Kristin Wong is a freelance writer who has written for MSN, Bankrate, and NBC News. She regularly contributes to Lifehacker and Mental_floss and is a recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists Northwest Excellence in Journalism award. Kristin chronicles her experiences as a full-time freelance writer at her blog. Visit: www.thewildwong.com
I used to pride myself on how little maintenance I required. “Workout? What’s that?” I joked. “Exercise? I thought you said extra fries.” I drank all the coffee all day long, then switched to alcohol, then ordered a chili cheese dog and smugly judged all the Crossfit crazies who jogged by me, huffing and puffing. “These…
It was my first meeting with a new potential client, and they tossed out a number. It was a good number, but I recently vowed to negotiate more. So I threw out a higher number, then held my breath through the awkward silence. I hate the anxiety-ridden, nerve-wracking process of negotiating, but here’s why I’ve…
Seven years ago, I started dating this guy I was crazy about. We had the best conversations, he was cynical in all the ways I was cynical, and we were on the same page with just about everything. It was easy. Eventually, we started alternating between his apartment in Los Feliz and mine in West…
Despite your best intentions and efforts, it is inevitable: At some point in your life, you will be wrong. Mistakes can be hard to digest, so sometimes we double down rather than face them. Our confirmation bias kicks in, causing us to seek out evidence to prove what we already believe. The car you cut…
Have you ever tried to build a website without being a web developer? I have, and I don’t recommend it. Last summer, I spent days trying to fix some random error on a website I was building. A box on my web page wouldn’t center, and no matter what I tried, I could not get it to…
“You should always ask a client or potential employer for more money,” negotiation experts like to tell you. “After all, the worst they can say is no.” But if you’re a soft-spoken, mild-mannered gal who’s not used to ruffling feathers, the word “no” can be scary. And when experts tell you how to negotiate, they don’t…
Yesterday I took a three-hour lunch. Which sounds excessive and luxurious (and not to say it wasn’t), but I’ve also worked an average of 50 hours a week for the past three months. I’ve worked every weekend, hunched over my laptop, forking oatmeal into my mouth, thumbing through beach photos on Instagram. I take breaks…
Sensitivity isn’t exactly embraced in our culture. It’s considered weak, whiny, and vulnerable. It’s much better to be impassive, indifferent, and thick-skinned. Here’s another idea. “Grow thicker skin” is some of the most useless advice around on how to deal with rejection. I’ll admit, it’s a somewhat subjective phrase, but let’s break down the metaphor for…
When it comes to negotiating salary, most of us need all the help we can get. I’m convinced that 90% of learning how to negotiate is just getting past the implosive mixture of feelings that keep you from asking in the first place: guilt, shame, inadequacy, intimidation. There are, however, a few negotiating tips and tricks…
We’ve discussed the idea that money is just a tool. You want to give it a purpose by tying it to your values. Once you know those values, it’s pretty easy to establish your financial goals. If family is important to you, your goal might be to provide your kids with a college fund. If…
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