Will Lipovsky

How Late Are Stores Open on Halloween?

October 12, 2015 By Will Lipovsky 2 Comments

Halloween is like many holidays. Stores want to stay open to generate more revenue; employees want to spend the holiday away from work. This makes guessing what stores will be open, what stores will be closed, and what stores will close early a tricky process. Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of Halloween hours for many of the major U.S. retailers whom you may want to visit late on Halloween. For the most part, stores follow the same hours on Halloween 2015 as they do other years. The stores even sometimes disregard the holiday altogether and keep the exact same hours as they would for any old Saturday. Yes, Halloween is on a Saturday this year – get prepared for a crazy night:

Halloween Express: Depends on location but usually 10 p.m.

Sam’s Club: Depends on location but usually 8:30 p.m. — same as the usual Saturday closing time

Costco: 6 p.m.

BJ’s Wholesale Club: 10 p.m.

Target: Normal hours, most locations close at 11 p.m.

Party Express: 9 p.m.

Party City: 9 p.m.

Hobby Lobby: 8 p.m.

Dollar Tree: 10 p.m.

Dollar General: Depends on location but either 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.

Kohl’s: 11 p.m.

Macy’s: 10 p.m.

Von Maur: 9 p.m.

JC Penny: 9 p.m.

Sear’s: 9 p.m.

Most stores do keep the same hours for Halloween 2015 as they do on any other Saturday. However, consult this list and also check Google or even call the store to confirm closing time for the specific store you’re visiting. With most franchises, hours are somewhat up to the owners.

Google typically draws data from the store’s website, so when a simple search query is executed you’ll know exact if the store is open. This search methodology also helps feed tools like Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. So if you’re unsure about the closing time of your favorite store, give it a Google using a very simple query. If the page is optimized well on a local level, the exact location plus up-to-date store hours will populate.

However, that would be ideal but this takes time. That is why we have aggregated what we think to be the best results. This article is a one stop shop for finding out what stores are open and for how long this Halloween. Perhaps you want to pick up a costume at Halloween Express. Then you may want to get decorations at Hobby Lobby. You may want to get tools to repair your haunted house at Sears, and finally you may want to hit Sam’s Club to buy extra candy – after all, you can never have too much Halloween candy.

No matter where you decide to go this Halloween, note that it’s a minor enough holiday that your favorite store will be open. It’s really just a matter of if they close early (perhaps) or keep the same hours as usual (probably). For stores that never close, look at Walmart and similar stores which are always lit.

Enjoy Halloween 2015. It’s on Saturday which is perfect for people wanting to make it an entire weekend of frights. Stay safe and don’t spend too much!

Is Sam’s Club Open on Halloween?

October 12, 2015 By Will Lipovsky 1 Comment

Sam’s Club was founded by possibly the most notable business person of the time – Sam Walton. The store is a warehouse club store similar to BJ’s Wholesale Club and Costco. It prides itself on offering low prices by serving a limited number of products – thousands less than traditional grocery stores. This is why buying Halloween goods at Sam’s Club is such a wise idea. They offer only the most sought after costumes and candy. When stocking up for Halloween, Sam’s Club is a fantastic last-minute destination.

Lucky for us, Sam’s Club keeps regular hours this Halloween. Sam’s Club website says, “At Sam’s Club, we live out his promise by delivering simple savings to our members on items they can trust. Life is Better in the Club – anywhere, anytime.”But Sam’s Club still closes just like any big box store that needs to stock inventory with dangerous forklifts. The exact time of closing varies by location, but for Saturday, it’s typically 8:30 p.m. Costco typically closes on Saturday at 6 p.m. BJ’s Wholesale Club typically closes the latest at 10 p.m. If you’re looking for wholesale Halloween costumes or candy, choose BJ’s if you’re a member there as well.

The fact is, not many stores change hours for Halloween. It’s like any other holiday. Stores want the additional business, but employees want the night off. Sam’s Club, BJ’s, and Costco are all playing fair and just keeping regular hours. Regular hours may not be convenient, but they are easy to remember. Sam’s Club closes early on a handful of days, and closes only a few days each year.

In fact, what’s more important for Sam’s Club hours is which day of the week it is, not which holiday occurs that day. Reason being, Sam’s Club holds steady throughout the year. Sam’s Club is rarely closed for holidays.

Sam’s Club is closed for the following holidays:

Easter Sunday
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day and
New Year’s Day

Sam’s Club closes early on the following holidays:

Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day

Also note that store hours vary by location. As the Sam’s Club website states, “Club hours and specialty departments vary by location.” With that said, it’s best to Google your local Sam’s Club and confirm store hours with either Google or the automated store answering machine.

Bonus: If you want to enjoy extended hours at Sam’s Club, become a Business or Plus member. It allows you to shop in the store earlier and stay later than shoppers with an ordinary Sam’s Club membership. This can get you as much as an extra 1.5 hours each day. Not only can you get last-minute shopping done this way, it also allows you to shop with less stress and less mess (if you arrive early in the day).

Did you know? Sam’s Club and Walmart are owned by the same family. So Walmart is a good alternative if Sam’s Club isn’t open. Most Walmart’s are open 24/7, specifically Super Walmart’s. You can also try Target or the expensive option – a convenience store.

20 Ways to Sell Your Body for Money

October 2, 2015 By Will Lipovsky 2 Comments

If you are looking for ways to make some extra money there may be one source of income that you haven’t considered – your body. It is illegal to sell organs, but there are ways to make money selling your body. Here are 20 ways to sell your body for extra money:

Advertising

Turn your body into a billboard. Advertising agencies pay for people to place advertising on their body. The ads are either permanent or temporary tattoos.

Blood and Plasma

Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies pay for blood and plasma donations. You will not be paid for donating at a blood drive by the Red Cross or a hospital because blood collected from paid donors cannot be used by hospitals for transfusions.

Bone Marrow (Stem Cell)

Stem cell donors in some states can be compensated for their donation. This is a little more invasive and there is a 8 week recovery period after donating stem cells.

Breast Milk

Not every new mother is able to produce enough breast milk for their child. If you have extra breast milk, you can sell it to an online broker.

Clinical Drug Trials

Drug companies, medical facilities and the federal government compensate healthy participants and participants suffering from a specific condition for testing new drugs. There may be side effects from the drugs.

Eggs

Fertility clinics compensate egg donors that are successfully matched with a client. Donors should be healthy 21-34 years old. The process involves several doctor appointments, injecting hormones and a medical procedure to retrieve the eggs.

Escort

Escorts are paid companions. If you are attractive and have great social skills you may find that you being an escort will not only be a source of income but also an opportunity to get paid to date.

Feces

Yes, there is a company that will purchase your poop for a medical treatment. You could potentially earn over $1,000 per month selling poop.

Hair

Wig makers want virgin hair. Virgin hair is hair that has not been permed or color treated. The value is based on the color, thickness and length of your hair. There are several websites that act as hair brokers.

Hand Model

Hand models are used for photos that only include the human hand. You must have perfectly manicured nails and hands free of scars or veins to be a successful hand model.

Life Model

Art schools pay for nude models. A life model stands nude in front of an art class while the students draw the human body.

Placenta

Human placenta is cooked by a professional placenta preparer, encapsulated and sold as supplements. Selling human placenta may not be legal.

Platelets

Donating platelets is more difficult than donating blood and not for those squeamish about needles, but donors are compensated more for platelet donations than blood donations.

Pornography

Pornography is not for everyone, but it is a legal way to sell your body.

Prostitution

You can sell your body through prostitution, but it is only legal in some Nevada counties.

Psychological Study

A psychological study is a non-invasive study of your mind and how it works. Research universities usually have paid psychological studies available.

Sperm

Men aged 18-39 can be compensated for donating sperm. Sperm donation requires multiple donations with a frequency of at least once per week.

Surrogate

Surrogate mothers carry an embryo for another woman. This requires a long-term commitment that will affect your health and lifestyle.

Testicle

There are conflicting reports about the legality of selling a testicle, but one man claims to have sold one of his testicles for $35,000.

Used Panties

There is demand used women’s panties. They can be sold through a broker, craigslist, eBay or your own website.

What ways do you earn extra money?

7 Ways to Shop Sam’s Club without a Membership

October 2, 2015 By Will Lipovsky 1 Comment

Shopping at warehouse stores is a popular way to buy in bulk and save money. If you are trying to choose between Costco and Sam’s Club or don’t think that paying $45-$100 for an annual membership will make the warehouse club savings worthwhile, you can try it out by shopping at Sam’s Club without a membership. Here are seven ways to shop Sam’s Club without a membership:

Print a Free One-Day Pass

Sam’s Club allows nonmembers to try their store with a free one-day pass. You can print the pass online and use it at your local Sam’s Club, but you must bring your ID with you. Non-members are charged a 10% surcharge over regular prices in most states and cannot use the pass on Black Friday or other member only events.

Shop During an Open House

Sam’s Club hosts several Open House events during the year where non-members are invited to shop in the store. Sign up for the email list on samsclub.com to get updates on Open Houses and other special events.

Get Added To Someone Else’s Membership

Every member can add one additional household member to their card for free. If someone in your household has a Sam’s Club membership, ask if they will make you the additional member.

Go With A Friend

If your friend has a Sam’s Club membership, tag along on their shopping trip. They will have to show their membership at checkout, but you get the perks of shopping at Sam’s Club and don’t have to pay the 10% surcharge you would pay if shopping with a one-day pass.

Earn Rebates With a Sam’s Plus Membership

The Sam’s Plus membership is the most expensive at $100 per year, but it is the only membership that pays cash rewards. You earn 2% cash rebate on all purchases up to a maximum rebate of $500. If you will spend at least $5,000 per year at Sam’s Club, you will earn $100 in rebates and the membership is essentially free.

Some Items Don’t Require a Membership

There are some items you can purchase from Sam’s Club without a membership. In some states, membership stores cannot exclude nonmembers from purchasing alcohol. Check to see if you state is one of the ones that requires Sam’s Club to allow nonmembers to purchase alcohol.

In all states membership stores cannot exclude nonmembers from purchasing prescription drugs. All you need is a doctor’s prescription to take advantage of the low prices for prescription drugs at Sam’s Club without purchasing a membership. This rule does not include eye glasses or contact lenses.

Shop Online

Nonmembers can shop at samsclub.com. The items available online to members are also available to non-members, but there is a 10% surcharge added to purchases made by nonmembers.

Sam’s Club has made several options available for nonmembers to make purchases. If you are planning to make a purchase online without a membership or in store with a guest pass, you may want to consider the cost of the 10% surcharge. It might be less expensive to purchase a membership before you shop.

Ted Cruz Net Worth

October 1, 2015 By Will Lipovsky Leave a Comment

A candidate’s policy positions are a very important part of deciding whether or not to vote for them. To some people, the policy positions are the only important issue.

On the other side, some people take the view that the only thing that matters is a candidate’s background and qualifications. Sometimes looking at a candidate’s net worth can give some insight into both of these things. How did the candidate make their money? Is that relevant? How might the candidate’s self-interest impact their policy positions? There’s always some distance between what a candidate says they believe and how they actually govern. You can often judge their self-interest from their net worth and background. From there you might be able to get some insight at how they would run the country.

Ted Cruz graduated from Harvard Law. He worked as a clerk for William Rehnquist after school. He briefly worked in a private law practice from 1997 to 1998. He was the youngest solicitor general of Texas for 5 years. He then returned to private practice. In 2012 he was elected to the US Senate representing Texas.

Ted Cruz’s Net Worth

Age: 44
Occupation: Lawyer
Most Money Made In: Law
Estimated Net Worth as of 2015: 2.5 Million

Ted Cruz has managed to transform his high-earning profession into a substantial net worth. This has allowed him to acquire an array of different sorts of assets. He’s successfully escaped a high-earn high-spend treadmill that plagues many high income americans. In doing so he’s set aside enough money to support a modest lifestyle indefinitely.

Ted Cruz’s Net Worth is given by his financial disclosure. His personal financial disclosure was taken from the Center for Responsive politics’ webpage. The disclosure itself is quite interesting. Ted Cruz owns several Goldman Sach’s funds. He also has substantial positions in a few oil companies, including Chevron and Exxon Mobil (possibly as much as 10% of his net worth). He additionally has two 529 plans for his children. He has also loaned at least a half million dollars to the Cruz for Senate campaign. This position hasn’t payed substantial interest.

His incentives are mostly aligned with the upper middle class and the wealthy. The upper middle class makes extensive use of tax shelters which aligns with Ted’s personal motives. Ted Cruz’s pensions and social security likely represent a small portion of his net worth, he therefore doesn’t have much monetary incentive to protect such things (though he may feel morally compelled to). Here is an example of a way his wealth might incentivize him to vote.

One recent proposal has been to eliminate tax shelters such as 529 plans. Ted Cruz holds hundreds of thousands of dollars in such plans. That doesn’t necessarily mean he wouldn’t support their removal, or if he opposes it that he does so out of greed. It’s just that the negative effects of a thing are easier to envision and empathize with others about when you have to experience them yourself.

What do you think about his net worth? How does it affect the way he (may) govern?

Risks of Loaning Money to Family and Friends

October 1, 2015 By Will Lipovsky 1 Comment

There are many risk to lending money to family and friends. After all, people typically don’t like discussing money with anyone, let alone their friends. So bringing a personal money transaction between you and your friends/family carries significant risk.

Many financial experts warn against giving loans to family and friends. Dave Ramsey discourages anyone from lending money this way. He says to offer them a loan but treat it as a gift. Make sure you don’t need to get the money back. That way, you help them out without putting your relationship at risk.

The Typical Risks

Strain on the Relationship

Money is stressful unless you have enough. Obviously, your friend doesn’t have enough. If you give them a loan, it may put stress on the relationship as a whole. It’s a risk. Are you willing to risk the relationship?

Lose the Relationship

Lending money, or even gifting money, can put a big strain on the relationship. Are you willing to risk a relationship over money?

Hurt Your Own Finances

You’ve got to think about yourself first. If you can’t help yourself, who can you help? It’s a risk when loaning out money. Some day, you may regret that decision.

End up Hurting More Than Helping

Often, people get into a debt cycle. You give them a loan once, you may as well enable them for the rest of their lives. This may just delay the inevitable point where they should begin winning with money for themselves.

Eventually Having to Say No Anyway

What may very well happen is people find out you’ve given a loan. Others may come to you next time they get in a money mind. This may happen over and over. Eventually, you’ll have to start telling people ‘no.’ That or you could open up a bank. Either way, you’ll have to begin turning people away.

Consider establishing a ‘no loan’ policy straight away. Consider an alternative option to lending money. Perhaps when a holiday rolls around, you give a struggling person more than you would if they hadn’t approached you about a loan. At Christmas, give them a free trip. For their birthday, consider buying them a big gift like a new bedroom set or a new car. They can focus their own money on other problems if they still exist.

Of course, where there is risk, there is also reward. They balance each other out. What may happen is the loan strengthens the bond between both parties. You may have helped a friend. Your friend may be extremely grateful. But this post is aimed at addressing any risk between lending money in this fashion. You assume a lot of risk when approaching this subject.

You never really know until you know. If you’re still unsure about lending money, try it. How well does it work out? If it is working out well, keep it going. Use the same methods for the following loans you give to people.

And it would probably be smart to listen to Dave Ramsey and never give out more than you can afford to lose. It’s kind of like with gambling.