Personal Finance Blog – Tips & Advice from UnitedFinances.com

As a student, education is one of the core areas in your life that requires focus. However, at times it can be hard to concentrate on your studies especially if you have to worry about other factors such as school fees, rent, and so on.

This is where the student loans come in. They allow you to smoothly continue with your education by catering to the expenses at hand. There are various types of financial aids that are available for learners.

This article talks about the ones for undergraduates, either federal undergraduate student loans or private. It highlights the important factors that you should consider before acquiring the loan.

What is it?

As indicated by the name, this is a financial aid that is available specifically for undergraduate students. Lots of students experience financial strains when they are about to join college.

This is because the cost of such an undertaking is much higher than that of their previous level of education and so it becomes hard to cope. Some end up despairing and abandoning their dreams.

In such instances, student loans come in handy to help the learners continue with their education by cushioning them against the high cost.

Still, there are things that one should consider to be able to make the right decision concerning the loans that they settle for. Here are some of the vital aspects.

• Government vs Private

These are the 2 main entities that provide this kind of financial aid. Most people prefer the ones from the government due to the policies. The regulations are uniform and subject to the law.

They are also lenient considering the income-oriented settlement plan and the fact that your credit history is not taken into account. It also gives you an option to choose the subsidized loans which are cheaper.

The ones issued by private companies tend to be privately controlled and so some of the policies might not be favorable to the student. On the other hand, they can be more flexible since they don’t rely on the uniform regulations such as the federal ones.

This can work to your advantage if their policies are favorable. See this link to read more https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/money-planning/how-student-loans-work.

• Interest

Most people fail to consider the interest rates when they are taking the loans. They later on find it very hard to pay the debts due to the large sum accrued. There are two different kinds of interest rates that these finances are subjected to.

The first one varies and can be affected by several different factors. This can be costly if the dynamics become unfavorable. The second one is fixed hence is not affected by fluctuating factors.

Some people prefer this because it makes it easy to calculate the amount that you will have to pay. Still, it can also be expensive if the fixed rate is high. You should inquire more about how the interest is calculated so as to avoid surprises.

It is also worth noting that private companies might use different factors from those used by federal government, for example, credit history.

• Period

It is important that you be aware of the set time frame so that you can choose the appropriate plan for you that you will be able to service comfortably.

For the federal loans there is usually a grace period that lasts for 6 months upon finishing school after which you will be expected to start servicing the credit.

The time might be shorter or longer for private loans depending on the company that you deal with.

• Installments

You should calculate the monthly installment based on the salary that you expect to earn. You can do a comprehensive research online and use the appropriate tools to be able to make a good calculation. This information will help you borrow the right amount that you can repay without straining.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of student loans?

The main advantage is that they are made to exactly suit student needs. For example, you get to go through your education program and finish without worrying about paying back the debt while still studying.

Also, the repayment process is customizable and so you can use this to your advantage to make the payments according to your employment status and current financial condition.

The downside is that the debt can be very expensive to pay if you make the wrong decisions or things don’t go as you expected. Click here to read more insights.

Conclusion

Undergraduate student loans are of great essence in ensuring that learners continue with their education and pursue their dreams even when experiencing financial setbacks. It can cover expenses like school fees, food, accommodation, and transport expenses. You should take your time to decide which one between federal and private will serve you well. Also, consider the interest rate so that you don’t get overwhelmed when it is time to pay the debt. Seek advice from professionals to help you make the best decision.

Decentralized finance (DeFI) is a sector driven by blockchain technology and focused on offering financial services in a different way from how we know it today. It consists of multiple financial services designed to make it easy for everyone, including those outside the conventional banking ecosystem, to access and enjoy the finance services.

Today, DeFi has become the ultimate field of innovation with new services getting added every week. As more people, businesses and governments take advantage of blockchain technology to enhance their operations, you too can also use this latest technology, but where do you start? Here is all that you need to know to get started with DeFi.

What is DeFi?

DeFi is a collective term referring to a system that completes financial transactions without using a centralized authority, such as a bank or credit card company. Instead, DeFi uses neutral third parties spread in the respective blockchain networks to confirm transactions instantly/ near-instantly and at a very small cost. They also use smart contracts, which are self-executing, implying that they are implemented directly without involving third parties.

In 2020 and 2021, the use of DeFi has intensified so much. Assets attached to different DeFi contracts, also referred to as total locked value, shot from approximately $697 million at the start of 2020 to over $85 billion by August 2021. The uptrend is expected to continue, and you should also be part of it.

How to Use DeFi Protocol

Today, most DeFi protocols are established on top of the leading blockchain networks, especially Ethereum and are supported by smart contracts. Therefore, you need to identify an appropriate network and pick the right wallet to store the main crypto coins.

To make the process of accessing and managing your portfolio easier, consider the platform that also comes with a mobile app. This means that it will be easy to check balance, follow on upcoming products, and get the latest updates.

Once you have selected the preferred DeFi platform, such as MantraDao, go ahead and buy the crypto coins supported by the platform. For example, if you want to stake or take a loan using the selected DeFi platform, a good coin to consider is ETH.

Take Advantage of Different DeFi Services

There are numerous products and services that you can get on a DeFi platform. The lovely thing about DeFi is that there are no trusted parties because they are run by decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) and nodes in the respective blockchain. Here are the main services that you need to take advantage of:

• Crypto Lending: If you have some crypto coins, you can use a DeFi platform to get a loan. The coins act as collateral and will be returned to your wallet when you pay the loan.
• Staking: Once you acquire some crypto coins, especially those that are based on a network that uses proof of stake (PoS), you can use DeFi to stake them. This means that you commit the coins so that they are used to help secure the respective crypto network and confirm transactions. In return, you get some reward from the transaction charges paid by the platform users.
• Buying cryptocurrencies: Another awesome method of using a DeFi platform is for buying cryptocurrencies. If the coins you buy increase in value over time, it will be a huge gain for you. So, keep an eye on the coins to note when the price is at its peak and sell to get maximum return investment.

If you are new to the crypto world and blockchain technology, know that you are on the right track because the future is crypto. To take advantage of this high-potential sector, make sure to identify and use a good DeFi platform. Remember to always take care, especially with the crypto coins to avoid falling into the hands of scammers.

Want to expand your business empire in china? Of course, China has a considerable strategic location in Asia that offers many substantial advantages to its investors. Here is more on Basics for setting up your dream company in china:

For setting up a business company in China, you need to select an agency, sort its specification, get registration done, open a bank account and at last, handle the tax bureau. Moreover, one needs to be proper knowledge of china’s business culture, understanding china’s laws and regulations for running a business, permits, and so on.

Down below, we have more on the topic that might interest you!

Why China?        

China has a billion-dollar industry. China serves as a core for all the trade and businesses in Asia. They have a flourishing economy and rampant growth. So the chances of your business expansion are limitless with the unmatchable opportunities that china awaits for you.

The next thing bothering you is, “how can I set up my business in China”? Well, that’s no problem. We have got you covered!

Guide For Your Dream Business In China:

 

Agencies Are For You:

New to china and want to build a solid foundation for your business? Well, in no time, agencies will help your business to stand. They are pretty helpful if you are a foreigner.

Just because they know what it takes, they will prove to be a charm for your business. The expertise, knowledge, ground realities, business politics are all well known to them. And this will aid your empire.

The Specification:

Now you should set a name for your business, specify its type, its scale, its location, its shareholders, what type of business it is, its aims, and what it aspires. All of these things are to be sort out. The Chinese government is very keen on its rules and regulations regarding that matter.

Let’s Get Enrolled:

Now is the time to get your business registered and have a license for it. For this, it is essential to submit the business form to the concerned authorities.

The documents required are the business license and the approval certificate from the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC). Along with that, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), registering with the Public Security Bureau (PSB), and issuing company stamps from registered IAC are also required.

Open Your First Corporate Bank Account:

You need to open your first corporate bank account to a Chinese bank. Opening an account will ensure that all the operations are running skillfully, nicely, and orderly in china. This account will aid you in paying wages, doing transactions with other parties, depositing profit, and so on.

Tax:

No freedom from taxes! Now you have to enroll your company as a VAT taxpayer in the tax bureau. Depending upon the nature of your business, you can be a small-scale or large-scale taxpayer. It requires your company to have Fapio. It does business with locals much more effortlessly and smoothly.

Do you want to learn more about setting a company in China?

When blockchain technology was introduced in 2009, few regarded it as a threat because little was known about it, but it has now evolved into the next big thing in most sectors. The banking sector has not been spared, with some experts, such as CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, saying “it is worse than tulip bulbs.” There is a lot of scepticism as more stakeholders wonder whether blockchain will revolutionize the elements of the banking system. Here are the common fears for the banking system from the fast proliferating blockchain.

The Role of Decentralized Finance in Banking 

Blockchain provides a method for untrusted parties to agree on the state of a ledger, call it a database that processes transactions without having to use an intermediary. This implies that by providing services, such as payments, it is now possible to operate without a bank. That is the emerging reality for most banks and is worrying them because there is a danger of getting run over.

Another blockchain service that could change things for the banking sector is the application of smart contracts.

These are self-executing contacts that can automate the manual procedures, from compliance to the distribution of content. Because they are self-executing, the process is cheaper, faster, requires no lawyers and there is no way for one party to short-charge the other. The time lapses, the contract executes!

A Deeper Look at Areas Where Blockchain Could Disrupt the Banking Industry

The core reason blockchain is gaining traction is that the banking system has been very rigid and expensive. Therefore, people have been suffering silently and anxiously waiting for a new solution. So, the truth is that the solution they have been looking for might be the blockchain. Here is how it is disrupting the highly conservative banking industry.

• Payments 

Today, people make transactions worth trillions of dollars using traditional payments, which are quite slow, expensive, and unsatisfactory. A person working in California who wants to send some money home in the UK might be charged a flat rate of $25 using wire transfer plus additional fees. To make the case even worse, the money might take days to reach the destination. Now, blockchain is here to crumble everything, allowing you to make transactions cheaply and at lightning speed.

The only thing that you need is to have the sender and recipient on the same network. This implies that the transaction is completed instantly, whether it is for an emergency or purchases on the market. Even the blockchain networks that take longer, such as Bitcoin, will only require a couple of minutes to get the transaction completed. Now, blockchain wallets are being used to make even micropayments or transactions of less than one dollar.

Well, we have just started drifting from the banks, and the shift is expected to keep moving even further.

• Fundraising 

Raising money, whether for personal reasons or investment, has been a reserve of a few entities, such as banks through loans and capital markets through the sale of shares. To secure a loan for your enterprise from a bank is a very complex process, which requires a lot of things, such as background checks, credit scores, and use of collateral. It also takes a long period and the loans come with a lot of charges.

Blockchain is about to change the concept of fundraising completely. Today, you can raise a lot of money through initial coin offerings (ICOs), which give access to a larger pool of investors. Some companies that successfully raised money using ICOs are Bancor ($153 million) and Status ($90 million). Now, you can also use Decentralized finance loans to borrow money against your coins.

These are only a few of the areas where blockchain has started causing disruptions for various sectors, especially the banking industry. Other services that blockchain is offering in a more convenient and cheaper way include securities, clearance systems, and credit. Simply put – you can now get the banking services on the blockchain faster and more cheaply. To learn more about blockchain and how to implement it in your system for higher efficiency and success, call Hi Dollar for assistance.

​​A timeshare is a type of vacation ownership that usually includes the right to use, but not own, the property. Timeshares are sold in two types: points and fractional shares. A point is defined by the developer as a unit of time, such as one day or week, while fractional shares represent an undivided interest in a number of points.

There are many hidden costs when buying a timeshare vacation home. The upfront cost may seem low when you purchase it, but when you start considering maintenance fees and annual dues it can be much higher than you anticipated.

Evaluating Hidden Costs of Buying a Timeshare

There are hidden costs of buying a timeshare that you may not know about. These costs are usually more subtle, but they may include things like maintenance fees, taxes, and even legal fees. You should also know the risks of buying a timeshare. You can be sued for buying a timeshare if you don’t read all the paperwork or if you sign without reading it carefully.

You can also buy something that doesn’t allow you to use it at any time that you want to. Some people don’t know how much it costs to buy a timeshare either. The price of the initial purchase depends on which company is selling it and their business model. For instance, if it’s an annual membership with a one-time renewal option, then the price. If you are looking to get out of a timeshare commitment, seek professional help from timeshare exit companies.

Different Types of Timeshares

There are two different types of timeshares. One is property ownership and the other one is property rental. Property ownership happens when you buy a timeshare for sale, this means that you own the rights to use that suite for any time during the year. Property rentals happen when you rent a suite for a shorter period, usually by paying an upfront fee and then paying weekly or monthly during your stay.

Benefits of Buying a Timeshare

A timeshare is a type of real estate investment in which several people jointly purchase property, usually a condominium, resort hotel or multi-unit building. The benefits of buying a timeshare are that it provides the buyer with the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of home ownership without having to take on all the responsibility.

Costs of Owning a Timeshare

Owning a timeshare has many advantages. You will have the opportunity to enjoy different vacations throughout the year, and you can take your time to any destination. However, for this privilege, you need to pay a monthly or yearly fee. The monthly or yearly fee is usually called an “association fee” which varies based on the amenities offered by the time share resort.

For example, if there are more facilities offered at one resort, then it will cost more money every month/year than another resort with fewer amenities provided. The weekly or monthly rates are also dependent on the season that you are occupying your week or month at your timeshare unit.

When you have a credit card, you can look forward to many different benefits. A credit card allows you to make purchases both online and offline, buy what you need without the worry of carrying cash around, and spread repayments on purchases if you wish to do so. In addition, you can benefit from an excellent choice of credit cards to cater to a variety of needs, and this includes ones that enable you to earn credit card rewards.

Many people decide to go for a rewards credit card because it means that they can basically get something for nothing. Of course, you need to ensure you choose the right type of credit card, as there are various options that you can choose from with different rewards that are designed to cater to different lifestyles and preferences. You also need to make sure you pay your balance in full each month so that you are not charged interest, otherwise, the amount of interest you pay could outweigh the rewards you get. In this article, we will look at how you can benefit from these credit cards.

How You Can Benefit

There are lots of ways in which you can benefit when you use a rewards credit card, and this provides a great way to get something back for being a customer and using your card. Some of the benefits are:

You Can Earn Rewards Easily

One of the benefits of these credit cards is that you can earn rewards and points very easily, and this means that your points balance can grow far faster than you might imagine. Some credit cards give you a lump sum of points when you first open your account and start using your credit card. Some then offer additional points for certain types of purchases, and others enable you to earn bonus points for friend referrals. Of course, you also earn points for using your card in the normal way, so the number of points can grow quickly.

There are Lots of Options

Another of the benefits is that there are various options when it comes to rewards credit cards, with a range of different cards offering a variety of different rewards. This means that you can find a card that offers the types of rewards that you know you will use, which enables you to make use of the points and save money on a variety of things. You can get cashback credit cards, travel rewards cards, and much more. So, make sure you look for the right type of card for your specific needs.

Convenience and Ease

Of course, you also have the added bonus of having a credit card that you can use for making purchases whether online or offline. This means you have the security of not having to carry cash around, and you also get more financial protection when you use a credit card for purchases.

These are some of the reasons to get something for nothing with a rewards credit card.

There are many difficult choices you have to make in your life. Gone are the days when we used to live in villages when there was only a simple lifestyle you had to follow. In today’s fast-paced world, there are many challenges like healthcare problems, so you can maintain the quality of your life.

But how can you pay the hefty fees of hospitals? What if you or any of your family members get ill, and you have no money to pay for their medical expenses? The only reliable solution you have is buying a life insurance plan.

The life insurance plans are amazing whether you are single or have a family. Insurance allows you to keep your savings safe, and you don’t get to pay for the expenses at all. In this article, we will share the top reasons you should buy a life insurance plan – keep reading till the end! 

1. An Amazing Coverage

Life insurance plans don’t have poor coverage. The comprehensive coverage plan allows you to get all the benefits of the latest and greatest healthcare. You will not have to pay any expenses whenever you get admitted to a hospital.

Another option you have when choosing a Life Insurance plan is that you can either buy the insurance for yourself or everyone in the family. You can save money on a life insurance plan if you live alone, or if you have a family, then you can buy an insurance plan that provides coverage for everyone in the family.

2. No Need To Pay Money

The biggest benefit of a life insurance plan is that it saves you from paying the hospital fees. You will not be required to pay when you get admitted to the hospital and when you leave it. However, you might have to pay the fees yourself in some cases, and the insurance provider will compensate you later.

You will also not be required to pay for the ambulance fee, the money you have to spend on food, medicine, or any other health expenses. Your life insurance will have you covered for all your expenses – so you can focus on recovery instead of worrying about the expenses.

3. Ability To Change Anytime

What if you have a life insurance plan, but you are not happy with the benefits you are getting with it? The good news is that you can shift your insurance plan to any other company whenever you want. No agreement can stop you from making the transition from one provider to the other.

The transition process from one insurance provider to the other is also smooth. You don’t have to wait for years for the transfer to complete. All you have to do is to get all the important documents together, apply for the change, and the shifting of your insurance policy will take place in no time.

4. Making Yourself Secure Financially

Financial security is very important in this day and age. If you don’t have financial literacy and keep making wrong money decisions, you will face huge problems in the future. The only safe out of possible future problems is making an actionable financial strategy.

Buying a life insurance plan saves you from paying money all the time whenever you get ill. Your insurance provider will pay your medical costs, and it will become easier for you to focus on savings and investment. The financial security you get with an insurance plan will help you generate wealth and become financially stable.

5. Plan For Everyone In The Family

If you have a big family, then you have to get ready for huge responsibilities. The government isn’t responsible for taking care of the issues you or your family faces. It’s your job to ensure that everyone in the family is safe from financial troubles.

The life insurance plan you buy helps you get proper coverage for everyone in the family. You will not have to worry about healthcare costs. Instead, you will be focused on spending your time with your family member, so they can recover faster in your presence.

6. Increase Your Savings

Savings are the most important asset for your financial security. There are not many secure investment plans that can provide huge profits unless you know how investments work. Therefore, by the time you learn about financial institutions and processes, you have to save enough money.

One of the biggest reasons why it’s important to buy a life insurance plan is that it allows you to save your money. Instead of spending it all whenever you get ill, you get the chance to keep your money safe for yourself and your loved ones. Your savings can help you achieve other important things in your life.

7. Availability Of Treatment Plans

Advancements in medical science have provided amazing new treatment routes. Gone are the days when advanced healthcare was only for the royals ruling the country. The brave new world of democracy provides equal healthcare to everyone.

But how can you ensure that you have enough money to support your medical expenses? The only proven solution is getting a proper life insurance plan. The insurance plan will help you get the best medical treatment that ensures swift recovery. Many insurance providers are connected with the top medical hospitals, which help you get the best medical treatment on priority.

8. Checkups Without Paying Fees

Regular checkups help you find out if there’s something wrong with your bodily processes. A complete checkup allows the doctors to find out where you are lacking from the medical point of view and how you can overcome all of these problems.

But what if you don’t have enough money to go for a regular checkup? How about paying the checkup fees of everyone in the family? You will not be able to pay the fees if you don’t own a corporation or have huge bank accounts. A proper solution is buying a life insurance plan that will help you enjoy the benefits of free medical checkups – so you can focus on the improvement of your health! 

There are many reasons why you may be moving from one place to another. Often, a job change requires a relocation. Or, you may need to move closer to an ailing family member. Perhaps you simply need a change of scenery and are eager to start over somewhere different. Whatever your reasons may be, moving can be exciting and challenging at the same time. As happy as you might be for this event, there is a lot to do and not always a lot of time to accomplish the tasks.

By hiring a professional moving company like International Van Lines, you can reduce your stress and lighten your burdens. Professional movers handle the heavy lifting and transportation of your items. Some companies may offer to pack your belongings as well. If you are worried about time or the amount of possessions you need to move, hiring the pros makes a lot of sense.

Be aware that there are many moving companies in your area, with each vying for your business. Not each company is the same, and some may lack the traits you need in a moving partner. Reading online reviews is an essential step in the process of finding the right company.

Reviews Are Unbiased

It’s vital to research different options when it comes to choosing a moving company. You can start by identifying movers close to you and reading about them online. Company websites can provide helpful information such as pricing, availability, and the services they offer. But you need to supplement this research with online reviews.

Reading company websites will give you all the positive aspects of the company. It is a subjective way of looking at movers and what they can provide. By contrast, an online review gives you a look at the experiences of actual customers who are not personally invested in the moving company. People who write the reviews do so willingly and are free to express their positive or negative experiences.

Reviews Can Narrow Your Choices

With so many moving companies to choose from, you may feel overwhelmed. How can you know which one is best when, on the surface, they all seem alike? Reading online reviews is an effective way of spotting key differences between the choices.

When you read a review, you can find elements at the company that you wouldn’t otherwise know. Reviews point out issues such as how good or poor the customer service was, whether there were any hidden fees, whether the movers showed up on time, and how fast they were at loading and unloading.

These are essential features of a moving company. By reading what customers have experienced, you can eliminate some movers from contention and continue to consider others.

Reviews Can Confirm What Others Are Saying

As you are getting ready to move, you may start asking people you know about professional moving companies. Family members, friends, neighbors, or coworkers may have used a particular company and may recommend them. It’s always good to confirm these referrals by reading online reviews. Comments from other customers (who have no connection to you) can validate what you are hearing from other people.

There Is a Lot at Stake

You make choices throughout the day, each day of your life. Many of these decisions are largely inconsequential and do not require extensive planning or thought. The effects of some choices will not be significant one way or the others. This is not the case when it comes to moving to a new home. If things do not go smoothly, you can suffer the consequences for weeks, months, or even years.

Picking the wrong moving company can be detrimental. Your belongings could become damaged or lost. You may not move all of your possessions out of your home in time or may arrive much later than you planned at your destination. You could even find yourself in your new home while still waiting for the moving truck to arrive (which could be more than a day behind). The stress can grow and build upon the anxiety you were already feeling. 

Moving can be incredibly costly, depending on the distance and amount of possessions you plan to move, so making sure you’ve done thorough research before signing on the dotted line is crucial. While it’s true that not everything you read online is accurate and believable, online reviews can be an effective tool in choosing a moving company that you feel good about. Use this strategy when you find out you will be moving. The sooner to start to look for movers, the more likely your move is to go well.

If you are moving soon, you can feel a lot of stress and pressure. When everything starts to seem impossible and too much to bear, call a professional moving company. Movers have the knowledge, training, and skill to quickly and safely load up the moving truck and transport your possessions to your new home.

Of all the things you own, your home is most likely the most valuable. You make a significant investment when you buy a home. You also spend a lot of time and money taking care of it, so it affords the comforts and security you need. Maintenance and upkeep can be pricey, especially as your home ages and elements of it start to wear out.

If you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars fixing appliances and getting systems back on track, there is a way to alleviate your stress. With a home warranty, you can keep more of your hard-earned money but still properly service or replace your household items.

A home warranty typically comes with a brand-new house. After it expires a year later, that same protection goes with it. Newer homes may not need this coverage, but as your house ages, so will other aspects of it. If your home is decades old, it may be time to purchase home warranty protection for your home.

Breaking Down a Home Warranty

You should first understand that a home warranty is not the same as homeowners insurance. The latter protects your home against losses or damages if there is a catastrophic event such as fire, severe winds, or theft. With a home warranty, you have coverage when appliances and systems suffer wear and tear and no longer work properly or at all. You can also turn to a home warranty plan if something covered breaks down unexpectedly.

You don’t have to break your budget to buy a home warranty. You can typically find coverage for as little as $300 a year up to $700. Many companies will let you break up your payments into monthly obligations. When something falters and needs service, the warranty company will send a professional over to look at it and perform the necessary work to get it back into good order.

Be advised that a warranty won’t cover your appliances and systems in every situation. The items must be properly installed, and you must use them the right way. Deliberately breaking them, so you can have service is not allowed. There are also limits on how much the warranty will cover per item.

Appliances and Systems Could Be Near the End of Their Life Span

Living in an older home means that items such as the roof, plumbing, electrical system, and HVAC system could be living on borrowed time. It may have been a while since these areas saw much attention. In an older home, there is a good chance that appliances such as the stove, oven, dishwasher, and water heater have put in many years of hard work.

With older items, a serious problem may require more than just a few new parts and components. Making some tweaks here and there might not solve the problems. A technician might have to replace these items. Be prepared for these events by purchasing a home warranty.

A Home Warranty Tech Can Handle Any Appliance of Any Age

When something breaks down, it can be stressful to have to find a qualified professional to make the necessary repairs. A nice benefit of a home warranty is that the company will contract with a licensed professional to take care of everything. You won’t have to spend any time tracking down someone you know will do good work.

The warranty company’s technician will have experience working on a variety of appliances, including different models. Even if the item is on the older end, you can count on the service tech to make an accurate assessment and either repair it thoroughly or install a new model. 

You’re Bound to Save Money

Older homes require a lot more work than newer ones. That shouldn’t be surprising, but just how much it would cost to fix or replace areas of your home might be eye-opening. What you think is a simple fix on a dishwasher might end up being $250. Replacing an appliance such as a fridge could run you more than $2,000. Overhauling the electrical, plumbing, or HVAC system could cost thousands or even numbers approaching $10,000.

If you don’t have this kind of cash available, what options do you have? It’s difficult to live without the conveniences of these appliances and systems. A home warranty enables you to repair these issues without spending anything out of your pocket beyond the service fee and annual warranty price.

Knowing you can save money to this extent should give you peace of mind. Now, you don’t have to stress out about how you will come up with $1,000 to fix that broken sewer line.

A home warranty makes sense for a lot of homeowners. It’s a good move, especially for those who own older homes. If this sounds like you, look into getting this coverage today.

Are you an investor interested in getting a feel, touch, and security that comes with owning gold? If the answer to the question is “yes,” it might be an excellent idea to consider gold bars instead of intangible options, such as gold futures and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).  However, some people indicate that the process is complex, while others end up making losses from common mistakes. To help you out, here is a complete guide on how to buy gold. 

Benefits of Buying Gold Bars

When you buy gold bars, it implies that you are getting gold in bars, blocks, or standardized shapes. You might find some people referring to them as ingots. Here are some of the main benefits of buying gold bars:

• They come with lower markups: Bullions are the cheapest way to purchase gold. When purchasing the bars, the recommended process is to ensure you do not pay more than 5-8% above the spot price on the market.
• It is an uncomplicated form of investment: With gold bars, you are simply buying blocks of metal. Unlike trading shares of selected gold companies, where you are required to start by opening accounts with brokerage firms, all that you need is placing an order online and the gold bars will be delivered to your doorsteps.
• Offer an excellent way to diversify investment: Instead of investing only in stocks or ETFs, which are very volatile, gold offers an excellent option for diversification. In the event of economic instability, you are sure that your investment in gold will not lose value.

How to Buy Gold Bars Fast 

The benefits that we have listed above are only a few of the most common ones. You also get to enjoy the satisfaction of being the owner of actual gold and a rise in price can result in growth of your investment. Now, we will tell you how to a buy gold bar fast.

• Set Aside a Budget for the Gold Bars 

Like other types of investments, the first step in buying gold bars is to set aside the money you want to use. So, once you make up your mind, check the latest prices to avoid exaggerated rates.

• Select a Trusted Gold Dealer 

One thing you need to appreciate about the gold market is that it is full of scammers. Therefore, it is paramount to try and avoid them at all costs. If you see a trader offering gold bars at a very low price or pressuring you to buy, this should be considered a red flag. To identify trusted and reliable traders, consider reviewing their operations, checking feedback from past clients, and their licenses. One of the trusted gold dealers that you can work with is GoldAvenue.

• Prepare Your Storage Unit 

Before placing order for a gold bar, you need to have a good way of storing it. If you want to store the bars at home, prepare a safe storage unit, preferably in the most hidden and secure place. Good examples include floor safe boxes and secure outdoor units. If installing safe boxes and keeping the gold bars safe is challenging, consider private repositories.

• Place Your Order 

Armed with a safe storage unit and a trusted goad dealer, it is time to place your order. This is the easy part. You only need to visit the preferred dealer online, select the gold bars of choice, and complete the payment. Your bars will be delivered to your preferred storage point.

Although many people consider the process of buying gold bars complicated, this post has demonstrated that it is pretty simple. However, you need to be extra careful and only deal with trusted gold dealers to avoid falling into the hands of scammers. To sell gold for more profits, make sure to carefully follow the latest price shifts as well as the driving factors, such as policy changes and emerging demand.

Learning how to invest in the stock market can be confusing and daunting sometimes. It mainly depends on how well you have practised the skills. But if you are a beginner, you can’t invest your hard-earned dollars just to practice. The only way to learn how to invest is by investing, but it is not necessary to invest your real dollars when you do so.

By playing stock market simulators games, you get to invest money that is fake in a real market situation. It teaches you how to trade for quick profits, minimize your losses, place different trade orders, and build an investment strategy. 

Benefits of stock market games

To understand how the stock market games helps you become a successful trader, you should know its benefit:

• Knowledge about brokerage: The stock market simulator also gives you experience about the brokerages and commission charged by brokers for making a particular transaction. 
• Understanding of stock market: Practice always makes a man perfect. So if you are regularly practising trading in the game, you develop a better understanding of the market’s ways and trends. As a result, in the real market, you will be able to perform better.
• Serves as a practice ground: Before starting investing real money in the stock market, it is advisable to polish your skill first by trading on a virtual platform. You can analyze your skill, knowledge and strategy before making a mistake in the actual market.

Playing in the simulator feels like you are trading in the real stock market. It can be an excellent platform to test your strategies and how you think of deciding on a price and stock option. 

Best stock simulator

Here is a list of the best stock simulator that you can try:

Investopedia stock simulator

Investopedia is an excellent comprehensive stock simulator game that you can try. This game lets you create a profile in an advanced online suite consisting of stock analysis, advance portfolio, stock research, summaries and many more.

It offers its users the easiest platform to use yet realistic way to practice trading. Moreover, it keeps you updated of the real stock news and insights to make you feel you are in the official trading app. It also includes a gamified and competitive aspect for its users.

In the competition, you get connected to around 700,000 investors worldwide and compete with them. This competition helps beginners to learn a lot as they gain immense knowledge in the process. The contest runs every quarter, and the game ranks you according to your growth and how well you were able to invest. 

The ranking helps boost up personal validation even if you are in the 109th place. Plus, the fact that you can earn award and prices double the motivation. You can check the best online trading platforms.

Motley Fool CAPS stock simulator

The game focuses on the principle of crowd-sourced investment wisdom. At the same time, the CAPS service provides by the game make you see the reason why a player made a pick. Usually, the players write a short write-up about the given stock which serves as a perfect tool for sourcing ideas. 

You can join the big competition with around ten thousand players, and in the end, you get a ranking based on your performance. However, if you want to gain knowledge, you can see what the leaders are buying and its reason. 

CAPS service keep on recording your performance in comparison to other players and gives score accordingly. The score does not depend on how much you earn instead, your pick. Also, it depends on, by how much it beats the market overall. But the most favourite part about the game is you can learn a lot by watching the top performers in action and can even bring up queries.  

Market watch stock simulator

MarketWatch is another excellent browser-based stock exchange simulator. Similar to Investopedia simulator it runs on a hosted platform under an official financial website for monitoring market. 

The platform allows you to make your own game or you can join the one already created. You can choose any game among the ten thousand games available on the list of fun right now. However, if you are creating your own game, you can set many parameters as you like. For instance, how long the game will continue, whether the player will short-sell or trade on margin, and the starting virtual money every player will get.  

You can trade in real-time using your virtual portfolio. It allows the player to talk strategies with other players in the discussion room of your game. Moreover, other people can join the customized private or public game that you have designed.  

Wealthbase

It is the newest addition to stock market games, and it is very much fun to play. Just like the other, you can design your own game here and set its rule. After creating the game successfully, you can send them to your friend via email and ask them to join the virtual contest you will have in a few minutes. 

One of the essential benefits you get in wealthbase is it is not subjected to desktop only; you can also play it through a mobile app.

The game’s interface is super smooth; you don’t have to wait for hours to load it. Moreover, social elements make the competition more interesting. The game will allow you to see the live feed of the stocks your competitor are picking. At the end of the day, you will get updates of your progress; you can also view charts and news feeds to grow yourself more. 

Conclusion

Stock games are isn’t just for beginners; it is also for the pro trader. Beginners get knowledge about the real trading situation and its outcome without losing real money. At the same time, pro traders receive an opportunity to test their trading skills and gets a reward in return. It is an enjoyable, entertaining and risk-free way to hone your skills. Among so many options available for stock games choose the one that suits you and meet all your requirement.

It has always been important to manage your personal finances but now more than ever. The world is a different place from the one we knew 18 months ago before the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic swept the planet. Many people have lost their jobs or had their hours cut by employers, resulting in slashed budgets and their purse strings tightened.

Creating a budget and analyzing your spending habits may seem tedious, but it is essential. It would be best if you lived within your means regardless of your household having a monthly income of $2,000 or $20,000; even those people earning large salaries can and do endure money problems.

Create a Detailed Budget

Your first step to managing your finances is to create a detailed budget, so you know exactly how much money you have left once your essential bills and living costs, which is known as your disposable income. Professional gamblers have done this for years; they call it bankroll management. Someone betting for a living on Vegasbetting.com will only ever bet with what they can afford to lose. You should only really spend what you can afford to. The principle is the same.

There is no need for fancy accounting software when creating your budget. A simple spreadsheet or writing it down on a piece of paper will suffice.

Start by listing all your guaranteed income, and do so down to the last cent. This figure is made up of your salary, benefits, etc. Do not include periodic payments to your income, such as overtime payments, because they are not guaranteed. You want to arrive at an overall figure that is the worst-case scenario.

If you do have occasional, semi-regular payments, such as dividends from investments, consider listing these. However, do so as an average over the year. For example, if you receive $120 per year from investments, list this as $10 per month if you list them at all.

Do Not Forget About Irregular Costs

It is time to make a list of all your outgoings or expenditures now you have arrived at your total monthly income figure. This section can be a little daunting because you are likely to have many more expenses than income.

Essential costs are the first items to put into your spreadsheet. These are fixed costs that you have to pay regardless of anything else, including rent or mortgage payments, powering your home, and any debts that need repaying.

Next up, jot down all your outgoings that can be variable and that you have some control over. Include your average grocery shopping bill, not forgetting to list the average cost of rarely purchased items such as cleaning products and the like.

Your last set of expenses are non-essentials or luxuries. Think along the lines of cable fees, the internet, magazine subscriptions, etc.

It is essential to list other irregular costs like car maintenance, buying clothes, and going to the hairdresser. If you splash out and have your hair cut twice a year at $100 per time, that is $200 a year and $16.66 per month you have to budget for.

It Pays to Shop Around

Subtract your total expenses from your total income to arrive at your disposable income, the money you have available to spend each month. It may be a figure you are happy with, or you may want to improve it. The only way to do the latter is to earn more money or reduce your outgoings.

The first option of earning more money is not as easy as it seems. Reducing your expenditure is simpler.

It pays to shop around when it comes to your service providers. Contact different power companies, cable and internet providers, anything where there is competition in the marketplace for your custom. You can play them off against one another — you can even threaten to leave if they don’t give you a better deal — and you will be surprised at how much money you can save just by signing up to a different tariff.

We are living in stressful times, do not let money worries stress you further. Get your finances on track with a simple household budget.

In these modern times, credit cards are a staple in every individual’s wallet. After all, this is the era of digital payments and cashless transactions taking place in nanoseconds. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee on the go, are out on a dinner date with your better half or simply enjoying a shopping spree alongside a lovely companion; credit cards are always there to the rescue and there’s a chance of getting cashback & rewards on your purchases too.

The most important thing is knowing how many of these plastic cards you require in your wallet. Some financial experts insist that carrying a single credit card is more than enough. In this post, we will walk you through the benefits and risks of owning multiple credit cards.

Tip: There’s no one-size-fits-all approach applicable to owning credit cards. At the end of the day, it all comes down to an individual’s ability to manage his/her credit bills responsibly while keeping up with the due dates. 

More Cards, More Benefits

Credit card issuers constantly keep on attracting consumers with fascinating perks and cashbacks. That’s what keeps the customers coming their way.  You might be tempted to opt for more than one credit card. You could keep one for personal spending and the other for business spending. It will help you keep the finances separate. 

Moreover, you can also opt for a card that offers rewards on groceries, another that offers enticing cashback or reward on dining and another that lets you place orders on international websites without charging any hefty foreign transaction fees.

Having different credit cards allows you to earn rewards and cashbacks on every purchase made using a credit card. For instance, you can easily earn up to 5% cashback on groceries, hotels, fuel and dine-outs. Some cards offer FLAT 1% cashback on all purchases made using them.

The only downside is that if you have too many credit cards, you may end up forgetting a due date or even lose one of the cards. One wrong move and you’ll ruin any savings earned. 

Sometimes, having even two credit cards could be troublesome for those who can’t afford to pay off their bills or are weak at practising self-control. 

Risk: You might end up in a debt trap

Financial experts fear that credit card users might rack up huge bills and expenses. Well, we strongly believe that it’s nothing other than a myth. If you’re owning multiple credit cards, you’ll be way better at managing your expenses. You’ve to be disciplined enough to realise when you’re overspending or else you’ll end up in the debt trap. Don’t go overboard by creating debt that you can’t afford to pay. 

Benefit: Helps secure loans with minimal interest rates

If the credit cards are being used wisely, they’re known to strengthen your stance in the credit score range and later you can secure loans with nominal interest rates. On the other hand, if you fail to manage it responsibly the stakes are pretty high and may turn you ineligible for future lending. 

Benefit: Get rewarded on your spendings

Isn’t it tempting to get rewarded for doing your monthly groceries? It certainly is! Many credit cards offer cash backs, rewards, incentives and promotions at certain brands they’ve partnered with, which is a great thing for any shopaholic. 

Benefit: Buy now, pay later

The best thing about paying through a credit card is that you don’t get billed right away. There’s no need to worry if you’re roaming around cashless because these plastic cards have you covered.

It is quite convenient to use a credit card for your purchase, as it will let you get hold of the product/service instantly and not get billed for it until your payday rolls around. 

Risk: Losing the track of due dates

This is pretty common when you own multiple credit cards. Being diligent and responsible enough is the key to maintaining a good credit score. The best way to keep up with the due dates is by setting up reminders. 

No matter how many credit cards you own, it is suggested to carry not more than two at a time. You’ll still have a backup card in case your primary card is declined due to any XYZ reason. It also minimizes the risk of losing all your cards if your wallet goes missing. 

If you’re one of those impulsive individuals that easily draw themselves into a huge pile of debt, then you shouldn’t sign up for a credit card at all! Also, you should consider reading these five useful tips that will help you limit your overspending habit. 

Risk: Frauds & scams

Ever imagined having your credit card being suspected of potentially fraudulent activity? In such a scenario, your card will be frozen until you assure your credit card company on call that you are on a vacation in Egypt and the card is with you. This pretty much justifies the need to carry a backup credit card. 

Sometimes, your credit card details might be compromised if you’re a victim of phishing. Unfortunately, there’s no fool-proof way of avoiding such scam attempts. Because of such unavoidable circumstances, it’s always a good idea to own at least two or three credit cards. 

A credit card is undoubtedly a lifesaver when you are caught up in an emergency. To cope up with an unexpected emergency whether it is paying off a medical bill, losing your job or covering a car repair; credit cards can be quite useful in such testing times. Ideally, your credit card should have zero annual fees and a reasonable credit limit with the best & minimal interest rate. 

Having several credit cards comes up with the responsibility of managing credit card limits on each and paying their balances before due dates.

Starting a new business is potentially one of the scariest things you will ever do in your adult life, even when compared to having children. Babies, as scary as they can seem, generally all work in the same way and their behaviour becomes largely predictable. Having a business, on the other hand, can be incredible one day and insanely terrifying the next. You will fall eventually into a rhythm with both though, so don’t panic. The most important thing to remember when starting your own business is that it is nothing like what you have seen on TV. Businesses, especially start-ups, require money and sometimes a lot of it. You may think you’ve factored in all the costs but you probably haven’t – here are 5 less common costs that you need to know about before starting your own business:

1. Insurance

Business insurance is a requirement of the law in most states, especially when your business is open to the public. Trust me, if anything ever did happen and your business got sued for a slip and fall injury, you’ll be grateful that you had that insurance to help with legal experts. Insurance premiums will vary, depending on your coverage so consult with your broker to determine the recommended coverage option for your business.

2. Permits

Permits are the worst kind of hidden business expense but they are a necessary part of doing business within your community. Permits are, unfortunately, rarely a once-off fee and your business will likely have to continue paying these from time to time for the entire time your business is operational. Before you start or buy a business, consult your local government offices or chamber of commerce professional groups to get more details about your area.

3. Software Licensing

We all know that new businesses require office equipment like computers, scanners, and printers but most of us forget that those computers require software programs that need to be licenced. Licensing costs can sneak up on you, especially the ones that require annual fees so take note of when your next payment will be due and set a reminder for a few months in advance so that you can make sure you’ve set aside that money.

4. Employee Benefits

Employee benefits may seem like an unnecessary expense but they almost always pay off. If your employees are the right fit for your company then giving them added perks for working for you will make them feel appreciated, in return they will work harder for you.

5. Utilities

Everyone knows that office rental is a major expense for most businesses but few companies realize how much they will be paying for the utilities for that office space. Power bills, water bills, sanitation costs, as well as heating bills will need to all be factored into your business’s monthly budget. Do your research and shop around for providers that will offer your company competitive rates for your utilities. If possible, consider frequent energy audit programs because these can help improve your business’s overall energy efficiency.

Focus on sustainability comes with a lot of benefits and you should be at the forefront to reap them for your organization. However, there are some managers who still see it as an expense that they can forego. So, have you adopted sustainability reporting in your organization? Is the process getting you the expected benefits?

It is true that it comes with some costs, but you should anticipate a lot more from the process. This post highlights some tips that you can use to make ESG sustainability reporting profitable.

What is Sustainability Reporting?

To be able to optimize profitability from the sustainability reporting process, it is crucial to start by understanding and internalize it well. Sustainability reporting is the disclosure of a company’s information about its significant social, economic, and environmental impacts. It is a full process that assists corporates in setting goals and methods of achieving them. Therefore, it sets the agenda for progressive changes that include enhancing profitability.

To make ESG sustainability reporting straightforward, companies are turning to automation tools, especially those that allow selected stakeholders to add relevant data. With sustainability reporting management software, your business is able to focus on new challenges and edge closer to achieving its goals for success. Here are some useful tips for profitability.

Define the Company’s Case for Sustainability 

From the definition of ESG sustainability reporting, you can see that the primary aim is reporting your social, economic, and environmental sustainability. To make the entire process sustainable, you should look at the company’s goals and refine them to emphasize sustainability. Take the case of a company that sets one of the sustainability agenda to be cutting down emissions by 50% in three years. In such a case, the improved efficiency will come in handy in cutting down raw material-related losses, improving productivity, and growing profits.

Make Your Employees Sustainable Champions 

Your process of sustainability reporting cannot be complete without involving employees because they are responsible for implementing related policies. Therefore, make sure to make them part of the process from the beginning. For example, you should demonstrate the importance of automation to the employees in order to reduce resistance. Therefore, start by training them on the multiple benefits that sustainability will yield to both the company and society.

With staff committed to sustainability, you will find it easy to not only reach the targeted goals but also surpass them by a considerable margin. For example, committed staff will be there to turn off lights and power when not in use and use computers for communication as opposed to printed memos. All of these actions will translate to lowering costs of production and increasing profitability.

Create Transformative Change 

The starting point of the sustainability reporting process is crafting strategies to achieve your company’s goals for sustainability. However, the report you generate only serves as a platform and could help to propel your company to higher profitability. Here is how you can do it.

• Use sustainability report to demonstrate commitment to improving the society and environment. This will be a great way to build a stronger and better community around your brand.
• The sustainability report can help you to win a bigger market share, grow sales, and move the company to the next level.
• Make sustainability reporting a platform to inform new changes needed for higher profitability.

One of the best decisions that you can make in your company is to adopt ESG sustainability reporting because it breathes new life into every unit. While the efforts will no doubt attract some costs, such as buying new equipment and training staff, the value that comes with it can catapult you right ahead of the park. This is why you need to follow the right procedure for gathering data, focusing on accuracy and honesty. Consider automating the process by acquiring and using appropriate sustainability management software. 

Words are useful in creating meaning; Pictures amplify the meaning created and videos give it credibility. This explains why most businesses make use of videos to pass messages to the target audience and consumers.

Videos are effective tools of communication that beats language, cultural and racial barriers to convey meaning. If you stay in Vancouver or any part of the world, you will find that videos are gaining prominence in the communication world.

Getting good visuals for your business requires that you hire a reputable video production company. With this, you are sure to get original and unique content that will convey your brand’s message in the most suitable manner. A good media company converts the concept of a brand to a captivating video that will prompt the desired response from the target audience.

If you are looking to hire a video production company, you will find that it is a bit daunting especially if you don’t know the qualities to look out for. However, with the right guide, you can easily find a good company to handle your project. We will also simplify the search process for you in this article by outlining some tips to guide you. 

Video Production

Video production is the process of creating a video. It takes different forms such as product overviews, demo, video blogs, social media videos, or customer testimonials. Video production is essential in the creation of brand awareness and the generation of fresh business leads.

Videos have a record of evoking the desired response from members of the public and businesses are constantly using them to achieve set business goals and objectives.

Reasons to Use a Video Production Company

Here are some reasons why you should hire a video company:

Originality

Video production companies are regularly contacted by clients that run different kinds of businesses and this makes them engage in research to give them unique content. Understanding the visual industry requires proper research and this has led to the investment of huge human and financial resources in research by media companies. 

Research allows these companies to stay updated with trends within the social space to know what consumers need and come up with measures to satisfy a client’s creative need. With this, clients are served content that is exclusive to their brand in a way that carves out a niche as well as an identity for them in the market. 

If you need other tips on how to stay updated with market trends, you can watch this video.

Professional Output

There is a huge difference between work done by a trained professional and a novice in the industry. While creating visuals for a project may be considered a DIY project, allowing professionals to handle it gives a top-quality output that will achieve the set goals and objectives of the business. 

Furthermore, using an individual’s concept isn’t always enough especially when compared with a team of professionals handling a project. Contracting a team to handle a creative visual project makes room for a variety of concepts that will be used to convey the business message to the target audience. 

A team is usually made of people handling different stages of the creative process like video creators, freelancers that research market trends, and editors that check the suitability for the brand identity. All these personnel work towards the production of top-quality videos.

If you feel you want to handle your video production projects and you need tips to guide you, you can check here: https://www.skillshare.com/blog/learn/videography-for-beginners

Saves Cost

Your budget goes a long way in determining the kind of production you request. With a professional company, you get to save a lot of money that would have been used to try numerous productions while trying to get the desired result. A good company gives you an output that can be used to run different marketing campaigns even after some time.

One notable thing about working with a professional is their ability to work with your budget. With this, they can create a suitable video for your business even with a limited budget. 

Similarly, there are enterprises that buy production equipment and train their staff on how to create visuals with them. While this is considered to be economical, it is not always ideal as there are upgrades and modifications that happen daily with equipment.

Additionally, most staff may not have good knowledge of video production and this may lead to poor output. If you are looking to handle your production and you need help, you can read articles explaining how to produce videos for assistance. 

Finding a Good Media Company 

The following are some tips to find a good company:

Use Local Companies

You can check out multimedia companies around you. Some of these companies also render good quality services to their clients and using them will be a good idea.

Check Online

There are several multimedia outfits that have websites where prospective clients can check out their services. You can use your favorite search engine to search for video companies around you. While doing this, always take out time to research a company before working with them. The essence of doing this is to avoid falling victim to fake or fraudulent companies.

One way to avoid fake companies is to read reviews published on the website. These reviews are effective in helping you to know the quality of service they render to clients. However, you may need to read between the lines to spot fake reviews. If you need help with spotting fake reviews, you can check here.

Conclusion

There is no better way to convey meaning other than with the use of videos. Videos are beautiful and are effective in giving credibility to a message. The production of a good video isn’t always a stroll in the park hence you need a good company to handle the project. We have discussed some tips to help you with finding a good company as well as the benefits of using a professional for your visual projects.

Gold has preserved its value over the years, and it’s still essential in many industries today. This is why a lot of people are interested in owning it or at least have a portion of their investments in precious metals.

In the past, gold and silver were only owned by a minority of very wealthy individuals. However, as companies are going public, some of the assets are becoming accessible to individuals, and they became affordable as well. As a result, it’s common to see companies today buying and selling coins and bullions at an affordable rate.

Some of these transactions are safe, mainly if you only stick to the tried and trustworthy manufacturers. You can find more information about these companies by reading Birch Gold Group reviews and learning more about their investment products and services. Know that the regulatory authorities remit not all transactions. Many may be getting it from underground sellers, making it easier for some to enter this industry.

Buying precious metals often involves a large sum of hard-earned cash, and you need to ensure that you’re investing in something safe and valuable. When you know what factors to consider when selling or buying gold, you’re protecting yourself and becoming a wiser investor. Some of the points to consider are the following:

Factors to Know when Buying Gold

1. Verification and Authentication

The first thing to know is to verify whether the bullion presented to you is authentic. This is the same with coins. Verification processes should never be skipped because it’s essential. You may want to have a provider that buys directly from accredited associations, approved refineries, and mints to ensure that their assets are legitimate. If they are buying and selling from the general public, some of the coins may be fake, and you wouldn’t want this to happen to you.

The genuine articles have seals of authentication with them. The so-called chain of integrity is critical when it comes to providers and the overall infrastructure of the bullions. You should know about the origin of the bars that the sellers are offering you. The reputable ones will give you a bar with a serial number stamped on the surface where the purity is 99.5%. You can read more about bars on this site here.

Once you’ve carefully scrutinized and checked the gold bar, it’s time to see if it’s accepted into the professional market. They should remain in vaults that are accredited by international financial exchanges to ascertain that the contents are still pure and there’s no tampering that has occurred.

There are also international anti-money laundering requirements like knowing your customer that involves the photographic identification of clients. Regardless of whether the transactions include selling or buying, KTC will protect all parties involved, and there can be a trace of where the bullions originated.

In the case of coins, there is a gold coin detector like Fisch that’s used by international banks worldwide. Since the 1980s, investors and primary dealers have used these tests that offer services to their clients. You need to increase the chances of owning a genuine article to get the most value from your investment.

2. You Need Safe Storage Somewhere

Select providers that will give you a facility where you can store the precious yellow metals. There should be appropriate insurance, coverage, and highly secure storage where audit controls are done daily.

When you can have someplace where you can safely store your gold bars, you can expect to prevent additional expenses for re-authentication since the bullions have remained within the chain of integrity. The suppliers should never expose their clients in the first place by bringing the physical metals unnecessarily. They should stay in the storage facility for security.

Another thing is that it’s worth noting that your gold as a client should not be considered as property of the bank or broker. Therefore, they should not be included in the balance sheet of the company. If this interests you, you can always try exchange-traded funds that will pool the accounts, and the clients will be the unsecured creditor of the institution in the name of higher returns.

3. Avoid Specific Types of Gold

Owning physical gold coins and bars in a specific account is the safest way to own this asset. However, note that not all that provides sparkle is considered gold. Avoid brokers and telemarketers that are trying to hard-sell you. Know when someone is hard selling you on this page: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/hard-sell/.

Some of the scams are made for overpriced coins, which are often numismatic and semi-numismatic at an exorbitant rate. Consumers are known to have markups of over 100%, and some have been ripped off for 25%. The premium retail may between 5% to 10%, and they are lower with bars when a consumer makes a volume purchase.

Another thing is that leveraged trading is a very high-risk speculation. For example, if a gold medal has a material correction in a typical market, the investors could see their money gone instantly. Also, another point is that many buyers don’t own the metals themselves, and they are exposed to the other parties’ risks.

Know that it can be risky for you to sell your gold to the same provider where you bought it. This form of closed-loop transactions will create a dependency over time, and you may feel overly reliant on the whole thing. The country party is the one making the risks, and the price may not be worth it.

It’s better if you own the bars and physical coins and sell them to others. The markets out there are internationally competitive, and bullion dealers are available every time you want to sell. You just need to decrease your overall dependency and thought process that the provider is the only entity to sell your metals. The competition is essential to ensure that the price is right.

Choose the providers that have a stellar reputation in the international and domestic settings. Then, research them and ensure that you’re dealing with a reputable broker if you ever choose to do closed-loop transactions.

Though it may not be high on the list of priorities of many people when starting a family, having a life insurance policy is very important. It is very confusing for many since you do have to make sure that you choose the right policy for your needs and budget. But, there is more to it than that.

Picking the wrong policy or making a number of other mistakes can leave you in a bad position. In fact, some mistakes are big enough that you may need to hire a life insurance lawyer to help you. 

In this article, we will go over some common mistakes people can make with life insurance so you can avoid doing the same.

1 – You didn’t shop around

You may feel like getting the same policy with the same coverage is going to cost the same no matter what company you go with. Unfortunately, this is not true. There are so many variables that go into the quote that make it vary wildly from company to company.

This means that shopping around is essential. Try to go with a few different life insurance companies and see who is going to give you the best quote. Not only will you be able to find a deal, but you may also find that you can get better coverage than you had planned to get for around the same price by going with a different provider.

2 – Naming the wrong beneficiary

There is usually a good reason to name certain people or things as a beneficiary. Loved ones that happen to be minors, for example. Or, you may even want to name your estate as beneficiary. However, these are serious mistakes to avoid.

Starting with the mistake of naming an estate, the reason this is a bad idea is that it puts your estate beneficiaries in a bind in the event of your death. It can take a long time to get through the probate court which leaves them without the benefits.

Naming a minor as a beneficiary gets very complicated and expensive if you are deceased before they reach adulthood. If there is a dispute over who should be the legal guardian then this can delay the payment from the policy and cost a lot of money in lawyer and court fees.

3 – You fail to keep it updated

Things change over time as life goes on. What was seemingly set in stone a decade ago may have evolved and looks quite different today.

You will have to keep your policy updated as things in your life change to avoid any problems later. For instance, you may be divorced and will need to change your beneficiary. Or, you could find that the policy you thought provided enough coverage no longer does now according to your circumstances.

Review your policy periodically so you can be sure that there are no discrepancies that could cause a headache further down the road.

Slip and fall injury cases are by far the most common personal injury lawsuits. When considering just how severe the injuries can be from a slip and fall, claiming compensation is always the best decision. Even though most people would assume that a slip and fall can’t be that bad, this common injury often results in severe spinal cord injuries and even traumatic brain injuries depending on the specifics of the incident.

After experiencing a slip and fall, you should immediately seek medical attention to determine how severe your injury is. Even if you haven’t endured any severe and life-altering injuries from the incident, you should still contact a personal injury attorney in Tustin or your local area to conclude if you have a legal case and how much your injury case is worth. With that said, here are a few little known facts about personal injury law that could help you win your case.

Premises Liability Refers To More Than Just Slips And Falls

Premises liability does not just refer to slip and fall incidents as the law covers injuries that occur from negligent security, contaminated food, and even a defective elevator, to name a few. As a result, premises liability refers to all injuries sustained on the premises due to negligence. Your claim won’t be secluded to the slip and fall alone, as you may be eligible for additional compensation considering the level of negligence that led to the incident.

You Can Claim From Property Owners For Slip And Fall Injuries

Slip and fall injury claims are not secluded to businesses such as retailers and your place of work. Suppose you slip and fall while visiting a friend, family member, or acquaintance, and your injury is the result of their negligence as a property owner. In this case, you can claim from the property owner as they should have home insurance that covers such instances.

The Timeframe For Claims Depends On The Circumstances

While it is always best to file a claim as soon as possible regarding personal injury lawsuits, the timeframe for claims varies depending on the circumstances. Therefore, if you slip and fall on government-owned premises such as a park, public school, or any government building, you will have to file your claim within one year of the incident. On the other hand, if the slip and fall injury occurred on private property, a retail store, a restaurant, a hotel, or at your place of work, you will have a maximum of two years to claim for the injury.

Personal injury refers to a wide variety of injuries, and while slips and falls are the most prominent, road accidents are the next most common type of personal injury cases. However, regardless of your type of personal injury case, you should always rely on an expert injury lawyer to handle your claim process for you as this won’t just speed up the timeframe. Still, it will also ensure you receive the maximum compensation for your unfortunate experience. 

If you’re thinking about filing for bankruptcy, it’s probably not a decision you take lightly.

Bankruptcy is not an easy way to get out of paying your debts. Instead, you should view it as a means to get control of your finances and rebuild a strong foundation for yourself.

The consequences of bankruptcy can be pretty significant.

For example, bankruptcy proceedings may require that you give up your possessions and sell them to pay your creditors.

Bankruptcies also damage your credit, and they can impact your ability to get a loan for something like a house or a car well into the future.

Even if you are able to get credit from a lender in the future, you’re probably going to get a higher interest rate and less favorable terms than a borrower without bankruptcy.

After you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can expect that it will stay on your credit report for 10 years. If you file Chapter 13 bankruptcy, then it will stay on your credit report for seven years.

With a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, your trustee uses liquidated assets to pay off as much of your debt as possible, and then the rest is discharged. With a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you have to pay everything back within three to five years based on a court-approved payment plan.

Before filing for bankruptcy, you should consider all of your alternatives, including a debt consolidation loan, help from a government-approved credit counselor, and talking with your creditors to see if they’ll work with you on a repayment plan that’s more manageable for your financial situation.

If none of these things happen and you have no other choice, after a bankruptcy, you should take the following steps to start recovering.

Understand What Happened

The most important thing you can do as you begin to rebuild your financial life after a bankruptcy is truly gain an understanding of what happened and why you found yourself in that situation.

This can be hard because it forces you to look at bad habits and mistakes you made, but this really is the only way you’re going to be able to move forward.

Without knowing where you went wrong, you’re not going to know what to improve on in the future.

Check Your Credit Reports

Looking at your credit reports for the first time after a bankruptcy can be painful, but again you need to do it. This is the only way you’ll know where you’re starting so that you can track your progress.

Look for any mistakes, too, so that you can dispute them.

After you initially check your credit, you should sign up for a monitoring service. There are free options like CreditKarma, and they will help you stay on track of your progress and also alert you of any suspicious behavior that could be affecting your credit.

Maintain Your Home and Job

If you already have a job when you file for bankruptcy, do everything you can to keep it.

If you don’t have one already, then you need to find steady employment.

This will help to rebuild your credit and show you’re reliable. You should work to have a stable home too, whether you own it or it’s a rental.

Create a Budget

When you have a budget, it helps you truly know what’s coming in versus what’s going out. In order to rebuild your finances and also avoid making the same mistakes, you need to have a budget.

You need to start by including all of your income sources. From there, list your expenses and start to see where you can trim things.

Don’t be too rigid in your budget because that might make it impossible to stick to, and then it’s pointless.

Start Using a Secured Credit Card

A secured credit card is likely going to be one of the first things you begin utilizing after a bankruptcy to rebuild your credit.

A secured credit card is one that you can easily get approved for in most cases, even with bad credit.

The reason you can be approved is that the card is backed by a cash deposit you make. The deposit usually equals your credit limit.

If you deposit $300, then you can spend up to $300 with your card.

Eventually, if you pay your bill on time, you can raise your credit score enough to get an unsecured card.

An unsecured card may be an option if you have bad credit, but if it is, you can count on paying high fees to use it.

Either way, having a credit card, using it responsibly and paying on time are going to help you reestablish your credit.

As a note, a secured card might sound like a prepaid credit card, but there are differences.

With a prepaid card, you’re not getting the advantage of having it reported to credit bureaus.

Ideally, to make the most use of a secured card, you should only make one or two small purchases a month with it so that you don’t spend more than you should.

Then, each month, pay your balance in full. This helps you avoid paying any interest.

A secured card can start to improve your credit within about a year.

Aside from making one to two small purchases on your secured card a month, use only cash when you can.

Add Other Accounts to Your Credit

There are certain ways you can add things like your rent and utility payments to your credit report. For example, Experian offers Experian Boost. This lets you add your utility and phone bills in your report, and if you make them on time, then it helps improve your credit score.

Finally, be patient with the process and yourself. The impact of bankruptcy can be difficult at first, but if you’re diligent you can dig yourself out of it and re-establish your credit score. Take your time and look at it as a process.