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9 cameos you'll never notice while watching 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

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bb8Warning: If you haven't seen "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," there are some mild spoilers ahead.

Many are heading out to see "Star Wars" to see Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill reunite on the big screen; however, another reason to see the movie may be for the celebrity cameos hidden in the new film. We're talking about ones you never would notice upon multiple viewings of the movie.

It turns out a few famous faces are underneath some of those Stormtrooper helmets.

Keep reading to see who has a hidden role in "The Force Awakens." 

Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness' voices as Obi-Wan Kenobi can be heard in the film.

According to an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ewan McGregor came in to do a quick voice over one day. Abrams then combined it with a portion of Alec Guinness' voice from the original trilogy.

You can hear their voices calling out to Rey during her flashback/flashforward moment in the line, "Rey, these are your first steps."

It's Guinness saying Rey.



Frank Oz returns as the voice of Yoda briefly.

In the same sequence, you can briefly hear Yoda's voice, too. Abrams tells EW the legendary puppeteer came in bring the character back to life.

“He was incredibly generous and came in to Bad Robot, where we had a recording area, and he was doing Yoda, saying a number of lines we gave to him," says Abrams.

 



Bill Hader was a voice consultant on droid BB-8.

"J.J. [Abrams was] f-----g around with this sound effects app on his iPad that was attached to a talk box operated by me,"Hader told Hitfix. "It looked ridiculous but it made BB-8's voice. At first I tried doing a voice, but we all agreed it sounded too human."

Actor Ben Schwartz is also credited as a voice consultant on the droid.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 signs you're working a dead end job

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meeting, boss

Not every job offers the potential for you to learn, grow, make more money, and climb the corporate ladder.

Whether your goals are monetary, skill-based, or just based on your enjoyment of your job, all of us want jobs where we're able to make progress over time.

The exact definition of a "dead end" job can be subjective; for example, I might see a job as a dead end if there's no room for promotion in the next five years.

You might see a job as a dead end if there aren't any opportunities to improve or expand your skill set.

The key underlying idea is that a dead end job offers no direct progress to your goals, now or in the future.

Determining whether you're in a dead end job can be tough, but look for these seven signs to point you in the right direction:

1. Your bosses and supervisors don't know your goals.

Think about your immediate supervisors, as well as your higher level bosses. Do they have any idea what you want or need in an employer?

Do they have any idea where you want to be in five years? If they do, that's a good first start--it means they value your goals and will likely help you to achieve those goals.

If they don't, it means they might not care about your individual career trajectory--and even if they do, they don't know enough to help you along the way.



2. You haven't seen a change in years (and don't anticipate one anytime soon).

Think about the most recent change you had in this organization, and "change" here means anything that can be listed as significant for your job. For example, a pay raise counts as a change.

A promotion or change in title counts as a change. Even a significant shift in responsibilities counts as a change.

If you haven't seen any changes in the last several years, and you don't anticipate any new changes on the horizon, it's a sign that things don't change quickly enough at this company, and it might be a dead end.



3. You're no longer challenged.

When you walk into work every day, do you feelsufficiently challenged by your assignments? Ideally, you'll be assigned tasks and projects that strike a balance between falling within your skill set but also challenging you creatively and intellectually.

If you've knocked all your tasks and projects out of the park for the past few years with nothing new or exciting in the pipeline, it could be a sign that there's no more room for growth in your current position.

If a job is too easy, you won't have the opportunity to improve yourself in any meaningful way.



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This app-powered home security camera turned me into an overbearing dog dad

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canary security

Not only did my girlfriend and I just buy a new house— we also brought her pet poodle Wookiee to live with us. 

Now, we want to make sure we protect both. 

So when we heard about the Canary — a $199 smart home camera billed as the "all-in-one home security system you control from your phone"— we were eager to give it a try.

That's doubly true since homeowners' insurance companies like State Farm are apparently also willing to give you a break on your rate.

The verdict: The Canary is pretty good, and makes us feel a little safer about leaving our puppy home alone. But it also drove us a little crazy, in the end.

Here's how the Canary sings. 

SEE ALSO: Here's what it's like to buy a first home in San Francisco, one of the world's most competitive real-estate markets

This is Wookiee. He's living with us in San Francisco now, but for the last few years, he's been living out in the countryside. We were worried about how he was adjusting.



Enter the Canary. Born from a wildly successful IndieGoGo campaign, the Canary is supposed to combine a strong design sense with everything you need to keep your home safe.



Also important to know: Canary has optional-but-not-really plans that limit how much video you can store. When you first get it, it comes with a free 7-day trial of the most expensive plan, but after that, you have to pay. You can still use Canary without it, but you lose a lot of video storage functionality.



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The 30 US colleges that offer the best value for your money

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Harvard University

Before you shell out thousands of dollars for your undergraduate education, you'll want to make sure it's worth your time and money.

Kiplinger recently released its list of 300 best-value public and private schools, ranked based on quality — including test scores of incoming students, admission rates, academic support, and graduation rates — and cost measures, such as total cost, financial aid packages, and average debt at graduation.

Read Kiplinger's full methodology here.

Washington and Lee University, a small, Virginia-based liberal-arts college, stole the show this year, followed by No. 2-ranked Princeton and No. 3-ranked Harvard. Read on to see which schools cracked the top 30, along with total annual cost, average need-based aid, and average student debt upon graduation for each.

We also included the median earnings of students 10 years after starting their studies, from the US Department of Education's College Scorecard as highlighted in a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce:

SEE ALSO: The 17 US colleges where students earn over $75,000 a year a decade after attending

30. Carleton College

Total annual cost: $62,846

Average need-based aid: $34,050

Average debt upon graduation$18,302

Median earnings 10 years after enrolling: $46,100



29. Wellesley College

Total annual cost: $62,140

Average need-based aid: $39,988

Average debt upon graduation: $12,956

Median earnings 10 years after enrolling: $56,700



28. Bowdoin College

Total annual cost: $62,190

Average need-based aid: $38,978

Average debt upon graduation: $25,503

Median earnings 10 years after enrolling: $54,800 



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2015 Car of the Year Finalist: The BMW 7 Series is a high-tech masterpiece

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BMW 7 Series

Editorial note: Business Insider just named its 2015 Car of the Year, the Volvo XC90. This weekend, we're re-running our reviews of the five cars that almost beat out the Volvo for the honor.

The BMW 7 Series sits atop the Bavarian luxury-car maker's hierarchy of vehicles. It's supposed to be the smooth, suave, powerful luxury flagship sedan you graduate to when you're ready for the full-size semi-limo experience.

But the 7 Series — offered in three different trim levels, 740, 750, and 760 — has always been a divisive car for BMW fans and auto enthusiasts. As far as the "ultimate driving machine" goes, the 7 Series is a lot less fun to drive than its siblings, the 3 and 5 Series — unless you're idea of fun to drive is motoring along in a straight line at high speed with Beethoven ringing in your ears. It's big. It's quiet. It's remarkably well appointed. But it's just ... kind of ... boring, in the way that a 20-room mansion is. Oh look ... another ... room ...

Because it tries to retain some of the performance character of the smaller Bimmers, it doesn't match up well with its main competition, the Mercedes S Class. And because it's a four-door, a lot of buyers may look away and cast their gazes more lustily on BMW's SUVs and crossovers, which are more versatile, if less plutocratic.

At Business Insider, we debate the 7 Series more than any other luxury car. Matt DeBord has always disliked it; Ben Zhang thinks it isn't so bad. But both agree that even though you can objectively find a lot to like about the 7 Series, it has lagged behind another competitor, Audi's A8, when it comes to the technology story. (The A8 is one of the best car-tech experiences we've ever enjoyed.)

But, boy, has BMW changed the terms of the debate. The new 7 Series, which debuted earlier this year, is absolutely crammed with tech. And by crammed we mean suffused. Every aspect of the sedan is technologically amplified, enhanced, enabled. Not that this is exactly new: The 7 Series has always been a tech platform for BMW, going back to the early 2000s' introduction of the controversial iDrive system.

But the new 7 Series takes it to a whole 'nother level. As we found when BMW let us borrow an M Sport version of the 750i xDrive, tricked out with every bell, whistle, and, we think, possible trumpet, harmonica, and bass viola that BMW had in its techno orchestra.

This big, sleek Bimmer landed in the suburban driveway of Business Insider's test headquarters. Somehow, in this shimmering mineral white metallic paint job, it looks like a killer whale, an Orca for the roadways, immense yet powerful and purposeful.



The design language picks up a contemporary theme: The front end looks ferocious.



The signature BMW double-kidney grille has been laterally elongated and narrowed, to avoid creating an imbalance with ...



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We asked and you answered — here are 18 of the wildest office holiday party stories we've ever heard

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drunk drinking

No matter how many times we warn you against letting loose at the company holiday party, some people just don't listen.

But it's important to remember you're still on company time and how you behave matters.

As a lesson to us all, we asked readers— and combed the web — for wild stories of office holiday parties past. Here are some of the funniest:

Some answers have been edited for clarity.

SEE ALSO: 14 great holiday gifts to get for your coworkers

DON'T MISS: The 27 jobs that are most damaging to your health

'Our new janitor has no idea why everyone is treating him so nicely.'

"There was this quiet, old janitor that worked our office building who was scheduled to retire on Christmas, so our Christmas party kind of included his farewell; we gave gifts to each other, put up a Christmas tree, people brought cakes and pastries, Christmas stuff.

"Then here comes the old janitor and he leaves a fairly big bag of presents under the tree; we're all kind of surprised because no one seemed to interact with him that much, but nonetheless we thank him and wish him the best and stuff, then he leaves and presumably sets off to the Midwest. The next day, we open the presents, including his.

"Turns out, the retiring janitor gave everyone in the office a little bottle of sulfuric acid. Everybody got one, even me, I still have it. We don't know where he got them or how much they cost, but apparently he hated our guts.

"Our new janitor has no idea why everyone is treating him so nicely."—Anonymous Business Insider reader



'That was a mistake.'

"My friend is in charge of a number of temporary hires, contract workers, and freelancers at an ad agency. Her company's HR department sent a mass save-the-date email for the holiday party to everyone, including the people she has under her. That was a mistake. She now has to contact each one and tell them they are not invited to the company party." —Anonymous Business Insider reader



'The guy who brought the brownies grabbed the wrong plate ... '

"A place that I worked at about eight years ago had a huge party. One of the managers brought brownies and the director of operations (let's call him Jack) was the first to try them as we were setting up the food table.

"About half an hour later, as we were finishing up, Jack starts giggling and talking about how tall he feels. The guy who brought the brownies grabbed the wrong plate as he left the house and accidentally brought pot brownies.

"Needless to say, we gathered as many of the stoners as we could to clear that plate before anyone else got to them and tried to keep Jack away from other management." Redditor



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 steps to get rich, from a 90-year-old guide to wealth that's still relevant today

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couple champagne balcony

The "secret" to getting rich is not much of a secret at all.

"It is practical. That which one man knows can be taught to others," George S. Clason writes in his 1926 personal finance classic "The Richest Man in Babylon."

Clason's collection of parables, based in the ancient city of Babylon, starts with the story of Arkad — the son of a humble merchant, of a large family with no hope of inheritance — who grows to become the richest man in Babylon, thanks to wisdom he sought out from a rich money lender named Algamish.

In hopes of turning his city into the wealthiest in the world, the King of Babylon asks Arkad if he can share the "secret to wealth" with the rest of the city. Arkad complies, and over the course of seven days, teaches a class of 100 men what he calls the "seven cures for a lean purse."

SEE ALSO: The single most effective way to get rich, according to a 90-year-old personal-finance classic

1. 'Start thy purse to fattening.'

Getting rich all begins with paying yourself first. More specifically, set aside a minimum of 10% of your earnings, Arkad advises: "For every ten coins thou placest within thy purse take out for use but nine. Thy purse will start to fatten at once and its increasing weight will feel good in thy hand and bring satisfaction to they soul."

Anyone— rich or poor — can put money aside and let it accumulate, Arkad assures his class. You just have to commit to setting aside a minimum of 10%, and you'll learn to live without it.

Today, it's even easier to learn to live without a certain chunk of your income, thanks to technology. You can automatically deposit money from your paycheck and checking account into a retirement account, savings account, or other investment vehicle, removing the temptation to spend. If you never see it, you'll learn to live without it.

"I, too, carried a lean purse and cursed it because there was naught within to satisfy my desires," the richest man in Babylon explains to his class. "But when I began to take out from my purse but nine parts of ten I put in, it began to fatten. So will thine."



2. 'Control thy expenditures.'

The next step is to simply spend less than you earn, which is easier said than done. Our consumer-driven society makes it incredibly easy to overspend — and what's more, when income increases, people have a tendency to boost their spending. It's called "lifestyle inflation."

"What each of us calls our 'necessary expenses' will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to the contrary," Arkad explains. "Confuse not the necessary expenses with thy desires."

To control your expenses, you have to become a conscious spender and recognize where your money is going. A good starting point is to record all of your purchases (whether in a notebook, through an app like Mint, or on an Excel spreadsheet) and analyze your spending patterns.

"Study thoughtfully thy accustomed habits of living," Arkad says. "Let thy motto be one hundred per cent of appreciated value demanded for each coin spent." Even if you're well on your way to accumulating a fortune, the habit of living below your means still applies. There are a surprising number of frugal billionaires who choose to save or give to charity, rather than drop their money on jets, yachts, and mansions.



3. 'Make thy gold multiply.'

Once you've made a habit out of controlling your expenses and setting aside at least 10% of your income, put that money to work.

"The gold we may retain from our earnings is but the start," says Arkad. "The earnings it will make shall build our fortunes ... Learn to make your treasure work for you. Make it your slave. Make its children and its children's children work for you."

Making your money your "slave" is the modern-day equivalent to smart investing through your employer's 401(k) plan or other retirement accounts, such as a Roth IRA or traditional IRA. Thanks to compound interest, your savings can grow tremendously over time — the trick is to set aside money regularly and to start as early as possible.

"Behold, from my humble earnings I had begotten a hoard of golden slaves, each laboring and earning more gold," explains Arkad. "As they labored for me, so their children also labored and their children's children until great was the income from their combined efforts."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

2015 Car of the Year Finalist: The McLaren 675LT is the supercar for those who worship speed

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McLaren 675LT

Editorial note: Business Insider just named its 2015 Car of the Year, the Volvo XC90. This weekend, we're re-running our reviews of the five cars that almost beat out the Volvo for the honor.

McLaren builds supercars for people who love technology. Ferrari builds them for people who are into a sexy, screaming engine and breathtaking styling, and Lamborghini builds them for people who had Lamborghini posters on their bedroom walls as teenagers. Pagani builds them for artists. Porsche builds them people who ... I guess like Porsches a whole lot and need Porsche to have a supercar. Ford builds them when it wants to remind everyone that it has beaten Ferrari at what Ferrari does best. And Corvette builds them because Corvette wants us to be happy and not have to spend $300,000 for the privilege.

But McLaren has the tech angle down. This provokes some criticism: McLarens aren't visceral, they lack soul. They look as if they were spit out of 3D printers or sculpted from blocks of plastic. Maybe they take a little too seriously the notion that racing is a laboratory for the street, and they channel their namesake, New Zealander Bruce McLaren, to bond on-track performance with perhaps the finest engineering in the car world. McLaren — the supercar for technocrats. Elon Musk owned a F1 hypercar, don't you know. Kind of says it all.

Of course it's all just the obsessively fine, blathering distinction-making of folks who want to debate the thises and thats of supercars. The real test of what a McLaren is all about takes place when you swing up the doors and slip into the driver's seat, as we did for a day in Los Angeles.

Here's what we thought of the 675LT coupe — "LT" for "Longtail," an extended version of McLaren 650S — a supercar that the mad scientists in Woking, England, created specifically for track days and sold (in the case of our vehicle) for $400,000 (unfortunately, you can't buy a new one any longer — McLaren sold them all! — but the 675LT Spider convertible is still available).

We didn't have the pleasure of tracking the 675LT, but we did hit the canyon roads above Malibu.

The 675LT was bathed in glorious Southern California sunshine for the entire time we enjoyed it — a whopping day and a half. It was an aggressive study in carbon fiber and neon green or, as McLaren calls it, "Napier Green."



... with those exotic upswinging doors of course.



The carbon fiber is literally everywhere.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

RANKED: The 10 best movies of 2015

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The Revenant

It was a roller-coaster ride of big wins and bigger losses at the multiplex this year. Multiple movies broke the all-time opening-weekend box-office record, while some just didn't break even during their whole theatrical run.

I was there for all of it and have to admit that there was more good than bad.

With so much interesting filmmaking, it was tough to come up with just 10 favorites of the year, but here they are — along with a few others that deserve recognition.

SEE ALSO: The 10 most buzzed-about TV shows of 2015 — according to the internet

10. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

To say that there was a thirst for the "Star Wars" saga to continue would be an understatement. The seventh episode in the franchise, "The Force Awakens" picks up on the story of the fight between the Rebels and the Empire 32 years after "Return of the Jedi"— they are now called the Resistance and the First Order, respectively. It broke all box-office records its first weekend in theaters, including an astounding opening-weekend domestic gross of $247 million and worldwide take of $528 million. Though "Star Wars" movies always make money, what makes "The Force Awakens" different is that director J.J. Abrams has accomplished the difficult task of exciting us for what's to come in future episodes while celebrating our nostalgia for the original trilogy.



9. "Creed"

As Abrams does with "The Force Awakens," but with much less box-office pressure, director Ryan Coogler resurrects an elite franchise with some contemporary flavor. Delving into the "Rocky" franchise but focusing on the legacy of a supporting character, the movie has the freedom to explore new territory while sprinkling in what we love about the "Rocky" movies. Though Coogler obviously adores the source material and the camera work by DP Maryse Alberti is top-notch, it's Michael B. Jordan as the young Creed who drives it home. Jordan plays the character with intense swagger to impress a father he never knew, giving the latest "Rocky" a satisfying range of emotions.



8. "Love & Mercy"

The second directing effort by veteran producer Bill Pohlad is an exquisite look at the life of Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson, zeroing in on the musician at the height of his creativity (played by Paul Dano) intercut with him at his lowest point (played by John Cusack) decades later. By exploring Wilson's mental health, Pohlad draws powerful performances from both actors, but also uses the sound design perfectly to take us inside Wilson's mind.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Bob Doll made 10 predictions for 2015 — here's what he got right and wrong

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Bob Doll

Predicting the future of the economy and the markets is no easy task.

Extrapolations from trends, industry fundamentals, and whole country's productivity can change over 12 months. That doesn't stop people from trying.

Bob Doll, of Nuveen Asset Management, comes out with projections every year for 10 things he think will happen in the economy and the markets.

We looked back at his projections and determined how much he got right and how much he got wrong. Additionally, we compared our assessment to his own reflections on the predictions, which he posted in a note Monday.

Some were obviously right, tech stocks have been much better than energy, while some were blatantly wrong such as a rebound for oil.

With two weeks to go in 2015, there is some room for a few to change, but at this point it isn't much.

So check out Doll's predictions, and our assessments, below.

U.S. GDP grows 3% for the first time since 2005.

Doll's Assessment: WRONG

Our Assessment: WRONG

Comment: While there is still one more quarter of GDP to assess, it is highly unlikely that the annual GDP will hit 3%.



Core inflation remains contained, but wage growth begins to increase.

Doll's Assessment: CORRECT

Our Assessment: HALF RIGHT, HALF KINDA

Comment: There is no doubt that core inflation has been subdued this year, and remains under the Fed's target of 2%. There has been some notable wage growth, mostly in the past 2 jobs reports. But it hasn't really broken out of the range it was in last year, and it's hard to say with confidence that it's "increased."



The Federal Reserve raises interest rates, as short-term rates rise more than long-term rates.

Doll's Assessment: CORRECT

Our Assessment: CORRECT

Comment: Doll got this prediction right at the latest possible moment, with the Fed raising rates at its December meeting. He also hit the interest rates change, as 1-year and 2-year US Treasury yields have gone up significantly since the end of October. 10-year yields have only increased modestly since then and 20-year yields haven't budged.



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The 25 most influential people in retail in 2015

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eva chen

The retail industry is incredibly competitive, especially as young people are spending less on apparel. It's tough to get millennials to spend money on clothing, and 2015 was no different.

But despite this seemingly disconcerting trend, there are some people in the industry who are innovative and very powerful.

These are the most influential people in the industry from 2015 — they helped to shape the way we shopped this year.

SEE ALSO: The top 100 brands for millennials

Mickey Drexler

Who he is: Drexler is the chairman and CEO of J. Crew.

Why he's influential: Drexler has been called the "Merchant Prince." He worked at Ann Taylor and Gap before helping shape J. Crew into a huge success. J. Crew might have faltered this year, but Drexler still packs a power punch in the retail sector.

Drexler's team is also powerful. Creative director and brand president Jenna Lyons is known for quirky sartorial taste. Somsack Sikhounmuong helped define Madewell's signature "cool girl" look, and now J. Crew is hoping that he'll help reshape the core brand. He was tapped to spearhead J. Crew's women sector during a major corporate shakeup in June.



Amancio Ortega

Who he is: Amancio Ortega is the cofounder of Inditex, which houses the fast-fashion behemoth Zara. He's the world's second-richest man.

Why he's influential: Ortega was the richest man in the world for a few minutes, Forbes reported. Inditex — and Zara — are reshaping the way people think about fast fashion and challenging the industry by churning out runway-inspired designs at a rapid pace.



Mark Parker

Who he is: Mark Parker is the CEO of Nike.

Why he's influential: Few companies innovate as steadily — and as competitively — as Nike does. Parker has been praised for his leadership abilities.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The world's largest drone maker opened its very first store—here's a look inside

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DJI, the world's largest manufacturer of consumer drones, opened its very first flagship store Sunday.

DJI drone store

Located in Shenzhen, China — a metropolis that links Hong Kong to China's mainland — the store is about 2,625-square-feet. The store will display and sell a number of its series, including the Phatom 3 Series and the Matrice 100, along with a selection of cameras.

Here's a closer look inside the flagship store:

SEE ALSO: The government is going to make you register your drone starting today — here's what you need to know

The store is a unique shape with lots of windows to let in light.



The interior architecture is based on the concept of "yuan," which is the Chinese world for circular. This can be seen in the flight area — a circular, closed-off area where pilots perform demonstrations.



In addition to the flight area, DJI comes with an installation called Skypixel Around the World. Here, visitors can see aerial drone-related photo and video content, like the one below.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/_Z0pheIagW/embed/
Width: 1000px



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How I made nearly $500 from my credit cards this year with hardly any effort

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relaxing

I’ve never considered myself a credit card rewards master. I don’t do any of the “hacks” that can help you earn more rewards. I don’t apply for a bunch of new credit cards every year to game the sign-up bonus system. And I don’t strategize and analyze every purchase to make sure I’m getting the most cash back possible.

But this year, I made close to $500 in pure profit from my rewards credit cards ($497.70, to be exact.) Here’s how I did it.

SEE ALSO: 6 questions to ask before signing up for a store credit card

1. I kept it simple.

I have three credit cards that I like to use. I don’t travel that often, so travel rewards credit cards, while understandably attractive for some and quite useful for many, aren’t ideal for me. They often have an annual fee that is often recouped if you use just one of their many perks (like checking your bags for free), but I don’t travel often enough to make them pay off.

In fact, all of my credit cards have no annual fee, so when I say I made $497.70 off my credit card rewards this year, I mean it. I’ve had my eye on a new credit card that has an annual fee, but I’m crunching the numbers on my spending to see if its rewards would outweigh the ones I’m earning already.

The other way I kept it simple was the way in which I redeemed my rewards. I like getting cash back, directly deposited into my bank account. It may not earn me the most rewards — sometimes you can get a little more value for your points by redeeming for gift cards, for example — but it gives me the freedom and flexibility I enjoy from having cash directly in my (digital) pocket.



2. I paid off my balances in full (always!).

I have never carried a balance on my credit card. I got married this year (you can check out how I planned my debt-free wedding here) and used my credit cards to make a lot of payments that were immediately paid off in full. This helped me earn a lot more in rewards.

For example, I paid for my all-inclusive honeymoon hotel using my credit cards. That’s an expensive purchase that would have been even more expensive if I had carried the balance over multiple months.

Instead, my husband and I saved enough money to pay off the charge as soon as it hit my credit card, earning us the rewards without having to pay interest charges.



3. I charged nearly everything.

A $5 Starbucks run, a doctor’s bill, a car rental, a wedding vendor … I charge nearly everything to my credit cards because I get 1% back on all purchases with all three of them and up to 5% cash back depending on which card I use and the item.

This is a tip I wouldn’t necessarily recommend for everyone. I never charged more than I could afford, but I’ll caution you that this may not be the easiest strategy for everyone since their credit limits are different.

If you overspend on your credit cards, you could ding your credit score. I have a good credit score, which has allowed me to get limit increases on the credit cards I use the most. It also lets me spend more on those cards without reaching a credit utilization over 30%.

Experts recommend keeping your credit utilization under 30%, and ideally under 10%, to get the best credit score. (You can check your free credit report summary every month on Credit.com to see your current credit utilization.)



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15 tips to save time and stress when cooking for a large crowd

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dinner party

The thought of hosting a large dinner can be overwhelming, but there are plenty of things you can do to make it less stressful. 

Learning a few cooking tricks can help turn your preparation from dreadful to fun. 

Whether you're hosting a holiday dinner party or happen to have a large crowd throughout the year, here are 15 tips that will help save you time and stress. 

SEE ALSO: 9 simple cooking hacks that will make you feel like an expert chef

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

Go for a buffet setup instead of individual plates.

A buffet-style setup is one of the simplest ways to serve your guests when hosting a large event. You can set up cold items and dishes ahead of time, leaving valuable table space so that your guests can sit comfortably.



Use slow cookers, chafing dishes, or warming trays to keep food at the right temperature.

Whether you choose to go for a buffet setup or traditional plating, keeping dishes in slow cookers, chafing dishes, or warming trays is an easy way to ensure they stay warm.

That way, you won't have to fuss about preparing your dishes to all be ready at the same time. 



Make space at your table by using multi-height serving platters.

If you do decide to go for a table setup, using cake platters or higher dishes can help bring more room to your table.

Higher stands will allow you to layer dishes underneath them, while multi-level cake stands are good for items like bread rolls and desserts. 



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Lexus put wheels made entirely out of ice on one of its cars, and it worked

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Lexus is no stranger to pushing its car designs to the edge of innovation — in October, the automaker made a driveable replica of its model IS using 1,700 sheets of cardboard.

Lexus NX ice car

Now Lexus is pushing a winter theme with its latest, crazy design project: putting a frozen Lexus NX on wheels made entirely of ice. Believe it or not, the car was able to drive on its ice wheels.

Here's a closer look at the car and how Lexus made it:

Lexus teamed up with LaserCut Works, which also assisted with the cardboard car, and ice sculptors from Hamilton Ice Sculpture to create the ice wheels.



The car was first submerged in water and frozen in -22 degrees Fahrenheit for five days. "The noises from covering it in the water, I thought I had broken the car at one point, I thought I had shattered the wind screen," ice sculptor Jack Hackney said in a video.



LaserCut Works started with a digital design of the wheel itself to figure out how to assemble it.

RAW Embed



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PRESENTING: The best — and weirdest — political gifts for the campaign junkie on your list

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political holiday sweaters

With the voting set to begin in a little more than a month, the unofficial campaign merchandise industry has plenty of offerings for the politically minded this holiday season — from Donald Trump leggings to Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) golf balls

But even campaigns are trying to get in on the action. 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all offer holiday sweaters on their campaign sites. And Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has a giant, $75 Christmas card. 

We scoured around and found some of the more bizarre political- and campaign-themed gifts this season.

SEE ALSO: 'Sorry, George!' — Jeb Bush throws shade at 'Star Wars' prequels and tells us why he's excited for the new movie

Donald Trump leggings.

Etsy user WilliamBottini says that although the leggings are made to order, he'll "get them out fast."

Source: Etsy, $85



A giant Rand Paul Christmas card.

For a paltry $75, Americans can buy a giant 3-by-4-foot card courtesy of Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Kentucky) campaign. For penny-pinchers, there's also a slightly smaller 2-by-3-foot card, for $50.

Source: randpaul.com



A Bernie Sanders candle.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is Jewish and not particularly religious, but he appears here in a photoshopped picture of his head on a saint's body. The Etsy shop "GoSaintYourself" plasters this image on customized candles.

Source: Etsy, $15



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6 winter carnivals you don't want to miss this season

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If you love Paris in the springtime, then you’ll adore Quebec City in the wintertime, where, for 17 days, the party never stops. Quebec’s Winter Carnival is the largest in the world, attracting more than one million people.

I was one of those fortunate people to arrive in this fortified city on the first day of the 2015 Winter Carnival. I spent the morning sledding down an ice chute, viewing the impressive ice castle, made from 1600 blocks of ice, eating maple syrup on snow, and playing a human game of Foosball. Top DJs from Montreal and Toronto played a mesmerizing mix of hip-hop and electronica, while locals carried cane-like red sticks filled with a potent drink called Caribou, made of whiskey, red wine, and maple syrup, adding to the dancing frenzy. When Bonhomme, the popular snowman and revered host of the festivities started to boogie, the crowd went wild.

For those of us who choose to embrace winter in all its snowy charm, there’s no better event than the Winter Carnivals. Try these six for starters:

SEE ALSO: The 7 best holiday markets in the US

Fur Rondy Festival, Alaska

When: Feb 26 – Mar 6.
View Alaska lift tickets.

Nobody celebrates winter better than the great state of Alaska. The highlight of Rondy is the reindeer race, where herds run through the streets of Anchorage. There’s also a Snowshoe Softball Game and an Outhouse Race.

 



Cedarburg Annual Winter Festival, Wisconsin

When: Feb 20 – 21.
View Midwest lift tickets.

More than 20,000 people attend this popular festival each year. Watch the Bed and Barrel races, where a person lying in bed is pushed across the ice, the Dog Weight Pull, to see which dog can pull the most weight, and a good ole chili cook-off.

 



Stowe Winter Carnival, Vermont

When: Jan 16 – 30.
View New England lift tickets.

New England’s best-loved winter event, celebrating its 42nd year in 2016, features a round of snow golf at the Stowe Country Club, snow volleyball, Super G races on Stowe Mountain, and a large village block party.



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Everything Miss Universe gets when she wins the pageant — a luxury apartment, free clothes, and more

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miss universe

The internet lost it when Steve Harvey mistakenly crowned the wrong woman Miss Universe on Sunday night, and many felt bad for Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez, who had to give up the crown to the rightful owner, Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo.

But you might be wondering: What exactly did Gutierrez lose, besides the title of Miss Universe?

The winner of the pageant gets quite a lot, but the biggest perk may be all the free publicity — and despite lower ratings this year, with the viral mix-up, both Gutierrez and Alonzo are going to get plenty of that.

But as Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo will be entitled to a series of press appearances and travel that help raise awareness for charitable causes. The pageant explains in an FAQ what Miss Universe does after nabbing the crown:

After the winner is crowned, they are whisked away to New York City and are prepped for a media tour where they make multiple appearances at media outlets, networks, charitable organizations, sponsor events, etc. The titleholders spend their reign representing their platforms, raising awareness and funds for charitable alliances, and traveling.

Beyond media attention, Miss Universe gets a year's salary, a fancy New York City apartment, and plenty of free stuff (especially clothes and beauty products) provided by sponsors. The prize package for this year includes:

SEE ALSO: Miss Colombia had a graceful response after being mistakenly crowned Miss Universe

A year-long salary as Miss Universe



Luxury accommodations in a New York City apartment for the duration of her reign, including living expenses



A one-year scholarship from the New York Film Academy College of Visual Performing Arts



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Amazon's offline video feature has forever changed how I fly

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On Saturday, I took a flight from New York to Los Angeles. 

I was not looking forward to the flight — six hours crammed in the middle seat.

But it was a great chance for me to try a recent feature that Amazon added to its Android and iOS app a few months ago: the ability to download videos so you can watch them without being connected to the internet. 

The feature is available to anyone in the US, UK, Germany, and Austria, who is a member of Amazon Prime, the company's $99 per year loyalty program.

Here's how it works.

SEE ALSO: Drake is Spotify's most streamed artist of the year with a whopping 1.8 billion streams

Offline viewing used to be limited to people with Amazon Fire devices.

But in September Amazon said that the feature was coming to iOS and Android, meaning people with iPhones, iPads, and Android tablets and smartphones can download Prime videos to watch when they don't have WiFi or cellular connections.

This is great for when you're traveling and won't have a connection, like a long flight!

Download the Android version here and the iOS version here.

 

 



Then, sign in with your Amazon account.



You'll then see different movies and TV shows.

You can stream any of these to your device if you're connected to the internet or have service, but you'll only be able to download some of them to your device. 



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17 insights about getting rich, from a 78-year-old book on wealth that's still relevant today

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woman smile happy

Journalist Napoleon Hill set out to uncover the key to wealth around 80 years ago, which resulted in his bestselling 1937 book, "Think and Grow Rich." 

There is no mention of "money,""wealth,""finances," or "stocks" within Hill's text.

Rather, he focuses on breaking down the mental barriers that prevent many of us from attaining our own fortunes, an approach which is still relevant today. 

We scoured Hill's pages to come up with some of his best insights about wealth, power, success, and overcoming the psychological barriers needed to achieve them.

SEE ALSO: 17 things keeping you from getting rich, according to a journalist who spent his career studying millionaires

"Before success comes in any man's life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do."



"You may as well know ... that every great leader, from the dawn of civilization down to the present, was a dreamer."



"If the thing you wish to do is right, and you believe in it, go ahead and do it!"



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