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Productivity

11 Most Essential Gmail Labs You Must Start Using Today

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Total Reading Time: 3 minutes
Total Action Time: 3 minutes 
I am a Gmail freak. I have two personal accounts, three “work” accounts, and two Google Apps accounts for my domains. In comparison to others, I’d most likely be classified as a Power User—or as Google likes to call it, a Gmail Ninja Master.
Through the years, especially during my time at Google, I’ve developed a full-blown email management system that automates and simplifies my process for checking, reading, and sending emails. I’ve read countless books and articles, and purchased many products and services to become a Gmail Ninja.
My Solopreneur projects result in a ton of email from multiple accounts. The system I use today boosts my productivity, prevents me from checking email all the time, organizes the 50-100 emails I receive every day (in my main personal account alone), and completely eliminates spam and/or unnecessary junk emails.
Initially, I started teaching the system to other Googlers after they asked how I stayed so organized. Then it spread to friends and even family members started learning. I’m currently finalizing the finishing touches on a product that teaches this system online. In the meantime, I’ve decided to share some of my favorite chapters and modules from the system on this blog—fo’ free.

Gmail Labs

If you use Gmail, Labs are an incredibly awesome feature that many people fail to utilize. Enabling these Labs is a great way to start taking control of your inbox and utilizing all the features that Gmail offers.
To get started, go to your Gmail account, click the gear icon in the upper right, select Settings, then go to the Labs tab.

Enable/Install These Gmail Labs Immediately

  1. Auto-advance
    1. After enabling the lab—click the gear icon in the upper right and select Settings, under the General tab:
      1. Update the “After archiving, deleting, muting, etc. a conversation” to: “Go to the next (newer) conversation”
      2. Ninja bonus tip: When checking your email, start from the bottom (oldest) and work your way toward the top (newest) emails.
  2. Undo send
    1. After enabling the lab—click the gear icon in the upper right and select Settings, under the General tab:
      1. Update the “Send cancellation period” to the maximum—30 seconds
  3. Unread message icon
  4. Green Robot
  5. Mark as read button
  6. Google Calendar gadget
  7. Google docs previews in mail
  8. Inserting images
  9. Send & Archive (a personal favorite of mine!)
  10. Background Send
    1. If you use Boomerang for Gmail (A free service I absolutely love! Use my link so that you’ll get to spin their “Wheel of Prizes” when you sign up), this lab can’t be enabled.
    2. If you choose not to use Boomerang for Gmail, this lab can be enabled.
  11. Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
      1. My favorite trick: Change “ignore conversation” to “i“, and change “Open ‘move to’ menu” to “m”.
      2. If you’re not already using Keyboard Shortcuts, you must start now!
        1. Take 5 minutes to look at the Keyboard Shortcut list and start using the most frequently used ones: Archive (e), Reply to (r), Reply all (a), Move to trash (#), Compose (c)
        2. Bonus: Open “label as” menu (l), Open “move to” menu (m), Newer conversation (k), Older conversation (j), Go to inbox (gi), Go to contacts (gc), Mark as unread (U)

Optional Gmail Labs

  1. Right-side chat
  2. Signature Tweaks
  3. Canned Responses
    1. Especially useful for work. If you’re sending similar emails repetitively throughout the day, you can save the email and insert it directly into any future email.
    2. After you’ve enabled the lab, the “Canned Responses” feature should display when composing an email
      1. Write the email, click on Canned Responses, save it as a “new canned response”, then insert into any future email.
  4. Google Voice player in mail
    1. Must have for Google Voice users

 

Get Rid of ATM Fees Once and For All

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Total Reading Time: 3 minutes
ATM fees are unnecessary. We shouldn’t have to pay them, and if you use the strategy below you never will again.
Not only do ATM fees happen way too often, but it’s essentially like paying a tax or interest rate on your own money. I can’t stand having to go directly to a bank (which has limited locations) and withdraw from their ATM. Like many of you, my laziness results in using third-party ATM’s inside liquor stores and pizza shops that hit me with extravagant fees every time I withdraw. Not only do you have to pay a fee to use the ATM, but most likely your bank charges you an additional fee also. Many people spend hundreds of dollars in ATM fees alone.
Through the years, people have often asked me how I’m able to stay so organized and control my finances so effectively. Practically everything I do is automated. I have savings accounts for all types of expenses: travel, clothing, investment property down-payment, and long-term savings, just to name a few. All my finances are automated and I never have to think about whether I can afford a new camera or a trip abroad. This is an essential aspect of the self-directed living.
All that aside, one of the things that puts a big smile on my face is: walking up to a random ATM (anywhere in the world), withdrawing my money from my checking account, and completely ignoring the “$3.00 ATM fee” warning—then I smile and go on with my life. So, how do I do all this?
Just like most things, it’s truly quite simple. Regardless of where you currently bank and keep your main checking account, you can begin taking advantage of this amazing perk.
I highly, highly recommend banking online with Capitol One 360 (formerly ING Direct). You can use my link to get a bonus when you open your free account.
In addition to having an amazing Capitol One 360 account as your main checking/savings, you can have all the perks below with just one more step.

  • No ATM fees worldwide: Unlimited fee rebates
  • $0 monthly service fees
  • $0 account minimum
  • Free checks and Visa Signature Platinum Debit Card

“Okay, Arman, I’m sold! Tell me already!”

The answer is: immediately open a Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking account.
Click here to check out Schwab.
It’s that simple, folks. Open an individual or joint High Yield Investor Checking with Charles Schwab Bank and start reaping the benefits.
Your account will automatically be set up with a linked Schwab One brokerage account. You do not need to actually use the brokerage account and there are no requirements to fund it. In your main account summary page you’ll see your checking and brokerage account.
Personally, because I recommend using Capitol One 360 as your main bank, I don’t use my Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking as my main account, and therefore, only transfer funds to it as needed. In other words, the majority of my actual checking account money is with Capitol One 360 (or any bank of your choice), and I transfer money (for free) to my Schwab Checking as needed so that I can access those funds from any ATM with no fees.
Link your existing checking account to your new Schwab checking and fund it right away.
Big hat tip to Ramit Sethi and his book I Will Teach You To Be Rich. A lot of the personal finance strategies I use came from his book. Corny title — yes — but very informative read. I also recommend his blog, check it out.
If you have any questions, please post in the comments below.

How to Upgrade to the Newest iPhone for Free. Every Time.

by 5 Comments

Total Reading Time: 8 minutes

“Never before have people been so excited about 4 inches.”

With Freedom Lifestyle, gadgets, tools, software, and anything that saves us time or makes it easier to work from anywhere is what we’re all about.
This is a very easy, straight-forward, no BS technique a lot of people fail to take advantage of. Believe me—it’s not rocket science! With just a few simple steps you will be the proud owner of a brand new iPhone, and I can guarantee it will cost you nothing (yes, zero American Dollars) if you follow these steps correctly.
A couple of assumptions before we dig in:

  1. You are based in the U.S. and own an iPhone with service through AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.
    • For non-U.S. readers: the same methods below may still work, but I haven’t personally tested them and can’t be certain.
  2. You know how to use Craigslist, Amazon, and/or eBay or are willing to learn.

Okay folks, here we go..

Step 0: Check your upgrade eligibility.

Then see Step 1 to find out what category you fall into.
 

Step 1: Order (or rather, pre-order) your new iPhone today!

Apple and the “Big 3” service providers allow you to order a new iPhone in a few different ways:

  1. You can order it at the “full retail price”, which means there is no contract attached to the phone and you don’t need to be eligible for a full discounted upgrade
  2. You can order it with at a “discounted price” (AT&T allows this, but it doesn’t apply to all customers and depends on how long you have left on your existing contract). The cost is (usually) $250.00 more than the “full discounted price”.
    • This is an option if you are open to spending around $100-$200 to get your new iPhone.
  3. You are eligible for a “full discounted upgrade”—you can pre-order your new iPhone with a two-year contract. DO IT NOW! 🙂

Unfortunately, many of us are not eligible for a full upgrade yet (including myself many times). Nonetheless, the goal is to order a new iPhone at the “full discounted upgrade” cost.

“Hey Arman, me too! I don’t have an upgrade until May 20XX!”

Hang tight little britches…
A loophole that many people fail to take advantage of is getting the new iPhone through an alternative avenue, then activating the new phone by calling your service provider with the new IMEI (fancy name for a serial number or unique identifier) number so they can activate it.
If you’ve ever had your phone stolen, lost, or even dropped in the toilet you know what I’m talking about. You had to buy a new phone off a friend, Craigslist, eBay, etc. and then updated your account information to “activate” the new phone.
In this case, we are going to do a little networking to get ourselves that new iPhone. You do want it, right?
If you’re on a family plan, check the upgrade eligibility of every single line on your account. If any of those lines are eligible, you’re lucky. Just pre-order the new phone using their eligibility and call your service provider to activate it on your line as soon as you receive it. In turn, give your upgrade to that person when you’re eligible for a full discounted upgrade.
If you’re flying solo, ask everyone you’re close to: your mom, dad, siblings, neighbor, best friends, co-workers, even your great uncle Herb. It doesn’t matter who, but ideally you want to be close to this person.
Send out an email to everyone you know might be eligible and willing to help. Offer to help them somehow. Fix their laptop. Cook them a meal. If you’re desperate, offer them a $50 gift card to the restaurant of their choice! If you ask around enough, you’ll find someone. You’ll be surprised, a lot of people are not in a rush to get upgrade.

*Remember to explain clearly: they are simply ordering the new iPhone using their full discount upgrade eligibility and you will do the same for them once your line is eligible. 

Have them order the new iPhone 5 right away and pay them accordingly.
If you are one of many that has to do some networking, the hard part is over—I promise.

Step 2: Activate your new iPhone

You have now received your new iPhone and it’s time to activate it! Woohoo, you’re almost done!
You will now call your service provider and request to have the IMEI number on your line changed. In other words, change the serial number on your line from the old iPhone to the new one.

*It is important that you do not tell the representative, “Hey, I’m using my Uncle John’s upgrade to get my new iPhone and I need you to activate it for me.”

No! Stop! Don’t say that! Just tell them you have a new phone and you’d like to update the serial number. You are not obligated to explain why, or explain where you got the new phone from. AT&T, specifically, has said they will not allow this (unless the person upgrading is on the same account under the same family plan).
That was easy, right?

Step 3: Sync, Erase, and Sync again.

Backup/Sync: With your old iPhone, perform one final backup and sync all your settings, contacts, apps, photos, music, etc. to your iTunes, or use iCloud. (see Apple’s iPhone Support site for more details)
Erase/Reset: Settings > General > Reset > select “Erase All Content and Settings
Sync: With your new iPhone, perform a sync so that all your settings, contacts, apps, photos, etc. (whatever you choose) are transferred to your new iPhone 5.
Done!

Step 4: Sell your existing iPhone.

Take pictures of the front and back of your iPhone, without the case on. Take pictures of the headphones, USB/Wall charger, original packaging, and the case (if you are going to include that, which I suggest you do).
If you live in a major U.S. city, you will get some serious cash for your existing iPhone if you do this right. As of today, an iPhone 4S in good condition is going for about $350 in San Francisco, CA . Regardless, it’s all about the ad.
You have some options here.
1. Check Amazon to see how much you can get through their Trade-In program. Depending on the condition of your phone, you may be able to get enough Amazon credit to cover the cost of purchasing a new iPhone, without contract.
2. eBay. Create a simple ad using your photos. Make sure to include the standard specs, and include details about the condition of the iPhone.
3. Craigslist (my preferred option, if Amazon Trade-In doesn’t offer enough cash)
Head to Craigslist and put up an ad in the “cell phones” section under “For Sale”. The key here is to use strategic, clear, and concise words for your ad. At first glance you may think, “this is so corny, I’m never going to get any hits like this!”

Trust me, this is a proven method and I have sold every single iPhone I’ve ever owned on Craigslist for far more than I thought possible. I even once sold a water-damaged (completely non-functional) iPhone 3G for $225 to an electronics parts store (they still came to me for pickup) that was checking Craigslist for used/broken iPhones. The parts alone are worth hundreds of dollars!

Create your ad with strong, simple words to get your buyer’s attention. Be honest about the condition of your iPhone. Here is what a typical ad I create looks like (feel free to use this and edit accordingly).

Post Title: “MINT CONDITION XXGB iPhone X , original box, charger, and headphones”

Price: (example) $350 FIRM

Posting description:

“This will not last long! Amazing price and perfect condition! First person to show up with the cash gets it!

I am selling a XXGB iPhone X in perfect condition. The phone is about 6 months old. Still under warranty!

It has absolutely no scratches on it (has been in an OtterBox case since day 1), rarely ever dropped, fully functional, great battery life.

Comes with all the original packaging, charger, headphones, and the case (if you want it).

I am asking $350 FIRM. Serious inquiries only.

Please text/call me at the number below ASAP. Thanks!”

Remember, be honest! The above ad is only an example. If it’s not under warranty don’t say it is.
Upload the pictures, post the ad. Voilà—that’s it.
Have the buyer come directly to you. Meet at the nearest Starbucks (or store of your choosing), and don’t be nervous. Remember, you’re the seller. If you don’t feel comfortable take a friend with you.
By the off-chance that you get someone who starts wasting time and asking you too many odd questions, say something like…

“Listen Mr. X, I have a ton of people dying to buy this phone and they’re still texting me. I can assure you the condition of the phone is exactly as described. If you’re not interested, please let me know so I can contact one of them now.”

If that doesn’t work, walk away. You’re in control!
Collect the cash—you’re done. 

Summary:

  1. Check upgrade eligibility
  2. Order new iPhone 5
  3. Activate new iPhone
  4. Sync old iPhone, erase it, and sync data to new iPhone
  5. Sell old iPhone and collect cash

If you sold your old iPhone for $300 or more you can get a brand new iPhone for free.
Enjoy! If this helped you at all, please share with a friend who needs an upgrade. You know who they are. 🙂
 
Photo credit: Flickr—CC License
 

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