~Sonia Ricotti

Rewards cards are a great way to earn free cash and travel, provided you don’t carry a balance or pay a big annual fee. But it can take a while to see a significant return: If your card earns a standard 1 percent cash back, spending $10,000 on the card gets you just $100. And the last thing you want to do is spend more money than you normally would just to get points.

So Brad Wilson, founder of deal site BradsDeals, hit on a solution: Why not just use his rewards cards to buy money?

As he explains in his book “Do More, Spend Less,” the scheme was made possible by the U.S. government. The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 sought to put dollar coins into circulation by allowing citizens to buy the coins directly from the Mint’s website at face value. Shipping was free, and the website accepted credit cards.

So Wilson pulled out his rewards card and bought nearly $3 million in coins.

Not all at once, of course. But over the course of eight months, he would have thousands of dollars in coins delivered at a time, then walk them into the bank and deposit them into his account. Then he would use the money to pay off his credit card bill in full. He was essentially moving money in a circle: putting thousands of dollars in charges at a time on his card, then using the cash he “bought” to pay the bills. 

These strategies are great for mitigating some of the costs for “round the world” trips. Read more at Daily Finance — here. 

-Henry David Thoreau

Via Nunodonato on Reddit:

“6 months ago (time flies!) I closed my Facebook account. I feared I’d miss important things. I never used it a lot, but liked to share interesting stuff and also to read the posts of a few people. Honestly speaking, I never imagined it would be that easy. Since the day I left I never missed it for a second. Got me so much of free time!
A few weeks ago I closed my Twitter account. I loved twitter, much more than Facebook. Truth is, wasted a lot of my time and wasn’t really adding value to my life. Never missed it.
This week, I gave another important step. I deactivated my internet plan in my phone, sold my android smartphone and got myself one simple Nokia. Gets the job done, I write faster text in it, battery lasts a lifetime.
It seems I’m disconnecting, but in fact I feel so much more connected… with what’s happening around me (for real), with people, with the world… feels great! 🙂
Just wanted to share that, it’s an important part of my simpleliving :)”

Simple living! Everything seems to be better in moderation.

We’re always on the go – whether it’s packing the kids up for school, hitting the gym, or just getting through a project at work – and we constantly rely on high levels of energy to get through it all. Yet no matter how many cups of coffee we’ve had, there are times when we feel lethargic and at a loss for what we’re looking for. In order to get through our busy and hectic schedules, it’s important to turn to the right sources of energy, and not the high-sugar and caffeinated drinks that we usually depend on.

Camilla Saulsbury, food writer and health expert extraordinaire, knows the importance of keeping up her energy

Pre-Chopped and Cleaned Kale

Sometimes all it takes is making it easy on yourself, and Saulsbury shares her secret to how she does it with kale:

“Kale is my secret weapon for fueling my super-long days; still, I’m not brave enough to munch on plain leaves. Here’s what I do to keep the über-healthy vegetable handy: I throw a big bag of pre-chopped kale in the freezer. That way I can easily grab a handful anytime I need it for adding to smoothies, soups, casseroles, and egg dishes. It’s great because the frozen kale will crumble in your hands – no need to finely chop – and makes the flavor milder.”

Canned Black Beans and Red Beans

Yes, it’s OK to say yes to the can sometimes, and Saulsbury explains why:

“My pantry is bean central. I make quick salads, chili, soups, dips, and even bars and brownies with beans. Ready-to-eat, inexpensive, versatile, delicious, and super-healthy (high fiber, low fat, high protein), what’s not to love? I eat white beans and chickpeas, but for maximum energy, I opt for dark-colored beans because they are rich in antioxidants.”

Homemade Power Bars

Of course, another great way of taking most of the ingredients on this list and packing them all into one, convenient snack that can be taken on the go is making homemade power bars. Saulsbury’s book, Power Hungry, is loaded with delicious, easy, and energizing recipes, and she shares nine of her favorites here with us.

For more healthy snacks and foods check out the original post on Yahoo! Shine — here. 

Via The Daily Meal, Image via Google Commons