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What you can rent for $3,500 a month in San Francisco

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mission and 8th sf

San Francisco continues to earn the dubious honor of being the most expensive rental market in the country.

According to the most recent analysis by real estate marketplace Zumper, the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco has climbed to an all-time high of $3,460 a month.  

To give you a better idea of what the median rent will get you, Zumper helped us compile a list of apartments that rent for around $3,500 in various San Francisco neighborhoods. 

In the Mission, San Francisco's former working-class hood turned hipster haven, $3,500 will get you a luxury condo with high-tech appliances.

Rent: $3,450/month

Neighborhood: Mission

The 645-square-foot unit has radiant floor heating and an energy-efficient dishwasher. 



This apartment in Hayes Valley, another newly hip zone, has hardwood floors and a spacious living room.

Rent: $3,350/month

Neighborhood: Hayes Valley

The location is convenient for public transit, but there's no on-site parking. The kitchen appliances look new.



In Hayes Valley, you also can get a two-level unit with one bedroom and an office.

Rent: $3,595/month

Neighborhood: Hayes Valley

There's an in-unit washer and dryer, but parking isn't included. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider







This 100-year-old celebrated her milestone birthday skydiving — and she even landed on her feet

This 6-step guide to getting rich is buried in a 78-year-old book

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Napoleon hill

Thousands of personal finance books on shelves today promise to teach you to spend less, save more, invest better, retire earlier, get out of debt faster, and solve just about every financial conundrum in between.

But perhaps none said it better than a book published in 1937.

Napoleon Hill, a Great Depression-era author and former advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, interviewed "more than five hundred of the most successful men this country has ever known" to figure out the key to their good fortune. He wrapped all of his insights in a 200-page package and published "Think and Grow Rich," which went on to become one of the best-selling books of all time.

Don't expect to find any stock-picking or gambling advice in it. Despite Hill interviewing some of the most iconic businessmen of his day, none of his findings involved any particularly hard-to-attain skills. His entire premise is helping people overcome the psychological barriers that keep them from wealth. 

"Wishing will not bring riches," Hill writes. "But desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognize failure, will bring riches."

In one passage, he sums up six steps to turning a desire for wealth into "its financial equivalent":

First. Fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire. It is not sufficient merely to say “I want plenty of money." Be definite as to the amount. (There is a psychological reason for definite- ness which will be described in a subsequent chapter).

Second. Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire. (There is no such reality as “something for nothing.")

Third. Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire. 

Fourth. Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

Fifth. Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.

Sixth. Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. AS YOU READ, SEE AND FEEL AND BELIEVE YOURSELF ALREADY IN POSSESSION OF THE MONEY. 

It seems basic, but if you actually compare this to just about any personal finance guide out there, you'll find exactly the same simple steps. They just come with a lot more bells and whistles. 

If anything, Hill's book is a reminder that one of the only ways to achieve true wealth is to understand that more often than not our emotions and our mindset are what keep us from succeeding, and that it's our job to come up with a plan to overcome them.

"When riches take the place of poverty, the change is usually brought about through well conceived and carefully executed plans," he wrote. "Poverty needs no plan. It needs no one to aid it, because it is bold and ruthless. Riches are shy and timid. They have to be 'attracted.'"

This post was originally written by Mandi Woodruff.

SEE ALSO: 21 ways rich people think differently

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Science says these 9 tactics will help you win any argument

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obama romney debate

Arguments aren't logical. To win them, you have to understand people.

We've scoured the research and compiled the following science-backed tactics that will help you win any argument.

Be civil.

Contrary to what your debate coach said, arguments aren't rational.

So respect the other person's perspective, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

"When people have their self-worth validated in some way, they tend to be more receptive to information that challenges their beliefs," political psychologist Peter Ditto from the University of California at Irvine tells New York Magazine.

With that emotional connection established, you can then start getting logical.



Don't try to 'win' the argument.

Attacking someone's ideas puts them into fight-or-flight mode. Once they're on edge, there will be no getting through to them.

So if you want to be convincing, practice "extreme agreement": Take your conversational partner's views and advance them to their logical — and perhaps absurd — conclusion



Don't ask why. Ask how.

In a 2013 studyUniversity of Colorado psychologist Philip M. Fernbach separated people with extreme political views into two groups — people who had to explain why their opinions were right, and those who were tasked with explaining how their ideals could be turned into actual policy. 

The result?

Folks who gave their reasons for being right were just as confident in their convictions after the experiment as they were beforehand. But the people who had to explain the mechanics of implementation had softer views.  



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Here's the weird way drinking just the right amount of alcohol can make you more attractive

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wine cheers

Even if you're not a scientist, you've probably noticed the "beer goggles" effect: People start to think that everybody looks better after they've had an alcoholic beverage or two

But new research suggests that the person doing the drinking looks better, too, so long as they keep it to a moderate amount. 

In a recent study cited on PsyBlog, University of Bristol psychologist Jana Van Den Abbeele and her colleagues asked 20 men and 20 women to rate the attractiveness of people in three photographs: sober, after drinking 250 milliliters of wine (or about a third of a bottle), and after drinking 500 milliliters of wine (or about two-thirds of a bottle). 

The photos with the highest rating? After the participant had consumed a third of a bottle.

While the authors couldn't be certain of what caused the change, they contend that there are two mechanisms at work:

• Alcohol adds red to people's cheeks. This makes people look healthier and thus more attractive. "In a sense, the action of alcohol on coloration may 'hijack' mechanisms designed to promote attraction to healthy mates," Van Den Abbeele and her colleagues write. 

• Alcohol helps people to loosen up. "Low doses of alcohol may lead to an increase in positive mood that is apparent in subtle smiles and relaxation of tonic muscle tone," the authors write. And looking relaxed makes you seem more approachable.

But — as you also might have guessed — alcohol wasn't universally a good thing for people's looks. Once a participant had two-thirds of a bottle of wine, their attractiveness ratings started to go down. Plus, other research suggests that people look dumber when they're holding a beer. 

SEE ALSO: 9 scientifically verified ways to appear more attractive

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9 racist and offensive phrases that people still use all the time

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sold down the river

If there's anything the last year has shown, it's that racial tension is still a reality in America.

But sometimes people use racist and offensive phrases without even realizing it.

Bigoted sentiments surround these nine terms, though in some cases their original meanings might have evolved.

1. "The itis"

More commonly known now as a "food coma," this phrase likely stems from a longer (and incredibly offensive) version — ni****itis. The condition alludes to the stereotype of laziness once associated with African-Americans.

Modern vernacular dropped the racial slur, leaving a faux-scientific diagnosis for the tired feeling after eating way too much food.

Try the technical term instead: postprandial somnolence. 

2. "Uppity"

Back in 2011, Rush Limbaugh said a NASCAR audience booed Michelle Obama because of "uppityism." Glenn Beck even defended him, saying the word was simply a synonym for "snobby."

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, however, black people were hanged for acting "uppity" or "insolent" — basically not knowing their place. A quick internet search shows the word often precedes "ni****." 

Originally, the term started within the black community, but racists adopted it pretty quickly.

3. "Gyp"

"Gyp" or "gip" most likely evolved as a shortened version of "gypsy" — an ethic group more correctly known as the Romani, now mostly in Europe. The Romani typically traveled a lot and made their money by selling goods. Business disputes naturally arose, and the masses started thinking of Romani as swindlers.

Today, "gyp" has become synonymous with cheating someone.

4. "Paddy wagons"

In modern slang, "paddy wagon" means a police car.

"Paddy" originated in the late 1700s as a shortened form of "Patrick," and then later a pejorative term for any Irishman. "Wagon" refers to a vehicle. "Paddy wagon" either stemmed from the large number of Irish police officers or the perception that rowdy, drunken Irishmen constantly ended up in the back of police cars.

5. "Hooligan"

This phrase started appearing in London newspapers around 1898. The Oxford Online Dictionary speculates it evolved from a fictional surname, "Houligan," included in popular pub songs, which other sources say might have evolved from Houlihan.

And Clarence Rook's book, "The Hooligan Nights," claims that Patrick Houlihan actually existed. He was a bouncer and a thief in Ireland.

The term has evolved into "football hooliganism," destructive behavior from European football (but really soccer) fans.

6. "Indian-giver"

Often a middle-school taunt for someone who gives a gift and promptly wants it back, "Indian-giver" originated from the phrase "Indian gift," first used by Thomas Hutchinson in his 1765 book, "The History of the Province of Massachusetts Bay."

During interactions with Native Americans, he defined the term as a present "for which an equivalent return is expected." But he and his fellow colonists probably just misunderstood bartering. 

By the early 1900s, the phrase began to appear regularly as an idiom. 

7. "Sold down the river"

Today, if someone "sells you down the river,"  he or she betrays or cheats you. But the phrase has a much darker and more literal meaning.

During slavery in the US, masters in the North often sold their misbehaving slaves, sending them down the Mississippi River to plantations further south, where conditions were much harsher.

8. "Eenie meenie miney moe"

This phrase comes from a longer children's rhyme:

Eenie, meenie, miney, moe / Catch a tiger by the toe / If he hollers let him go / Eenie, meenie miney, moe

The rhyme has many versions, one of the oldest being where n***er replaces tiger. Rudyard Kipling mentions it as a "counting-out song" (basically a way for kids to eliminate candidates for being "It" in hide-and-seek) in "Land And Sea Tales For Scouts And Guides."

While the rhyme didn't necessarily originate with a racial slur, it became one of the most popular versions in the early 1900s, especially in the UK, according to the "Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes."

Bonus: "Rule of thumb"

A lot of people wrongly think the phrase "rule of thumb" references an old statute allowing men to beat their wives with a stick no wider than their thumbs. 

For example, The Telegraph reported just this year that judge Sir Francis Buller ruled in 1886 that "a man was entitled to beat his wife with a stick provided it was no thicker than his thumb." That ruling created the popular, and sexist, idiom, according to the Telegraph.

But way back in 1998, wordsmith William Safire told a different story in The New York Times. He cites "rule of thumb" as early as 1692 and then again, as an established proverb in 1721.

Buller did, however, make the ruling later in history. Someone should have knocked some sense into him — preferably with a stick much wider than a thumb.

SEE ALSO: 11 Everyday Phrases You Might Be Saying Incorrectly

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NOW WATCH: Watch That Dash Cam Video Tribute Of A Police Officer Singing Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off'








I tried the 5,000-year-old beauty treatment that models swear reduces cellulite — here's the verdict

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dry brushingI've recently noticed an uptick in women on the beauty and health blogs I follow talking about dry brushing.

I'd never heard of it before, but reviewers were saying it made their skin softer than ever and could even get rid of cellulite.

I was intrigued, so I bought a brush a blogger had recommended and reached out to dermatologists to discover if there was any truth to the health claims. 

"As the name implies, the practice involves using a firm-bristled brush to sweep along dry skin," board-certified dermatologist Rachel Nazarian at the Schweiger Dermatology Group, who practices dry brushing herself, explained to Business Insider. "The sweeping movement of the brush along the skin offers similar benefits to massage."

The beauty routine isn't new. It originated in Ayurveda medicine, a 5,000-year-old Hindu traditional medicine, where it's known as "Garshana." Practitioners can use silk gloves, a sponge, or a soft bristle brush to increase circulation. It spread to top spas, where models like Miranda Kerr and Molly Sims became familiar with it.

The directions are very simple. You brush your skin, starting at your feet and making long sweeping motions toward your heart (always toward your heart— it's said to promote blood circulation), every day to slough off dead skin cells before taking a shower.

"Circulation is stimulated, and the lymphatic system is enhanced with the pressure," Nazarian told us. "Additionally, because the bristles of the dry brush are stiffer, it behaves as a mechanical exfoliation, removing the top dead layer of skin cells. This, like any other type of exfoliation, gives the skin a nice even glow and smooth appearance." 

dry brushing how toAmong its benefits, dry brushing claims to increase circulation, balance hormones, eliminate toxins, and reduce cellulite. 

But like all beauty regimens, the effects wane over time. "Even though dry brushing can improve the appearance of cellulite, these benefits are temporary and short-lived," Nazarian said. "In fact, to keep up the benefits with cellulite the practice needs to be done as often as twice-daily, which would likely lead to skin irritation."

And as for claims of getting rid of toxins, Nazarian said that dry brushing was at best a superficial solution and that a deep tissue massage would most likely be more effective.

When I first tried it, dry brushing reminded me a bit of grooming a horse with a curry comb. It took roughly five minutes every morning and was very soothing — almost meditative. It felt as if I was giving myself a massage and exfoliating my skin at the same time.  

After two weeks of dry brushing, my skin is extremely soft, and I noticed that lotion seemed to absorb faster instead of sitting on top of my skin.

And though I did not experience any miraculous benefits, I did enjoy the mini massage every morning before a shower. It's something I could even see myself incorporating into my morning routine — unless I happen to be in a rush.

SEE ALSO: The 10 happiest states in America

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NOW WATCH: Watch That Dash Cam Video Tribute Of A Police Officer Singing Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off'








Some of the most important NYC developments in the Durst family empire

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Robert Durst, the subject of the HBO docu-series "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst," is an heir to a NYC real estate mecca.

But Robert hasn't had much to do with his family's business lately. He was pushed out of the family business in 1990, after his younger brother, Douglas, was appointed by their father, Seymour, to lead the development business.

Robert has been estranged from his family ever since. The divide is so strong between the siblings running the Durst Organization and Robert, that Douglas went as far as to call him "a true psychopath."

The rest of the Durst family still owns some serious real estate in NYC, here are some of the most recognizable and important buildings.

One World Trade Center

World Trade Center

Architect: SOM

Year completed: 2014

Cost: $3.9 billion

Notable tenants: Condé Nast

(The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey developed the building, with Durst brought on as co-developer in 2010)

One Bryant Park (Bank of America Tower)

bankofamericatower

Architect: Cook + Fox

Year completed: 2009

Cost: $1 billion

Notable tenants: Bank of America, The Durst Organization

4 Times Square (Formerly Conde Nast Building)

4 Times SquareArchitect: Fox & Fowle

Year completed: 1999

Notable tenants: NASDAQ MarketSite, H&M

114 W 47th St

114 WEST 47TH STREETArchitect: Fox & Fowle

Year completed: 1989

Notable tenant: Bank of America Private Wealth Management

675 Third Ave

675 THIRD AVENUE

Architect: Emery Roth & Sons

Year completed: 1969

Major tenant: Prudential Douglas Elliman

205 E 42nd St

205 EAST 42ND STREETArchitect: Starrett & Van Vleck

Year completed: 1927 (Acquired by Durst in 1944)

Notable tenants: CUNY, WeWork, United Way of New York City

New School University Center

New School Student CenterArchitect: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill 

Year completed: 2014

SEE ALSO: New York City's first 'micro apartments' are coming this spring — here's what they'll look like

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How Mark Cuban saved St. Patrick's Day in Dallas

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mark cuban st patricks day

A few years ago, the organizers of Dallas' annual St. Patrick's Day parade were on the verge of having to cancel the event when 2012's main sponsor, Budweiser, pulled out just a month before it was to take place, on the Sunday before St. Paddy's Day.

The organizers publicly announced they needed $40,000 to stay afloat, and Dallas Mavericks owner and celebrity investor Mark Cuban stepped in to donate the funding, as well as an additional $25,000 to the parade committee's fund for the Dallas Independent School District, the Dallas Observer reported.

Cuban told the local press that he couldn't let a Dallas tradition die, especially one that he enjoyed so much in his younger days since moving to the city in 1982.

"I figured that I killed a whole bunch of brain cells," he told NBC's Dallas affiliate, referring to some parade-goers' tendency to get rowdy. "I want to give everybody else a chance."

Since then, funding the parade has become a tradition of its own for Cuban, he tells Business Insider.

It's also good for business. He uses the parade to promote his basketball team and some of his smaller companies to an audience of 100,000 people, and it's helped improve his image among Dallas residents.

You won't find Cuban participating in the parade — he'd much rather be away from the chaos in a bar watching sports, he told NBC — but you'll find the Mavs and some of the companies he's invested in sponsoring the event.

mavericks st patricks day

In 2012, he got Villy Custom, the bicycle company he made a deal with on ABC's hit pitch show "Shark Tank," to lead the parade, and for this year's event, which was held on March 15, he got his messaging app Cyber Dust involved, as well as getting the Mavs' logo on the official 2015 parade banner.

Cuban declined to say how much he invested in this year's parade.

Alex Macon, online arts editor at D Magazine, didn't attend the event this year due to a conflict, but as a Dallas native, he's very familiar with the parade, which has been around since 1979.

Macon tells Business Insider that Cuban's involvement in the event has boosted his image among Dallas natives:

It's definitely the "thing to do" in Dallas every St. Patrick's Day, and has been for as long as I can recall. I'm only 25, but my mother was taking me to the parade when I was 6 or 7 years old. ...

The public is very much aware that Cuban has been footing the bill. The word "savior" was bandied about in bar conversations when it first happened, only a little ironically. I think there's a lot of eye-rolling at Cuban's persona here in Dallas, but most people seemed genuinely grateful that somebody was keeping the parade afloat.

Macon points out that Cuban saved the parade the year after the Mavs won the NBA Championship in 2011, and the combination won over many people who weren't fans of him. "Those two things will get you a lot of goodwill here," Macon says. 

SEE ALSO: MARK CUBAN: This is just the start of the college implosion

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NOW WATCH: Mark Cuban Explains How His Confidential Messaging App Cyber Dust Works








This mobile breathalyzer will help you plan your night out [57% off]

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breathalyzerA mobile breathalyzer can help you make smart decisions next time you're out on the town.

The gadget estimates both your blood alcohol content (BAC) and how long it will take for you to get back to 0.00%.

This will help you plan out your evening: you'll be able to know if you can keep drinking, or if you should stop.

The breathalyzer easily connects to both iOS or Android smartphones via Bluetooth.

BACtrack mobile breathalyzer: $200 $84.99 [57% off]

breathalyzer


 

SEE ALSO: Read about the secrets, scandals, and affairs behind "Saturday Night Live" in these 4 books

SEE ALSO: There are about 15,000 books on Abraham Lincoln — here are the 7 you should read

SEE ALSO: Turn any surface into a beer opener with the 'BROpener'

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Here's the best credit card for grocery shopping

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AmEx Blue Cash Preferred

For many people, grocery shopping and filling the car with gas are tasks they do regularly — even multiple times a week. Wouldn't it be great if there was a credit card that rewarded you every time you had to pay for these essentials? 

If you have great credit and want to earn the highest cash-back rate available on grocery shopping, plus high cash-back rates on gas and department stores, Blue Cash Preferred from American Express can't be matched.

NextAdvisor.com, the consumer information site that reviews credit cards, found Blue Cash Preferred to be the best cash-back-card option around.

With 6% cash back on groceries, 3% cash back on gas and department stores, and $150 introductory bonus, it's an all-around fantastic card with some of the highest cash-back rates.

The highlights

If you enjoy earning phenomenal cash-back rewards, this is the card for you. The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express combines cash back with a 15-month 0% intro APR and great American Express benefits. Card holders get a $150 bonus after spending $1,000 in the first three months of opening an account.

If you use your card regularly, you'll have no problem meeting these requirements. You can even pay for your mortgage and your utilities with the card (if these entities accept credit cards, which most do) to help accrue the initial $1,000 and to earn even more cash back over time.

bluecashpreferredCardholders also earn a whopping 6% cash back at US supermarkets — including, but not limited to, Safeway/Vons, Krogers, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Pathmark, Shoprite, and Stop and Shop — on their first $6,000 in grocery purchases each year, and 1% back after that.

If you do a lot of food shopping, this is a great way to earn extra cash. Think of it as a 6% discount on your groceries every time you pay with Blue Cash Preferred.

In addition, you'll earn an unlimited 3% cash back at US gas stations and 3% back at select department stores such as Sears, Macy's, Kohl's, Nordstrom, JCPenney and many more. There's no limit on the amount of cash back you can earn at this 3% rate, so if you're a big spender on either gas or department stores, this card is a no-brainer.

The rest of your card purchases will earn a very decent 1% cash back. You can redeem your earned cash back for a statement credit, gift card (including AmEx gift cards), or items in the American Express online shopping mall.

Along with earning great cash-back rewards, Blue Cash Preferred cardholders pay no interest for the first 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers. This 0% APR period will keep you interest-free well into 2016 and help you pay down any large card purchases or balance transfers.

World travelers will enjoy that Blue Cash Preferred features chip-enabled technology, making it easier to pay for purchases outside the US. International merchants, particularly in Europe, require this technology for most credit-card purchases

Having an American Express card also means you get great benefits, including extended warranties on eligible purchases, purchase protection, and return protection. Vacations are made easier with car rental loss/damage insurance, travel accident insurance, and AmEx's roadside assistance hotline.

Plus, you get exclusive access to ticket presales and card member-only events.

How do you know if you should apply?

Before applying, you should keep the following in mind:

  • You need excellent credit (above 720 and sometimes 750).
  • Blue Cash Preferred charges a $75 annual fee. If you're not interested in paying an annual fee of $75, the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express may be a better option. The card doesn't charge any annual fees, features a 15-month 0% APR, and lets you earn 3% back at US supermarkets, 2% back at gas stations and select department stores, and 1% back on everything else.
  • If you don't spend much on groceries, gas, or department stores, the cash-back rewards won't really add up. You're probably better off with a card that offers a higher flat rate back on all purchases like the Citi Double Cash Card. It features an effective 2% cash back on all purchases, no annual fee, and the ability to get your rewards via check or direct deposit.
  • Purchases at warehouses and superstores aren't eligible for the 6% cash back with Blue Cash Preferred or the 3% cash back on gas. Instead, you'll earn the standard 1% cash back.
  • The only way to redeem your cash-back rewards is as a statement credit on your account, gifts cards, or other merchandise.
  • If you enjoy traveling outside the US, Blue Cash Preferred's 2.7% foreign transaction fee could add up. For those who like to use their credit cards when they travel abroad, consider the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card. It charges no foreign transaction fee and offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Bottom line, if you pay for groceries and gas regularly and shop at department stores, Blue Cash Preferred's 6% cash back on groceries and 3% cash back on gas and department stores is your best bet. Not only will you benefit from generous cash-back rates, but you can also take advantage of the 15-month 0% APR on balance transfers and purchases.

Take advantage of NextAdvisor's free Cash Back Calculator to see which card is the best choice for your particular situation.

Learn more about Blue Cash Preferred and see if it's right for you.

This post is based on an article originally published on NextAdvisor.

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15 Irish sayings that everyone in America should use

Listen to music in the shower with this waterpoof Bluetooth speaker [57% off]

10 spring-break destinations that are trending this year

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Austin

Kayak recently released its list of the top 10 trending spring-break destinations of 2015.

The travel-search site analyzed more than 1 billion travel searches and found the 10 spring-break locations trending this year by looking at the greatest increase in click traffic for each place. 

This year, it's clear that many were trying to escape the cold winter, with five of the top 10 destinations in Florida. 

From Miami to Austin, here's where everyone wants to go for spring break this year.

10. TAMPA, FLORIDA: This beach town draws plenty of visitors for its famous Clearwater Beach.



9. SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO: The capital of Puerto Rico attracts visitors for its El Yunque Rainforest, vast beaches, and the blue cobblestone streets of Old San Juan.



8. LOS CABOS, MEXICO: Known for its white sand beaches and endless bar crawls, Los Cabos is a popular destination among college students.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Take a tour of Warren Buffett's childhood home, now listed on Airbnb

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warren buffett

Warren Buffett recently endorsed Airbnb in his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, saying it's an excellent option for people traveling to Omaha for his annual conference. 

"Airbnb's services may be especially helpful to shareholders who expect to spend only a single night in Omaha and are aware that last year a few hotels required guests to pay for a minimum of three nights," he wrote. "Those people on a tight budget should check the Airbnb website."

Now, thanks to Airbnb, one lucky Berkshire Hathaway shareholder will get the chance to spend three nights in Buffett's childhood home during the Shareholders Meeting weekend in May. 

The winner will be chosen based on the quality of their answers to four questions relating to travel, Airbnb, and Omaha. Shareholders can enter to win on the Airbnb listing

The Buffett family moved into this home in Omaha's Country Club neighborhood in 1936. Warren's first business was a paper route in this neighborhood.



As you enter, you'll find yourself in a comfortable living room. The home is no longer owned by the Buffett family, so the furnishing has changed since they lived here.



Furniture is arranged around a fireplace.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider







15 reasons why everyone should visit Ireland

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Ireland is home to incredibly peaceful cemeteries, gorgeous castles, an awesome landscape of bogs, beaches, and cliffs, and of course, Guinness.

As I learned in a nine-day trip around Ireland and its sibling Northern Ireland, this island is one of the most magically friendly places on Earth. 

Here are fifteen reasons to visit. 

1. The Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, are super rugged. Here's the wreck of the Plassy, a steam trawler that got blown off course during a severe storm in 1960.plassy shipreck

2. The beaches in Ireland aren't lazy Californian affairs. They're majestically badass. Here: Rossbeigh Beach in the the southwestern county of Kerry. 

Rossbeigh Beach, Ireland

3. Monasteries like Kylemore Abbey in County Galway are outrageously peaceful. The Irish church was far from the influence of Rome, so it developed its own Celtic style.

kylemore abbey

4. Irish cuisine is completely underestimated. Get beyond the potato with poached salmon, bacon and cabbage, and steak and Guinness pie. 

steak guinness

5. The Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, is a strange and beautiful natural wonder. Legend has it that the Finn McCool, a beloved Irish giant, built the causeway to pick a fight with a Scottish giant, but they were actually formed by an ancient volcanic eruption.

giants causeway

6. Bogs — wetlands created by heaps of peat — are beautiful. About 16% of the island is "bogland," as they say over there, and before electricity peat was a primary fuel used to warm homes. Sometimes they turn up 4,000 year old human bodies, perfectly preserved through the odd chemistry of the wetland.   

bog

7. Ring forts, circular forts which were built in the Middle Ages, are totally awesome. They were most often used as enclosed farmsteads. There are over 45,000 ring forts around Ireland.

IMG_1268

8. Guinness is one of the finest beverages on Earth. That's why 10 million glasses are sold every day around the world, making for over 850 million litres sold a year — enough to fill 340 Olympic-sized swimming pools with foamy deliciousness.

guinness

9. There are ruined medieval castles all over the country. Dunluce Castle, which sits perilously above the Irish Sea in Northern Ireland, is one of the most stunning castles, surrounded by steep drops into the sea. On a stormy night in 1639 most of the cliffside fell into the waters below, including several of the castle walls.

dunluce castle northern ireland

10. The Slieve League cliffs in the far northwest of Ireland feel like the edge of the world.

slieve cliffs

11. Trinity College in Dublin is where many literary greats got their start. Alumni include Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and Bram Stoker, just to name a few. The library's Long Room, pictured here, served as a setting in the Harry Potter films.

trinity college library

12. Hills and graveyards are the punctuation marks of the Irish countryside. It's beautiful when they come together, like under the expansive skies of northwestern County Donegal.

irish graveyard

13. Hundreds of "standing stones" — 3,000 to 5,000 year old monuments made of a single rock driven into the ground — can be seen across Ireland. People think they had an agricultural or religious purpose. But they're so common that if you have one in your yard you probably want to make use of it. 

standing stones

14. Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature, home of legends like Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift. James Joyce may be the city's favorite author — The Modern Library voted his day-in-the-life epic 'Ulysses' as the best novel of the 20th century. 

James Joyce

15. The Burren, a limestone-filled landscape in County Clare, looks like Mars on a nice day. Though it appears desolate, the rugged place is remarkably fertile: The area contains 75% of the country's native species. Plus it knows how to treat you to a nice sunset. Burren Sunset

SEE ALSO: 32 photos that will make you want to travel to Iceland

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Here's a guide to body-language etiquette around the world

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The body speaks volumes.

But what it says depends on the culture you're in. Facial expressions, gestures, mannerisms, and degree of eye contact vary greatly across countries.

For example, "Arms, which are used little by Nordics during conversation, are an indispensable element in one's communicative weaponry in Italy, Spain, and South America," writes Richard Lewis in "When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures." 

The cultural differences in body language are vast — there are entire books dedicated exclusively to hand gestures — but we've selected a few to create a simple, body-language etiquette guide that highlights some surprising differences, thanks to information from Lewis' book and the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA): 

Body Language Infographic_02

SEE ALSO: Here's how to properly shake hands in 14 different countries

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Billionaire Ira Rennert will pay $213 million in damages for funneling company money into his massive Hamptons home

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Ira Rennert Fair Field Sagaponack

Junk bond billionaire Ira Rennert, whom investors have sued for using company funds to build his giant Hamptons estate, will have to pay back more than $200 million in damages, Crain's Aaron Elstein reported Monday.

A NYC judge previously ruled for Rennert to pay creditors $118 million plus interest. Interest landed at little under $100 million, bringing the total amount due to $213 million. 

"We are disappointed by the ruling today. However, the jury verdict, which found that Renco Metals was solvent according to each test under the law and that Mr. Rennert acted in good faith, remains fundamentally irreconcilable. We are vigorously pursuing all avenues to have the verdict and the damages award completely vacated," a Renco spokesman said in a statement to Business Insider.

Rennert stands accused of looting millions from the mining company Magnesium Corporation, owned by Rennert's holding company Renco Group. The money allegedly came from issuing more than $100 million in MagCorp bonds, which instead went to Renco and the billionaire's estate.

The Sagaponack mansion in question is one of the largest homes in the U.S. at 62,000 square feet and 29 bedrooms. Rennert got his start in junk bonds and has an estimated net worth of $6.1 billion today, according to Forbes.

Read more at Crain's >>

SEE ALSO: 11 crazy facts about junk bond billionaire Ira Rennert's $248 million Hamptons mansion

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The most popular type of men's shoes in every decade

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Men's fashion changes more than you think – especially shoes.

In the 500 years men have been wearing shoes, the most popular shoe worn has changed drastically. Not only does every decade have their own style, but many of the decade's in vogue shapes are completely different from the previous.

It's also interesting to note, that as we get closer to modern times, styles are more often dictated by a brand's particular shoe.

They say fashion is cyclical. And if that's true, we'll all soon be wearing escaffignons, according to this awesome infographic by Jamie Azimova.

Men's shoes through history

SEE ALSO: Here's why you shouldn't wear the same pair of shoes every day

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Is draft beer better than bottled beer?

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