Problem: Article: The best way to “train” yourself to have willpower is to be willing to sacrifice your desire for instant gratification for the sake of a long-term reward.  Eventually, your reward can be “living well” or “experiencing financial stability,” but for learning to exercise your willpower, it’s best to have a concrete reward.  For example, if you are on a weight loss journey, trying to control impulsive eating habits, your end reward may be a shopping spree for an entire new wardrobe in your new size. If you are controlling your impulse spending, you can have something costly that you normally wouldn’t be able to save for as your final reward.  For example, you may buy a new big-screen television or go on a relaxing trip to a tropical island with a friend. This is the essence of cultivating your willpower.  When you feel tempted to give in to an impulse, realize that what you really want is that short-lived feeling of instant gratification.  If your impulsive behavior is contrary to your goals, you will likely feel guilty after indulging in the instant gratification.  To resist an impulse for instant gratification, try the following:  Acknowledge what you want to do Tell yourself you are just looking for instant gratification Remind yourself of your short-term or long-term goals Ask yourself whether giving into your impulse is worth getting off-track for or jeopardizing your final goal.   For example, if you are working to control food impulses and you are standing next to a cookie tray at a party:  Admit that you want a cookie (or five) Acknowledge that the cookie may satisfy your craving or impulse for right now Remind yourself that you are working towards a goal of losing 40 pounds and a reward of getting to buy a new wardrobe Ask yourself whether the temporary satisfaction of eating a cookie is worth getting off-track with your progress and potentially not getting your new wardrobe in the end. A motivation or reward system will not change your willpower in the long run, but it can help set you on the road to success.  Because a big end reward can take a long time to get to, it can be effective to give yourself smaller “guidepost” rewards for progress.  For example, if you have one week of making good choices about food, you can indulge in a favorite treat at the end of the week.  Alternatively, you can reward yourself with something non-food related, such as a pedicure or massage. If you are controlling impulsive spending, you might give yourself a reward for saving.  For example, you may decide that for every $500 you save, you get to splurge and spend $50 on anything you want.
Summary: Keep the “big picture” in mind. Forgo instant gratification. Give yourself mini-rewards for progress.

Problem: Article: This is increasingly becoming the standard in ATMs at bank branches, and it is becoming more common in other locations. Look for notices on the screen or on the machine itself.  No-envelope ATMs usually have clearly-marked, separate slots for checks and cash. Insert your card, enter your PIN, and follow the prompts to make a deposit. The ATM will verify at some point whether you can make no-envelope deposits. You will not need a deposit slip for a no-envelope transaction. You may want to add up the total dollar amount of your check deposits beforehand, in order to compare to the total tabulated by the ATM. You will be able to go through deposited checks individually if there is a discrepancy. Many machines can read the checks regardless of orientation, but it can’t hurt to stack your checks neatly and facing in the same direction. You do not need to feed the checks individually at most newer machines. The maximum number of checks you can feed at once should be displayed on the screen or machine; one national bank chain states a maximum of 30 checks at once. You should be able to go through checks individually and make corrections if needed.  Many machines offer the option of printing an image of the front of your check(s) on your receipt. Use this option if you’d like an added layer of proof of deposit for your records. Rejected checks -- those with unreadable printing or handwriting, for instance -- should be returned to you at the end of your transaction. Contact the bank if this does not happen. One common maximum for a stack of cash is 50 bills.  Again, the machine should be able to read cash in any direction, but a neat stack can only speed the process. Unlike envelope deposits, where they can be deposited together, cash and checks will need to be deposited in separate transactions. Deposit one, indicate you’d like to make another transaction when prompted on the screen, then deposit the other. This will vary by financial institution.  One advantage of non-envelope cash deposits is that the money is immediately available in your account because it has been scanned and confirmed. Envelope cash deposits, on the other hand, need to be opened, counted, and entered. If you need to add funds to your account right away and don’t have access to a bank branch, a non-envelope cash deposit may be your best bet. Check deposits will still require time to clear after being posted; one national bank considers non-envelope check deposits made by 8 pm to be posted that business day, and it should clear on the second business day after (posted Monday, cleared Wednesday, for example).
Summary: Verify that the ATM accepts no-envelope deposits. Endorse and prepare your checks. Feed checks into the marked slot when prompted. Make sure that the total amount is correct and complete your transaction. Deposit cash into the appropriate slot according to the ATM’s limit. Find out when deposits will be credited to your account.

Problem: Article: If you’re suffering from a stomachache, a bit of raw ginger could help. Slice a thin piece of raw ginger off a peeled ginger root and chew on it the way you would a piece of chewing gum. Once the flavor has gone out of the piece of ginger, you can throw it away and get another piece. Raw ginger is great if you’re experiencing nausea related to pregnancy, since it will settle your stomach without bothering your baby. The size of the chunk of ginger you’ll want to use depends on how strong you like your tea. To start, try a chunk of ginger about 1 inch (2.5 cm) square. Cut up the chunk into smaller pieces and place it in cup. Then pour 1  c (240 mL) of boiling water over the ginger.  You can peel the ginger root chunk before you slice it, but you don't have to. You can add 1  tsp (4.9 mL) of honey and a few squeezes of lemon juice to the cup for extra flavor. If you’re juicing as part of your diet, adding ginger can increase the health benefits of eating right. Before you make your juice, slice a 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger off a ginger root. Take the ginger remnants out and then make your juice as you normally would. Your juice will have the flavor and benefits of ginger without adding anything chunky to your juice. If you like, you can leave the ginger in your juicer for a chunkier, spicier juice. Some of the compounds in ginger can increase your body’s production of digestive juices. If you haven’t been feeling well and having been losing weight because of it, ginger can give you your appetite back.
Summary:
Chew on raw ginger to settle indigestion. Make hot tea from ginger to sooth a cough. Use it to prepare your juicer. Chew on raw ginger to increase your appetite.