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Jessica Biel shares a heartwarming birthday tribute to Justin Timberlake

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Justin TimberlakeThe birthday started on a high level.

The vested singer is celebrating a milestone year, the big 40, so it’s no surprise that his wife is nine Jessica BielI made him feel very special. On Sunday, January 31, the Total Recall actress paid tribute to the birthday boy on Instagram.

“There’s no one I have more fun with, who I laugh more with, who I feel more deeply about, and who I have more history with,” she began with her caption, along with a collage of pictures of some of her cutest Holding moments together. “I honor you today, baby. And wish you the most creative and fulfilling year so far. Happy 40th, my dear.”

In the past few months, the couple have come across many special occasions, including greeting a second child, a boy named Phineas, who was born in 2020. The couple are also parents to a 5 year old son Silas.

When he confirmed that he and Jessica had expanded their family, Justin shared Ellen DeGeneres January 18th: “He’s great and so cute and nobody sleeps … But we’re excited. We’re excited and couldn’t be happier. Very grateful.”

Republican senators current smaller Covid proposal

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Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Iran-US relations on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, the United States, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.

Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images

WASHINGTON – A group of 10 Republican Senators urged President Joe Biden to consider a smaller, alternative proposal for Covid-19 aid as his administration works to pass a $ 1.9 trillion package, to deal with the economic consequences caused by the pandemic.

In a letter to Biden on Sunday, Sens. Susan Collins from Maine, Mitt Romney from Utah, Rob Portman from Ohio, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and five other lawmakers said they would announce their legislative proposals on Monday.

“We recognize your demands for unity and would like to work in good faith with your administration to meet the health, economic and social challenges of the Covid crisis,” wrote the senators.

“We believe that with your support, Congress can once again work out a relief package that will provide meaningful and effective relief to the American people and get us on the road to recovery,” the group wrote, asking to meet with Biden on the subject to discuss the proposed law in detail.

Republican senators said their version of Covid’s aid package is “providing more targeted aid” to Americans in greatest need. The proposed legislation provides a total of $ 160 billion for vaccine development and distribution, testing and tracking, treatment, and other vital supplies.

The senators set the following details of their plan:

  • An additional round of economic impact payments for families in need of help most, including their dependent children and adults.
  • Extends the federal government’s improved unemployment benefits to the current level.
  • Funds food aid entirely to help families in trouble.
  • Additional resources to support small businesses and their employees through the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.
  • Funds funds for the safe opening of schools and for childcare.
  • Dedicated $ 4 billion to strengthen behavioral health and substance abuse services.

On Sunday, Portman told CNN’s State of the Union that the proposal would be a leaner version of what was put forward by the Biden administration.

“It would be less than $ 1.9 [trillion] Because a lot of what the government has planned has nothing to do with Covid-19, “Portman said.” As an example of the direct payments, we think they should be much more targeted, “he added.

Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council, told MSNBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that the White House had received the letter and was open to discussing the proposed legislation.

“The president has said repeatedly that he is open to ideas wherever they may come to improve the approach to actually dealing with this crisis. What he is uncompromising is the need to quickly take a comprehensive approach here,” Deese said .

“We have been working with members of Congress from both parties and in both Houses for the past week or two. We will continue to do so,” he added.

Deese also told CNN’s State of the Union that the government was ready to negotiate the stimulus checks.

The Republican counter-proposal comes as the House will pass a budget resolution this week, the first step in approving the Aid Act through Reconciliation. The process would allow Senate Democrats to approve a relief effort without Republican support.

Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer from New York signaled last week that the chamber would also work to pass a budget resolution soon. He said the Senate “will begin examining a very strong Covid relief bill as early as next week.”

When asked if Senate Democrats could lead the bailout bill through the reconciliation process, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders told ABC’s “This Week” that he believed the party had the votes.

“I have a hard time imagining a Democrat, whatever state he or she comes from, who doesn’t understand the need to act aggressively now to protect the country’s working families,” Sanders said.

“Look, we’re all going to have disagreements. This is a $ 1.9 trillion bill. I have differences and concerns about this bill, but at the end of the day we are going to support the President of the United States and we will . ” what the American people overwhelmingly expect of us, “he added.

CNBC’s Jacob Pramuk, Tucker Higgins and Emma Newburger contributed to this report from New York.

BarkBox Subscription, Automobile Soar Starter, Transportable Laptop computer Stand, Mophie Powerstation Charging Bundle, Windshield Snow Covers, and Extra

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Illustration for article titled Sundays Best Deals: BarkBox Subscription, Car Jump Starter, Portable Laptop Stand, Mophie Powerstation Charging Bundle, Windshield Snow Covers, and MoreGraphic: Elizabeth Lanier

Jump to: Tech | Gaming | Home | Lifestyle | Media

A BarkBox subscription and an Imazing portable car jump starter lead Sunday’s best deals.

Promoted Deal: 65% off Basic Prescription Lens Frames* | GlassesUSA | Promo code KINJA65

Now that we’re at home all the time, slowly losing our minds, it’s crucial, now than ever, that we start taking our vision seriously. I mean, without the right pair of glasses, how are you going to finally binge-watch the entirety of The Sopranos over the next few weeks—without overworking your retinas? How are you going to comfortably see every bright, raytraced pixel on your new PS5 or Xbox Series X?

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You’re going to need a fresh pair of prescription frames for 65% off, and we’re going to give that to you, courtesy of GlassesUSA. Right now. Take a moment. Find your next pair of glasses, look at the price, and slash that by two thirds. Now check out and enter the promo code KINJA65, and add blue light blocking lenses while you’re at it, for 50% less with the code BLUE50. Whether you’re staring at Good Screen or Bad Screen, your eyes will thank you for the added layer of protection. You don’t necessarily even need a prescription.

To further sweeten the deal, GlassesUSA is giving Kinja Deals readers a 20% discount on designer brands including Gucci, Prada, Armani, and more. Just drop the promo code PREMIUM20 in at checkout and watch the numbers shrink. No matter your standards, you’re bound to find a new pair of eyes that suit you well. If not, there’s a 100% money-back guarantee on ALL GlassesUSA orders. Before you check out with a fresh pair of frames, however, I do recommend uploading a photo of yourself and trying them on your virtual face—a real thing you can do on this website.

*Premium- and Sale-tagged frames excluded.

You’ve got work to do, and you gotta keep your laptop happy to finish it. Keep your computer cool as a cucumber with this portable laptop stand for 60% off with coupon code 606JP97A.

Sure, this stand looks like a big pair of glasses, but it’s also super sleek and can easily be popped into your bag so you can use it anywhere to allow airflow to the bottom of your laptop.

Apply the code 606JP97A at checkout to bring the black or silver stand down to just $8. Unfortunately, this code won’t work on the rose gold version.

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$8

From amazonUse code 606JP97A

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$8

From amazonUse code 606JP97A

You’ve got a lot of things to charge— and that’s ok, we’ve got you covered with a charging bundle today from Meh.

For just $19, you’ll get two 8000mAh Mophie Powerstations to charge on the go, as well as a wall 3-USB port wall charger and four car chargers.

With Meh, you can pay $8 for shipping one-time or pay $5 a month for a membership which gets you free shipping at not only Meh, but also MorningSave, Mediocritee, and SideDeal.

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Just imagine it: Legs kicked out in front of you, lounging on the couch, your favorite takeaway on the coffee table, and this massive 75-inch smart tv playing your favorite show.

That vision can be yours when you clip the coupon under the price on Amazon to get this 4K tv with built-in Alexa for just $980. You can have this thing delivered in time for the Super Bowl! What are you waiting for?

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$980

Look, let’s get something straight. Webcams? They’re fine. If you want to stream and broadcast your beautiful face, a good webcam will certainly do in a pinch. But there’s no substitute for a very nice, professional camera. Whether you have a DSLR or something especially fancy, you’ll usually get better video quality by plugging that in rather than using a webcam. If you’re looking to upgrade your setup, you might want to pick up an El Gato Cam Link 4K, which is currently $107 on Amazon. This simple tech tool allows you to connect any camera to your computer and broadcast in 4K at 30 frames per second (or 1080p at 60fps). It’s a simple “plug and produce” option that’ll really make your face shine through in full detail.

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$107

From amazon

36 purchased by readers

There’s no shortage of TV’s out there for you to snag before your next binge session. You could drop a bunch of cash on a big, fancy screen with all the bells and whistles, but there’s plenty of affordable options out there to choose from, too. Right now, you can snag this Hisense 55″ 4k TV for $50 off on Amazon, bringing the price down to $480. In addition to a hi-res display, this TV also features Android TV and can be controlled via an Alexa-enabled device, if you so choose.

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$480

From amazon

11 purchased by readers

Recent iPhones beat their Android counterparts on processing power by a clear margin thanks to Apple’s own processors, and now the company is bringing the same kind of mentality to Macs with its new in-house M1 processors.

The first MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Minis with M1 chips launched late last year and were lauded for their immense processing gains, surprising power savings and battery life boost, and limited compatibility issues with software designed for Intel-powered Macs. Gizmodo reviewer Caitlin McGarry called the M1 Air “the best overall laptop I’ve ever used.”

And now you can get your own, thanks to a sale on versions of all three Macs at Amazon. The compact desktop Mac Mini is $50 off in either the base 256GB configuration ($649) or 512GB edition ($849).

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$649

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$859

Meanwhile, the Gold 256GB M1 MacBook Air is just $9 off at $990, but you’ll see larger savings with $73 off the Silver 512GB MacBook Air at $1,176.

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$990

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$1.2K

Last but not least, the Space Gray 256GB MacBook Pro is $80 off at $1,219 and the Silver 512GB edition is $100 off at $1,399.

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$1.2K

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$1.4K

We’ve all been there: Your controller is constantly reminding you to change the batteries, your remote stops working, or your kid needs juice for some toy. Why not think ahead now and resolve that issue by investing in some bulk batteries?

While rechargeable batteries are obviously the better environmental pick, big packs of standard, disposable batteries are handy just in case you need ‘em in a pinch. You don’t want to find out in the middle of a power outage that your flashlight is out of batteries, right? Grab a 48-pack of NECTIUM AA Batteries for just $15 when you clip the 30% off coupon on the page.

You can also get a big pack of AAA batteries, also NECTIUM alkaline type, for just $12 when you enter promo code KINJA48AAA at checkout.

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$12

From amazonUse code KINJA48AAA

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$15

If you’re going to give OLED a try, this might be the time to start considering. I’ll contend you can still get away with an LG B7, the baseline from a couple of generations ago, but the TVs have gotten exceptional. Burn-in and input lag are two of the biggest knocks against OLED, especially for gamers, but according to reviews, that should be a non-issue on the LG CX. So long as you’re not watching the news or playing games with the same HUD for many consecutive hours on end, you shouldn’t run into any nasty image retention issues anytime soon.

Now down to the low price of $1,997 for the 65″ model at both Amazon and BuyDig, the CX is one of the best LG currently has to offer. It begins with that beautiful OLED panel, of course, which bids sayonara to muddy grays and backlight bleed thanks to its per-pixel lighting. For movies, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision HDR return to give you the best cinematic experience possible, the latter adding a feature that automatically tunes the picture around your ambient lighting conditions and the content you’re watching.

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$2.0K

From amazon

1 purchased by readers

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The TV also includes both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, both of which are gaming features that eliminate screen tearing with little (if any) added input lag. Because of these tailored features, along with its gorgeous visuals and uniquely low price point, I’ve seen countless people in the gaming industry—including Bugsnax co-creator Philip Tibotoski, PCMag and Tom’s Guide writer Tony Polanco, and IGN’s Wesley DeBlanc—raving about the LG CX on Twitter.

If you want to go even bigger, you can grab a 77″ version for $3,297, which comes with all the same features listed above. As a little added perk, you’ll get a $400 Visa gift card with your purchase, which cushions the cost out a bit.

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Note that the Super Bowl isn’t broadcasting in 4K or HDR this year due to pandemic-related production challenges, but there are OLED benefits beyond 4K. Besides, this set will serve you well beyond a single football game.

STEAM is so important for kids to learn and be enthusiastic about, especially girls interested in the science and tech parts. I’ve actually played with this Juku coding kit and can say it’s an excellent tool. Kits like these can run as much as $60, so to snag for this price is a great deal.

Pick any combo or two of the same. Today’s kits are the Light Games Coding Kit, Light Show Coding Kit, Making Music Coding Kit, and Smart Car Bots Kit. If you’re a cool nerdy aunt like me, this is the kind of thing you turn up with when you visit for the weekend. It’s recommended for ten years old and up. But if you have a particularly curious or tech-savvy kid who’s a bit younger, it still might work. It’s hard to beat the price given how kids can get bored with hobbies easily. You could also have a future programmer or web developer on your hands, and it all started here.

If you’ve read a few of our posts on SideDeal before and you like what you’ve seen, they offer a $5 monthly fee to get free shipping on all of your orders, no matter how many. Otherwise, it’s a flat rate of $8.

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By now you’ve probably found a distraction or two that keep your mind at ease in quarantine. If you’ve found an escape in video games, you may be looking for a speedier PC to keep up. Asus’s new ROG Zephyrus 15.6″ laptop—available for pre-order now—seems to pack a hefty amount of power into a sleek-ish profile that won’t take up as much space as some of the bulkier gaming laptops out there.

At $1,800, it’s far from the cheapest good laptop you can get, but its specs might sway you. Its 15.6″ display features a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16GB of memory, a 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics. Those specs are all powerful enough to do some VR gaming on the go, if you’ve got the gear. If you’re not too keen on VR, this laptop still packs enough power to blitz through your favorite games, though it’s also perfectly suited for just getting a bit of work done, too.

If you’d like to pre-order, you can do so now at Best Buy. It should ship on February 16.

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Earbuds are still very much in fashion when it comes to preferred listening modes. The only downside is they do tend to be a bit more expensive than their tethered brethren. Take 22% off the Mpow MDots Wireless Earbuds today. Just remember to clip the coupon on the page.

I’ve tested a lot of Mpow, and I’ve never been disappointed. Their earbuds pair quickly and seamlessly. They absolutely fit securely, so no worries if you’re wearing these to the gym, for a run, or even while just doing errands. All of Mpow’s earbuds produce a robust and balanced sound. I use my M5s for phone calls and Skype sessions and have never had any issues with the mic or hearing the conversation clearly. As with most of their products, you can have full control with just one tap of an earbud. Expect about 20 hours of playback time, and you get about 4 full charges with the case before needing to plug it in for extra juice. The noise cancellation is something I’m always impressed by with these, and I often have to take one of the earbuds out to hear someone speaking even when they are turned off. They’re no joke. These are top-quality earbuds that won’t break the bank.

Free shipping for Prime members.

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$18

Apple doesn’t ship a wall charger with the iPhone 12 line, which it says is for the environment, but potentially leaves you with a $699+ phone that you can’t charge right out of the box. You’ll need a wall charger with a USB-C port to use the cable that’s in the iPhone 12’s box, or you could charge with an old iPhone brick and Lightning-to-USB cable, but it’ll be at lower speeds.

Here’s an affordable way to both fix that omission and ensure that you’re well covered. Right now, RAVPower is offering a two-pack of its 20W USB-C PD wall chargers for just $17 at Amazon when you clip the coupon on the page.

These little guys are about as small as the old, less-powerful Apple wall chargers, but still pump out enough power to charge your new phone at full speed. Apple’s own single 20W charger is $19, by the way. And you can use these to charge other devices, too, such as Android smartphones, AirPods, and the Nintendo Switch. They’re very handy to have around if you don’t already have a pile of power bricks.

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$17Vizio 2.0-Channel Soundbar | $70 | Amazon, Best BuyVizio 2.0-Channel Soundbar | $70 | Amazon, Best BuyImage: Andrew Hayward

The Super Bowl won’t stream in 4K resolution or HDR this year because of pandemic-related production challenges, so making a frenzied pre-game TV upgrade might not seem as important this time around. Still, if you’re relying on your TV’s built-in speakers and want an affordable home theater upgrade that won’t break the bank, Vizio has a good option.

The Vizio 2.0-Channel Soundbar (SB2020n-G6M) offers an easy enhancement for $70, or $20 off the list price right now at either Amazon or Best Buy. It’s a compact model, so it won’t take up a ton of space, but you’re sure to get much fuller sound than your TV can deliver.

There are much more lavish soundbar and sound system options out there, obviously, but this one’s a sensible choice and a customer favorite with a 4.5-star review average at Amazon.

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$70

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True wireless earbuds aren’t a niche category anymore. If the Apple-exclusive AirPods are off the table, and you’d rather not get a cheap AirPods knockoff on Amazon, the Jabra Elite 75t earbuds are a great alternative. Their sound quality is among the best in the category, and they’ve got enough battery life to keep your tunes playing all day thanks to the included charging case. They’re also IP57 waterproof, so they should be able to handle a splash or two without much trouble.

Typically, they’ll run you $150, but a refurbished pair is down to $80 at Newegg right now, so you can finally walk around the house without worrying about your headphones snagging on something anymore.

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You don’t need to rely on your tiny smartphone speaker to pump out tunes wherever you please. Anker’s Soundcore 2 portable speaker pairs easily with any phone or tablet via Bluetooth, delivering solid 12W sound and thumping bass. It’s IPX7 water resistant and can even pair to another Soundcore 2 for shared stereo playback, while the beefy 5,200mAh battery should deliver a full 24 hours of tunes.

Right now, it’s 30% off the list price at Amazon when you clip the coupon on the page. With a 4.7-star review average from a massive 54,000+ appraisals, it’s a customer favorite for a budget-friendly portable Bluetooth speaker. Only the black version is this cheap, although you can get it in blue or red for a couple bucks more each.

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$28

From amazonUse code Clip

13972 purchased by readers

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$44

From amazon

307 purchased by readers

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$30

From amazon

275 purchased by readers

Look, the Apple Magic Keyboard attachment is cool. It’s cool. It’s more versatile than the standard snap-on keyboard thanks to a trackpad and backlit keys, plus the way it holds your iPad like it’s just floating there above the keys is superb. And then it folds up into a proper case when you’re not using the iPad. Well done. It is very expensive for a tablet keyboard at $299, however. Not quite $699-for-wheels expensive, but still.

In any case, if you have the new 4th-generation iPad Air or the 11” 2nd-gen iPad Pro and you’ve been debating whether or not to splash out on the Magic Keyboard, we have good news: it’s marked down $100 at Amazon right now. Customers love it, with a 4.8-star rating from 2,300+ reviews, and again, it’s both cool and useful.

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$199

From amazon

5 purchased by readers

Need a bit more multi-tasking power? Or just more RGB for your PC setup? Snag two 16GB sticks of XPG Spectrix RAM for just $143 today over at Newegg, normally priced at $180.

Your PC’s motherboard will need to be compatible with DDR4 for these fancy RAM sticks to work, but as long as that’s good you should be set.

This $37 off deal is only good until Friday! So don’t miss out. You’ll even get a little $10 Newegg digital gift card as extra incentive for buying, so why not?

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This deal was originally published by Elizabeth Lanier on 12/27/2020 and updated with new information on 1/30/2021.

I hope you’re ready for a good cry, because Ori and the Will of the Wisps is $10 right now. Okay, that’s not the part that’s going to make you cry, unless you just love deals a lot. The game itself is extremely emotional with some genuinely tear-jerking story beats. If you’re not familiar with the original, Ori is a 2D platformer about a little creature frolicking through the woods (there’s a lot more lore than that, but I don’t have the time or space to get into it here). The sequel gives you a precious owl baby and proceeds to tear your heart out of your chest Mortal Kombat style in a quest to protect it. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a gorgeous and slick platformer with satisfying mobility and a deeply affecting story, so don’t forget it when you put together your 2020 catch-up backlog.

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Ah, February. Do you smell that? Love is in the air. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and it positively reeks. Twitch Prime is looking to help its subscribers up their game this month with a batch of free indies that are perfect for romance training. Players can grab Table Manners, a physics based dating simulator, and Monster Prom: Hotseat Edition to get in the spirit of dating. If love isn’t your thing, maybe Stealth Bastard Deluxe is more your speed.

In addition to those free games, Twitch Prime is sharing the love when it comes to cosmetics. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout players can claim a free slushie bear costume and get 6500 kudos while they’re at it. Apex Legends fans can grab a Wraith Queen of Hearts skin too, which particularly suited to the February festivities.

That’s just a small slice of what’s available for subscribers this month. If you’re curious, grab a 30-day Prime trial and see what other goodies you can grab in Roblox, FIFA 21, UFC 4, and much more.

I remember playing the first Borderlands when it came out. I went to a friend’s house and we blazed through hours and hours of the campaign together. Those sessions are kind of a blur, but I fondly remember one thing from them: Skagzilla. I have no idea why, but at the time, this was an absolute barn burner of a joke to me. I couldn’t stop saying “skagzilla” as if it was some brilliant play on words. In retrospect, what? Why would that be funny? Thus is the Borderlands experience. The first two games are especially very much built out of the early meme era, putting their humor in a time capsule. Thus, Borderlands Legendary Collection is both a preservation of two classic looter shooters and internet humor itself. If you want to crack that capsule open, the Nintendo Switch version is now down to $30 on Amazon. Unce, unce, unce!

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$30

From amazon

105 purchased by readers

Been waiting for the right moment to grab Assassin’s Creed Valhalla? Today might be the perfect time. Amazon currently has the game down to $35, which is the lowest price we’ve seen it yet since its launch in November. It’s been a very busy couple of months considering all the hubbub with new consoles and Cyberpunk 2077, but Valhalla is definitely worth checking out. The latest installment of the Assassin’s Creed series casts you in the role of a Eivor, a ruthless Viking who’s all about chopping heads off. Seriously, you will chop like a thousand heads off in this game. It’s a lot of heads. If that sounds exciting, then this is the game for you.

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$35

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$35

From amazon

221 purchased by readers

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$35

From amazon

300 purchased by readers

There are no shortage of ways to show your love for Animal Crossing, which has become a real merch mover since Animal Crossing: New Horizons dropped last year. Plushies, pins, socks, you name it! If you could stick a leaf on it, it wasn’t safe from Isabelle and company. Here’s another cute example of that today this very precious Nintendo Switch carrying case, on sale for $12. It features New Horizons’ now iconic leaf graphic and a cool mint and while color scheme. Beyond aesthetics, this slim case includes a few slots to carry game cards and a mesh pouch to throw your charger or earbuds in. It’s an all-in-one portable solution for your Switch. Pick it up if you want to broadcast your love of Animal Crossing to the whole world, more than you already do now.

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$12

Ready? Set? Go! Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is back on sale at Amazon. The AR racing game has been hard to come by since it launched, so anyone who’s been curious might want to hit the gas on this deal. The creative Switch game comes with a physical kart, which you can use to drive around courses in your actual house. The camera on the kart peripheral transmits to your Switch, turning your living room into a full-on track. It’s the perfect gift for kids this holiday season or adults who just want an excuse to play with RC cars again (read, me). Amazon made more copies available back in December, but the catch was that it wouldn’t be shipping orders until January. Now, the game is actually in stock and you can even get the Luigi version for $91, which is a slight discount over the normal price.

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$91

If you’re looking for something that’s really going to get the most out of your Xbox Series X, NBA 2K21 is the game to beat. On several occasions, I’ve been scrolling Twitter quickly and passed an image of a basketball game, only to realize it was a screenshot from a video game. For whatever reason, it looks photorealistic on new consoles, making it the real next-gen graphical powerhouse you’ve been looking for. While it’s been discounted on past-gen consoles for a bit, the Xbox Series X version is now down to $43 at Amazon. Next, I would like to see a very realistic remake of Mario Hoops 3-on-3 in this art style. That’s the dream.

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$43

We’ve seen Ubisoft slash the price on games like Watch Dogs: Legion, Just Dance 2021, and even Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, but the studio just took things to another level. You can now grab Immortals: Fenyx Rising for $37 at Amazon ($47 on Nintendo Switch). The game is still relatively brand new, so that’s about as fast a price cut as you can expect. Ubisoft’s latest open world game looks like it takes many cues from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with free climbing, gliding, and rune-like abilities that can be used to solve puzzle shrines. Except it’s about Gods. If that sounds up your alley, you can grab the PS4, Xbox, and Switch versions at a discount now.

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$37

From amazon

4 purchased by readers

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$37

From amazon

1 purchased by readers

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$47

From amazon

3 purchased by readers

Animal Crossing has yet to become an esport, and I think it’s time to change that. How is this series so popular, and yet no one’s figured out how to pro gamer-fy it? I remember seeing a new early attempts when New Horizons came out, but nothing really stuck. So I’m putting out a challenge: something figure out how to turn Animal Crossing into a heated competitive esport. Turn your island into a MOBA map. Make an elaborate hide and seek minigame. Anything! If anyone can pull it off, I will finally invest in a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which is currently down to $60. Kind of a roundabout way to explain that the controller, which more closely resembles an Xbox controller, is on sale, but I just want to see this happen, folks.

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When you’re in need of a jump for your car, you can’t beat a portable car jump starter that you can use if you’re stranded away from civilization. Plus, you probably want to keep your distance from strangers right now anyway, right?

Thankfully, this Imazing portable car jump starter can be yours for just $54 when you clip the coupon below the current deal price on Amazon.

This deal might not last long! Jump on it and be prepared the next time you have a dead battery.

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$54

From amazon

4 purchased by readers

Sure, you can scrape that snow and ice off, but why not plan ahead with a great deal on a Cosyzone car windshield cover today instead? Then that time toiling and scraping away can be better spent enjoying a nice cup of hot cocoa or coffee instead.

Normally $16, snag this Cosyzone cover for just $8 when you apply promo code CYNPMHCU at checkout. Speaking as someone currently living in the snowy state of Minnesota, you want to make sure the cover you get will stay on your car through the windiest of snowstorms. The nice thing about this cover is it has pockets that go over the sideview mirrors and magnets at the base to keep it snug to your vehicle.

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$8

From amazonUse code CYNPMHCU

I love to get my dog new treats and toys, but it can be pricey to appease her endless desire for more squeaky toys to rip apart. A fantastic deal on a BarkBox subscription today can make that goal a bit easier.

You can grab a BarkBox full of treats, chews, toys, and other pup-pleasing selections for just $25 today. What’s more, you can select a box with treats and toys sized for small, medium, and large dogs.

Of course, you don’t know exactly what you will get in your Barkbox, but that is part of the fun, right? What you do know is that the treats will be made in the US or Canada, and they will also be wheat, corn, and soy-free for the health of your best friend. As a bonus, they often seem to have a theme to them. For example, I got my cairn terrier a BarkBox for Christmas last month that had a Home Alone theme, which included Harry and Marv squeaky toys.

Just a heads-up: If you snag this great deal, the BarkBox will renew at its standard price of $35 the following month unless you cancel before then.

This deal is only good for today, so don’t sleep on it! Your pup will thank you later.

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$25

This deal was originally published on 11/21/20 by Elizabeth Lanier and was updated with new information on 1/31/21.

With a cold front hitting certain parts of the country pretty hard right now, you might be worried about the health of your car battery. You see, in the winter, a car’s battery weakens by around 35% in 32-degree weather, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. At 0 degrees, that figure can reach up to 60%, making it far more likely that you break down in the winter than in more temperate months like the spring and early fall. Fortunately, jump starters have gotten much cheaper over the years, and at the same time, they’ve even gained functionality like the ability to charge your portable devices like your phone, tablet, and in some cases, even your laptop.

One such device is the Topvision 2,200A Peak Car Power Bank, which as its name explicitly indicates, features a 2,200A peak current powerful enough to jump-start 12-volt vehicles, including those with 7-liter gas or 6.5-liter diesel engines, or so the company claims. For a limited time, you can snag one for yourself for 25% under the list price by clipping the 10% off coupon on the Amazon page here, then entering the promo code TOPVISION at checkout. This jump starter power bank combo comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty and “24 months and lifetime technical support,” the listing suggests. If anyone knows what that means, leave a comment below with an answer to technical support can last only 24 months but also a lifetime.

The Topvision 2,200 Peak Car Power Bank has a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Amazon with over 10,000 customer reviews, making it a safe bet for anyone looking to prepare themselves for the presumably brutal forecasts yet to come.

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$60

From amazon

24 purchased by readers

If you’re thinking about organizing your work from home station, a Standing Desk Converter might be a perfect and easy way to upgrade. This set from Ergo gets you up and on your feet to help with productivity and back pain. It’s 34% off and ideal for all your zoom calls and skype sessions.

This set is made of wood and metal, is thirty-six inches wide, and adjusts to thirty inches high depending on your vertical needs. There’s absolutely space for two monitors if that’s what your set up requires. You’re also getting a ring light with a holder for your phone, so you’ll be well lit on your next video call. A gel wrist cushion is a really nice bonus as well, so even your hands get a bit of relief while they’re hard at work.

If you’ve read a few of our pieces on MorningSave before and you like what you’ve seen, they offer a $5 monthly fee to get free shipping on all of your orders, no matter how many.

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As we start 2021, there’s no shame in wanting to enter this year with new things. Since we are likely to still be at home a little longer, we might as well make it as cute and cozy as possible. Give your sleep space a little makeover and ensure your slumber is comfy as can be. All the sizes for Charter Club are currently 60% in this 4 piece sheet set deal. This sale will run until February 2.

New sheets are an easy way to refresh your bedroom and even class it up a bit. We may not be traveling to hotels with big beautiful beds and astronomical thread counts, but that doesn’t mean we can’t recreate that at home. This Charter Club set is made of 100% Supima cotton, and that count is 550. The chic stripes on this Damask collection come with a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases. These are easy to wash in the machine, and fabric softer is not needed as they are lush and plush. There are nineteen color options in various sizes for your mattress needs. If you think you want these, I will purchase them quickly. At this price, they will likely sell out.

These will ship for free.

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This set from KitchenAid is not only functional but really chic too. Every kitchen needs a good set of knives, and if they can look great too, why not? This is the Architect Series Knife Set and will make you want to elevate all your meal to accompany how stylish these are. You’re saving 25% on this elegant set too.

There are eleven knives in the set, each made of durable stainless steel with natural walnut handles. They are designed to not only look good but give you the ultimate control for the perfect slices and dices each use. The contoured handles allow for a comfortable grip. You’ll get a chef knife, slicer, bread knife, santoku knife, two utility knives, paring knife, peeler, shears, and even a sharpener in this set. They have a beautiful matching block to stay safe in between uses.

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The Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Pro Cooker is on sale at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $179, which is $20 off the original list price. For all who don’t understand the magic of this cute kitchen appliance, you can air fry literally whatever you want (fries, chicken wings, even BROCCOLI!), and can use the pressure cooker to make juicy, savory meats and stews in a fraction of the time it would take on a traditional stove. I have one, and let me tell y’all. I’ve made baby back ribs, chicken wings, and even mashed potatoes in the 7-in-1 cooker. It’s a mistake not to grab one before they’re all gone.

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If you’re a coffee pod enthusiast, you probably go through one or two a day. I’m definitely a fan of getting a perfectly measured full strength cup of java every time I fire up the maker. Saving money on a good cup of joe is essential if you started making it at home to do just that. Today take $29 off these Harry & David Single Serve Coffee Pods.

Single-serve pods are quick, convenient, and mean you won’t be overestimating how much you might drink and wasting precious grounds. I’ve had Harry & David products over the years, usually around the holidays when a relative would gift me their famous Moose Munch, so I can say their stuff is great. Choose from seven different packs for full-bodied fresh-brewed flavor for each energized cup you make. Not to get you too excited, but there is a Breakfast Blend, Northwest Blend, Chocolate Cherry Decadence, and Caramel Pecan. No matter which you choose, you’ll be saving 60% and loving every sip.

If you’ve read a few of our pieces on MorningSave before and you like what you’ve seen, they offer a $5 monthly fee to get free shipping on all of your orders, no matter how many.

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Maybe you’ve seen it on TikTok or Instagram, or maybe even in a viral tweet thread. There’s a zillion of ‘em out there, but these galaxy projectors are a sensation, blasting an array of stars and lighting effects onto your ceiling to savor at nighttime.

If you’ve been wondering about these things but weren’t sure which one to snag, here’s a good option: the TYY Star Projector is marked down to just $33 at Amazon today, a savings of 29%. It has a 4.6-star review average from 1,500+ customers and offers eight different projection modes and four unique angles, plus it has a remote control for easy access from bed. Bring the stars to you and wind down in the galactic glow with this bargain.

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$47

Whether you’re traveling or not, a good steamer is the key to saving a last-minute outfit. My mom has bought me a travel steamer a few times over the years, and I cannot count the number of times it helped. I know I’m not the only one who hates ironing, and these little steamers are pretty amazing at how well they fix even the most wrinkled of garments. Grab this Hilife Travel Steamer.

For its size, this steamer will run for up to fifteen minutes, so if you’ve got multiple items, it will likely be able to get each to pristine condition. The extra-long cord is great if you have outlets in not ideal spots or steaming a larger piece like a dress or coat. These heat up very fast, usually under two minutes to get fully going. This 7-in-1 Multi-use steamer can handle a multitude of fabrics in no time. I’ve never had an issue with this rusting; only I highly recommend dumping excess water out after each use so you do not get mold, which will grow inside. My only other tip is to keep it away from kids and pets. These do get very hot even after shut off, so be sure to place it in a safe spot to cool down.

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$18

From amazon

507 purchased by readers

If you’ve been wanting to finally virtually cook with your grandma in Florida like those commercials we’ve all seen then you’re in luck. Despite Bezos being the richest person on earth probably, he’s apparently graced us plebs with this newest deal.

The Echo Show 5 is 50% off, bringing the price down to a low $45. It has a 5.5″ smart display to show you YouTube videos or to show (haha) all of your family members you are, unfortunately, socially distanced from until further notice. It’s a couple of versions back from the newest Echo Show 8, which is also on sale for $80, which is 38% off from the original list price of $130. Nothing else to say here. Grab it if you’ve got it!

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$45

From amazon

2074 purchased by readers

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$130

From amazon

355 purchased by readers

Your floors are starting to feel grimey, and your trusty ol’ broom doesn’t seem to really do the trick anymore. A vacuum cleaner can not only help speed up the process, but make sure all the little specs of gunk that brooms can often miss get picked up. The Dyson V10 has a powerful cleaning head that’s ready for deep cleaning sessions, and it’s cordless, so you can get into all those tough-to-reach spots without hassle. All that power would typically cost you over $350, but right now you can get a refurbished model for just $290 when you use the code 63WTNTY84A until 01/31, so you’re paying a pretty low price for a vacuum that’ll make cleaning your floors a breeze.

Winter sucks, and shoveling snow is even worse. Work smarter, not harder with this Reyleo Electric Snow Blower that’s able to move 2200 RPM. That’s a lot of snow to move, and at $98 with the promo code ZK35YDAA, it’s basically a steal. It’s also made with rubber-tipped augers that can cut pretty decently into ice, and a 180-degree directional chute that is able to throw snow up to 26 feet away. It’s time to grab one of these before they’re gone.

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$98

From amazonUse code ZK35YDAA

Being home all the time is no fun, and if you’re anything like us, you may be filling the hours rage cleaning, just because. At this point, any further efforts to clean can only be seen as a desperate, cryptic cry for some sort of help. After you’ve resolved your internal conflict and made some attempted return to normalcy (what’s that?), let someone else do the job.

It could be your kids, but not all of us have them… and barring expensive nanny care, a eufy RoboVac just might be the next best thing. The BoostIQ RoboVac 11S packs solid suction power for just $150. It’s $80 off the list price right now. Need even more power? The eufy RoboVac 11S MAX boosts the suction mark from 1300Pa to 2000Pa and is just $20 more right now.

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$150

From amazon

3042 purchased by readers

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$170

From amazon

37 purchased by readers

If you’re ready to transform your living space into a smart home, start off with a Switchmate Dual Smart Power Outlet. Only $29 on Side Deal, you can control your lights and other appliances through your phone! You can also time when lights go on and off and are compatible with Alexa and Google Home, which means you can command your appliances with voice commands. Clap on, clap off has nothing on these babies.

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Start your mornings off right with a Cuisinart Tazzaccino Milk Frother. Only $59 over on Morning save (originally $185), you can warm up and foam any kind of milk for lattes and cappuccinos with a click of a button. The milk itself takes about a minute to heat, and it comes with a frothing spoon, as well as an integrated spout for instant pouring. Cleanup is also easy peasy with a non-stick milk tank.

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Ok, I’m a little doubtful that this Ancient Greek Remedy Oil is actually ancient or even Greek, but can over 13,000 people that gave it a five-star rating be wrong about how good it is at hydrating? Maybe, I don’t know. But you can try this moisturizing blend of extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed, vitamin E, and lavender essential oil for just $13 today and see for yourself.

This organic oil can be used for everything from moisturizing your cuticles to your scalp, and can even be applied directly to your face.

Get yourself some while it’s at this great price!

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$13

From amazon

70 purchased by readers

Super comfy PJs are always needed, and if you’re thinking of upgrading your current set, we’d like to recommend Crane & Canopy. Their Layla Pajama Sleep Set is 40% off when you use the code KINJA40.

If you’re familiar with the brand, you know luxury is their game, and that’s in everything they do from bath to bedding and even to PJs. There is something very retro about a matching pajama set like this, especially with the classic contrast piping. Getting these monogrammed absolutely adds a layer of prep and chicness. They’re soft, feel stretchy, and above all, are relaxed to get a great night’s sleep. They come in three colors light grey, navy, and black. And this two-piece set is a rayon blend and runs from extra small to extra large.

This will ship for $16 but make for a glamourous night’s sleep.

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This deal was originally posted by Sheilah Villari in December 2020 and updated new information on 1/27/2020.

We’re a month into this new year already— can you believe it? Treat yourself for making it 1/12 of the way through 2021 with some new masks from Onzie.

Onzie’s Mindful Mask line is 40% off today, no coupon codes needed. These masks are made using up-cycled activewear material, so they should be perfect for daily walks and outdoor exercise. I’m personally eyeing this emerald tie-dye and black combo for $17 (pictured on model above).

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Another option with tie string closures is this pair of lavender and grey masks— the flower print is my favorite.

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For $14, you can snag this lovely rose leopard print and flowery combo of masks with ear loops instead of ties.

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This is just a small sampling of what’s available. Check out Onzie for all the masks on sale!

It has been a long time since the days we could safely have a potluck or other gatherings, but we have a fantastic deal perfect for once those times return. This double-decker Poruary dish carrier can be had for 66% off when you add promo code LU2Y2FQW at checkout and clip the $8 off coupon on the site (it’s just below the price). These holders fit 9″x 13″ sized baking dishes.

That means you can insulate and keep two dishes of food warm for only $9 instead of $30!

Just add promo code LU2Y2FQW and clip the $8 off coupon to bring the price down to $9 for the grey option. Unfortunately, the code won’t work for the black or blue option— but you can grab those for $22 each with the clippable coupon.

Grab this offer while it’s still around! The code is only valid for Saturday.

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$9

From amazonUse code LU2Y2FQW

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$20

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$20

This deal was originally published in 12/24/2020 by Elizabeth Lanier and was updated with new information on 1/30/2021. 

Holy shirt is it cold outside! The wind’s blowing at 13 miles per hour here in New York, and while the temperature reads about 20 degrees, it actually feels like 10 degrees, which sucks!! Still, it feels like 3 degrees in Toronto, but I guess that’s the price you pay for free health care.

Speaking of prices, Huckberry’s holding a clearance sale on fall outerwear, which can technically be used as winterwear since fall feels like winter depending on where you live. This Proof Stealth hoodie, for instance, looks cozy enough to survive at least 6 more weeks of winter, no matter what the gopher says next week. It’s resistant against rain and snow and is made from down and feathers in an ethical way that ensures the animals involved are not hurt in the process. For extra warmth and insulation, consider the $130 Grayers quilted jacket. Despite its lightweight design, it can hold its own while combatting harsh temperatures.

Of course, jackets aren’t the only things discounted in this sale. You can also step into a pair of SeaVees Coronado boots, put on your best lumberjack impression in a Taylor Stitch flannel, or even protect your GameStop investment earnings in a durable Andar six-card wallet. Shop the whole sale here, and rest assured you’ll find something in there you were looking to buy anyway. It is finally approaching layer-wearing weather after all.

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As someone who has used many Anastasia palettes, this is a beautiful and great deal. Anastasia Beverly Hills is known for quality and glamour. The Sultry palette is one of their best known and best selling. It’s got fourteen shades of metallics and mattes for subtle to vibrant looks in neutral hues. Each color is highly pigmented and wears really well through the day or night. To amplify that look add some true black liquid liner to go bold or demure with big cat eyes or small wings. Top that off with Lash Brag, Anastasia’s premium volumizing mascara for the fullest lashes. Just don’t forget to start the process with the eye primer to ensure the look you’re serving gets the longest shelf life. It’s all bundled in a gorgeous sparkly pink box for safekeeping.

Free shipping on all overs over $35.

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Satisfyer knows what they’re doing. I was a huge fan of their Pro 2 when it came out. The Satisfyer Curvy 3 is an ergonomic revamp and lots of versatility. Made from the same soft silicone, it’s a little easier to maneuver than its girthier predecessor. This third-generation pleasure aid has two separately controlled motors, which means there are eleven intensities and ten vibes to pick from. It’s also designed to be held as forward-facing, so a great option for couples. But here’s the best new feature, you can connect it with your smartphone. Through the Satisfyer Connect app, you or your partner now have a remote control for all the vibes. You can even design custom patterns for your bits. That seems like an entertaining night in with your S.O. if you ask me. I’m a huge fan of sex tech and am really excited to see more companies engaging in this. Obviously, the Curvy 3 is excellent for solo flights, and as with all of their toys, it’s approved for water sports and water-based lube. This is a great value that will definitely become a fan favorite.

This deal runs all day or until it sells out. It’s probably going to sell out, so grab one quick. No code is needed as the discount will appear once you add it to your cart.

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Eastbay is on a roll with its athletic sales! For the next day, you can save 20% off orders $49 and up. This is a much lower threshold than the previous deal we posted, where readers had to spend about $150 in order to get a percentage off the total price. It includes sneakers, apparel, accessories, and more!

As always, I’ve provided a couple of pieces that would inspire you to take the plunge. A pair of women’s Air Max 90s for $120, men’s compression tights for $10, Air Jordan Jumpman fleece sweatpants for $55, a Micheal Jordan Funko Pop for $15, an Adidas Defender duffel for $28 , as well as an Adidas adjustable dad cap for $17. As I said, the sale only lasts for the next day, so I would grab your faves before they’re gone!

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JACHS is really one of those companies that want everyone to look good. Each sale they run is the antithesis of that. Right now, they are giving you up to 85% off all of their pants with no code needed. Most of the slacks are $39, which is about 61% off. But there are few rogue pairs of Twill pants for only $19. This sale includes their Chinos, Travelers, Canvas, Joggers, and Tech pants. There are sixty-two options currently available in various colors and fits, so you’re sure to find the pair that vibes with your style. Keep your resolution of elevating your fashion in 2021 and save lots of money while doing so.

Free standard shipping on all domestic orders over $100.

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I’m so proud of you for still wearing a mask, it’s super cool of you. But do you need an upgrade or maybe something a little more heavy-duty? Or maybe you just want to put your mind at ease with something a smidge more protective? Grab 60 of the KN95 masks from SideDeal right now for just $29.

These are industry-standard which means they are supposed to filter 95 percent of particles. That is just about as good as you can get. So the mask obviously doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of catching or spreading something but if you wear it correctly it still drastically reduces the likelihood. These are also great if you’ve got severe allergies or asthma and protect against pollen, dander, and whatnot. The KN-95 isn’t made for clinical environments not that you’re performing surgery with these but they will definitely protect you and others against what is currently out there. Not all heroes wear capes, but they do wear masks. So thank you.

If you’ve read a few of our pieces on SideDeal before and you like what you’ve seen they offer a $5 monthly fee to get free shipping on all of your orders no matter how many.

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If you’ve long been intrigued by the possibility of cruising around your city or on your commute with an electric scooter, but didn’t want to shell out big bucks to give it a shot, now’s your chance. Amazon currently has the Hover-1 Engine electric scooter for just $200, which is half-off the list price. This foldable electric scooter offers a range of 11 miles at up to 16mph and supports riders up to 280 pounds.

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$400

If you like the classic UGG look but aren’t ready or willing to commit the $170 for them, these Skechers First Flurry Boots are a great alternative. At 33% off their original price, these are a cozy deal. It’s still going to be chilly for a few months, and there’s a blanket of snow cover a lot of the country currently. So there’s still plenty of time to some good use of these. The Flurry Boots can handle all icy, snowy weather. This mid-calf boot is made of soft suede and Scotchguarded to add some water-resistance. This inside is plush and warm, like walking on a heated cloud. The resistant rubber outsole will keep you slip-free, and they’re easy to wipe clean if they happened to get a little dirty.

These will ship for free.

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If you have sensitive skin, then I am the wearing a mask every day must be a time for your face. It’s totally normal to suffer from Maskne, as it’s caused by trapping the sweat, dirt, and oil in between a tight-fitting mask for a number of hours, according to the New York Times.

Well, if you’re tired of seeing pimples all around your face, you should try out Mask Rescue Detox Pads. Only $41 with the exclusive code KINJA25, it’s made with tea tree, retinol, and salicylic acid to restore the proper pH to your skin from all the work you’re doing to avoid catching COVID-19 or spreading it to others. The pads are also vegan and cruelty-free, so no animals were harmed in the process. Just because this pandemic is our new normal doesn’t mean your skin has to suffer. Seriously.

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There’s chatter on Maybelline’s Sky High Mascara again. That can only mean one thing. The TikTok talk is making the rounds, and a whole new batch of people are discovering this lengthening wonder. It’s $9 with the coupon (807302), and that’s about the price everywhere, even Target and Walmart.

So what makes this the “gotta have” mascara? Well, this is the new holy grail of volumizing. The wand is designed to hit every angle of the lash and drench every inch in dark unlimited length. The brush has an exclusive flex-tech that allows for a bend to cover each lash from root to tip. Your lashes are headed for the heavens. Maybelline has concocted a mixture that includes bamboo extract that supposedly clumps less and doesn’t feel heavy. Ulta carries the shades, Very Black and Blackest Black. It’s waterproof, and I can only say from experience with drug store mascara like this it tends to be a bit tougher to get off. By all accounts, this does look the business, or at least it does on camera with a ring light.

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Bellesa’s got you covered for the big day, you know, Valentine’s Day. In another one of their classic tiered sales, the savings are based on what you spend. There’s 15% off everything on the site, but spend $79 or more and get 20% off. If you’re really looking to treat yourself, take 25% off when you spend over $149. Just use the code VDAY at checkout.

The Diskreet Vibe is the companion piece to the Diskreet Air (my favorite toy). This vibe sizes down the tech of the Aurora and Dea but not the potency. They somehow managed to get all that in just a 3.5” diameter toy. Choose how you want to groove with the multiple sides; there are options. This clitoral vibrator is just as cute as the above Air in its beautiful baby blue clamshell case. Both of these cases look like compacts and fit snuggling in your purse. They’re USB charged and waterproof too.

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If you’re into high-tech toys to stimulate two of the best zones, then the Air might be the vibe for you. The Cinetic Suction plays that top note to perfection, while high-end vibrator tech hits the g-spot precisely. Durable and flexible for all types and preferences.

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Free shipping on all orders over $29.

This is one of those deals that’s really great but takes a bit of patience and finagling. Until January 30, take 20% off qualifying items with the code 807302. So I say this is difficult because so many brands are currently on sale or have pretty good discounts currently running. But after playing around, there are still quite a few items that this code will work with.

A great option is Pixi’s Purifying Trio Kit. It looks like most Pixi products will vibe with the code. This trio is all about keeping your face as glowing as possible. In three easy steps, cleanse, exfoliate, and purify. Have a wintery shimmer and hydrated skin for the rest of the season with travel-friendly sizes of the Glow Mud Cleanser, Glow Tonic, and T-Zone Peel-Off Mask.

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2020 part deux stress seems to be rolling on and calls for a moment of self-care, a bath bomb can certainly help you take a pause. I’ve had a few of these from da Bomb, and this one is hands down my favorite. It fizzes like fluffy pink cotton candy, smells awesome, and leaves your skin silky smooth. Oh, and you get a prize once it fully dissolves. There are thirty-two bombs to pick from, so definitely something for everyone, even kids.

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Some good boys are in the White House now. They’re making history too. Major will be the first shelter dog to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Pets in the President’s home have a long and storied history. If you’re like me, you’re excited to see the adventures the First Dogs will get up to just as Bo, Buddy, Millie, Checkers, and Fala did before them. Joy McCullough’s brand new storybook gives a little background to the presidential puppers and imagines what life will be like for them in our country’s famous home. Sheyda Abvabi Best beautifully illustrates each page, capturing not only the likeness but personality of the Biden’s loyal duo. Grab 10% off Champ and Major: First Dogs ($7 off for the Kindle) right now. This is a wonderful gift for dog lovers young and old.

This will ship free for Prime members.

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$12

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Computers & Accessories

  • 20% off All Premium Plans | Qustodio
    Portable Laptop Stand | $8 | Amazon | Promo code 606JP97A
  • Aukey PC-LM1E Webcam | $30 | Amazon | Clip Coupon
  • 2-Pack: Juku STEAM Coding Kits | $29 | SideDeal | Promo Code KINJUKU
    Vava TP-Link Deco M3 | $99 | Amazon
    El Gato Cam Link 4K | $107 | Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco S4 (3-Pack) | $135 | Amazon
    TP-Link Deco M5 (3-Pack)| $150 | Amazon
  • Apple Magic Keyboard (iPad Air/Pro 11”) | $199 | Amazon
  • Apple iPad Air 4th Gen (64GB Sky Blue) | $559 | Amazon
  • Apple Mac Mini (M1, 256GB) | $649 | Amazon
  • Microsoft Surface Pro 7 w/ Type Cover | $699 | Best Buy
  • Apple Mac Mini (M1, 512GB) | $849 | Amazon
  • Alienware 34″ 120Hz Gaming Monitor | $930 | Amazon
  • Apple MacBook Air (M1, 256GB) | $990 | Amazon
    Apple MacBook Air (M1, 512GB) | $1,176 | Amazon
    Apple MacBook Pro (M1, 256GB) | $1,219 | Amazon
    Apple MacBook Pro (M1, 512GB) | $1,399 | Amazon
  • Asus Zephyrus 15.6″ Gaming Laptop | $1,800 | Pre-order at Best Buy

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If you need a tablet that does it all, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 is a stellar option. This versatile device delivers a huge 12.3” touchscreen for use as a tablet, plus you can flip out the kickstand and snap on the included Type Cover with a full keyboard to turn it into a laptop (and add a mouse if you please). Add a Surface Pen and you can also sketch and annotate at will.

Right now, Best Buy is slashing $260 off the bundle price for the current-gen Surface Pro 7 and the Type Cover, selling for just $699. With a 10th-gen Intel Core i3 processor inside, it’s not built to be a gaming wiz, but it’ll have plenty of power for everyday use and productivity needs.

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If you’re an iPhone user with some cash to blow, skip the pretenders and even the lesser AirPods to go for something better. The AirPods Pro step the game up with rubber tips, active noise cancellation, better overall audio quality, and a wirelessly-chargeable case as standard.

They’re a bit expensive normally, but right now Amazon has ‘em for $49 off the list price. At $200, it’s the best price we’ve seen in a few weeks, although they were lower around the holidays. Still, if you held out and you’ve been hoping for another solid price drop, this is your chance.

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$200

From amazon

1552 purchased by readers

SABIC expects the introduction of vaccines to extend gross sales and earnings within the petrochemicals enterprise

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Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, CEO of SABIC, delivers the company’s earnings report on January 31, 2021. Saudi Arabia.

Photo courtesy of SABIC

A spike in fourth-quarter revenue helped Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) generate profits in 2020, beating analysts’ worst-case estimates of full-year losses.

SABIC, the petrochemicals division of oil giant Saudi Aramco, posted net profits of 40 million riyals ($ 10.7 million) last year, up from 5.2 billion riyals in 2019. Analysts had losses of more than 300 million, according to some estimates Riyal expected.

SABIC posted net income of 2.22 billion riyals ($ 592 million) for the fourth quarter, offsetting a loss of 890 million riyals in the year-ago quarter. Full year sales decreased 14% to 116.96 million riyals, but rose 12% to 32.85 million riyals in the fourth quarter.

“The fourth quarter benefited from an ongoing economic recovery that resulted in healthier demand for our products,” said Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan, vice chairman and chief executive officer of SABIC.

“Product prices rose in the fourth quarter of 2020 due to strong demand and the tight supply and demand balance for some of our key products due to outages and rising oil prices,” the company said.

“These factors resulted in higher margins for SABIC in the fourth quarter of 2020.”

Optimistic outlook

SABIC said it was “cautiously optimistic” for a gradual rebound in the coming year and expects earnings to be “moderately higher” in 2021 as the world slowly emerges from the coronavirus crisis.

“In most parts of the world, we expect economic activity to continue to improve in the second half of 2020 and estimate that global GDP growth rate will increase between 4.5% and 5% in 2021,” it said a statement from SABIC.

“This requires the effective and widespread use of the COVID vaccine around the world,” he added. World Health Organization data shows that as of January 31, 2021, there were 101,561,219 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, including 2,196,944 deaths.

SABIC was forced to suspend investments after the oil price drop and the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, but returned to profit in the third quarter. It is now expected that the sales volume will be 2 to 5% higher compared to last year and the investments will be similar to 2020.

SABIC stocks are up as much as 65% from the coronavirus low in March.

New IPO talks

SABIC announced that its specialty chemicals unit is now operating as a “separate company” in the fourth quarter earnings release. It is speculated that SABIC is considering an IPO for the entity that makes engineering thermoplastic resins and compounds, among other things.

“This is an important milestone that should support the company’s ambitions to be a leader in specialty chemicals,” SABIC said of the separation. “The move creates value for SABIC by making specialties more agile, more focused, and better understanding the value associated with unique business and customer needs.”

A potential IPO would be in line with the UK’s efforts to deepen its capital markets and focus on new industries to reduce its reliance on oil. SABIC did not comment on the rumored listing.

Reuters reports that SABIC has screened overseas banks for advisory roles, and HSBC and JPMorgan are in the final stages of pitching the deal, which could start later this year or early 2022.

Carnegie Corridor presents free music teaching programs for youngsters

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Illustration for article titled Take Advantage of Carnegie Halls Free Children's Music Education ProgramsPhoto: Kaesler Media (Shutterstock)

If we’ve learned any of ’90s classics like Sister Act II: Back in the Habit and Mr. Holland’s Opus, it’s that taking music lessons for kids (and spoilers: their teachers too) can be life-changing, but it often is miserably underfunded. The funding situation has not really improved, but for almost a year now the school has looked and worked differently for students across the country.

Whether your child is fortunate enough to attend a school where music lessons still play a role, or whether you are in a position where you are solely responsible for this aspect of their learning, you may want support. Fortunately, there is currently a free set of online music lessons and materials available that are not made available by anyone else the legendary Carnegie Hall. Here’s how to access it.

Illustration for article titled Take Advantage of Carnegie Halls Free Children's Music Education Programs

The Musical Explorers program from Carnegie Hall

Musical explorers is a Carnegie Hall’s curriculum Weill Music Institute (WMI) recommended for children between four and eight years of age. It has been used in classrooms across New York City and the rest of the world, but now those behind the program have adapted their curriculum for families with children to use at home.

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The program aims to “connect children with rich and diverse musical communities by building basic musical skills by listening, singing and switching to songs from around the world”. according to his website.

Illustration for article titled Take Advantage of Carnegie Halls Free Children's Music Education Programs

Activities and resources

The Musical Explorers program features activities, a variety of different artists, and digital concerts including:

Sure, it still takes “practice, practice, practice” to get to Carnegie Hall (plus herd immunity which allows the venue to reopen) but for now this is the next best thing.

My musical moments: Robin Thicke shares the soundtrack to his life

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Robin Thicke is relieved.

After a long hiatus from music, the “Blurred Lines” singer is ready to make his big comeback with the release of his seventh studio album on February 12th. And he couldn’t be more excited.

“I’m glad I finally made it,” he told E! News. “That’s the biggest reward right now for actually getting it done. I’m very excited. It’s called On Earth and In Heaven and it’s the first album in about six or seven years. I’ve been through so much in those years Than mine Dad died, my house burned down, got divorced, my mentor died last year. And I had three kids during that time who fell in love again. So there’s a lot to write about. I’m really looking forward to this album out there. “

To set the stage for the new LP, the Masked Singer judge has already released three tracks – “Forever”, “Beautiful” and “Take Me Higher” – with one more on the way.

“Lucky Star is about that presence in our lives when we’re all alone, but we know we’re not alone,” he said of the album’s fourth single on February 5th. “There is a presence that guides us, that drives us, that clears the way for us, you know? This is our lucky star. We all have something like this in our lives.”

Finest robo advisors in Singapore: How to decide on the correct one?, Cash Information

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Everyone and their mom has been telling you that you REALLY ought to start investing this year. But you’re not the most financially-savvy person, nor are you not rolling in dough. How exactly, then, do you get started?

One of the easiest ways to start investing is through a robo advisor. These are designed to be stress-free, approachable and cost-effective for the n00b investor.

Here’s a guide to how robo advisors work, whether this method is right for you, and (perhaps most importantly) how to choose the right one.

What are robo advisors? Why choose them?

Robo advisors are digital investment apps. They do have some variations, but generally, you sign up on an online platform, input your goals and risk appetite, and — using some fancy algorithms — the robo advisor will recommend an investment portfolio for you.

If you’re happy with the suggestions, you can invest directly through them. You can also monitor your portfolio online with robo advisors, and rebalance your portfolio whenever you need to.

As the word “robo” suggests, there is no direct human involvement in the advice rendered. Yet, every robo advisor is subtly different, because they use different algorithms based on the company’s knowledge of markets and investing.

Of course, since robo advisors aren’t human, they can’t (yet) capture all your nuances and customise accordingly, or execute trades that don’t fit within their framework of computer logic.

What they can do, though, is to help automate your international investments in a low-risk way, typically by helping you invest in ETFs (exchange-traded funds). These are funds that invest in a variety of assets, which might include stocks, bonds, gold and more. Most of the ETFs that robo advisors deal with are US or worldwide.

In short, robo advisors are simple investment instruments. They’re meant to let you invest passively in the longer-term, not to make short-term gains by buying and selling frequently.

What are the robo advisors in Singapore and how much are their fees?

Robo advisors started rising in popularity in 2016. The “OG” robos were Stashaway and AutoWealth, but lots of banks and startups jumped on the bandwagon in the past couple of years. For your convenience, here are the main local options for Singapore investors:

Robo advisor Annual fee* Minimum investment
Syfe 0.65 per cent None
Stashaway 0.8 per cent None
AutoWealth 0.5 per cent + US$18 (S$24) $3,000
DBS digiPortfolio 0.75 per cent $1,000 or US$1,000
OCBC RoboInvest 0.88 per cent US$100
SquirrelSave 0.5 per cent $1
Philip SMART Portfolio 0.5 per cent S$5,000
EndowUs 0.6 per cent $10,000
Kristal.AI 0 per cent $100

* Some notes on robo advisor fees:

Many robos charge tiered fees, i.e. the more you invest, the cheaper they charge. But since this article is aimed at beginner investors, we’ve compared the lowest tier (usually up to $20,000 invested).

Robo advisor fees are supposedly “all in”, but there might be additional costs depending on what products the robo invests in. For example, if it invests in ETFs, there might be a minor (0.1per cent or less) ETF fee hidden in there.

Which are the best robo advisors for beginners?

Each robo advisor uses a different investing strategy, so the portfolios generated (and therefore your returns) will differ. There are also differences in the experience of using each platform — some are buggy while others are beautifully designed.

However, we can compare robo advisors in terms of their fees and minimum deposits. The following ones are beginner-friendly as they have low fees and practically no minimum:

Use promo code MSFEEWAIVER to get 0 per cent fees on Syfe for the first 6 months — the perfect low-risk way to test things out. Thereafter, Syfe charges a low 0.65 per cent per annum for up to $20,000 in investments. Invest more and the fee goes down.

If your starting capital is small, you can also opt for the friendly-looking SquirrelSave. It requires a minimum investment of just $1, so you can get started with whatever spare cash you have on hand, and it has a very low fee of 0.5 per cent.

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With a lovely app interface and no minimum deposit, it’s no wonder Stashaway remains a popular choice among newbies. The annual fee of 0.8 per cent is a bit higher but it’s still definitely a viable option for getting your toes wet. 

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OCBC RoboInvest is really convenient if you’re already an OCBC customer, and it doesn’t require a huge amount to start with — just US$100. But as you’d expect from a bank rather than a startup, management fees are slightly on the higher side.

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Which are the best robo advisors for serious investors?

While most of these robo advisers are meant to be entry-level platforms for people who want the simplest possible way to invest their money, there are more sophisticated options for more serious investors.

AutoWealth has a high minimum investment amount, and it’s harder to use than, say, Stashaway. On the other hand, it assigns each user a personal advisor who will be able to offer support via text.

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Kristal.AI charges some of the lowest fees in Singapore, but we wouldn’t recommend it to beginners as it’s quite a complex product. For example, you can customise your own “multi-asset strategy” to deliver higher returns at higher risk.

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With a super-high barrier to entry, EndowUs is definitely not for newbies who just want to put in $100 to try. But it’s one option if you’d like to invest your CPF and SRS funds.

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DBS digi Portfolio and Philip SMART are both robo offerings from traditional banks/brokerages. They may not be as approachable or cheap as the other robo advisors on this list, but you can give them a shot if you prefer the security of a brand name.

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In a nutshell, yes, robo advisors are regulated, but they get special leeway from the MAS.

MAS requires robo advisors be licensed under the Securities and Futures Act (SFA) and/or the Financial Advisers Act (FAA). Which one(s) apply depend on the robo advisor’s “scope of activities and business model”, but the point is that you should find it in either one or the other.

At the same time, MAS doesn’t want to be impede digital innovation, so in Oct 2018, they also loosened the licensing criteria:

Robo advisors can be licensed under the SFA even if they lack the usual corporate track record requirements, provided they have board/senior management members with relevant experience in fund management and technology, offer portfolios that comprise only non-complex collective investment schemes; and submit to an independent audit after the first year.

They can also be licensed under the FAA while being exempt from having to collect full data on a client’s financial status. However, they’re required to put in some form of data-gathering measure to prevent recommending the wrong types of investments.

Robo advisors also get special leeway to pass their clients’ orders to brokerages without having to obtain an additional capital markets services license under the SFA.

These relatively relaxed rules mean it’s fairly easy for robo advisors to operate regardless of their performance history, so be careful when choosing one.

What are the pros of using robo advisors?

Just as online shopping has dealt a heavy blow to brick and mortar sales, an array of advantages have led to a surge in popularity of robo advisors, including the following:

Easy and convenient

Ease of use is one big reason people prefer using robo advisors. You don’t actually need to research what to invest in, deal with the intricacies of the stock market, submit heaps of paperwork, or even execute the investments yourself. You can simply sign up online, create a profile and let the app do the rest.

Low barrier to entry

Not that much money in your piggy bank? That’s OK — many robo advisors let you invest if you only have a small amount of money. This is good for those who want to try investing and not worry about losing a fortune on the stock market.

Can be cost-effective

Robo advisors charge a percentage of the total you invest, so it doesn’t matter how big or small or frequent your transactions are. If you’re just starting to invest in small amounts to build up a habit of investing, this fee structure can be very forgiving. You also don’t get charged for depositing or withdrawing, so you won’t lose money to fees unnecessarily.

Customisable to some degree

Thanks to robo advisors’ algorithms, they can offer advice that is customised (to a limited degree) according to your needs. It can take into account details such as risk appetite, income/cash-out needs, financial goals and more, to offer advice fine-tuned to your needs. Of course, don’t forget that the efficacy of the advice given depends on the sophistication of the algorithm.

Diversified portfolio

Maintaining a diversified portfolio is essential to reducing risk, as you won’t go broke if one or two of your assets crashes and burns. Robo advisors operate like funds by offering a mix of assets, except that instead of human analysts managing the assets, it’s an algorithm doing the work.

Low commitment

Unlike other investment funds or savings products with lock-in periods, you can choose to liquidate your robo advisor investments at any time with no penalties. There’s nothing stopping you from taking out your funds at any point and switching to another robo advisor, if you find a more suitable one later on.

What are the cons of using robo advisors?

Of course, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns when it comes to robo advisors. As you get more confident about investing, you’ll start noticing their limitations, such as the following:

Inability to deviate from the algorithms

With robo advisors, investment choices are only customisable up to a certain point, and cannot deviate from the algorithm’s parameters. So if you want full control over every single investment decision, robo advisors are probably not the best for you.

More expensive than DIY

While robo advisors generally charge lower fees than investment managers, you might still end up paying quite a bit in fees if you invest significant sums. That’s because they charge a percentage of your total investment.

On the other hand, if you DIY your own investment portfolio, you get charged only per transaction. That might work out cheaper for buy-and-hold investors.

ALSO READ: Ultimate Robo advisors Singapore guide. Key facts you need to know (2020)

Some people do stick with robo advisors forever, simply because you can’t beat their ease of use and intuitive platforms. But if you’re interested in DIY investing, here are some articles you might find useful:

Want to always be on top of what’s happening in the market and get up-to-date news? You can now do it easily all in one place with SGX’s new Telegram Channel (ID: SGX Invest). Just simply click here to find out more!

What sorts of investors are robo advisors suitable for?

As you can see, there are some disadvantages mixed in with the advantages. So what kind of person are robo advisors ideal for? Well, you might want to consider using one of the following apply to you:

You don’t know how to invest globally

One reason robo advisors have become so popular is that they offer an “investment for dummies” experience for those who have no idea how to get started.

They’re easy to use and require no knowledge of how global stock markets work. You just transfer your money, let the robo advisor invest using their algorithm and hope your wealth grows.

You are lazy and want a completely passive system

No matter how much or how little you know about investing, if you’re so lazy that you wouldn’t lift a finger to invest if someone didn’t do it for you, robo advisors can manage your investments for you with almost zero effort. Rebalancing can also be done automatically. Just know that you’re paying a price for the convenience.

You’re looking for a cheap and easy way to start investing

Don’t have much capital or know-how, but want to start investing anyway? Instead of waiting years till you finally earn enough money or read enough books to qualify as an investment expert yourself, it can be a lot easier to simply use a robo advisor. Putting off investing all your life because you don’t know how can leave you worse off in the end.

You’re looking for a lower cost alternative to your investment manager

If you’re already using an existing investment manager and haven’t been too pleased with their performance or think their fees are too high, you might want to consider switching to a robo advisor.

This article was first published in MoneySmart.

Find out how to lose your virginity as an grownup

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Not all of us lose our virginity by the age of 16 on the back of an old Camry. If you are still a Virgo later on, you may be the last person in the world who hasn’t had sex. But rest assured, you are not alone.

According to a recent CDC study, they are Americans Wait longer than before to have sex for the first time (30 percent of Generation Z respondents between 18 and 22 years old said they were virgins. 12 to 14 percent of men and women between the ages of 20 and 24 said the same). Whether you are waiting for your wedding or just haven’t found the right person, here’s what you should know about losing your virginity as an adult.

What to Expect

You probably know the basics of where everything is going, but first let’s talk about what to expect before, during, and after losing your virginity.

In front

First things first, what does virginity mean to you? Most people still think that P-in-V traffic is what defines loss of virginity, but it really shouldn’t be the default. Maybe you’re weird and there is no penis and / or vagina in the mix. Or vaginal intercourse may not be part of your desired repertoire. There may be other actions that matter more to you. It really is up to each of us to decide which act will result in the loss of our virginity. Aside from the logistics, there is also the emotional weight you place on your virginity: do you want to lose your virginity with someone you care about? Do you save it for a committed relationship? Or marriage?

With that in mind, many older Virgos struggle to lower their standards (one way or another) in order to “get it over with.” When you are clear about what your virginity actually means to you, you can hold onto your guns a little more. It’s understandable to be aware of your virginity, but do you really want to remember that experience when I was desperate and threw my standards out the door?

One of the biggest questions to ask with later virgins is whether or not to share your virginity status with a potential first partner. My advice is usually yes; Your virginity is not something to be ashamed of, so you don’t have to hide it. Virginity means different things to different people, so you should allow your partner to decide if he is comfortable being the one taking yours.

You also need to find out how to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections and (if it concerns the male and female parts) pregnancy. Talk to your partner about their STI status and what barriers to use. Do this before you are naked and horny.

You will likely be a huge bundle of nerves before you lose your virginity. That’s okay! You don’t need to force yourself to act nonchalantly when you feel like a colony of butterflies is settling in your stomach. Let yourself feel what you need to feel before, during and after.

While

Let me be real with you: your first time is likely to be short, a little awkward, and not particularly fantastic. You or your partner may not achieve orgasm. It will feel like there are a lot of limbs involved and there isn’t a good place to put one of them. It takes time and practice to learn how to have good sex. You will eventually make it, but not your first time – and that’s okay! Try to concentrate the deeds you’ve already done and feel comfortable with to build your confidence.

Illustration for article titled The Adults Guide to Losing Your Virginity

When it comes to female parts and penetration, your first time can be a little painful and bloody too. Most people think that the hymen is responsible for these unfortunate side effects, but that’s not necessarily the case. The often misunderstood hymen doesn’t block your vaginal canal and doesn’t “pop” during sex. It’s a permeable membrane that probably already has a number of perforations in it. If you have a vagina and you are in pain, it is likely because the delicate tissues of the vaginal canal are not used to being penetrated this way. Bleeding can originate from the hymen, but it is just as likely that it originates from the tissues of the vagina, which in turn are not used to this type of invasion.

After this

Be prepared for cleaning. As mentioned above, some blood may be involved. There can also be a lot of body fluids that quickly slip out of your openings. Have a box of Kleenex or a towel nearby.

If you are a lady, you should pee afterwards! Bacteria can be forced into your urethra during any kind of sexual contact. You don’t want to celebrate that you lose your virginity with a nasty urinary tract infection.

Illustration for article titled The Adults Guide to Losing Your Virginity

Keep note in min

When my clients talk about losing their virginity, the phrase “I wish I knew that beforehand” keeps coming up. Here are some tips to avoid many of the most common pitfalls that result in losing virginity:

  • Talk about your expectations in advance. Simply saying it can ease your nerves and set more realistic expectations. Your partner might tell you that they only want to get over with the first time and focus on being more fun the second time. Or maybe you both agree to take your time and make it special.
  • It doesn’t have to be your wedding night. If you have made up your mind to wait until you get married, I highly recommend that you do so the day after your wedding. You will be so exhausted from the celebrations that you will be dangerously close to passing out the second your head hits the pillow. Sure, you could force yourself to have sex, but who wants that as the first reminder?
  • Be sober It is a bit of a hassle to navigate the first time, so you want all of your thoughts on you. When you’re drunk or high, you’re more likely to be in pain and less likely to enjoy yourself (or even remember the experience!). A glass of wine is good for calming your nerves, but try not to get too tipsy.
  • Spend a lot of time on foreplay. Some people are so excited about the “Main Event” that they forget that “Foreplay” is more than half the fun. Plus, you can relax and look forward to sharing this experience.
  • A handy tip for you right now, cis guys out there: Use your fingers to guide your penis into your partner’s vagina. The vagina is a little harder to locate than you might think, especially when you’re eager and nervous. If you let your fingers make the discovery, you avoid prodding your penis awkwardly.
  • Use lubricants. Lube can help ease the pain and make things feel so much better for both of you, especially the first time.
  • Keep it simple Remember, your expectations should be low so you don’t have to try and impress your partner with a ton of crazy gymnastics. Stick to simple positions that are comfortable to the touch and allow for an emotional connection (if that’s what you want).
  • Do not push yourself or your partner to orgasm. There are enough things to worry about without adding an orgasm to the mix. Instead, focus on enjoying the sensations.
  • Don’t worry if you don’t enjoy it. A lot of people didn’t particularly like sex when they first had it. Having a shitty first time isn’t a harbinger of sexual doom. Think of it as an excuse to try again soon.

Have fun and welcome to the wonderful world of a sexually active adult!

This article was originally published in 2015 and updated on January 29, 2021 to add additional context, include new information, replace outdated links, and revise the content to reflect the current Lifehacker style.

Navalny anti-corruption group urges Biden to sanction Putin’s allies

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BERLIN, GERMANY – JANUARY 23: Protesters hold a banner that reads “FREE NAVALNY” as around 2,500 supporters of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny march in protest to demand his release from Moscow prison on January 23, 2021 in Berlin . The demonstrators marched from the Federal Chancellery through the Russian embassy to the Brandenburg Gate and partly followed a call from Navalny to protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Navalny, who was arrested earlier this week after returning to Moscow from Germany, has called for protests against Putin across Russia despite the Russian authorities refusing to do so and declaring the protests illegal. Berlin is home to a large Russian emigrant community. (Photo by Omer Messinger / Getty Images)

Omer Messinger | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, in a letter to President Joe Biden, calls on the United States to sanction dozens of Russian oligarchs and government officials who accuse them of political persecution, human rights abuses and corruption.

Vladimir Ashkurov, who heads the Russian nonprofit founded by Navalny, told reporters on Saturday that he had emailed the letter to key officials in the Biden administration, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Foreign Minister Tony Blinken and the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

The call for sanction comes after tens of thousands of demonstrators took part in nationwide protests last weekend after Navalny was arrested as soon as he returned to Russia from Germany.

Navalny recovered for months in Berlin after being poisoned by a nerve agent. The opposition leader blames the government of President Vladimir Putin for his poisoning.

“For years, Alexey Navalny has campaigned for sanctions against people who play a key role in supporting Putin and taking the lead in persecuting those who want to express their opinions freely and expose corruption in the system,” the letter said .

“Existing sanctions are not getting enough of the right people. The West must sanction those decision-makers who have made it national policy to rig, steal and poison elections.”

The letter contains a list of 35 Putin employees, including billionaire businessmen Roman Abramovich, Alisher Usmanov, Oleg Deripaska and Gennady Timchenko, as well as numerous government ministers.

The United Kingdom and the European Union imposed sanctions on several Russian people in response to the poisoning of Navalny last year. The US has not done the same yet, despite members of Congress urging former President Donald Trump to do the same.

Biden urged Putin to release Navalny in a private phone call with the Russian President. The White House has also directed U.S. intelligence services to investigate the Kremlin’s alleged involvement in the poisoning of Navalny.

“He did not hold back from expressing concern about the treatment of Alexei Navalny and his treatment of protesters,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Jan. 28.

In an unexpected address by Putin at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum on January 27, the Russian President warned of an “all for all” battle if global tensions and the coronavirus pandemic are not resolved.

Why complaints about docs fall regardless of a burdened system

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The American healthcare system may buckle under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic, but one number is inexplicably falling.

Disciplinary measures against doctors fell sharply in the first nine months of 2020. The National Practitioner Data Bank, a federal registry of health professionals and institutions, has recorded 4,393 reports of adverse behavior against doctors. Compared to 5,225 reports over the same period in 2019, that’s a decrease of nearly 16%, the U.S. Department of Health told CNBC.

The total includes 3,752 actions taken by government regulatory agencies, compared to 4,521 in the same period in 2019. Also in 2020, 641 doctors had limited or suspended their clinical privileges through September, compared to 704 in the same period last year.

The reasons for the decline are unclear. The pandemic forced widespread delays in non-Covid proceedings. In one study, more than 28 million elective surgeries were delayed or canceled in 2020. Patient advocates also point to the shortage of doctors during the pandemic, the crushes of critically ill patients, and even the heroic status of healthcare workers serving on the front lines of the crisis.

The president of the Federation of State Medical Boards denied that the shortage of doctors was a factor in states taking fewer measures against doctors over the past year.

“The guiding light, our north star, is the protection of the public,” said Dr. Humayun Chaudhry told USA Today in September. “It’s the facts of the complaint and the case. The problem of the workforce is not taken into account in individual cases.”

However, the decline in reports to the National Practitioner Data Bank almost certainly doesn’t mean the problem physicians’ problem is gone, patient safety experts say, despite extensive reforms in recent years.

“The mechanism is there. Indeed, it is required. And yet it does not work,” said Dr. Lucian Leape, Professor of Retired Health Policy at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Leape, whose 1994 publication “Error in Medicine” is widely recognized as revolutionizing the profession’s approach to medical errors, founded the Lucian Leape Institute, a think tank to improve patient safety.

Leape told CNBC’s American Greed that despite numerous safeguards – such as requiring incidents to be reported to the database and doctors being certified and assessed regularly – there are still too many incentives to maintain the status quo.

“Even if you get it right,” he said, “people fight back viciously because their livelihoods are at stake. And that’s a deterrent. Nobody wants to spend their time in court defending the fact that they’re doing this Guy asked to go. “

Activate ‘Dr. Death’

Leape is quick to point out that problem physicians are a tiny part of the profession. However, their effects can be catastrophic.

Neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, who came to be known as “Dr. Death,” was able to practice in at least four Texas hospitals over a period of three years, despite dozens of botched surgeries and two patient deaths. In 2017, a Texas judge sentenced 49-year-old Duntsch to life imprisonment for deliberately injuring an elderly person.

This photo from the Dallas County Jail shows Christopher Duntsch. A Texas jury found the neurosurgeon guilty on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 of mutilating patients who had turned to him for surgery to fix debilitating injuries.

Dallas County Jail via AP

The patient, 74-year-old Mary Efurd, became paraplegic after Duntsch botched her spinal surgery. Fellow surgeon Robert Henderson, who took care of Efurd after the incident, told CNBC’s American Greed that the complications were so severe that he wondered if Duntsch was really a doctor.

“I couldn’t imagine someone taking an anatomy class in medical school doing so much harm,” said Henderson.

In fact, Duntsch had an extensive and real resume, including a medical degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis and a prestigious scholarship in spinal surgery.

Duntsch did not respond to several American Greed requests for comment.

Prosecutors said Duntsch could stay active that long because of the many cracks in a system designed to root out bad doctors. Alleged safeguards include a requirement to report incidents to the National Practitioner Data Bank, which Congress set up specifically in 1986 to prevent problem doctors from moving from hospital to hospital.

Two days after a committee at Baylor Plano Hospital in Dallas found that Duntsch had violated his standard of care in two botched operations, Duntsch simply resigned instead of being discharged. A fire would have been reported to the database. There was no resignation.

The hospital has since changed its name to Baylor Scott & White Health. Spokeswoman Jennifer McDowell declined to go into details of the case.

“Dr. Duntsch, who started his career in North Texas with impressive references and excellent referrals, ended up hurting families, employees, and the trust we all have in doctors,” McDowell said in an email. “Out of respect for the affected patients and families and the privilege of a number of details, we will continue to limit our comments. There is nothing more important to us than serving our community through high-quality, trustworthy healthcare.”

In another case, Dallas Medical Center granted Duntsch temporary privileges. He wasn’t hired. The reporting requirements for the database only apply to employees.

“Everyone knows when to get in touch, and no one likes breaking someone’s reputation,” said Michelle Shugart, Dallas County’s assistant district attorney who prosecuted Duntsch. “And so they are using these little techniques to find ways to avoid reporting someone.”

In a statement to American Greed, Dallas Medical Center spokesman Vince Falsarella said the facility had been in new ownership since Duntsch’s time there.

“The administration that existed at that time is no longer in the hospital,” he wrote. “Dallas Medical Center has a thorough physician certification process in place that meets all industry standards, best practices, and guidelines and regulations from the National Practitioner Data Bank to ensure the safety of our patients.”

Another hospital, the Legacy Surgical Center in Frisco, north of Dallas, said it had changed hands since Duntsch began practicing there. The fourth, University General in Houston, has closed.

None of the hospitals have been charged with criminal misconduct. The Texas Department of Health fined Baylor Plano $ 100,000 for violating the state’s administrative law in 2014, but subsequently overturned the finding without explanation.

Shugart believes some facilities were motivated by something more sinister than just avoiding the hassle of reporting a bad doctor.

“Neurosurgeons are one of the most lucrative aspects of the hospital business,” she said. “The financial incentives are a big part of what drives him and the people around him.”

Leape, the patient safety expert, said bad doctors don’t operate alone.

“These people have enablers,” he said. “This neurosurgeon didn’t take his patients out of thin air. Doctors refer patients. Neurosurgeons receive their patients from other doctors.”

Attention patient

To make matters worse, patients have few options to see a doctor in advance. The National Practitioner Database is confidential to the general public – you can find out the number of complaints, but not the doctors or institutions behind them.

For this reason, Leape believes it is important for patients who have had a bad experience with a doctor to report it.

“You need to make some noise,” he said. “You should go to the board of directors of the hospital and say, ‘You have to do something about this person’.”

Ultimately, Leape believes the rules need to be tightened. He advocates a federal patient safety agency to enforce standards and remove bad doctors, rather than the current patchwork of state regulators and hospital committees.

“We ask people to regulate their own profession and regulate themselves, and people just can’t,” he said.

Leape said hospitals – large chains in particular – have begun to prioritize patient safety. But he said that consciousness can only go so far.

“The systems are only as good as the people in them,” he said. “Systems work when people make them work.”

See how Christopher Duntsch got the nickname “Dr. Death” and how he got away with it for so long. Check out a NEW American Greed on Monday, February 1st at 10pm ET / PT on CNBC only.

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