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  31. <title>Don’t Worry, Gen Z, Your Face Isn’t Aging Faster Than Others</title>
  32. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/dont-worry-gen-z-your-face-isnt-aging-faster-than-others/</link>
  33. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/dont-worry-gen-z-your-face-isnt-aging-faster-than-others/#respond</comments>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:29:51 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[department of health]]></category>
  38. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/dont-worry-gen-z-your-face-isnt-aging-faster-than-others/</guid>
  39.  
  40. <description><![CDATA[April 18, 2024 – The explosive rise in skin care “influencers” hawking product after product on social media has led many young people to seek anti-aging products and procedures even as experts say there is no actual evidence that Gen Z is aging faster than normal.  Worries about things like frown lines and wrinkles often serve as [...]]]></description>
  41. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  42. <div data-page="1">
  43. <section>
  44. <p><span>April 18, 2024 – The explosive rise in skin care “influencers” hawking product after product on social media has led many young people to seek anti-aging products and procedures even as experts say there is no actual evidence that Gen Z is aging faster than normal. </span></p>
  45. <p><span>Worries about things like </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/what-to-know-frown-lines#:~:text=Frown%20lines%2C%20sometimes%20called%20worry,you%20made%20certain%20facial%20expressions." data-wpel-link="external"><span>frown lines</span></a><span> and </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/wrinkles#:~:text=We%20all%20get%20wrinkles%20as,surface%20lines%20and%20deeper%20furrows." data-wpel-link="external"><span>wrinkles</span></a><span> often serve as proof online. But skin care experts said that this claim is false. Rather, it largely boils down to perception. </span></p>
  46. <p><span>Gen-Zers – young people between the ages of 12 and 27 – are arguably the generation that uses social media the most. With skin care influencers seemingly both bare-faced and picture-perfect, it can cause an unhealthy focus on one’s own skin and an unrealistic idea of what </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/skin-care-basics#:~:text=Stay%20clean.,may%20have%20missed%20when%20cleansing." data-wpel-link="external"><span>skin</span></a><span> should look like. </span></p>
  47. <p><span>“The two things that make you age faster are, number one, sun and, number two, smoking. If anything, Gen Z is very, very good about skin care; they&#8217;re much better than other generations,” said Bita Farrell, MD, a board-certified anesthesiologist and founder of </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.nacmd.com/" data-wpel-link="external"><span>Natural Aesthetics Center</span></a><span>, a medical spa in Westlake Village, CA. </span></p>
  48. </section>
  49. <section><pagebreak/>
  50. <p><span>Still, this warped perception of skin aging among Gen Z is leading some people to get certain anti-aging treatments, such as baby </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-153465/botox-injection/details" data-wpel-link="external"><span>Botox</span></a><span> and </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/retinoid-gel-and-cream-treatments" data-wpel-link="external"><span>retinoids</span></a><span>. </span></p>
  51. <p><span>Baby Botox is a popular “prejuvination” procedure that uses a lower amount of the FDA-approved dosage for standard Botox, according to DiAnne Davis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and American Academy of Dermatology fellow. Baby Botox uses a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/injectables-fillers-neuromodulators" data-wpel-link="external"><span>neuromodulator treatment</span></a><span> – an injectable that temporarily impairs the muscle that causes </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-visual-guide-wrinkles" data-wpel-link="external"><span>wrinkles</span></a><span> – as a preventive aging tactic that can reduce the appearance of “crow’s feet,” frown lines, and wrinkles.</span></p>
  52. <p><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/supplement-guide-vitamin-a" data-wpel-link="external"><span>Retinoids</span></a><span> – chemical compounds that stem from vitamin A and come in liquid, cream, and gel forms – can be a promising treatment for acne and overall skin health.</span></p>
  53. <p><span>If you are considering baby Botox or retinoids, there a few critical things to consider. To ensure you are not wasting your time and money, the earliest time to get Botox is when </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-visual-guide-wrinkles#:~:text=Dynamic%20Wrinkles&amp;text=The%20ones%20at%20the%20outside,This%20makes%20these%20small%20folds." data-wpel-link="external"><span>dynamic wrinkles</span></a><span> (fine lines when making certain facial expressions) start to appear, according to Helen He, MD, a dermatologist with Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. Botox freezes your muscles, and if injected too much or too frequently, the lack of muscle use can cause your muscle tissue to waste away. </span></p>
  54. </section>
  55. </div>
  56. <div data-page="2">
  57. <section>
  58. <p><span>“It can cause other surrounding muscles in the face to compensate for the loss of muscles and the loss of action of the muscles that are being frozen by the Botox,” He said. “That can actually cause fine lines and signs of aging in those surrounding muscles as well.”</span></p>
  59. <p><span>Despite their benefits, retinoids could lead to more </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/allergies/sun-reactions#:~:text=Symptoms%20of%20photosensitivity&amp;text=You%20may%20have%20itching%20and,re%20exposed%20to%20the%20sun." data-wpel-link="external"><span>sun-sensitive</span></a><span> skin when used for anti-aging purposes, according to He. Retinoids could also cause blotches and irritation to your skin that could lead to </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/atopic-dermatitis-eczema" data-wpel-link="external"><span>eczema</span></a><span>. Both UV-sensitive skin and eczema have been linked to premature aging of the skin. This can particularly be an issue for younger folks, whose skin is often already sensitive, He said. If you are thinking about taking a retinoid, speak with a skin care expert about whether these products are right for you. </span></p>
  60. <p><span>Something else to keep in mind: E-cigarettes and </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/video/health-risks-of-e-cigarettes#:~:text=Health%20Risks%20of%20E%2Dcigarettes&amp;text=Nicotine%20is%20highly%20addictive.,talk%20to%20themselves%20to%20grow." data-wpel-link="external"><span>vaping</span></a><span> can damage your skin and cause premature aging when you inhale toxic chemicals and free radicals are produced. </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/psoriasis-smoking-link" data-wpel-link="external"><span>Free radicals</span></a><span> are oxygen molecules that become over-worked and imbalanced, which can lead to fine lines and wrinkles in the skin. </span></p>
  61. </section>
  62. <section>
  63. <p><span>“There’s been an untick in vaping amongst Gen-Zers, and those who vape are going to age faster than their non-vaping counterparts,” said Farrell. </span></p>
  64. <p><span>Lastly, despite all the skin care products marketed to Gen-Zers on social media platforms, your skin routine </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20240221/elaborate-skincare-routine-can-cause-teens-more-harm-than-good" data-wpel-link="external"><span>does not have to be</span></a><span> expensive or complex, said Davis. In fact, a more modest approach is the way to go. </span></p>
  65. <p><span>“A comprehensive skin care regimen can include four to five steps and still provide maximum benefit,” she said. Using a sunscreen, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/health-benefits-retinol-niacinamide" data-wpel-link="external"><span>retinol</span></a><span>, and vitamin C product are three steps to include. “If one were to add in a cleanser and moisturizer, their routine would be complete.”</span></p>
  66. </section>
  67. </div>
  68. <p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/beauty/news/20240418/no-gen-z-isnt-aging-faster?src=RSS_PUBLIC" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  69. ]]></content:encoded>
  71. <wfw:commentRss>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/dont-worry-gen-z-your-face-isnt-aging-faster-than-others/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  72. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  75. </item>
  76. <item>
  77. <title>Changing Entrenched Health Beliefs Is Not Impossible</title>
  78. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/changing-entrenched-health-beliefs-is-not-impossible/</link>
  79. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/changing-entrenched-health-beliefs-is-not-impossible/#respond</comments>
  81. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  82. <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:28:06 +0000</pubDate>
  83. <category><![CDATA[department of health]]></category>
  84. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/changing-entrenched-health-beliefs-is-not-impossible/</guid>
  85.  
  86. <description><![CDATA[April 18, 2024 – Turns out it’s not a Sisyphean task – or at least not impossible, like trying to roll a large boulder up a steep hill over and over again. Some people with deep-rooted beliefs on a wide range of health topics – from COVID vaccination to mental health stigma to foods including [...]]]></description>
  87. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  88. <div data-page="1">
  89. <section>
  90. <p><span>April 18, 2024 – Turns out it’s not a Sisyphean task – or at least not impossible, like trying to roll a large boulder up a steep hill over and over again. Some people with deep-rooted beliefs on a wide range of health topics – from COVID vaccination to mental health stigma to foods including genetically modified organisms – could be persuaded to rethink their positions. </span></p>
  91. <p><span>But how you deliver the message is as important as what you’re saying, new evidence suggests. </span></p>
  92. <p><span>A traditional public health message like &#8220;Get vaccinated. It’s good for your health and the health of others&#8221; typically does not persuade large numbers to change their minds right away. It could be one reason that the CDC reports that </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-booster-percent-pop5" data-wpel-link="external"><span>only 23% of Americans</span></a><span> received the most recent COVID booster shot. </span></p>
  93. <p><span>In contrast, having someone who used to resist COVID vaccination explain why, in their own words – and explain what happened to make them change their minds – made some people rethink their attitudes in a study. </span></p>
  94. </section>
  95. <section><pagebreak/>
  96. <p><span>These were not people “on the fence” about getting the vaccine. Years into the COVID pandemic, unvaccinated people “likely have some pretty entrenched views,” said lead researcher Jeff Conlin, PhD, an assistant professor of journalism and mass communications at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. “And we still saw success.”</span></p>
  97. <p><span>These “two-sided conversion messages” help because people first relate to the person with the resistant attitude, Conlin said. Then they are more open to hearing why the person made the switch and got vaccinated. Authenticity also counts – it works best when people telling the story have lived experience. </span></p>
  98. <p><span>Conlin and colleagues compared 384 unvaccinated adults given either a conversion message or a one-sided story from someone who always intended to get vaccinated. The strongest reduction in hesitancy was among the most vaccine-resistant people given the conversion stories. The </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10410236.2022.2065747" data-wpel-link="external"><span>full study</span></a><span> was published online in December 2023 in the journal </span><i><span>Health Communication</span></i><span>.</span></p>
  99. <p><span>And it&#8217;s not just about embracing of new kind of thinking, Conlin noted. These messages also help people “realize that their prior beliefs were maybe misinformed or misguided.”</span></p>
  100. </section>
  101. </div>
  102. <div data-page="2">
  103. <section>
  104. <p><span>Conversion messages also could influence other widely held health beliefs. “We&#8217;re just starting to take a look at testing conversion messages with mental health stigma,” Conlin said. The goal is to test the strategy using a very specific story about someone who used to be against counseling, treatment, and support services for anxiety or depression, for example, and why they later changed their mind.</span></p>
  105. <p><span>Another study looked at how conversion messages influence attitudes about another controversial topic – genetically modified crops. In contrast to the study by Conlin and colleagues, these researchers found it was the strength of the message that mattered the most. They concluded that stronger messages could lead to </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30628558/" data-wpel-link="external"><span>more durable changes</span></a><span> in attitudes. The study was published in April 2019 in the </span><i><span>Public Understanding of Science</span></i><span> journal. </span></p>
  106. <p><span><strong>Give People a Choice?</strong></span></p>
  107. <p><span>Just giving people a choice on the brand of COVID vaccine could also increase uptake, according to </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-69070-001?doi=1" data-wpel-link="external"><span>research findings</span></a><span> from University of Oregon researchers published this month in the </span><i><span>Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition</span></i><span>. </span></p>
  108. </section>
  109. <section><pagebreak/>
  110. <p><span>“People get pleasure from choosing,” said Ellen Peters, PhD, study author and director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication in Portland. “People feel empowered if they’re given a choice and, as a result, like the option they chose more than if they didn’t have the chance to make the decision themselves.”</span></p>
  111. <p><span>In multiple studies, people were more willing to get vaccinated for COVID if they were allowed to choose between Pfizer and Moderna, for example, than when they were assigned to one of them, said Peters, who is also a professor of psychology at the university. </span></p>
  112. <p><span>“COVID presented an unusual situation for vaccines. For the first time, we had multiple vaccine brands that people could and did talk about,&#8221; she said. “I also think the tactic may work anytime multiple options are available [such as] Tylenol versus Advil, different screening options for colorectal or other cancers, or choice of surgery versus medication.&#8221; </span></p>
  113. <p><span>Conlin added, “What we want to do is [study] conversion messages in other diseases. That’s the goal.” </span></p>
  114. </section>
  115. </div>
  116. <div data-page="3">
  117. <section>
  118. <p><span><strong>Maybe Combine Strategies?</strong></span></p>
  119. <p><span>When asked for her take on Conlin’s study and two-sided messaging, Peters said, ”It’s a great idea to test with vaccines, and I’m glad they did it.”</span></p>
  120. <p><span>“It would be interesting to pair their approach with ours,” Peters continued. The tactic she studied worked on people who had been vaccinated before and were considering a booster, as well as on unvaccinated people. </span></p>
  121. <p><span>“Might combining their approach and ours increase further the number of people intending to vaccinate, particularly among those who are vaccine-hesitant?” she asked.</span></p>
  122. </section>
  123. </div>
  124. <p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/news/20240418/changing-entrenched-health-beliefs-not-impossible?src=RSS_PUBLIC" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  125. ]]></content:encoded>
  127. <wfw:commentRss>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/changing-entrenched-health-beliefs-is-not-impossible/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  128. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  131. </item>
  132. <item>
  133. <title>Your Quit-Smoking Fears Debunked</title>
  134. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/your-quit-smoking-fears-debunked/</link>
  135. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/your-quit-smoking-fears-debunked/#respond</comments>
  137. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  138. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:17:07 +0000</pubDate>
  139. <category><![CDATA[department of health]]></category>
  140. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/your-quit-smoking-fears-debunked/</guid>
  141.  
  142. <description><![CDATA[You&#8217;d love to stop smoking. The health reasons are a mile long and your body is (between coughs) telling you that it&#8217;s time. But you have fears about quitting smoking. Will you gain weight? How can you manage stress and cravings? Will you lose your smoking buddies? Don&#8217;t let such worries keep you from quitting. [...]]]></description>
  143. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  144. <div data-page="1">
  145. <section>
  146. <p>You&#8217;d love to stop smoking. The health reasons are a mile long and your body is (between coughs) telling you that it&#8217;s time. But you have fears about quitting smoking. Will you gain weight? How can you manage stress and cravings? Will you lose your smoking buddies?</p>
  147. <p>Don&#8217;t let such worries keep you from quitting. Some are false or exaggerated. Others can be overcome. But, you can calm your concerns and finally leave cigarettes behind.</p>
  148. <div id="em-pullquote-1" class="em-mod-pullquote" ref="em-pullquote-1">
  149. <aside data-e2e="ia-pull-quote" id="ia-pull-quote" align="middle" class="ia-module-container ia-pull-quote middle">
  150. <blockquote class="pq-wrapper">
  151. <p class="pq-title">
  152. The health effects of a small amount of weight gain is really outweighed by all the benefits of quitting smoking.
  153. </p>
  154. <p> <small class="pq-description"><br />
  155. Pamela Ling, MD, dir., Ctr. for Tobacco Control Research &amp; Education, Univ. of CA-San Francisco<br />
  156. </small>
  157. </p></blockquote>
  158. </aside>
  159. </div>
  160. </section>
  161. <section>
  162. <p>Smoking a cigarette can feel like stress relief &#8212; which is much needed, especially during the pandemic.</p>
  163. <p>&#8220;People are dealing with unprecedented levels of stress. Everybody is stressed out,&#8221; says Pamela Ling, MD, an internist and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California in San Francisco.</p>
  164. <p>&#8220;For some people, they feel like smoking a cigarette is how they cope.&#8221;</p>
  165. <p>Yet this is a false idea, Ling says. Yes, nicotine in your cigarettes can create a sense of well-being, relaxation, and improved concentration. But these are only short-term feelings, rewards your brain gives you for feeding it the nicotine it craves. The more time between cigarettes, the more edgy and stressed out you&#8217;ll feel. In the long run, smoking increases stress and anxiety.</p>
  166. </section>
  167. <section>
  168. <p>If you can quit for a year, research shows you likely will feel better emotionally than when you smoked, says Michael Fiore, MD, an internist and director of the Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.</p>
  169. <p>&#8220;The average smoker a year after quitting is less depressed, less anxious and their mood is improved,&#8221; Fiore says.</p>
  170. <p>To help you ease quitting-smoking stress, try things such as deep breathing, meditating, and reciting affirmations (such as, &#8220;I am strong enough to beat this.&#8221;). FDA-approved medications can help, too, Ling says. These include nicotine replacements (available as patches, gum, lozenges, sprays or inhalers) or two anti-smoking drugs: bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix).</p>
  171. </section>
  172. <section>
  173. <p>Weight gain after quitting smoking is real for most people, Fiore says. But the gain averages only between 5 and 10 pounds.</p>
  174. </section>
  175. </div>
  176. <div data-page="2">
  177. <section>
  178. <p>To prevent stop-smoking pounds from piling on, you may need to exercise more, while ditching the doughnuts and chips. You can also avoid sugar cravings by drinking more water and chewing sugarless gum.</p>
  179. </section>
  180. <section><pagebreak/>
  181. <p>Another option: a 3-month bupropion prescription. This drug is known to ease withdrawal without weight gain, Ling says.  </p>
  182. <p>Keep in mind that adding a few extra pounds pales in comparison to the good quitting does for your body.</p>
  183. <p>&#8220;The health effects of a small amount of weight gain is really outweighed by all the benefits of quitting smoking,&#8221; Ling says.</p>
  184. </section>
  185. <section>
  186. <p>It&#8217;s true that nicotine withdrawal symptoms can be powerful and unpleasant, though this varies from person to person.</p>
  187. <p>You may:</p>
  188. <ul>
  189. <li>Feel restless or jumpy</li>
  190. <li>Be irritable</li>
  191. <li>Have trouble concentrating</li>
  192. <li>Feel sad</li>
  193. <li>Have trouble sleeping</li>
  194. <li>Have intense cravings for cigarettes</li>
  195. </ul>
  196. <p>To lessen these symptoms, Fiore recommends over-the-counter, 2-milligram nicotine mini-lozenges, which he says can be &#8220;remarkably helpful.&#8221;</p>
  197. <p>Some people try e-cigarettes (vaping) to help decrease nicotine, but research has shown mixed results. The FDA does not recommend e-cigarettes for this purpose.</p>
  198. <p>Keep in mind withdrawal symptoms for most people peak within the first 3 days. The first week is usually the worst. Most symptoms are gone within &#8212; at most &#8212; 2 or 3 months, Fiore says.</p>
  199. </section>
  200. <section>
  201. <p>The longer you&#8217;ve smoked, the more likely you are to have developed pleasurable habits involving smoking. You may be used to a cigarette with coffee or alcohol, after a meal, or after sex. Or you may have daily routines associated with smoking, such as driving to work.</p>
  202. <p>If you quit, you may find yourself triggered &#8212; that is, craving a cigarette &#8212; when reminded of these experiences.</p>
  203. <p>Managing triggers is a key to quitting smoking. But this doesn&#8217;t mean giving up what gives you pleasure, Fiore says. It is possible to disassociate smoking from the activities and habits you enjoy.</p>
  204. <p>To do this, try substituting another activity for smoking, such as chewing carrots, apples, celery, or gum. Breathing exercises may help, as can medications. You also may need to temporarily avoid or change routines and other triggers.</p>
  205. </section>
  206. </div>
  207. <div data-page="3">
  208. <section>
  209. <p>It can be tough to be around people who smoke when you&#8217;re trying to quit. You may need to set boundaries with friends, asking them not to smoke around you.</p>
  210. </section>
  211. <section><pagebreak/>
  212. <p>This is especially difficult if you live with a smoker. It’s best to ban indoor smoking. If that&#8217;s a no-go, try making a no-smoking zone where you can stay. Even better, get your spouse or partner to quit with you, if possible.</p>
  213. <p>You also may consider adding nonsmoking friends to your circle. Fiore says his institute&#8217;s research shows that after a year, former smokers have expanded their social networks.</p>
  214. <p>&#8220;It just makes practical sense,&#8221; Fiore says. Given that only 14% of Americans smoke, &#8220;There are a whole lot more nonsmokers out there than smokers.&#8221; If you&#8217;re not smoking, you can be more open to relationships with nonsmokers.</p>
  215. </section>
  216. <section>
  217. <p>If you&#8217;re like most smokers, you started in your teens. By middle or older age, you may fear you&#8217;ve already done permanent damage. So why bother quitting?</p>
  218. <p>&#8220;No matter what age you&#8217;re at, you&#8217;re going to feel better when you quit,&#8221; Fiore says.</p>
  219. <p>That&#8217;s because quitting smoking helps your health, regardless of how long you&#8217;ve smoked. Some changes, such as lower blood pressure, begin within 30 minutes of quitting, Fiore says. Within a month, you can breathe better. Within a year, your risk of heart attack and stroke drops 50%. If you quit at 60, you&#8217;ll cut your risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared to a smoker&#8217;s, Fiore says.  </p>
  220. <p>Plus, Fiore says, &#8220;It&#8217;s not just more time, it&#8217;s improved quality of life.&#8221;</p>
  221. </section>
  222. </div>
  223. <div data-page="4">
  224. <section>
  225. <p>Many ex-smokers try many times to quit before succeeding &#8212; perhaps as many as 30 times or more, according to a 2016 study.</p>
  226. <p>&#8220;If someone has tried to quit and it&#8217;s not successful, people will say, &#8216;I feel like a failure. I feel disgusting,'&#8221; says Emma Brett, PhD, who studies addiction and co-leads smoking cessation groups at the University of Chicago. The idea of trying again &#8220;can be intimidating,&#8221; she says.</p>
  227. <div id="em-pullquote-2" class="em-mod-pullquote" ref="em-pullquote-2">
  228. <aside data-e2e="ia-pull-quote" id="ia-pull-quote" align="middle" class="ia-module-container ia-pull-quote middle">
  229. <blockquote class="pq-wrapper">
  230. <p class="pq-title">
  231. No matter what age you&#8217;re at, you&#8217;re going to feel better when you quit.
  232. </p>
  233. <p> <small class="pq-description"><br />
  234. Michael Fiore, MD, director, Ctr. for Tobacco Research &amp; Intervention, Univ. of WI-Madison<br />
  235. </small>
  236. </p></blockquote>
  237. </aside>
  238. </div>
  239. <p>She encourages framing your past attempts as learning experiences. &#8220;You gain more information about what works and what doesn&#8217;t. That can be used to inform that next attempt &#8212; and hopefully make it more successful.&#8221;</p>
  240. <p>Combining counseling and medications doubles your chances of success, studies show. Ling advises having a plan first, rather than impulsively quitting cold turkey.</p>
  241. </section>
  242. <section>
  243. <p>Quit-smoking counseling and drugs are covered under the Affordable Care Act. Also, free government resources abound, including:</p>
  244. <ul>
  245. <li><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/quitline/index.html" data-wpel-link="external">1-800-QUIT-NOW</a> (1-800-784-8669), staffed by trained quit-smoking coaches who may be able to give you free quit-smoking medications</li>
  246. <li><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smokefree.gov/" data-wpel-link="external">Smokefree.gov</a>, a website run by the National Cancer Institute offering tips and tools</li>
  247. <li>A quit-smoking daily <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/text-programs/quit-for-good/smokefreetxt" data-wpel-link="external">text messaging service</a> (text QUIT to 47848)</li>
  248. </ul>
  249. <p>Check with your doctor for more help. Whatever you do, don&#8217;t let your quit-smoking fears hold you back from a healthier, smoke-free life.</p>
  250. </section>
  251. </div>
  252. <p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/features/your-quit-smoking-fears-debunked?src=RSS_PUBLIC" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  253. ]]></content:encoded>
  255. <wfw:commentRss>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/your-quit-smoking-fears-debunked/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  256. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  259. </item>
  260. <item>
  261. <title>Identify Your Triggers to Quit Smoking for Good</title>
  262. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/identify-your-triggers-to-quit-smoking-for-good/</link>
  263. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/identify-your-triggers-to-quit-smoking-for-good/#respond</comments>
  265. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  266. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:14:34 +0000</pubDate>
  267. <category><![CDATA[department of health]]></category>
  268. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/identify-your-triggers-to-quit-smoking-for-good/</guid>
  269.  
  270. <description><![CDATA[After 15 years of smoking, Adrian Diaz Bulibasa decided it was time to quit. “I wanted to have a baby and I didn’t want the health of my future baby to be affected by my choices,” he says. But quitting was hard. Bulibasa, who lives in London and is the editor-in-chief of the website bestformyfeet.com, [...]]]></description>
  271. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  272. <div data-page="1">
  273. <section>
  274. <p>After 15 years of smoking, Adrian Diaz Bulibasa decided it was time to quit. “I wanted to have a baby and I didn’t want the health of my future baby to be affected by my choices,” he says.</p>
  275. <p>But quitting was hard.</p>
  276. <div id="em-image-1" class="em-mod-image" ref="em-image-1">
  277. <aside data-e2e="ia-image" align="left" class="ia-module-container ia-image left" data-metric-module="ia-img-soc">
  278. <figure>
  279. <div class="main">
  280. <img decoding="async" src="https://img.lb.wbmdstatic.com/vim/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/article_thumbnails/features/_2022/01_2022/facing_the_triggers_features/340x340_facing_the_triggers_bulibasa_features.jpg?resize=375:*" alt="" style="height:auto;"/></div><figcaption>
  281. </figcaption></figure>
  282. </aside>
  283. </div>
  284. <p>Bulibasa, who lives in London and is the editor-in-chief of the website bestformyfeet.com, loved smoking and the culture surrounding it. He liked going to restaurants with friends and family, sitting on the terrace, and having a cocktail or coffee with a few cigarettes.</p>
  285. <p>Simply telling himself to quit didn’t work. He needed to figure out where, when, and why he smoked. Soon he realized that most of the time he smoked, it wasn’t because he craved nicotine. “It was because of the habits I’d developed over the years around smoking,” he says.</p>
  286. </section>
  287. <section>
  288. <p>Certain places and situations may give you the urge to smoke. You may reach for a cigarette when you go out with friends, when you finish dinner, or when you’re stressed.</p>
  289. </section>
  290. <section>
  291. <p>These are called triggers. By learning what your triggers are, you can manage them better.</p>
  292. <div id="em-image-2" class="em-mod-image" ref="em-image-2">
  293. <aside data-e2e="ia-image" align="right" class="ia-module-container ia-image right" data-metric-module="ia-img-soc">
  294. <figure>
  295. <div class="main">
  296. <img decoding="async" src="https://img.lb.wbmdstatic.com/vim/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/article_thumbnails/features/_2022/01_2022/facing_the_triggers_features/340x340_facing_the_triggers_anderson_features.jpg?resize=375:*" alt="" style="height:auto;"/></div><figcaption>
  297. </figcaption></figure>
  298. </aside>
  299. </div>
  300. <p>“A big portion of quitting is changing your habits and routines,” says Alma E. Anderson, MA, assistant director of the Arizona Center for Tobacco Cessation. Knowing your triggers helps you drop habits that increase your urges and helps you reinforce new habits to help you quit, she says.</p>
  301. </section>
  302. <section>
  303. <p>Your triggers may be tied to how you feel. You may reach for a cigarette when you feel anxious, stressed, bored, happy, lonely, sad, or satisfied.</p>
  304. <p>Some triggers are tied to things you do on a regular basis. These are called pattern triggers. For example, you may want to smoke when you drink alcohol or coffee, watch TV, drive, finish a meal, take a work break, go to bed, or have sex.</p>
  305. <p>Social triggers are tied to being around other people. You may be tempted when you go to a restaurant, party, concert, or big event. Seeing someone smoking or being with people who smoke are common triggers.</p>
  306. <div id="em-pullquote-3" class="em-mod-pullquote" ref="em-pullquote-3">
  307. <aside data-e2e="ia-pull-quote" id="ia-pull-quote" align="middle" class="ia-module-container ia-pull-quote middle">
  308. <blockquote class="pq-wrapper">
  309. <p class="pq-title">
  310. As soon as I could see the trigger coming, I knew I had to quickly do something about it for about 5-10 minutes.
  311. </p>
  312. <p> <small class="pq-description"><br />
  313. Adrian Diaz Bulibasa, London<br />
  314. </small>
  315. </p></blockquote>
  316. </aside>
  317. </div>
  318. </section>
  319. </div>
  320. <div data-page="2">
  321. <section>
  322. <p>Other triggers are tied to your body’s craving for nicotine. You may get an urge to smoke when you smell, taste, or touch a cigarette. Feeling restless or having an urge to do something with your hands or mouth may make you want to smoke.</p>
  323. <p>“You can identify your triggers by thinking through your day and seeing what reminds you of smoking,” Anderson says. Think about how you feel and what you do, and you’ll start to realize which things trigger your urge to smoke.</p>
  324. </section>
  325. <section>
  326. <p>Bulibasa knew that to quit, he had to identify his triggers and break the patterns tied to each trigger. He looked closely at his habits and learned that his triggers were restaurants, eating, drinking coffee, drinking alcohol, and having sex.</p>
  327. <p>“On the day I decided to stop smoking, I stopped going to restaurants and bars,” he says. Since he liked to have a cigarette with a cortado coffee on work breaks, he avoided walking near smoking areas at break time.</p>
  328. </section>
  329. <section>
  330. <p>“Another thing I ended up doing that first year was to quit drinking coffee and alcohol altogether because those were triggers for me to have a smoke,” he says.</p>
  331. <p>He wasn’t ready to give up sex, so he found another way to manage after-sex cravings. “I put the cigarettes somewhere out of reach, like in the kitchen,” he says. It helped not to see the pack right next to the bed.</p>
  332. <p>Bulibasa also had emotional triggers. He smoked when he felt good about finishing a task, when he was under pressure, and when he was bored.</p>
  333. <p>To manage these emotional triggers, he distracted himself with replacement activities like playing a game on his phone or having a handful of popcorn or sunflower seeds. “As soon as I could see the trigger coming, I knew I had to quickly do something about it for about 5-10 minutes,” he says. After that, the desire went away for a few hours.</p>
  334. <p>Anderson suggests following the four Ds to manage your smoking triggers:</p>
  335. <ul>
  336. <li>Delay</li>
  337. <li>Do something else</li>
  338. <li>Drink water</li>
  339. <li>Deep breathing</li>
  340. </ul>
  341. </section>
  342. </div>
  343. <div data-page="3">
  344. <section>
  345. <p>To manage situational and social triggers, avoid places and situations that make you feel like smoking. For emotional triggers, try talking about your feelings, listening to relaxing music, slow breathing, or exercise. For pattern triggers, try a replacement or physical activity and try to change your routine. Distraction may help with withdrawal triggers.</p>
  346. <p>Bulibasa didn’t manage all his triggers overnight. Over a period of about a year, he changed his habits and gradually quit. He went from smoking 30 cigarettes a day, to 20, 10, 1, and then none.</p>
  347. <p>Over time, Bulibasa used fewer strategies to manage his triggers because he stopped needing them. “I was getting stronger and stronger and the desire to smoke wasn’t that strong anymore,” he says.</p>
  348. <p>It’s been 8 years since he gave up smoking. “I knew that if I managed each day or each week and smoked less than the previous day or week,” he says, “I’d win the battle.”</p>
  349. </section>
  350. </div>
  351. <p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/features/facing-my-smoking-triggers?src=RSS_PUBLIC" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  352. ]]></content:encoded>
  354. <wfw:commentRss>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/identify-your-triggers-to-quit-smoking-for-good/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  355. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  358. </item>
  359. <item>
  360. <title>The UK Should Do the Same</title>
  361. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/the-uk-should-do-the-same/</link>
  362. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/the-uk-should-do-the-same/#respond</comments>
  364. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  365. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:32:06 +0000</pubDate>
  366. <category><![CDATA[Cannabis and Mental Health]]></category>
  367. <category><![CDATA[cannabis legalization]]></category>
  368. <category><![CDATA[CBD]]></category>
  369. <category><![CDATA[International]]></category>
  370. <category><![CDATA[international cannabis]]></category>
  371. <category><![CDATA[medical cannabis]]></category>
  372. <category><![CDATA[UK government]]></category>
  373. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/the-uk-should-do-the-same/</guid>
  374.  
  375. <description><![CDATA[The German government has approved new legislation that decriminalizes cannabis. This policy allows over-18s to possess a maximum of 25 grams of cannabis for personal use and grow up to three plants at home. From July 2024, German residents will also be able to join not-for-profit cannabis social clubs or growers associations where plants are [...]]]></description>
  376. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  377. <div>
  378. <p>The German government has <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://cannatechtoday.com/cannabis-is-officially-legal-in-germany-what-you-need-to-know/" data-wpel-link="external">approved new legislation</a> that decriminalizes cannabis. This policy allows over-18s to possess a maximum of 25 grams of cannabis for personal use and grow up to three plants at home.</p>
  379. <p>From July 2024, German residents will also be able to join not-for-profit cannabis social clubs or growers associations where plants are cultivated en masse for the benefit of members.</p>
  380. <p>In the UK, on the other hand, the government continues to support <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/should-the-uk-legalise-cannabis-58527" data-wpel-link="external">prohibition</a>, unlike many Western countries – including <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/dec/13/malta-to-be-first-in-europe-to-legalise-cannabis-for-personal-use" data-wpel-link="external">Malta</a>, <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67126243" data-wpel-link="external">Canada</a>, and several states in the US – which have opened up access to cannabis in recent years.</p>
  381. <p>The UK government <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2013/jul/18/cannabis-psychosis-uk-drug-class-c" data-wpel-link="external">cites</a> concerns about the risk to mental health associated with using cannabis as a justification for supporting prohibition.</p>
  382. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-and-mental-health">Cannabis and Mental Health</h2>
  383. <p>There is extensive research exploring the relationship between cannabis and mental health problems, such as psychosis. However, no causal link has been <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/add.13826" data-wpel-link="external">established</a> because to run such studies would be unethical.</p>
  384. <p>There is, though, a <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(19)30048-3/fulltext" data-wpel-link="external">significant association</a> between cannabis and psychosis. The evidence suggests that some people may be more vulnerable than others to developing psychosis through cannabis use.</p>
  385. <p>Although these health concerns are shared by some organizations in Germany, this has not prevented policy reform. The <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68674813" data-wpel-link="external">German cannabis clubs</a> will have quality control as part of their ethos, providing information about potency and any potential contaminants.</p>
  386. <p>This is important as the <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11920-019-1044-x" data-wpel-link="external">evidence</a> suggests there is a <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/dose-response" data-wpel-link="external">dose-response relationship</a> – an association between the amount consumed and the incidence of effect – between the <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/is-cannabis-really-getting-stronger-62574" data-wpel-link="external">strength</a> and frequency of cannabis use and the risk of developing problems such as psychosis.</p>
  387. <p>Cannabis users who experience psychosis are very few when compared to the total number using the drug. One <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02736.x" data-wpel-link="external">study</a> estimated that to avoid one person developing psychosis, up to 10,000 men and 29,000 women aged 20-24 would need to be prevented from using cannabis.</p>
  388. <p>The risk to mental health associated with cannabis, then, is relatively low.</p>
  389. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-and-tobacco-regulated-but-riskier">Alcohol and Tobacco: Regulated but Riskier</h2>
  390. <p>Unlike cannabis, alcohol is regulated in the UK. Although there are restrictions on its use, these have been loosened in recent years. As with cannabis, there are risks to mental health as a consequence of using alcohol.</p>
  391. <p>The <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03351.x" data-wpel-link="external">risk</a> of developing depression among heavy alcohol users is significant: one in two will experience depression. So, despite alcohol being regulated or legal, the risks to a person’s mental health are greater than those posed by cannabis.</p>
  392. <p>A significant advantage of decriminalizing cannabis would be the potential public health benefits. In the UK, most people using cannabis <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/cannabis-isnt-the-health-problem-the-tobacco-people-mix-with-it-is-77067" data-wpel-link="external">combine</a> it with <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://cannatechtoday.com/new-tobacco-free-gummed-wrappers-innovate-blunt-space/" data-wpel-link="external">tobacco to smoke</a>. The risks to health as a result of using tobacco are well <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/what-are-the-health-risks-of-smoking/" data-wpel-link="external">documented</a> and include a range of cancers as well as heart disease and stroke.</p>
  393. <p>Although <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2022" data-wpel-link="external">many young people</a> consider themselves non-smokers they can be inadvertently introduced to tobacco when they smoke a cannabis joint. This creates not only a health risk but also the chance of becoming dependent on tobacco.</p>
  394. <p>However, there is also evidence that cannabis used without tobacco may increase the risk of physical health problems. A recent <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/smoking-cannabis-associated-increased-risk-heart-attack-stroke" data-wpel-link="external">study</a> from the US, for example, where fewer people combine cannabis with tobacco, found a link between cannabis use and heart disease. Because cannabis is prohibited, it is difficult for tax-funded organizations such as those promoting public health to intervene.</p>
  395. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health">Public Health</h2>
  396. <p>In contrast, German policy reform includes a public health education program that aims to reduce the risks of using cannabis.</p>
  397. <p>Under prohibition, there is no quality control or information about the potency of cannabis or which chemicals it contains. The lack of regulation leaves buyers at the mercy of the illicit market.</p>
  398. <p>The Office for National Statistics <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/drugmisuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2023" data-wpel-link="external">estimates</a> that 2.5 million people in England and Wales reported using cannabis in 2023.</p>
  399. <p>Despite the relatively widespread use of cannabis in the UK, the major political parties, Labour and the Conservatives, show no sign of changing the legal status of cannabis. Perhaps influenced by <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/trackers/criminalisation-of-soft-drugs-eg-cannabis" data-wpel-link="external">polling</a> suggesting support for the current policy approach.</p>
  400. <p>We know from experience that governments don’t need to wait until there is public support to change their policy approach to drugs. In 2007, when the Labour government introduced a ban on smoking in public areas, this wasn’t <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6258034.stm" data-wpel-link="external">supported</a> by many people.</p>
  401. <p>The <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://cannatechtoday.com/rescheduling-cannabis-will-reduce-stigma-increase-research-encourage-innovation/" data-wpel-link="external">risks to health</a> from using cannabis, then, are relatively small compared to regulated drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. But even if the health argument isn’t enough to trigger a policy change, the economic case could be.</p>
  402. <p>While decriminalizing cannabis in the UK would save on criminal prosecution costs, going a step further and <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://adf.org.au/talking-about-drugs/law/decriminalisation/overview-decriminalisation-legalisation/#:%7E:text=Decriminalisation%20is%20not%20legalisation.,not%20criminalised%20for%20personal%20use." data-wpel-link="external">legalizing</a> cannabis could bring in significantly higher financial returns.</p>
  403. <p>The <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.dice.hhu.de/startseitennews/studie-cannabislegalisierung-bringt-dem-staat-jaehrlich-47-milliarden-euro-rund-27000-legale-arbeitsplaetze-wuerden-entstehen" data-wpel-link="external">estimated</a> tax revenue that could be raised by the legalization (rather than just the decriminalization) of cannabis in Germany is €4.7 billion (£4 billion) annually. A regulated commercial market like Canada’s could create jobs as well as raise income from taxes.</p>
  404. <p>As the UK public finances continue to be squeezed, particularly around the NHS, persisting with the prohibition of cannabis is a missed opportunity for the nation’s health and a costly policy for its public services.</p>
  405. <p><strong><em>This article is republished from </em></strong><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/" data-wpel-link="external"><strong><em>The Conversation</em></strong></a><strong><em> under a Creative Commons license. Read the </em></strong><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/germany-decriminalised-cannabis-why-the-uk-should-consider-doing-the-same-226941" data-wpel-link="external"><strong><em>original article</em></strong></a><strong><em>.</em></strong></p>
  406. </p></div>
  407. <p><a href="https://cannatechtoday.com/germany-decriminalized-cannabis-why-the-uk-should-do-the-same/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  408. ]]></content:encoded>
  410. <wfw:commentRss>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/the-uk-should-do-the-same/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  411. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  414. </item>
  415. <item>
  416. <title>33 Sales Contest Ideas to Boost Your Sales Team&#8217;s Performance</title>
  417. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/33-sales-contest-ideas-to-boost-your-sales-teams-performance/</link>
  418. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/33-sales-contest-ideas-to-boost-your-sales-teams-performance/#respond</comments>
  420. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  421. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:00:42 +0000</pubDate>
  422. <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
  423. <category><![CDATA[Sales]]></category>
  424. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/33-sales-contest-ideas-to-boost-your-sales-teams-performance/</guid>
  425.  
  426. <description><![CDATA[Innovative sales contest ideas are ways to re-energize sales teams, fuel their motivation and ultimately drive increased revenue for small businesses. Additionally, a well-designed competition can ignite the spirit of friendly rivalry, foster team bonding and provide an exciting platform for employees to showcase their skills. By harnessing the power of the following creative challenges, [...]]]></description>
  427. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  428. <div>
  429. <p>Innovative sales contest ideas are ways to re-energize sales teams, fuel their motivation and ultimately drive increased revenue for small businesses. Additionally, a well-designed competition can ignite the spirit of friendly rivalry, foster team bonding and provide an exciting platform for employees to showcase their skills.</p>
  430. <p>By harnessing the power of the following creative challenges, small business owners can unlock the true potential of their sales force and experience a significant boost in overall performance.</p>
  431. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="33_of_The_Best_Sales_Contest_Ideas_to_Motivate_The_Entire_Team"/>33 of The Best Sales Contest Ideas to Motivate The Entire Team<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  432. <p>Diverse and creative sales contest ideas can cater to a wide range of industries, engaging and energizing sales teams with a fresh sense of excitement. The following sale contest suggestions aim to foster motivation, improve performance and promote collaboration, all while providing the foundation for a thriving sales force.</p>
  433. <p>Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the list, here’s a summary table you can quickly reference:</p>
  434. <table id="tablepress-589" class="tablepress tablepress-id-589 tablepress-responsive">
  435. <thead>
  436. <tr class="row-1 odd">
  437. <th class="column-1"/>
  438. <th class="column-2">Sales Contest Ideas</th>
  439. <th class="column-3">Purpose</th>
  440. <th class="column-4">Benefits</th>
  441. </tr>
  442. </thead>
  443. <tbody class="row-hover">
  444. <tr class="row-2 even">
  445. <td class="column-1">1.</td>
  446. <td class="column-2">Top Sales Performer</td>
  447. <td class="column-3">Recognizes and rewards the highest sales results</td>
  448. <td class="column-4">Motivates sales team to strive for excellence</td>
  449. </tr>
  450. <tr class="row-3 odd">
  451. <td class="column-1">2.</td>
  452. <td class="column-2">Most Improved Salesperson</td>
  453. <td class="column-3">Celebrates personal development in sales</td>
  454. <td class="column-4">Fosters a culture of continuous learning and self-improvement</td>
  455. </tr>
  456. <tr class="row-4 even">
  457. <td class="column-1">3.</td>
  458. <td class="column-2">Highest Revenue Generated</td>
  459. <td class="column-3">Rewards for the most revenue generated</td>
  460. <td class="column-4">Highlights the role of sales professionals in driving business growth</td>
  461. </tr>
  462. <tr class="row-5 odd">
  463. <td class="column-1">4.</td>
  464. <td class="column-2">Most Upsells or Cross-Sells</td>
  465. <td class="column-3">Rewards maximizing value from existing customers</td>
  466. <td class="column-4">Increases company revenue</td>
  467. </tr>
  468. <tr class="row-6 even">
  469. <td class="column-1">5.</td>
  470. <td class="column-2">Highest Customer Retention Rate</td>
  471. <td class="column-3">Honors maintaining strong relationships with clients</td>
  472. <td class="column-4">Fosters long-term client loyalty and business stability</td>
  473. </tr>
  474. <tr class="row-7 odd">
  475. <td class="column-1">6.</td>
  476. <td class="column-2">Sales Bingo</td>
  477. <td class="column-3">Complete sales tasks and achievements on a bingo-style card</td>
  478. <td class="column-4">Promotes camaraderie and overall sales performance</td>
  479. </tr>
  480. <tr class="row-8 even">
  481. <td class="column-1">7.</td>
  482. <td class="column-2">Sales Trivia Challenge</td>
  483. <td class="column-3">Tests company product, services and industry knowledge</td>
  484. <td class="column-4">Deepens understanding of offerings for better communication</td>
  485. </tr>
  486. <tr class="row-9 odd">
  487. <td class="column-1">8.</td>
  488. <td class="column-2">Sales Team Role-Swap Day</td>
  489. <td class="column-3">Team members exchange roles</td>
  490. <td class="column-4">Fosters empathy, collaboration, and understanding of the sales process</td>
  491. </tr>
  492. <tr class="row-10 even">
  493. <td class="column-1">9.</td>
  494. <td class="column-2">Most Sales Calls Made</td>
  495. <td class="column-3">Rewards the most sales calls made</td>
  496. <td class="column-4">Encourages outreach and engagement with potential customers</td>
  497. </tr>
  498. <tr class="row-11 odd">
  499. <td class="column-1">10.</td>
  500. <td class="column-2">Fastest Lead Conversion</td>
  501. <td class="column-3">Recognizes quick transformation of leads into customers</td>
  502. <td class="column-4">Motivates for efficient sales processes and targeted communication</td>
  503. </tr>
  504. <tr class="row-12 even">
  505. <td class="column-1">11.</td>
  506. <td class="column-2">Highest Percentage of Sales Quota Achieved</td>
  507. <td class="column-3">Celebrates exceeding assigned sales targets</td>
  508. <td class="column-4">Encourages exceeding set goals for a high-performing sales team</td>
  509. </tr>
  510. <tr class="row-13 odd">
  511. <td class="column-1">12.</td>
  512. <td class="column-2">Pitch Perfect: Sales Karaoke Contest</td>
  513. <td class="column-3">Perform sales pitches or cold calling scripts</td>
  514. <td class="column-4">Polishes presentation skills and encourages quick thinking</td>
  515. </tr>
  516. <tr class="row-14 even">
  517. <td class="column-1">13.</td>
  518. <td class="column-2">Best Sales Presentation</td>
  519. <td class="column-3">Recognizes the most persuasive sales pitch or presentation</td>
  520. <td class="column-4">Encourages honing persuasive techniques</td>
  521. </tr>
  522. <tr class="row-15 odd">
  523. <td class="column-1">14.</td>
  524. <td class="column-2">Most Prospects Contacted</td>
  525. <td class="column-3">Rewards most connections with potential customers</td>
  526. <td class="column-4">Encourages proactive outreach for better lead generation</td>
  527. </tr>
  528. <tr class="row-16 even">
  529. <td class="column-1">15.</td>
  530. <td class="column-2">Best Customer Testimonial</td>
  531. <td class="column-3">Acknowledges securing positive feedback from a client</td>
  532. <td class="column-4">Highlights importance of customer service and relationship building</td>
  533. </tr>
  534. <tr class="row-17 odd">
  535. <td class="column-1">16.</td>
  536. <td class="column-2">Best Sales Team Initiative</td>
  537. <td class="column-3">Teams develop and implement strategies to improve sales performance</td>
  538. <td class="column-4">Encourages collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement</td>
  539. </tr>
  540. <tr class="row-18 even">
  541. <td class="column-1">17.</td>
  542. <td class="column-2">Sales Rep with the Highest Email Open Rates</td>
  543. <td class="column-3">Recognizes the best email campaign engagement</td>
  544. <td class="column-4">Refines written communication skills and maximizes outreach impact</td>
  545. </tr>
  546. <tr class="row-19 odd">
  547. <td class="column-1">18.</td>
  548. <td class="column-2">Sales Reps Escape Room Challenge</td>
  549. <td class="column-3">Solve puzzles and complete tasks in an escape room scenario</td>
  550. <td class="column-4">Promotes collaboration, problem-solving and communication</td>
  551. </tr>
  552. <tr class="row-20 even">
  553. <td class="column-1">19.</td>
  554. <td class="column-2">Most Effective Sales Pitch</td>
  555. <td class="column-3">Celebrates the most persuasive and impactful sales pitch</td>
  556. <td class="column-4">Encourages refining pitch techniques and closing deals</td>
  557. </tr>
  558. <tr class="row-21 odd">
  559. <td class="column-1">20.</td>
  560. <td class="column-2">Most Creative Sales Strategy</td>
  561. <td class="column-3">Recognizes innovative and unique approach to selling</td>
  562. <td class="column-4">Encourages creative solutions and strategic planning</td>
  563. </tr>
  564. <tr class="row-22 even">
  565. <td class="column-1">21.</td>
  566. <td class="column-2">Best Sales Collaboration</td>
  567. <td class="column-3">Celebrates exceptional teamwork in closing deals</td>
  568. <td class="column-4">Encourages effective communication and knowledge sharing</td>
  569. </tr>
  570. <tr class="row-23 odd">
  571. <td class="column-1">22.</td>
  572. <td class="column-2">Sales Meme Creation Contest</td>
  573. <td class="column-3">Design humorous and relatable sales-related memes</td>
  574. <td class="column-4">Fosters creativity and builds camaraderie</td>
  575. </tr>
  576. <tr class="row-24 even">
  577. <td class="column-1">23.</td>
  578. <td class="column-2">Top Sales Team Player</td>
  579. <td class="column-3">Recognizes exceptional teamwork and collaboration</td>
  580. <td class="column-4">Motivates sales professionals to contribute to the team&#8217;s success</td>
  581. </tr>
  582. <tr class="row-25 odd">
  583. <td class="column-1">24.</td>
  584. <td class="column-2">Sales Superhero: Create Your Own Sales Alter Ego</td>
  585. <td class="column-3">Create unique sales personas</td>
  586. <td class="column-4">Celebrates individuality and fosters a sense of fun</td>
  587. </tr>
  588. <tr class="row-26 even">
  589. <td class="column-1">25.</td>
  590. <td class="column-2">Top Social Media Influencer</td>
  591. <td class="column-3">Recognizes skills in leveraging social media for sales</td>
  592. <td class="column-4">Rewards creating compelling content and driving online engagement</td>
  593. </tr>
  594. <tr class="row-27 odd">
  595. <td class="column-1">26.</td>
  596. <td class="column-2">Most Valuable Sales Tool or Resource Utilized</td>
  597. <td class="column-3">Celebrates effective utilization of a specific sales tool</td>
  598. <td class="column-4">Inspires exploration of innovative solutions and maximizing potential</td>
  599. </tr>
  600. <tr class="row-28 even">
  601. <td class="column-1">27.</td>
  602. <td class="column-2">Best Client Relationship Management</td>
  603. <td class="column-3">Awards building and nurturing strong client relationships</td>
  604. <td class="column-4">Motivates prioritizing long-term client satisfaction and loyalty</td>
  605. </tr>
  606. <tr class="row-29 odd">
  607. <td class="column-1">28.</td>
  608. <td class="column-2">Highest Sales Growth in a Specific Market</td>
  609. <td class="column-3">Acknowledges most sales increase in a targeted market</td>
  610. <td class="column-4">Encourages tailored strategies for business expansion and revenue growth</td>
  611. </tr>
  612. <tr class="row-30 even">
  613. <td class="column-1">29.</td>
  614. <td class="column-2">Most Valuable Feedback or Insight Provided</td>
  615. <td class="column-3">Highlights offering valuable feedback and insights</td>
  616. <td class="column-4">Inspires active listening, observation and sharing knowledge</td>
  617. </tr>
  618. <tr class="row-31 odd">
  619. <td class="column-1">30.</td>
  620. <td class="column-2">Highest Customer Satisfaction Rating</td>
  621. <td class="column-3">Recognizes delivering exceptional service and high customer ratings</td>
  622. <td class="column-4">Motivates delivering high levels of satisfaction and loyalty</td>
  623. </tr>
  624. <tr class="row-32 even">
  625. <td class="column-1">31.</td>
  626. <td class="column-2">Most Productive Remote Sales Rep</td>
  627. <td class="column-3">Celebrates exceptional results in sales volume and efficiency</td>
  628. <td class="column-4">Recognizes time management skills and focus on driving revenue</td>
  629. </tr>
  630. <tr class="row-33 odd">
  631. <td class="column-1">32.</td>
  632. <td class="column-2">Top Sales Mentor or Coach</td>
  633. <td class="column-3">Honors guiding, mentoring and coaching fellow team members</td>
  634. <td class="column-4">Encourages a culture of continuous learning and growth</td>
  635. </tr>
  636. <tr class="row-34 even">
  637. <td class="column-1">33.</td>
  638. <td class="column-2">Most Inspiring Sales Success Story</td>
  639. <td class="column-3">Celebrates overcoming challenges and achieving remarkable sales results</td>
  640. <td class="column-4">Fosters a culture of determination and success by sharing experiences</td>
  641. </tr>
  642. </tbody>
  643. </table>
  644. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="1_Top_Sales_Performer"/>1. Top Sales Performer<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  645. <p><span class="ezoic-autoinsert-video ezoic-under_first_paragraph"/></p>
  646. <p><img data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer-150x113.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer-300x225.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer-620x465.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer-660x495.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer-768x576.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="ezlazyload aligncenter wp-image-1233863 size-full" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22600%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas - top sales performer" width="800" height="600" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/top-sales-performer.png"/></p>
  647. <p>One of the most obvious sales contest idea choices to consider, the Top Sales Performer contest, focuses on recognizing and rewarding the individual who achieves the highest sales results within a given time frame. By honoring outstanding performance, this contest aims to inspire and motivate the entire sales team to strive for excellence and elevate sales efforts.</p>
  648. <p><span class="ezoic-autoinsert-video ezoic-under_second_paragraph"/></p>
  649. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="2_Most_Improved_Salesperson"/>2. Most Improved Salesperson<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  650. <p>The Most Improved Salesperson contest celebrates the individual who demonstrates the greatest growth and progress in their sales performance over a specified period. By acknowledging personal development, this contest encourages continuous learning and adaptation, fostering a culture of self-improvement within the sales team.</p>
  651. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="3_Highest_Revenue_Generated"/>3. Highest Revenue Generated<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  652. <p>The Highest Revenue Generated contest rewards the salesperson responsible for bringing in the most revenue within a predetermined time frame. This competition highlights the crucial role that sales professionals play in driving business growth, while motivating them to focus on closing deals and maximizing the company’s profits.</p>
  653. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="4_Most_Upsells_or_Cross-Sells"/>4. Most Upsells or Cross-Sells<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  654. <p><img data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team-150x113.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team-300x225.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team-620x465.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team-660x495.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team-768x576.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" decoding="async" class="ezlazyload aligncenter wp-image-1233866 size-full" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22600%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas - most upsells or cross sells discussed in a team meeting" width="800" height="600" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/most-upsell-or-cross-sells-sales-team.png"/></p>
  655. <p>The Most Upsells or Cross-sells contest recognizes and rewards the salesperson who successfully maximizes the value of existing customer relationships by promoting additional products or services. This contest not only encourages sales professionals to uncover new opportunities within their customer base but also helps the company increase its overall revenue.</p>
  656. <p><span class="ezoic-autoinsert-video ezoic-mid_content"/></p>
  657. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="5_Highest_Customer_Retention_Rate"/>5. Highest Customer Retention Rate<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  658. <p>The Highest Customer Retention Rate contest honors the sales professional who excels at maintaining strong relationships with clients, resulting in a high percentage of customers continuing to do business with the company. This contest emphasizes the importance of exceptional customer service and relationship management in fostering long-term client loyalty and business stability.</p>
  659. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="6_Sales_Bingo"/>6. Sales Bingo<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  660. <p>Sales Bingo is a fun and engaging sales game where team members aim to complete a bingo-style card filled with various sales tasks and achievements. This contest promotes a sense of camaraderie and friendly rivalry, motivating participants to accomplish a diverse range of objectives while driving overall sales performance.</p>
  661. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="7_Sales_Trivia_Challenge"/>7. Sales Trivia Challenge<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  662. <p>The Sales Trivia Challenge is an entertaining contest that tests a sales team’s knowledge of its company’s products, services and industry. By combining learning with competition, this contest encourages employees to deepen their understanding, allowing them to better communicate the value of their offerings to potential customers.</p>
  663. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="8_Sales_Team_Role-Swap_Day"/>8. Sales Team Role-Swap Day<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  664. <p><img data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day-150x113.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day-300x225.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day-620x465.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day-660x495.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day-768x576.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" decoding="async" class="ezlazyload aligncenter wp-image-1233869 size-full" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22600%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas - sales team doing roll swap day activity" width="800" height="600" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/rolls-swap-day.png"/></p>
  665. <p>The Sales Team Role Swap Day contest involves team members temporarily exchanging roles within the sales department, allowing them to gain new perspectives and insights into their colleagues’ responsibilities. This creative contest fosters empathy, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of the sales process, contributing to a more cohesive and effective sales team.</p>
  666. <p><span class="ezoic-autoinsert-video ezoic-long_content"/></p>
  667. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="9_Most_Sales_Calls_Made"/>9. Most Sales Calls Made<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  668. <p>The Most Sales Calls Made contest rewards the salesperson who successfully completes the highest number of sales calls within a specified time frame. This competition motivates the team to increase their outreach efforts and actively engage with potential customers, ultimately driving lead generation and sales opportunities.</p>
  669. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="10_Fastest_Lead_Conversion"/>10. Fastest Lead Conversion<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  670. <p>The Fastest Lead Conversion contest recognizes the sales professional who can quickly and effectively transform potential leads into paying customers. This contest emphasizes the importance of efficient sales processes and targeted communication, motivating team members to optimize their strategies and ultimately close deals at a faster pace.</p>
  671. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="11_Highest_Percentage_of_Sales_Quota_Achieved"/>11. Highest Percentage of Sales Quota Achieved<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  672. <p>The Highest Percentage of Sales Quota Achieved contest celebrates the salesperson who exceeds their assigned sales target by the largest margin within a designated period. The competition encourages sales professionals to stretch their capabilities and go beyond their predetermined goals, resulting in a more ambitious and high-performing sales team.</p>
  673. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="12_Pitch_Perfect_Sales_Karaoke_Contest"/>12. Pitch Perfect: Sales Karaoke Contest<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  674. <p><img data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke-150x113.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke-300x225.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke-620x465.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke-660x495.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke-768x576.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" decoding="async" class="ezlazyload aligncenter wp-image-1233887 size-full" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22600%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas - team members competing in a karaoke contest" width="800" height="600" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/karaoke.png"/></p>
  675. <p>A sales-related Karaoke contest is a creative and entertaining challenge where team members perform their best sales pitches or <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/cold-calling-scripts/" data-wpel-link="external">cold calling scripts</a> in a karaoke-style format. This lighthearted contest helps sales professionals polish their presentation skills and encourages them to think on their feet, all while fostering camaraderie and a fun work environment.</p>
  676. <p><span class="ezoic-autoinsert-video ezoic-longer_content"/></p>
  677. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="13_Best_Sales_Presentation"/>13. Best Sales Presentation<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  678. <p>The Best Sales Presentation contest recognizes the sales professional who develops and delivers the most engaging and persuasive pitch or presentation. By spotlighting exceptional communication and storytelling abilities, the contest encourages team members to hone their persuasive techniques and effectively convey the value of their offerings to potential clients.</p>
  679. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="14_Most_Prospects_Contacted"/>14. Most Prospects Contacted<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  680. <p>The Most Prospects Contacted contest rewards the salesperson who connects with the highest number of potential customers within a specified period. This competition incentivizes sales professionals to be proactive in their outreach efforts, enhancing lead generation and creating a pipeline of potential new clients for the company.</p>
  681. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="15_Best_Customer_Testimonial"/>15. Best Customer Testimonial<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  682. <p>The Best Customer Testimonial contest acknowledges the sales professional who secures the most compelling and positive feedback from a client. The competition highlights the importance of <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/great-customer-service/" data-wpel-link="external">great customer service</a> and relationship building, motivating team members to focus on creating exceptional experiences that turn customers into loyal advocates for the business.</p>
  683. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="16_Best_Sales_Team_Initiative"/>16. Best Sales Team Initiative<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  684. <p>The Best Sales Team Initiative contest invites sales teams to develop and implement innovative strategies or ideas to improve sales performance. This competition encourages collaboration, creativity and problem-solving, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and empowering teams to take ownership of their success.</p>
  685. <p><span class="ezoic-autoinsert-video ezoic-longest_content"/></p>
  686. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="17_Sales_Rep_with_the_Highest_Email_Open_Rates"/>17. Sales Rep with the Highest Email Open Rates<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  687. <p><img loading="lazy" data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate-150x113.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate-300x225.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate-620x465.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate-660x495.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate-768x576.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" decoding="async" class="ezlazyload aligncenter wp-image-1233888 size-full" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22600%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas - best email open rate: person looking at it on a smartphone" width="800" height="600" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/email-open-rate.png"/></p>
  688. <p>The Sales Rep with the Highest Email Open Rates contest recognizes the sales professional whose email campaigns consistently generate the highest engagement from potential clients. By emphasizing the importance of crafting compelling email content, the contest encourages sales team members to refine their written communication skills and maximize the impact of their outreach efforts.</p>
  689. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="18_Sales_Reps_Escape_Room_Challenge"/>18. Sales Reps Escape Room Challenge<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  690. <p>Challenging. your sales team to find its way out of escape room is a team-building contest that places sales professionals in an escape room scenario, requiring them to work together to solve puzzles and complete tasks within a given time limit. This exciting challenge promotes collaboration, problem-solving and communication among team members, ultimately contributing to a stronger and more cohesive sales force.</p>
  691. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="19_Most_Effective_Sales_Pitch"/>19. Most Effective Sales Pitch<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  692. <p>The Most Effective Sales Pitch contest celebrates the salesperson who delivers the most persuasive and impactful pitch to potential customers. This competition highlights the importance of crafting compelling narratives, understanding customer needs and effectively communicating the value of products or services, thereby motivating sales professionals to refine their <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/elevator-pitch/" data-wpel-link="external">elevator pitch</a> techniques and increase their chances of closing deals.</p>
  693. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="20_Most_Creative_Sales_Strategy"/>20. Most Creative Sales Strategy<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  694. <p>The Most Creative Sales Strategy contest recognizes the salesperson who develops and implements the most innovative and unique approach to selling. This competition encourages out-of-the-box thinking, strategic planning and experimentation, inspiring sales professionals to find creative solutions to engage customers, differentiate themselves from competitors and achieve outstanding results.</p>
  695. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="21_Best_Sales_Collaboration"/>21. Best Sales Collaboration<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  696. <p>The Best Sales Collaboration contest celebrates the sales team that demonstrates exceptional teamwork and collaboration in its efforts to close deals and serve customers. The contest emphasizes the value of effective communication, knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving, encouraging sales professionals to work together seamlessly and leverage each other’s strengths to achieve shared goals.</p>
  697. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="22_Sales_Meme_Creation_Contest"/>22. Sales Meme Creation Contest<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  698. <p>Competing for the best meme creation is a fun and creative contest that challenges sales professionals to design humorous and relatable memes related to their sales experiences. Such a contest encourages team members to showcase their creativity, inject humor into their work environment and build camaraderie through shared laughter, fostering a positive and engaging sales culture.</p>
  699. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="23_Top_Sales_Team_Player"/>23. Top Sales Team Player<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  700. <p>The Top Sales Team Player contest recognizes the salesperson who consistently demonstrates exceptional teamwork, collaboration and support for their colleagues. This competition emphasizes the importance of being a reliable and valuable team member, while motivating sales professionals to contribute their skills and knowledge to help the entire sales team succeed.</p>
  701. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="24_Sales_Superhero_Create_Your_Own_Sales_Alter_Ego"/>24. Sales Superhero: Create Your Own Sales Alter Ego<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  702. <p>The Sales Superhero contest invites sales professionals to unleash their creativity and create their own sales alter egos. Participants can design unique personas complete with names, superpowers and backstories that embody their sales prowess. This contest celebrates individuality, fosters a sense of fun and imagination and encourages salespeople to tap into their inner superheroes to drive exceptional sales performance.</p>
  703. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="25_Top_Social_Media_Influencer"/>25. Top Social Media Influencer<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  704. <p>The Top Social Media Influencer contest recognizes the salesperson who demonstrates exceptional skills in leveraging social media platforms to promote products or services and engage with potential customers. This competition highlights the power of <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/social-media-strategy-for-your-business/" data-wpel-link="external">social media strategy for business</a> and rewards individuals who excel in creating compelling content, building a strong online presence and driving meaningful engagement to support sales objectives.</p>
  705. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="26_Most_Valuable_Sales_Tool_or_Resource_Utilized"/>26. Most Valuable Sales Tool or Resource Utilized<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  706. <p>The Most Valuable Sales Tool or Resource Utilized contest celebrates the salesperson who effectively utilizes a specific tool or resource that significantly enhances their sales performance. The contest emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology, data or other resources to streamline processes, improve efficiency and drive better results, thereby inspiring sales professionals to explore innovative solutions and maximize their potential.</p>
  707. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="27_Best_Client_Relationship_Management"/>27. Best Client Relationship Management<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  708. <p>The Best Client Relationship Management title is awarded to the salesperson who excels in building and nurturing strong relationships with clients. The competition emphasizes the importance of effective communication, trust-building and personalized service, motivating sales professionals to prioritize long-term client satisfaction and loyalty, which in turn results in increased customer retention and referrals.</p>
  709. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="28_Highest_Sales_Growth_in_a_Specific_Market"/>28. Highest Sales Growth in a Specific Market<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  710. <p>The Highest Sales Growth in a Specific Market contest acknowledges the salesperson or team that achieves the most substantial increase in sales within a targeted market segment or geographic area. The contest encourages sales professionals to analyze market trends, identify growth opportunities and develop tailored strategies to capture a larger share of the market, driving business expansion and revenue growth.</p>
  711. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="29_Most_Valuable_Feedback_or_Insight_Provided"/>29. Most Valuable Feedback or Insight Provided<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  712. <p>A Most Valuable Feedback or Insights Provided contest highlights the salesperson who consistently offers valuable feedback and insights to the team or organization. The competition emphasizes the importance of active listening, observation and sharing knowledge, thus inspiring sales professionals to contribute meaningful ideas and suggestions that contribute to overall sales strategies, process improvements and customer satisfaction.</p>
  713. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="30_Highest_Customer_Satisfaction_Rating"/>30. Highest Customer Satisfaction Rating<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  714. <p>The Highest Customer Satisfaction Rating contest recognizes the salesperson or team that consistently delivers exceptional service and earns the highest ratings from customers. This contest emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships, understanding customer needs and providing personalized solutions that result in high levels of satisfaction and loyalty. Sales professionals are motivated to go above and beyond to ensure customers’ success and happiness, ultimately driving positive word-of-mouth and repeat business.</p>
  715. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="31_Most_Productive_Remote_Sales_Rep"/>31. Most Productive Remote Sales Rep<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  716. <p>The Most Productive Sales Rep contest celebrates the salesperson who consistently achieves exceptional results in terms of sales volume and efficiency. The competition recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional time management skills, effective prioritization and a consistent focus on driving revenue, inspiring other team members to optimize their productivity and achieve outstanding performance.</p>
  717. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="32_Top_Sales_Mentor_or_Coach"/>32. Top Sales Mentor or Coach<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  718. <p><img loading="lazy" data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor-150x113.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor-300x225.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor-620x465.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor-660x495.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor-768x576.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" decoding="async" class="ezlazyload aligncenter wp-image-1233889 size-full" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22600%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas - business mentor" width="800" height="600" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/07/business-mentor.png"/></p>
  719. <p>A Top Sales Mentor or Coach award honors the salesperson who excels in guiding, mentoring and coaching fellow team members to achieve their full potential. This contest recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and communication, as well as the ability to inspire and develop the skills of others. By highlighting the value of mentorship and coaching, the contest encourages a culture of continuous learning and growth within the sales team.</p>
  720. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="33_Most_Inspiring_Sales_Success_Story"/>33. Most Inspiring Sales Success Story<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  721. <p>The Most Inspiring Sales Success Story contest celebrates the salesperson who shares a compelling narrative of overcoming challenges, exceeding expectations and achieving remarkable sales results. The competition highlights the power of storytelling and inspires others by showcasing real-life examples of perseverance, resilience, and exceptional sales achievements. By sharing their experiences, participants motivate and energize the sales team, fostering a culture of determination and success.</p>
  722. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="What_Are_Sales_Contests"/>What Are Sales Contests?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  723. <p>Sales contests are competitive events designed to motivate and engage sales teams by setting specific goals and offering incentives to those who excel. These contests play a crucial role in driving sales performance, as they encourage sales representatives to push their limits, close more deals and achieve higher targets.</p>
  724. <p>By focusing on areas such as product knowledge, selling techniques and collaboration, contests can contribute to the ongoing development of a skilled and confident sales force.</p>
  725. <p>In addition to boosting revenue, sales contests foster a spirit of friendly rivalry and camaraderie among team members. An atmosphere of competition not only enhances teamwork but also helps sales professionals remain motivated and committed to delivering their best performance.</p>
  726. <p>Through sales contests, small businesses can create an exciting platform for their sales force to showcase their skills, learn from one another and celebrate their achievements.</p>
  727. <p>By implementing sales contests that align with the company’s goals and values, small business owners can unlock the true potential of their sales teams and experience a significant improvement in overall performance.</p>
  728. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Why_Have_a_Sales_Contest"/>Why Have a Sales Contest?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  729. <p>Implementing sales contests in a small business environment can be a powerful catalyst for driving positive results and achieving multiple objectives. One of the main goals of these contests is to boost sales by inspiring sales professionals to stretch their capabilities and strive to exceed their targets. As a result, small businesses can experience a notable increase in revenue generation and growth.</p>
  730. <p>Another vital goal of sales contests is to improve team collaboration. Creating a healthy sense of competition and promoting shared objectives, these contests help break down barriers between team members and foster an environment of mutual support. As sales representatives work together to achieve their goals, they are more likely to exchange valuable insights, learn from one another’s experiences and develop a stronger sense of unity within the team.</p>
  731. <p>Moreover, sales contests serve to increase motivation among sales professionals. The prospect of earning rewards and recognition for outstanding performance can act as a powerful incentive, motivating employees to give their best effort and maintain a high level of engagement in their work.</p>
  732. <p>This enthusiasm can translate into a more productive and energetic sales force, ultimately improving sales results and customer satisfaction.</p>
  733. <p><img loading="lazy" data-ezsrcset="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team-150x84.png 150w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team-300x168.png 300w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team-620x347.png 620w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team-660x370.png 660w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team-768x430.png 768w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team-850x476.png 850w,https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" decoding="async" width="1000" height="560" class="ezlazyload size-full wp-image-1208665 aligncenter" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%221000%22%20height=%22560%22%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="sales contest ideas" ezimgfmt="rs rscb12 src ng ngcb12 srcset" data-ezsrc="https://smallbiztrends.com/ezoimgfmt/media.smallbiztrends.com/2023/05/Sales-Contest-Ideas-Guaranteed-to-Motivate-Your-Team.png"/></p>
  734. <p>Be sure to check out this video by Dave Lorenzo about Sales Contest Prize ideas. It’s a nice companion to this article.</p>
  735. <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Sales Contest Prize Ideas – How To Create Sales Contests That Actually Work" width="755" height="425" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5QMO9peVwL0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
  736. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="The_Benefits_of_Sales_Contests_for_Sales_Teams"/>The Benefits of Sales Contests for Sales Teams<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  737. <p>Sales contests offer numerous advantages to sales teams, providing them with an environment that fosters motivation, friendly rivalry and a drive for excellence. By implementing these contests, businesses can enjoy a wide range of benefits, including:</p>
  738. <ul>
  739. <li><strong>Increased motivation</strong> – Sales contests inspire employees to work harder and push their limits, as they offer rewards and recognition for outstanding performance. This motivation often leads to a more engaged and dedicated sales force, ready to excel in its work.</li>
  740. <li><strong>Healthy competition</strong> – The competitive atmosphere of sales contests drives individuals and teams to give their best effort and outperform their peers. This friendly rivalry promotes the exchange of ideas and best practices, ultimately benefiting the entire sales force.</li>
  741. <li><strong>Better overall performance</strong> – By focusing on specific goals and encouraging employees to hone their skills, sales contests help improve the overall performance of sales teams. This improvement often translates into increased revenue and enhanced customer satisfaction for the business.</li>
  742. <li><strong>Team collaboration</strong> – Sales contests can be designed to encourage teamwork and shared objectives, fostering a sense of unity and cooperation within the sales force. As employees work together towards common goals, they build stronger relationships and contribute to a more cohesive team environment.</li>
  743. <li><strong>Professional development</strong> – Through sales contests, employees are pushed to sharpen their selling techniques, enhance product knowledge, and develop new strategies. This continuous learning and development help create a highly skilled and adaptable sales force, well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of the market</li>
  744. </ul>
  745. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="How_to_Implement_Sales_Contests_Successfully"/>How to Implement Sales Contests Successfully<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  746. <p>Successfully implementing sales contests requires careful planning and consideration. Fortunately, with a few valuable tips and best practices, small business owners effectively can design and execute effective sales contests.</p>
  747. <p>From defining clear goals to selecting appropriate rewards and ensuring fair competition, the following guidelines will set the foundation for a successful sales contest that drives motivation and boosts performance.</p>
  748. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Setting_Clear_Goals_for_Sales_Contests"/>Setting Clear Goals for Sales Contests<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  749. <p>Setting clear goals for sales contests is essential for ensuring focus, direction and measurable outcomes. Clear objectives provide a framework that aligns the efforts of the sales team with the overall business strategy, enhancing motivation and facilitating evaluation of contest success.</p>
  750. <p>By employing the SMART goal framework – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound – small business owners can create objectives that maximize the effectiveness of sales contests.</p>
  751. <ul>
  752. <li>Specific goals define the desired outcomes precisely. For instance, increasing revenue by 15% within the contest period or acquiring 50 new customers through upselling or cross-selling efforts.</li>
  753. <li>Measurable goals establish clear metrics to track progress and determine success. Examples include achieving a sales quota of $100,000, increasing the average deal size by 20%, or closing 20% more deals compared to the previous quarter.</li>
  754. <li>Achievable goals set realistic targets that can be attained within the contest duration. This may involve considering the sales team’s capacity, market conditions, and available resources.</li>
  755. <li>Relevant goals are aligned with the business’s overall objectives and strategic priorities. For instance, increasing sales in a specific target market or promoting a newly launched product line.</li>
  756. <li>Time-bound goals have a specific deadline for completion. Examples include achieving a certain sales target within a quarter, generating a specific number of leads within a month, or closing a predetermined number of deals by the end of the contest.</li>
  757. </ul>
  758. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Choosing_the_Right_Sales_Contest_Prizes"/>Choosing the Right Sales Contest Prizes<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  759. <p>Choosing the right rewards for sales contests is crucial to motivate and engage the sales team effectively. The selected prizes should align with the interests, preferences and motivations of the participants. Keep the following in mind when selecting rewards:</p>
  760. <ul>
  761. <li>Understanding – Take into account the demographics, preferences and aspirations of your sales team. Consider conducting surveys or holding discussions to gather insights on what types of rewards would truly motivate them.</li>
  762. <li>Variety – Offer a range of prizes to cater to different preferences. Some individuals may be motivated by financial incentives such as an <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/employee-bonus-small-business/" data-wpel-link="external">employee bonus</a> or gift cards, while others may value experiences like travel vouchers or special outings. Recognition and non-monetary rewards, such as trophies, certificates or public acknowledgement, also can be highly valued.</li>
  763. <li>Meaning – Ensure the rewards are meaningful and tied to the goals of the contest. For example, if the contest aims to increase product knowledge, a reward could be an exclusive training session or access to industry conferences. If the goal is to boost team collaboration, consider team-based rewards or team-building activities.</li>
  764. <li>Achievability and desirability – The rewards should be perceived as attainable and desirable by the sales team. If the prizes seem unattainable or unappealing, motivation may diminish. Consider offering incremental rewards or tiered prizes to keep participants engaged throughout the contest duration.</li>
  765. <li>Personalization – Whenever feasible, personalize the rewards to reflect the preferences and accomplishments of the individuals. This could include tailored rewards based on their interests or allowing winners to choose from a selection of prizes.</li>
  766. </ul>
  767. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Ensuring_Fair_Competition_in_Sales_Contests"/>Ensuring Fair Competition in Sales Contests<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  768. <p>Creating a level playing field in sales contests is essential to maintaining a positive and motivating atmosphere within the sales team. When establishing your sales contest, keep them following in mind to ensure fair competition:</p>
  769. <ul>
  770. <li>Clear rules and criteria – Establish transparent rules and criteria for the contest that are communicated to all participants from the beginning. Clearly outline how performance will be measured, what actions or metrics will be considered and how winners will be determined. This clarity eliminates confusion and ensures everyone understands the parameters of the competition.</li>
  771. <li>Equal opportunities – Provide equal opportunities for all participants to succeed in the contest. Ensure that each salesperson has access to the same resources, leads and support to prevent any unfair advantage. By providing a level playing field, every member of the sales team can compete based on their skills and efforts rather than external factors.</li>
  772. <li>Consistent tracking and monitoring – Implement a system to track and monitor progress consistently for all participants. Doing so enables accurate assessment and comparison of performance, ensuring that every individual’s efforts are evaluated fairly.</li>
  773. <li>Regular updates and feedback – Provide regular updates and feedback to participants throughout the contest. This keeps everyone informed about their progress and allows for necessary adjustments to strategies. It also ensures that all participants have access to the same information, preventing any unfair advantage from undisclosed updates or changes.</li>
  774. <li>Recognition of effort – While winners may be celebrated, it is important to acknowledge and recognize the efforts of all participants. Highlight the progress, achievements and growth of individuals throughout the contest, reinforcing a positive and supportive environment within the sales team.</li>
  775. </ul>
  776. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Why_a_Fun_Sales_Contest_Will_Boost_Morale_and_Team_Spirit"/>Why a Fun Sales Contest Will Boost Morale and Team Spirit<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  777. <p>Implementing fun and engaging sales contests within a business can greatly enhance the workplace environment, boost morale, and improve team spirit. They work to transform an ordinary workday into a thrilling experience, stimulating the team’s competitiveness and camaraderie.</p>
  778. <p>Let’s explore how these exciting sales contest ideas can significantly positively impact a team’s performance and overall workplace atmosphere:</p>
  779. <ul>
  780. <li>Breaks Monotony: Sales contests bring excitement and enjoyment to daily routines, breaking the monotony and revitalizing the team’s spirit. This positive atmosphere directly contributes to increased job satisfaction and overall team morale.</li>
  781. <li>Enhances Motivation: The element of fun and friendly competition in sales contests triggers intrinsic motivation, driving employees to perform well. When employees find joy in their work, it fuels their enthusiasm, uplifting the entire team and driving them to exceed their targets.</li>
  782. <li>Promotes Team Spirit: Fun sales contests promote camaraderie among team members. Engaging in competitions, teams form bonds, share experiences, and support each other, leading to increased collaboration and a sense of unity.</li>
  783. <li>Reduces Stress: Sales contests provide a platform for employees to unwind, have fun, and recharge, resulting in reduced burnout, increased productivity, and a positive work attitude.</li>
  784. <li>Boosts Sales Performance: By fostering a positive and vibrant work atmosphere, sales contests lead to improved sales performance and overall job satisfaction.</li>
  785. </ul>
  786. <p>Incorporating fun sales contests into the work culture is an effective strategy for stimulating team morale and motivation.</p>
  787. <p>This table serves as a summarized guide to the list above. You can use it when planning your sales contest to ensure successful implementation. Each step is crucial for engaging your team, maintaining fairness, and driving the desired outcomes.</p>
  788. <table id="tablepress-587" class="tablepress tablepress-id-587 tablepress-responsive">
  789. <thead>
  790. <tr class="row-1 odd">
  791. <th class="column-1">Steps for Implementing Sales Contests</th>
  792. <th class="column-2">Key Considerations</th>
  793. </tr>
  794. </thead>
  795. <tbody class="row-hover">
  796. <tr class="row-2 even">
  797. <td class="column-1">Setting Clear Goals</td>
  798. <td class="column-2">Use the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Goals should align with overall business strategy.</td>
  799. </tr>
  800. <tr class="row-3 odd">
  801. <td class="column-1">Choosing the Right Prizes</td>
  802. <td class="column-2">Understand team demographics and preferences. Offer a variety of prizes. Prizes should be meaningful, achievable, and desirable. Whenever feasible, personalize the rewards.</td>
  803. </tr>
  804. <tr class="row-4 even">
  805. <td class="column-1">Ensuring Fair Competition</td>
  806. <td class="column-2">Establish clear rules and criteria. Provide equal opportunities for all participants. Consistently track and monitor progress. Provide regular updates and feedback. Recognize the efforts of all participants.</td>
  807. </tr>
  808. </tbody>
  809. </table>
  810. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Measuring_the_Success_of_Sales_Contests"/>Measuring the Success of Sales Contests<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  811. <p>Measuring the success of sales contests is crucial to assess their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. To evaluate the impact of sales contests, tracking key performance indicators and gathering feedback from the sales team are two valuable approaches.</p>
  812. <p>Tracking KPIs allows for objective measurement of contest outcomes. Depending on the contest objectives, relevant KPIs may include revenue generated, number of closed deals, average deal size, conversion rates or customer acquisition metrics.</p>
  813. <p>By comparing pre-contest and post-contest performance data, it becomes possible to determine the contest’s impact on these metrics and evaluate its success.</p>
  814. <p>Gathering feedback from the sales team also provides valuable insights into their experiences and perceptions. Conducting surveys or holding post-contest discussions allows participants to express their opinions, highlight positive aspects and offer suggestions for improvement.</p>
  815. <p>This feedback helps to gauge the engagement, motivation and overall satisfaction of the sales team regarding the contest. Plus, it can provide insights into the contest’s impact on team dynamics, collaboration and personal growth.</p>
  816. <p>Further, combining quantitative data from KPIs with qualitative feedback from the sales team provides a holistic view of the contest’s success. It allows for a comprehensive evaluation of its impact on both measurable outcomes and the overall experience of the sales team.</p>
  817. <p>Ultimately, measuring the success of sales contests through KPI tracking and gathering feedback enables small business owners to make informed decisions, refine future contests and continuously improve the effectiveness of their sales initiatives.</p>
  818. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Key_Performance_Indicators_for_Sales_Contests"/>Key Performance Indicators for Sales Contests<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  819. <p>Tracking key performance indicators during and after sales contests is essential to evaluate their success and impact. These KPIs provide measurable insights into the effectiveness of the contest and its alignment with the desired outcomes. Some important KPIs to consider include:</p>
  820. <ul>
  821. <li>Revenue Generated – Measure the total revenue generated during the contest period to assess the direct impact on the company’s financial performance.</li>
  822. <li>Number of Closed Deals – Track the quantity of deals closed to evaluate the contest’s effectiveness in driving sales conversions.</li>
  823. <li>Average Deal Size – Monitor the average size or value of the deals closed to assess whether the contest influenced larger sales.</li>
  824. <li>Conversion Rates – Analyze the conversion rates from leads to closed deals to determine the contest’s impact on the sales pipeline.</li>
  825. <li>Customer Acquisition Metrics – Evaluate the number of new customers acquired during the contest to assess its effectiveness in expanding the customer base.</li>
  826. <li>Sales Productivity – Measure the productivity of the sales team by tracking metrics such as calls made, meetings held or demos conducted to evaluate the contest’s impact on sales activities.</li>
  827. <li>Lead Generation – Monitor the number and quality of leads generated during the contest to assess its effectiveness in driving lead generation efforts.</li>
  828. <li>Customer Satisfaction – Gather feedback on customer satisfaction levels post-contest to evaluate if the contest positively influenced customer experiences and perceptions.<em>.</em></li>
  829. </ul>
  830. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Gathering_Feedback_from_Sales_Reps_and_Sales_Leaders"/>Gathering Feedback from Sales Reps and Sales Leaders<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  831. <p>Gathering feedback from sales reps and sales leaders is crucial for the ongoing improvement and effectiveness of sales contests.</p>
  832. <p>By seeking input from those directly involved in the contests, small business owners can gain valuable insights, identify areas of success and address any areas of improvement.</p>
  833. <p>Sales teams’ feedback provides firsthand perspectives on the contest experience, highlighting what aspects were engaging, motivating, and effective, as well as any potential areas of concern or suggestions for enhancement.</p>
  834. <p>This feedback allows small business owners to make informed decisions about contest design, rules, rewards and overall structure, ensuring that future contests are aligned with the preferences and needs of the sales team.</p>
  835. <p>Likewise, feedback from sales leaders provides valuable managerial insights, as they often have a comprehensive view of the team’s dynamics, performance and overall effectiveness.</p>
  836. <p>Their input can shed light on how the contests impacted team collaboration, individual growth and the achievement of broader sales objectives. Supporting sales teams and fostering healthy competition can be among the <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/hardest-parts-of-being-a-manager/" data-wpel-link="external">hardest parts of being a manager</a>.</p>
  837. <p>Regularly gathering feedback demonstrates to the sales team that their opinions are valued, fostering a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.</p>
  838. <p>It also promotes a sense of ownership and engagement among sales reps, as they feel empowered to contribute ideas and suggestions for making future contests even more effective and engaging.</p>
  839. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Integrating_Sales_Contests_into_Long-Term_Sales_Strategy"/>Integrating Sales Contests into Long-Term Sales Strategy<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  840. <p>Sales contests, when integrated effectively into a company’s long-term sales strategy, can become powerful tools for achieving sustained business growth.</p>
  841. <p>This integration involves aligning contest objectives with overarching business goals and considering the long-term impact of these competitive events on the sales team’s performance and development.</p>
  842. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Aligning_Contests_with_Business_Goals"/>Aligning Contests with Business Goals<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  843. <p>Sales contests should not just be stand-alone events but integral parts of the broader sales strategy. Aligning them with long-term business goals helps ensure that the efforts and excitement generated by these contests contribute to the company’s overall growth and objectives.</p>
  844. <h4>Setting Strategic Contest Themes</h4>
  845. <p>Choose contest themes that reflect your long-term sales goals, such as focusing on new client acquisition or expanding into new market segments. This alignment ensures that the contests support the company’s strategic direction.</p>
  846. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Measuring_Long-Term_Impact"/>Measuring Long-Term Impact<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  847. <p>Beyond immediate sales boosts, assess how contests influence long-term sales performance. Track metrics like customer retention rates and long-term revenue growth to gauge their lasting impact.</p>
  848. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Encouraging_Continuous_Improvement"/>Encouraging Continuous Improvement<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  849. <p>Use contests as a platform to instill a culture of continuous improvement. Recognize and reward not just immediate sales achievements but also efforts towards personal and team development that contribute to long-term success.</p>
  850. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Enhancing_Team_Collaboration_through_Sales_Contests"/>Enhancing Team Collaboration through Sales Contests<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  851. <p>Instead of individual-focused contests, create team-based challenges that require collaboration and collective effort. This approach can strengthen team dynamics and improve overall sales performance.</p>
  852. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Cross-Team_Challenges"/>Cross-Team Challenges<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  853. <p>Encourage interaction and learning across different sales teams by organizing cross-team contests. This can lead to the sharing of best practices and foster a more cohesive sales department.</p>
  854. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Leveraging_Contests_for_Training_and_Development"/>Leveraging Contests for Training and Development<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  855. <p>Design contests that integrate training elements, like role-playing challenges or product knowledge quizzes. These can be fun ways to enhance skills and knowledge, contributing to the team’s long-term development.</p>
  856. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Feedback_and_Learning"/>Feedback and Learning<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  857. <p>Incorporate a feedback loop in your contests where participants can learn from their experiences and from each other. This approach turns contests into learning opportunities, benefiting the individual and the team.</p>
  858. <h2><span class="ez-toc-section" id="FAQs_Sales_Contest_Ideas"/>FAQs: Sales Contest Ideas<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h2>
  859. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="What_is_the_optimal_duration_for_a_sales_contest"/>What is the optimal duration for a sales contest?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  860. <p>The optimal duration for a sales contest will vary depending on the specific objectives, sales cycle and dynamics of the sales team. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, sales contests typically range from a few weeks to a few months in duration.</p>
  861. <p>Shorter contests, such as those two to four weeks in length, can provide a quick burst of motivation and urgency for achieving specific targets. Longer contests, spanning several months, allow for sustained engagement, continuous improvement and the opportunity to track progress over a more extended period.</p>
  862. <p>It is essential to strike a balance that allows enough time for participants to actively engage and make meaningful progress towards the contest goals, while avoiding contest fatigue or losing momentum.</p>
  863. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="How_can_I_ensure_that_sales_contests_dont_lead_to_unethical_sales_practices"/>How can I ensure that sales contests don’t lead to unethical sales practices?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  864. <p>To prevent sales contests from leading to unethical sales practices, it is crucial to establish clear guidelines and foster a culture of integrity within the sales team. Clearly communicate the rules and expectations of the contest, emphasizing ethical conduct and adherence to company policies.</p>
  865. <p>Design the contest around holistic performance metrics that promote customer satisfaction and long-term relationships, rather than solely focusing on short-term sales volume.</p>
  866. <p>Provide ongoing training and education on ethical sales practices, encouraging open communication and reporting of concerns.</p>
  867. <p>Lead by example as sales leaders, demonstrating integrity in actions and decisions. By taking these steps, businesses can maintain ethical standards, promote a culture of integrity, and ensure that sales contests drive positive outcomes while upholding ethical principles.</p>
  868. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="Can_sales_contests_be_effective_for_remote_sales_teams"/>Can sales contests be effective for remote sales teams?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  869. <p>Sales contests can be highly effective even for remote sales teams. Many remote workers may seem more interested in <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/business-ideas-for-introverts/" data-wpel-link="external">business ideas for introverts</a> or working on their own. But contests like these can foster collaboration and improve morale.</p>
  870. <p>In fact, they can play a vital role in fostering engagement, motivation and healthy competition within remote sales environments. Virtual contests can be designed with clear objectives, measurable goals and creative ways to track progress, ensuring that remote team members stay focused and enthusiastic.</p>
  871. <p>Utilizing collaboration tools, video conferencing and online platforms, remote sales teams can actively participate in contests, track their performance and receive real-time feedback.</p>
  872. <p>By adapting sales contests to the virtual setting, businesses can leverage their effectiveness in driving sales performance and team cohesion, even when working remotely.</p>
  873. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="What_types_of_rewards_work_best_for_sales_contests"/>What types of rewards work best for sales contests?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  874. <p>The types of rewards that work best for sales contests vary depending on the preferences and motivations of the sales team.</p>
  875. <p>Generally, effective rewards can include a combination of financial incentives, such as cash bonuses or gift cards, experiential rewards like travel vouchers or special outings, recognition and non-monetary rewards such as trophies or certificates, and personalized rewards tailored to individual interests.</p>
  876. <p>The key is to offer a diverse range of rewards that align with the goals of the sales team and provide meaningful incentives for their achievements.</p>
  877. <p>By understanding the unique dynamics of the sales team and their preferences, businesses can select rewards that drive motivation, engagement, and a sense of accomplishment among participants.</p>
  878. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="How_can_I_involve_the_entire_sales_team_in_a_sales_contest_regardless_of_their_individual_performance_levels"/>How can I involve the entire sales team in a sales contest, regardless of their individual performance levels?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  879. <p>Involving the entire sales team in a sales contest, regardless of individual performance levels, is necessary to promote a sense of inclusion and teamwork.</p>
  880. <p>One way to achieve inclusion is by implementing team-based contests where performance is measured collectively. This encourages collaboration and motivates team members to support each other.</p>
  881. <p>Likewise, incorporating participation-based rewards that recognize effort, engagement and contributions rather than solely focusing on top performers can ensure that everyone feels valued and involved in the contest.</p>
  882. <p>By designing contests that emphasize team dynamics and recognize the contributions of all team members, businesses can foster a sense of unity and engagement throughout the sales team.</p>
  883. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="How_can_I_choose_an_effective_sales_contest_prize_that_will_motivate_my_team"/>How can I choose an effective sales contest prize that will motivate my team?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  884. <p>Choosing an effective prize for your sales contest means finding one that motivates your team, a strategy that requires understanding sales reps’ preferences and motivations. Consider prizes that align with their interests, such as cash bonuses, gift cards or experiences like travel vouchers.</p>
  885. <p>It can also be beneficial to offer personalized rewards or allow the winning team to choose from a selection of prizes. By selecting prizes that resonate with your team, you create incentives that drive their motivation, engagement and overall performance in the sales contest.</p>
  886. <h3><span class="ez-toc-section" id="How_can_I_recognize_and_reward_a_winning_sales_rep_beyond_the_sales_contest_prize"/>How can I recognize and reward a winning sales rep beyond the sales contest prize?<span class="ez-toc-section-end"/></h3>
  887. <p>Recognizing and rewarding a winning <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/self-starter-at-work/" data-wpel-link="external">self starter at work</a> beyond the sales competition prize is a great way to show appreciation and further motivate their performance.</p>
  888. <p>Consider additional forms of recognition such as public acknowledgment during team meetings or company-wide announcements. Provide opportunities for professional development, such as attending industry conferences or workshops.</p>
  889. <p>Likewise, consider non-monetary rewards like trophies, certificates or personalized gifts that highlight their achievements. By going beyond the contest prize, you demonstrate the value of their contribution and provide additional incentives for continued excellence.</p>
  890. <p><em><small>Image: Envato Elements</small></em></p>
  891. <hr class="clear"/><span class="tag-list">More in: <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://smallbiztrends.com/tag/business-motivation/" data-wpel-link="external">Business Motivation</a></span></p>
  892. <hr class="clear"/></div>
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  895. <br /><a href="https://smallbiztrends.com/sales-contest-ideas-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  896. ]]></content:encoded>
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  902. </item>
  903. <item>
  904. <title>Income Needed to Buy Your First Home in Minneapolis</title>
  905. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-minneapolis/</link>
  906. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-minneapolis/#respond</comments>
  908. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  909. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:15:34 +0000</pubDate>
  910. <category><![CDATA[buying faq]]></category>
  911. <category><![CDATA[first time homebuyer]]></category>
  912. <category><![CDATA[Home Decor]]></category>
  913. <category><![CDATA[Local Insights]]></category>
  914. <category><![CDATA[Minneapolis]]></category>
  915. <category><![CDATA[mn]]></category>
  916. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-minneapolis/</guid>
  917.  
  918. <description><![CDATA[You need to make nearly $90,000 annually to afford a starter home. Minneapolis, MN, is known for its gorgeous lakes, abundant outdoor recreation, deep history, and snowy winters. In addition to being a cultural hub and unique place to live, Minneapolis is also home to a competitive real estate market that’s seen a surge in [...]]]></description>
  919. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  920. <div>
  921. <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">You need to make nearly $90,000 annually to afford a starter home.</span></h3>
  922. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minneapolis, MN, is known for its gorgeous lakes, abundant outdoor recreation, deep history, and snowy winters. In addition to being a cultural hub and unique place to live, Minneapolis is also home to a competitive real estate market that’s seen a surge in popularity over the past few years. </span></p>
  923. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For many, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/city/10943/MN/Minneapolis" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">buying a home in Minneapolis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a dream come true, but it’s also important to know how it will impact your finances. From down payments to monthly mortgage payments, there’s a lot to understand before buying your first home </span></p>
  924. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So whether you already live in the City of Lakes or are looking to relocate to the area, here’s a breakdown of the income you’ll need to purchase your first home in Minneapolis.</span></p>
  925. <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Check out </span></i><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/starter-home-affordability-february-2024/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">our original report</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for a detailed nationwide analysis.</span></i></p>
  926. <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-77431 aligncenter" src="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House.jpg" alt="Tennessee House" width="800" height="533" srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House.jpg 1200w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House-225x150.jpg 225w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House-945x630.jpg 945w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tennessee-House-450x300.jpg 450w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"/></p>
  927. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How much income do you need to buy a starter home in Minneapolis?</span></h2>
  928. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The median sale price of a starter home in Minneapolis is $255,000. </span><b>In order to afford this, first-time homebuyers in Minneapolis should make $85,013 per year, up 7.2% from 2023</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The median income in Minneapolis is $106,561, meaning</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">the typical resident can afford a starter home. </span></p>
  929. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only California metros require a higher annual income to afford a starter home. Anaheim, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose all top $175,000. </span></p>
  930. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As expected, starter homes in Minneapolis are more affordable than the average home (all price brackets combined; see methodology for details). In order to afford any median-priced home in the area, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuyer-income-afford-home-record-high/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">you’ll need to make $103,640</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (as of October 2023). </span></p>
  931. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nationwide, you need an income of $75,849 to afford a typical starter home, which costs an average of $240,000. The average U.S. household earns an estimated $84,072.</span></p>
  932. <h2>
  933. <span style="font-weight: 400;">First-time homebuyers’ guide to the Minneapolis housing market</span></h2>
  934. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minneapolis has experienced a growing but changing market over the past few years. House prices have only risen by 8% since January 2021, from $299,250 to $325,000. However, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-value-december-2023/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">like many cities</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> across the country, the area has been grappling with a shortage of homes. As a result, Minneapolis recently saw a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://tcbmag.com/minnesota-housing-market-whiplash/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sales whiplash</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – home sales hit a 20-year high in 2021 before falling to a 12-year low in 2023.</span></p>
  935. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Home prices have somewhat followed this pendulum as well. While prices haven’t risen much overall, they have seen large peaks and valleys. For example, from February 2022 to June 2022, prices rose by 16%. Then, from June to December, they fell by 17.8%. This pendulum swing was seen in many metros across the country, often reacting to </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-tracker-october-2022/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">changing mortgage rates</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
  936. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minneapolis has also </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.minneapolisfed.org/article/2024/twin-cities-region-meets-ambitious-housing-goals-for-second-year-but-has-much-work-left-to-do" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">done a lot of work</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to meet the housing needs of its residents, supplying them with around 3,800 new affordable housing units and nearly 18,000 total housing units in 2022. This work continues and is intended to offset the housing deficit from the Great Recession. </span></p>
  937. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re looking to move to Minneapolis, the area is home to plenty of amenities and attractions throughout its diverse neighborhoods. Minnehaha Park, Guthrie Theater, the Chain of Lakes, and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden are some of the most well known spots, offering waterfront views and fun experiences for people of all ages.</span></p>
  938. <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/minneapolis-mn-neighborhoods/" data-wpel-link="internal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Popular neighborhoods in Minneapolis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> include </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.apartmentguide.com/neighborhoods/apartments/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Bryn-Mawr/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bryn-Mawr</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.apartmentguide.com/neighborhoods/apartments/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Calhoun-Isles/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Calhoun Isles</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.apartmentguide.com/neighborhoods/apartments/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Camden/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Camden</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.apartmentguide.com/neighborhoods/apartments/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Nokomis/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nokomis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
  939. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What does a typical down payment look like for a starter home in Minneapolis?</span></h2>
  940. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some common down payment amounts for a typical $255,000 starter home in Minneapolis:</span></p>
  941. <table>
  942. <tbody>
  943. <tr>
  944. <td><b>Down payment percentage</b></td>
  945. <td><b>Down payment amount</b></td>
  946. </tr>
  947. <tr>
  948. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">3% down payment</span></td>
  949. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$7,650</span></td>
  950. </tr>
  951. <tr>
  952. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">3.5% down payment</span></td>
  953. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$8,925</span></td>
  954. </tr>
  955. <tr>
  956. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">5% down payment</span></td>
  957. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$12,750</span></td>
  958. </tr>
  959. <tr>
  960. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">10% down payment</span></td>
  961. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$25,500</span></td>
  962. </tr>
  963. <tr>
  964. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">15% down payment</span></td>
  965. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$38,250</span></td>
  966. </tr>
  967. <tr>
  968. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">20% down payment</span></td>
  969. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$51,000</span></td>
  970. </tr>
  971. </tbody>
  972. </table>
  973. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Down payments can range from 0% to 100% of the total house price, depending on your budget, loan type, and long-term priorities. While experts have historically recommended budgeting for a 20% down payment, the increasing cost of homes and continued sluggish wage increases has led to a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/all-cash-homebuyers-february-2024/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">15% down payment</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> becoming more common. </span></p>
  974. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some loan types allow for lower down payment amounts. For example, a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/guides/first-time-home-buyer-fha-loans" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Federal Housing Administration (FHA)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> loan requires just 3.5% down, while the lowest possible down payment for a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/definition/conventional-loan" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">conventional loan</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is 3%. These amounts typically depend on your credit scores, so buyers with higher credit scores may qualify for lower down payments.</span></p>
  975. <p><picture><source srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi.webp 1200w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-300x199.webp 300w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-1024x680.webp 1024w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-768x510.webp 768w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-226x150.webp 226w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-949x630.webp 949w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-452x300.webp 452w" sizes="(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px" type="image/webp"><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi.jpg" height="531" width="799" srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi.jpg 1200w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-300x199.jpg 300w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-768x510.jpg 768w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-226x150.jpg 226w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-949x630.jpg 949w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/suburbs-in-Novi-452x300.jpg 452w" sizes="(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px" class=" wp-image-85061 aligncenter sp-no-webp" alt="row houses in Novi, Michigan" decoding="async"/></source></picture></p>
  976. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is the typical mortgage payment for a starter home in Minneapolis?</span></h2>
  977. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The typical monthly mortgage payment for a starter home in Minneapolis is $2,125. This assumes you put 3.5% down and have around a 7% interest rate.</span></p>
  978. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If this payment sounds too high, you could consider </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/Minnesota/Minneapolis/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">renting an apartment in Minneapolis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The median rent price is $1,583, well below the typical mortgage payment. You can also use an </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/how-much-house-can-i-afford" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">affordability calculator</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to see what you can afford based on your income and down payment.</span></p>
  979. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What should you do next?</span></h2>
  980. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re in the market for your first home in Minneapolis, it’s important to understand </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/how-much-house-can-i-afford" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">how much house you can afford</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Take your annual income, credit score, the current mortgage rates, and local market trends to make a decision that works best for you.</span></p>
  981. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From there, a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/city/10943/MN/Minneapolis/real-estate/agents" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minneapolis agent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can help you navigate the entire home buying process and provide valuable local expertise. To learn more about how to buy a home, check out Redfin’s </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/guides/first-time-home-buyer-guide" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
  982. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Methodology</span></h2>
  983. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Redfin divides all U.S. properties into five buckets based on Redfin Estimates of homes’ market values. There are three equal-sized tiers, as well as tiers for the bottom 5% and top 5% of the market. Redfin defines “starter homes” as homes whose sale price fell into the 5th-35th percentile of the </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/redfin-estimate" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Redfin Estimate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> tier. </span></p>
  984. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We calculated the annual income needed to afford a starter home by assuming a buyer spends no more than 30% of their income on housing payments. Housing payments are calculated assuming the buyer made a 3.5% down payment and also take a month’s median sale price and average mortgage-interest rate into account. </span></p>
  985. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The national income data is adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. 2024 income is estimated based on projections from the U.S. Census Bureau’s (ACS) 2022 median household income using the 12-month moving average nominal wage growth rate. The rate was compiled from the Current Population Survey and reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.</span></p>
  986. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We assume housing payments include the mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and mortgage insurance (when applicable).</span></p>
  987. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All data sourced February 2024 unless otherwise stated. The Minneapolis metropolitan area includes Saint Paul.</span></p>
  988. <h2> </h2>
  989. </div>
  990. <p><a href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/income-needed-to-buy-first-home-minneapolis-mn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  991. ]]></content:encoded>
  993. <wfw:commentRss>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-minneapolis/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  994. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  997. </item>
  998. <item>
  999. <title>Etekcity HR Smart Fitness Scale Review: Doesn&#8217;t Put a Foot Wrong</title>
  1000. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/etekcity-hr-smart-fitness-scale-review-doesnt-put-a-foot-wrong/</link>
  1001. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/etekcity-hr-smart-fitness-scale-review-doesnt-put-a-foot-wrong/#respond</comments>
  1003. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  1004. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:50:32 +0000</pubDate>
  1005. <category><![CDATA[Electronic and Gadgets]]></category>
  1006. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/etekcity-hr-smart-fitness-scale-review-doesnt-put-a-foot-wrong/</guid>
  1007.  
  1008. <description><![CDATA[At a glance Expert&#8217;s Rating Pros USB charging 14 measurements Customisable display Informative app Our Verdict This smart scale has a lot going for it and there’s very little to fault. It provides a comprehensive range of measurements, nine of which you can display on the customisable colour screen. It also has USB charging and [...]]]></description>
  1009. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  1010. <div id="link_wrapped_content">
  1011. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"/>
  1012. <div id="review-body" class="review"><img decoding="async" class="review-logo" src="https://www.techadvisor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ta-ed-choice-22-final-2-1.svg" alt="Editors' Choice" loading="lazy"/><span class="review-title">At a glance</span></p>
  1013. <h3 class="review-subTitle" id="experts-rating">Expert&#8217;s Rating</h3>
  1014. <div>
  1015. <div class="review-columns">
  1016. <div class="review-column">
  1017. <h3 class="review-subTitle" id="pros">Pros</h3>
  1018. <ul class="pros review-list">
  1019. <li>USB charging</li>
  1020. <li>14 measurements</li>
  1021. <li>Customisable display</li>
  1022. <li>Informative app</li>
  1023. </ul>
  1024. </div>
  1025. </div>
  1026. </div>
  1027. <h3 class="review-subTitle review-subTitle--borderTop" id="our-verdict">Our Verdict</h3>
  1028. <p class="verdict">This smart scale has a lot going for it and there’s very little to fault. It provides a comprehensive range of measurements, nine of which you can display on the customisable colour screen. It also has USB charging and the easy-to-navigate app provides plenty of information, clearly displayed. </p>
  1029. </div>
  1030. <h3 class="review-price" id="price-when-reviewed">Price When Reviewed</h3>
  1031. <p>Not yet available in the UK</p>
  1032. <p>If you want to start a fitness journey, a smart scale is one of the best tools you can buy. It provides an easy way to track your progress and takes the emphasis off weight to include other body composition metrics, such as muscle mass and hydration.</p>
  1033. <p>Etekcity, like Levoit and Cosori, is a brand owned by smart home company VeSync. In this review, we’ll be looking at its mid-priced smart scale, the HR smart fitness scale.</p>
  1034. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="design-build">Design &amp; Build</h2>
  1035. <ul>
  1036. <li>USB charging</li>
  1037. <li>Comfortable size</li>
  1038. <li>Colour screen displays a choice of measurements</li>
  1039. </ul>
  1040. <p>If you’ve ever seen a smart scale before, this Etekcity model will look familiar. It has a plastic base, with four non-slip feet and a black, glossy tempered glass platform on top. Like most smart scales, this does mean it’ll pick up fingerprints – and footprints. Its most distinctive feature is the brand name and logo, which appears on a raised badge in the centre.</p>
  1041. <p>Above the badge is a colour TFT screen, which will show up to nine measurements of the 14 that the Etekcity takes. You can choose the ones you want to see in the app, and toggle between kg, lbs or st.</p>
  1042. <div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined">
  1043. <figure data-wp-context="{ " core="" false="" image="" data-wp-interactive="" class="wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container"><img decoding="async" data-wp-effect--setstylesonresize="effects.core.image.setStylesOnResize" data-wp-effect="effects.core.image.setButtonStyles" data-wp-init="effects.core.image.initOriginImage" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.showLightbox" data-wp-on--load="actions.core.image.handleLoad" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/etekcity_screen.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200" alt="Etekcity screen" class="wp-image-2306973" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy"/><button class="lightbox-trigger" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-label="Enlarge image: Etekcity screen" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.showLightbox" data-wp-style--right="context.core.image.imageButtonRight" data-wp-style--top="context.core.image.imageButtonTop"><br />
  1044. <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="12" height="12" fill="none" viewbox="0 0 12 12"><path fill="#fff" d="M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z"/></svg></button> </p>
  1045. <div data-wp-body="" class="wp-lightbox-overlay zoom" data-wp-bind--role="selectors.core.image.roleAttribute" data-wp-bind--aria-label="selectors.core.image.dialogLabel" data-wp-class--initialized="context.core.image.initialized" data-wp-class--active="context.core.image.lightboxEnabled" data-wp-class--hideanimationenabled="context.core.image.hideAnimationEnabled" data-wp-bind--aria-modal="selectors.core.image.ariaModal" data-wp-effect="effects.core.image.initLightbox" data-wp-on--keydown="actions.core.image.handleKeydown" data-wp-on--touchstart="actions.core.image.handleTouchStart" data-wp-on--touchmove="actions.core.image.handleTouchMove" data-wp-on--touchend="actions.core.image.handleTouchEnd" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.hideLightbox" tabindex="-1">
  1046. <button type="button" aria-label="Close" style="fill: #000" class="close-button" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.hideLightbox"><br />
  1047. <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="20" height="20" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M13 11.8l6.1-6.3-1-1-6.1 6.2-6.1-6.2-1 1 6.1 6.3-6.5 6.7 1 1 6.5-6.6 6.5 6.6 1-1z"/></svg></button></p>
  1048. <div class="lightbox-image-container">
  1049. <div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined">
  1050. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large responsive-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2306959/context.core.image.imageCurrentSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="Etekcity screen" class="wp-image-2306973" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy"/></figure>
  1051. <p class="imageCredit">Emma Rowley / Foundry</p>
  1052. </div>
  1053. </div>
  1054. <div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox">
  1055. <div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined">
  1056. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2306959/selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="Etekcity screen" class="wp-image-2306973" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy"/></figure>
  1057. <p class="imageCredit">Emma Rowley / Foundry</p>
  1058. </div>
  1059. </div></div>
  1060. </figure>
  1061. <p class="imageCredit">Emma Rowley / Foundry</p>
  1062. </div>
  1063. <p>The HR smart fitness scale measures around 12 x 12in (30 x 30cm), which isn’t as large as some of the bigger models on the market – <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/1789545/which-withings-smart-scale-to-buy.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/1789545/which-withings-smart-scale-to-buy.html" data-wpel-link="external">such as Withings scales</a> – but should still be plenty of space for anyone to stand comfortably.</p>
  1064. <p>It has a maximum weight capacity of 400lb/180kg/28st and measures in increments of 0.1lb/0.05kg.</p>
  1065. <p>One of the best things about this scale is the fact it charges via USB, which means you never need to worry about having batteries to hand.</p>
  1066. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="performance-features">Performance &amp; Features</h2>
  1067. <ul>
  1068. <li>Easily sends data to other fitness apps</li>
  1069. <li>Unlimited users </li>
  1070. <li>14 measurements</li>
  1071. </ul>
  1072. <p>To get started, you’ll need to charge the scale and download the VeSync app, which is free and available for iOS 12.0+ and Android 6.0+. Then, set up your account. There’s no limit to the amount of possible users.</p>
  1073. <p>The scale connects via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and in our test, it paired to the phone without problems. If you’re outside of the US, you may have to use a VPN to receive and enter the verification code that links your account to the scale.</p>
  1074. <p>Once logged in, it immediately offered to send data to Apple Health, Fitbit, MyFitnessPal, Google Fit and Samsung Health, making it a good choice for anyone using those health apps.  </p>
  1075. <figure class="wp-block-pullquote">
  1076. <blockquote>
  1077. <p>We’d recommend the Etekcity HR smart fitness scale over the Withings Body Smart  </p>
  1078. </blockquote>
  1079. </figure>
  1080. <p>To get an accurate measurement, you’ll need to set the scale on stable, hard flooring – not carpet. Then stand on it with bare feet. Use it in the same place each time.</p>
  1081. <p>The HR smart fitness scale gives 14 measurements: weight, heart rate, BMI, BMR, metabolic age, subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, body fat, bone mass, body water, skeletal mass, protein, muscle mass and fat-free body mass.</p>
  1082. <p>This is a really comprehensive set of metrics. Only the priciest Withings scales (the mid-range but expensive <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/1520614/withings-body-scan-review.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/1520614/withings-body-scan-review.html" data-wpel-link="external">Body Comp</a> and the flagship <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/1933020/withings-body-comp-smart-scale-review.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/1933020/withings-body-comp-smart-scale-review.html" data-wpel-link="external">Body Scan</a>) will give you wider and more detailed information – and they cost two or three times as much.</p>
  1083. <p> In fact, this Etekcity model costs less than the value scale in Withings’ latest line, the <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2029131/withings-body-smart-review-2.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2029131/withings-body-smart-review-2.html" data-wpel-link="external">Body Smart</a>, but it delivers a similar range of metrics <em>and</em> it has USB charging. Although Withings is the gold standard in smart scales, if your budget doesn’t stretch to one of the top two models, we’d recommend the Etekcity HR smart fitness scale over the Withings Body Smart.   </p>
  1084. <p>When you stand on the scale, the default is for it to display your weight, your weight trend, body fat percentage and heart rate. But, in the app, under settings, you can choose up to nine of the 14 measurements to display on the scale – plus the weather. Plenty of smart scales don’t allow customisation, and many only show weight and BMI on the screen.</p>
  1085. <p>The display also shows remaining battery life.</p>
  1086. <p>You can also switch on the zero-current mode, so you can use it as a simple weighing scale if you have a pacemaker, are pregnant or want to weigh a pet or child.</p>
  1087. <p>One of the things that separates higher quality smart scales from the rest – apart from the number of measurements you’ll get and hardware features such as USB charging – is how well fitness data is laid out in the app and what information is provided to help you make sense of it.</p>
  1088. <p>The VeSync app is well designed, with all the key measurements on one page. At the top is a weight trend graph and below that are the other measurements. Click on one of these and your measurement will be evaluated (for example, as low, standard or high) with explanatory text beneath to tell you what the measurement means and how to improve it.</p>
  1089. <p>There’s only one translation issue that jumps out, which is when the app offers “advice for dietary”, which I was happy to overlook.</p>
  1090. <p>But just how accurate is the HR smart fitness scale? We compared it to a Withings smart scale and they were a close match, for what’s that’s worth. In any case, perfect accuracy isn’t the most important thing about a smart scale. Consistency is. If you use the Ekekcity scale in the same place, at the same time of day, you’ll get an accurate sense of your fitness progress – and that’s what matters.</p>
  1091. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="price-availability">Price &amp; Availability</h2>
  1092. <p>If you’re in the US, you can buy the Etekcity HR smart fitness scale <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://buy.geni.us/Proxy.ashx?TSID=13303&amp;GR_URL=https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Digital-Bluetooth-Bathroom-Pregnancy/dp/B09HCJD6H1/?ascsubtag=4-1-2306959-1-0-0" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Digital-Bluetooth-Bathroom-Pregnancy/dp/B09HCJD6H1/" data-wpel-link="external">from Amazon</a> or direct <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=803X112721&amp;url=https://etekcity.com/products/hr-smart-fitness-scale&amp;xcust=4-1-2306959-1-0-0&amp;sref=https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2306959/etekcity-hr-smart-fitness-scale-review.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://etekcity.com/products/hr-smart-fitness-scale" data-wpel-link="external">from the brand itself</a> for $79.99.</p>
  1093. <p>It’s not the cheapest smart scale around but for what it offers, it’s good value. If you’re looking for something more budget-friendly, check out our round-up of <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/724247/best-smart-scales.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/724247/best-smart-scales.html" data-wpel-link="external">the best smart scales</a> we’ve tested.</p>
  1094. <p>At this stage, the Etekcity HR smart fitness scale isn’t available in the UK.</p>
  1095. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="should-i-buy-the-etekcity-hr-smart-fitness-scale">Should I buy the Etekcity HR smart fitness scale?</h2>
  1096. <p>You can buy a smart scale for less – and you could pay more. If it’s within budget, though, the Etekcity HR smart fitness scale offers everything you could want. It has USB charging and an easy-to-read display you can customise to show the measurements you want. It plays nicely with other fitness apps, supports unlimited users and has a solid app that provides plenty of information and is easy to navigate.</p>
  1097. </div>
  1098. <p><a href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2306959/etekcity-hr-smart-fitness-scale-review.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
  1099. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1107. <title>MSNBC&#8217;s Joy Reid Says There&#8217;s Something &#8216;Wonderfully Poetic&#8217; About DEI Officials Prosecuting Trump</title>
  1108. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/msnbcs-joy-reid-says-theres-something-wonderfully-poetic-about-dei-officials-prosecuting-trump/</link>
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  1111. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  1112. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:53:36 +0000</pubDate>
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  1114. <category><![CDATA[joy reid]]></category>
  1115. <category><![CDATA[Letitia James]]></category>
  1116. <category><![CDATA[MSNBC]]></category>
  1117. <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
  1118. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  1119. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/msnbcs-joy-reid-says-theres-something-wonderfully-poetic-about-dei-officials-prosecuting-trump/</guid>
  1120.  
  1121. <description><![CDATA[Screenshot: The Blaze MSNBC host Joy Reid could hardly contain her excitement over the fact that several “DEI officials” are behind the prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The acronym DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Critics of such policies suggest it is outright racism, using skin color or other demographics in hiring practices. [...]]]></description>
  1122. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  1123. <div>
  1124. <!-- post thumbnail --></p>
  1125. <div class="tpd-post-thumbnail-container"><img loading="lazy" width="1120" height="630" src="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-17-083546-1120x630.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium tpd-force-16x9-aspect-ratio wp-post-image" alt="Joy Reid could hardly contain her excitement over the fact that several &quot;DEI officials&quot; are behind the prosecution of former President Donald Trump." decoding="async" srcset="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-17-083546-428x241.png 428w, https://thepoliticalinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-17-083546-1120x630.png 788w" sizes="(min-width: 429px) 429w, 100vw"/><figcaption class="onImage ">Screenshot: The Blaze</figcaption></div>
  1126. <p> <!-- /post thumbnail --></p>
  1127. <p>MSNBC host Joy Reid could hardly contain her excitement over the fact that several “DEI officials” are behind the prosecution of former President Donald Trump.</p>
  1128. <p>The acronym DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Critics of such policies suggest it is outright racism, using skin color or other demographics in hiring practices. In other words, affirmative action. Something the Supreme Court recently ended for college admissions.</p>
  1129. <p>Reid, in a segment with fellow host Lawrence O’Donnell, says black attorneys going after Trump is “wonderfully poetic.”</p>
  1130. <p>“But for me, there is something wonderfully poetic about the fact … the first person to actually criminally prosecute Donald Trump is a black Harvard grad,” Reid <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-host-praises-deis-prosecuting-trump-wonderfully-poetic" aria-label="(opens in a new tab)" data-wpel-link="external">beams</a>.</p>
  1131. <p>She then falsely suggests former Trump officials “never” want to see black people “at Harvard Law School.”</p>
  1132. <p><!-- Brid Video Matching --></p>
  1133. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
  1134. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Joy Reid: &#8220;For me, there is something wonderfully poetic about the fact that the first person to criminally prosecute Donald Trump is a black Harvard grad. And a black woman is doing the same exact thing in Georgia. And a black woman forced you to pay a $175 million dollar fine.… <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/Yo0S6lvZ7V" data-wpel-link="external">pic.twitter.com/Yo0S6lvZ7V</a></p>
  1135. <p>— TheBlaze (@theblaze) <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1780339209611407698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external">April 16, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
  1136. <p><strong>RELATED: <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/joy-reids-racist-rant-on-mlk-day-white-christians-are-overrepresented-in-iowa/" aria-label="(opens in a new tab)" data-wpel-link="external">Joy Reid’s Racist Rant On MLK Day – White Christians Are ‘Overrepresented’</a></strong></p>
  1137. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-joy-reid-cheers-to-msnbc-panel-go-my-deis">Joy Reid Cheers To MSNBC Panel – ‘Go My DEIs’</h2>
  1138. <p>MSNBC host Joy Reid then pivoted to the alleged election interference charges in Georgia, as well as the <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/former-obama-fundraiser-blasts-letitia-james-for-trying-to-seize-trumps-assets-trying-to-inflict-pain-before-trump-wins-appeal/" aria-label="(opens in a new tab)" data-wpel-link="external">widely panned</a> civil fraud lawsuit in New York.</p>
  1139. <p>“And a black woman is doing that same exact thing in Georgia, and a black woman forced you to pay a $175 million fine,” Reid adds.</p>
  1140. <p>She is referring to District Attorney Fani Willis in Georgia and New York Attorney General Letitia James. </p>
  1141. <p>“Donald Trump is being held to account by the very multicultural, multiracial democracy that he’s trying to dismantle … It says something good about our country that we’re still capable of having that happen,” she says.</p>
  1142. <p>Reid then cheerleads: “Go, DEI. My DEIs are bringing it home.”</p>
  1143. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"/>
  1144. <p><strong>RELATED: <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/joy-reid-accuses-desantis-of-turning-florida-into-a-right-wing-fantasy-land-and-were-all-for-it/" aria-label="(opens in a new tab)" data-wpel-link="external">Joy Reid Accuses DeSantis of Turning Florida Into a ‘Right-Wing Fantasy Land’ And We’re All For It</a></strong></p>
  1145. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reid-republicans-are-anti-dei-because-they-can-t-stand-black-people">Reid – Republicans Are Anti-DEI Because They Can’t Stand Black People</h2>
  1146. <p>In a career mired in mediocrity and the absurd, Joy Reid’s comments about DEI are pretty impressive. </p>
  1147. <p>But it’s also pretty revealing on a few counts:</p>
  1148. <ul>
  1149. <li>She’s admitting the prosecutions are more about revenge for perceived racism than they are about the law.</li>
  1150. <li>It’s proof that DEI hiring is fraught with pitfalls since each of these people she is celebrating <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/former-obama-fundraiser-blasts-letitia-james-for-trying-to-seize-trumps-assets-trying-to-inflict-pain-before-trump-wins-appeal/" data-wpel-link="external">has been</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/alvin-braggs-soft-crime-policies-face-scrutiny-manhattan-da-goes-after-trump-1789040" data-wpel-link="external">widely ridiculed</a> by <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/15/donald-trump-georgia-prosecutor-takeaways/72984706007/" data-wpel-link="external">legal experts</a> as either overreaching or generally incompetent at their jobs.</li>
  1151. <li>With so many prominent black officials it’s almost as if there’s no ‘systemic racism’ to be upset about.</li>
  1152. </ul>
  1153. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"/>
  1154. <p>Reid recently accused Republicans of opposing racist DEI hiring practices because they “can’t stand black people.”</p>
  1155. <p>“At this point, it’s evident what they mean by DEI, right? It means black people. It’s the reason the right complained about Critical Race Theory. It’s not fashionable to be openly racist anymore in America unlike what they call the good old days,” she <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2024/03/27/msnbc-reid-gop-is-anti-dei-because-they-cant-stand-black-people/" data-wpel-link="external">ranted</a>.</p>
  1156. <p>“So just say what you mean,” Reid added. “You can’t stand black people. We get it. You’ve been heard.”</p>
  1157. <p>Reid has been under fire previously for <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/31/msnbc-stays-silent-as-joy-reid-comes-under-more-scrutiny-616111" data-wpel-link="external">bigoted, homophobic</a> blog posts, which she claims were posted by hackers. She was not held accountable by MSNBC.</p>
  1158. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Rusty_Weiss" data-wpel-link="external">Follow Rusty on X</a></em></p>
  1159. <div class="tpd-read-more-container callout"><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" class="tpd-read-more-image" aria-label="Trump Slams ‘Highly Biased’ Judge After Being Threatened With Arrest If He Doesn’t Attend Hush Money Trial" href="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/trump-slams-highly-biased-judge-after-being-threatened-with-arrest-if-he-doesnt-attend-hush-money-trial/" data-wpel-link="external"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://thepoliticalinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-16-055353-428x241.png" alt="Trump Slams ‘Highly Biased’ Judge After Being Threatened With Arrest If He Doesn’t Attend Hush Money Trial"/></a></div>
  1160. <div>
  1161. <p style="margin: 0; padding: 10px; color: #b51509; font-size: 20px; line-height: 120%; text-align: center;"><strong>Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.</strong><br />The Political Insider ranks #3 on <a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://blog.feedspot.com/political_blogs/" data-wpel-link="external">Feedspot’s</a> “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”</p>
  1162. </div></div>
  1163. <p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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  1171. </item>
  1172. <item>
  1173. <title>Income Needed to Buy Your First Home in Seattle</title>
  1174. <link>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-seattle/</link>
  1175. <comments>https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-seattle/#respond</comments>
  1177. <dc:creator><![CDATA[DojaC]]></dc:creator>
  1178. <pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2024 22:41:38 +0000</pubDate>
  1179. <category><![CDATA[buying faq]]></category>
  1180. <category><![CDATA[first time homebuyer]]></category>
  1181. <category><![CDATA[Home Decor]]></category>
  1182. <category><![CDATA[Local Insights]]></category>
  1183. <category><![CDATA[Seattle]]></category>
  1184. <category><![CDATA[wa]]></category>
  1185. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://goodtimeslegacy.com/income-needed-to-buy-your-first-home-in-seattle/</guid>
  1186.  
  1187. <description><![CDATA[It’s approaching $200,000, among the highest in the nation. Seattle, WA, is known for its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, delicious cuisine, and tech-focused companies. In addition to being an affordable and unique place to live, Seattle is also home to a highly competitive real estate market that’s seen large changes over the past few years.  [...]]]></description>
  1188. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  1189. <div>
  1190. <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s approaching $200,000, among the highest in the nation.</span></h3>
  1191. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seattle, WA, is known for its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, delicious cuisine, and tech-focused companies. In addition to being an affordable and unique place to live, Seattle is also home to a highly competitive real estate market that’s seen large changes over the past few years. </span></p>
  1192. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For many, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/city/16163/WA/Seattle" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">buying a home in Seattle</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a dream come true, but it’s also important to know how it will impact your finances. From down payments to monthly mortgage payments, there’s a lot to understand before buying your first home </span></p>
  1193. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So whether you already live in the Emerald City or are looking to relocate to the area, here’s a breakdown of the income you’ll need to purchase your first home in Seattle.</span></p>
  1194. <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Check out </span></i><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/starter-home-affordability-february-2024/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">our original report</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for a detailed nationwide analysis.</span></i></p>
  1195. <p><picture><source srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2.webp 1200w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-300x225.webp 300w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-1024x767.webp 1024w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-768x575.webp 768w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-200x150.webp 200w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-841x630.webp 841w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-400x300.webp 400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" type="image/webp"><img fetchpriority="high" src="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2.jpg" height="599" width="800" srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2.jpg 1200w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-768x575.jpg 768w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-200x150.jpg 200w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-841x630.jpg 841w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Seattle2-400x300.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class=" wp-image-81373 aligncenter sp-no-webp" alt="" decoding="async"/></source></picture></p>
  1196. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How much income do you need to buy a starter home in Seattle?</span></h2>
  1197. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The median sale price of a starter home in Seattle is $535,000. </span><b>In order to afford this, first-time homebuyers in Seattle should make $173,378 per year, up 8.4% from 2023</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The median income in Seattle is $126,647, meaning</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">the typical resident </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">cannot</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> afford a starter home. </span></p>
  1198. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only California metros require a higher annual income to afford a starter home. Anaheim, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose all top $175,000. </span></p>
  1199. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As expected, starter homes in Seattle are more affordable than the average home (all price brackets combined; see methodology for details). In order to afford any median-priced home in the area, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuyer-income-afford-home-record-high/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">you’ll need to make $214,904</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (as of October 2023). </span></p>
  1200. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nationwide, you need an income of $75,849 to afford a typical starter home, which costs an average of $240,000. The average U.S. household earns an estimated $84,072.</span></p>
  1201. <h2>
  1202. <span style="font-weight: 400;">First-time homebuyers’ guide to the Seattle housing market</span></h2>
  1203. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seattle has experienced a growing but mixed market over the past few years. House prices have risen by 12.5% since January 2021, but the metro also saw sharp increases and drops.</span></p>
  1204. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like most other metros in the U.S., Seattle’s housing market exploded in early 2022, with prices rising 17.4% in just three months (from $734,950 in January to $888,844 in March). They have settled back down a little but are still elevated above pre-pandemic prices.</span></p>
  1205. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pandemic-driven housing migration boom also affected Seattle similar to many other coastal metros; </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/redfin-says-seattle-ranks-6th-among-metro-areas-being-abandoned-by-homebuyers/Q6OPJIZYFZCBTNFGMMJHZVRW7A/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">more people looked to leave than stay</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, with buyers searching for </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/q1-2022-housing-migration-trends/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sun and affordability</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. However, Seattle still </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-is-once-again-the-fastest-growing-big-city-census-data-shows/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">grew by 17,750 people</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from 2021-2022, a continuation of years of growth. Nearly 9,000 people left the city from 2020-2021, but this turned out to be a blip.</span></p>
  1206. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re looking to move to Seattle, the area is home to plenty of amenities and attractions throughout its unique neighborhoods. The Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and Washington Park Arboretum are some of the most well known spots, offering stunning views and fun experiences for people of all ages.</span></p>
  1207. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/seattle-wa-neighborhoods/" data-wpel-link="internal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">popular neighborhoods in Seattle</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> include </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/seattle-wa-neighborhoods/ballard/" data-wpel-link="internal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ballard</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/seattle-wa-neighborhoods/columbia-city/" data-wpel-link="internal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia City</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/seattle-wa-neighborhoods/green-lake/" data-wpel-link="internal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Green Lake</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/seattle-wa-neighborhoods/west-seattle/" data-wpel-link="internal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">West Seattle</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
  1208. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What does a typical down payment look like for a starter home in Seattle?</span></h2>
  1209. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some common down payment amounts for a typical $535,000 starter home in Seattle:</span></p>
  1210. <table>
  1211. <tbody>
  1212. <tr>
  1213. <td><b>Down payment percentage</b></td>
  1214. <td><b>Down payment amount</b></td>
  1215. </tr>
  1216. <tr>
  1217. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">3% down payment</span></td>
  1218. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$16,050</span></td>
  1219. </tr>
  1220. <tr>
  1221. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">3.5% down payment</span></td>
  1222. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$18,725</span></td>
  1223. </tr>
  1224. <tr>
  1225. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">5% down payment</span></td>
  1226. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$26,750</span></td>
  1227. </tr>
  1228. <tr>
  1229. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">10% down payment</span></td>
  1230. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$53,500</span></td>
  1231. </tr>
  1232. <tr>
  1233. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">15% down payment</span></td>
  1234. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$80,250</span></td>
  1235. </tr>
  1236. <tr>
  1237. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">20% down payment</span></td>
  1238. <td><span style="font-weight: 400;">$107,000</span></td>
  1239. </tr>
  1240. </tbody>
  1241. </table>
  1242. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Down payments can range from 0% to 100% of the total house price, depending on your budget, loan type, and long-term priorities. While experts have historically recommended budgeting for a 20% down payment, the increasing cost of homes and continued sluggish wage increases has led to a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/all-cash-homebuyers-february-2024/" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">15% down payment</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> becoming more common. </span></p>
  1243. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some loan types allow for lower down payment amounts. For example, a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/guides/first-time-home-buyer-fha-loans" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Federal Housing Administration (FHA)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> loan requires just 3.5% down, while the lowest possible down payment for a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/definition/conventional-loan" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">conventional loan</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is 3%. These amounts typically depend on your credit scores, so buyers with higher credit scores may qualify for lower down payments.</span></p>
  1244. <p><picture><source srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house.webp 1200w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-300x200.webp 300w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-1024x683.webp 1024w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-768x512.webp 768w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-225x150.webp 225w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-945x630.webp 945w,https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-450x300.webp 450w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" type="image/webp"><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house.jpg" height="533" width="800" srcset="https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house.jpg 1200w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-225x150.jpg 225w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-945x630.jpg 945w, https://www.redfin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/tacoma-house-450x300.jpg 450w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class=" wp-image-86370 aligncenter sp-no-webp" alt="house in tacoma wa" decoding="async"/></source></picture></p>
  1245. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is the typical mortgage payment for a starter home in Seattle?</span></h2>
  1246. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The typical monthly mortgage payment for a starter home in Seattle is $4,334. This assumes you put 3.5% down and have around a 7% interest rate.</span></p>
  1247. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If this payment sounds too high, you could consider </span><a rel="nofollow noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/Washington/Seattle/" data-wpel-link="external"><span style="font-weight: 400;">renting an apartment in Seattle</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The median rent price is $1,990, under half the typical mortgage payment. You can also use an </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/how-much-house-can-i-afford" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">affordability calculator</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to see what you can afford based on your income and down payment.</span></p>
  1248. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What should you do next?</span></h2>
  1249. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re in the market for your first home in Seattle, it’s important to understand </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/how-much-house-can-i-afford" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">how much house you can afford</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Take your annual income, credit score, the current mortgage rates, and local market trends to make a decision that works best for you.</span></p>
  1250. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From there, a </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/city/16163/WA/Seattle/real-estate/agents" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seattle agent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can help you navigate the entire home buying process and provide valuable local expertise. To learn more about how to buy a home, check out Redfin’s </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/guides/first-time-home-buyer-guide" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
  1251. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Methodology</span></h2>
  1252. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Redfin divides all U.S. properties into five buckets based on Redfin Estimates of homes’ market values. There are three equal-sized tiers, as well as tiers for the bottom 5% and top 5% of the market. Redfin defines “starter homes” as homes whose sale price fell into the 5th-35th percentile of the </span><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/redfin-estimate" data-wpel-link="exclude"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Redfin Estimate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> tier. </span></p>
  1253. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We calculated the annual income needed to afford a starter home by assuming a buyer spends no more than 30% of their income on housing payments. Housing payments are calculated assuming the buyer made a 3.5% down payment and also take a month’s median sale price and average mortgage-interest rate into account. </span></p>
  1254. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The national income data is adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. 2024 income is estimated based on projections from the U.S. Census Bureau’s (ACS) 2022 median household income using the 12-month moving average nominal wage growth rate. The rate was compiled from the Current Population Survey and reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.</span></p>
  1255. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We assume housing payments include the mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and mortgage insurance (when applicable).</span></p>
  1256. <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All data sourced February 2024 unless otherwise stated.</span></p>
  1257. <h2> </h2>
  1258. </div>
  1259. <p><a href="https://www.redfin.com/blog/93467-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Source </a></p>
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