Gmail is one of the email service providers that has a generous amount of storage. While this is certainly an advantage, it’s also one of the biggest drawbacks many users face. As users can store gigabytes of free data, cleaning emails becomes a lesser priority, which leaves users thousands of emails to go through when they finally use up almost all of the free storage. 

While seeing thousands of unread and unnecessary emails can be intimidating, clearing everything up to start fresh is surprisingly easy and quick. In this guide, we will show you how to delete all emails on Gmail, as well as how you can set up your email to automatically delete old emails and the importance of regularly cleaning up your inbox.

Why Should You Regularly Clean Your Inbox?

If you still have enough space in your inbox, you might be wondering why you should clean it up? Cleaning up your email has numerous benefits. Here are the top reasons: 

Most Emails Lose Their Value

The primary purpose of an email is to send and receive information. So, if you have received an email from five years ago, it is likely that the data from that email won’t hold any value anymore. 

For example, if you had an email thread from your ex-employer three years ago, do you think that any information from that thread is valuable? Probably not. That’s why it is best only to keep emails with value and try to remove redundant ones.

Human and Computer Search Speed

Even if you organize your emails by folders on different projects, it is still easier to visually scan through 50 emails instead of 500 emails. And even if you always use Gmail’s filtering option to reduce the results, it still won’t beat the convenience of a cleaner, shorter list. 

Not only will you find it hard to filter through hundreds or thousands of emails, but Gmail will also take longer to filter through a dataset if it holds a lot of records. Simply put, having fewer emails will allow you to and Gmail to perform a better search. 

Local System Performance

Apart from the search speed, having many emails can also affect your operating system, especially using a local email program. For example, the more email emails you have, the longer it will take for your email program to start up and sync with the server. 

As a result, your backups will take longer. So even if hard disk space is fairly affordable, keeping your mailbox at a minimum will always be a better solution. 

How to Delete All Emails on Gmail

If you want to delete every email you have in your Gmail inbox, all you need is a computer, your Gmail account, and a bit of time. Then, follow the steps below to wipe out your inbox completely: 

1. Open your Gmail account on your browser. 
2. On your Gmail inbox, choose which category you want to delete. Gmail inboxes are segmented into three or four categories: Primary, Social, Updates, and Promotions. The quickest way to delete emails in Gmail is to remove them by category.

3. Select the tab you want to clear by clicking on it. (In this guide, we will delete the Promotions tab.)
4. On the top-left side of your screen, check the small tick box under the Search mail search bar. This will select every email on the page, which is up to 50 emails, and all selected emails will turn into a darker shade. If you have more than 50 promotional emails, doing this won’t get everything, but the next step will. 

5. Next, you will see a small text displayed at the top part of your screen saying, “All 50 conversations on this page are selected.” Select all x conversations in Promotions.” Click the part that says “Select all x conversations in Promotions.” This will allow you to select all the emails in your chosen category. 

6. Then, select the Trash icon located underneath the search bar. 

7. Once you’ve clicked the Trash icon, a pop-up window will appear to confirm whether you want to delete X number of emails. Select OK. 

8. After confirming the action, it will take some time, especially if you have thousands of emails. Once the process is complete, you will see a little confirmation pop-up on the bottom-left side of your screen. Simply refresh the page, and you will see that all your emails have been deleted. 

Note: While you’ve deleted all your emails in the Promotion category, it doesn’t mean that they were removed from your Gmail account. With Gmail, once you delete an email, it’s stored in your trash folder for about 30 days. Only after this period will google permanently delete them. If you want to expedite this process and delete all your emails for good, follow the next steps below. 

9. Go to your Trash Folder found on the left menu navigation of your screen. 

10. On the Trash folder, select Empty Trash, now found on the top part of your screen. 

11. Once you’re done, repeat the same process for your other inbox categories, and you’ll have a clean Gmail inbox for a fresh start. 

How to Delete Emails on Gmail Automatically

If you want to make things more convenient, you can set up a filter that will allow you to delete old emails from your inbox automatically. 

1. Open your Gmail account on your browser. 
2. On your Gmail inbox, click on the Settings icon found on the top-right side of your screen. Next, select See all settings. 

3. On the Settings page, select Filters and Blocked Addresses. From this menu, select Create a new filter. 

4. On the pop-up box, type older_than:X on the “has the words” field. The X on this command should be the timeframe you prefer for deleting old messages. The command will d for days, w for weeks, m for months, and y for years. For example, if you want the time frame to be four years, you change the X to 4y. Then, select Create filter. 

5. A pop-up box will appear asking whether you want to create the filter. Select OK.

6. Next, check the box beside the option that says Delete it and Also apply filter to. Then, select Create filter.

This will automatically delete all your emails older than the date you specified. If you want to delete this filter in the future, follow the steps below: 

1. Open your Gmail account on your browser. 
2. On your Gmail inbox, click on the Settings icon found on the top-right side of your screen. Next, select See all settings. 

3. On the Settings page, select Filters and Blocked Addresses and select Delete.

4. A pop-up box will appear. Simply select OK, and Gmail will delete your filter. 

Maintain a Clean Inbox

Knowing how to delete all emails on Gmail will allow you to have a clutter-free inbox and ensure that you’ll receive all essential emails. Apart from that, you can now set up your inbox to automatically delete old emails, so you won’t have to remember to do it manually. 

Nobody likes pop-ups. At best, pop-ups are just annoying ads that advertisers use to get your attention. At their worst, they can trick you into clicking a harmful link that leaves your device infected with malware and viruses. 

However, trusted sites have crucial elements displayed in the form of pop-ups that you want to allow in your browser. Browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari often have built-in ad blockers that automatically disable pop-ups. If you ever need to enable legitimate pop-ups in your browser, you’ll have to learn how to do it manually. 

Why Enable Pop-ups in Your Browser?

Not all pop-up windows are invasive or harmful. 

If your browser’s settings block pop-ups from all websites, you might miss some good deals offered via pop-ups. For example, if you’re shopping online, e-commerce websites will often offer special discounts for their users in the form of pop-ups. 

Another example of a good pop-up window that you want displayed is chat support. Many websites use pop-up windows to provide their users with the means of contacting them without leaving the browser window. 

How to Temporarily Enable Pop-ups in Chrome

In Google Chrome, you can allow pop-ups either from one particular site or all sites altogether. 

How to Allow Pop-ups from a Specific Site

When Chrome blocks a pop-up window, you’ll see an icon with a red X displayed in the address bar. 

If it’s a trusted website and you want to allow the pop-up, select the red X icon in the address bar. You’ll see a menu with this site’s options. Select Always Allow Pop-ups and Redirects. To confirm, select Done. 

Google Chrome will then prompt you to refresh the page. After the page loads again, you’ll be able to see the pop-ups on the site. 

If you only want to see the pop-up contents this one time, select the icon with the red X from the address bar. Then select the blue link under Pop-ups blocked. Chrome will then redirect you to the originally blocked pop-up. 

How to Allow Pop-ups from All Sites

Remember that allowing pop-ups from all sites permanently isn’t recommended. However, if for some reason you need to enable pop-ups from all sites in Chrome, follow the steps below. 

1. Open Google Chrome Settings menu. 

2. Under Privacy and security, select Site Settings. 

3. Scroll down until you see Content. Under Content, select Pop-ups and redirects. 

4. At the top of the window, select to Allow pop-ups. 

Now the browser will display the pop-up windows on every site that has them.

How to Allow Pop-ups from a Selection of Sites

If you want to allow pop-ups from more than one site but not from all of them, you can whitelist them by adding them to a special list in Google Chrome settings. 

To find this list, follow the path described above Chrome Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Pop-ups and redirects. Next to the Allow to send pop-ups and use redirects, select Add. 

Enter the URL of the website and select Add. Repeat this process for every site that you want to see the pop-up windows from. 

How to Temporarily Enable Pop-ups in Firefox

Mozilla Firefox also comes with an effective built-in pop-up blocker that protects you from following malicious links but can also cause certain websites to lose a part of their functionality. 

You can tweak the browser’s settings to either allow pop-ups on specific websites or turn the pop-up blocker off altogether. 

How to Allow Pop-ups from a Specific Site

To enable pop-ups in Firefox from a specific site, follow the steps below.

1. Open Firefox Preferences. To do that, select the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window. 

2. Select Privacy & Security from the panel on the left. 
3. Scroll down until you see Permissions.

4. In the Permissions section, you’ll see the Block pop-up windows box checked by default. Select Exceptions next to it. 

5. Enter the URL of the website you want to whitelist and select Allow. 
6. Select Save Changes to confirm. 

Now you’ll see the pop-ups from the website that you added to the list. You can repeat this process to add more websites that you want to view the pop-ups form. 

How to Allow Pop-ups from All Sites

You can also choose to disable the pop-up blocker in Firefox, which will pop-ups from all websites. 

To do that, follow the path described above Firefox Preferences > Privacy & Security > Permissions. Then uncheck the Block pop-up windows box. 

Your changes will be saved automatically, and you’ll now see pop-up windows from all sites in Firefox. 

Should You Disable Pop-up Blocker in Your Browser Permanently? 

All major web browsers have a pop-up blocker enabled by default for a reason. Turning off the pop-up blocker isn’t recommended, as many sites use pop-ups for the wrong reasons. Some pop-up windows come from third-party sites that may trick you into sharing your personal information through entering fake contests or downloading malicious software for the alleged problems with your computer and software. 

If you end up enabling pop-ups in your browser, make sure you don’t follow any that seem suspicious or illegitimate. 

Do you have pop-ups enabled or disabled in your browser? What sites (if any) do you choose to allow the pop-ups on? Share your experience in the comments section below. 

Your credit score directly affects many facets of your financial well-being. However, did you know that there are free credit score check tools online that can help you monitor your credit score? 

This post will help you visualize your current financial health by listing the most popular platforms to check your credit score for free. It will also discuss what a credit score is and how several institutions rate your credit. 

What’s a Credit Score?

A credit score is usually a number 300 and 850 that creditors and other financial institutions use to determine the health of your finances. 

This score is calculated using different factors, such as:

• Payment history
• The credit cards you own
• Your credit inquiries
• Credit usage
• The length of your credit history

Your credit score may also be used by landlords, employers, and insurance companies to determine how they transact with you. 

The higher your credit score, the more likely these institutions will approve your loan, mortgage, and other monetary transactions. However, a lower score will make it less likely for your loans to be approved or have you pay more in interest. 

FICO vs. Non FICO Credit Score

A Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) score is what most lenders use to determine whether you’re a credit risk or not. The three major credit bureaus, namely Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, use FICO scores based on your credit history. 

In contrast, a non-FICO score doesn’t use the same calculations as the top lenders. As such, the two scores often don’t match and could even have a score difference of 100 or more in some cases. While that may be the case, knowing your credit score can still give you an idea of where your financial health stands. 

VantageScore is one of the most popular non-FICO scoring systems. Their recent VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 have adopted the same 300- 850 scale used by FICO. 

For reference, a good FICO score is anything above 670. Meanwhile, if you are using the non-FICO scale, a score of 700 and above is considered good credit.  

Best Platforms to Check Credit Score for Free

1. Credit Karma

Signing up for a free account on Credit Karma takes a few steps, including verifying your identity to see your information. 

Credit Karma shows you two scores. One is based on your Equifax report, and the other is based on your TransUnion report. The two scores are slightly different depending on how often each bureau updates your account. 

The best thing about Credit Karma is that they have a Credit Score Simulator. You can use this tool to get a preview of how your credit would change if you get a new loan, open new credit, or do other similar actions. 

2. Credit Sesame

Creating an account on this platform is very similar to Credit Karma. However, Credit Sesame only gives your TransUnion report. Despite this feature, their site still offers valuable information about your credit score. It also has useful features such as a debt analysis tool and credit monitoring. 

Credit Sesame has a debit account wherein they offer a bit of incentive when you increase your credit score. The platform also provides suggestions on how you can improve your credit score. 

Furthermore, Credit Sesame grades your past actions and tells you how they affected your score. One downside of Credit Sesame is that they update your credit score only every month, whereas some other platforms do it in a week. 

3. CreditWise

CreditWise by CapitalOne provides a VantageScore 3 by TransUnion. However, they don’t offer any rating from Equifax. The platform updates your credit score every seven days and has a credit simulator much like Credit Karma. 

The best thing about this service is that they don’t promote any pre-qualified credit cards or insurance rates. You also don’t need to have a CapitalOne credit card or bank account to use the platform. 

Moreover, CreditWise provides some helpful credit improvement suggestions, which are beneficial if you’ve just started a credit. The main downside of their service, though, is you only get a partial glimpse of your total credit profile based on the TransUnion report. 

4. Experian

Experian is one of the few apps that let you get access to your FICO score for free. They update your score monthly or whenever there’s a significant change to your credit score.

The app also has the Experian Boost feature, which allows you to gain good credit if you have good standing utility bills and on-time rent. Experian has excellent credit monitoring notifications similar to its main rivals. 

The main advantage of Experian is they provide more than just one FICO score. They cover different bank scores, auto scores, and more. You can file a dispute on negative items on your report using the app. However, Experian is known to over-promote its premium services to its users. 

5. Chase’s Credit Journey

This free credit tracking tool can be accessed using your Chase account. Credit Journey updates your credit score every week and has useful features to help you understand how your spending affects your overall score. 

The score is based on the VantageScore 3.0 model, which many insurance companies and banks use. Credit Journey’s most significant advantage is that it can pre-qualify for offers from Chase. Hence, you can get bigger rewards over time, but these are still subject to approval. 

Another advantage of this tool is its ability to store all financial data in just one place. However, much like Experian, the only main con with using this tool is receiving many credit offers from Chase.

6. Discover Scorecard

 Even if you don’t bank with Discover, you can still use this service to check your credit score. You just have to sign up for a free account and provide the necessary information to verify your identity. Once your account is approved, you can see your FICO score based on your Experian credit report will be available. 

The platform lets you see your total number of accounts, the length of your credit history, and the number of inquiries you currently have. It also shows your missed payments and revolving utilization.

Unlike other free FICO score websites, Discover doesn’t pressure you to sign up for paid products. 

7. Your Credit Card Issuer

The company that issued your credit card allows you to see your FICO credit score. If you want to check your credit score, you can log in to your online account or call the toll-free number that’s on the back of your credit card. 

Some credit card companies also show your credit score on the paper statement they send each month.

What’s Your Score? 

These are just a few ways to check credit scores for free or with a minimal fee. Other tools on the market offer the same service, albeit not as effective or neatly outlined as those on this list. 

If you want to keep your finances healthy, make sure to check your credit score before making huge financial decisions. 

Reddit is probably one of the best online sources of entertainment after YouTube. When you’re stuck at home, you can browse through interesting subreddits for what seems like forever. Need to kill some time, or simply feel bored at home or at the office? Here are the best 15 subreddits to binge when you have nothing to do.

The Best Educational Subreddits

We divided all of the subreddits on the list into categories. The following subreddits make for good reading material but also help you learn something new and educational. 

1. r/Today I Learned (TIL)

TIL is literally about learning something new every day. You’re bound to find something you didn’t know before while browsing this subreddit. It’s full of curious facts and random stories, like the fact that some species of ants pass the mirror test. Did you know that?

2. r/ Ask Reddit

Ask Reddit is considered to be a place for asking thought-provoking questions. However, it’s also a great subreddit to binge, since there are thousands of interesting questions there already answered. The most interesting threads discussing deep questions like whether it’d be possible for the whole planet to speak only one language get thousands of comments. 

3. r/DataIsBeautiful

Not into stories? If you’re someone who believes that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, you’ll enjoy the DataIsBeautiful subreddit. Once again, there’s plenty of interesting and random facts and information, only in the form of charts, graphs, and other representations of data. 

4. r/ You Should Know

You Should Know is a subreddit full of useful (and not so useful) information from all kinds of things, from Food & Drink to Technology, to Relationships, to even Finance. Every fact is accompanied by a user’s personal experience and findings, so you’ll definitely find something that you can relate to in this subreddit. 

The Best Subreddits to Binge for Laughs

Not in the mood for anything deep or provocative but rather just sit back and have a laugh? Try one of the following subreddits that we handpicked specifically for their light-hearted nature. 

5. r/WTF Stock Photos

WTF Stock Photos is a subreddit for sharing funny and bizarre stock photos that you come across on websites like Shutterstock or Unsplash. Make sure to look at the comments section as well. 

6. r/Who Would Win?

Just a fun subreddit where you can find out how one fictional character would do if they had to face another one. There’s even a debate on which anime characters could run for President if they had to be voted in by the Avengers and the Justice League. 

7. r/Shittyfoodporn

We’ve all been there. You find a cute-looking dish on Instagram or Pinterest, follow the recipe and the result is…well, underwhelming to say the least. Do you have any pictures of your creepy-looking culinary masterpieces? You can post them on this subreddit to get some feedback and support (if you need that), or simply browse through the pics that other users post. 

8. r/First World Problems

First World Problems is the perfect subreddit for when you’re having a bad day and feel like whining a little. You get to read through some ridiculous complaints that other people make. Quoting: “Lost the remote, now begins the arduous trek to the TV to switch it manually”. And of course, you can write down your own complaints about how unfair this world has been to you to let off some steam.

The Best Subreddits to Share with Your Friends

What’s the point of having fun if it can’t be shared? The following are the perfect subreddits to send to your friend or a colleague to make their day a little better. 

9. r/Blowit: Blow a mind in one sentence

This subreddit is pretty self-explanatory. Here you’ll find a million and one examples of a one-sentence message that will blow your friend’s mind. Know some incredible facts yourself? Share them in this subreddit to spread the love.

10. r/Change My View (CMV)

Is your friend being stubborn about something that you know he’s wrong about? To avoid confrontation, send him a link from this subreddit. If he understands hints, this will solve your problem. If not, Change My View still makes for an entertaining read. 

11. r/Memes the original since 2008

Who doesn’t like memes? If you and your friends have run out of memes to share, instead of creating new ones yourself you can use this subreddit for a fresh selection of memes. 

12. r/Oddly Satisfying

Oddly Satisfying is centered around pictures and videos rather than text. This subreddit is full of content that is “oddly satisfying”. It’s all about the things that you don’t expect to make you feel this way and be pleasant to look at. Expect everything from a skateboarder completing a perfect trick to a Nokia 3310 phone being destroyed in various ways. 

The Best Subreddits for Practical Advice

Do you feel like you need some life advice? It’s always useful to learn new life hacks. You might read about something you didn’t know you needed. 

13. r/Explain Like I’m Five/Don’t Panic!

If you feel like your life’s become too complicated lately, Explain Like I’m Five is a great subreddit to visit and make things slow down a little. This subreddit is all about replacing long scientific explanations with short and sweet answers. If you want to know how complex things work but don’t want to overload your brain – this is the perfect place to spend some of your free time online. 

14. r/Life Pro Tips

Life Pro Tips is a subreddit where you’ll find life hacks and tips you didn’t know you needed in your life. Some of the advice shared here might seem a little banal, like “Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from”. Still, though, the things you’ll learn here are bound to improve your life in one way or another. 

15. r/That Happened

This subreddit also goes by the name Totally true stories that definitely 100% happened, I swear you guys. Some of the stories shared there are actually real. However, they’re all so out of the ordinary, you’ll have a hard time believing anything you find on this subreddit is true. Send a link to it to your friend or a colleague and try to guess which stories are true and which aren’t together. 

Find Even More Fun Subreddits to Kill the Boredom

It’s possible that nothing on this list caught your eye and you’re looking for something completely different on Reddit. Check out our guide with 50 more fun subreddits broken down by interest. You’re bound to find something you like there.

What are some of your favorite subreddits for killing time when you’re bored? Share your Reddit recommendations with us in the comments section below. 

Personal Capital is a website and app (Android, Apple) that offers financial management tools and wealth management services. While we’ve never paid for investment advice from Personal Capital, we’ve been using their free tools for several years. 

You don’t have to be a fat cat to benefit from Personal Capital’s free tools. In fact, getting a handle on your personal finances is the first step in the journey to financial independence. 

You already know we’re big fans of You Need a Budget because it’s a great tool for budgeting the money you already have. However, when it comes to planning for the long-term future, we use Personal Capital.

Tools You Get With Personal Capital

After you’ve created a free Personal Capital account and added all your financial accounts, you’ll see a dashboard displaying a quick overview of your finances. 

Additionally, you’ll have access to the Banking, Investment, Planning, and Wealth Management areas of the website.

The Personal Capital Dashboard

Each section of the Personal Capital dashboard contains a quick overview and a link to get more detail.

Net Worth

Personal Capital tracks your net worth across all your accounts, assets, and liabilities. Select the Net Worth link on the dashboard to view a more detailed graph. You can specify a time period and include or exclude particular accounts.

Below the chart, you’ll see a list of transactions included in the net worth calculation. Drill down by selecting a category like Cash, Investment, Credit, Loan, or Mortgage.

Budgeting

Personal Capital’s budgeting tool pales in comparison to YNAB. You can see where your money is going, but you cannot create goals. We recommend ignoring this area and sticking with YNAB for budgeting.

Cash Flow

The dashboard’s Cash Flow widget shows you how much has gone in and come out of your accounts over the past 30 days.

Selecting the Cash Flow link will take you to a more detailed graph. It defaults to including data from all your accounts except:

• Loan or Mortgage accounts
• Transactions categorized as transfers
• Credit card payments
• 401k contributions 
• Savings
• Securities trades

You can also select Income or Expense to view graphs organized by category and time period. 

Once again, YNAB offers similar reports, especially if you have the Toolkit for YNAB browser extension. If you do want to use Personal Capital to track this information, you’ll need to classify your transactions so they show up in the right categories.

Portfolio Balance

The Portfolio Balance dashboard widget shows you the balance in your investment accounts over the last 90 days. More on this below.

Market Movers

This dashboard widget displays a daily snapshot of your investments (called the “You Index”) vs. the S&P 500, US stock, foreign stock, and US bond markets.

Retirement Savings

The Retirement Savings widget tells you how much you’ll need to save each month for the rest of the calendar year to meet your retirement saving goals.

More on retirement savings below.

Emergency Fund

According to Personal Capital, your emergency fund is the total amount you have in your listed bank accounts, which is not as useful as having a budget category dedicated to your emergency fund. Again, we recommend using YNAB for tracking your emergency fund.

Debt Paydown

The Debt Paydown widget shows progress on paying your loans during the current year.

Select the Debt Paydown link to view a list of transactions included in the graph.

Banking Tools

The Banking menu has links to Cash Flow, Budgeting, Bills, and Open an Account. We’ve described Cash Flow and Budgeting above. The Bills page displays any upcoming bills from your linked accounts. 

Open an Account opens a page where you can sign up for Personal Capital Cash, a program that purports to give you higher interest rates than traditional banking products.

Investing Tools

Personal Capital’s investing tools are where it shines. 

Holdings

Similar to the Market Movers section, Holdings displays your investments compared to other indices like the S&P 500. 

Below the Holding chart, you’ll find a list of your holdings labeled by ticker symbol and info on the number of shares you own, the share price, one-day change, and total value. 

Balances

As you would expect, Balances displays the balances of each of your investment accounts over the time period you select.

Performance

Performance shows you how each of your accounts is performing in each asset class.

Below the chart is a list of your accounts and information on each account’s cash flow, income, expense, change over time, and balance.

Allocation

Allocation displays how your investments are allocated across asset classes.

You can drill down into each asset class for more info on what kinds of investments you have in that class. 

This is particularly useful if you’re invested in index funds and want to see how the fund is invested.

US Sectors

This section displays a bar graph identifying the US sectors you’re invested in, like technology, industrials, and healthcare. 

If you have a 401K or another investment account that doesn’t have a stock ticker, you can manually specify which sectors that account is invested in.

Planning Tools

Personal Capital’s planning tools are among its best features—particularly the retirement planner.

Retirement Planner

First, you tell the Retirement Planner when you want to retire. Then add any income events you anticipate (like a pension, Social Security, or sale of a property) and your spending goals during retirement. It will use a Monte Carlo simulation to predict your chances of success.

You can create multiple scenarios with different assumptions. What if you want to retire early? What effect will having a part-time job for a few years have on your retirement? This tool will help you imagine a variety of futures.

Savings Planner

The Savings Planner tells you if you’re on track to meet your savings goals. It breaks down your savings into taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free categories.

You’ll also see a list of all your investment accounts and each account’s type, amount saved last year, amount saved this year, and the account’s balance.

Retirement Fee Analyzer

The Retirement Fee Analyzer displays information about the fees associated with your investments to the extent that Personal Capital has access to that information. At the very least, it’s an easy way to view the expense ratio for each of your funds.

Investment Checkup & Wealth Management

Lastly, the Investment Checkup and Wealth Management sections are essentially just advertising for Personal Capital’s financial advisor services. You can schedule a “complimentary” call with an advisor, but watch out—once they’ve identified you as a potential paying customer, Personal Capital will pursue you relentlessly. For most users, it’s wiser to stick to the free tools and manage your money yourself.

Marketing emails can sometimes be bland. So, how do you improve an email other than well-written content? Try adding a GIF. 

You can easily add GIFs even without any coding experience. This post will teach you to add a GIF to your emails and properly integrate it with your marketing campaign. 

Static Image vs. GIF

Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) is a digital image format that has been around since 1987 when Compuserve developed it. It is similar to a flipbook where a single image is encoded with multiple frames.   

Unlike static images or pictures, a GIF has a short animation that lasts for a few seconds and is often looped. Some of the most effective GIFs only have certain parts with motions, and the whole image needn’t be animated. 

The 2020 State of Email by Litmus study found that about 51 percent of marketers use GIFs in some of their emails. 

The Dell XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook is one of the notable successes of using GIFs in emails. The 2012 email sent by David Sierk, Dell’s email strategist, contained a GIF that showcases how the ultrabook transitions from a laptop to a tablet. 

Dell saw an increase of 103% increase in conversion, which doubled the ultrabooks’ revenue.

A study by the Nielsen Norman Group found that people have a more positive reaction to emails not using animated GIFs. While it would be best to use GIFs sparingly and only for specific purposes, a well-executed and perfectly placed GIF can turn your email readers into paying customers.  

4 Reasons Why GIFs in Emails Work Like Magic

Most email clients support the GIF file format, except for Outlook 2007 to 2016 desktop. You can also view them from desktop and mobile email clients on the app or directly from the client’s website. 

1. GIFs Grabs the Reader’s Attention

Adding GIFs to your email can help grab the customer’s attention. In doing so, you can make them act towards your Call to Action (CTA). 

2. It can Simplify Complex Ideas.

GIFs can illustrate complex processes or instructions without too much wordiness in the email. 

3. GIFs can Help Demonstrate Products and Services.

GIFs can help introduce innovative products that people might be unfamiliar with and showcase their unique features in seconds. 

4. It can Make Your Readers Excited about Your New Content. 

GIFs are great for previewing things to come, such as an upcoming show or product. Because you aren’t limited to one static image, it can make your audience curious using multiple teasers in just one animation. 

7 Things to Remember When Adding a GIF to an Email

1. Use an Email Client that Supports GIFs. When sending an email, make sure that the recipients use email services that support GIFs. Fortunately, almost all email clients can send and receive emails with GIFs, except for Outlook 2007 to 2016.

2. Don’t Use an Unprofessional GIF. Always ask yourself if a GIF is appropriate for your audience before using it. Make sure the GIF looks professional.

3. Match your GIFs with a CTA. One of the best uses of GIFs, aside from demonstrating your product or service, is to guide the reader to a CTA. Your GIF must contain a message of what they should do after reading the email, whether it’s following a link or viewing your offer. 

4. Don’t Add a GIF without a Purpose or Context. A GIF must contribute to your content’s overall purpose, whether it’s to inform or entertain. If it doesn’t, it may drive customers away rather than luring them in. Again, it’s best to conduct thorough research about your target audience.

5. Create Custom GIFs Instead of Using What’s Available Online. It can be tempting to use popular GIFs because of their attention-grabbing power. However, it’s best to create a custom GIF that reflects your marketing message. 

6. Don’t Add a Slow Loading GIF. Make sure a GIF loads quickly and animates smoothly before you upload it. If any frames appear to be freezing, examine the GIF file size and, if possible, reduce it. The GIF file should be no larger than 2.5 MB so that it quickly loads on the reader’s screen and animates seamlessly.

7. Animate Just One Part of the GIF. Some readers find GIFs distracting. If you don’t want to disturb your customers while they digest the gist of the email, try animating only a part of the GIF. This way, they can still focus on the message of the email while appreciating the GIFs animation. 

How to Insert GIFs in Emails

Inserting GIFs in your email is pretty straightforward. First, you will need a short animated video to create or download through websites like Giphy. 

When adding a GIF, note the following to ensure you add it correctly to an email. 

Adding a GIF in Gmail

1. Select a part of the email where the GIF is most suited. 
2. Click Insert Photo (not Attachment). 

3. Choose the GIF file from your computer or Google+ album and hit Upload. 

4. You can also modify the placement of your GIF into the email’s body using the Align button.  

Adding a GIF in Outlook

1. Click on the email section where you want to place the GIF.
2. Select Insert Pictures Inline.

3. Select a GIF from your computer. 
4. Click the Insert button at the bottom of the Email page. 

Adding a GIF in Yahoo Mail

1. Create an email by selecting the Compose button. 
2. Click the part where you want to embed the GIF. 
3. Select the GIF icon at the bottom toolbar. Choose a GIF from the collection of popular GIFs to insert in your email. 

4. To change the size of the GIF, hover your mouse on the picture.
5. Click the three-dot icon on the upper right corner of the GIF and select Small or Large. 

Embedding a GIF in Email

You can also embed a GIF into an email by following the steps below. For this method, you need the link or the source of the GIF. 

1. In the body of the email, paste this code: 

<img src=”https://online-tech-tips.com/bestpic.gif” width=”200″ height=”300″ alt=”OTTGIF” border=”0″>

2. Change the value enclosed in quotation marks. For the img src, change it with the link of the GIF you want to add. 
3. You can change the values of width and height per your preference. 
4. You can also change alt as the alternative text of the GIF, and if you want the GIF to have a border change its value to 1. 

Best Softwares for Creating a GIF

Creating a GIF is relatively easy if you have animation software such as Adobe Animation and Photoshop CS6. However, if you don’t own a PC or a device that can run these programs, you can try the following alternatives:

• Wondershare Filmora
• Gifted Motion
• Photoscape
• GIFPal
• Picasion
• MakeaGIF
• Gimp

What do you think about inserting GIFs into emails? Comment your thoughts below. 

AnyCubic recently sent us their gorgeous Photon Mono X 3D printer and Wash and Cure station to try out. This was our first, ahem, exposure to 3D printing with resin, although we* have plenty of experience with filament/FDM 3D printers. Rest assured, this review is independent and was not shared with AnyCubic in advance of publication. 

We spent a few weeks using AnyCubic’s Photon Mono X, and, overall, we found it to be an excellent product with a few notable downsides, mostly related to the challenges inherent to printing with resin and not the printer itself.

The Upshot: This Printer Is Amazing

It’s big. It’s beautiful. It’s an MSLA printer. What does that mean? MSLA stands for masked stereolithography. As we noted in our article about how 3D printing works, “MSLA printers use lasers to cure a liquid resin into a solid plastic material. Usually, the object is ‘pulled’ from a vat of resin, forming layer by layer as it rises from the material.” 

In other words, it’s magic.

The Caveat: You’ve Got Some Learning (and Cleaning) to Do

It’s going to take some time to get to the point where you’re proficient with the Photon Mono X or any resin printer. Once you know what you’re doing, using this printer is straightforward, but getting there can be frustrating. 

We’ve been assured by experts that this experience is universal. It is a rite of passage, similar to getting the first layer to come out right on an FDM printer. The only difference is that if your first layer fails to adhere to the build plate on a resin printer, there’s a lot of messy clean-up involved. 

That’s because any time a print fails on a resin printer, you have to clean everything. Since the resin is a toxic material, that means you’ll go through a lot of gloves, masks, paper towels, Windex, and alcohol. (Note: We used Everclear since it’s cheaper than isopropyl, although we’re not sure the cashier at the liquor store believed us.) However, as you improve, there’s less and less clean-up involved.

Resin vs. Filament: What’s the Difference?

A resin printer allows you to print objects with incredibly fine details. If you’re coming from the filament world, the resolution will amaze you. However good you think it will be, it’ll probably be better. 

Build Volume & Printing Speed

The Photon Mono X has a larger build volume than virtually any other consumer-level MSLA printer on the market today. Moreover, printing time is entirely dependent on the exposure time and the number of layers, not on how much material is cured per layer. 

You can cram as much as you want onto the build plate, and it won’t affect your print time. 

Product Quality & Safety

The Z-axis rails on the Photon Mono X are no joke. They’re superior to the linear rails on any printer we’ve seen. Linear rails keep your print from wiggling while printing, and there’s no noticeable play on the Photon Mono X. The Z screw is beefy with no visible wobble. 

Additionally, the touchscreen is responsive and easy to read, and the menus are intuitive. The overall look is clean and sleek.

The optional safety features are more than adequate to protect your eyes from UV light and protect the resin from sunlight. In fact, we left the resin in the printer for three days next to a window, and none of the resin cured from the sunlight. 

Washing & Curing Your Print

AnyCubic’s wash and cure station perfectly complement the resin printer. They look great together. The wash station has a built-in magnetic stirrer that agitates the cleaning solution, allowing you to clean your print in less than five minutes. It’s almost effortless. 

After printing, you can remove the print from the bed or you can put the bed itself into the wash station, alleviating some of the need for cleaning we mentioned above. 

Note: You do need a LOT of cleaning fluid, whether that’s alcohol or the cleaning solution of your choice. The cleaning solution goes into a large plastic container with a snap-on top. 

To wash, you set the wash timer, hit Go, and you’re done. Be careful handling the uncured print. It will be soft and not fully cured, so it’s easy to deform the print if you’re not careful.

To cure the print, you place it on a carousel that comes with the Wash & Cure station. Optionally, you can adjust the angle of the topmost LEDs to direct light towards the print. 

It’s just as easy to cure as it is to wash. Set the timer, press the Start button, and a few minutes later, your print is cured. Enjoy the weird, eerie glow of the print as it’s curing.

AnyCubic’s PhotonWorkshop

AnyCubic’s slicing software doesn’t feel as polished as Cura or Slic3r, but it does have lots of interesting functionality that, admittedly, we haven’t fully explored. You can add manual or automatic supports, rafts, and drainage holes. 

PhotonWorkshop is a little clumsy to navigate and learning how to place supports correctly takes some trial and error. If you don’t adequately support your print, it will fail and then you’ll have to clean the resin vat before your next attempt, so it’s crucial that you learn how supports work. 

Transferring files to the Mono X is a snap. Upload a file to a USB drive, and stick it in the printer. Bam. As it prints, you’ll see images on the LCD screen of each layer as it’s being exposed. It’s pretty fun to watch. And, AnyCubic has a phone app you can use to monitor your prints and start them remotely. 

Maintaining the Photon Mono X

Regarding maintenance, we wish the resin vat’s pour spout were better designed. Resin doesn’t pour out cleanly, making clean-up more difficult. Moreover, when printing, the resin covers the top of the build plate, not just the bottom, so when it’s time to clean up, you have to clean the resin off of both sides. That’s unfortunate, but we’re uncertain how it could be avoided. 

Another complaint: it’s hard to remove the build plate without dripping resin on the machine. You have to do a dance when you remove the build plate. It’s difficult to keep it over the vat so the resin doesn’t drip everywhere. Once you’re consistently getting good prints, this won’t be as much of an issue.

At some point you’ll have to pour the resin back into the container it came in, and you’ll have to clean off the build plate. That process is not as convenient as it could be. Ideally, you’d only have to clean off the bottom and the sides of the build plate. As it is, there are a lot of nooks and crannies that fill with resin, and they all need to be cleaned. It’s kind of like drying tupperware off when it comes out of the dishwasher. 

We suspect this is a design tradeoff to maximize the print area while allowing for enough resin for a large print. Furthermore, the printer doesn’t include any funnels or filters, both of which you’ll want to have.

We also tried changing the FEP sheet. The FEP sheet is the film at the bottom of the resin vat. If it gets dirty, scratched, or punctured, it needs to be replaced. As complete beginners to resin printing, we found installing a new FEP sheet to be pretty straightforward. There are a ton of screws to tighten, but following the directions was simple. It was like changing and tuning a snare drum head, and the sound was similar, too!

Final Recommendation

If you’re someone who wants things to just work out of the box with little effort, then perhaps resin printing isn’t for you. That’s not a criticism of the Photon Mono X.

If, on the other hand, you’re someone who will put in the required time to really learn the ins and outs of new technology, then, yes, we absolutely recommend AnyCubic’s Photon Mono X 3D printer. You’re going to love it (eventually). It can print things that would be impossible to print on a filament printer. Plus, it just looks amazing. 

* Special thanks to FormerLurker for help in reviewing AnyCubic’s Photon Mono X 3D printer.

Taking those first steps towards veganism may feel daunting, but there are tons of resources available that can help you make the switch and stick to it. Whether you need help identifying vegan products, making meal plans, or getting some extra motivation, there are some great smartphone apps you can download now to make these things easier. 

The apps listed below were created by like-minded vegan individuals wanting to help those who are new or even long-term vegans continue to make a positive impact. So no matter where you are on this journey, these are some useful apps to try for yourself.

1. Vegan Pocket

Not sure if that box of crackers is vegan? Sometimes figuring this out is tricky, especially when labels can be misleading. You can skip right through all the questioning by using the Vegan Pocket app, which allows you to scan any product and have it tell you whether or not it’s vegan. 

Press the Scan button, and you’ll be able to allow access to your phone’s camera, where you can then scan the product’s barcode directly within the app. You’ll get an answer almost instantly, saving you the time to look up products or ingredients yourself and make your shopping trips effortless. 

Download for iOS

2. ForksMealPlanner

Need help planning some weekly meals? If you’re short on time and want to take the guesswork out of vegan meal planning, the free ForksMealPlanner app is a fantastic help. Created by the folks from Forks Over Knives, the app provides tons of free recipe ideas, a daily meal planner, a shopping list, a weekend prep guide, and more. 

If you want to, you can also upgrade the app to get access to everything it offers, such as alternate meal plans and over a thousand recipes. However, the free version itself provides plenty of help, making it easy to plan meals. 

Download for iOS
Download for Android

3. Garden Plate

This app is a great, easy way to find vegan recipes, with many of them available for free. Once you find some recipes you like, you can save them and add their ingredients to a shopping list within the app. 

You can find recipes for dinner, lunch, dessert, and even recipes for more specific diets such as gluten-free or raw vegan foods. You can also search for particular foods. All in all, this app has tons of great recipes to give you some meal inspiration and help you make great vegan food.

Download for iOS

4. Oh She Glows

The minute I opened this app, my mouth started to water. Need even more vegan recipe ideas? This app is a great resource, with a beautiful layout and amazing pictures of food that’ll get you excited to start cooking. 

You can filter recipes to find ones perfect for your diet, and you can favorite the ones you like the most to find them again easily. All the recipes listed on the app are free, but you can also buy bundles of recipes, usually for very cheap or by completing an action such as sharing the app. Oh She Glows is one of the best vegan recipe apps, as you’ll find out once you try it.

Download for iOS
Download for Android

5. abillion

abillion allows you to write reviews for vegan food products or restaurants and then gives you $1 to donate to a vegan-related cause of your choice. If you want to stay motivated and help create more change globally, this app is a must-try. 

The app has many social media aspects where you can see what other people have reviewed, find food in your area, and discover new products to try. It’s a great way to find support and further your vegan lifestyle. Out of all the apps in this list, abillion may be my favorite, simply because it allows you to make some tangible change just by eating good food!

Download for iOS
Download for Android

6. DailyDozen

If you’re finding that you’re having a hard time tracking nutrition information while going vegan, this app inspired by doctor Michael Gregor’s work can help immensely. Instead of monitoring macronutrients, all you need to do is track how much of each type of food you’re eating per day, such as beans, fruits, greens, etc.

The app also lists how much is considered one serving and the different types of these foods that count. Getting your nutrition in this way is much less daunting and shows just how easy it is to eat well as a vegan. 

Download for iOS
Download for Android

Go Vegan With These Apps

Once you start using the apps above, you’ll likely find yourself excited to begin your new mode of eating. Or, if you already are a vegan, these apps can help you learn even more and improve your diet. 

In addition to enjoying the built-in streaming options on your Roku, you can stream various media files from your Apple device to your Roku with Apple’s AirPlay technology.

If your Roku device is compatible with AirPlay, you can stream music, photos, and videos from your iPhone, iPad, and Mac over to your Roku-enabled screen. To do this, you’ll need to first set up AirPlay on your Roku.

Step 1: Check the Device Compatibility With AirPlay

To stream media from your Apple devices to your Roku, both your Roku and your Apple device must support AirPlay 2.

To check if your Roku supports Apple’s AirPlay technology, first find your Roku’s model number and software version as follows:

1. Go to Settings > System > About on your Roku.
2. Note the Model and the Software version on the About screen.

Now match your Roku’s model number with the following AirPlay-supported devices. Additionally, if your Roku model is one of the following, the model must be running Roku OS 9.4 or later.

• Roku TV: Axxxx, Cxxxx, CxxGB, 7xxxx
• Roku Streambar: 9102
• Roku Streambar Pro: 9101R2
• Roku Premiere: 4630, 4620, 3920
• Roku Premiere+: 3921, 4630
• Roku Streaming Stick+: 3811, 3810
• Roku Smart Soundbar: 9100, 9101
• Roku Express 4K: 3940
• Roku Express 4K+: 3941
• Roku Ultra: 4600, 4640, 4660, 4661, 4670, 4800
• Roku Ultra LT: 4662

If your Roku model is in the following list, your model supports AirPlay, but it must be running Roku OS 10.0 or later.

• Roku TV: Dxxxx, 8xxxx
• Roku Streaming Stick: 3600, 3800, 3801
• Roku Express: 3900, 3930, 3801
• Roku Express+: 3910, 3931
• Roku HD: 3932
• Roku 2: 4205, 4210
• Roku 3: 4200, 4201, 4230

To use AirPlay on your Apple devices, your iPhone and iPad must be running iOS 11.4 or later. On your Mac, you must be using macOS Mojave 10.14.5 or later.

Additionally, both your Roku device and your Apple device should be on the same Wi-Fi network. If they are on separate networks, AirPlay won’t work.

Step 2: Enable AirPlay on Roku

Your Roku device has a dedicated AirPlay settings menu, where you have to turn on the AirPlay option before you can use the feature.

1. Select Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit on your Roku’s main interface.
2. Turn on the AirPlay option on the AirPlay and HomeKit Settings screen.

Step 3: Use AirPlay on Your Roku Device

With AirPlay now enabled on your Roku, you’re ready to start streaming content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your Roku.

When it comes to streaming content, you have two options. You can stream an audio, video, or photo file from your Apple device to your Roku, or you can mirror the entire screen of your Apple device to your Roku.

We’ll show you how to use both options.

Stream Content From an Apple Device to Roku

You can stream various media files, including music, photos, and videos, from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your Roku with AirPlay using both built-in apps as well as third-party apps that support AirPlay.

Stream Media From an iPhone/iPad to Roku

As an example, we’ll stream a music track from Spotify on an iPhone to Roku:

1. Launch the Spotify app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Find the song you’d like to stream to your Roku and play that song.
3. Tap the Listening on icon at the bottom of the Now Playing screen.

4. Select AirPlay or Bluetooth on the Listening on screen.

5. Select your Roku device from the list of devices.

6. You’ll see an AirPlay Passcode on your Roku-connected screen. Enter this passcode on your Apple device and tap OK.

7. Your music should start playing on your Roku.

Stream Media From a Mac to Roku

You can stream media files from your Mac to your Roku. For example, to stream a YouTube video from Safari on a Mac to Roku:

1. Launch Safari on your Mac and access any YouTube video.
2. Select the AirPlay icon at the bottom of the video and choose your Roku device from the list.

3. You’ll see an AirPlay Passcode on your Roku. Enter this code in the prompt on your Mac and select OK.

4. Your video should play on your Roku device.

Mirror an Apple Device’s Screen to Roku

Watching your iPhone, iPad, or Mac’s contents on your Roku by mirroring your device’s screen works pretty much the same way as streaming the media content.

Mirror an iPhone or iPad’s Screen to Roku

Your iPhone and iPad come with a built-in mirroring feature, so you don’t have to install a third-party app to mirror your screen.

1. Open Control Center on your iPhone or iPad. On recent devices, you can do this by swiping down from the top-right corner. On older devices, swipe up from the bottom.
2. Tap Screen Mirroring.

3. Select your Roku device from the list of devices.

4. An AirPlay Passcode should appear on your Roku. Enter this code on your iPhone or iPad and tap OK.

5. You’ll see your Apple device’s screen on your Roku.
6. To stop mirroring your iPhone or iPad’s screen, tap Stop Mirroring on your device.

Mirror a Mac’s Screen to Roku

Mac also has a built-in mirroring feature, so you don’t need a third-party app.

1. Select the Control Center icon in your Mac’s menu bar and choose Screen Mirroring.

2. Select your Roku device in the list.

3. Note the passcode from your Roku and enter it in the prompt on your Mac.  Select OK.

4. Your Roku will display your entire Mac screen.
5. To stop mirroring your Mac’s screen, select the mirroring icon in your Mac’s menu bar and choose your Roku device.

And that’s how you enjoy your Apple device’s content on the large screen of your Roku.

Social and political activists can use numerous tools, including starting an online petition to have governments and institutions listen to their voices. However, not everyone knows how to create an online petition. 

For this reason, we have gathered a list of the best websites where you can create or support a petition, especially for issues that affect you and your community. This post will also discuss starting an online petition that will get more people involved in your cause.   

Best Online Petition Websites

1. Change.org

This website is instrumental in raising awareness about important political and social causes through petitions. In recent years, Change.org has evolved into a social enterprise where people can take more activities such as partnering with leading nonprofits. 

Aside from signing petitions and posting comments, you can also donate to some of their fundraising pages. Basic membership is free. However, if you want to unlock customized pages and other exclusive features, you must pay a $20 a month fee. 

2. Thepetitionsite.com

Care2, a social networking website, also has its online petition site that utilizes a simple online form letter where you can sign and send it off in a breeze. The platform helps connect activists from all corners of the world to make an impact. 

Creating a petition on the platform is also relatively easy, and you can even customize how your petition page would look like. Viewers can also view the petition statement next to the form. Most members often participate in petitions that appeal to them. 

3. iPetitions

This free online petition platform offers tools and even physical space where you can host your petition and gather signatures. You can also build a community that cares about the most prevalent issues of today. 

You can do many things around the platform, such as a blog about your petition, creating questionnaires, designing your petition form, and even tracking your petition’s data in real-time. Most of iPetition’s operational costs are covered by donations and advertising, allowing users to use their platform without spending a single dime. 

4. Causes

Causes is a platform meant to gather people who want to change the world for the better. You can make meaningful connections and interact with like-minded people. The website can also help your cause known to your congressman or district representative. 

Causes enable fundraisers to seek money from their contacts and recruit volunteers to help with a cause. People using the site to interact can also fund fundraising by sharing Cause profiles on their Facebook pages.

5. Civist 

This platform allows users to create online petitions using WordPress. To start a petition, you must first install a WordPress plugin. Then, register with Civist, start a petition and publish it so supporters can rally around your call. 

Furthermore, Civist also helps you find more potential supporters by saving your contacts into your mailing list manager. You can even export their information to a CSV file so you can further process them. The website can also help you raise funds and build a strong network of supporters. 

6. GoPetition 

GoPetition is one of the leaders in hosting international petitions and has millions of members spread across over a hundred countries. The website has no political affiliations and allows free speech from different political and social perspectives. 

Creating a petition is relatively straightforward and follows almost the same steps as the ones previously mentioned. GoPetition also has tools to help you improve your campaign. Users can also easily find causes that resonate with their interests. 

7. SumOfUs

This global non-profit organization mainly focuses on advocacies that hold corporations accountable for workers’ rights, climate change, corruption, and more. SumOfUs’ core mission is to use rapid-response campaigns to promote corporate accountability.

Starting an account and joining a cause is also reasonably straightforward. Moreover, the website is open about where the funds come from and how they usually spend their donations. The website is also available in four other significant languages aside from English.  

How to Start an Online Petition

1. Go to one of the websites listed above and create an account.  
2. Once your account is active, click on the Start a Petition button or any similar section on the website of your choice. 
3. Choose which category your petition is about, such as Environment, Human Rights, Health, Animals, Politics, Local, etc. 
4. Next, write your petition title. Make sure that it encapsulates what you want to achieve. Select Continue to move to the next stage. 

5. Then, select the recipient of your petition. It doesn’t need to be just your government. You can also address it to a group of people, a community, or organizations involved in the issue. Select Continue. 
6. Next, explain the problem that you think needs to be solved. Explain who is affected by the situation, why everyone should be concerned, and what actions the people or group involved could take to solve it. You can also include the positive effect or advantages should this issue or problem be resolved. Click  Continue once you are finished typing. 
7. Then, upload a video or photo which you think is relevant to the petition. Click Save and Preview once the page after the file has been uploaded.
8. After reviewing your petition and making sure everything is in place, click Publish.   

Once you publish your petition, it will be live on the website. You can then share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites so people can view and sign your petition. 

You can also click on Copy Link to post it on different online platforms like blog pages or chat rooms. 

Sign Up to Take Action 

The right to petition is often included in the constitution of most democracies in the world. There are countless examples where a petition backed by the people has changed how the government and some organizations do things.  

Aside from online petition websites, you can air your grievances and file petitions directly to petition sections of your government. The White House, for example, has its petition site, the same thing with the European Parliament. 

Let us know what you think about creating and signing an online petition by writing your comments below. 

Reddit is a great community and a website where you can find practically anything: from recent news to real-life stories and advice to absolutely useless content. The latter might be fun for a short while, but soon after you might want to block specific subreddits and stop receiving notifications from them. 

If you’ve decided to tidy up your Reddit, find out how to block subreddits from your r/all List on both old and new versions of the site. 

How to Block Subreddits Using the Old Reddit

After the site’s makeover in 2018, Reddit users were split into two categories: those who enjoy the new redesigned site and those who prefer the Old Reddit. 

If you’re one of those people who think that Old Reddit did it better and prefer to keep using the old version of the site, the process of blocking subreddits is a lot easier. To filter out the subreddits that you don’t want showing up in your r/all list anymore, follow the steps below.

1. Open the Old Reddit website and log into your account.
2. Go to your r/all page to see all of the most popular posts on Reddit. 

3. On the right side of the screen, just below the search bar, find the filtering menu. Enter the names of the subreddits that you don’t want to be displayed in your r/all list and select the plus icon to confirm.

You can now see the names of the blocked subreddits in the list on the right side of your screen. That means that all the content from them is now filtered out from your r/all page. 

How to Block Subreddits From Your r/all List

If you’re new to Reddit or prefer using the new version of Reddit, you probably noticed that blocking subreddits from your r/all list isn’t that easy. Even if you log into your account on the Old Reddit site and block certain subreddits, the new Reddit will still display them in your r/all list. 

So what can you do if you want to get rid of content upvoted by other Redditors? To remove a particular subreddit from the r/all feed, you need to spam vote it. However, this will require thousands of spam votes before the subreddit will be removed. 

The two alternative options are upgrading your account to Reddit Premium or using a third-party tool. 

Block Subreddits with Reddit Premium

If you prefer only using the native Reddit apps and site, the best method to get rid of unwanted content for you is to upgrade to Reddit Premium. Even though this option is a little pricey (starting at $5.99 per month), the premium membership gives you plenty of benefits. 

To upgrade your Reddit membership to premium, follow the steps below.

1. Open Reddit and log into your account.
2. In the upper-right corner of the screen, select the down-arrow next to your username. 
3. Select Premium.

4. Select the right plan for you: $49.99 per year or $5.99 per month and proceed to the payment options. The steps are the same for both browser and mobile versions of the app.

Aside from the ability to filter your r/all feed, it allows you to start using Reddit Gold – a special Reddit currency that enables you to interact with other users’ content. You also get ad-free browsing and other perks that true Redditors will value. Once you’ve joined Premium, the blocking process is pretty much the same as in the old version of Reddit, only with updated features. 

Use Reddit Enhancement Suite to Block Subreddits from Your r/all Feed

​​If you’re not ready to pay for the premium subscription, you can install a third-party application that will enable you to get control over what’s shown in your r/all feed. 

One of the best third-party tools for Reddit is a browser extension called Reddit Enhancement Suite. It’s compatible with several browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox.

To use Reddit Enhancement Suite to remove unwanted subreddits from your r/all list, follow the steps below.

1. Download and install the extension to the browser that you use to browse Reddit.
2. Open Reddit in your browser and sign in to your account.
3. In your browser’s Extensions menu, find Reddit Enhancement Suite. Open the extension’s menu (in Chrome – by selecting three vertical dots next to it) and select Options. This will take you to the Reddit Enhancement Suite page.

4. On the Reddit Enhancement Suite page, select Subreddits > filteReddit from the sidebar on the left. 

5. Toggle the filteReddit switch On. 

On the same page, you’ll find your regular subreddits filter, similar to the one used on the Old Reddit. You can use it to hide specific subreddits from your r/all feed. Aside from that, you can customize your settings to hide subreddits and comments from particular users, switch on the NSFW filter, hide posts with certain keywords, and more. 

Take Control of What’s in Your r/all Feed

Let’s summarize. If you don’t like Reddit claiming the r/all feed and controlling what you get to see there, you have three main options to reclaim it back. 

• Use the old version of Reddit. 
• With the new Reddit, you can either buy a premium subscription or use a third-party tool that will allow you to filter out content. 
• Alternatively, you can ditch Reddit and switch to a similar app. 

Have you blocked any subreddits from your r/all list before? What method did you use to do it? Share your experience with managing your r/all feed in the comments section below. 

The Google Chrome pop-up virus is a common and frustrating malware on Android phones. The most common cause for this virus is downloading apps from third-party or unknown sources which contain the malware. The most important thing is to NOT tap anywhere on the pop-up! 

If your phone is infected, it isn’t the end of the world. There are a few methods to remove the pop-up virus from your Android, and we’ll start with the one most likely to work—removing any apps that you don’t trust using safe mode. 

Delete Suspicious Apps in Android

The first step to get rid of a Google Chrome virus on your Android is to remove permissions from suspicious apps before restarting your phone in safe mode. This will prevent them from causing problems when your phone is restarted. 

1. Tap on Settings then Biometrics and Security.

2. Scroll down and open Other Security Settings.

3. Tap on Device admin apps.

4. Revoke the permission for any suspicious apps by tapping the toggle button. 

Restart into Safe Mode

1. Press and hold the power button until the Power menu opens. 

2. Touch and hold Power off until the Safe mode screen opens. 

3. Tap again to restart the phone in Safe mode. 

Uninstall Suspicious Apps

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Apps and find any suspicious applications. 

Note: The most likely cause of this virus is apps that have come from third-party sources rather than the Play Store. Look for apps you don’t remember installing or that have suspicious names. Also, keep an eye out for apps that have no name that are trying to “hide”. 

3. When you’ve found a suspicious app, select it and tap Uninstall.
4. Select OK. 

5. Restart your phone normally and check whether the pop-up virus is still occurring. 

Note: Make sure to scroll through all of your apps a few times (especially if you have multiple pages of apps) and uninstall anything suspicious that could be causing the malware. 

Enable Play Protect

Play Protect is included with the Play Store and will scan your app when you install a new one to check for malware. It will also periodically scan your device to check for potentially harmful third-party applications. 

1. Open the Play Store. 
2. Tap your User icon (the letter at the top right of the screen). 
3. Select Play Protect and check if it’s turned on. 

4. If it isn’t, select Settings (the cog at the top right of the screen) and select Scan apps with Play Protect.
5. Once it’s enabled, go back to Play Protect select Scan.
6. Wait for the scan to be completed and follow any recommended actions immediately. 

Turn Off Pop-ups in Chrome

Another way to prevent pop-ups is to turn off pop-ups and redirects in Google Chrome. 

1. Open Google Chrome and create a new page. 
2. Tap on More (the three dots at the top right of the screen).

3. Tap on Settings and then Site settings.

4. Tap on Pop-ups and redirections and toggle it off. 

Reset Google Chrome

If none of the above has worked, try resetting Google Chrome to its original settings. This will remove Chrome’s cache, cookies, site settings, and any other data that has been saved. 

1. Open Settings and select Apps.

2. Scroll down and tap on Chrome. 

3. Select Storage.
4. Select Manage storage.

5. Select Clear all data and tap OK. 

Use an Antivirus

To prevent the Google Chrome pop-up virus from occurring again use antivirus software. By using one of the better Android antivirus apps you will drastically reduce the chance of any malware infecting your phone. 

A great choice is Malwarebytes Free. This is one of the most popular and well-used anti-malware apps for Android. 

1. Open the Play Store and search for “Malwarebytes”. 
2. Select the app and then select Install. 

3. Tap Open. 
4. Complete the set-up process and select Give permission then Allow. 

5. Select Skip at the top-right hand corner. 
6. Select Scan now and wait for the process to complete. 

7. Once the scan is complete, Malwarebytes will offer you a screen displaying your malware infections (if it’s found any). 
8. Select Remove Selected to delete these immediately. 

Perform a Factory Reset on your Phone

If none of the above has removed the malware from your Android, you may need to do a factory reset. This is how you reset your phone to its original condition. You will want to create a backup of your phone’s internal memory before following these steps. 

1. Tap on Settings.
2. Select General Management then tap on Reset.

3. Select Factory data reset. 

4. Scroll down and select Reset.
5. Enter your security pin or pattern. 
6. Select Delete all. 
7. Wait for the process to finish, then restore your data to the phone. 

Note: Doing a factory reset will delete all of the data within your phone’s internal memory (but not the SD card), so ensure that you backup your phone prior to resetting it. Learn more about hard versus soft rests. 

Watch What You Install

Hopefully, the methods in this article have helped you to remove the Google Chrome pop-up virus from your Android. In the future, avoid installing third-party apps unless you can verify their source or trustworthiness. By keeping to apps from the Play Store, you’ll have a much lower chance of encountering malware like the Chrome pop-up virus. 

You’ve probably seen a Sankey chart before. Sankey charts (also called Sankey diagrams) are especially useful to show a flow, helping people visualize big transfers within a system. For example, a Sankey chart might show how a resource like money, time, or energy moves throughout a process. Sankey diagrams are also good to show decision trees.

If you want to visually highlight a complex process, consider making a Sankey chart. There are several websites where you can create a Sankey chart. While some rely on users having some programming knowledge, others are accessible to everyone. We’ll look at a few of each.

What Is a Sankey chart?

Sankey charts are named for Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey, an Irish engineer and captain in the Royal Engineers who made a diagram showing the energy efficiency of a steam engine.

To create a Sankey chart you can either learn how to code one yourself or use a web app to generate one. 

Websites to Create a Sankey Chart 

While some coding knowledge can be helpful, even if you don’t know Python or the programming language R, you can still create a Sankey chart. Some of the websites below have options for people with some programming experience. Most don’t require any programming knowledge at all.

1. SankeyMATIC

To use SankeyMATIC, you add your inputs, customize your chart’s appearance, and then export it as a PNG image or as vector code (SVG). The input format is simple and easy to understand. The vector code option is nice if you want to import your chart into a program like Adobe Illustrator for additional modification. 

2. The Sankey Diagram Generator

The Sankey Diagram Generator from Acquire is a web app that lets you upload your data in one of three formats:

• JSON
• CSV
• Pivot table

You can adjust the color and size of each flow as well as the decimal places of numbers displayed and the transparency of the flows. When you select the Save button, the site will generate code you can copy and paste. You can also download the image or share it via email.

3. Visual Paradigm’s Online Sankey Diagram Maker

The Sankey Diagram Maker from Visual Paradigm is packed with features. Start with one of their beautiful templates and add your specific data to edit it.

You can change font styles and colors or add photos and icons to make your Sankey chart stand out. This site isn’t free, but you can sign up for a free 30-day trial. After that, it’ll cost you between $4-15 per user, per month. 

4. Displayr

Displayr offers a free tool to make Sankey charts. You’ll need to sign up for an account, though. Once you do, you’ll get access to a powerful user interface where you can upload a data set from your computer or from the cloud. From there, you can use an automated layout or tweak it manually.

Displayr isn’t just for Sankey diagrams—you’ll also have access to all kinds of different data visualizations like heatmaps, histograms, and pie charts. Fair warning however, you’ll need a paid account to download the Sankey chart you created.

5. Chartguide

Chartguide isn’t a website where you can create a Sankey chart. Instead, they’ll teach you how to create a Sankey chart using Excel with the Power User add-on. If your data is already in a spreadsheet, it’s worth trying this method to generate Sankey charts yourself without ever leaving Excel.

6. Dénes Csala’s Sankey Diagram Generator

This Sankey Diagram Generator online tool is sleek and simple. Creator Dénes Csala says, “It supports self loops, moving around nodes in both horizontal and vertical directions and loading and saving diagrams!” Users also have the ability to change the opacity and color of the nodes. 

It’s clear that this open-source project is a labor of love for its creator. You can also find it on GitHub.

7. Highcharts

If you want to edit your own code, Highcharts is a great option for creating a Sankey chart. In addition to the ability to enter your data into the simple Configuration Preview, they also offer buttons to edit the code directly in JSFiddle or Codepen.

Similar to the tool from Visual Paradigm, Highcharts gives you access to a wide variety of chart types like gauges, heat and tree maps, and scatter and bubble charts.

8. R Graph Gallery

The R Graph Gallery is a place where you can find nearly 400 charts, all with reproducible code. R is a software environment mostly used for statistical computing, which makes it perfect for creating Sankey charts. It uses networkD3, which is an HTML widget that builds interactive charts. 

Find a Sankey chart you like in the R Graph Gallery and then select the Show code link to customize it however you want. The code we looked at was well-commented and easy to follow.

9. Python Graph Gallery

If R isn’t your jam but Python is, then check out the Python Graph Gallery for reproducible and customizable Sankey charts. These charts use the Plotly library for Python which has a function specifically for creating Sankey diagrams. You can also find examples using the matplotlib library which has its own Sankey function. In both cases, if you’re into Python, this is a great resource.

10. Google Charts

The last entry in our list of websites where you can create a Sankey chart comes from Google Charts. It provides an example of and code for a simple Sankey chart as well as one with multiple levels. For each, you can control the colors, customize the labels, and adjust the nodes. Each aspect is well-documented, so you can become an expert on configuration options and the best way to format your data.

Much like some of the entries above, Google Charts offers examples and code for a variety of types of data visualization, so if a Sankey chart doesn’t tell your story the way you want, you can easily try other ways to visualize your data.

Email communication hasn’t changed much over the last couple of decades since it became popular. Most of the lingo we use today is the same. We borrowed many of the terms associated with emails from the days when we communicated using paper mail. CC and BCC are perfect examples. What does it all mean?

This article will discuss email jargon and help you understand what many of the email features you encounter are for.

What Does CC Mean?

CC stands for Carbon Copy. When you type someone’s address in this field, you’ll send a copy of your email to them. This applies to any email tech you might be using.

The term comes from the days when communicating through paper was extremely common. Everyone made copies of documents by placing a sheet of carbon paper between two sheets of regular paper. When the pen applied pressure on the top sheet, the writing was transferred to the bottom one thanks to the carbon paper. This allowed people to make and send copies quickly.

Email carbon copies may no longer involve carbon paper, but the principle is the same. You send copies of your email to other people. So when someone tells you to CC them, they want a copy of the email you’re sending to the receiver. For example, if you’re communicating with a client, you might want to CC your manager.

What Does BCC Mean?

BCC stands for Blind Carbon Copy and it works like CC, with one major difference. When you CC someone, the recipients of your email will see who else received the email. Both the person(s) in the “To” field and “CC” field will be able to see each other’s addresses. BCC adds a layer of secrecy. Only the sender can see the list, and the BCC recipient will only see their email address in the BCC field even if the sender added more than one person to that list. 

When privacy is required, use the BCC field. For example, if you’re having an email conversation with a customer and you need to tag your manager, you should send a blind carbon copy. There’s no reason for your customer to know that someone else is being kept in the loop. 

Email Etiquette

Now that you know what CC and BCC mean, you’re probably wondering why you would ever send a CC instead of just adding everyone in the “To” field. As mentioned earlier, everyone can see who was added to the CC list. Technically, CC isn’t any different from the main “To” field. So why use it?

The answer is simple: etiquette. The “To” section is reserved for the main recipient(s). They are the ones directly involved with the subject of the email you’re sending. You should use the “CC” field to send a copy of that email to other parties that might be interested in the information now or in the future.

CC is useful when you want someone else to have a copy of the email in case they need it.

BCC should be used to keep the main recipient unaware of who else is receiving a copy of the email. However, it’s also useful if you need to email a long list of people. There’s no need for everyone involved to see dozens of email addresses attached to their email. Remember that the receiver of a BCC can only see their address in the BCC field. The others remain hidden.

That said, none of this is written in stone. There are no set rules. Many people and companies might choose to use these email fields differently.

Other Important Email Terms You Should Know

You can do so many things with an email, like forwarding and creating email groups, but you need to first understand the terms to unlock all these great features. Let’s explore the lingo a bit further.

Subject

The Subject field is used to tell the recipient what the email is all about. Summarize the information in a few words. This will also help you find the email later by sorting by subject.

Reply to All

Normally, you reply to the sender by hitting the Reply button. This also saves the original email and the entire thread on top to keep the information at your fingertips. 

That said, you also have the option to Reply to all. Use this feature when you’re part of a CC list to send your response to everyone involved.

Forward

Did anyone tell you “forward me” and you weren’t sure what that meant? This term refers to the Forward button. This feature allows you to select any email you received and send it to someone else other than the original sender. It saves you a lot of time.

Spam

Email spam refers to junk mail. It’s unsolicited content that someone sent you and thousands of others who are part of an email list.  Every email service, like Gmail or Outlook, has a dedicated spam folder for it. However, spam doesn’t always end up there automatically. In some cases, you need to spot spam emails and delete them manually.

Blocklist

Speaking of spam, this is where a blocklist comes in handy. Previously known as a blacklist, a blocklist is just a list of permanently blocked addresses. Some senders are known spammers, so your email service provider will automatically them to the blocklist, but sometimes you need to block the addresses yourself.

Hopefully, we managed to clear things up, and now you’re much better and sending and managing your emails. Just make sure you don’t mix CC and BCC up when the situation demands using one or the other.   

Minecraft is a game with unlimited possibilities, especially if you add mods into the mix. Unfortunately, sometimes Minecraft keeps crashing without explanation. 

The good news is that there are multiple ways to fix Minecraft crashes so you can spend less time troubleshooting and more time recreating the Death Star in your custom survival world.

How to Fix Minecraft Crashes

There are many reasons Minecraft might crash. Troubleshooting the cause helps you solve the problem, but try one of these possible solutions if you aren’t sure why the game is crashing. 

1. Launch Minecraft In The Official Launcher

You can play Minecraft through Twitch or third-party mod management tools. If you experience crashes on these platforms, try to launch Minecraft through the official launcher. Doing so will narrow down whether the source of the crash comes from the game itself or the launcher.

If it still crashes, remove all installed mods and launch Minecraft in its original state. Though mods can greatly expand your Minecraft experience, outdated and incompatible mods can lead to crashes.

2. Make Sure Minecraft Is Updated

If you play Minecraft through the Windows Store, it should update automatically. If not, you can manually update it.

1. Open the Microsoft Store.

2. Select the three dots in the top-right corner and select Downloads and updates.

3. Select Get Updates.

If there are any available updates, they will automatically download. If you play the Java edition of Minecraft, you will receive updates through the Minecraft launcher. These should also happen automatically unless your version of Minecraft is outdated.

1. Open the Minecraft Launcher. 

2. Select the down arrow to the left of the play button and choose Latest Release.

3. Select Play.

You should also make sure you’re playing the official release and not a snapshot. While the Minecraft snapshots are a great way to preview upcoming content, they can sometimes be unstable and result in crashes. 

3. Restart Your PC

Let’s face it: Most people don’t turn off their computers as often as they should, instead opting to leave them in sleep mode. If Minecraft is often crashing, try restarting your PC. This can solve many common issues. 

4. Update Your GPU Drivers

Minecraft doesn’t seem like a visually intensive game, but it can put a bit of strain on your graphics card. It’s essential to keep your drivers up to date.

1. Open Device Manager.

2. Select Display adapters.

3. Right-click your graphics card and choose Update driver.

4. Select Search automatically for drivers.

5. Windows will update your driver with whatever is available. If no drivers are available for your graphics card, it will tell you. If you feel like you need an update, select Search for updated drivers on Windows Update.

5. Update Java

If you’re playing the Java version of Minecraft, then Java is essential. One reason the game might crash is that Java isn’t up to date. Luckily, updating Java is easy.

1. Select Search and type Configure Java.

2. Select the Updates tab followed by Update Now. 

3. Select Install.

4. After the update finishes, select Close.

Java is now updated. Relaunch Minecraft and test if it’s more stable than before. 

6. Reset Winsock

Winsock is a service that helps Windows connect to network services. If the crash is caused due to a network issue, resetting Winsock could fix the problem.

1. Run Command Prompt as administrator. 

2. Type netsh winsock reset and press Enter.

3. Next, type netsh int ip reset and press Enter.

4. Restart your computer.

This will clear corrupt data from your connections. If you find that Minecraft crashes when joining a Realm or a multiplayer game, resetting Winsock should be one of your first steps.

7. Uninstall And Reinstall Minecraft

If all else fails, removing the game from your drive and reinstalling it can fix many issues, especially if the crashes result from corrupt installation data. 

1. Open Control Panel. 

2. Select Uninstall a program.

3. Select Minecraft Launcher, right-click, and choose Uninstall.

4. Select Yes.

This process will remove all Minecraft data from your machine. Afterward, navigate to the Minecraft website to redownload and reinstall the game. 

A Note On VBO

Early in Minecraft’s lifespan, it made use of vertical buffer objects or VBOs. These caused quite a few crashes, and one of the most recommended fixes for unexpected crashes was to disable VBO. You can see a dozen or more articles today that still recommend the step.

There’s just one problem: you no longer have that option in Minecraft. At some point, the ability to turn off VBOs was removed from the Minecraft video settings menu, and even going into the options.txt file no longer works. 

Buying and selling stocks using mobile devices has become a daily activity in today’s world. Some of the best stock trading apps even offer stocks and ETFs with zero commissions. These apps are simple to use and provide a fully-featured online trading experience whether you are a beginner or seasoned active trader.

If you want to start investing in stocks, we have listed some of the leading apps to buy stocks for free. These apps are great for technical analysis, understanding stock structure, finding and scanning for trading stocks, and, most importantly, backtesting your trading strategies.

Outstanding Apps to Buy Stocks for Free

Buying stocks is now made hassle-free thanks to the rise in popularity of stock trading apps which you can access on your smartphone. These platforms also solve a lot of problems that most new traders encounter, including high commission fees. 

The following are some of the top-notch apps to buy stocks for free and with minimal starting cost. 

1. M1 Finance

• Minimum Investment: $100
• Commission:  $0 
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Account Type: Taxable, IRA
• Best for: Beginners 

M1 Finance is perfect for passive investors and those who are just getting started in the investing world.  The platform merges the best off low-cost brokerages and behavioral alpha that can boost their confidence in investing. 

The platform also facilitates sound investment strategies such as low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and individual shares. M1 Finance also has several tools to help you set up your ideal portfolio and even automate contributions. 

M1 Finance also utilizes Assets Under Management (AUM)- a free Robo advisor service for its standard accounts. This free access feature allows M1 Fiance to compete with some of the cheapest players in the space, including SoFi Invest and Charles Schwab’s Intelligent Portfolios. 

Furthermore, the app also offers free advisory and allows investors to add fractional shares to their portfolios. Aside from automating investments, M1 Finance also provides automatic rebalancing to ensure you are buying low and selling high. 

Other notable features include Smart Transfers for premium members, making it easier to switch funds between their Spend and Invest accounts. The platform also recently added a line of credit to their users through a feature called M1 Borrow. 

Pros

• Plenty of bonus offers 
• Constantly adds more features and support 
• Allows custodial accounts 

Cons

• Not designed for active traders

2. Webull

• Minimum Investment: $0
• Commission:  $0 
• Monthly Fee: $2 per month (Level 2 Subscription)
• Account Type: Taxable, Rollover IRA, Traditional, and Roth
• Best for: Experienced Traders  

Webull is an electronic trading platform that doesn’t charge its clients whenever they buy or sell stocks. The app is free to use and has no commissions or trade costs. You may also trade and invest in thousands of individual stocks and ETFs using the app.

Unlike most of its competitors, Webull provides additional tools that make account management more effortless. The platform includes significant built-in research, data, analysis, and charts to assist you in making more informed stock trading decisions.

Webull is great for technical traders thanks to its 20 charting tools and over 50 technical indicators. Moreover, reversing your position requires a few taps on your smartphone. The platform also has extended trading hours wherein you can trade in pre-market sessions. 

It also has a paper trading tool that allows you to trade with virtual money. Hence, you can practice trading using Webull’s virtual stock trading account without risking your actual money.

Webull is also worth considering because they provide complex order kinds. Market orders, limit orders, stop-loss orders, and stop-limit orders are all available to you. Unfortunately, they only accept account applications from U.S. residents. 

Pros

• Free stocks, options, and ETFs 
• Low trading fees
• Opening an account takes about a day

Cons

• It doesn’t support bonds, mutual funds, and pink sheet stocks

3. Robinhood

• Minimum Investment: $0
• Commission: $0 for stocks, crypto, ETFSs options
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Account Type: Taxable 
• Best for: New Investors

Robinhood’s popularity as a commission-free stock trading platform only increased during the recent GameStop short squeeze. However, even with all the controversy, the app is still a solid choice for beginner investors.  

Its app is user-friendly and straightforward to use. Robinhood also allows you to trade and invest in hundreds of individual stocks and ETFs on its platform. There is no minimum amount required to open an account.

Furthermore, as part of automating your trades, the platform provides sophisticated order types such as market order, limit order, stop-loss order, and stop-limit order. By placing orders in advance, you can purchase or sell your stocks at the prices you want.

Thanks to its integration with Robinhood Crypto, you can also trade cryptocurrencies without leaving the platform. You can use this service to buy, sell, and exchange popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.

However, since the federal interest rate rises over time, Robinhood’s interest rate can also fluctuate. Unlike its competitors, Robinhood is less limiting to the people who can use the platform as they allow non-U.S. residents to use the app as long as they have a U.S. visa. 

Pros

• Allows dividend reinvestment and fractional shares
• Facilitates commission-free trades
• Utilizes security features such as Apple Touch for logging in

Cons

• The platform has become a bit unreliable since the GameStop issue

4. Fidelity

• Minimum Investment: $100
• Commission: $0 for stocks, ETFs, options
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Account Type: Taxable, Trust, IRA, 401K, HSA 
• Best for: New Investors

This industry-leading online broker has one of the largest customer bases. Both Fidelity’s website and the app offer tools to help everyday investors keep track and manage their portfolios.

Moreover, Fidelity is one of the few players that does not accept Payment for Order of Flow (PFOF) which saves you money when placing stock trades. 

Fidelity is widely regarded for its stellar research. Their stock, mutual funds, and ETF screeners are rich in data and are easy to use. The company utilizes the largest number of third-party research reports for both ETFs and stocks.  

Another great boon about Fidelity is that it doesn’t have any hidden fees or account service fees. However, there is a flat fee of $19.95 if you opt for broker-assisted trades. Meanwhile, Fidelity also has zero expense-ratio mutual funds, which can further help you save on costs. 

The Fidelity app boasts a gorgeously designed and customizable dashboard. Its market cards cover everything from watch list insights to market news. Moreover, the app also has note-taking functionality, which allows you to save your thoughts on individual stocks. 

However, one of the main drawbacks of Fidelity is its subpar active trader functionality. It has very few indicators available, with as few as two on Android devices. In comparison, the industry average is more than 30 indicators. Hence, it’s not well suited for active traders. 

5. Public 

• Minimum Investment: $5
• Commission: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Account Type: Taxable
• Best for: Small-time Investors 

Public is a stock trading and investing platform that charges no commissions. There are no monthly account maintenance or membership fees nor minimum account balance restrictions in the app.

Contrary to most people’s first impression, Public isn’t exactly a new player in the industry. It’s a rebrand of Matador, one of the pioneering app-based investing products in the country. 

Public also has a beautifully designed and user-friendly smartphone app that you can download on Android and iOS. With just $5, you may begin trading on the app. You can invest in and trade thousands of individual equities in ETFs if you go public.

You can also invest in and trade fractional shares of equities, known as slices, through the app. Instead of buying the entire stock, you can purchase a fraction of it. Public also features a unique social layer, which includes a social community to chat with your pals. You can also reach out to industry leaders and specialists in the field of investing.

Another unique aspect of Public is that you can earn a substantial interest on your cash balance. Uninvested cash in your cash balance that isn’t invested in your Public portfolio can make you a modest percentage. However, they don’t allow day trading, plus only U.S. residents are permitted to join the platform—at least for now. 

Pros

• The app has social investing features
• Allows fractional shares for as little as $1
• Low barrier of entry

Cons

• Limited investment options compared to its competition

Welcome to the New Investing World 

There are tons of other apps to buy stocks for free, which you can download on the Google Playstore or Apple store. However, the ones on the list are the most reputable, showing incredible results. 

When choosing the best apps to buy stocks, it’s essential to consider their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, you should also take into account if they offer additional services such as access to cryptocurrency.  

With the rise in popularity of the social media platform TikTok, many people are beginning to open accounts. Although TikTok began with more of a young user base, more people of all ages have started using it. If you’re just getting started with the platform, it might seem a bit confusing at first. 

The main focus of TikTok is short videos, usually with music played over them. It can be relatively easy to get your videos seen and interacted with on TikTok, but making good videos is essential to getting many views, likes, and comments. 

To do this, knowledge of how to make videos on TikTok is important. This article will go through the basic process of taking and editing your video and the tools available to use in TikTok, as well as some tips to make your videos great. 

Recording Video for TikTok

The first thing you’ll need to do is record the video you want to use. 

Record the Video in TikTok

There are a few ways you can do this. The first option is to record directly in TikTok.

1. At the bottom of the app, tap on the plus icon in the middle of the navigation bar. 

2. The camera will open. If this is your first time opening it, you’ll have to allow TikTok permission to use your camera and microphone. 

3. If you want to add music/sound, make sure you tap on the Add Sound button at the top and search for or choose your audio before you start recording. 

4. To record, choose the length of time you want your entire video to be, then tap the red record button.

5. At the top of the screen, you’ll see a blue bar showing how long you’ve recorded and how much video time you have left in grey. 

6. You can tap on the red stop button to pause the recording at any point. TikTok will save the recording until then, and you can press the record button again to continue recording the same video. 

7. If you want to delete the last video segment you took, you can tap on the white x icon beside the record button, then tap Discard. 

8. Once you have the video you want, select the red check icon to move into the editing screen. 

Record the Video With Your Camera App

The other option is to record video outside of TikTok, such as on your smartphone’s camera app, and import it into TikTok that way. 

1. Tap on the plus icon in the middle of the navigation bar. 

2. Once the camera opens up, look to the right of the red record button and choose the icon of a picture labeled Upload.

3. Tap on the videos you want to add to your TikTok and tap Select, or tap on the circles in the corner of the video thumbnails. Once you’ve chosen them all, tap on Next. 

4. In the editing screen, you can add music by searching for audio and selecting it. If you want to change the order of the added videos, you can tap on the Adjust button. Then tap, hold and drag the videos where you want them to be. You can also tap on individual clips to cut them down, reorient them, or delete them. Tap Next when done.

The next step would be to edit your TikTok to add text, effects, or transitions if you wish. No matter how you record your video, the final editing process is the same. 

How to Edit Your TikTok Video

After you’ve recorded the video for TikTok, you’ll be able to do a bit of editing to make the video stand out. There are a few different options for you to edit your video, and you’ll want to know them before you start the project. 

First, make sure to put together your clips precisely the way you want before you start editing. This is because if you’re going to change any of the clips, you’ll have to go back to the recording stage and your edits will be deleted. 

 Adding Effects

At the bottom of the screen, you should see a clock icon labeled Effects. Tap on this to see the effects and transitions you can add to your video. To use them:

1. Tap on which kind of effect you want: Visual, Effects, Transition, Split, or Time. 

2. Navigate in the video timeline to the point you want the effect to take place. 

3. Tap and hold to apply the effect for the duration you want. TikTok will show the effect in real time. You can then go back in the timeline to watch and make sure you like it. 

4. To delete an effect you just added, tap on the grey back button just below the video timeline to the right. 

5. Tap Save when done. 

Adding Text

Text can be a great way to get information across. It’s also pretty simple to add once you know how:

1. Tap on the Text icon at the bottom of the screen.

2. Choose your font, format, and colors, then type your text. 

3. Tap outside of the text or select Done to add it to your video. Then, you can move it around to place it. 

4. Tap on the text to Edit it again. You can also tap on Set duration to place the text in a particular part of your video for a certain length of time. 

Adding Filters

To give your video some added style, you can choose to put filters over it. There are many to choose from, and it’s effortless to do.

1. Tap on the Filters icon on the top right side of the screen. 

2. Tap on the filter you want to use, and then use the slider to change its intensity. 

3. Tap back on your video to apply the filter. You can tap on the Filters option again and set it to Normal to remove it. 

Posting Your TikTok Video

Once you’ve finished creating your video, tap the Next button to go to the publishing page. Here you can add a description, hashtags, links, and set privacy options. 

If you don’t want to post the video right away, tap on Drafts to save the video so only you can see it. You can access drafts from your TikTok’s profile page. Otherwise, you’ll want to tap Post to publish the video and see how it performs. 

Thanks to the numerous apps that promote online and real-world friendship, making friends is just a tap or swipe away. In a world that seems to be getting busier and feels more isolated, we all need a friend we can talk to. 

This list includes the best apps to make friends both online and in the real world. Many are free to use, but some require subscriptions to unlock unique features or perform specific actions.

Best Friendship Apps in 2021

If you feel like you need to expand your circle of friends or rejuvenate some of that social flair, you may want to check out these apps: 

1. Meetup

Meetup is the perfect app for people who want to find groups in their local area with similar interests in activities like fitness events, book clubs, rowing clubs, etc. 

Registering in the app is free, and you can join multiple groups simultaneously. You can share photos, interact in discussions, and create events when you have found your group. The app is integrated with Google Maps, which allows users to locate the event meetup place quickly. 

This app is highly entertaining and appealing, especially to those who want to connect with people in real life. However, one of the drawbacks of using this app is that some rural areas don’t have enough activities or users to conduct regular events. 

2. Friender

An app with the word “friend” in it speaks volumes. Friender is much like dating apps since it also uses the swipe function to add potential friends. 

It also doesn’t just give you random profiles. When creating your profile, you can choose from over 100 activities such as running, nightlife, cooking, yoga, etc. The app uses the information gathered to connect you with people who match one of your favorite activities. 

This feature improves the chances of having a more meaningful conversation with your potential friend since you both have a common ground. Paying for the premium service unlocks valuable features such as appearing more frequently on the top of the search result and unlimited swipes. 

Unfortunately, Friender is currently available to iOS users only. It will be available to Android users soon, according to their website. However, there’s no given timeline yet.

3. Yubo

Yubo is a trendy app with many similarities with some of the more popular social media platforms. It currently has over 20 million users, a majority of which are teenagers and young professionals. 

The app has numerous features aimed at connecting people. When searching for friends, you get the usual swipe button. You can also enter chat rooms, share videos, and send messages to a group or a specific individual. 

Furthermore, the app has community forums and social games. Recently, it has included several lens options, much like Snapchat, which is helpful to make the conversion livelier. 

4. Skout 

The Skout app has been around since 2007 and is one of the best platforms to help you meet people in real life and enjoy group activities together. 

The app matches its members based on their preferences and proximity. You can start with small chats with some of your matches. It also has a broadcast function that allows you to watch streams of other users and even record a video of yourself. 

You can also use Skout to reconnect with old acquaintances who have moved to other cities, or you haven’t contacted for a while. The app enables you to see other Skout users in your area and people who have viewed your profile. 

5. Hoop

Hoop is one of the best friendship apps if you want to make friends across the globe. The great thing about Hoop is that it has an added layer of security that protects its users’ privacy.

When using the app, you can connect with people through Snapchat. If you want to send friend requests, Just tap the Snapchat button to request their username so you can start chatting with them and continue your online friendship. 

However, one of Hoop’s disadvantages is that you don’t need to make any description or a bio. Hence, the only thing you get when deciding to connect with someone is their picture. Some actions like undoing a swipe cost you in-app currencies called diamonds to perform. 

6. NextDoor

If you’ve moved to a new neighborhood, NextDoor is one of the best apps that tries to connect you with your neighbors, help you be more involved in your community, and meet new people in your area.  

This free private social networking app encourages in-person meetings and posts useful information about your neighborhood. For example, upcoming events like weekend barbecues, block parties, or furniture swaps. You can find part-time jobs such as babysitting or lawn mowing on the app.  Users can also post information about recent car break-ins to make others more cautious. 

7. Bumble BFF

You might be already familiar with the hit dating app Bumble, which was launched in 2014. Its founder has expanded the same business model to exclusively connect women with their potential best friends for life. 

This app searches for potential friends on the platform who have the same interests or are into similar activities as you. After filling in your bio and adding photos, you’ll first need to have your profile verified. As with other apps, swiping right will save the displayed profile to your favorite list. 

Unlike the Bumble app, anyone can make the first move and initiate a conversation. You can also link your other social media accounts to this app. 

Getting negative, spammy, self-promotional, or inappropriate comments on a post you published on Facebook is inevitable.

Worse still, you’re not sure whether to slap back, block the person or ignore the comment altogether, especially if you manage a Facebook group or page for a brand.

Fortunately, Facebook allows you to hide comments that may hurt your reputation or business.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to hide comments on Facebook and what happens when you do.

When to Hide a Comment on Facebook

When you get an unpleasant or offensive comment on your Facebook post, the first instinct is usually to delete the comment. However, not all instances of such comments require deletion – you can respond to some and ignore others.

Hiding a comment is easier to do than deleting it or banning the creator entirely from the Facebook page.

Some users just want to promote their own products through your post, spam it with unsafe links or leave comments with inappropriate content or language.

You could delete such comments, but unless you ban the user from your page, they’ll just keep coming back. Even so, it can be hard to keep up with all the comments especially if the page has lots of engaged followers.

While it’s okay to remove any negative sentiments from your posts that can potentially hurt your Facebook page, not all of them should be hidden. Users may quickly notice that you delete their comments, particularly those that criticize your business, and you may end up losing their trust or loyalty.

Others may get agitated or angry if you delete their comments, leave scathing reviews, or vocalize their opinions on their own pages – and you can’t control it.

Hiding comments can help you reduce collateral damage and benefit you.

What Happens When You Hide a Comment on Facebook

When you hide a comment on a Facebook post, you’re essentially keeping other users from seeing the comment except for the person who posted it and their friends.

Unlike deleting a comment, where the user will know that you removed it, they won’t know when the comment is hidden, and you can avoid potential fallout.

You can still unhide or delete the comment later or report it especially if it violates Facebook community standards.

Before you hide a comment, find out whether you can address it. Oftentimes, a user may leave a negative comment out of frustration. Turning a bad experience into a good one could change a distraught follower into a loyal fan or customer. 

You can also address an issue professionally and show other users that you’re ready to resolve any complaints they may have no matter how grave they seem. Many users would be willing to move to a private message to discuss their issue further and you can use that opportunity to assist them.

If you must hide a comment, make sure you catch it before it gets much visibility or engagement.

How to Hide a Comment on Facebook

Whether you’re using a computer or mobile device, you can hide a comment on Facebook in a few easy steps.

Computer

On your Windows PC or Mac, you’ll need to open Facebook on a browser and then hide the comment from your post.  

1. Go to the Facebook post and select the three dots to the right of the comment you want to hide.

2. Select Hide comment.

Android

If you’re using an Android smartphone or tablet, you can hide a comment on Facebook via the Facebook app.

Go to the Facebook post, tap and hold the comment you want to hide and then tap Hide comment.

iOS

You can also hide a comment on Facebook on your iPhone or iPad via the Facebook app.

Go to the Facebook post and tap on the comment you want to hide and then select Hide.

In all three instances – computer or mobile device – you can ban the user or page that created the comment. You can also report the comment if it goes against Facebook’s Community Standards.

Reduce Collateral Damage

Besides the situations and strategies we’ve mentioned, there’s a lot more to consider when hiding comments on Facebook.

Make sure you have good reasons for hiding the comment, address it if other users ask about it, and always consider the most productive alternative before taking action.

Check out our other Facebook guides on how to send self-destructing messages in Facebook Messenger, create an anonymous Facebook account or hide your status from one or specific friends.

Was this guide helpful? Share your feedback in a comment below.

While gaming communities are front and center, their offerings are growing. Now, thanks to the thousands of active communities out there, Discord is the go-to place for chatting around any topic, location, or interest, letting users relax, chat, and have fun together. You can also use it to video call, stream your screen, play music, and more.

While you could create your own Discord server, there are no guarantees that you’ll build the community you want. It takes time to find new members, so you may find it easier to join an existing server. If you’re struggling to find the best Discord servers out there to join, here are some suggestions to help you get started.

How to Find Public Discord Servers

Discord is a combination of the many public and private servers that users can join. If you want to chat privately, you can stick to a private server (or drop into a direct message instead). However, finding a public Discord server to join is another way to create new friendships using Discord–as long as you can find them.

To help you do this, Discord offers a directory that you can search through to find public servers that might suit your interests. The directory includes servers related to gaming, music, education, science, technology, and general entertainment. The servers listed are curated by Discord and are (usually) high quality.

You can access this directory using the Discord web app or the desktop app for PC or Mac. Unfortunately, you can’t access this directory feature using the mobile app for Android, iPhone, or iPad devices at present.

1. To access the Discord server directory, open the Discord web app or desktop app and sign in on your PC or Mac.
2. Once you’ve signed in, select the Explore public servers icon at the bottom of your server icons list on the left.

3. In the Discover menu, you’ll be able to search through and join public Discord servers. Use the menu on the left to switch between preset categories, or use the Explore communities search bar at the top to find communities that match your interests.

4. Once you’ve found a server you wish to join, select the server card to view it. This will give you a preview of the channels and server options available to you. To join that server, select the Join button in the top menu.

Using Third-Party Discord Directories

The Discord server directory is a curated list of the best public servers for Discord, but it doesn’t have every public server listed. If you want to find the best Discord servers outside of this list, you’ll need to use a third-party Discord directory.

Several websites exist to help you find public servers on Discord that aren’t accessible through the official directory. These include Disboard, which lets you find servers based on their category tag (e.g., gaming, music, etc.) or by using its search tool. 

Another option is DiscordMe, which (like Disboard) offers a search feature that you can use to find servers based on name or interest. If those platforms don’t work for you, you could give top.gg a go, which allows you to find new servers to join, as well as new Discord bots you can use on your servers.

Other sites exist and can easily be found on Google, each with different servers listed. When you find a server you like on a third-party directory site, select the Join option to use that server’s invitation link.

How to Find Discord Servers Using Google

If you’re struggling to find the best Discord servers that are right for you, you may need to put your Sherlock Holmes hat on and use your advanced Google search skills to locate them on websites related to your interests.

Game development websites, community hubs, Facebook groups—whatever your interest, it’s likely that there’s a Discord server invite link online for you to click on and join. You’ll just need to find it first.

For example, if you’re looking for public Discord servers that relate to the game Call of Duty: Warzone, you might decide to open Google search and use this search query: “warzone” + “discord.gg” to find servers related to this game that have a discord.gg link, which is the domain typically used for Discord invitation links.

Alternatively, you could use “warzone” + “Discord invite” to find web pages, forum posts, and Reddit contributions that include relevant Discord invitation links. It works for any topic, as long as you use this formula (“interest” + “discord.gg” or “interest” + “Discord invite”), although you can try alternative queries.

Once you’ve found a relevant link, select it to join the server. If the link isn’t working or expired, you may need to repeat these steps to find an alternative.

Joining Private Discord Servers

Sometimes, the best Discord servers are the ones that you know about already. If your friends or colleagues are Discord server members on a private server, you may want to ask them for a link to join so you don’t miss out on the fun.

Joining private Discord servers is harder than joining public ones, however. If you don’t have an invite link, you don’t have a way in. You could use the steps above to search for and use a relevant link for a server if it exists, but you’ll need to speak to an existing server member to get a link if that doesn’t work.

Only server owners, administrators, and selected moderators can create Discord links. If you can get a link to a private server, it’s a simple process to join—select the link and follow the on-screen instructions to join, which is usually as simple as selecting Accept invite on the page.

However, you may need to complete additional steps once you join the server, depending on the server’s rules or requirements.

Making Friends on Discord Servers 

Whether you’re joining a new public Discord server or you’ve found a private community to join, you’ll be able to use Discord’s features to chat, play, and make friends with like-minded individuals from across the planet. Make sure to set a custom status on Discord to let your new friends know when you’re ready to chat.

If you’re having trouble with Discord, don’t worry—most problems are easily fixed. However, if you’re stuck on the connection screen or you’re facing other issues, such as an RTC connecting error or robotic voice issues, you should be able to fix the problem. Try changing some settings, switching clients, or using Discord Canary instead.