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1. Julius Caesar introduced the first calendar leap year in 46 B.C.  

The Earth takes exactly 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds to circle the sun. The occasional Feb. 29 ensures we don’t lose six hours every year.

As our world grows increasingly digitized, more and more consumers are banishing the cash and coins from their wallets and choosing other ways to pay for their purchases. There’s no lack of alternative payment methods today, from credit and debit cards; to electronic payment apps like Zelle, PayPal and Venmo; to mobile payment wallets like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay; to cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. You may be thinking about following the masses and getting rid of your cash. Or maybe you’re wondering if every transaction in the country will soon be digitized.

When trying to trim a monthly budget, most people don’t consider their fixed expenses. These recurring costs, which include mortgage payments, insurance premiums and subscription payments, are easy to budget and plan for since they generally remain constant throughout the year. While people tend to think there’s no way to lower fixed expenses, with a bit of effort and research, most of these costs can be reduced.