10 Things You Should Know Before Turning 30

The big 3-0 has heft: Most 20-somethings fear it, 40-somethings miss it and 60-somethings realize that they’re way wiser than they ever were back then.

We don’t think you’re defined by your age on a calendar, but this turning point in our adult lives sure seems to hold mystique; at the very least, you had a lot to say about our roundup of 30 bad habits to ditch by 30.

By the time we embark on our fourth decade, there are a few things we should all know: life skills to help us manage our money, maximize our talent and make the most of where we are.

1. How to Budget

Whether you’re looking ahead to your 30^thbirthday or are smirking from a place of divine wisdom, check out these 10 things everyone should know by 30—and tell us what you think.

According to a nationwide survey conducted by LearnVest and Chase Blueprint®, only 38% of people have a monthly budget, and fewer than half are aware of what’s available each month for discretionary spending. This varies little across the gender, age or income groups.

2. How to Cook a Signature Dish

Living off nothing but pasta and canned tuna is all well and good when you’re fresh out of college or still embracing your inner bachelor, but at a certain point, your palate should mature—without your wallet picking up the slack.

We know not everyone is born a culinary wonder, nor wants to become one, but with at least ten cable channels devoted to food, you can pick a culinary idol to emulate and a signature dish or three that will do more than simply sustain you.

3. How to Write Professionally

Sure, you speak and write English, but when occasion calls, can you draft a cover letter, résumé or email that commands attention? Your career could depend on it.

Writing professionally applies not just to official memos to your department head. It also comes in handy when you want to negotiate a bill with customer service, or even write a thank you note. Even in less formal contexts, you’ll be remembered by the emails you send—and they form a permanent, written record of your work.

4. How Not to Part With Your Hard-Earned Cash

Sure, your 20s may be the decade of impulse buys, but with age should come fewer occasions for buyer’s remorse.

Here's an easy rule of thumb anyone who's spent three decades on Earth should consider before plunking down a wallet: Ask yourself whether you’ll be glad in a month that you own this purchase. Then think about what else you could do with that money. Would you rather have this thing, or that lump sum?

5. How to Change a Flat Tire

Changing a tire in the cold by yourself sounds way less than fun, but this adult skill can save you in a bind, both in terms of money and safety. Read: You don’t have to pay for a tow truck, and you don’t have to sit by a sketchy roadside for hours waiting for AAA. Want to learn how? Check out this video.

6. How to Look Up Your Credit Report

Your credit is one of the most fundamental building blocks of your financial life. Solid credit enables you to do everything from getting a mortgage to taking out an auto loan. Good credit also means you’ll be eligible for credit cards with better perks and lower interest rates.

Certainly, a big part of maintaining good credit is paying all your bills on time, but there’s another component people often forget: checking your credit report to make sure there are no errors. Credit reporting agencies screw up surprisingly often, and no one is going to make sure they’re doing right by you, except you.

7. How to Manage Your Money...Digitally

You shop online, have made the transition to going paperless (after all, seven years of bank statements eat up a lot of filing space!) and, if you're a responsible money manager, by now you ought to have made the leap to knowing where your money goes while you're on the go.

In fact, that's why LearnVest created our new iPhone app. These days appscan help us do everything from save on groceries to organize our desktops, but there's nothing more useful than seeing where every cent you earn or spend goes ... in real time. Of course, this isn't just for people over 30, but we know it's the future, so it's best to get on board now!

8. How to Swim

Although swimming may not feel like a core life skill when you’re living and working a day job, we think it’s something everyone should know. On the most basic level, it will keep you safe whether you’re ever caught in rough waters or ice skating on a frozen pond.

This becomes even more important if you’re ever around kids. Whether you have children, plan to have them in the future or occasionally hang out with people who do, you’ll surely want to feel empowered as a trusted adult by the pool when little ones are playing.

9. How to Move On

We mean this in the broadest sense possible, whether it’s moving on after you didn’t get the job you wanted, after learning that the mortgage for the home you loved is way out of your price range, and, okay, sure, getting over old relationships.

The sting of disappointment is no less sharp, whether you’re 13, 30 or 300. But wisdom means having the tools to recognize which battles are fight-able, and when you need to get on with your life. (In other words, don’t keep harassing the hiring manager weeks after you’ve been turned down from a job.)

10. How to Strike a Balance Between Work and Life

How much time do you spend thinking about how you spend your time?

One of the hottest conversations in America is the perennial one about work-life balance: From moms too busy to take maternity leave to more women than ever burning out in the workplace by age 30. Some experts have argued that the key is less about work-life balance than work-life purpose, or prioritizing what’s important to you and fitting it into a composite of who you are, and what you do with your time.

10 Surprising Turn-Ons For Men

A nice ass in a tight pair of jeans! The ability to hold an intelligent conversation! Fellating a popsicle like it’s a penis! All three are practically guaranteed to turn any man on, but they’re also sort of, I don’t know, obvious. Then I read an article over at MadeMan listing the 10 Surprising Turn-Ons For Women; I agreed with some — drinking wine and being able to engage in a little friendly smack talk– while others I was kind of meh on. I mean, V-neck sweaters are okay, but the only “chick flick” I genuinely appreciate a guy liking is “Fear” and that’s because “Fear” is awesome. Anyway, this list did inspire me to unearth the same scientifically proven turn-ons for men for the benefit of the sisterhood. After all, men are both exceedingly complex and irritatingly simplistic creatures, so it makes total sense that the following 10 surprisingly everyday things are the turn-ons that really work.

1. Downloading from torrent websites. Not that I’m encouraging illegal downloading or anything, ahem, but there was a time when I was on the wrong side of the law and downloaded all my music and movies from torrent sites. Torrent sites are ideal for downloading large files — I won’t get into the tech mumbo-jumbo, but basically, tell a dude you use them and his eyes will light up like a Christmas tree. I have had not one, not two, but three dudes immediately say, ‘Wow. That’s hot,” when I dropped this info.

2. Being handy with a screwdriver or drill or some other tool. There’s something about a woman who can dismantle her own vacuum cleaner and can identify a jig saw that makes a fella sprout wood. Major bonus points if you also assembled all of your Ikea and West Elm furniture by yourself.

3. Cooking pork loin. Well, not necessarily pork loin and not necessarily cooking it for him. But being able to say, “Oh yeah, I made roasted pork loin [or Beef Wellington or whatever] for Christmas dinner — it came out pretty awesome,” makes him think, Mmm, I love pork loin. Pork loin good. How do I get closer to this chick’s pork loin? And then BAM! His food boner turns into a real boner. I have gotten laid more ever since I really found my way around the kitchen and I don’t even have to cook for a dude to have him be turned on by the fact that I can cook.

4. Doing yoga. Even if the guy would never do yoga himself because he doesn’t think it’s “real” physical fitness, knowing you’re flexible will get him thinking about all sorts of positions he could put you in. Do a back-bend at a bar and watch the men come a-runnin’. (I’m only kind of kidding.) Similarly, though I am not a runner, I have heard from friends who have run half or full marathons that men are always impressed by that information. Setting and accomplishing a goal is sexy, especially one that requires a lot of stamina.

5. Being a good driver. I don’t mean driving like my mom and always using your blinker and staying within the speed limit, either. No, a woman who drives fast and aggressively is showing she’s both competent and a challenge. He may even want you to take the wheel in other ways. Bonus points to the woman who can drive a stick shift.

6. Quoting random song lyrics in everyday conversation. A friend of mine landed her last boyfriend — a big hip-hop fan — when she told him, “I need my third eye poked,” referencing a lyric from a Common song. This works just as well with a hipster, punk rock enthusiast, or a fan of classic rock, and if the lyric is relatively obscure — i.e., NOT “Baby, I’ll be your free bird” — even better.

7. Wearing white cotton underwear. Not everyday or anything, because then its virginal luster becomes too commonplace, but every once and awhile will be a pleasant surprise to behold. A guy friend of mine told me that white underwear has that innocent, “not meant to be seen by others” allure. Whatever. This is great news for women in relationships who can spice things up by splurging on a 3-pack of Hanes rather than some ridiculous get-up at Victoria’s Secret. And it’s even better news for single ladies like myself who hate doing laundry and ran out of clean lacy thongs five days ago and “Whoops!” have a date tonight.

8. Knowing your brown liquor. Can you explain the difference between bourbon, whiskey, and scotch? Do you drink one or all of the above, although having a preference is most desirable? Do you have a top-shelf bottle in your liquor cabinet (if you have a liquor cabinet)? If the answer is yes to all of these incredibly important questions, you are probably getting more ass than Gene Simmons. Respect!

9. Not wearing a bra. All the better to see your tits jiggle, my dear. Knowing there’s less fabric between you and total boob exposure titillates his imagination. Bonus points for a subtly hard nipple.

10. Making dirty jokes. A woman should have at least one nasty joke in her repertoire. In college, I had many, but my personal fave — and the one that worked every time — was the following:

Q: How do you make Martha Stewart scream twice?
A: You fuck her in the ass and then wipe your dick on her curtains.

I’m not saying it’s the funniest joke in the world (although, sorry, but I think it’s great), but it’s all in the delivery. Emphasize “fuck,” “ass,” and “dick,” with a straight face, while making eye contact. Try it. If it doesn’t have the dude looking at you with an arousing appreciation, I will eat my shoe.

How Your Sexual Confidence Will Make Her More Comfortable In Bed

Being a sexually confident guy is not only good for your self-esteem, it’s also good for your partner.  And sexual confidence does not mean acting like a He-Man who rips off his pants and then jumps from the ceiling to the bed. Sexual confidence is about much more than sex, or even good sex. It’s about the whole mindset of loving yourself and your body and being comfortable in your own skin. Such a mindset can be contagious and result in one equally comfortable woman. Here’s how the chain reaction can work. 

For starters, she’ll sense your honesty. Confident people don't have anything to hide. They are also more inclined to speak from the heart and offer genuine compliments. Women definitely know when compliments are genuine and when they’re a bad ploy to get them in the sack. Armed with your genuine compliments and your aura of honesty, the woman will start to relax. Instead of focusing her attention on her thighs she finds too fat or her nose she finds too pointy, she’ll be basking in the compliments you offer. If you’re really good, she’ll start to believe them. This boosts her own confidence and gets her out of the big cocoon of covers she’s wrapped around herself in hiding.   

She’ll relax even further when she sees you are ready and able to take charge. With you taking charge, she’ll realize she doesn’t have to. All her worries about moving too quickly, too slowly or “should I take off my own shirt or let him do it” instantly dissipate. She’ll become less tense and distracted when she knows she doesn’t have to devise an 18-part strategy in her head. Once she sees you’re at the helm of the ship, so to speak, she can kick back, relax and enjoy the cruise.

   

Part of cruise enjoyment is appreciating all that’s in store. Since you are confident enough to share your own likes and dislikes in bed, she’ll be more apt to do the same. You can even prompt her by making your moves then asking if it’s something that pleases her. If she’s particularly coy, start with more traditional moves, such as soft kisses and caresses. Once you see her confidence level rise, you can move on to bolder moves. Just make sure she’s enjoying the progress so you’re not suddenly slapped in the face.  

The final level of comfort comes from the easy conversation that can happen before, after, or even during your encounter. You’re not expected to have a full-fledged discussion on religion or politics here, only to open up communication. That honesty she sensed from you at the beginning can prompt her own ability to be honest. No games. No lies. No secrets. Your sexual confidence just resulted in one beautiful experience with one very comfortable woman. Not bad at all. 

Read more: http://www.mademan.com/how-your-sexual-confidence-will-make-her-more-comfortable-in-bed/#ixzz2PCFFIKV0

7 Ways To Hide An Erection From Wandering Eyes

Sure, you’re not thirteen anymore, but hot chicks and hot thoughts can still leave a man in need of a very cold shower. Pronto. In your defense however, it’s not always sexual thoughts alone that can arouse your man part; you can end up with an erection anytime blood decides to race to the corpora cavernosa, also known as the “erection chambers.” Your choices include going with the flow (so to speak) and making a stupid joke while trying to laugh it off, or trying to hide your erection in a cool, calm and collected manner with one of these stealthy moves.

Untuck your shirt. Long shirts can be godsends when it comes to hiding soup spills, blood stains and the unwanted erection. Simply grabbing at your shirt and ripping it out of your waistband may look a little odd, so preface the move accordingly. Say something about your shirt bunching up or your stuffy look getting on your nerves, then gently and discretely pull your shirt down to cover your groin area.

Block it with a book, newspaper or other nearby object. Reading material is grand for hiding an erection, especially if it’s a giant, hardcover book or tabloid-size paper. Other everyday object that can work include plates, menus, napkins on the lap, shopping carts and bags or your backpack. Holding the object nonchalantly in front of you with a loose arm makes it look like a natural, casual move. Don’t be sudden or jaunty about it, or you’ll just call more attention to the area.

Create a distraction on the other side of the room. If you’re into ventriloquism you have an automatic distraction. Make that tall potted plant start talking. If you’re not, you can always create a hubbub to pull all eyes away from your direction by hurling plates, menus, shopping bags or whatever you were going to put on your lap. Throw a large bomb or grenade. Pointing at a strange sign, person or other entity and yelling, “Look,” can also veer eyes in a direction other than your pants.

Give in to the sudden urge to bend over. Bend over to tie your shoe. Bend over to prove you can touch your toes. Bend over to pick imaginary lint off the bottom of your shoe. Bending at the waist can not only hide the erection, but it can also take people’s attention to whatever you’re bending to reach. That means they’ll be looking at your shoelace instead of your crotch.

Start wearing briefs instead of boxers. If sudden, uncontrollable erections are an ongoing deal, switching to briefs will at least keep it less obvious. Briefs can help smash down your privates and keep unwanted lumps closer to your body. Baggy, clown-like pants can also help, as long as you don’t mind looking like a moron.

Pretend you are about to vomit. Suddenly becoming ill can be nearly as effective as suddenly needing to bend over to touch your toes when it comes to hiding an erection. Bent over and grab your stomach, getting extra points for un-tucking your shirt in the process, and run to the nearest bathroom or alleyway. If you remain within earshot, make audible groaning and retching noises.

Think about something twisted and sick. Twisted, sick thoughts can often turn off the erection switch by steering your brain in a non-sexual direction. Imagine someone stabbing you in the eye with a butcher knife. Think of getting hit by a street sweeper or bus. Call to mind the goriest movie you’ve recently seen. Of course, these images will not work worth a darn if you happen to get aroused by sick, twisted things.

5 Every Day Products Men Should Use

Men often pride themselves on being low-maintenance beings. This can mean they don’t bother with fru-fru body washes, hair gels, and other such products meant to beautify the body. That’s fine and dandy, but there’s also a fine line between being low maintenance and being an all-out slob. Five everyday products men should use help fill in that gap, keeping your maintenance low and your fresh, clean attractiveness high.

Non-disgusting toothpaste. Toothpaste is definitely on the daily list of products men should use, and hopefully it’s on there twice. Any paste that has cartoons on the tube or tastes like bubble gum falls into the disgusting category, as do tubes of paste that are bent at strange angles or so caked at the top they will no longer close. The most disgusting paste by far, however, is anything in a deep, dark red gel that makes it appear the guy is spitting out bloody chunks of his mouth when he goes to rinse. Keep it simple, keep it fresh, and most of all keep it effective!

Lip balm. No, we’re not talking about goopy pink gloss–even if you’re a fan of your bubble gum-flavored toothpaste. We’re also not talking about tinted or medicinal balm that makes you look like you just lost a fight with a popsicle or make you reek like a medicine cabinet. We’re talking a clear, sheer and moisturizing lip balm so your lips are not akin to kissing a piece of peeling sandpaper. Chapped, cracked lips aren't inviting for kissing, and you don't want to be kissed, don't you?

Face wash. Sorry, fellas, but using that harsh deodorant soap on your face is going to leave your facial skin as ruddy and peeling as your lips without a proper balm. Face wash for men now comes in manly versions so you don’t have to feel like one of those short-lived metrosexuals, either. Go for a solid name from a manly brand you trust and be amazed at how much more eager your gal will be to caress your face.

Moisturizer. Guys typically spend plenty of time boldly blazing their body against the elements, which means they can pay for it dearly with dry and calloused skin. A few calluses can actually be cool, just to prove you do something other than fold linen napkins all day. But dry skin is generally not attractive. Invest in a non-greasy, non-scented lotion that stops flaking, dryness and itching. If anyone starts to make fun of you, just say you to moisturize daily to best preserve your tattoos.

Non-disgusting deodorant. Just like the non-disgusting toothpaste, your choice of deodorant should not cake in strange areas. Also, refrain from choosing a type that turns into a white, frothy paste every time you sweat. Go for something that has a bit of kick in the form of a manly scent, which can double as hiding any stench. And don’t wear pastels if you’re planning on public speaking. No matter how much deodorant you slake on, your sweat will still leave pit stains while you’re at the podium. Then again, pastels in general are tough to pull off, frothy deoderant or not!

8 Ways The Recession Is Great For Your Love Life

They say baby booms happen when the economy is tanking. Why is that? Well, if you're not working, you might as well get some steady sex in your life. Some may ask, "well how's a guy that can't get a job supposed to get women?" Believe it or not, there are eight ways the recession is great for your love life. So, even though you may not have a job, you can still get plenty of "work" done, okay?

More time. You won't be spending 40-plus hours a week stuck in front of a computer screen, because you have no job. In between spending time looking for a new job, you can use that time to do some mingling. Sure, you can't break the bank on account of the fact that you're not making much money, but you'll have plenty of time attend free events and meet plenty of women.

Everybody's broke. Misery loves company, right? Commiserating with other people about your struggles can make for some interesting conversations, and conversations can lead to dates. The best part is, you're allowed to be cheap. Frugality is sexy when everyone is broke. Who would've though an extra value meal from your favorite fast food chain would be considered a great fine dining date?

Stressful times call for stress release. Nothing's more stressful than not having money. The best stress reliever, hands down, is sex. Think of all those unlucky, broke, stressed out women that need some lovin' to temporarily forget their respective economic issues. There are countless women out there just looking for a good man to help them relive some tension. And after a long day of pounding the pavement, you probably could use some relief too!

  

Time to brush up on your social skills. You spent all your time with your nose buried in your training manuals at the job. Now, you can spend time reading pick up artist books, learning the Kama Sutra, or just learning how to say hello without tripping and making a fool of yourself. Good social skills will beat out a huge paycheck any day of the week, at least for a while.

Boredom leads to action. When people aren't working, following their dreams, or making money somehow, they're having sex. It's as if people regress back to their basic survival functions when the rest of the world goes on pause. Those being eating, sleeping, and reproducing. You may as well get in on the reproducing part. Well, at least, practicing the reproducing aspect.

Lowered expectations. The main reason so many more people have better love lives during a recession is that everyone's expectations are severely lowered. Remember when you needed a job to get a girl? During a recession, women brag about dating a guy that's lined up a few interviews. When gold diggers are taking pay cuts and accepting trips to the corner store instead of the Bahamas, any guy can get lucky. Step up your game, and date that supermodel you've been pining for!

Read more: http://www.mademan.com/8-ways-the-recession-is-great-for-your-love-life/#ixzz2PCDRjxS5

6 Ways To Avoid Liquor Dick

Drinking can be fun, but at some point you need to be aware that it might make you a little less…potent. That is, unless you want a night of drinking to get the best of you and add an element of embarrassment to a relationship. While there is a certain level of drunkenness that will make sex nearly impossible, there is a thin line between being able to perform well and performing poorly in the bedroom, based on the amount you consumed. What you can do to avoid a bad situation is to maintain complete mental control so that your body won’t let you down. This might not be easy at first, but eventually, you’ll get the hang of and never have to suffer from liquor dick again.

Make sure that both you and the woman are truly making a conscious decision to sleep together. Remember that quality sex works best when the body and the mind are on the same page. This means thinking carefully about what you’re doing before you take that first drink. Talk to the woman you’re with before she starts drinking, too. Otherwise, you may end up doing something you’ll regret later. You don’t want this to turn into a messy situation in a legal sense, so the thought of all of that hassle alone may help you avoid drinking to the point of limpness.

Wear a condom that fits well. The little things can make a difference when you’ve been drinking, and a condom that’s too large or too small can throw you off of your game. If you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to try on a few different sizes and brands before heading out for a night of drinking. This might seem embarrassing, but you’ll thank yourself later. Also, when you’re actually with a woman, don’t try to rush and get it on. Being flustered will make it harder to perform.

Read more: http://www.mademan.com/6-ways-to-avoid-liquor-dick/2/#ixzz2PCDC4vZH

6 Reasons Women Love Assertive Men That You Can Copy

Most men‘ class=’linkify’ target=’_blank’>women love strong, powerful assertive men. Many “nice guys” out there wonder why women go after assholes and not kind, sweet men; that is a puzzle they just can’t solve. The truth is, no woman loves an asshole, but women do love assertive men who take what they want when they want it, as as opposed to shy men unable to make the first move. If you’ve been sitting back watching these assertive men take women out from under you for too long, look to our seven reasons why women love assertive men. Maybe it’s time for a game changer, buddy.

An assertive man beams with confidence. Usually a man who is strong and assertive is very sure of himself. He is never afraid to smile, and he walks into the room like he owns the place. It doesn’t matter if he’s in a suit or his pajamas-an assertive man will always be confident. And women are always drawn to a confident man who flashes them a smile. Be a little more out-going and build up your self esteem.

An assertive man makes the first move. Like we said before, an assertive man takes what he wants when he wants it. It is extremely flattering to women when a strong, confident, assertive man shows interest in them and pursues them. A little chase for both the man and woman is exhilarating. To be more like an assertive man, you have to take the bull by the horn and stop stammering when you ask a woman out to dinner.

An assertive man is good in bed. Sure women like to be in control sometimes, but they can’t deny that it is absolutely breathtaking when a man takes charge in the bedroom like assertive men do. They take charge, yet they know exactly how hard is too hard. Just loosen up a little bit, watch some porn and whisk her off her feet in the bedroom.

Assertive men make great fathers. When a woman sees an assertive man, she subconsciously envisions him as a great father because of his delegating abilities. She knows that he will be loving, yet stern and raise good, well-mannered children. To show a woman you can also be a great dad, be playful with children around her, yet don’t give in to crazy requests like buying a six year old an iPhone.

Assertive men take control of the household. When a woman sees a powerful, assertive man she knows that he will be in control o the household and take care of her. With a shy, quiet man she may have to carry the responsibilities in the house, financially and otherwise. With an assertive man, she knows that he will do his best to put food on the table and make her life as comfortable as possible.

An assertive man treats his woman like a lady. Okay, we’re for female empowerment and all, but sometimes women do love being treated like the fragile creatures they are. A strong man always takes care of his woman and puts her before himself. If there’s an earthquake, she knows he’ll pick her up in a millisecond and rush outside, while a shy, submissive person might not be able to do that.

An assertive man is powerful. No matter what anybody says, we know women love big, tall, handsome and powerful men. An assertive man is a sign of power, hence a sign of fertility, wealth and strength-things every woman wants in a partner. You have to rise above in your life for a woman to find you powerful, so work on yourself—get a job, work out and truly find yourself.

Read more: http://www.mademan.com/6-reasons-women-love-assertive-men-that-you-can-copy/2/#ixzz2PCCOWsFj