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How to Stop Inflation from Deflating Your Savings

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9 months ago

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Free Your Money: Strategies for Keeping Your Money In The Best Place Possible - ReadWrite


No, you aren’t imagining things. Everything costs more than it did before, and these higher prices make it hard to balance the budget while saving and thinking about retirement. But you can stop inflation from deflating your savings!

In April, the Bureau of Labor released the latest data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), revealing inflation’s steady creep upward hasn’t stopped yet. The rate of U.S. inflation climbed to a whopping 8.5% in March, marking this spike as the most significant increase in the cost of living in 4 decades.

You aren’t alone if you’re struggling to handle prices at their 40-year high. Nearly half of Americans (45%) polled by Gallup last year admitted inflation caused financial hardship at a time when the CPI was just 6.8%. Moreover, of those that reported facing difficulties, 10% revealed their challenges impacted their standard of living.

While the Federal Reserve claims inflation’s bubble will pop soon, experts anticipate the CPI won’t fall below 4% by the year’s end. That means you can expect another year of high inflation bumping up prices.

Is your budget ready? If not, don’t panic. Instead, keep reading to understand more about inflation and what you can do to protect your savings.

Inflation: An Overview

Inflation is not a product of the pandemic, although it may initially seem that way. On the contrary, between lockdowns and labor shortages — and now the Russia-Ukraine crisis — the past 3 years have kept inflation well-fed.

These special circumstances allowed inflation to grow to dizzying heights, but it’s been around a lot longer than COVID.

Have you ever heard your dad tell you a story about buying a bag of candy for a nickel, only for your grandfather to chime in to say he bought the same thing for a penny? They aren’t just yearning for the good old days of their youth. That’s inflation at work.

Inflation is an economic principle describing how the prices of goods and services generally increase over time. Another way to think of it is how your money — or what’s called your purchasing power — decreases in value as time goes on.

Usually, inflation only increases by around 2% each year. And if you’re lucky, your employer matches this increase with an equivalent raise. This zero-sum game means a lot of people may not notice inflation. Sure, things cost more, but you also earn more, so it all evens out.

The problem with today’s record-breaking inflation rate is that prices are climbing far too fast for wages to keep up. While employers have been handing out raises, a survey shows they averaged 3.4% in 2021, less than half of today’s current inflation rate.

With inflation and wages out of balance, you may notice how your dollar doesn’t stretch as far as it used to before the pandemic. Each expense takes up more of your very finite budget as a result.

Americans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck

Now that everything costs more, many Americans are feeling the financial crunch. According to CNBC, nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) live paycheck to paycheck today. This isn’t necessarily new. In fact, survey after survey has revealed people have been living this way for nearly a decade.

If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, most, if not all, of your monthly income goes towards making ends meet. With your income tied up with bills, you may have practically no cash for anything else.

Your Paycheck May Not Go As Far — But Don’t Deflate Your Savings

It’s hard to keep up with your savings goals when you live like this. You might even hit pause on savings altogether. And without contributing to savings, Americans increasingly turn to credit cards and short-term personal loans for help in an emergency.

CNBC reports that 56% of Americans could not handle an unexpected $1,000 expense with savings. Most of those without savings would charge credit cards or ask a loved one for some help. But others would go into debt and borrow money online via short-term personal loans to cover unexpected expenses.

While credit cards and short-term personal loans function as emergency backups in unexpected cash crunches, they’re meant as temporary stopgaps for singular expenses. Moreover, borrowing money won’t solve the issue that high inflation is an ongoing problem that will long outlast most cash advances and personal loan terms.

More still, debt can add to your money troubles. If you’re already living paycheck to paycheck, you may not have the cash available to repay your personal loan on time. Late fines and extra interest are soon to follow.

Updating Your Budget with Inflation in Mind

Americans point to high costs preventing them from saving as much as they want, regardless of whether they rely on credit cards or short-term personal loans as crutches.

Unfortunately, there’s no telling just how long high inflation will hang around. Still, one thing is for sure: a higher-than-normal inflation rate will affect prices for the foreseeable future.

Higher prices are the new normal, so it’s time to tweak your budget, updating it for another expensive year. Let’s dive into how you can do that.

1. Make a List of Priorities

When things are tight, you need a plan of action to understand your next move. So sit down and write out your list of priorities. These expenses are the absolute essentials you need to pay each month to keep a roof over your head and food on the table.

Besides housing costs and groceries, this list may include insurance payments, utilities, basic household items, and toiletries. In addition, the minimum payments for personal loans, cash advances, and lines of credit also belong on this list. These minimum payments will help you avoid late fines, extra interest, and credit damage.

This list shows the bare minimum for what you need each month. It serves as a good reminder of what you need to pay first before moving on to other things.

2. Cut Discretionary Expenses

As judge, jury, and executioner of expenses, you should be looking to slash non-essential spending until you have more wiggle room in your budget. Then, the unnecessary expenses (i.e., those you don’t need to lead a safe or comfortable life) should be on the chopping block.

Which expenses didn’t make it on your list of priorities? It can be daunting to say goodbye to the fun things in life, but it’s easier to let go knowing it won’t be forever. You can reintroduce the non-essentials when you start to feel less pressure.

To help you get started, here are some discretionary expenses you can cut:

  • Streaming services: If you have multiple streaming subscriptions, pare them down to the one you use most often.
  • Subscription boxes: While the average subscription box doesn’t cost a lot, it may be too much if you’re living paycheck to paycheck. Put them on pause until you have more wiggle room in your budget.
  • Gym memberships: The average gym membership costs about $600 a year. You can pocket that change by switching to a free at-home workout.
  • Takeout: According to The Fool, the average American spends $2,375 on takeout a year. If you eat out multiple times a week, you stand to save a lot by eating at home.
  • Alcohol: Happy hours after work and wine with dinner add up. Going dry can help you free up more cash for bills.

Finding it hard to say no when you’re out and about? Apply the 30-day rule. In other words, wait for 30 days before you commit to the purchase. A month is long enough to take the wind out of your sails, revealing the splurge for what it is: a waste of money.

3. Automate Savings

Even at this time, savings are an essential part of your budget. It can help you weather unexpected emergencies, reducing how often you tap into credit cards and short-term personal loans.

Admittedly, saving through high inflation is challenging, so you might want to ignore the usual advice to save 3 to 6 months. But, that’s a goal for another day.

For now, save as much as you can to get started, even if it’s just $10 a month at first. Financial advisor David Ramsey suggests lowering your goal to $1,000 when you’re first starting out.

4. Tweak Your Phone and Internet Package

Having a phone and access to the Internet is as close to essentials as possible nowadays. You might need them for work, or it may be the only way you can contact the outside world. So cutting these expenses for the sake of saving money just doesn’t make sense.

If you’re on an unlimited plan, consider downsizing to a cheaper plan with strict data and talk limits. Be careful not to exceed these limits to ensure you aren’t penalized. You stand to save even more each month if you can stomach a prepaid contract.

5. Update Your Insurance

Like your phone and Internet packages, insurance is another essential with some wiggle room. But first, you’ll want to do some research. Go online to compare other insurance companies to see what they offer. Then, when talking to your current provider, you can leverage this info to know if they’re willing to match the competition.

Another thing you can leverage is your loyalty. If you’ve been with the company for a long time, bring this history up while talking to your provider. They might be willing to cut you a better deal knowing you’re thinking about jumping ship.

You may also get a better deal if you’re willing to bundle your life, home, and auto insurance under one company.

6. Eat Better for Less

Putting food on the table has never been more expensive. But, unfortunately, you can’t precisely cut groceries from your budget!

Meat and dairy have been some of the hardest-hit items in the grocery stores, with bacon, eggs, and beef taking most of the brunt. Now that bacon is 26% more expensive per pound than last year, you might think twice about including it on your breakfast plate.

Plant-based eating promises some financial savings at the grocery store, especially if you stay away from costly prepared meat replacements. Instead, focus on tried-and-true cheap ingredients like lentils and rice.

Following a meal plan is also another great way to keep your spending in check at the supermarket. Make a list of meals you want to eat every week, adjusting your plan for weekly flyers and coupons.

7. Use Less Energy

Your utility bills are taking a bigger bite of your budget, like electricity, water, and gas cost more. According to the Guardian, utility prices in the U.S. rose by 33% last year.

Reducing energy consumption across these utilities can help you control runaway expenses.

One of the biggest things you can do to save is set your thermostat according to the Department of Energy’s recommendations. These tips can help you save as much as 10% of your annual heating and cooling costs.

Summer: If you have an air conditioner running, set it to 78°F when you’re at home. Try increasing the temperature as high as you feel comfortable when you’re out.

Winter: During the cooler months, try to keep your thermostat to 68°F while you’re at home, reducing it even lower when you’re at work or in bed.

8. Reduce Your Fuelling Costs

Between inflation and the Russia-Ukraine crisis squeezing the American fuel supply, drivers can expect to spend more at the pumps. If you can’t reduce how often you’re behind the wheel, you should download an app like GasBuddy to find the lowest gas prices in your area.

More often than not, this ends up being Costco, but they don’t get a membership just to qualify for their gas. So you probably won’t save more at their pumps than what it costs to become an annual member.

Another way to keep your driving costs low is by using gas station loyalty cards so that you can redeem points as often as possible. You can also consider carpooling with local friends and colleagues to share the burden of driving.

9. Learn How to Negotiate

The art of negotiation is a hard-earned skill that can do wonders for your budget. Depending on your strategy and your creditor’s policies, you can push out due dates to take the pressure off your budget and reduce what you owe.

If you aren’t sure how to persuade big companies, check out this script for guidance. When it comes to medical expenses specifically, ask if they offer a financial plan that offsets your costs. In many cases, healthcare businesses are willing to give you a discount if you offer to pay the reduced amount in full immediately.

10. Investigate Financial Assistance

Let’s face it — juggling all your bills as inflation nudges them higher, and higher is hard. Sometimes, not even your best attempts at negotiating bills and saving money at the grocery store will be enough to help you balance your budget.

Reach out to a free credit counseling organization for advice. They can provide more significant insights into how to shrink your budget. But more importantly, they can direct you towards government assistance programs that help you offset the burden of your living expenses.

The Takeaway for :

Although inflation is beyond your control, there are ways you can get back in the financial driver’s seat. As prices continue to rise, your budget is your most crucial resource throughout it all. You can refer to this spending plan to understand your priorities and focus on areas of your spending that need work.

You can reduce your monthly spending and save more, whether it’s unnecessary splurges or excessive fuel spending. Keep these tips in mind for the rest of the year.

But more importantly, know that you aren’t alone in facing these prices. There are resources you can fall back on for more guidance if you can’t balance the budget, no matter how hard you try.

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Image Credit: by Pixabay; Pexels; Thank you!

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The Top 7 AI Podcasts You Need To Hear Now

Published

37 mins ago

on

03/24/2023

By

The Top 7 AI Podcasts You Need To Hear Now


With artificial intelligence now being used to write everything from college homework to Congressional speeches, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of the latest advances in machine learning, natural language processing, and all things AI. 

We’ve brought together a list of seven of the top podcasts that track and explain the newest developments. They look behind the scenes at the technology behind the platforms, and they discuss how artificial intelligence is already upending business, marketing, data analysis, and more.

The TWIML AI Podcast 

The TWIML AI Podcast used to be known as This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence. The new name is shorter and snappier, but the content is just as deep and complex. Hosted by Sam Charrington, the podcast has produced more than 630 weekly episodes featuring interviews with a host of guests — usually technicians and scientists—working in the field of AI. The subjects of the discussions are often fairly complex. If you want to understand the human thinking behind artificial thinking, the show is essential listening.

 The Bad AI Show 

If interviews with Stanford professors aren’t your thing, try the Bad AI Show. Hosted by Joel Comm and Travis Wright of the Bad Crypto Podcast. The pair take a fun, laidback approach to new technology, explaining clearly — and wittily — the latest developments in artificial intelligence and its practical effects. Think of the TWIML AI podcast as a Stanford lecture and the Bad AI Show as the lounge next door. It’s a fun, relaxed chat with smart people about AI topics that get everyone thinking. The show is released as both an audio and video version.

The AI Podcast

One of the biggest challenges that a discussion of AI generates is how the new technology will be applied in the real world. Noah Kravitz’s The AI Podcast has already generated almost 200 answers. Each episode features an interview with experts using artificial intelligence to further their work. They’ve included a wildlife biologist tracking endangered rhinos, an astrophysicist analyzing starlight, and language learners grappling with Arabic pronunciation and even the delivery of sports highlights. 

Data Skeptic

As you listen to those interviews with people applying AI to such a broad range of fields, it’s worth asking about the effectiveness of AI in solving those problems and whether they couldn’t be solved in an easier way. Claims for the benefits of artificial intelligence will grow, so make sure you’re also listening to Kyle Polich’s Data Skeptic. The podcast has already produced more than 470 episodes with interviews that take down the hype and take a realistic view of what AI can and can’t do.

 

The AI in Business Podcast 

One area where both the hype and the expectation will be highest is in business applications of artificial intelligence. Each week, on the AI in Business Podcast, Daniel Faggella, the CEO of Emerj Artificial Intelligence Research, interviews AI executives from leading firms and startups to explore how business is adapting AI and exploring the opportunities the new technology offers.

 

 

The Marketing AI Show

Business is a broad topic. The Marketing AI Show tries to narrow things down with a focus specifically on the way marketers are using artificial intelligence to improve sales. The podcast is created by the Marketing AI Institute and the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON), and it’s essential listening for anyone wondering how the new technology can help their business identify leads and improve conversions.

 

 

Eye on AI

Finally, Eye on A.I. takes a broader, more journalistic approach to the developments of artificial intelligence. Out every two weeks and hosted by New York Times correspondent Craig S. Smith, each episode features an interview with a leader pushing AI into new ground. Episodes have discussed AI in supply chain optimization and finance but they’ve also delved behind the scenes to look at issues surrounding privacy and the future of AI itself.

 

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Jean Balzan; Pexels; Thank you!

Brad Anderson

Editor In Chief at ReadWrite

Brad is the editor overseeing contributed content at ReadWrite.com. He previously worked as an editor at PayPal and Crunchbase. You can reach him at brad at readwrite.com.

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Top 10 IT Staff Augmentation Companies in 2023

Published

7 hours ago

on

03/24/2023

By

eSparkBiz - Top IT Staff Augmentation companies


Brand value is essential for business, and most companies focus on this goal. Plus, the employees play a vital role here, so companies have now started relying on IT staff augmentation through which they can scale their services by hiring a specialized team of developers that help them focus on their goals.

Irrespective of size, businesses trust IT staff augmentation companies when recruiting the best talent in the field. Top IT staff augmentation companies help businesses fill the gap they feel due to the shortfall of employees. In addition, they help provide talented teams that justify the project needs within a specific budget.

According to a report by the Manpower group, there has been a talent shortage of more than three hundred percent in the last decade. Moreover, more than 65% of companies find it challenging to hire candidates for the job. Staff augmentation can help you find the best person for the job.

To help you find the best staff augmentation company, we’ve curated a list of the companies so you can evaluate them based on your tech expertise and budget.

Top 10 IT Staff Augmentation Companies List for 2023

1. eSparkBiz

With more than 12+ years of experience and 250+ development staff, you can trust the company for its tech solutions and expertise. It has been featured in the top IT staff augmentation companies.

Plus, it has a more than 95 percent client retention rate and has catered to more than 20+ countries worldwide. Moreover, it is ISO 27001 certified with CMMI Level 3. The company has a robust team of developers and project designers that take care of clients’ project needs.

  • eSparkBiz strategically merges design ideas with business analytics. Additionally, it helps with documentation, wireframing, and UX.

Apart from conventional software development, the company also offers staff augmentation. The company has a rating of 4.9 on Clutch and five on HubSpot, which speaks volumes about its professionalism.

2. Premier Systems Inc

Premier

Founded in 1993, Premier Systems Inc. has been the biggest name in staff augmentation since its inception. The company follows the principle of client service and satisfaction. Plus, it meets the marketplace demand in a well-planned, cost-effective, and timely manner.

  • The team of recruiting specialists works to achieve clients’ business targets quickly.
  • Along with providing exceptional value, it maintains interpersonal relationships with clients.

The best part is; it caters to a wide range of business solutions that equip you with the right people and the right skills for the job. The company provides services like – direct placement, managed IT services, contract staffing, contract-to-hire, and project-based services.

3. Flexible Staffing Services

Flexible

Flexible staffing services – established in 1991, have been catering to staffing and augmentation services. It has a strong connection to the success of many companies.

It meets the extended and specific needs to find industrial and critical staffing. Moreover, the company concentrates on the recruitment, development, and retention of dedicated individuals for different roles. Also, it provides meaningful and corporate support.

  • The company sees each associate as a valuable resource and adheres to the standards of excellence.

Moreover, it meets clients’ needs by supplying flexible, superior, and competitive market rates. It is indeed a trusted name in IT recruitment and augmentation services.

4. Veraqor Inc

Veraqor Inc

The company provides the best technical expertise powered by cutting-edge technology. Whether you are a startup or an enterprise, you can rely on effective business solutions from the company. It is ranked among the top IT staff augmentation companies.

  • It provides a selected list of clients, ensuring the unhindered progress of projects. Moreover, it shapes to timely delivery and excellent recruitment services.

Apart from staffing and recruitment, it provides tech solutions like – data management, Artificial intelligence, Machine learning, and Cloud migration. The company can help create customized solutions that cater to your business needs. Veraqor Inc. harnesses the power of technology to shape a better future for clients.

5. CXR agency

CXR agency

CXR agency empowers clients to achieve their business goals through innovative technologies and web solutions. Having completed 400+ projects and serving 200+ clients, it has expertise in client and business relationships.

In addition to the collective experience, it has 30+ awards to its credit, which makes the company a trusted name in IT services. Plus, it believes that technology, in its truest sense – always yields results.

  • You can trust CXR agency for recruitment and staff augmentation services.
  •  You can easily scale your tech teams and recruitment processes with an effective software development team.

6. ProCoders

ProCoders

ProCoders is an IT out-staffing company that works in collaborative environments and drives the best IT teams to companies. It helps build customized teams that keep you ahead of the game.

Moreover, it offers flexible solutions for IT staff augmentation. It works in lockstep that ensures consistency, information accuracy, and punctuality.

Over the years, the company has become a big name in IT staff augmentation services. In fact, in the last five years, the company has provided more than 150 dedicated teams to clients worldwide. Moreover, the solutions provided help you to find the right people for your business needs.

7. Newxel

Newxel

With more than 100+ satisfied clients and 500+ teams of developers, you can trust the company for its expertise and experience.

If your goal is to attract the best team or the best developer for the project, the company will help you hire the team that will suit your need and budget.

  • With distributed development and augmentation – you can get complete support for your services.
  • The company works on a transparent corporation model that allows you to get the best software engineers and set up a local development team in the location you choose.

Newxel also offers varied tech solutions like – web development, mobile development, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, etc.

8. BEON.tech

BEON.tech

The company provides access to high-caliber talent in a limited time frame. The matching specialists and team learn about your company culture and suggest custom-fit candidates according to the requirements.

  • Apart from the successful allocation, the company helps build long-term partnerships.

Plus, it works on a simplified onboarding process that equips the best talents from different parts of the world.

BEON.tech helps you search different profiles and suggest candidates based on your roles. It lets you review cultural and technical insights so that you can get a better understanding of the candidate’s skill. It is one of the top companies for IT staff augmentation.

9. DOIT Software

DOIT Software

DOIT Software is a trusted name in IT staff augmentation. It primarily focuses on your business needs, and you can get the best service based on your service requirements.

If you are a startup business, the company can help in the recruitment of a dedicated development team that will boost performance. Plus, it can strengthen the internal team with other resources. When you share your business ideas with the company – it will help you develop perfect solutions for your team.

Moreover, it has great domain expertise in healthcare, sports, wellness, fintech, management, and many other sectors. It also offers other tech solutions like – web and mobile app development, Data Science, and Artificial intelligence.

10. Devlane

Devlane

Devlane is a software development company, but it provides different tech solutions like – web development, mobile app development, eCommerce, IT strategy consulting, and of course, staff augmentation.

  • Through the staff augmenting model – the company extends the client’s tech teams with the best talent and requirements.
  • Apart from providing complete tech expertise, it also provides all other features that come along with it.

Moreover, it takes care of project management, admin, payroll, legal matters, performance metrics, and incentives for the team. Though the company is relatively new and was founded in 2020, it provides the best expertise in staffing and recruitment processes.

Conclusion

Hiring a development team or employees can be a big challenge for any business, specifically startup companies. However, with the help of IT staff augmentation companies, you can get unmatched flexibility at a reduced cost.

Plus, there is no training required, and you’ll get full admin support. Staff augmentation companies can give access to any professional from any location. Also, you can increase your team’s capacity to add specialists and experts.

Inner Article Images: Provided by the Author; From the Company Website; Thank you!

Featured Image Credit: Provided by the Author; Thank you!

Jigar Agrawal

Jigar Agarwal Digital Marketing Manager @eSparkBiz, Passionate about anything related to Digital Marketing. Wants to unlock the world of technology and Social Media where every day there is a chance of new possibility as well as innovation. He help every SaaS Development companies to improve their ROI.

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How to Sync Your Calendar Across All Devices

Published

13 hours ago

on

03/24/2023

By

Calendar


Have you been missing meetings or running late because your appointments don’t appear on your different calendars? Have there been more calendar conflicts like double bookings on your calendar? Are you behind on your personal commitments or missed essential deadlines?

The fix? Take advantage of your digital calendar.

In our personal and professional lives, digital calendars are crucial for tracking meetings, setting appointments, and not missing birthdays. The problem is, it’s easy to have too much of a good thing. In other words, once you start managing multiple calendars, things can get complicated really fast.

More importantly, it’s incredibly easy to become entangled in the multi-calendar trap. Suppose, for example, that you keep a personal calendar, a professional calendar, and the default calendar on your phone. While one calendar helps you stay organized, having too many can result in missed appointments, double bookings, and forgotten commitments that can negatively impact your professional and personal lives.

As a result of managing multiple calendars from multiple accounts, work has to be done twice. It is all too common for you to have a meeting invitation on your work calendar that you then have to manually add to your mobile and primary calendars. In short, this is a huge waste of time and energy.

So, what’s the solution? It’s time to sync calendars.

Let’s talk synchronization (sync).

In its simplest definition, synchronization is when two or more things happen at the same time — think synchronized swimming. Calendar sync makes more sense with the computing meaning. You do it by keeping a set of files or data the same in multiple places.

When you sync your data, it stays the same no matter what platform you’re using.

Why is data synchronization so important? It’s all about data integrity and consistency. Syncing information makes it easier to avoid errors, miscommunications, and duplications.

Overall, calendar sync is simply connecting two or more calendars, so data stays accurate, consistent, and safe.

Syncing your calendar: pros and cons.

Syncing your calendars in real time has a lot of benefits. Examples include:

  • Reduces time spent updating multiple websites every time a booking comes in.
  • Eliminating context switching between apps to streamline productivity.
  • With accurate, up-to-date information about users’ availability, scheduling gets easier, and productivity goes up.
  • Making it easier to manage reservations and cancellations for things like rental cars and properties.
  • Reducing the likelihood of scheduling mishaps during critical times like interviewing candidates
  • Enhancing client relations, preventing double bookings and cancellations,

At the same time, when you sync your calendar, you might encounter the following issues:

  • It can take a lot of time and money to build calendar integrations that work with each provider’s unique features.
  • Unexpected complications can arise when calendar API providers behave in different ways. For example, non-standard formats for calendar data.
  • Custom code is needed to scale your integrations from one user to many.

In any case, depending on how you integrate, you can avoid some common headaches.

Syncing multiple Google Calendars at once.

To start, let’s sync two Google Calendars. After all, having two Google accounts (one for work, one for personal) and wanting to view all your commitments in one place is not uncommon. But juggling multiple calendars, even within the same platform, can get tricky.

Rather than having a digital workspace where both calendars are equal — when you sync one Google Calendar with another, you have to pick which one will be your primary.

So here’s what you need to do to sync Google calendars:

  1. Make sure you’re logged into the account you picked as your secondary.
  2. In the top right corner, click the apps symbol.
  3. Find the “My calendars” section on the left.
  4. To expand it, click the down arrow.
  5. You can share a calendar by hovering your cursor over it and clicking the three vertical dots.
  6. Go to “Settings and sharing.”
  7. Scroll down until you see “Share with specific people.”
  8. Then click “Add people.”
  9. Here’s where you’ll enter your primary Google calendar email address.
  10. You can adjust the permissions in the dropdown menu. You’ll want to give full access if you’re syncing calendars.
  11. Click Send.
  12. Log out of your Secondary account and into your Primary account.
  13. An email will be sent automatically. Add the calendar to your main calendar with the link you got in the e-mail.

That’s a lot of steps to sync one calendar, and if you want to sync more, you have to repeat it from scratch. Furthermore, if your Google account is managed by your work or school, sharing may be disabled. This means your work calendar won’t sync with your personal calendar.

Is there a way to sync Microsoft Calendar with Google Calendar?

While Google and Microsoft are top competitors in email, search, and much more, they both offer calendar synchronization.

Because of this, you can integrate Google Calendar with Microsoft Calendar. In case you didn’t know, this is a free Outlook email feature that lets users track events, set up alerts, and share calendars with colleagues. However, it’s not as easy or complete.

Owners of Office 365 just need to set up their accounts and get updates automatically. There are a couple more steps people need to take to sync their Google and Outlook calendars:

  1. You’ll need to sign into your Google Calendar account.
  2. Choose “Outlook” under “My Calendars.”
  3. Open the settings by clicking the three dots next to “Outlook.”
  4. Choose “Secret Address” under “Integrate calendar.”
  5. Open your Outlook account by copying this address.
  6. To change your account settings, click “File” and then “Account Settings.”
  7. Click “Internet Calendars” and select “New.”
  8. Copy and paste the address from earlier.
  9. In the associated box, type a folder name and click “OK.”

Your email will now check your Google Calendar whenever you open Outlook. As such, events, meetings, and most color coding should be there. There might be some that don’t translate to Outlook, but it shouldn’t be an issue. If there are any incompatible elements between the two, they simply won’t display.

The steps above can be used to sync your Outlook email to Google. However, the email addresses should be reversed. To ensure smooth and efficient syncing, this integration is designed to be as simple as possible.

How do you synchronize Google Calendar and Office 365 Calendar?

Unlike Outlook’s calendar option, Office 365 offers more control options in its subscription-based software. There is still an option to synchronize your Office 365 calendars with your Google Calendar. For this process to work, though, you’ll need to sync Office 365 and Google Calendars. In spite of this, the process remains relatively straightforward:

  1. Open up your Office 365 account.
  2. Go to the “Calendar” tab and click “Share.”
  3. To access Google Calendar, scroll down.
  4. Fill in the associated text box with your Gmail address.
  5. You can turn off “Can view all details” in the display settings.
  6. Your Outlook message will be sent to your Gmail account when you click “Share.”
  7. Copy the link address from that email by right-clicking on “this URL.”
  8. Visit your “Google Calendar.”
  9. By clicking on the “+” sign, you can select “Other Calendars.”
  10. Paste the link into the next text box after clicking “From URL.”
  11. Click “Add Calendar” to finish.

Even though this process appears backward, it helps to get around a few limitations. By using the proper addresses and links, you can sync your email accounts. Also, it ensures that both ends are synchronized. As a final benefit, it makes integration easier and more efficient by improving what can be shared between these two calendars.

The majority of events are shared between these two programs with minimal errors, according to most users. However, problems may occur if you haven’t updated your Office 365 program or turned off automatic updates. As Google and Microsoft update their programs, it may become more difficult to sync old calendars. Update both programs to fix this issue, but be aware that it might occur in the future.

Displaying Outlook events in Google Calendar

Looking to sync your Outlook events with Google Calendar without it becoming a nightmare? No worries. It’s as simple as granting Google access to your Office 365 account.

Start by getting the link to the Outlook calendar you wish to transfer:

  1. Go to the web version of Outlook.
  2. Open Settings by clicking the gear icon.
  3. Select View all Outlook settings from the menu.
  4. Go to Calendar > Shared calendars.
  5. You will find Publish a calendar section after scrolling down.
  6. Choose your Google Calendar in the first drop-down menu.
  7. Select the second drop-down menu. Can view all details.
  8. Grab the ICS link and paste it into your clipboard.

In Google Calendar, paste the link as follows:

  1. You should open the Google Calendar web app, not the mobile app.
  2. Choose Other calendars from the left navigation.
  3. Choose From the URL.
  4. Paste the Outlook address you copied.
  5. Click the Add calendar button.

There you go! From now on, you’ll be able to view your Outlook calendar through Google Calendar.

Add Google Calendar events to Apple Calendar

Yes. If you have a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, you can add events to your Apple Calendar from Google Calendar. Even better? It’s incredibly easy.

  1. Go to the settings section of your iPad or iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap Calendar.
  3. Add your Google account under Accounts.
  4. Next, enter your email address.
  5. Log in with your password. When using 2-Step Verification and you do not have the latest operating system, enter the app password instead of your regular one.
  6. Click Next.
  7. The Google Account will now sync your emails, contacts, and calendar events. By turning off the other services, only your calendar will be synced.
  8. Your Google Calendar events can be found in the Calendar app on your iPhone.

Syncing with an existing account is as simple as tapping the account and turning on Calendars.

Syncing Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar

Is Outlook compatible with the calendar app that comes with your shiny, new iPhone? Fortunately, it’s possible to integrate Outlook events into your iOS calendar. In other words, you don’t have to download the Outlook mobile app to keep track of your schedule while on the go.

  1. Choose Settings from the iPhone’s menu.
  2. Choose Calendar from the list
  3. Go to Accounts > Add Account > Outlook.com
  4. Sign in to your Outlook account
  5. Turn on calendars

Simple, right? Your iPhone’s default calendar app now lets you view and manage Outlook events.

Android and Outlook calendar sync

Do you want to use your Outlook calendar on Android without using a third-party app? We’ve got you covered.

Depending on the manufacturer, Google Calendar is the default calendar app on most Android devices. In that case, you’ll only need to sync Outlook with Google Calendar.

By using an Exchange Active Sync mail account, you can easily add an Outlook calendar to an Android phone. You should automatically be able to add a work Outlook calendar to your personal phone. Generally, employers who use Exchange typically utilize Active Sync.

As a starting point, let’s take a look at the Outlook app for Android.

  1. In the Outlook app, click the calendar icon on the bottom right.
  2. Click the three-line menu icon in the top left corner.
  3. From the left menu, select Add Calendar.
  4. The setup wizard will prompt you to add your Outlook account.

There are times when this method does not work. There is occasionally an interruption in polling from Google Calendar. Nevertheless, it’s worth a shot first.

The next method might work if the first doesn’t.

If you are working in an Exchange environment, you may need permission from the System Administrator but try it out and let me know how it goes. You can also do this if you are not syncing a work calendar with Outlook.

  1. On your smartphone, open the Mail app.
  2. Choosing Settings and adding a new account will bring up the menu.
  3. Your Outlook email address should be picked up by the app once you enter it.

You should be able to access your Outlook calendar from within the Mail app once it has been set up.

Additionally, you can sync your Outlook calendar with your Gmail account.

If you don’t use Exchange Active Sync, use this method to link an Outlook calendar to Gmail on your Android device if you don’t use POP or IMAP accounts.

  1. Go to your Android phone’s Gmail app.
  2. Click the three-line menu icon, then click Settings and Add Account.
  3. Choose Office 365 and Exchange as your providers.
  4. When prompted, enter your email address and password.
  5. By selecting OK, you acknowledge the security message.
  6. Set up your account where prompted.

Regardless of whether you use Outlook, choose Exchange and Office 365. A calendar syncing option is not available with Outlook, Hotmail, or Live. In order to receive calendar updates, your personal Outlook account must be compatible with Exchange Active Sync.

Sync your calendar using a third-party app or service.

Alternatively, you can use apps and services that sync Google and Outlook calendars if you do not wish to use workarounds. Some of these are free; others aren’t. Some of these tools worth mentioning include:

Calendar

You can access Calendar from a web browser as well as an iOS or Android device. You don’t have to do much work with this calendar application because machine learning takes care of most of it. In addition to learning your contacts, schedule, analytics, and tasks, it also learns your tasks. In turn, it takes care of arranging meetings for you.

Moreover, Calendar allows you to integrate any other calendar you’re using, such as Apple Calendar, Calendar 365, or Google Calendar. With the Calendar app, you can now see everything on your personal and business calendars in real-time. Additionally, you can share this information with others or parts of it.

Spike

Sync all your calendars from every email provider using Spike’s calendar. As such, your schedules are all organized in one calendar. You can view all your events, including work meetings and personal ones, in one place. With different calendars and apps, there will be no more double bookings or scheduling confusion.

You can access it from anywhere and on any device.

Reclaim

With a few clicks, Reclaim lets you sync your work and personal calendars – and they stay synced as your schedule changes. There are no limits to how many personal calendars you can add or how many side gigs you can add.

Your blocked events can be presented to your coworkers however you like, and you can choose how much context to provide. The ability to block events outside of your working hours is also available to you.

CalendarBridge

Start by linking your Microsoft and Google accounts after downloading CalendarBridge. You can then sync calendars and set up privacy controls so your peers cannot see sensitive information about your calendars.

And that’s it. With CalendarBridge, you’ll never double-book again because your calendars are kept in sync in real-time.

SyncGene

Are you looking for a tool that syncs iCloud, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Gmail Tasks, Outlook.com/Hotmail, Office 365, and Microsoft Exchange accounts all at once? Well, SyncGene does exactly that.

Whenever you make changes to your Contacts, Calendars, or Tasks, they will appear on all connected devices. It only takes one preferred account on your phone to update all connected accounts with SyncGene. Battery life will be saved, and you’ll have access to all of your accounts from anywhere.

Published First on Calendar. Read Here.

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Bich Tran; Pexels; Thank you!

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