they write down," which causes some problems in retention. Those who write by hand simply don't have time for verbatim notes, and because of this, must conceptualize and write down ideas in their own language. This helps people internalize ideas instead of simply listen to them.

While notes by laptop should hardly be discouraged in the classroom , K-12 teachers should encourage handwriting whenever possible. For instance, word search puzzles help young students spot patterns, recognize words and practice handwriting.

In the workplace, handwritten notes are always fine, but I believe you can map the type of note taking (digital or handwritten) to the kind of meeting or notes. If I need to have a detailed account of a meeting, or if I know I'll need to share it with others, I gravitate to digital note taking using OneNote or Confluence. Examples of those meetings are status meetings, technical meetings, or project working sessions.

If the notes are more for my own use, or to capture concepts and ideas, I tend to use handwritten notes. I also take handwritten notes when a computer might interfere with the mood of the meeting. Examples of meetings where I take handwritten notes include  idea generation / creative sessions, customer "discovery" meetings, and listening to speeches or lectures.

Other Benefits

While notes by hand help people retain and conceptualize information more accurately, there are a host of other benefits. Writing by hand soothes people. Cursive connects the left and right side of the brain, and for young children, handwriting boosts cognitive skills that technology-aided writing doesn't. For older people, it keeps the mind sharp and some psychologists even believe it improves memory over time.

Perhaps the most basic, yet one of the most important perks of the written word is that a pen and paper limits distractions when you write. For young students with already short attention spans, this focus can be invaluable in the course of their education, and for older students, even those in college, the lack of social media may be painful, but ultimately helpful.

I've been doing a lot more journaling lately, and I get different results when I type and when I write thoughts out by hand. Like with note taking, I go back & forth between digital and analog journaling.

Practice and Improve

A couple of things can get in the way when you start taking more handwritten notes: if you're out of practice, you may have lousy handwriting and you may not be able to write very quickly.

Both of these can improve through practice. A friend of mine gave me a practice drill that works really welll:

• Get a legal pad and a pen, and start watching a TV show.
• Concentrate on one character, and try to write down everything that character says, doing your best to keep up.
• After you get the hang of the content aspect of this note taking, begin to focus more on your handwriting - strive for clear, legible writing.
• When you get really good at taking notes on one person's dialog, you can up your game by trying to record the dialog of two people.

This exercise can help you if you practice regularly (a couple of hours per week, for example).