Randi Zuckerberg's Blog, page 42

6 Ways To Travel Smart With Your Smartphone

By Ashley Mateo

Before I went to Egypt in 2011, I promised my mom I’d text or call her once a day. She wasn’t just being overprotective; the country had overthrown its government a mere three months earlier and I refused to cancel my trip, so the check-ins were a compromise. I bought a $30 international phone from Verizon with texting capabilities that dated back to the early ‘00s, and figured I was set. But, after an amazing (and cheap!) ten days in the Middle East, I came home to a phone bill topping out at $723 — which, obviously, totally blew my budget.

Since then, I’ve traveled with my smartphone — and gotten a lot smarter about how I use a phone abroad. I’ve been to Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, and Greece without purchasing a single minute of calling time, but was still able to update mom on my whereabouts (and Instagram, Facebook, and Tweet from every city). If you know how to prep your phone beforehand, you can, too. Here’s how to get started:

1. Turn off your data. This is the killer — if you forget to turn off your cellular data, your phone will function just like it would at home. Except, unlike at home, you’ll incur massive roaming charges depending on how far away you really are. Just go to SETTINGS > CELLULAR, then make sure the toggle button is switched to the off position under Cellular Data on an iPhone, or SETTINGS > DATA USAGE and flip the Mobile Data switch to the off position on Android devices. Takes two seconds, could cut your cell phone bill in half.

2. Turn off your email. We barely pay attention to automatically downloading email at home, but that lack of attention abroad can really hurt your monthly bill. Turn it off on your iPhone by going to SETTINGS > MAIL, CONTACTS, CALENDARS > FETCH NEW DATA, and switch the toggle button to the off position; on an Android, go to SETTINGS > ACCOUNTS > SELECT YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT > CHOOSE NOT TO SYNC. If you need to check your email, you can easily turn it back on, but this move prevents your phone from tapping into your data plan every 15 or so minutes and racking up overseas fees without you knowing.

3. Download a free messaging app. If you have an iPhone, send messages to other iPhones (even if your data plan is off) via iMessage. Otherwise, download WhatsApp, one of the most popular international messaging services — it uses wi-fi or your data plan to send texts within the app (the person you’re messaging needs to have an account, too), so you won’t get hammered with international SMS fees. It’s free for Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, and Windows products.

4. Download a free calling app. Skype is a classic, but Viber is my favorite iPhone app for international calling. You can send messages, photos, videos and location alerts, as well as make calls to anyone else with the app, no matter where they are in the world. It also gives you a heads up on how strong the wi-fi signal is wherever you’re dialing, so you can avoid shout-y calls or make sure you have the connection for an important conversation.

5. Download Wi-Fi Finder. So, the trick to using your smartphone abroad is obviously finding cheap wi-fi. Hotels and restaurants all over offer it, but it can come with a hefty price tag for a limited amount of time. Download the Wi-Fi finder app (available on iPhone and Android) — using the GPS on your phone, it locates all the free and paid wi-fi hotspots near you. It even filters them by providers and locations, and gives you directions on how to get there. The best part: you don’t even need to be online to find a connection. The app allows users to download a copy of its database, comprised of 150,000+ hotspots around the world, to use in offline mode.

6. Add an international calling plan. If all else fails, or you know you want guaranteed coverage while you’re overseas, you can always purchase a global calling plan from your provider. Verizon offers global plans covering 150 countries starting at $24.99 for voice and data. AT&T’s plans start at $30 for voice and data coverage in 225 countries, and T-Mobile offers unlimited international data and texting in 155 countries with its Simple Choice Plan (calls are 20 cents per minute).

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7 Pieces of Wearable Tech You’ll Actually Want To Wear

It might be hard to imagine, but the geniuses behind Silicon Valley’s best tech actually have something in common with fashion’s most innovative designers — they’re all tapped into the kind of imagination that lets them dream big, and bring their visions to life with products the average consumer wants to own, ASAP (see: the iPhone, or Alexander Wang’s latest line). But, tech on fashion’s runways? Google Glass may have pulled it off, but, so far, they’re the exception to the rule. Luckily, we live in an age where wearable tech is finally living up to it’s name. These seven pieces wouldn’t look at all odd in your daily wardrobe (just don’t blame us if you instantly want them all!).

1. Ringly. Ringly’s 18K gold rings feature precious and semi-precious stones and were actually designed by a jewelry designer, so, rest assured, they look legit. But, each ring offers something more than bling. Through smartphone technology, they connect to an app on your phone to alert you to incoming messages, events, incoming calls and more. Plus, you can set different vibration patterns to tell notifications apart, so no more constant checking your phone (at least, until you know it’s important). At $145 a piece, they’re a total steal — from a tech and fashion perspective.

 2. Fitbit + Tory Burch. People have been sporting Jawbones and Fuelbands for years, but the latest fashion upgrade to that fit tech is definitely worth splurging on. Designer Tory Burch recently launched an accessories line exclusively for the Fitbit Flex tracker. There are your standard silicone bands, ($38), but also a hinged metal band ($195), and a pendant necklace ($175) — all built specifically to house the Fitbit Flex (which, in case you don’t already have one, is also available on the site for $99.95).

3. The Everpurse. Isn’t it the worst when you’re out somewhere, texting and snapping photos, and you look down to see your phone’s battery is nearing the red zone? The Everpurse nixes the need to worry about finding a wall socket — its line of clutches and wallets ($129 – $249) have built-in chargers, so as soon as you drop your phone in the charging pocket, it starts powering up. The best part? The charge lasts up to 48 hours, so you pretty much always have enough juice to get you to a real charger.

4. Pebble Steel. It seems like everyone’s working on a smart watch these days, but Pebble Steel actually made a product that looks less Inspector Gadget and more like an actual watch. They come in chic, brushed stainless steel and matte black, ship with metal and leather bands, and ring up at $249. They also feature scratch resistant Gorilla Glass, are waterproof, and hold a full charge for seven days (yes, that’s a whole week). What do they actually do? The watches sync with iOS and Android devices, so you can read texts and emails, manage music, play games, and get call alerts while you’re on the go.

5. Lechal Shoes. Life may be all about taking the road less traveled, but in this day and age of GPS and Google Maps, maybe you just want to know where you’re going and whether you’re headed in the right direction. Lechal shoes (or insoles) will get you there (for just $150). Built with haptic feedback technology (translation: vibrations), these kicks sync with your smart phone so that when you get to a forked road or intersection, they’ll vibrate to let you know which direction to go. Never get lost again!

 6. Rainbow Winters Clothing. Crazy, LED costumes are not just for Katy Perry anymore. Amy Winters, the designer behind Rainbow Winters, has been crafting interactive garments that respond to stimuli in the environment. The fabrics respond to motion or light, creating a multidimensional piece of clothing that pretty much guarantees you’d be the center of attention wherever you went.

7. Numetrex Sports Bra. There’s pretty much only one thing required of a sports bra, and that’s to keep you from not bouncing around during a workout. But, what if your sports bra did more? The adidas miCoach Seamless Sports Bra has a built-in pocket on the chest band for a transmitter that tracks your heart rate during your workout. The transmitter is sold separately, but this piece of workout completely eliminates the need for yet another gadget during exercise — a gym win.

 

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Rise, The App That Helps You Eat Better

Dieting is definitely not easy, but when you report your eating habits to another human being, you tend to stay on track. Problem is, hiring a nutritionist can be prohibitively expensive.

Thankfully, there’s Rise, a new mobile app for dieting and health, which connects users with their own personalized diet plans and nutrition coaches for a fraction of the cost of a private appointment—it’s a mere $15 a week.

Here’s how it works: You take a photo of each meal and write a basic description of what you ate. Your coach will then get back to you within a few hours to share her thoughts. She can help you devise a daily diet plan and will even navigate restaurant menus with you before you eat out. Over time, practicing the nutritionists’ healthy eating lessons will become second nature.

There are no massive lists of fast foods or meal options to search through. You’ll never have to guess how big a portion size is or torture yourself over how many calories were in that ice cream sundae. Most impressive is how kind and encouraging the coaches are. We even appreciate their occasional nudges when they know we could eat better (for the record, treats are totally allowed).

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Good Recipes for You and Your Wallet

When I was in college, I decided to move to an off-campus apartment after sophomore year. While I loved the independence and privacy of having my own room, I admit that I found myself missing the old, convenient meal plan. Trying to eat well on a budget was a real challenge, but over time I began to figure out which foods were both affordable and nutritious. Nowadays, cooking healthy, inexpensive meals has become just a question of using affordable ingredients and tailoring recipes around them.

My go-to ingredients

Most of us tend to buy the same foods out of habit, with or without coupons, but you’d be amazed that in-between those familiar, pricey items are some really affordable healthy picks. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Brown rice

• Dried or canned beans

• Bananas

• Cabbage

• Onions

• Carrots

• Tempeh

• Canned tomatoes

• Button mushrooms

• Potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes

• Canned pumpkin

• Oatmeal

• Peanuts

• Eggs

• Tuna

• Flank steaks

• Whole grain pasta

This USDA report gives a comparative overview of produce prices to help you get started on finding the best values.

3 wallet-friendly recipes

Once you know what to work with, try your hand at cooking a few of these healthy, easy dishes:

Sweet Potato Surprise (serves 4)

Yams, onions and tempeh are all on my affordable foods list, but few people would think of combining them. That’s because yams often bring to mind rich dishes loaded with brown sugar and marshmallows. But as a good friend showed me, you can pair yams or sweet potatoes with savory ingredients instead, making for a dinner high in vitamins and protein.

Ingredients:

• 4 yams or sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

• Olive oil for pan

• 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

• 1 large shallot, minced

• One package of tempeh

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

• One cup of finely chopped, fresh spinach

To make the dish:

1. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with a vented cover and cook on high until soft. (Microwave times vary, so be careful not to overcook.)

2. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions and shallots until transparent.

3. Add the cooked sweet potato and tempeh, and sauté for about a minute or so until all flavors are blended. Stir in sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

4. Wilt spinach over the mixture and stir before serving.

Curried Lentil Stew (serves 4)

Of all the different types of dried beans, lentils are the easiest to work with because you don’t have to soak them. In addition to the inexpensive ingredients you’ll need— such as beans, potatoes, carrots and onions—you can add a touch of the exotic to this basic comfort food by throwing in some Indian spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry lentils

• 3 1/2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

• 1 14 1/2 ounce can of tomatoes, chopped

• 1 cup cubed Yukon gold potato

• 3/4 cup chopped carrots

• 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

• 3 garlic cloves, minced)

• 1 tablespoon good curry powder

• 1 tablespoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander

• Dash of red pepper flakes

• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse lentils and drain.

2. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Tropical Peanut Butter Cup “Ice Cream” (serves 3-4)

I couldn’t resist including a decadent frosty dessert featuring bananas, one of my

favorite fruits. This mock ice cream is always a hit with my friends and family. It tastes so great that you’ll have a hard time believing it’s good for you, but it’s truly as guilt-free as it is affordable. Even if you splurge on top quality organic cocoa powder, you’ll find that it lasts a long time and can be repurposed in many dessert recipes.

Ingredients:

• 3 frozen bananas

• 4 dates, chopped

• 4 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

• 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cacao powder

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

• 1/4 cup of coconut milk

To create the dessert:

1. Peel and freeze bananas in a sealed plastic bag overnight.

2. Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor for about 30 seconds, until dessert develops a gelato-like consistency. If mixture is too thick, add a bit more coconut milk.

By building recipes around affordable and healthy ingredients or substituting them in traditional recipes, it really is possible to find food that’s good for you, your wallet and your taste buds.

Posted on 7/31/14

Writer bio: Alexandra Rice is a writer who loves talking about all things education. After living in the Mid-Atlantic, South and Midwest, she has finally settled down out West in San Francisco. When not thinking about education, Alexandra can be found at the beach, playing with one of the many dogs at her office, or searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Catch her on Twitter day or night at @Alexandra_Rice.Company bio: NerdWallet has been around since 2009, helping consumers make smart financial decisions. We cover the spectrum of consumer finance — banking, credit cards, education, health care, insurance, investments, mortgages, shopping, small business, travel — you name it. We’re Nerds who create great tools, crunch numbers, check the fine print and give consumers all the results — unfiltered and transparent.NerdWallet has been featured by outlets such as CNBC, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Kiplinger, LifeHacker, The New York Times, Reuters, TIME magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Money Magazine has named NerdWallet the web’s Best Credit Card Site, and consumer advocates Clark Howard and Liz Weston have recommended NerdWallet’s products.

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An App to Help You Be In the Moment

While many of us joke that we’re addicted to our phones, a new app is about to shed light on how true that may be.

Designed to facilitate a healthier balance between real life and digital life, Moment tracks how much you use your phone each day, helps you create daily limits on that usage, and offers “occasional nudges” when you’re going overboard.

To get started, allow the free iOS download to run on your phone for a day or so. It will quietly track your behavior, then let you know how much time you’re spending playing Candy Crush, responding to emails, or scrolling through social media feeds. But be warned: When Moment creator Kevin Holesh asked people how much time they spend on their phones, they underestimated the amount by a whopping FIFTY PERCENT. The real numbers may shock you.

Once Moment gauges how much time you really spend on your phone, it will encourage you to set a reasonable daily limit–say 90 minutes. From then on, it will continue to track your daily habits and ping you when you reach the halfway mark. (“You’ve been on your iPhone for 45 minutes,” for example.) Should you reach your prescribed limit, the app will nudge you once more before shutting down the phone.

Holesh says he built Moment after realizing how much his digital dependence was affecting his real-life relationships. After moving in with his fiancée, their default way of unwinding at the end of the day was to scroll through their iPhones instead of spending quality time together, he explains in this blog post.

The goal is not about getting you to “put down your phone forever and go live in the woods,” Holesh notes on Moment’s website. It’s about curtailing digital habits and obsessions. The app also has an optional function that tracks where you’ve been throughout the day, to ensure that you truly unplug rather than move your browsing to another device. Best of all, after you set up Moment the first time, you never need to open it again. The app will simply run in the background, alerting you when you’re going over your daily limits.

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Take Control of Your Gmail Inbox

Between airfare alerts, must-have sales, news updates, social media notifications, and recipes from mom, your personal Inbox is probably getting more cluttered by the minute. If you’re starting to feel like your Gmail account has exploded, it might be time for an email make-under. Here are three tricks for bringing more order to the Inbox:

Manage Your Labels. Labels are meant to organize your emails by subject matter, but 50 folders in your Inbox won’t do much to de-clutter—especially those that pertain to projects or trips that wrapped up ages ago. Think of each email label as you would a physical folder on your desk. If it’s taking up unnecessary space, nix it. You likely only need a maximum of 10 email labels that are specific enough so that you know what’s in them, but general enough to accommodate multiple conversations. Some label names to consider: Business, Personal, Fun Stuff, Travel. If you’re hyper organized, go ahead and add a few subcategories within your labels. That “Business” folder, for example, might be more streamlined with “Payments” and “Current Assignments” tabs.

Consider the Email Filter. Filters are great because they auto-sort email so that you don’t need to waste time doing so manually. With simple label systems (see above!) you can easily see pre-sorted emails in folders like Shopping, Travel, Personal, et cetera. Here’s how to do it:

-Check the box on the left of the email type you’d like to create a filter for. It will turn yellow once selected.

-Select the More button. Then, in the drop-down menu, select “Filter messages like these.”

-Choose the “Create filter with this search” link.

Now you can select the filter options you prefer. Many people find the “Skip the Inbox” and “Apply Filter” options helpful. By selecting these, you can request that unimportant emails (like sales alerts and Twitter notifications) skip your Inbox and go directly into their respective folders.

Set Up Canned Responses. Sending drafts one by one is repetitive and time consuming. If you need to send the same email to multiple people (like, if you run a small business or head up the PTA), canned responses will be your new best friend. You can always edit the email once you’ve added the canned text, which makes customizing before sending a cinch.

Here’s a quick rundown of how to set up Canned Response via The New York Times:

“To set up Canned Responses, log into your Gmail account. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the window and select Mail Settings from the menu. Click on the Labs tab, scroll down the list of available options to Canned Responses and click the Enable button. Click the Save Changes button. After you have composed a reply that you want to reuse, click on the Canned Responses menu, choose “New canned response,” give the reply a name and click OK. Later, when you get a message that deserves your canned response, click the Reply button and select the appropriate saved message from the Canned Responses menu.”

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Coping With Death on Social Media

People once found out about a family member or friend’s passing in the newspaper or through a phone call, but today social media is a common way to spread such personal, tragic news. On the one hand, this can be a good thing: When somebody dies, social media facilitates a shared grieving; friends from all over the world can come together through a loved one’s memorial page. But there’s a thin line between being sympathetic and being offensive when dealing with death online. After all, are we mourning properly when we simply change our status or profile picture?

Keep these things in mind when posting online about someone’s death.

Don’t discuss the details online. It’s OK to use social media to share information about the wake or funeral, but you should never openly talk about how somebody died. That information should be kept private out of respect for the deceased and his or her family. What’s more, it’s not your news to distribute.

Follow the mourning family’s lead regarding Facebook. When Facebook memorializes a page, current friends of the deceased are still able to leave comments and post pictures. This is a nice way to say goodbye, but you should hold off on doing so until family members post first. The next of kin get to decide how best to express their grief.

Don’t use social media to offer condolences. A wall post is not the same thing as a sympathy card, and it’s definitely not a substitution for personally reaching out. Friends and family will likely not be checking social media, so there’s no guarantee they’ll get your message. And when they eventually log in, they’ll likely be bombarded by messages and wall posts. You don’t want to add more stress to their lives.

Be forgiving. Some who are grieving need lots of support from family, friends, and—like it or not—the online world. Remember that not everyone grieves the same way, so don’t be alarmed if a Facebook friend posts for days and days with new photos and memories. Instead, continue to offer your support via encouraging phone calls, texts, and emails (after you’ve expressed sympathy in person or with a card, of course).

 

 

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Randi’s Top 11 Ways To Unplug This Summer

In this tech-heavy age, we’re so attached to our devices that we sometimes forget they have off switches. But our digital dependence can take a serious toll on our well-being. This summer, curb your tech habit with Randi’s easy unplugging tricks. You’ll have time to build real-life relationships, relax, and experience the season to its fullest.

THROW A ROUTER RAGER: Have an impromptu family gathering by shutting off the wifi to the house and then standing in the room where the router lives

STACK YOUR PHONES AND STAND BACK: For your next summer BBQ or dinner party, have everyone stack their phone in the middle of the table. They’ll buzz and they’ll peep. But try to resist the urge to grab yours. After all, the first one to reach for it does all the dishes—or pays for the meal, if you’re eating out.

PLAY OUTSIDE: If you’ve got children home this summer, designate certain hours as “play outside” time. Weather permitting, leave the devices inside, have fun in the sun—with SPF 40, of course!—and challenge your kids to use their imaginations.

SAY “CHEESE” INSTEAD OF “SELFIE”: Use a digital camera to stage real-life, Instagram-style shoots. For families, try printing out the photos and have the kids decorate the pics.

WRITE LETTERS: Not only does it give you an excuse to shop for fancy stationary, but everyone loves to get something in the mail that’s not a bill. Trust us.

AVOID BOREDOM WITH BOARD GAMES: Instead of playing “Words With Friends” with random people online, try having some fun with the real people around you. Invest in some board games—particularly Scrabble—and play it one move at a time throughout the day/week.

DJ YOUR NEXT SOIREE: If you’re planning a get together with your gal pals, share a playlist on Spotify where everyone contributes 5 songs. Then, when you’re all together, have it act as the soundtrack to your evening’s activities. Plus, by sharing it with the group, you’ll have the ability to constantly revisit the fun you had, mixtape-style. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, design a unique cover and keep the contributions going so you’ll eventually create your own radio station of friend-approved and recommended tunes!

RESPECT THE “AWAY” MESSAGE: Over the weekend(s), set an “Out of Office” message on your email, letting people know that you don’t check your inbox regularly outside office hour and you’ll get back to them on Monday. That way, you’re setting people’s expectations and creating healthy boundaries.

DO A DIGITAL DETOX: For those hardcore gadget addicts, try to take an entire “Digital Detox Day” where you don’t touch any of your devices from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. You might feel a bit shaky at the beginning of the day, but by the end, you’ll feel refreshed, energized and wowed.

GETAWAY FROM TECHNOLOGY… LITERALLY: If you want to ween yourself off your devices, but don’t have the willpower to do it on your own, check out some of these fun options: Camp Grounded, The Family Digital Detox Package (at the Renaissance Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA), or The Black Out Digital Detox Package (at the Hotel Monaco in Chicago, IL).

TAKE A DIP: Stay cool in the pool—unless you’re that person who puts their phone in a ziploc bag or buys one of these Scuba cases to send emails underwater. If you live close to water, hit the beach or a local swimming spot. Swim laps or just lay out and relax. Either way, you’ll be glad you unplugged long enough to enjoy the spoils of summer

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How the Web Helped Me Plan Cheap Dates

On the nights that I have a date, I have high hopes that we will be able to do whatever we want and not have to think about money. There has been the chance occasion where credit card rewards have worked out well, but the trend seems to be that by the time we find an affordable event or agree on a restaurant, it’s usually booked and we’re searching for last-minute options. Rather than settle for another night of Netflix and popcorn, I searched websites for some cheap, and fun, date ideas. Here’s what I found:

Go out for $30 or less

ThirtyDollarDateNight has thousands of date ideas that are all under $30. The site features a crowdsourced date that visitors can rate and there’s even a section for free dates. The fact that you can explore the website at no charge makes this an ideal solution for dates on a budget. With so many possibilities, you’re sure to find something that appeals to you and your date. If you sign up for a free account, you can store your favorite date ideas for future reference. My favorite ideas: a dessert date at an upscale restaurant and flying kites at a windy park.

A Date for the Mood

Nifty Date Ideas tailors your date down to the kind of date — from first dates to a romantic escape with your sweetie. Many of the ideas are inexpensive or even free, and there’s an entire section devoted to cheap date ideas. The site is free to use and easy to navigate. You’ll find articles about dating and tips, too. Nifty Date Ideas has a lot of offbeat suggestions that you probably won’t find anywhere else — ideas like setting up a water balloon fight or planting a tree together.

 

Keep it local

Sometimes the best way to find an affordable date idea is to think locally. You would be amazed how many websites have ideas for inexpensive dates in cities like Los Angeles, New York City, Indianapolis and Miami. These sites showcase the best parks, museums, restaurants, concerts and other attractions all of which are either free or very reasonably priced. If you can’t find a specific site for your area, you might still get some ideas from checking the dating sites of other cities. Even if you live nowhere near Central Park, reading about the free concerts there could remind you to look for a schedule of free concerts at your local park.

Pin Your Date

You can find just about anything on Pinterest, where you’ll also discover a vast collection of sweet and affordable date ideas, too. If you scroll around you’ll find something that inspires you — from lists of 50 cheap date ideas to dates for a penny. I found a relationship bucket list with some wonderful date ideas. And then there was the picture of a hallway filled entirely with balloons. I’m not exactly sure what that date was about, but I admit that I was intrigued.

Since discovering these websites for inexpensive ideas, planning dates that don’t cost a fortune is a lot more fun and not as stressful as it used to be. What I enjoy most about my cheaper dates isn’t the thriftiness, though — it’s rediscovering the simple things, like holding hands as we watch the sunset on a warm Sunday evening. Sure, I wish I could afford hip and upscale restaurants more often, but these cheap dating websites remind me that with the right person, any date can be a memorable experience.

Posted on 7/21/14

Writer bio: Alexandra Rice is a writer who loves talking about all things education. After living in the Mid-Atlantic, South and Midwest, she has finally settled down out West in San Francisco. When not thinking about education, Alexandra can be found at the beach, playing with one of the many dogs at her office, or searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Catch her on Twitter day or night at @Alexandra_Rice.

Company bio: NerdWallet has been around since 2009, helping consumers make smart financial decisions. We cover the spectrum of consumer finance — banking, credit cards, education, health care, insurance, investments, mortgages, shopping, small business, travel — you name it. We’re Nerds who create great tools, crunch numbers, check the fine print and give consumers all the results — unfiltered and transparent.

NerdWallet has been featured by outlets such as CNBC, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Kiplinger, LifeHacker, The New York Times, Reuters, TIME magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Money Magazine has named NerdWallet the web’s Best Credit Card Site, and consumer advocates Clark Howard and Liz Weston have recommended NerdWallet’s products.

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Is It Time For A Social Media Makeover?

As social media becomes more of a permanent fixture in our everyday lives, I think it’s important to understand some unwritten rules. Social media’s sole purpose is to share information by connecting with others. It can be a very powerful platform for social change and spreading awareness, but it has also been known as a place where people introduce us to their alter egos. If you portray yourself online the same way you do when someone cuts you off while driving – it’s time for a social media makeover.

I spent the last two weeks asking friends, colleagues, family and strangers what they dislike most about social media’s alter ego’s and what etiquette tips they would like to share. Below are some of my results. You know you need a social media makeover when:

• You post negative comments about your relationship, marriage or family problems. This, not surprisingly, was the number one complaint. It’s not necessary to air your dirty laundry on social media. It makes your followers uncomfortable and it’s depressing – save the drama for your momma!

• You send endless app invites. Not everyone is interested in Candy Crush. I appreciate you thinking of me but after the first two denials, it’s best to just move on.

• Every picture you post is a “Selfie”. Yes you are fabulous, but we already know that, so try and diversify your picture taking skills.

• You only post pictures that you look amazing in, and then tag all your friends who look less than appealing. If your friends do not look amazing too, ask for their permission before you start tagging them.

• You never comment on or “like” any of your network’s posts, but the minute something slightly political is posted you take the opportunity to rant and insult their beliefs. If you’re going to rant on someone’s page at least you could wish him or her a Happy Birthday or say the picture of his or her kid is cute too. Trolling is not cute.

• You post ambiguous statements like, “I can’t believe that just happened.” Then – crickets. Don’t leave your followers in suspense or allow us to guess through dozens of comments.

• You take every quiz available and post your results. A few are fine, but do we really need to know what Disney character you would be?

While social media has allowed our voices to be heard, we can agree those voices still need to follow the Golden Rule we all learned as kids: Treat others as you would want to be treated – oh, and lay off the Farmville invites.

Posted on 7/21/14

Holly is a native Texan but currently resides in the great city of Chicago with her husband, two sons and their Chihuahua. She spent over 10 years in Marketing, Communications and the Luxury Hotel Industry. She is now a Freelance Writer, www.hollyrust.com, which allows more time for sanity and family. She is the Co-Founder of Mother’s Guide To Sanity, a humor blog where she shares stories about raising a rambunctious toddler and a nocturnal newborn, all while trying to manage a career. Holly considers herself the ultimate foodie and loves to travel. She is also an avid runner and completed the 2011 Chicago Marathon.

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