The dream: All your TV in one place. What do I mean by grunt work? If you're like me you already subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime and cable or satellite TV -- which. Dr. Housing Bubble Blog focusing on real estate and investing. Apple’s latest MacBook Pro refresh has its fair share of detractors, and for good reason—changes like the omission of traditional USB ports, incompatibility with. Domain News - Provides the latest real estate and property market news in Australia. Renting, also known as hiring or letting, is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another.

Hey! Listen! This post is part of a series on using your own router with Verizon FiOS. Check them all out!

How to Start Your Own Podcast. The podcast craze of the past several years shows no signs of slowing down, and while every armchair broadcaster with a voice recorder app is eager to get in the game, creating a professional- sounding podcast isn’t as simple as it might seem. Here’s how to create, record, and publish your own basic podcast—and get people to listen.*This story originally ran in June 2. August 2. 01. 7 with additional reporting from Patrick Austin.*Before You Start, Be Ready to Commit. Before you rush into things, it’s important to keep in mind that podcasts take a lot of effort to get going.

They’re not just recordings of people talking (not the good ones, anyway). Pat Flynn, host of the Smart Passive Income podcast, recommends you treat podcasting the same way you would any other big project: Podcasting is extremely fun and exciting, but there is one thing you must do before you start podcasting: Commit. You must internally commit to podcasting, as you must do with anything that is potentially beneficial but takes some time and effort to do. It’s easy to assume that podcasts are easy to produce because they’re audio only, but don’t be fooled. They can take up a lot of time to put together, especially at first. Also, podcasts do best when they’re released consistently.

If you’re interested in developing any kind of listener base, you have to be ready to release episodes on a regular basis. All in all, podcasting can be fun work, but it’s still work and should be treated as such. You also shouldn’t expect to get rich from podcasting either. It’s certainly possible to generate income from podcasting, but that usually requires advertisements and sponsorships—both of which you’ll get after you’ve built up a listenership big enough to make it worthwhile to advertisers. If you’re not interested in starting a podcast for the fun of it or to have your voice heard, you might not get much out of it unless you already have an audience. What You’ll Need. You can’t start a podcast without equipment, and good equipment will go a long way.

Here’s what you’ll need: Microphone(s): Any microphone will work for recording your podcast, but listeners can usually tell the difference between low and high quality microphones. If you’re not sure what to look for, our list of the five best desktop microphones is a great place to start (I use four analog Audio- Technica AT2. As you shop around, you’ll also need to decide whether you want to use a USB or analog (XLR) microphone. USB mics convert analog sound into digital so you can plug a USB mic directly into any computer and start recording without much hassle, but you could potentially get lower audio quality compared to analog. Considering you don’t need any extra tools or devices to record with a USB mic, they can be a little cheaper in the long run. Analog microphones use XLR connectors, which means you need another device to get your audio onto your computer, but you can get higher audio quality and can use them with other sound equipment (if you had a PA system or wanted to play live music, for example).

Of course, if you have a gaming headset or other basic microphone around, you can easily use that too. Portable XLR Recorder (optional): If you plan on using analog microphones for your podcast, you’ll need something that captures your analog audio and converts it to digital.

Portable XLR recorders can capture multiple microphone channels and allow you to do basic sound level adjusting and muting on the fly. Audio files automatically get organized and stored on a memory card that you can insert into a card reader or slot in your computer.

These are amazing tools, but they can be expensive. You can find them for anywhere between $1. I use a $4. 00 Zoom H6 Handy Recorder with four available analog channels). Audio Interface (optional): If you want to record directly to your computer with your analog microphones, you’ll need an audio interface. These devices allow you to plug in one or more analog microphones and will convert the analog audio to digital. Most audio interfaces will connect to your computer via USB or Firewire. Audio interfaces can cost as little as $3.

You can see why a USB microphone is a cheaper option.)A Computer: Any Windows computer or Mac should work fine to record, edit, and upload your podcast. Thankfully, editing audio doesn’t take a ton of computing power. Additionally, depending on how you choose to record—directly to the computer or onto a dedicated recording device—your computer will also need the right ports.

USB microphones, for example, will obviously need an open USB port. If you’re using analog microphones with a portable XLR recorder or audio interface device, you’ll need either a 3.

USB port, or in some cases, a Firewire port. So before you spend any money on equipment, make sure you have a computer that can support it.

Audio Editing Software: For the actual recording and editing, you’ll need a Digital Audio Workstation (or DAW), there are a lot of good options out there, but the licenses for some of them can cost a pretty penny, though. Licenses for professional level DAWs like Reason or Pro Tools can cost anywhere between $3. Apps like Hindenburg offer simpler audio editing software for under $1. Reaper is a fully loaded audio production app for $6.

Adobe’s audio editing software Audition CC is available with a $1. Because of that, most people will recommend free open source programs like Audacity when you’re just getting started, and that’s what we’ll use an example throughout this how- to guide. Pop Filters (optional): The clearer your audio can sound, the better. Pop filters, while not required, are fairly cheap and can keep your plosives from making a nasty sound on your recording.

If you don’t want to buy any, though, you can make some of your own. You might be thinking that all this equipment is pretty expensive, and you’re not wrong.

However keep in mind that decent audio equipment will last forever if you take care of it. It may be expensive to get started, but after the initial purchase, you’re set. Step One: Narrow Your Topic and Find Your Niche.

Just like blogs, there are a ton of podcasts out there. That means that you can probably find a podcast about everything under the sun already. Don’t get discouraged! While just about every broad topic is already covered, you just have to find your spin on things to make an old idea something new. Dear Lifehacker, As a side project/experiment, I’ve started my own blog. The problem is, now that I …Read more Read.

For example, if you wanted to make a podcast about music, ask yourself if there’s an audience out there for what you want to talk about. Maybe you narrow your idea down from music in general to bluegrass specifically. Now your coverage is specific: the music, people, and culture of bluegrass. Once you have your topic narrowed down, it helps to add a spin to it.

Maybe you talk about bluegrass music and culture while sipping moonshine with your co- hosts. It’s kind of true that everything has been done before, but it hasn’t all been done the way you would do it. So find an angle that’s personally interesting and you’ll be better off. Step Two: Download, Install, and Set Up Audacity. As mentioned earlier, Audacity is a great DAW for podcasting beginners. It’s open source, free to use as long as you like, and is available for Windows, OS X, and Linux. Before you can jump into recording, however, there are a few tricks to getting it all set up properly: Download Audacity 2.

Getting Your First Apartment: How Much Money Do You Need to Save to Move Out? Update: You can download our new Printable Apartment Budgeting Worksheet and use it to estimate your rent and budget for all your expenses.

Update: Also check out our recent posts that help you calculate the maximum affordable rent on your salary: How Much Rent Can I Afford on My Hourly Pay and Affordable Rent Calculator. For many of our readers, moving into their own apartment is the ultimate goal. You want a place of your own, whether that means sharing an apartment with friends, or finding a studio you can call yours.  But how do you get there? Earlier this year, we did a threepartseries on the topic. Now it’s time for a refresher course on how much money you’ll need each step of the way. So, let’s dive right in!

First and foremost, in 2. According to Reuters, the national vacancy rate in apartments is now 4.

And if you are looking for a place in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago and many other major markets it’s much lower. In other words: there aren’t many open apartments – and there are likely more people who want apartments than suitable apartments to go around. Which means that if you’re searching for a discount, or a deal, you’re unlikely to find one. It’s the simple reality of many hunters and few vacancies. If anything, you may have to pay a premium to get the place you want.

So start saving! If you are a new grad making about $4. Your Steady Income.

If you’re looking to live in a place of your own, it’s best to have a steady income. You’ll be far more likely to secure a place, and you’ll have piece of mind once you move in. There are two common ways to determine the amount of apartment you can afford.

Either: Divide your monthly take- home income by three, or. Divide your gross annual income by forty.

The resulting number is the absolute maximum you should pay in monthly rent. If you’re renting over your means, you’re going to be stressed every single month … and there’s never going to be a let- up. So stick to what you can afford. If you don’t have a steady income, or you’re looking for work, or you’re looking into renting a share, see our tips for getting an apartment without meeting the income requirement. Warning: you may need to have even more money saved.)The Down Payment. Just because you meet the income requirements for a given price range, it doesn’t mean you’re done just yet.

Scoring an apartment means putting down a security deposit. The security deposit is usually the same amount of money as one month’s rent. You’ll also likely be subjected to a background and credit check – which you’re often charged for, to the tune of $3. So that means that you’ll need to have roughly double your first month’s rent, plus $1. Yes, you’ll eventually get back your security deposit, but that won’t be until the very end of your lease, provided you kept the apartment in good shape. In the meantime, it’s a thoroughly non- liquid asset that you need to save for.)Moving. Don’t overlook this expense.

Likely, it will either be for a moving- truck rental, or for a full- service move. Price each in your area. If you’re renting a moving truck in- town and doing the rest yourself, expect to pay around $4. This is the recommended choice if you can live with a few dings to your furniture, you’re comfortable securing stuff in the back of the truck, you can drive a huge vehicle with aplomb, and you have recruit- able friends. Generally speaking, if you’re doing a small full- service move in- city with a good company, expect to pay around $3.

If this seems like a lot, that’s because it is; that said, if you find a good company and you have nice stuff, there’s a lot of value in having someone carefully move it into your new place. It’s unlikely you’ll get your moving expenses all the way down to zero.

If you do, my hardy congratulations: you have great, strong friends and free access to a large vehicle. If this describes you, all you need to consider is the expense of getting your new place outfitted with the basics: toilet paper, cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paper towels, a dish rack, etc, etc. Expect to pay about $5. Furniture. If you already have furniture, you’re in luck – you likely paid more to move, but now you’re done in this department. If you don’t have much furniture, remember that furniture is commodity for which you can pay almost any price. We have articles on how to furnish your place for under $5.

Paying more for furniture doesn’t guarantee a better product, but if you are patient and knowledgeable, you’ll be able to get long lasting, nice furniture if you spend a bit more money. That said, your first apartment doesn’t need to be Versailles. Spend an amount you’re comfortable with – and remember that aside from the basics, you don’t need to buy everything all at once.

Consider visiting thrift shops intermittently. Watch Night Of The Eagle Online Hitfix. End tables, lamps, bookshelves and the like can be purchased gradually – so think of furniture as a recurring expense for the first year, rather than as one lump sum. Utilities. We’ve ran an article with a breakdown of utility costs. Executive summary: you should expect to pay roughly $2. Keep in mind that this is per unit, so if you’re sharing an apartment with friends, your individual cost will be significantly less. We’d also like to note that, as tempting as it may be to ignore, renter’s insurance is a must have.

It’s less than $1. So, get renter’s insurance! Total Target Savings. Security deposit $1,0. Moving costs  $0- $5. Furniture  $0- $5. Miscellaneous  $5.

Total $3,0. 00. September 1. Alex. Author. My First Apartment.