INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Whether you keep a more old-fashioned paper file or a digital file, make a single place for all of your financial records. Create subcategories that identify the type of bill or expense.  If you're keeping digital records, you may be able to use your email account to help organize your records. Use the same email address for all of your bills and create tags or filters to put those billing statements in categories. To reduce clutter in your inbox, open a separate account for bills and don't use that email address for personal email. You can also scan your bills and make PDFs to keep on your computer as a digital copy. Keeping your income statements and receipts in one place will make for fewer headaches come tax time. If you're keeping paper files, create a separate folder specifically for deductible expenses.  Within your file for deductible expenses include files with categories, such as home and office expenses, mileage and vehicle expenses, childcare expenses, and medical expenses. Go through your expense files at least once a month. If you paid a bill that you believe is deductible, move it to the deductible file (or make a copy of it and keep it in both places). Any document that has your signature, account number, medical, legal, or other identification information should be shredded rather than simply thrown in the trash. By leaving this information intact you are putting yourself at risk for identity theft.  If you don't own a shredder, you can buy a basic one online or at office supply stores for typically around $20 or $30. There are more expensive versions that may shred faster, or shred more documents at once, or that also shred CDs or credit cards. It's up to you whether a fancier shredder is worth the investment for you. You can also subscribe to a shredding service if you don't want to do all that work yourself. For example, in the US, office supply stores such as Staples or Office Depot will shred your documents for you at the rate of about $1 per pound. Just as you may do a spring cleaning of your living space, your financial records could use a yearly deep-clean as well. At the end of the calendar year, go through your files and shred or delete records you no longer need to keep. Generally, you can follow this schedule:  Keep for 1 year: monthly utility bills, pay stubs, credit card statements, investment statements, bank statements, and the like. Keep year-end summary statements for 3 years. Keep for 7 years: receipts for major purchases, income tax records, loan contracts, mortgage contracts and payment records, investment purchase records, year-end investment summaries, other final payment documents. Keep indefinitely: medical records, real estate deeds, and car titles (as long as you own the car). Although they aren't necessarily financial records, birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and degrees or diplomas also fall in this category.

SUMMARY: Keep all of your statements and billing notices in one place. Include income statements and receipts for deductible expenses. Buy a shredder to use when disposing of financial documents. Purge records you no longer need once a year.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This creative format centers around a sole strong voice. This single voice speaks to, not shouts at, the listener, sharing basic information about the service or product. The copy must match this simple format—it should be clear, direct, and focused. When executed properly, it should sound as though this single voice is talking directly to one person.  In addition to sharing basic facts, this straight announcer may pose open ended questions, such as “Do you ever…?” or “Would you like to…?” This is a great creative format for 15 second ads. People love to listen in on other’s conversations, or dialogs. In this creative format, one character has a problem, which the other character solves by recommending the product or service. The product or service’s benefits are relayed through thoughtfully placed questions and carefully worded answers.  Problem: ”I have a date to the prom, but no suit!” Solution: “I rented my tux from _____. It was fast, easy, and inexpensive.” Problem: “My child gets so bored in the summer!” Solution: “I heard about this great fine arts camp near our house. They have sessions all summer long.” A vignette provides listeners a peek into another person’s life. This brief tale allows your listener to identify with the character. Once they see themselves in the add, the hope is that they will seek the same product or service as the individual highlighted in the vignette.  Open your ad with a short vignette dramatizing an individual’s specific problem—the goal is to have your listeners identify with the individual in the vignette. "Oh, no! I've burnt the cake for Harry's birthday to a crisp! What will I do? His surprise party is tonight!"  Once you have established the problem, cut away to an announcer. The announcer will contextualize the problem and offer a solution, i.e. the product or service being advertised. The announcer also provides all of the product or service details. "Don't let a burnt cake spoil your next party. Surprise your guest of honor with a delicious cake from Manny's Bakery! At Manny's Bakery, we offer a variety of pre-decorated cakes baked fresh for every occasion."  Time permitting, return to the character from the vignette. Provide a glimpse at how the announcer’s solution solved their problem.  Wow, honey, this cake is delicious!" "Don't thank me, Harry, thank Manny's Bakery!"   Conclude with a call to action from the announcer. "Visit Manny's Bakery today!" Testimonials are reviews of the product or service given by real people. The power of the testimonial is not derived from clever copy but from the person actually providing the testimonial. Real people give the best possible endorsements—these testimonials are raw, honest, believable, and aspirational. There are several forms of testimonials:  Interview random people on the street about a well-established product or service. Ask these individuals why they like the product or service and how it has impacted their daily life. Ask real people, celebrities, or experts to praise the product or service, while describing its use and benefits.

SUMMARY: Produce a “Straight Announcer” ad. Sell the product or service with a dialog. Grab your audience’s attention with a vignette. Include testimonials in your ad.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Combine the egg white, corn syrup, and vanilla in a very clean, totally greaseless bowl. If you want colored sugar skulls, add in the food coloring now. Use one or two drops for a light color, three or four for a rich, more vibrant color. Once all the lumps have been sussed out, add it to the liquid mixture with a wooden spoon, spoonful by spoonful. Mix everything together until not quite one uniform consistency. When the sugar is nearly incorporated into the liquid, start kneading with your fingertips to form the dough into a ball. Dust the countertop with cornstarch, and continue kneading until you have a smooth paste.  Mix well with your hands until every bit of sugar is moistened. If your fingerprints remain when you squeeze the sugar in your hand, it is ready to mold. It should feel like cool, beach sand. If it doesn't hold together, mixture is too dry. Remember, water sinks, so keep the sugar mixture mixed up frequently as you make your sugar skulls. When the dough is ready, put it in a plastic bag to chill in the refrigerator. You can store the chilled dough for several months. When you're ready, divide the dough into as many parts as the number of skulls you want to make. Take a section and roll it into a ball. Squeeze and pinch the ball into a skull shape. Using your fingers, add depressions for the eye sockets and mouth. Use a toothpick to carve out teeth and to smooth out any rough edges. Skull molds work too and are available just for this purpose.

SUMMARY:
Mix the liquid ingredients together. Sift the powdered sugar. Knead the dough. Make a skull.