Wi-Fi is a convenient way to stay connected to the internet, but be sure you're not divulging personal information to hackers.

TIP #1: WATCH OUT FOR FAKE WI-FI HOTSPOTS
We all love free Wi-Fi provided by hotels, airports and coffee shops, but beware of hackers who set up fake Wi-Fi hotspots.  They'll get you connected, then steal your information.  Be sure to check the authenticity of any Wi-Fi connection and don't use public Wi-Fi for anything related to personal finance, sur as checking your account balances, or making transactions or payments.  An if you need to work on a public Wi-Fi, encrypt all your data by connecting through your company's Virtual Private Network (VPN).

TIP#2: LOCK UP YOUR WI-FI
Keep hackers from compromising your home or work Wi-Fi by making sure it's secured with password access.  When setting up your Wi-Fi, remember not to use personal information in the password or network name to keep it anonymous and more secure.

​Taxes are due April 18th this year - DON'T FORGET! 

Once your taxes are done, take these final steps for a successful season:

1. Use trusted Hammermill paper to print out a copy to archive for your records.
2. Gather all supporting documents and receipts and store with Smead or Business Source file folders.
3. Secure your files in a dedicated Bankers Storage Box.
4. Use Avery labels on the box to display the tax year for easy reference.

That's not all! Save time and money next year by using smartphone apps to your advantage! Use the Twist Top Picks below to help track mileage, revenues, expenses, and more to keep tabs on your financial pulse

​IRS2GO
Check your refund status, make a payment, find free tax preparation assistance, sign up for helpful tax tips, and follow the IRS on Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube - all in the latest version of IRS2Go. Available via Google Play and iTunes.

ItsDeductible Charity Donation Tracker
ItsDeductible is an easy way to keep track of your donations and get back the maximum deductions you deserve for your charitable acts. Now owned by Turbo Tax. 
Available via iTunes.
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​MileIQ App
Whether you are traveling for business, medical, or charitable purposes, it can be hard to remember to write down your mileage. MileIQ lets you track your mileage quickly and easily with automatic tracking and provides a record of past trips.Available via Google Play and iTunes.

​GoDaddy Bookkeeping (formerly Outright)
GoDaddy Bookkeeping syncs your bank account, PayPal, Amazon account, etc and the transactions are automatically pulled in to your account. So, you don’t have complex adding or importing transactions. Available via Google Play and iTunes.

​Freshbooks Cloud Accounting App
Simply take a picture of your receipts, create client invoices, and follow up on payments, right from the app. Plus, you can print month-end reports and review financial income, expenses and more. You can even give your accountant a separate login (with restricted access) so they can get all the info they need. Available via Google Play and iTunes.

You're a safe person. You buckle your seatbelt. You look both ways. You exercise. You take vitamins. But when it comes to digital security, chances are you're vulnerable. For example, it's very likely that your Amazon password is your Gmail password is your bank password is your eBay password is—well, you get the picture. If that’s not the case, are you using your dogs name, kids birthdays or your anniversary date?

When's the last time you changed your passwords, or at least took a good look at how many systems or services you're using old, busted, insecure passwords with? Well, today is Change Your Password Day, and we're on a mission to make sure that you take the time to beef up your security, upgrade your password system, and most importantly, change your passwords now

The solution is as simple as changing your habits. Just five minutes can save you hours of trouble, and hundreds—maybe thousands—of dollars down the line. So go ahead: change your password. Keep what’s yours, yours.

Although passwords aren't as strong a protection as they used to be, they're still the frontline of our defense against cyber thieves, so it's worth the few minutes it takes to make your password as strong as possible.

As a refresher, Intel's blog notes that length is more important than complexity when choosing a password: "The password 'Br3ak1ead&7' would take a computer three days to crack, at 1,000 guesses per second. Meanwhile, the seemingly simple 'thunder showers before sunset' password, would take the same computer, guessing at the same rate, 550 years to crack." You want to use the strongest possible passwords especially for accounts such as your email address and financial accounts. And never use the same password on multiple sites.

Think you've mastered the perfect password?  Challenge your friends and find out who's hackable and who's uncrackable with this password challenge from intel

Take the challenge now!   Let us know how you did by posting on our facebook page! #TwistPasswordChallenge

For as long as social media has been around, office managers have asked the question…Should employees be allowed to be on their personal social media accounts during the work day?

Some believe that banning the use of social media is the best way to keep employees focused. While others think allowing it promotes creativity.

With smartphones in everyone’s pockets, it is simply impossible to completely ban all usage. So instead of constantly looking over employees’ shoulders, integrate ways that the office can be interacting and promoting the company online.

In my past role as a social media manager at a company of about 30 employees, my co workers had little to no idea of the happenings on the company’s social media accounts. Some didn’t even follow the company’s pages! As I built the social media strategy for the year, I created campaigns that would allow for the employees online presence to cross over with that of the company’s own social media followers.

For example, during Halloween we gathered the employees together and gave each department a pumpkin to carve. I then took pictures of each pumpkin and posted them onto the company’s Facebook page for the fans to vote for their favorite pumpkin. The pumpkin picture (or department) with the most likes would win a prize. As the page followers began to like the photos, the employees jumped on their accounts and started sharing their pumpkin picture with their friends in order to receive more votes. As the pictures began to spread, so did the company’s brand.

The results were outstanding! Not only did the employees enjoy taking part in the fun activity, but it built such a stronger community between the employees and online fans. The company’s social reach grew exponentially!

The benefits out weigh the cost by far! Avoid wasting time monitoring employees and their social media use. Instead, find ways they can be utilizing it to help the company’s online brand and reputation grow. And it builds great report among the employees!

Pack & Go Deluxe
Never again forget to pack the important stuff.  Provides ready-made packing lists for different age groups and lets you customize and check exactly what you need— with reminders—so you’re never left without your essentials ($1.99)
Good for: Moms who want to be organized but don’t have the time to create handwritten checklists for every child and suitcase.

Mom Maps
Mom Maps helps you find family fun places, kid friendly locations on the go! Search our extensive list of kid's parks, kid's playgrounds, kid's restaurants, kid's museums and kid's indoor play areas. Search by category or zip code, and you're good to go! In addition to a comprehensive kids play guide, you'll find contact information, reviews by parents, for parents and directions. (Free)
Good for: Conveniently finding nearby places to fill vacation downtime.

Roadside America
Ever wanted to take your picture next to a crazy large object on the side of the road? This is your app. Introduce your kids to the weird and wonderful across our United States of America. Editors review their favorites and you can check off which ones you’ve already visited. And there’s even a sunset alarm so you get the heads up for your last photo opportunities. They also make it easy to share your discoveries through Facebook and Twitter.

Visited States
It’s OK if Dad said you couldn’t plaster a magnetic States map across your car. This app lets you mark off which states you’ve already been to. It’s a simple app but does the trick. And you can brag to your friends about where you’ve been by sending them images of your map.

MadLibs
Bridge the gap between the old school road trip fun you used to have when you were a kid and the digital age version for your own children. Type in nouns, take pictures or use photos from your smartphone or iPad’s photo gallery, and watch the comedy ensue.
Good for: Passing the time and getting the family involved.It even saves your story as a photo for recalling the fun after the trip has ended.

Resources used:
http://www.workingmother.com/family-travel/10-best-family-travel-apps
http://www.bestkidsapps.com/ages-9-12/best-travel-apps-summer-road-trip/
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/products/story/2012-07-14/techlicious-family-travel-apps/56198260/1

How to Avoid "Text Neck" and "Vulture Neck" and Other Mobile Device Hazards

For centuries people have worn out their bodies on equipment designed to make life easier or work more productive. Over the years the prolonged and repetitive motion of sewing machines, looms, typewriters, assembly lines and other "modern" devices have brought long-term circulation and back problems to millions.

Now that we've replaced mechanical equipment with electronic, we face similar health issues especially with our increasing use of mobile devices. Tablets and smart phones force us to unnaturally crane our neck to read tiny screens and tap on tiny keys. It's no wonder many of us suffer from tired eyes, sore shoulders and aching backs. But there's good news. You can avoid "vulture neck" and other hazards by adopting a few simple habits when using your mobile device.

Tablet Tips

Buy right. Don't buy a larger screen than you need if a smaller, lighter model will do. Be sure to test the brightness of the display, especially if you'll be using indoors and out.

Straighten up. The problem is how these devices are held. Your non-dominant hand holds the tablet, while the dominant finger touches the screen, clenching the other fingers so they don't accidentally touch the screen. Although tablets are usually very light, even one weighing a few ounces can cause strain when used for long periods. Practice the same good posture you use for your computer: feet on the floor, shoulders and neck relaxed, arms to your side and back supported by a chair.

Adjust your seat. Part of the "vulture neck" comes from placing your tablet below your field of vision when seated. Adjust your seat so the screen is at or just below your field of vision when holding your head and neck comfortably.

Raise it. Keep your tablet raised to eye level by placing it on a table instead of holding it in your lap. Keep it propped up with a stand that allows it to stay upright. If you must hold it in your lap, or are reading while lying down, use a pillow to raise it up and bring the screen closer.

Consider a keyboard. Tablets are made for convenience and portability, not for creating big documents or inputting large amounts of data as they don't promote good posture or comfort. For that type of work use a laptop or desktop. If a tablet is your only option, adding a keyboard and mouse will decrease strain.

Keep moving. They call these mobile devices so you should move around, stretch, change positions and take frequent breaks to keep your muscles from cramping up and to keep your circulation flowing.

Smart Phone Tips

Smart phones are used more for texting, emailing and browsing than talking. The small keyboard and screen, the unnatural position of your arm, shoulder, back, hands and fingers encourage poor posture and can cause long-term muscle injury. Reduce the stress and strain by:

-Holding your neck and back upright. Avoid lowering your head or rounding your shoulders.

-Using the phone in its vertical position. This reduces the amount of space your thumbs and fingers will have to reach.

-Keeping your wrist straight.

-Creating shorter messages. Reduce the keystrokes, and you'll reduce hand and thumb movements.

-Using word or voice recognition. Although it can sometimes cause embarrassing communication gaffes, auto complete cuts down on keystrokes while voice recognition eliminates it.

-Trying a stylus. Select one with a comfortable grip where you don't need to hold it too tightly.

For additional ideas on how to make your mobile device more ergonomic, consult with your Twist OP representative who can provide all the help you need to make sure you're comfortable and pain-free wherever you go.

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