Today’s world has many luxuries that are supposed to make life easier. At times they may, but other times, they make things more complicated.

Meanwhile, there are lots of people who dream of living a simpler life. They picture spending their days sitting by a lake and enjoying nature. This dream is often interrupted by reality, but it does not have to be that way. There are things we can do to simplify our lives.

When people hear about simplifying life, they may think it means moving into a home in the middle of the woods and living off the land. But that is not necessarily a simpler life—and it may not be for everyone.

Instead, choose things that can keep you in the modern world, but still make life easier.

1. Get a basic cell phone. It would be nice to say that a cell phone was not necessary at all, but pay phones have disappeared and if you need to call someone in an emergency, you will need a cell phone. Instead of getting a smartphone with data and texting, opt for a basic cell phone that only makes or receives calls. There are plans that allow you to get a phone for less than $50 and offer free minutes to talk with every month.

2. Cut the cable cord. Many people are spending well in excess of $100 a month on cable television that gives them 500 different channels. Out of all those channels, most people watch 10 to 15. Instead of having a cable bill, use over the air stations you receive for free. Add a streaming service and you will never miss cable. Without cable, you can go back to an old, reliable method of entertainment—talking to one another.

3. Get rid of credit cards. Credit cards are nice. They allow people to buy things they otherwise could not afford and pay for it over time. They also become a burden that drags many people down each month. Instead of using credit cards, only buy what you can afford. Stick to that plan and the fear of not being able to pay the bills will quickly disappear.

4. Declutter the home. A search around the home will find many things that are not needed, or are no longer used. Find different ways to get rid of the things that are no longer necessary. It is even possible to make some money selling these things that can be used to help in other areas, such as paying off credit card debt.

5. Get rid of monthly expenses that are not needed. Many people are paying for gym memberships, mobile internet service, and many other monthly services they barely use. They have often put the monthly payments on their credit card so they do not even realize how much they are spending and not using.

There are often ways to get the same things that you get from these pay services without having to pay. Gym memberships can be replaced with exercising at a local park or walking around the neighborhood. If you need internet service away from home, look for Wi-Fi hot spots. They are found at many restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops. It might take effort to do this at first, but once it becomes a habit, it is easy to do.

6. Start to track your expenses. One thing people will benefit from doing is tracking the money they spend. It is the best way to find out when you are spending money and what you are spending it on. It is possible you will find you are spending a lot of money you don’t need to. You may find that second car is an expense you may not need. You could take public transportation to work and get by without a second car and all of its headaches. When you realize that, it becomes possible to make changes.

7. Track your time. Pay attention to how much time you are spending doing things. Look for ways to cut down on time you think is being wasted on unnecessary things.

Time and money are two of the most valuable resources people have. When life gets simpler, the amount of these two things that a person has available will rise. That is the benefit of a simpler life in today’s world.

The great thing about this list is that people have choices. They can choose to do one of them, all of them, or some of them. They can start out with just one and then add some others later.

Life is about choices. Making the choice to live life in a simpler way is something that is becoming a popular thing to do

 

At one point it was almost a certainty that Grand Theft Auto 5 would be releasing in 2012. The first trailer came out last fall and analyst predictions had it coming out by this fall, but it  remains mysteriously without a release window. GTAV didn’t make the surprise appearance we were hoping for at E3 2012, and it won’t be making an appearance GamesCom either.

We hoped to learn more from Take-Two Interactive’s investors call yesterday evening, but instead all questions – and there were a lot of them – about the next Grand Theft Auto were dodged by CEO Strauss Zelnick. But we’re not left with nothing as Take-Two launched a clever bit of marketing for Grand Theft Auto 5 that until now has remained under the radar.

Fans of the GTA series may recognize the Epsilon Program from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas where it was first introduced not only in the game, but as a teaser site before it launched. That site (http://www.epsilonprogram.com/) has been updated and now has a Twitter account: @EpsilonismToday. The account was launched last week and only has three tweets, the latest of which came earlier today to reveal the “FACT” that they are the fastest growing religion in America.

 

Want to know more fun “facts”? Then enjoy the following. You’ll need to know them inside and out if you wish to follow Kifflom.

The 12 Tenets of Kifflom

1. The world is 157 years old – FACT!
2. Dinosaurs are a lie that people believe because they are weak – FACT!
3. You are happy, you just don’t know it – FACT!
4. We all come from the same tree – FACT!
5. Everyone is related to everyone else, except for people with red hair – FACT!
6. Sperm does not exist – it is a lie spread by biology teachers – along with everything else you have ever been told – FACT!
7. Men are supposed to lie with nine new partners a week. Women are supposed to lie with six, except for in July, when they must lie with five men a day – FACT!
8. Aliens exist and are present on earth. If you have a birth mark, you may be descended from Kraff, the famous Emperor of the 4th Paradigm – FACT!
9. Trees talk, but only some people hear them – FACT!
10. People who believe in something live much longer than atheists, and they have eternal life thrown in for good measure – FACT!
11. If you believe this and turn you hands and wallet over to EPSILONISM, you’ll live a happy life. Otherwise you are doomed – FACT!
12. KIFFLOM – HAPPINESS IS YOURS! KIFFLOM!

The Epsilon cult and their ideals have been referenced in every GTA title since San Andreas and are meant to parody Scientology. The relatively simple website features six options in the main navigation, two of which are the same (asking for money). If you do wish to donate to the cause, give the Epsilon Program a call at this totally real phone number: 1-555-FUN-CULT. Don’t believe it? Head to the official Epsilong site to read testimonials from the good people of San Andreas and Liberty City.

With the first (and very polished looking) gameplay trailer releasing last year, new screenshots last month and now the Epsilon Program coming back to life, can we expect news soon on Grand Theft Auto 5? Is there any chance at all it can still come this year, or will it join BioShock: Infinite and XCOM: Enemy Unknown as games we thought were coming in 2012, but are coming in 2013 instead?

Viral VR: What Brands Need To Know

VR is marketing’s latest medium to get the viral treatment

Image source: Flickr

Virality is hugely beneficial to your brand: it gets your name and products out to thousands — potentially millions — of people who may then be inspired to buy your goods.

VR is marketing’s latest medium to get the viral treatment and it’s something that brands are using to can a raft of new customers. No seasonal gimmick, VR is here for good.

You may be asking yourself what viral VR actually is, what your brand needs to know about it, and what it all means for your sales figures. Well, read on….

What’s VR?

VR is short for Virtual Reality. It’s an artificial, 3D, computer created interpretation of your surroundings that allows the people using it to immerse themselves in a new world.

The notion of there being a virtual world has been around since the 15th century. However, the technology to allow for a computer designed reality has existed only since the 20th century.

VR as you and I know it came to being in 1992 with the invention of CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment), a virtual reality world in a room – like Star Trek’s  holodeck) which allowed users to immerse themselves in an artificial world through the projection of 3D images onto walls.

Now people are able to immerse themselves in VR through head-mounted displays (HMDs), opening up the scope for VR to be used as part of advertising and content campaigns. Whether it’s in-store, or at-home — VR is a great way for brands to get up close and personal with products and experiences.

Examples of HMDs

There are a number of HMDs on the market to allow you and your audience to view VR technology relatively cheaply. Among the best known are:

• Google Cardboard: yes, it’s made from cardboard. As such, Google’s VR headset is the cheapest model on the market
• HTC Vive: the HMD president: all powerful, but perhaps out of touch – rumors are that this technically adept piece of kit could become the Betamax of HMDs
• Oculus Rift: owned by Facebook (having been bought by the company in 2013) this headset is a quality utility VR device
• Samsung Gear VR: suitable only for those of you with a Samsung Galaxy smartphones. But if you have one of Samsung’s phones then this offers a fine VRF experience.

What’s viral VR?

Your brand may have already been involved in a viral marketing campaign.

It is a technique that seeks a broad and deep increase in brand awareness. It does so by through adverts that aim to gain virality by being spread and shared across social media, bringing them to the attention of a vast audience. Viral campaigns are often ‘seeded’ by a few powerful social accounts or influencers, who blast out the content to their network.

Viral VR is no different in its ambitions — the same rules of virality still apply. Brands still need to seek a hook, and cultivate deep connections with their audience, as well as invest in a robust content distribution network.

What does my brand need to know about viral VR?

VR may be at the early stages of its relationship with brands, but it really is only the beginning.

Your brand has an opportunity to start embracing the technology and the potential that it offers to increase engagement with your customers now – 53% of shoppers are more likely to buy from brands using VR and 58% say VR “amazes” them.

There are tools already available to help your brand prepare for VR:

Ecommerce is one of the first industries where we are seeing widespread VR adoption and commodification. If you are using Shopify, then you can use the LIVEb4buy app to give your customers a 360° shopping experience. Utilize the immersive qualities of VR by allowing your customers to get a real feel for your brand — an experience that will eventually become standard across stores and websites.