10 Things You Shouldnt Do When Youre Broke

10 Things You Shouldnt Do When Youre BrokeWhether being broke is a permanent state for you, or youre just passing through a bit of hardship, there are a few lifestyle adjustments it would be prudent for you to make in order to elend end up in a mountain of debt. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Being broke is also incredibly stressfulyoure constantly worried about your bank balance and how youll afford necessary purchases. Why add to the stress?Here is a list of good things to avoid doing if youre having trouble making ends meet.1. SmokeSeriously. Apart from the fact that it will eventually give you cancer (aka huge medical bills), its incredibly expensive to keep up. Youll live longer and find you have a lot more spending money week to week.2. DrugsDont smoke anything else either. People can tell and wont hire you. Youll have to constantly worry about passing random or job-related drug tests, and youll be spending a lot of money you just dont have.3. Join a GymFitness is a great thing, but can be achieved much more cheaply than by getting a monthly (spendy) gym membership. Go running. Do push-ups and crunches. Try the Scientific 7-Minute Workout. Find yoga videos for free on YouTube. Figure out how to exercise for freeits super simple these days.4. Look Down on WorkAs long as someones job is legal and ethical, its no business of yours to look down on it. Maybe you should even consider the service industry. Answer phones, wait tables, clean houses. Just get yourself back on your feet.5. Make ExcusesChances are its your responsibility. Unless youre caring for a sick loved one or facing enormous medical bills yourself, you probably were just living beyond your means. Own the position youre in and take action to dig yourself out of your financial hole.6. Take Unnecessary VacationsIf you cant keep up with your rent or car payments, then whatever extra cash you think you have for trips or weekends away should probably be put to more constructive use. Dont be flagrant when you cant afford to be.7.Go Out to EatAvoid restaurants. You cant afford them. Seriously. Cook for yourself and bring your lunchleftovers are your friend. That goes for buying coffee as well get to know your Mr. Coffeeyour new regular coffee shop If you must go to a movie, smuggle cheaper snacks in in your handbag instead of shelling out for concession prices.8. Upgrade Your StuffNow isnt the time to get a nicer car or move to a nicer neighborhood. You cant afford the extra cash youd need to get this doneor the loan payments. Stick with your station for a while longer until you can afford to move up.9. Ignore the BillsYou may cringe whenever a new pile shows up in the mail, and want to hide under the covers and hope that all your bills just go away. But they wont. Open them. Call the companies. Set up payment plans. Be proactive. Its much better than blissful ignorancewhich can still eat you alive with stress.10. Create WasteDont d rive anywhere further than you have to. Consolidate errands to consolidate gas. Dont go on lavish datessimple ones will do and are often more romantic anyway. Dont waste water or gas or electricity in your home. Dont pay to do anything you could do yourself (car washes, house cleanings, lawn mowing). And dont take on any extra expenses that arent absolutely necessary. Actually reading that magazine? Probably not. Cancel cancel cancel.

There Isnt 1 Formula For Career Success Heres How 2 Female Execs Defined Their Own Paths

There Isnt 1 Formula For Career Success Heres How 2 Female Execs Defined Their Own Paths Judy Marks and Carla Harris are two women who, to some, may seem as though theyve cracked an elusive code. As senior leaders sitting at the helm of their respective fields technology and finance, both historically male-dominated industries one might assume the powerhouse pair has always had a clear, linear trajectory for their professional selves in mind. After all, how else do you climb the ranks to become President of Otis (Marks) and Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Morgan Stanley (Harris), if not for a single-minded focus applied to an unswerving path?Though focus comes in handy, Marks and Harris believe there actually isnt one set path or formula to build a successful career. Recently, the zwei menschen took the stage together at an executive fireside chat event hosted by United Technologies, Otis parent company, in advance of the 2019 Simmons Leadership Conference in Boston.Together , Marks and Harris shared with the audience what defining their own versions of professional success has looked like, as well as their top five pieces of advice to other women who aspire to confidently crafting their own definition of success.1. Dont be afraid to take a detour from your original roadmap.The roadmap you put together probably wont be the roadmap you follow, Marks advised attendees. If you think there is a straight career ladder, it doesnt exist.Harris echoed a similar mentality, adding that a willingness to take risks with your roadmap is crucial.If you are a leader in the 21st century, then you have to be comfortable with taking a risk, she said. Fear has no place in your success equation.2. Have confidence in your readiness.Named to the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology, Marks held senior leadership roles at IBM, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens AG before joining Otis, the worlds leading elevator manufacturer, in 2017. But she didnt immediately start out at the f orefront of such iconic companies. For other women who might be feeling hesitancy or a sense of imposter syndrome around making their first leap into leadership, Marks advised that they be willing to set their notions about their own capabilities to the side.You dont think youre ready when someone comes to you and says, I think youre ready for this are you in? she said. As a woman, you make your pros and cons list Am I ready? What are my strengths? What are my areas of development? But at the end of the day, you must take the risk. The person who brought this opportunity to you believes in you, and you need to believe in yourself.3. Remember that failing is a gift.A willingness to take risks comes, by default, with an acceptance that some of those risks may lead to failures. But at the end of the day, even these failures are in your best interest, Harris said.Whats the worst that can happen if you take a risk and it doesnt work out? she asked. So, you fail. Failure always brings you a gift and that gift is called experience. Now you know how to do it better, how to do it differently, how to do it successfully At the margin, it is always worth taking the risk.4. Understand the difference between a mentor and a sponsor, and make aya you have both roles filled.As Harris put it, there are two types of currency a woman can expect to encounter during her career performance currency and relationship currency. Making sure you have plenty of the latter in your bank is crucial, particularly as it relates to sponsor relationships.You can survive a very long time in your career without a mentor, but you will not ascend in any environment without a sponsor, Harris said.The main difference between the two? A mentor is the person you share the good, the bad, and the ugly with, and someone who gives you tailored advice, she explained. A sponsor, on the other hand, is the person who advocates for you when you arent in the room.The sponsor is the most important relationship you will have in your career, Harris added.5. Use your authenticity as an advantage.Just as our career paths are likely to be varied, Harris said, so are the experiences and qualities we bring to a professional environment. Own that.Embrace the fact that we are all multi-faceted and theres not just one you, she said. Know who you are and commit to bringing all of it to any environment Your authenticity is your edge.Marks, in turn, summed it up for the nights audience simply Just be you.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with UTC. Find a job there today