Category: Life hacks

Bypass the bank for lower APR

A while back I read a post on Lifehacker about social network Prosper.com.
The website allows people to post their financial need and people can bid on the option to loan the money out.
So let’s say you’re paying 29% on a $2000 credit card debt. You’d like to stop paying bank interest and get your debt paid off quicker.
Sign up for Prosper, post your needs ($2000) and see how low you can get your interest rate. People wanting to make money (who doesn’t) and willing to take a risk on you and your credit will offer you a lower rate. Your interest rate could drop substantially.
Multiple people may bid on your debt and once you meet your goal your monthly payment is deducted from your bank account and distributed to the people bidding on your debt.
Lifehacker posted an update today on a less risky means to borrowing and lending money – try a family member.
Blogger Clayton Cramer paid down a charged up credit card with an interest rate of 18% by paying a family member instead of the bank. His sister gave him a loan at 14.5% APR and he was able to double his payments, paying his debt off in half the time and his sister was able to make some substantial money.
Not a bad idea for either party. Just don’t lend out your cash to anyone and don’t let it ruin your relationships with family or friends.

Crazy Google Street View sightings

Well, when you run a camera through the streets of town its sure to pick of any number of crazy pictures.
There’s probably a lot captured that we would otherwise think nothing of it.
But thanks to the Internet and Google’s new Street View maps, folks around the world are enjoying seeing pictures of the surroundings in San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, and Denver.
Mashup has put together a list of the Top 15 Google Street View sightings
For more mapping fun, visit googlesightseeing.com for images found on Google Earth and Google Maps.

For my sleep deprived friends

For my sleep deprived friends (and family)… here are some tips on getting a good meditative power nap in from Lifehack:

  • 1 STRETCH your legs for 30 seconds.
  • 2 SIT on a chair or couch. If you’re at work back away from your desk a bit.
  • 3 CLOSE YOUR EYES.
  • 4 STRETCH your arms above your head, slowly roll your head to stretch your neck.
  • 5 DEEP BREATHING – take at least 3 deep breaths in and out. Do this slowly and hold in between the in and out breath.
  • 6 REST and RELAX your face, jaw, eyes and whole body.
  • 7 BE AWARE HOW YOU FEEL as you relax.
  • 8 CALM THE MIND. Let go of all thoughts. As thoughts come into your mind, just repeat this gentle reminder to yourself “Empty The Mind.” You may want to switch over to a word of your choosing to focus on (mantra) that will help push out other thoughts. Examples of words are Peace, Calm, Rest, Empty, Power, Strength, Love. Any word is fine. In fact the word “OM” can be helpful because it is not attached to other meanings. Whatever works for you is what is best at that moment!
  • 9 IGNORE NOISES in the same way that you ignore thoughts. Repeat your mantra or “Empty the Mind.” Don’t get mad at noises, just flow with them as if they are waves under your boat of meditation.
  • 10 OPEN YOUR EYES slowly after about 10-20 minutes. Take a few more deep breaths and stretch again: arms, neck, legs.
  • 11 AHHHH. Feel the rejuvenation!

The micro-brewery that could

If you’ve wondered about St. Arnold’s beer, you’re probably not alone. The Houston micro-brewery is only 13 years old but was started by a man with a love of beer and making beer and a weariness of doing the same old job day in and day out.
I’m a big fan of their Lawnmower brew – especially on a hot day out in the sun.
Beer fan or not, Brian Armstrong interviewed the founder/owner of the micro-brewery and shared several unique perspectives Brock Wagner learned along the way.
They’re perspectives that can help in small or large business, ministry or life in general.
Read the full story

Jump up jump up and get down

I found a fun video that gives an interesting twist on the jump photos Laurie and I have tried as of late…

We may have to bust out our video camera as well and see what we can come up with. I have a feeling it might make some fun countdown videos for church.
The website indymogul.com has lots of cool tips for creating your own movie FX for cheap. Where were all these great sights, computer editing and YouTube when we were growing up. We could have had a blast for sure with all our homemade movies.

So really, what’s a wiki?

Ok some of you are probably freaking out right now.
Wiki? Blog? E-mail? www?! What is going on?
Well hopefully you’ve figured the last three out by now. But you may be unfamiliar with Wiki’s, such as www.wikipedia.org. Sure you may understand it’s an online encyclopedia, but do you really understand how it works?
Would you know what’s going on if I sent you info on a Wiki to plan a camping trip?
The guys at Common Craft have put together a great “Wiki in Plain English” video to let you know what all the fuss is about.
Watch the video
I haven’t used any Wiki’s other than Wikipedia, but I’m considering using one for some new manuals and policies we’re going to put into place in our precinct. We’ll see how it goes.
Oh and here’s a few sites you can go to to get your own wiki: