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(BPT) – The American dream of owning a home comes with a large dose of reality — the often-overwhelming amount of time, energy and money it takes to maintain a property. Light bulbs burn out, furnaces strain and dishwashers leak.

Daily chores like laundry, washing the dishes and vacuuming can become points of contention between couples. The constant upkeep can lead to wear and tear on your relationships. Disagreements about chores with your significant other isn’t romantic, and when there’s so much to get done, who has time for date nights out, family game night or dinner with friends?

The good news is experts predict these dilemmas may not exist in the future. Smart home technology is developing rapidly, and it is dramatically changing the way households function. This equates to less stress and more time to spend with your loved ones.

Could a smart thermostat reduce the divorce rate? Could a connected fridge be the key to unlocking relationship woes? According to the findings of a new survey commissioned by Intel, 58 percent of Americans believe it can.

“Intel Architecting the Smart Home of the Future” delves into expectations for Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in our homes and reveals that people desire smart homes for many of the same reasons they seek work-life balance: for increased family time and fewer arguments with partners about chores.

The survey shows respondents are optimistic that adopting smart home technologies will create tangible benefits like reducing the daily grind, improving personal relationships, lessening stress and increasing leisure time. And these benefits feel close to reality, as nearly one in seven (68 percent) are confident smart homes will be as commonplace as smartphones within 10 years.

With fewer household chores, Americans believe the number one benefit of the smart home of 2025 will be more time to connect to the things they care about. This includes spending more quality time with family and friends, with enough left over for a little personal “me time.”

Just imagine your home having a sensor that doesn’t only alert you of a leak, it calls a plumber to fix it, then unlocks the door to let him in. Experts note advancements like these will go beyond residential benefits. Intel envisions “a smart world where our homes, cars, neighborhoods and cities will talk effortlessly to each other.”

Less stress and more time are obvious benefits of smart home technology, but will these changes really improve relationship quality? Professors at Carnegie Mellon University predict it will, saying: “We believe a smart home should provide families with a feeling of control over their lives: being relieved from breakdowns in daily routines, and getting emotional satisfaction from the things they value — identity, time, and relationships.”

Not only can smart homes positively influence relationships, they may also boost your pocketbook. Intel’s survey respondents noted they are open to receiving financial benefits in exchange for sharing behavioral data from their homes. In fact, 78 percent would like tax incentives to off-set install costs and 43 percent would like money.

With the smart home of the future there will be no need to argue about taking the garbage out — the smart home already disposed of it. Everyday chores and inconveniences no longer take up precious time so families can now enjoy life to the fullest, plus maybe get a little cash in the process. Learn more about current smart home technologies available today at intel.com/newsroom/iot.

(BPT) – You bring two types of cupcakes to your first-grader’s school party – chocolate and vanilla. The chocolate cakes are gone in minutes, while the vanilla ones linger. Next time, you’ll probably just buy chocolate cupcakes. Supply and demand is a …

The Gig Economy is growing at an epic rate. According to The Freelancer’s Union, one in three Americans (approx. 53 million) is an independent worker. And as you may have seen, it’s been predicted that by 2020, more of the … Read More

The post Freelancer Takeover – Yes, It’s a Thing appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

(BPT) – Starting a business can be intimidating, but with a solid business plan and guidance from the small business community of experts, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Whether you own a local restaurant or an online Etsy shop, one of the biggest things to get used to as a new small business owner is filing taxes for the first time. If you’re filing a business return, hiring an experienced professional tax preparer can help you avoid making common mistakes that can impact the success of your small business.

To get the most from your deductions, here are five tips for small business owners to keep in mind this tax season:

1. What tax deductions can I claim? Even if the expenses were incurred during the previous calendar year, the IRS allows businesses to deduct up to $5,000 worth of certain start-up expenses in the year the business began (subject to limitations). In addition to these costs, corporations and partnerships are allowed to deduct up to $5,000 of their organizational costs in their first year of operation.

2. Is my car mileage deductible? If you use your home as a place of business and consider it your principal place of business, car owners are typically allowed to deduct mileage costs from their home to business-related stops.

3. Can I deduct business travel expenses? When you are traveling away from your usual business location, you may be able to deduct ordinary and necessary expenses related to your work. These expenses include transportation costs, lodging, dry cleaning or laundry, tips, baggage charges and business equipment usage expenses such as fax machines or phones. Meals can be deducted if the trip is overnight but there is a 50 percent limitation on these deductions.

4. Are personal care and clothing expenses deductible? No, the IRS has a very strict rule against personal clothing being deducted even if they are bought for business use and only worn at work.

5. How does the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affect my taxes and deductions? The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace allows for small business to purchase health insurance for their employees. If you pay at least half of your employee’s premiums and have less than 25 full-time and equivalent employees with an average annual wage of less than $50,000 ($51,600 for 2016), you may be eligible for the small business health care tax credit. See the calculator at healthcare.gov.

Tax preparation is not one-size-fits all, and navigating credits and deductions makes them even trickier — especially for small business owners and individuals with more complicated tax situations. Filing a business return for the first time can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. A new offering is launching this year called Block Advisors that specializes in personalized tax preparation, tax planning, small business taxes and year-round support. For small business owners, Block Advisors also provides back-end needs like payroll and bookkeeping. Visit blockadvisors.com for more information or to find your nearest location.

Peter J. Creedon, CFP®, ChFC, CLU went from working in corporate America to becoming an entrepreneur and business owner in 2013. He is founder and CEO of Crystal Brook Advisors, a NY Registered Investment Advisory firm, focusing on helping young … Read More

The post 10 Tax Hacks for the Self Employed appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

The best part of being an entrepreneur is doing what you love. When you’re growing your business and developing your venture, it’s always important to give it time, attention, and never take it for granted.

With that in mind, … Read More

The post Gig Economy News: Showing Your Business Some Love appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

Agustin & Clara, known on Fiverr as Agustin86, are a happy couple – and a couple of amazing graphic designers who will design anything you need. Hailing from Argentina, they share everything, including a single Fiverr account, garnering incredible reviews … Read More

The post Graphic Design Couple Work and Travel with Fiverr appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

As some of you may know, Fiverr and XPRIZE have teamed up to empower people through innovation and to facilitate positive change. XPRIZE, a non-profit organization, designs and manages public competitions intended to encourage technological development that can benefit mankind.

… Read More

The post Innovative Forces Unite: Fiverr and XPRIZE appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

(BPT) – Empty boxes, piles of paper, pens strewn about – everyone is guilty of office disorganization. What most people don’t realize is a messy, disheveled office space can actually dramatically reduce worker efficiency and productivity.

A staggering 98 percent of office workers say they’d be more productive at their jobs if their offices were more organized, according to a 2015 Post-it Brand Office Organization study surveying 1,000 full-time office workers. That means it’s time to get organized and these 10 simple ideas will help you tidy up your work area and stay on-task for good.

Reduce and recycle
Go through drawers and get rid of paperwork and supplies you never use. Recycle paperwork and give unused supplies to coworkers or donate them to your community’s schools. If you’re never going to use these things, they’re just taking up valuable space.

Keep supplies stocked
Ninety-four percent of office workers are less productive when they don’t have all the supplies they need to work. Order necessary supplies like Post-it Notes, flags, tabs, daily planners, professional notebooks and pens. Then, put colored flags on the calendar to mark when you need to re-order supplies so you’re never without the necessities.

Rethink your desktop
A clean desktop is essential to productivity, however many people are guilty of having their desk covered with unnecessary items. If you don’t use it weekly, find another place for it. That means unused folders, staplers, tape dispensers, and the like can go in a drawer.

An office supply staple
Despite the rise of the digital office, Post-it Notes are still an office staple. On average, office workers use 30 Post-it Notes per week. Keep these handy note pads close by so you can easily use them to mark paperwork or write your coworker a note of encouragement.

Corral pens
Pens and other office extras like scissors, letter openers and highlighters look tidy when placed in a jar on your desk. A big jar can hold everything or use smaller jars to sort each item into its own container. Clear glass jars makes it easy to see what’s inside.

Think vertically
If you’re short on desktop space, think vertically. Walls provide ample opportunity for unique storage. One stylish and affordable option is to cut a peg board and place it in an open frame. This eye-catching wall hanging allows for easy access to office essentials.

Write it down
Sixty-two percent of office workers prefer to manage their to-do list on a piece of paper rather than a computer or digital device. Write your task list on a Post-it Super Sticky Note and place it somewhere you’ll see it, such as the edge of your computer monitor or the front of your notebook. This visual reminder will keep you on-task throughout the day.

Don’t sweat the small stuff
At a loss for how to organize paper clips, tacks and other small office items? Small tins are a great way to sort and store these office odds and ends. Place them in drawers so they are out of sight.

Systemize folders
Tackle that pile of folders in the corner and create a simple organizational system using Post-it Tabs. Color code the folders based on your work responsibilities so each tab color is tied to a specific task or status of a project.

Cut cord chaos
Are you always digging under your desk for the right cord? Black binder clips typically used to hold paperwork together are also great for organizing USB, cell phone chargers and other cables. Clip to the side of your desk and thread the chord through the metal to eliminate tangles.

Want more office organization tips? Visit Post-it.com/officeorg to tidy up and streamline productivity fast.

Survey details: The 3M Post-it Brand Office Organization survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (http://www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 full-time U.S. office workers in 2015, using an email invitation and an online survey.

(BPT) – More Americans are embracing the idea that killing shelter animals is not an ethical or viable way to control companion animal populations in the U.S. End-of-year statistics from Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare or…