INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Once you have done all the hard work finding ways to save money, it's important that you make the most of these savings. Open some kind of savings account, with as high an interest rate as you can find, and set up a direct debit every month. Include the debit in your monthly budget so you are prepared for it. Consider opening an account with your local credit union. Having a direct debit is a great way to save money without really thinking about it. The money is transferred automatically, and you'll be surprised how quickly it begins to accumulate. Your employer may have a payroll savings scheme whereby a deduction from your pay slip goes straight to a savings account. Having a savings account and a direct debit is a great way to make saving a habit that you incorporate into your budget. You can also make saving money or shopping more frugally part of your everyday life. Check the prices of different items in shops, and take a moment to think if you could get the same thing cheaper somewhere else. Just being conscious and aware of prices, and the money you could potentially save, will help you to make saving money a habit. Keep an eye out for special offers, and take advantage of them when they suit your needs. The sooner you get into the habit of saving money and budgeting the closer you are to achieving financial independence. To really get a grip on your finances and ensure you will be supported in the future, it's sensible to start planning for retirement early. Social security payments on their own will generally only cover about 40% of an average worker's salary after he retires. It is estimated that you will need around 70% of your salary to live comfortably in retirement, so it's important to start saving. Investigate whether your employer has a pension plan, and make sure you are taking advantages of any employer contributions. If your employer doesn't have a plan suggest the company starts one. You can save for yourself by opening an Individual Retirement Account. You can put in up to $5,500 a year into this account, or more if you are 50 or over. These accounts provide tax efficient and easy ways to save for retirement. You can arrange for an amount to be paid automatically from your checking or savings account. If you find that you are saving successfully and have managed to put aside a good amount of money, you might want to try and get a better return than the interest you are earning. Some low-risk and modest investments can help you get a better return and make your savings work harder for you. Government bonds are a well-known example of a relatively low risk investment. There is little capital risk with the bonds, but there is risk that the money will have less buying power when the bond matures as a result of inflation. You can look up all the different options and yields online. If you are interested in making some investments, consider talking to a financial adviser about your options. Be sure that you keep saving in the meantime and don't take any risks with money that could threaten your financial independence.

SUMMARY: Open a savings account. Make saving a habit. Start saving for retirement. Consider frugal investments.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: For example if i tried to echo $input outside of the function, PHP would throw an error because i have not created that variable outside of the function. So note that variables created in a function (including the arguments) can only be used inside that function. Variables declared outside of a function can only be used outside of functions (unless you use them as an argument of course).That said, there is a command that allows you, in a function, to use a variable created outside a function. That command is "global", in the code above we use global with the variable $num so we could change it or access its value in our function. If you test the code, you will get the values 50 and 240. Build your own function that is really useful. Use them in your future PHP projects. Using functions can improve code modularity and the size of the overall project.

SUMMARY: Add three lines of code to your script. Add these before any other code at the beginning of your function. Add this line right after the closing curly brace of your function. For sake of clarity here is the entire code sample. A variable declared inside a function cannot be used outside the function. Play around with functions!

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Do you want a stick of gum, a tab of gum, or even a gumball? Different brands come in different shapes and sizes, and you can experiment to find out which one you prefer. Brands like Extra and Wrigley market their gum in sticks, while Orbit, Trident, and Eclipse come in smaller tabs or mini-sticks. Double Bubble makes candy gum balls, and Big League Chew sells their gum shredded in a pouch. There is a kind of chewing gum for everyone! Does your breath need freshening? If so, you should look for a minty flavor that will leave your mouth feeling sparkling clean. Try something like spearmint or peppermint and you'll feel like you just brushed. If you want something with more of a fruity kick, there are flavors like berry and watermelon that will do the trick. People looking to satisfy a sweet tooth should check out the Extra Dessert Delights- those flavors include treats like rainbow sherbet, mint chocolate chip, and strawberry shortcake! Regular gum contains sugar, which can lead to increased tooth decay.Sugar-free gum uses chemical sweeteners, such as aspartame.. There is a caloric difference of about 5 calories between the two types. If you're opting for sugar-free gum, look for gum with a seal from the American Dental Association. The ADA Seal on a package of gum means that gum has been proven to be healthy and safe.

SUMMARY:
Choose your form of gum. Find the perfect flavor. Decide if you want regular or sugar-free gum.