Helping You Help Yourself #43

feature image via shutterstock

The next presidential election isn’t until 2020, but that’s not the only election in the US that makes a big difference! Add the midterm elections to your calendar now to help you plan for them.

Tax season is sooner than you think, and your life is SO much easier if you take care of yours early on rather than waiting til April 14th. And hey, did you know that you can apply for a trained volunteer to help you file your taxes for free if you make under $50,000 a year?

I always love these lists: 10 free alternatives to popular but expensive software.

Some small, gentle and doable things you can do this week to improve your financial future.

How to tell if your plant is dead or just dormant. I’m pretty sure mine is dead.

DIY projects to help cut your energy costs, from the Department of Energy.

An app that uses your location to remind you to take important things before you leave the house, like your wallet, keys, or customized choices. Useful for people who may have challenges focusing on or remembering tasks, and also all of us.

Seems generally relevant to your interests: how Ellen DeGeneres uses self-deprecating jokes to make people like her.

Some people are considering online therapy as an alternative to in-person counseling, for financial reasons or because they don’t have access to other forms of treatment. Everup has a look at the pros and cons of online therapy to help you decide whether it’s a good choice for you. Also, How To Grow The Fuck Up with 44 things you probably didn’t know about therapy, which I think I’ve shared here before but is always relevant.

A couple weeks ago I paid too much money to fax some documents from an Office Depot because I was in a rush; I wish I had looked up how to fax a document from my smartphone, which still isn’t free but may be cheaper and more convenient.