Yes - House Plant Appreciation Day is a thing!

Houseplant Appreciation Day was established by The Gardener’s Network, establishing an official opportunity to remind people of the benefits of houseplants. Plants have been shown to be very therapeutic, have added health benefits, and a splash of green here and there is sure to brighten up any home.

If you don't already have an indoor plant sanctuary of your own, today is a great day to start. Some great house plants for beginners are:

1. Aloe Vera - it's naturally a desert plant so it requires little maintenance. It prefers an environment where you don't have to water it too often, plus it's nice to have on hand for healing and moisturizing the skin.
2. Small herbs - not only will they brighten up your kitchen, but you'll also unlock your inner chef with fresh ingredients on hand. These may take a little more work, but the delicious rewards are worth it!
3. Spider Plant - I swear these have nothing to do with spiders... These plants add visual interest to any room with it's long, spiky leaves. They come in a number of varieties and look great as hanging plants.

With the gloomier weather during this time of the year, now is the perfect time to bring the outdoors in this winter!

In preparation for the SlideBelts RegA+ launch, I’ve learned a lot about investing. This has made me think more about how my financial health and how I am using my money to prepare for what I want in the future. Thinking about finances can be stressful for me because I know so little about this subject. After some research here is an entry-level strategy for getting started that’s helped me out.

The 50/30/20 Rule

This is a good starting point for knowing what you can afford and knowing how much you can/should save.

• 50% of your income goes to needs (rent, bills food, etc). 
• 30% goes to wants (going to restaurants, concerts, fun stuff). 
• 20% towards financial goals. Personally, I put the last 20% in savings. 5% towards my 401K and the other 15% to my savings account*.

Of course, these are guidelines, not actual rules and what some people would call needs may be others’ wants. For example, an unlimited yoga membership goes under my needs category but some people would say that’s definitely a want. Also, these percentages may change based on your priorities. If you want to buy a house soon so putting aside 20% might not cut it. Or if you have a high-interest loan you should focus on paying that off sooner. Finances may feel like a future-you problem, but the sooner you get started the easier it is to reach your goals!

*I send my 15% straight to my savings account through Gusto, this way it is always separate from my spending money and not easily available to me.

Hi everyone!  It's officially *drum roll please* exactly two weeks until we move into our new building.  With a great office comes great responsibilities, please start thinking ahead about what personal items you will need to bring home over that long weekend, and if there are any other items which can be donated, sold or put into storage before then.  We want a fresh start in the new office, so any unnecessary clutter you may have should start to be cleaned up as soon as possible.  Thank you team!