10 Good Money Habits to Make Your Friends Jealous

10 Good Money Habits to Make Your Friends Jealous 10 Good Money Habits to Make Your Friends Jealous 10 Good Money Habits to Make Your Friends JealousThere are better reasons to save money than wanting to make your friends turn green with jealousy. But as motivating factors go, this one aint half bad.We love our friends. After all, if we didn’t love them, they’d be our enemies. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t also love making them a little bit jealous of the fabulous life we’re leading. This is probably why someone invented the term “frenemies.”Then again, there are tons of folks out there who would enjoy making their friends (or frenemies) jealous but are unfortunately stuck on the other side of that fence. You know, the one where the grass is definitely not greener.That’s why we’re here. Forget trying to keep up with the Joneses; just follow these 10 pieces of financial advice and everyone else will be trying to keep up with you.1. Pay yourself first.Raise your hand if this is your approach to saving money: You take care of all your bills and living expenses and then you sock away anything you have left over. Are you raising your hand? We can’t see you, obviously, but we’re going to assume that you are.Paying yourself first means turning this whole arrangement on its head. Instead of saving what’s left over, put money into savings first and then spend the rest. You probably think that’s nuts, that your budget is much too tight to prioritize saving money.And you know what? We get it. But if you give this method a try, we think you’ll be surprised how flexible your budget can be. When you focus on paying yourself first, the rest of your budget will pretty much fall into place.While your friends are scrambling to save up money for a vacation or to put away for a rainy day, you’ll be sitting on a sizeable nest egg. Try it!2. Automate your saving.Starting a new savings practice can be like starting a new exercise routine: The hardest part is instilling the disciple to just go out and do the dang thing. But what if you could outso urce that part of your exercise routine, like a fitness tracker that would actually get you out of bed and to the gym at 6 am every day? Wouldn’t that be so much easier?Well with saving money, this is something you can actually do! Let the robots be disciplined on your behalf through automatic deductions and transfers. As soon as your paycheck hits your account, money will be moved over to your savings account. Out of sight, out of mind. Your friends will wonder how you do it.3. Set big goals.Practicing good financial habits is rewarding, but it can also be pretty tedious at times. But you can both alleviate some of that tedium and achieve even bigger things by setting big, ambitious goals.You want to build up $1,000 in savings? Great. But what about $10,000 in savings? Working towards a bigger goal will help you focus your mind, step up your efforts, and get creative with your money. The bigger your goals, the more you’ll do to achieve them.Of course, there’s a flipside to th is. Don’t set goals that are so ambitious that you have no hope of achieving them. Dream big, but dream realistically.Saving is hard enough, and its much harder when you dont know what you’re saving for. Whether it’s an emergency fund, your retirement, your kid’s education, a big vacation, or a new car, these goals will help you stay on track.Oh, and speaking of emergency funds4. Start an emergency fund.What’s an emergency fund? It’s really just another word for savings, but it’s money that’s being saved with a specific purpose in mind. Unlike money that you put into retirement accountsâ€"which you aren’t planning on touching until decades from nowâ€"or money that you’re putting towards a major new purchase, your emergency fund is for, well, emergencies.With your emergency fund, you’re not worried about that money earning interest or being locked away where you can’t touch it. Being able to access those funds in a time of crisis is the whole idea! You might e ven want to maintain your emergency fund in cash.So what’s the best amount to keep in your emergency fund? Well, we recommend that you start with $1,000. But after that, you shouldn’t rest on your laurels. The ideal amount to have in your emergency fund is enough to cover six whole months worth of living expenses.That may sound like a lot, but it could be a literal lifesaver. It’s hard to watch someone who loses a job or suffers an injury and has their finances spiral out of control. With a well-stocked emergency fund, you’ll be prepared for the worst.5. Eliminate your debt.The odds are good that both you and your friends have more debt than you want to admit. Whether it’s credit card debt, student debt, or mortgage debt, all that money you’re putting towards interest every month is money that could be much better spent working for you.So if you really want to make your friends jealous, make paying down debt your number one priority. Start with consumer debt (also known as “bad” debt), like credit cards and personal loans. These usually come with much higher interest rates, and they make zero contributions to your total net worth.In order to get out of debt, you’ll need a plan of action. We recommend either the Debt Snowball or the Debt Avalanche. In short, these methods involve putting all your extra debt repayment funds towards one debt at a time. And when you pay off that first debt, you then roll over its minimum payment towards the next debt down the line.Heres the difference: With the Debt Snowball, you pay off your smallest debt first; with the Debt Avalanche, you pay off your debt with the highest interest rate.Debt can be a massive burden, tying you down to a job or a city that you would rather get out ofâ€"you just can’t afford to. Escaping from under that burden will give you the freedom to do things you always dreamed of. If that won’t make your friends jealous, we don’t know what will.6. Live below your means.This one might seem a little bit obvious, but there’s still a good chance that you’re not doing it. If you want to save more money, than living below your means is a must. If every dollar you make each month is only going towards bills and other living expenses, then you’re never getting ahead. When it comes to money, you’re only ever treading water.Basically, living below your means involves living as though you make less money than you do. If your total post-tax income every month is $4,000 for example, then rearrange your lifestyle so that you’re only spending a total of $3,000 on everything.That extra $1,000 can then be put towards your emergency fund, your retirement accounts, or any big purchase you’re saving up for. Living like you make less money now means that you’ll have more money to live on down the line. While your friends are treading water, you’ll be roaring by them on a custom jet ski.7. Check your credit report.Keeping an eye on your credit score is always a good idea, but this means going one step further. By regularly checking your credit reports, you’ll understand all the areas where you need to improve your credit and you’ll be able to keep an eye out for identity theft.Your credit reports are documents that track your past seven years as a borrower and credit consumer. (Some information, like bankruptcies, stays on your report for a bit longer.) You actually have three credit reports, each compiled from the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.By law, each of the credit bureaus is required to provide you with one free copy of your report annually upon request. If you order one report every four months, you will be able to pretty consistently track your credit historyâ€"all without paying a dime!Credit reports can also contain errors, which might be artificially deflating your score. To request a free copy of your credit report, just visit AnnualCreditReport.com. If you need to dispute an error on your report , you can follow the instructions in our blog post, How Do You Contest Errors On Your Credit Report?8. Get a side hustle.Saving more money isn’t just a matter of cutting down on your expenses. You can also boost your savings by earning extra income! You could do that by getting a better paying job or asking your boss for a promotion (and a raise), but picking up a side hustle is probably faster.There are tons of ways you can go about this. For instance, you could start driving for a rideshare service or work for any other number of “Uber but for X” companies. You could also pick up a second job or start your own entrepreneurial venture.Whatever you do, just make sure that you aren’t burning yourself out or letting all that extra income turn into extra spending. Oh, and really do that math on your expenses to make sure that the money you’re earning is worth the extra stress.While a second job might not make your friends jealous in the short-term, all the great things you’ ll be able to do later on with that extra money sure will.9. Steer clear of payday loans.This is another great reason to build up an emergency fund. When you have an unexpected bill or a financial gap that needs to be plugged, turning to  payday loans is the last thing you should be doing. With their high interest rates and lump-sum repayments, they might just make your bad financial situation even worse.The same holds true for other types of short-term no credit check loans like cash advances and title loans, which can come with APR’s upwards of 300 and 400 percent. Plus, you’ll have to pay the loan back all at once, which can create yet another shortfall. This is how people end taking out loan after loan after loan and becoming trapped in a predatory cycle of debt.When life knocks you on your butt, building up your savings means having a financial cushion to soften the landing. And while you could always turn to a longer-term bad credit loan (like an installment loan) to bridg e your financial gaps, the best solution here means skipping loans altogether.10. Responsibly maximize your credit card rewards.If you want to travel more or be able to splurge on holiday spending, then credit card rewards are a great way to make that financially feasible. You’ll need a good credit score to  do so, but racking up points and miles can help you live a little bit larger than you otherwise would.Here’s the thing: Credit card rewards can be great, but you absolutely cannot let them encourage you into overspending. Having to pay interest on excess credit card debt will pretty much wipe out all the good that rewards points can do. It’ll actually make them … pointless.To get the most from your rewards, consider consolidating all your credit card transactions onto one or two cards. And if you really want to be responsible, you should look into transferring all cash-back rewards directly to your retirement accounts. It’ll be less fun, but your future self will thank you for thinking ahead.We actually wrote a whole blog post on this subject recently, so we suggest you check that out. In the meantime, making your friends jealous probably isn’t the best reason to get your financial house in order, but if it works for you, then we wish you the best of luck.To learn more about saving money, check out these related posts from OppLoans:7 Tips for Eating Out on the CheapHow to Save Money When You’re Already on a Tight BudgetThe (Comprehensive) Couple’s Guide To Budgeting8 Ways To Save Money Today, Tomorrow and Every Day AfterWhat are your best strategies for saving money? We want to hear from you! 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How American Society And Culture Influence Eating Disorders

Thomas1 Maddie Thomas Hantack 4 English II October 15, 2016 How American Society and Culture Influence Eating Disorders In Women Today in American society, we are all about body image. The media has promoted a certain type of body in which almost everyone feels they must have in order to fit in and be accepted. Unfortunately, this mentality leads to eating disorders. What most people fail to realize is that not everyone is meant to have the specific body type that is constantly being thrown at us. The media does things such as suggest new diets and diet pills, use the same exact stick-figure body shape in ads, and continuously fat shame others, which has a very negative effect on American women in today’s society. One of the ways our culture promotes eating disorders is by showing many advertisements promoting new diets and diet pills. Anyone in the United States who takes the highway to get to work or has a way of getting on social media etc. is more than likely to come across an advertisement for weight loss supplements and new workouts or gyms they should try. These ads are everywhere, they’re on billboards, the radio, tv commercials and sometimes they even pop up on your phone or computer screen. The Supplement Super store has radio ads playing all the time promoting their latest or most popular weight loss supplement. Some of their ads include these supplements, RAZOR8 BLAST POWDER, PHASE8, and Assault. 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To many people eating is a way of life, brining families together, creating relationships and bonds between people and is an expression of feelings and emotions. But there are negative aspects to food as well, such as obesity and other eating disorders. Eating disorders are very dehabilitating and misunderstood disorders that affect an unbelievable amount of the population; they not only put strain on the body, but also on the mind, and often the families of thoseRead MoreMedia s Effect On Teenage Girls1196 Words   |  5 Pagesgirls to have what society defines as the ideal body. As a teenager one wants to fit in with the most popular group. Recent movies like â€Å"Mean girls† and â€Å"16 wishes† have shown the role of the popular girl to be thin, beautiful, and smart. As a media consumer, fem ales assume that if they achieve this look they will become popular as well. Many teenagers go through stressing situations in order to accomplish the ideal body image. For instance, many teenagers develop eating disorders or go through plasticRead MoreResearch Paper on the Effects of Mass Media on the Perfect Body Image1569 Words   |  7 PagesHow can you determine what body image should be? The desire for the perfect body has been prevalent throughout society for a vast majority of time. What makes teenage girls feel the need to strive for this â€Å"perfect body†? Some have asked, â€Å"†¦a rapidly growing body of research addresses the question of whether body perfect ideals in the mass media are a core risk factor for negative body image, particularly in women† (Dittmar, Helga) My hypothesis is â€Å"Does the media influence adolescent girl’s weight

Thomas A. Edison Father of Invention Movie Review

Essays on Thomas A. Edison: Father of Invention Movie Review The paper "Thomas A. Edison: Father of Invention" is a good example of a movie review on history. In the film, â€Å"Thomas A. Edison: Father of Invention,† Thomas Edison's invention is of light is explained. Notably, Thomas is not mostly celebrated for his invention, but the new take of the technological invention that he brought about. For this reason, Edison is the protagonist whose actions portray him as a hero. However, despite being the first inventor, the clip seems to exaggerate his capabilities. Given that there were other inventions, some made before and other later, the heroic character of Edison could have been diluted, to portray him as normal scholar. The move should have included his borrowings from chemistry scholars. Most importantly, Edison faced strict competition from Westinghouse. Although it might be hard for children, who happen to be the target audience to understand the competition, mentioning the invention of alternating current by Westinghouse could dilute the exaggerations made. Moreover, acknowledging that Edison failed to maintain the electricity industry he invented, and rather focused on patents and corporate battles show his lack of focus in his inventions. In a nutshell, Edison is a hero, he invented an industry but the fact that he made several borrowings from others makes him and later lost control of his own works no different from other scholars.   Previously, most inventions were on chemistry and business organizations. Although the science is related, no one had discovered electric power as well as electric lighting. Therefore, by being the first inventor, Edison becomes the creator of the light bulb. However, the fact that electricity had been discovered earlier creates some ambiguity in the use of the word creator. Moreover, Edison only expanded the effect of lightning, previously discovered as a form of electricity, into his light bulb experiment.

Lost Military Id Free Essays

I won’t say that losing my Military Identification card was completely out of my control, but even losing it twice can happen obviously. Things happen, we’ve all lost something before, hell I had lost $75. 00 cash before. We will write a custom essay sample on Lost Military Id or any similar topic only for you Order Now When I woke up the next day and couldn’t find it, I was so pissed, but it happened and there was nothing I could do about it, just had to take it as a loss. I’m only human, and this will not be the last mistake I ever make. However, I won’t make the same mistake over and over again. I am certain that the corrective training I am doing sucks just enough if not more to make me want to ensure to maintain firm awareness of the location of my Military Identification card at all times from now on, which I’m sure was the intention of this corrective training or essay writing. Don’t get me wrong a lot of bad things have the potential to occur if my Military Identification were to fall into the wrong hands,people could get hurt and it would be my fualt. Also what I am doing is not punishment, punishment is Uniformed Code of Military Justice, that’s something totally different and effects my well being, my career, and a lot more in the long run so I should be fully greatful and fully blessed that I didn’t get a uninformed code of military justice article 15. Corrective training is just that, TRAINING. Mistakes are okay, so long as people don’t repeat the same ones and they learn from them. The U. S. army values soldiers that are accountable for their actions. Being accountable means being dependable-arriving to work and appointments on time, meeting deadlines, being in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing at the right time, and making sure you have your i. d. card at all times. Morning formation is the most important formation of the day. It is made to get accountability of everyone and put out any information that there needs to be dealt with. Without having accountability there is no knowing of where everybody is or what’s going on. I have realized that is an important asset always showing up on time. It shows others in the unit that your dependable and ready for more responsibility. If a soldier fails to keep control of the simple things theres noway someone would put him in charge of other soldiers and likewise the soldeirs under him wont respect him cause they cant trust him to keep accountability of formation and tasks given by 1SGT. If were a leader and hade a soldier loseing his sensitive items i would be makeing him do the same thing by writing an essay it gives you to to look up information on the subject of losing an id card i learned lot. the next few paragraphs are of the five top reasones a soldier needs to keep acountability of his Military Identification card. One, someone can use a Military ID to sneak on to base and by passing security. Two, the Soldier who lost their military ID will not be able to access areas restricted to civilians and will be restricted from computers on base. Three, the Soldier can lose security clearance through the chain of command. Four, S oldier cannot access Postal Exchange (PX). Five, the Soldier could possibly be non-judicially punished and possibly lose rank. Allow me explain them further. Reason one: It could help a terrorist to bypassing security. If someone were to find a Soldier’s Military ID and bypass base security, the person who breached security could steal sensitive documents, harm other soldiers, or map out the base for future attacks and they could do these multiple things in a twenty-four hour period if they were smart and fast enough to do it. First thing they could do is get access to restricted areas and possibly sabotage military equipment. In addition, they could steal military grade equipment, blue prints to new weapon designs, military vehicles, and information regarding the movement of Soldier’s that are out in the battlefield and their objectives, depending on the security clearance of the soldier’s military ID. Reason two: military restrictions for losing Military ID. The Soldier who lost his or her military ID will not be able to access areas restricted to civilians and lose access to computers on base. If a Soldier had to report to a restricted area to perform any duties and did not have his or her military ID, they would not be able to perform their duties or tasks given by a superior. In addition, if the Soldier had to access important information about an upcoming task or mission and he or she do not have their military ID; they would not be able to access the important Intel. Reason three: soldiers who lose there military ID card could lose there security clearance as a result effect there job performance. In a combat zone when soldiers are spread thin cause of heavier work load this can jeprodize the mission and put more work load on other soldiers. A security clearance is also good to have in the civilian job sector for when you get out so if you lose it youll lose better job oppurtunitys Reason four: A soldier who loses there ID card will not be able to make use of the PX, MWR, or the resiliance center. These places offer a place for soldiers to go so they can rest and have fun. so till the soldier is able to get a new ID card these places are off limits. Reason five: Wrongful disposition of U. S. Military property. Article 108. Military property of United States Loss, damage, destruction, or wrongful disposition. Any person subject to this chapter who, without proper authority (1) sells or otherwise disposes of; (2) willfully or through neglect damages, destroys, or loses; or (3) willfully or through neglect suffers to be lost, damaged, destroyed, sold, or wrongfully disposed of; any military property of the United States, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. my only hope in ending this essay is that my nco thinks its good enough cuase ive typed all i can on the suject its 2330 right know and i still havent called my daughter and im tired. so good night. How to cite Lost Military Id, Papers

Marketing Management and Faith Integration free essay sample

There are many Bible verses that relate to business character. Many of them speak of honesty and integrity in business actions. Character is defined as the combination of a person’s ethical and moral qualities, and it is shown through the choices we make. Therefore, as a business owner or decision maker, one needs to consider the impacts the decision may have on others and the community and not be hasty in making the quick decision that may have negative impacts in the future. Many of the valued character traits include integrity, courage, honesty and fortitude. As Christians, we should want to make sure that we are pursuing the values that God has taught us to embrace through scripture. This incorporates qualities of love, grace, forgiveness and humility. As the Bible states, â€Å"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. (Galatians 5:22). God does care about character in us and in our businesses. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Management and Faith Integration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Bible is filled with instructions on how to live righteously and in a godly manner by the numerous stories given and the lessons learned. In addition, the Bible states, â€Å"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. † (Romans 5:12). The Ten Commandments include instructions that show us what to do to have godly character. These include, â€Å"Thou shall not† lie, steal, commit adultery, covet, or murder (Exodus 20:7-17). As it related to marketing management, our character should follow through to our everyday business decisions. Although one may face failure or not make good business decisions, the intent must be total honesty with employees and customers. (Cotton, 2012). Full responsibility must be taken for actions and decisions. Businesses should not try to excuse actions based on pressure within our business or organization to do what is not right. One should strive to treat others as they would want to be treated. Integrity is the cornerstone of any good relationship. Without demonstrating the willingness to give and the worthiness to receive trust, no business can survive or prosper. A reputation for honesty is a comprehensive statement of both a persons character and how he or she treats others. It is a fundamental mindset against stealing, lying, or deceiving. (Cotton, 2012). Honesty is a standard that God expects all Christians to uphold. Romans 12:17 says, â€Å"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. As a Christian, honestly is not just doing the right thing at the right time, it is a way of life. There should be no exception for the way a Christian business is run including its marketing management. Henderson, 2007). In summary, marketing is very important for a business to achieve success. Many businesses have a difficult time in this area. With the stiff competition, businesses struggle to stand out among others. Other companies resort in unethical and unfair schemes just to win the competition. But eventually find themselves in great loss and failure. As businesses all over the world enter into a giga ntic marketplace, every business owner is faced with convoluted market competition. Nevertheless, any entrepreneur can be different and become successful in this matter. In every product sold and in every service provided, patience and hard work should take precedence to ensure quality. Products and services should be marketed honestly, planning should not be done with evil minds nor should the business boast. Competition should not be envied but should inspire marketing and future ideas. (Anonymous, 2009). Customers should be treated with respect and cared for as we would like to be treated ourselves. In the end by caring for our customers and our competition, the business will be set up for success.

China Cultural Analysis

China Cultural Analysis Brief History With nearly 1.5 billion people, China has the biggest percentage of the world population based on country terms. The vast majority of the country’s citizens is largely rural, as around eight hundred million people reside in rural areas while the rest, roughly 35 percent reside in urban areas. Since the introduction of new family planning laws took effect, the population growth rate considerably slowed down (Murphey 10).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on China Cultural Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Family values are very important to Chinese culture. Today, the family harmony still plays a very significant role in the hearts of Chinese people. Most families, even when they are busy, will spend their weekends with each other, doing whole families can get together to eat, chat, and enjoy lives. The role of family values remains relevant in the Chinese society. In this regard, fami ly harmony is viewed as being pivotal towards attaining success within families. Towards achieving this goal, families make efforts to meet and spend weekends together. Apart from holding talks on family issues, members drink, eat, and enjoy in such parties (Sang 21). Social life is a function of economic wellness. As a result, the income due to a family influences the levels of consumption. Just as it is the case in almost all countries, the urban population is always better off, and thus able to spend more since they earn relatively higher incomes in comparison to the rural people. Geography China is situated in the eastern part of Asia. The country stretches around three thousand four hundred miles from the North to the South while stretching approximately three thousand two hundred miles from the East to West. Fourteen countries border the Chinese Republic; they include Vietnam, Burma, Lao, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, North Korea, Mongoli a, Kazakhstan and Russia. The country also borderes with the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. China is rich in deserts, deltas, plains in the western part while its eastern part is predominantly hilly. Finally, it is important to mention that the country’s cover is largely covered with high plateaus and mountains. The country’s climate is reflected by changing temperatures as one moves from the south to the north. The temperatures are higher in the south in comparison to the north. A yearly range of approximately 85 degrees Fahrenheit between the two poles corroborates this fact (Sang 23).Advertising Looking for research paper on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Social Institutions Family The Chinese way of life revolves around living together as a family. It is hence little surprising that children (daughters and sons), parents and grandparents generally reside in one home. It is, ho wever, clear that on reaching the marriage age, daughters and sons, do not always prefer staying with the parents. At this stage, the children move out of the family homes to go and begin new lives away. In some cases, economic difficulties have forced people to prefer families without kids. However, until recently, the big family setup was the most dominant in the Chinese Republic (Thurston 94). In order to get a clear view of the family institution, it is imperative to digress to the ancient times. During these times, men were the focal points in the family setting. The men made all decisions affecting the family, as the role of the women was only supportive. The women were lowly ranked and they had to focus on household chores such as parenting. Women never ventured into business outside their homes. However, things have changed and women are more empowered. In this regard, women are able to seek work outside homes, and are thus in positions of making decisions. Despite the devel opments, one aspect of the Chinese culture remains, the expectation to respect the elderly (Thurston 95). Education China instituted a long-term project in 1986 to provide children with mandatory education which lasts for 9 years. By the turn of 2007, there were around hundred thousand secondary schools and four hundred thousand primary schools. In 2000, ninety-nine percent of the male population aged between fifteen and twenty-four were literate while ninety-eight percent of the female population in the same age category was also literate (Thurston 96). Education statistics Youth (15-24 years) literacy rate, 2004-2008*, male 99Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on China Cultural Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Youth (15-24 years) literacy rate, 2004-2008*, female 99 Number per 100 population, 2008, phones 48 Number per 100 population , 2008, Internet users 22 Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-20 09*, gross, male -111 Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, female -116 Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, net, male 100 Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, net, female 100Advertising Looking for research paper on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Survival rate to last primary grade (%) 2005-2009*, admin data 100 Secondary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, male 74 Secondary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, female 78 Political system: structure, parties, stability, tax rates, local government The country is under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) (Terrill 63). The party draws its power from the constitution. Other parties in the country are the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National Peoples Congress (NPC). The leadership is largely dictatorial and dissenting parties are rarely allowed to have things their way. Despite the closed nature of the political system, the country remains very stable. It is worth noting that the role of the local government is largely limited, as the central government holds immense powers over national and local matters. Tax rates remain higher for rural populations although attempts to reduce them have been made. Legal system: ju diciary, code or common, intellectual property The legal system of China is relatively tied to the political wing of government. The legal system is tailored to serve the ruling party interests. However, it is important to underscore the importance of the legal framework in reference to the role it plays in streamlining relations in the country by settling all disputes in the country. Regarding intellectual property, there are minimal measures put in place to protect intellectual property (Thurston 97). Economy Up until 1970, the Chinese economy was small. Nevertheless, from this time, the country’s economy has been on an upward trend. Augmenting this view, the country has increased global interactions in terms of trading. Additionally, the country’s GNP has risen annually since 1970 (Cateora and Graham 46). Further, the shift of the Chinese economy to advanced technology also supports the development idea. However, the growing economy has led to other problems hithert o un-witnessed in the country. Such problems include limited energy sources, transport and communication facilities, etc. the setbacks aside, the Chinese republic continues to be a world leader in the production and supply of rice, crude oil, coal, soybeans, tobacco, wheat, etc. Table 1 proves that average disposable income and the consumption levels in the Chinese republic are relatively low when compared to other developed nations. Another aspect that springs up centers on the expenditure patterns of the Chinese people. Unlike other people from different parts of the world, the Chinese people prefer saving their money than spending. This is based on the Chinese tradition, which lays emphasis on saving for the future generations. Urban families (Yuan/person) Rural families (Yuan/person) Disposable income 3934.94 1280.5 Consumption expenditure 2619.55 1072.2 Table 1 showing consumption rates in 2007 Social organizations Recent developments have contributed to the growth o f various classes. There are the high social classes, middle and the lower classes. The presence of around thirty ethnic groups also contributes to the shape of relations in the country. Business practices and customs have continued to change from a collective to an individualistic focus (Thurston 96). Religion and Aesthetics Religious intolerance was common in China. However, there is a considerable religious freedom in the country, because many states allow certain religious organizations to operate. By 2007, 23 percent of the people were believers. Chinese folk religions, Taoism, and Buddhism are the most popular religions in the country. The role of visual arts, music, drama, ballet, folklore and symbols remains heavily rooted in the Chinese culture. In reference to these aesthetics, the Chinese republic rank among the most sophisticated countries across the globe (Selden 79). Living Conditions Diet and nutrition The Chinese diet remains diverse. Traditional foods such as Tianji n are preferred although acceptance of meat is on the rise. Malnutrition rates are high in the rural areas, although there has been a decline in the recent times. However, the diet differs from one social class to the other since the level of income heavily influences the meals consumed by locals (Selden 79). Housing Housing in the Chinese republic cuts across different categories. There are groups of people who own houses and others that rent houses. In the rural areas, the vast majority with few exceptions own the houses they occupy while in the urban houses a good proportion rent the houses they occupy (Murphey 19). In terms of clothing, national dress and work clothing are put into perspective. The national dress is uncommonly worn. The use of western style official clothes is uncommon in China as the preference of casual ware is high. It should however be noted that most people prefer observing the tradition of living in family houses (Murphey 22). The graph above illustrates the changes in home ownership in china between 1997 and 2007 Recreation, sports, leisure The government of China provides recreational facilities and services. Such facilities as playgrounds, show grounds, parks and stadia are in most instances run by the government. China encourages its nationals to participate in sports. Martial arts, along with swimming, table tennis, basketball and some others are very popular in China. Traditional sports including dragon boat, horseracing and Mongolian wrestling are also common. The holding of the last Olympic games is perhaps the hallmark of the position of sports in the country (Thurston 97). Social security is available mostly to the people who work with the government. However, a bigger percentage of the private organizations do not offer pension as work is contract based. The percentage of income that goes to pension ranges from five to fifteen percent. Health care The Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Bureaux are in charge of h ealth matters in China. Since 1950, public health has been directed by public policy. The inefficiency witnessed during this time led to complaints on the long-term role of government in the provision of health services in the country. After 1978, Deng Xiaoping reforms improved health provision as healthcare became privatized (Selden 89). Language According to Selden, there are two primary languages spoken in China. Mandarin or standard Chinese are predominantly preferred in the republic and as such, they are the official languages (90). However, other languages such as Yue (Cantonese), Minnan (Taiwanese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Gan, Xiang, among other minority dialects are used. There are no major discrepancies between the spoken and written languages. However, the written language is more official than the spoken language. Cateora, Peter and Graham, John. International Marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2006. Murphey, Robert. East Asia: A New History. Michig an: University of Michigan Press, 1996. Sang, Ye. China Candid: The People on the Peoples Republic. California: University of California Press, 2006. Selden, Mark. The Peoples Republic of China: Documentary History of Revolutionary Change. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1979. Terrill, Robert. The New Chinese Empire, And What It Means For The United States. New York: Basic Books, 2003. Thurston, Alfred. China Bound: A Guide to Academic Life and Work in the PRC. Washington: National Academies Press, 2006. Appendix Table 2 showing the volumes of world trade China rank by population Map of China Location in the World, Map of China

15 Hilarious Pranks to Pull on College Friends

15 Hilarious Pranks to Pull on College Friends Oh Lord, there are so many hilarious pranks to pull on college friends. Listen, if you’re looking for prank ideas and don’t want to get sucked into hours of prank videos, this article is for you. Here are 15 that you can always count on, as long as they go off without a hitch and are executed safely. #1 Tape the Contents of Their Trash to Their Door Make a statement. You can find out a fair amount about a person by exposing their trash. Go into their room, especially if they’re super-messy and tape everything (within reason of course) that’s trash onto their door and let them know it’s time to clean up! #2 Fill Their Dorm Room with Popcorn This is a cheap and easy trick. Making it goes really quick and you can easily fill an entire dorm room with only about 8 or 9 bags which cost maybe $2 each. Transporting it is easy as well†¦.industrial-sized trash bags. The trick is that ideally you should be able to leave the room through the window so you can make the popcorn 5 feet tall (or more)! #3 Put a Dead Thing in Their Cereal No, not a real dead thing, but a realistic looking one. It’s not over-the-top but it works (especially on girls) you could either big a furry spider in there of substantial size, a small snake, or perhaps even a rate. #4 Change Their Computer Log-In Sounds This is truly legendary. If you can get their log in information, or get into the computer while they’re away change the log-in sound to something crazy. Anything from a full-on gun fight to a ground shaking explosion with screams of terror. Then, turn their sound system up super-loud (not so loud you blow speakers) so that the next time they expect to hear some pleasant sound suddenly they’re under siege and could potential crap themselves. #5 The Almighty Soda Bomb Mentos are pretty old. But, what you do is put a tiny hole through one, latch it onto a string and then drop it into a big bottle of soda and close the cap tightly. Simply put it back in the fridge and wait. The next person who opens that will be bombarded with fizz and syrup unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. #6 Butter Tiles Again, cheap and easy but effective. If you have any tiles, butter them up and then wait because regardless of what kind cleats someone may be wearing they’re going to end up on their butt. Really good for roommates or college friends with hard wood floors. # 7 Completely Cover them in Flour While they Sleep Don’t pour it on so they wake up. No, instead grab like 10 bags of flour (that’s a pretty hefty clean up job remember) and slowly stealth fully cover your college buddy while they sleep. Flour is actually quite comfortable. #8 Early Alarm + Flattened Tires They’re the type of person that jet’s out of bed last minute, scrambles onto their bikes and heads off to class. Okay, so set the alarm an hour ahead of schedule (and any other clocks in the room along with it) and then flatten the tires so they think they’re going to be late. #9 Put a Fake Person In their Bed Get a realistic looking mannequin and sneak them into bed next to someone. Making the mannequin’s face scary is a bonus. They could wake up in the night screaming, or they could wake up in the morning to an unexpected stranger. Hilarious. #10 Opposite Side Switch This one doesn’t make a mess, it’s free and it’s funny. While they’re away at class sneak into their room and switch everything to the opposite side so it’s a perfect match. Then, when they bring it to your attention, seriously act as if they’re nuts and it’s been that way the whole time. If you can hold your composure it will play an epic mind prank on them. #11 Early Morning Shower Prank Simply sneak into the dorm shower while they’re getting ready for another day of collegiate labor and steal their towel and clothes so they will have no other option but to grab the shower curtain. However, this may not occur to them for some time. #12-   Shaving Cream Floor Cover the floor, completely, in fragrant shaving cream. Super cheap, and not as hard to clean up. #13 Wrapping Paper Room Grab some festive wrapping paper and thoroughly set about wrapping their entire room in it. Even if it takes 10 rolls, that’s probably only $20 to do a full single dorm room. #14 Pubic Hair + Superglue Seriously, if they have a problem cleaning up their pubes, then (with gloves on) grab a bunch of the stuff and super clue it to something that’s valuable enough to them that they’ll get the point. #15 Wake Up in Unexpected Places If they’re a heavy sleeper or utterly passed out, have them wake up in a strange place. This is so awesome when pulled off correctly. We had to boil it down to these because there are hundreds of pranks out there. But, with a little creativity you could come up with just about anything. Check out even more cruel but funny roommate pranks! How about it gang, what kinds of pranks have you played on college friends that they’ll never forget?