Don’t ask for a raise without reading this first

Plus, this could be messing up your home Wi-Fi No Images? Click here       Dear readers, Every pay period I set out with the goal of saving some of the “food and fun” money in my budget and putting it in my savings account instead. Guess how many times this has happened? A big fat zero. It’s not that my fun budget is too tight, it’s that I lack self-discipline. If there’s leftover money, I’ll find ways to blow it. But last week a friend showed me the app Acorns, which seems to be the perfect solution for me: It “rounds up” every purchase I make to the nearest dollar, investing the difference in a fund of stocks and bonds. On top of that, I asked the app to double my roundups and make automated recurring withdrawals from my checking. (I chose $25 a week. Since that’s about the cost of one meal out, I’m not likely to miss it.) I’ll be investing at least an extra $1,560 a year on top of my regular savings, which I would not accomplish on my own in a million years. You might prefer a different app — perhaps Tip Yourself, which simply holds small deposits you send whenever the urge strikes. The point is, there are free apps out there that will help spenders save without requiring us to actually do anything or deprive ourselves much. Check out these 5 others — one of which analyzes your budget for free! — and put them to work for you ASAP. Here’s to saving! Janie Senior Editor, HuffPost Life   Take back your life   Ever feel like your raise request is dependent on the random whims of your boss, or some corporate policy or calendar you aren’t even aware of? Turns out you can better your chances of getting a solid pay bump this year if you first align your ask with the company’s financial trajectory, practice interest-based negotiations or go after a bonus instead. Ann Brenoff asked a handful of HR execs, employment experts and coaches how to ask for a raise in 2018 in particular — and you shouldn’t put in a request without reading this first.   Pro Tip: Amazon's Echo Dot with Alexa is $10 off for Prime members this week, making it $39.99. So if you regret missing the big Black Friday sale, when it was $29.99, at least you can still grab it for less than its $49.99 regular price. The offer is good through 9:00 p.m. PT on Thursday. Confused if you should buy Alexa over Google Home? We’ve got you covered. Want more practical magic? Check This Map Before Deciding Whether To Rent Or Buy A House [HuffPost] Your Chromecast or Google Home Might Be Screwing Up Your Wi-Fi [Gizmodo] How To Save Money On Children’s Haircuts [U.S. News & World Report] Jay Leno’s No. 1 Rule For First-Time Car Buyers [CNBC]    .     No moon dust. No B.S. Just a completely essential daily guide to achieving the good life. Subscribe here. Like what you see? Share it. Can't get enough? You'll also love: HuffPost Must Reads. ©2018 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe    . - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe