Many employers offer the benefit of 401(k) plans. These plans allow employees to put aside a percentage of their salary each pay period to invest in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. In addition, many larger companies offer matching plans. You personally contribute a set amount of money; let's say 3% and your company will match that 3% with their own 3% (essentially free money). You should definitely take advantage of both employer 401K plans, as well as a company's matching of funds. Be sure to talk to your employer about the conditions of the 401(k) plan and matching, for example contribution/matching limits or time constraints. An IRA, or individual retirement account, is a type of account that can be used to easily save for retirement. You can contribute up to $5,500 per year to an IRA, and may be able to contribute up to $6,500 if you are over 50. Your contribution limit depends on your income, and some high-earning individuals or households may not qualify to contribute to an IRA at all. Talk to a financial professional about your options when selecting an IRA. If you change jobs, you may have a gap period in which you are unable to contribute to retirement or unable to qualify for the company plan at your new job. In this instances, work to still save the same amount you did before in an IRA or personal investment account. Any gaps just mean that you will have to contribute more to the account later in order to meet your goal. For younger investors, you have the option of investing in high risk vehicles. For instance, you can buy international stocks or purchase large amounts of small-cap stock (stock in small and growing companies). Because you have lots of time to grow your investments you won't be completely devastated if your investments decline. For those that have built up a substantial nest egg and are close to retirement, your best bet is to stick with low to moderate investments; you don't want to lose your entire retirement the year before you plan on retiring.

Summary: Take advantage of employer plans. Contribute to an IRA. Counteract retirement savings gaps. Go high risk if you're younger.

Extending the time between meals makes your body go into "starvation mode," which decreases your metabolism as a means to conserve energy and prevent starvation. While some people are able to lose weight through intermittent fasting, most people generally eat less overall when they eat small, frequent meals. In addition to having four to six small meals per day, eating healthy snacks will also increase metabolism. Packing extra non-perishable snacks and keeping them on you is helpful. You never know when a train will be delayed or when you'll be stuck at the office. If you allow yourself to get hungry, you'll end up eating something you shouldn't and your diet will go out the window. Eating a diet rich in lean proteins will increase your metabolism because it takes more energy for your body to digest the protein. Choose lean proteins like turkey, fish, eggs, beans, and tofu. Cottage cheese is a good source of casein protein. Eating cottage cheese, particularly before bed, is a good idea because it releases slowly into the body, and as a result, your metabolism is working all night. Adding spicy peppers, crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper to your recipes can help increase your metabolism. The effects of eating spicy foods are only temporary, but you can add a little spice to one or more of your meals every day to keep getting the metabolism boosting benefits. Hot sauce is another great addition to any meal. Not only does it help to increase your metabolism, but it doesn't have many calories, if any (depending on brand). Keep in mind that although spicy foods do increase metabolism, they only increase metabolism by about 8%, so it is still important to watch your calories if you are trying to lose weight.

Summary: Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Choose lean proteins. Add spice to your favorite foods.

You can blow it up more, if you really want to, but the bigger your balloon is, the more yarn you will need. Don't blow your balloon up too small, or it will look more like an egg (although this will work great for a balloon gourd!). If you blew up your balloon half-way, you will need 21 pieces. If you blew your balloon up more than that, you will need more pieces of yarn. For a traditional pumpkin, use orange yarn. You can also use ivory yarn for a white pumpkin, or even purple or black! Use plain, medium or worsted-weight yarn. Don't use anything too thin or chunky. Cotton yarn will also work well for this project. The easiest way to do this would be to tie the other end of the yarn to a cabinet handle. You can also tie it to a clothes hanger, then hook the clothes hanger onto something. This will keep your balloon suspended in mid-air and make it easier to work on. You will need 2 ounces (60 milliliters) of white school glue for each yarn pumpkin that you are making. Do not water the glue down, or your pumpkin will be too flimsy after it dries. For a stronger pumpkin, try a decoupage glue (ie: Mod Podge) mixed with a little bit of water. Be sure to use a matte finish if you'd like to preserve the matte texture of your yarn. Use a fork to swirl it around, making sure that it gets evenly soaked. This will get just the right amount of glue off. If you don't do this, the yarn will drip everywhere and make a mess. If you use your fingers, you will take off too much glue, and your pumpkin won't be strong anymore. Hold the balloon steady with one hand, then press the end of the yarn close to the tail with the other. Wrap the yarn around the balloon until you reach the other end. Press down on the end of the yarn to seal it in place. Be sure to change directions every so often. You don't always have to start at the tail end of the balloon. You can even wrap the yarn around its equator for a different effect. Remember to press down on each end of the yarn to seal it. The yarn won't completely cover the balloon. You will get something that looks like a basket or filigree. Even though you squeezed the excess glue out of it, it may still drip. It would be a good idea to place some old rags, a cheap tablecloth, or some old newspapers of magazines under it to protect your floor or counter. It will take about 24 hours for the yarn to dry. The yarn likely won't be rock-solid once it dries; it may still have some flex to it. This is very important. If you don't do this, the balloon will pull the yarn inward as it deflates. Carefully stick your finger through the holes in the wrapped yarn, and run it between the yarn and the balloon, prying the two apart. If you notice any yarn still sticking to the balloon, gently pry it away. Don't let the balloon pull the yarn inward, or your pumpkin will appear dented. Pull the balloon out when you are done and discard it. At this point, you can cut off the tail that you used to hang your pumpkin. You can also leave it on so that you can hang your pumpkin up someplace more visible. Wrap a brown pipe cleaner around your finger or a marker to create a tube. Carefully pull it off. You can make vines in a similar fashion. Wrap a green pipe cleaner around a pen or pencil, pull it off, then gently pull it apart to create a coil. You can make leaves out of green paper or fabric. In most cases, you can simply slip the end of the pipe cleaner under the yarn. If this is not possible, however, attach it using a hot glue gun. Hot glue the leaves to the vines, then attach the vines to the base of the stem.
Summary: Blow up a 12-inch (30.48-centimeter) balloon half-full. Cut your yarn into 36-inch (91.44-centimeter) long pieces. Tie one of the yarn pieces to your balloon, then use it to hang your balloon up. Fill a container with glue. Dip your first piece of yarn into the glue. Run the yarn between the tines of the fork, pulling the yarn slightly to the side as you do so. Start wrapping the yarn around your balloon. Continue dipping the yarn into the glue and wrapping it around the balloon. Let the balloon dry. Use your fingers to press the balloon away from the yarn. Pierce the balloon near the tail and let it deflate slowly. Make a stem out of a brown pipe cleaner. Attach the pipe cleaner to the top of the pumpkin.