5 Free Apps to Help You Lose Weight

We use our smartphones for just about everything these days – why not use them to achieve our weight loss goals? With advancements in technology, there are now hundreds of apps available to offer information and support at just a swipe of a finger. We’ve taken a look at the free weight loss apps out there, combed through reviews, and have come up with a list of the Best 5 Free Apps to Help You Lose Weight.

Modern technology can melt pounds, too!

Here are the Best 5 Free Apps to Help You Lose Weight:

1. Weight Watchers Mobile (Weight Watchers International). The Weight Watchers Mobile app gives users the ability to keep track of points and food choices as part of the Weight Watchers 360 program anytime, anywhere. Plus, check out these Weight Watchers Recipes from Skinny Ms.

2. Lose It! (FitNow). Lose It! helps users keep a daily calorie “budget” and track their food choices. This app also tracks exercise minutes, and provides motivation to inspire smart choices. Users can use the Lose It! database to log their food intake and understand how their choices are affecting their weight loss goal.

3. Nike Training Club (NTC). This awesome app offers over 160 free workouts for all fitness levels. You will receive personalized plans accompanied by video guidance from the most qualified athletes and trainers.

4. Fooducate (Fooducate, Ltd.). The Fooducate app gives extensive info on your favorite grocery store foods, allowing you to shop smarter.

5. 8fit Workouts and Meal Planner. With the 8fit app, you will receive customized workout routines, designed to get you to your goals. All of the programs are interactive so that you can workout anytime, anywhere! Along with exercise guidance, you will also receive personalized meal plans each day.

Shop on a budget

It is a well-known trope that college students’ pockets are usually strapped for cash. Whether it be spending money on rent, textbooks, or groceries for your dorm, there is always an outflow of cash.

As such, it can be enormously beneficial to learn how to shop on a budget and take that knowledge into the future. Not to mention that budget shopping will lead to more savings for things you want to spend money on. Not spending money is much tougher than it sounds. Therefore, here are some tips to help students save a little bit of pocket money next time they go shopping.

The Dollar Tree can be the holy grail of shopping if you go about it the right way. For those unfamiliar with the amazing ways of Dollar Tree, everything in store for sale is priced at a dollar, or sometimes even less. While you may think that quality must be compromised for items at such a low price, in reality, most of the items are the same ones you can find at any other grocery store, especially if you know what you are looking for.

A general rule of thumb for Dollar Tree is to avoid purchasing any perishables such as meats or chicken. Instead buy items where the quality standard is generally the same across brands. For instance, buying cleaning items like paper towels at Dollar Tree is significantly cheaper than most grocery stores, or toilet paper that comes in multipacks and is debatably softer than many popular brands.

One of the best parts of Dollar Tree is the cookware section. The majority of the stores sell items ranging from ceramic dishware to wooden spoons. Practically anything you need to have a fully functioning kitchen can be found at the Dollar Tree, besides for pots and pans.

Dollar Tree is perfect if you need to fill up your new apartment or dorm, so do not be discouraged just because of the stigma. There are two Dollar Trees within ten minutes of campus, but if you fail to find one elsewhere, give stores like Dollar General and Family Dollar a chance even if they may be inferior value stores.

If you are trying to stay on budget, then sticking to shopping for only essentials is the way to go, however, that does not negate the urge to buy those materialistic wants, it is only natural. If you cannot avoid it altogether then keep an eye out for coupons released by your favorite companies. Numerous companies will post coupons on social media for customers to use for a limited time, so if you really need that new shirt, first check if the store has a coupon somewhere on their socials.

In addition, there are plenty of online resources that compile coupons for customers to use. Websites like Retail Me Not allow customers to search for compiled lists coupons for in-person or online stores. Groupon does the same but also features discounts for activities and entertainment. If you are a chronic online shopper, then the chrome extension Honey will automatically search for coupons at checkout of most websites and compiles points for every purchase with Honey for further discounts.

While I would not suggest shopping at NSU as budget-friendly, do not let your declining balance on your shark card go to waste. Being forced into a meal plan is not ideal but put some planning into spending the funds on your account so nothing goes to waste and spread your spending throughout the semester.

Shopping on a budget is difficult but achievable, and if you stick with it then soon enough you may save up enough to spend the money on more things you do not really need.

Published
Categorized as Shopping

Budget Winter Holiday In Gorski Kotar, Croatia

By doing these fun things, you can make the most out of your trip to Croatia which will be worth it at the end of the day.

Places to visit in Gorski Kotar that are affordable

There are many places to visit during the holidays when you choose to go to Gorski Kotar on a budget. Here are the following places that are a must-visit:

Risnjak

Risnjak is one of the tallest mountains to climb, scaling a towering 1528 meters from the ground up. Croatia has many mountains to hike, and Risnjak is definitely one of the terrains you have to visit.

The road to Crni Lug will lead you to the Risnjak National Park which is home of the most lush forests and wetlands that turn white when the snow comes. It’s best experienced during the winter months because the feel of the mountain becomes completely new in a magical way.

Furthermore, the cost of lodging and food is affordable because all the ingredients used for cooking are all natural to the mountain itself. Lodging is also considerably cheaper than the city hotels because the areas are already built into the mountains that have been stationed for a long time.

Photo by Filipa Beroš from Pexels

Zeleni Vir

During the winter, the waterfalls of Gorski Kotar-Zeleni Vir freezes and becomes this incredible glacier that unfreezes when spring comes. Its neighbouring forests are also worth going during the winter because the snowflakes touch the leaves like raindrops do during a rainy season.

Zeleni Vir may not be optimal for the winter season because of the heavy mass of water that freezes during the winter, but it’s still a beautiful site to visit when you want to solely view the scenery of its wonderful stature.

Photo by zelenivir.com.hr

Delnice

The beautiful landscapes of the town of Delnice will greet you with the most heart-warming people you will ever meet, and the landscapes of the area are surrounded by heavy snow during the latter months at the end of the year.

While towns folks will warm your visit despite the harsh cold, and the amenities and restaurants you can enjoy there are best for your budget holiday. No one is stopping you from getting an amazing vacation with the budget that you have in Delnice, and you’ll remember the town’s ski slopes that you can also do when you’re free from sightseeing different monuments and infrastructures.

Photo by Filipa Beroš from Pexels
Published
Categorized as Travel

Bitcoin for beginners: Here’s what to know before you invest in crypto

If you are trying to build a diverse portfolio, you probably find it hard to follow the most common advice to “invest only in what you know.”


Given that all institutional investors and big banks started taking it seriously – it would be wise to have at least a minor involvement in crypto in your portfolio. After all, it is impossible not to notice the swift rise in bitcoin prices over the past several years, and the same goes for many different digital currencies.

For example, had you bought bitcoin in early April 2017, you could have seen almost 4,000% return in just four years. However, if you purchased in mid-April 2021, you would have lost more than half your investment in just four months.

There were and still are many price plunges, but if you are serious about investing regardless – here is what you should consider before taking a leap.

It is a highly unpredictable and speculative investment


The most important thing to understand is that most cryptocurrencies do not have an intrinsic value (there is no definite measure of their worth).

For instance, unlike a stock, they do not track the growth potential of a real company selling actual products and services. And they do not follow the value of a natural resource the way a traditional property does.

It is essential to understand what cryptocurrency is and, more importantly – what it is not

None of the cryptocurrencies are accepted as legitimate tender anywhere. The only exception is El Salvador because they approved bitcoin as their national currency (along with the US dollar) at the beginning of September 2021.

With all that being said, your crypto investment return depends solely on a bet. Only if someone is willing to pay more for it in the future, your investment will return. Since all options are in the game – just like you could experience ten times return in the next few years, it is equally possible for cryptocurrencies to become completely worthless.

If you can not afford to lose, you should not bet at all

Investing in crypto is a dangerous game, but also it might help you get more diversification as it behaves completely different than any other stock. It would be wise to invest just a tiny percentage of your liquid holdings in cryptocurrencies.

Can IRS tax bitcoin and other digital currencies?

The answer is – yes, they can, and that is one more reason to invest smaller amounts that should be enough for you to participate but not enough to cause any problems. One more thing to keep in mind is that you should be prepared to lose everything you put in crypto and any other uncertain investment.

There are not many protection methods that you can rely on

Since crypto is not accepted nor approved, possessing crypto assets guarantees no consumer protection, and it is very unregulated. Also, there are no clear rules and regulations when it comes to reporting and paying taxes yet. That is expected to change in the future, which might cause price changes.

How to get into possession of cryptocurrency?

Grayscale is the largest crypto asset manager at the moment that allows you to invest your money in a bitcoin trust. However, if you are working independently, without a financial advisor, you can also buy Grayscale shares. The same goes for other crypto trading platforms. Either way – you should pay attention to fees that are significantly larger than average fund fees.

It would be wise to talk with your spouse before making any move

Investing in crypto should be a mutual decision. Even if you are both willing to take the risk, maybe you are not thinking of the same type of risk. However, the best possible advice is to be honest with each other and plan your future together.