To many people, starting their own businesses always sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, many do not realize their entrepreneurship dreams because they are afraid of failure; and considering that almost 90% of start-ups eventually collapse, it is justifiable.
Although it might be challenging – especially if you have to start from the beginning – it’s still possible, and you can make some money. Do you want to know how?
Here are four simple strategies to start a profitable small business from scratch:
1. Draw a feasible business plan
Creating your business plan marks the starting point for your entrepreneurship endeavour. It should outline your trajectory and your plan of action for the start-up.
Explaining how you can finance the venture and the kind of structure you want to operate are all must-do things for rising entrepreneurs. You will also need to define your goals, customers, and how to implement your strategies.
When you have a clear-cut plan, it guides you on how to run the business successfully. Investors may also be more willing to work with you if they realize that your business plan is feasible.
2. Budget and forecast
Nursing a business idea is not enough; you also need to budget and analyse your revenue generation potential. Doing this will allow you to know the expenses such as rent, utilities, and overheads.
For example, as these expert Chicago accountants put it, keeping track of every penny can save you a lot of money, in terms of taxes to be paid.
It is very likely that you may run into financial issues if the business is not generating cash from the onset.
So, make a reasonable budget, and have the foresight to predict when your cash flow will be maximum and whether you will need additional funding.
3. Connect with customers
Customers are essential for the success of new businesses as they drive operations. So, instead of waiting for your customers to find you, find them. You can do this by leveraging digital marketing strategies.
You may also want to employ email marketing campaigns and use the power of social media to drive customers to your business. There is proof that it works, with about 66% of end-users making purchases because they were touched by an email marketing advert.
4. Design a professional business website
Around 81% of shoppers head over to the internet to research before they order products. So, what happens to your business if potential clients cannot find any authority information on your brand?
The answer is you risk losing several customers to your competitors. So, register a domain name and have web developers build you a professional business website. This will help you boost your online visibility and attract buyers to your new company.
Bottom line: owning a profitable business is challenging, but with these four tips, things should be simple for you. If you think starting from nothing will be too much for you, you can consider acquiring a franchise for sale.
Franchises such as Visiting Angels can support you with training materials and detailed business models that guarantee high returns. So, why not start a business with the above strategies?
The coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic have impacted us all in different ways. One of the main ways in which it’s impacted many of our lives for the worst is our careers, incomes and financial stability.
Even the most financially organised and secure of us may have encountered issues over the past year as a direct result of the pandemic. Strict guidelines and social distancing measures that have been implemented to prevent and slow the spread of the virus have had an impact on companies, industries and specialisms of all shapes, sizes and types.
Countless companies have collapsed. Countless people have lost their jobs. Countless people have been made redundant. Countless people have simply had time to realise that the role they previously occupied just wasn’t for them and that they’d like a change of career. It’s not all too surprising that changes in career are abundant right now.
So, if you’re looking for something new, what kind of role could provide a stable and secure income right now? Here are a few that could potentially suit you down to a tee!
Medical Roles
Medical roles are extremely secure at all times. Unfortunately, there’s always a need for medical care, so any position with the healthcare field should always prove pretty stable.
Plus, these roles are extremely rewarding. You can head home each evening knowing you’ve improved someone else’s life for the better! Now, this isn’t a field that you can necessarily walk straight into. Most medical roles require a long education and plenty of training, but what better time to get started than now?
The type, of course, you’ll need to take will depend on the role or area of specialism you’d like to enter. This could vary from a nursing degree, which can last between three and four years of full-time study, to a medical degree, which will usually take six to seven years of full-time study.
Driving Roles
Driving roles are in high demand too. People want to use taxis more, as it exposes them to less people than public transport. People are ordering food and groceries to their homes rather than exposing themselves to more people in the supermarkets and stores.
People are ordering almost anything they can online with home delivery rather than heading out. So, driving roles are in high demand right now. If you can drive, this is something that you could get into relatively easily. Just make sure you follow all necessary rules and regulations and remember that TNC coverage is limited.
Grocery Store Roles
People are always going to need food, so grocery store roles are pretty secure at all times. There are countless roles within supermarkets and grocery stores, so consider which could suit you. There are delivery drivers, there are shelf stackers, there are checkout staff, there are managers, there are stockists… the list goes on and on.
These, of course, are just a few different roles that are in high demand right now. So why not give a few considerations? If not, there’s bound to be something else out there that will suit you too!
It’s all too easy to get into debt, especially if the pandemic has caused you money problems, but it can be very difficult to get back out of debt. It can take only a few months to create a huge amount of debt, which can take decades to pay off.
Everyone who pays of their debt does so in a different way. They will often combine strategies to gradually chip away at their debt, and stick to those strategies until the debt is gone. If you’re struggling and need somewhere to start, you can try some of these strategies to get out of debt.
Stop Creating More Debt
This won’t get you out of debt by itself, but at least your debt won’t be getting worse. If you keep adding to your debt, it will be a lot harder to make progress on getting your debt down, if you make any progress at all. Reduce the temptation to run up more debts by cutting up your credit cards, or hiding them from yourself.
Increase Your Monthly Payment
The less you pay toward your debt balances every month, the longer it will take you to pay off your dents. Interest can make it take even longer to pay off your debt. Any debt balance that is left will be racking up interest charges every month.
Take credit card debt, for example. The average credit card interest rate is roughly 50%, which means that the credit card debt you have will get 15% worse every month. If you can increase your monthly payments, such as with a debt snowball calculator, you can reduce the balance that is subject to that interest.
It’s only ok to pay the minimum on some of your credit cards when you have a debt repayment strategy that required you to make a big payment on one of your credit cards. The key is to make significant dents in at least one of your outstanding balances every month.
Build An Emergency Fund
An emergency fund might sound counterintuitive if you’re trying to get out of debt. You might think you could be using that money to pay off your debt instead of putting it in a savings account, but an emergency fund can help you avoid creating more debt. Savings give you a safety net that you can use if an emergency expense comes up, instead of using your credit card. Ideally, your emergency fund should have six to twelve months of living expenses in it, but build up whatever you can manage to put into a savings account.
Pick A Debt And Give It All You’ve Got
Some people increase all their minimum payments by just a little bit, but by doing that, your payments only drop by a small amount every month. You can make much more noticeable progress by making a big payment to just one of your accounts each month until that debt is completely cleared. In the meantime, you can make the minimum payments on all your other accounts. Clear one debt, then do the same with another, until they’re all paid off.
Ask Your Creditor For a Lower Interest Rate
A higher interest rate will keep you in debt for longer, as so much of your payment goes toward the monthly interest charge, and not toward your actual balance. Interest rates can be negotiable, and you can ask your creditors to lower your interest rate. Most of the lenders that use open banking will agreeably reduce the interest rates at their discretion. So, customers who have a good history of making payments are more likely to be successful in negotiating a lower rate.
You might be able to find a lower interest rate by looking out for promotions. If you use a balance transfer to get a lower rate, you can try to pay off the balance before the promotional rate expires. After the promotional period, you’ll be subject to higher interest rates.
Look For Ways To Put More Money Towards Your Debt
The more money that you can put toward your debt, the faster you will be able to pay it off for good. If you don’t already a budget, you need to create a monthly budget to better manage your money. Seeing all your expenses detailed like this can help you to work out where you can cut some expenses and use that money for your debt. You might also be able to find extra money for repayments by selling unwanted items or generating income via a hobby.
Withdraw From Your Retirement Fund
In extreme cases of debt, you might think about pulling money from your retirement account to pay off your debt. If you do this though, be aware that if you do this, depending on how much is in your fund, you may face early withdrawal penalties and additional tax liability. The specific penalty will depend on the account that your drawn from and how you send the money. Remember that when it comes to retirement, your savings will be short, both from the money that you withdrew, but also from interest, dividends, and capital gains that you could have earned with the money.
It’s possible to borrow from work-sponsored retirement plans, but this strategy does have risks too. If you leave your job, you will have to pay back the loan on a timeframe that could make your debt problems worse.
Cash Out Of Life Insurance Policy
You might have accumulated some cash in your whole or universal life insurance policy that you could put toward your debt. Like raising a retirement find, this is a risky strategy that can come with tax consequences. Borrowing from your insurance policy is also an option, but it can affect the death benefit that any beneficiaries will receive.
Settle With Your Creditors
Debt settlement can be a solution if your accounts are past due or you owe more money than you can repay over a few years. When you settle your debts, you ask your creditors to accept a one-off, lump-sum payment to satisfy the debt. Creditors who agree to this will agree to cancel the rest of the debt, but will usually only accept an offer like this on accounts that are in default or at risk of defaulting.
2020 has been a tough year for most of us. It has been a tough year in terms of health. It has been a tough year in terms of emotions. It has been a tough year in terms of finances.
For the moment, let’s focus on the latter of these categories. The coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic has thrown some of our finances into complete chaos.
Even some of the most financially stable amongst us have found ourselves experiencing financial difficulties at the hands of the pandemic – whether that’s due to job loss, reduced working hours or a reduced salary. But what can you do to keep on top of your money when it seems like the world is against you?
The job market is tough, it’s difficult to secure extra means of income and it’s extremely difficult to secure credit right now. Here are a few suggestions that should be able to help you along the way.
Know Your Rights
First and foremost, it’s important that you know your rights during times like these. With countless people becoming sick from the virus and countless people losing their jobs, it’s important to know your rights in regards to each to make sure that you aren’t taken advantage of and that you aren’t missing out on money as a result of others’ wrongdoings or mispractice.
If you are concerned that you have been made sick due to workplace negligence, or you haven’t received proper redundancy pay, it’s time to seek out legal aid from lawyers like a team of compensation lawyers. It’s already bad enough that you’ve gone through these difficult situations. You should at least be able to manage your bills around them.
Keep On Top of Payments
A lot of us have a lot on our minds right now. This is why it’s important that you don’t let important things like payment dates slip out of view. If you have set payment dates for different bills, it’s essential that you pay everything on time.
Otherwise, you can find yourself incurring costs like late payment fees and fines, plus marks on your credit rating, as a result of getting lackadaisy with your bills.
Where possible, set up direct debits so payments are taken out even if you are occupied or if you do forget. If you are struggling to meet payment dates, you need to contact the lenders, finance providers, your landlord, or anyone else who will be expecting payments to try to come up with an agreement or payment plan.
Seek Financial Support
There are plenty of sources of financial support out there, so make sure to see what you’re entitled to and to make sure that you apply for anything you can.
Governments around the world are aware that their citizens are struggling, so there are various schemes in place that could prove extremely helpful to you.
These are just a few ideas to get the ball rolling. Hopefully, each will help you to manage your money as effectively as possible during this pandemic. These difficult times can’t last forever, so this could really help to tide you over!
The seasons are changing and winter is slowly approaching. Although this year has felt largely like a blur to many of us, the end is almost nigh and we will be hearing Christmas music before we know it.
Autumn is a great chance for us to prepare our home for winter, and there are many different ways that we can do this.
Today we are going to take a look at some of the DIY jobs you can do around the house this year to make the most of your house in winter.
Seal the windows
The first easy job you can do this week around the house is seal your windows. The cold season is rapidly approaching and soon we will be fighting to stay warm and cosy.
To ensure that we can stay warm all winter we need to ensure that the sealant around our window frames is solid. Over time sealant can crack and rot away, so a fresh coat will make all the difference and keep your house warm all winter long.
Repaint your doors
Gloss paint is an underrated part of the house, and it can make a bigger impact than you may think to your home. Over time, a once beautifully white piece of gloss paint will become darker and more cream and yellow. This can make the rooms of your home look drab and dull.
Repainting your doors and skirting boards with white gloss paint is a simple DIY to do in your house this winter, and it will mean if you come to sell in the future, your single house will stand out from the crowd. Be aware that gloss paint takes a long time to dry so pick your moments!
Freshen up the walls
As well as refreshing the glosswork around the house, you could benefit from giving your walls a spruce up. You can easily spruce up the walls of your house with a new colour on the feature wall of your living room and your bedroom.
As well as this, consider painting over any white or neutral shade you have to brighten it up and make it look brand new. Painting your home won’t take too long and it will just make the space look and feel brand new.
Consider new carpet
One of the best DIY jobs you could consider doing before winter is to replace your carpets. Most of us have the same carpet for years on end and never think to replace it; but over time with scratches, traffic, and spills – a once beautiful carpet can look old and musty.
Breathe new life into your living space this winter with a new fluffy carpet, and enjoy a cosy and warm atmosphere for the whole winter. A new carpet really can make a room.
Refresh the kitchen cupboards
Our kitchen really comes into its own during the cold season. From making tasty sweet treats to hosting parties and cooking Christmas dinner there are many ways to utilise this room in winter.
Because we will be using the kitchen so much during winter, it is important for us to make the most of the space and refresh it now and again. One simple way to do this is to paint and refresh the kitchen cupboards.
Whether you have wooden or vinyl cupboard doors – you can add a fresh lick of paint or even get a fresh vinyl sheet to place over. A fresh new white or a burst of bright colour can make all the difference to your kitchen.
Install a new shower
Your shower is a commodity that will feel more like a treat during winter – and now is a great time to treat yourself even more. A new shower can be a great way to spend your hard earned cash this year, and it will ensure that you are able to enjoy a warm wash at the end of a cold miserable day.
There are plenty of stylish showers you can invest in such as a waterfall shower which will add a modern and contemporary feel to your whole house.
Tidy the garden
If you have a garden, autumn is a good time to head outside and get tidying. After summer has passed, many plants will die off and become dormant for the winter and this is a great time to get rid of ruffage.
There will be a lot of dead wood, leaves, and other debris in your garden at the moment, and once you clear this out you’ll be able to get rid of unwanted plants, make space for new winter blooms, and look forward to a fresh garden ready for spring.
Organise your pantry
We all know how easy it can be to hoard food in our kitchen cupboards and forget about it. If you are looking for a simple house job to do this week that won’t take too long, organising your pantry should be your number one priority.
Take the time to go through all of the food you have in your pantry and get rid of things that are out of date. If you also have things that you simply won’t eat, you can save these to one side and donate them to a food bank.
Once you have cleared your pantry be sure to clean the cupboard and then put everything back. Consider saving coffee jars for your sugar, teabags, and different types of flour and dried goods!
Clear out clutter
It is only natural that living in the same house for a long time will allow us to accumulate a lot of items, but now and again we need to clear out the clutter and only keep what we really need.
Take some time this week to go through every room of your house and clear out the items you no longer need. You could sell old clothes or furniture on Shpock, take things to your local recycling plant, or give to charity.
Once you have got rid of clutter you can start looking at new ways to organise your things and ways to decorate your house!
Starting a business on eBay used to be somewhat of a lucrative prospect. However, eBay businesses can come in all shapes and sizes – people flip cars on eBay, some people sell makeup brushes.
How successful your business is can depend on what you choose to sell, how you market them, and the quality of the product. That being said, there are a few things to consider before you decide to start an eBay business in 2020. Read on:
1. The Seller Fees
One of the biggest and most important things to consider in 2020 are the seller fees. Sellers with a basic eBay account pay a 10% final value fee for most items, but this may vary depending on what you have sold and how much you have made.
eBay tends to take the fees monthly, so you may need to keep some money aside based on what you have sold for the month. Most platforms take a fee, so it’s simply about making sure you’re comfortable with how much eBay takes and how they take it.
2. Alternatives to eBay
Of course, there are alternative platforms to eBay – and in some cases, you may want to have multiple platforms so that you can be found everywhere and have more chance of making a sale. Some people like to set up an Amazon account, an Etsy account, and even a Depop account.
There are so many more, though, such as Vinted, Facebook marketplace, and ASOS marketplace. Some platforms will be better to sell on depending on what you want to sell, so do your research.
3. Pick Appropriate Shipping
Making sure your shipping is appropriate will make a big difference to how quickly your items arrive and how happy your buyer is.
Look for appropriate eBay shipping that you can afford and ensure they can be trusted. Offering free shipping can make your item twice as likely to sell, so you need something that’s going to be cost effective.
4. Make it Official and Legal
Make sure your eBay business is official and legal if you’re going to be selling more than the occasional item there.
5. Customer Service
Providing the best customer service is key. You’ll have people who aren’t happy and want to return items, as you can’t please everyone. Keeping your cool and providing the best customer service will set you apart.
6. Product Descriptions
Take your time to write accurate product descriptions. Some people don’t write enough and it can be off putting. Taking your time on descriptions can make a big difference to your sales success.
7. Your Own eCommerce Store
Another alternative is opening an eCommerce store of your own, although this can be a big, scary decision. You need to make sure it looks great and that people can find it, which is why many people still choose to use eBay alongside a store. It can be expensive to build a store, but you can also find free options.
Building an eBay business isn’t a bad idea in 2020, but it’s a good idea to have other options to bulk up your sales!
Retirement is probably one of the biggest expenses in life, for anyone. And the expenses can surmount if you plan to enjoy more when you retire, say travelling.
Thinking of these challenges to come, it is vital to plan financial support for when you retire. But then again, thinking of retirement planning and investing or saving in the right plans, are two different things. For there are many types of retirement plans.
Nonetheless, this article can help you navigate through your retirement financial planning. And also, understand the differences in the options you have.
Traditional Retirement Arrangements (IRA)
The most common retirement plan that can suit anybody, is an individual retirement arrangement. As the name suggests this plan is managed and funded by the individuals, meaning your employer has nothing to do with it. That being said, this is one of the most suitable options if you’re looking to save your tax bills. But, you need to be wary of a few things. For example, there are penalties if you withdraw from your IRA before a certain age, usually 59+ years. Moreover, it is believed to be the easiest option of all to manage.
Pension Plans
For small business owners, contributing to an employee pension plan could be a great option. Notably, these plans offer a higher contribution limit as compared to the IRA. And also, the contributions are tax exempted. But, the tax is deferred only when the withdrawals are made. This is most suitable if you own a small business, as you can contribute up to $56000 or 25% of your income (whichever is lower). As a business owner, you can save a lot of money in taxes while securing your retirement and that for your employees as well.
Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP)
For growing companies and established high-profile businesses, pension plans and IRAs are not enough. Instead, employers offer genuine ownership to their employees in their stocks. As a result, employees receive dividends when they retire. Usually, the allocations are made by the employer based on relative salary perks. For example, an employee holding a key position, say, CEO of the company, is likely to receive bulkier allocations. Additionally, there are several tax benefits for both- employer and the employee.
Payroll Deduction IRAs
Another commonly sought after retirement plan is a payroll deduction IRA. As the name suggests, the employee has to make certain contributions to the IRA from their payroll. Usually, the employee and employer make equal contributions to the IRA. The amount is tax-deferred and is only deductible when withdrawn.
These are some of the more commonly sought after retirement plans. But certainly, these are not the only ones. In personal interests, you can even choose to invest in mutual funds or public holding shares. And all these investments can offer you returns for your retirement.
As for every person who seeks retirement benefits, two factors hold a crucial position- the returns and the risk involved. Whatever retirement plan you choose to invest in, make sure you evaluate these two factors carefully.
Let’s face it; 2020 has been an immensely difficult year for us all. However, it has probably taught you that life is too short not to follow your dreams. Likewise, it has highlighted that your current job probably isn’t quite as secure as you once thought. Those realizations, combined with the start of a new year, make it the perfect time to start thinking about creating your own business.
Still, with the economy in its current state, only the best approach will deliver winning results. The following tips will keep you on the path to success.
#1. Take A Modern Approach To Staffing
Employees are the greatest assets at your disposal. However, they can be a major expense and you might not need them all the time. Freelancers and temporary contractors are key additions. It makes staffing admin a lot easier too.
#2. Facilitate Better Communication
Assembling a strong team or permanent and temporary employees is one thing. Getting the most out of them is another. Communication and collaboration are vital. Therefore, you should invest in team messaging Apps and cloud computing.
#3. Encourage Autonomy
It’s tempting to take charge of every aspect. In reality, though, you’ve hired people for their expertise, and your attempts to micromanage everything could stop them. Allow them to show their talent, not least because it aids time efficiency.
It’s tempting to take charge of every aspect. In reality, though, you’ve hired people for their expertise, and your attempts to micromanage everything could stop them. Allow them to show their talent, not least because it aids time efficiency.
#4. Opt For A Modern Workspace
In addition to a modern workforce, you should choose a modern workspace. The obvious temporary office space benefits make it a fantastic solution. Meanwhile, shared spaces and pop-up stores are upgrades on traditional ideas.
#5. Allow For Remote Working
While a winning workspace is crucial for most operations, some can survive as home-based companies. Even those that can’t can reduce the pressure for huge spaces by taking this approach. Enable some of your staff to do it.
#6. Price Check Everything
Wasted money is one of the worst problems that new SMEs can face. Thankfully, you can limit this issue right away by getting into the habit of price comparing. Cheap utilities, materials, and business expenses will remove the pressure to sell as many units.
#7. Outsource Where Possible
Managing your capital in an efficient manner is pivotal. Outsourcing jobs like packing and delivery allows you to remove some of the pressure in those early phases of running the business. You must grab those opportunities with both hands.
#8. Get Online
In today’s climate, your business needs a great website and partnerships with sites like Amazon. Not only is it a great marketing tool, but it opens your door to a far wider audience. In the era of social distancing, this is more crucial than ever.
In today’s climate, your business needs a great website and partnerships with sites like Amazon. Not only is it a great marketing tool, but it opens your door to a far wider audience. In the era of social distancing, this is more crucial than ever.
#9. Use Influencer Marketing
Good ad campaigns are important, but modern audiences are smart. They would much rather hear the thoughts of other people. Therefore, the power of social media influencers is something you must embrace. It can take your game to new levels.
#10. Leverage Success From Customers
Popular personalities can aid your marketing endeavors. However, you should also learn to utilize your clients to win new ones. Affiliate marketing schemes and client testimonials can seriously influence prospective customers.
#11. Build A Personal Brand
Consumers want to purchase goods from brands that they like. A little insight into your brand personality through social media is ideal. Going green and supporting worthy causes and political issues can also help.
#12. Research The Competition
When starting a business, you will naturally want to focus on your innovations. Still, you must remember that clients will go elsewhere if you do not keep them satisfied. Market research should be a regular presence.
#13. Always Manage Your Finances
The importance of expenditure control has already been mentioned. In truth, financial management should extend to all aspects of the venture. Moreover, it should be an ongoing task, which is why accounting software can be a key feature.
#14. Invest In Client Care
Customer care is one of the most commonly overlooked features. However, it is statistically far easier to retain a client than win new ones. A combination of fair returns policies, clear contact details, and a genuine desire to help will serve you well.
#15. Set Achievable Goals
Momentum plays a key role in modern business. Therefore, you should learn to set small and regular milestones that can be easily achieved. When you do, the winning mentality and habit of success will lead you to greatness.
#16. Instill Life Balance
The whole purpose of starting a business is to improve your life. Do not forget it. Take the time to keep your health and wellness in great condition. Without balance, you won’t enjoy either part of your life. What a waste that would be.
#17. Master SEO
When looking at marketing campaigns, there are many options at your disposal. Search engines like Google still deliver the most traffic and leads. Thanks to local searches and voice searches, it’ll boost offline interest too.
#18. Avoid Unnecessary Costs
Getting value for money on necessary expenses gives you a good platform. Most companies are also guilty of wasting money on unnecessary features. Whether it’s trading travel for video conferencing or losing a service, those savings make all the difference.
#19. Be Prepared For Change
The world of business is constantly evolving. You must be ready to do the same. From using new tools and work methods to meeting new audience needs, the right moves pay dividends. A responsive business should avoid the threat of becoming stale.
#20. Trust Your Instincts
Research is important. Still, nobody knows the business better than you. At times, it’s best to simply trust your gut. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Conversely, an idea that seems destined for success should deliver results as long as you work hard.
#21. Be Authentic
Finally, whatever you do, be sure to do it your way. When you are passionate about the business, it will shine through to influence employees and clients alike. Besides, it will get you through the difficult moments of the first year.
Having a diverse portfolio essentially means owning an assortment of assets with uncorrelated prices. Gold and silver bullions are amongst the most popular precious metals that people invest in. It is a well-known fact that a well-diversified portfolio reduces overall volatility and risk, especially in these uncertain times.
If you haven’t considered diversifying your investment portfolio, here are some compelling reasons for you to do so now.
History of Value
Unlike paper currency and other assets like stocks, bonds, etc., gold and silver have retained their value. They don’t depreciate. Gold jewelry is trendy, and people look at it to store wealth and pass it on to generations.
At the same time, silver is widely used to make coins. Therefore, both gold and silver bullions are a store of value, and it makes sense to include them in the portfolio. Buy from a trusted supplier like GBA to get the best quality at the most competitive prices.
Hedge against Inflation
Gold prices are inversely correlated to the value of the U.S. Dollar, which is one of the most significant reserve currencies in the world. During inflation, when the local currency loses value, people flock to gold because gold prices increase.
Moreover, since gold and silver are seen as a store of value, people are encouraged to convert their liquid cash into these precious metals because the currency is losing value.
Hard Tangible Assets
Gold and silver bullions are physical assets that you can hold in your hand or carry it in your pocket. It can be discreet, and nobody would know if you were to carry a gold bar with you. Digital assets are subject to hacking and cybercrime. There’s no such worry with physical assets, such as gold and silver bullions.
Popular Precious Metals
Gold and silver are the most popular amongst precious metals. Gold is expensive but also the most popular. Any strong portfolio will always have some gold amount in it, even if it’s a small quantity. Also, it’s easiest to buy and sell gold.
Silver, on the other hand, is the least expensive of all precious metals, so it is easily affordable, even for a small investor. Also, silver has a lot of industrial usages, so there is always a demand for silver. Investors don’t face any difficulty in selling it either.
Silver Can Help Meet Small Emergency Needs
You may need investments to work as a safety net during difficult times. Precious metals come in handy for this purpose. You can quickly sell them to meet an urgent financial need. Also, you may not be willing to sell a full ounce of gold for just a small need.
Silver bullion can help in this case. It is available in smaller denominations than gold, and you can buy what you need or want now.
Therefore, for smart portfolio managers, diversification provides security in times of recession, higher returns opportunities, and reduced overall risk.
Of course, you have to make sure that each purchase is an informed and well-timed decision. It is best to take help from a reliable and secure trading company like GBA for any assistance regarding investing and holding precious metals.
Some people know what they want to do from an early age and spend their life working towards it. But it’s not uncommon to find yourself nearing graduation without a solid plan.
This could happen for a number of reasons. You might genuinely not know what you want to do, or that there aren’t the job opportunities you might have expected.
Travel
There might never be a better time to travel. Before you embark upon your career and start building up other commitments, travelling once you’ve graduated can be a life changing experience.
Not only will you get to experience other countries and their cultures, but it can give you a perspective on life you’ve never had before. You never know, you may even fall in love with a country and want to begin the naturalization process to stay there.
The life skills, knowledge and independence you gain while travelling will also look good on your resume. If you want to combine travelling with some good deeds, you can volunteer with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or AmeriCorps. You’ll develop a work ethic and make valuable friends and connections in other countries.
Consider graduate school
Your college study may have inspired you to train for a professional career in law, medicine or teaching. To do this you’ll have to undertake further study to gain the necessary qualifications.
Graduate school isn’t cheap, so be sure that it’s something you definitely want to pursue.
Get a job
The economy has been extremely inconsistent over the last decade and unemployment figures have continued to rise. While having a college degree is a great leg up on the competition, there may not be a job to walk into as soon as you graduate.
If you can’t find a job in the profession you want, then look for something else in the meantime. There will always be bills to pay so you need to roll up your sleeves and earn a living.
Even if you end up doing something completely far removed from your chosen career, look for the learning opportunities in it. Experience is experience and you will learn time management skills, a solid work ethic, dealing with colleagues and customers. All of these are transferable skills that you can take with you to any other job.
Start your own business
There are over 16 million self employed people in the United States. They are the backbone of the economy.
Working for yourself can be intensely rewarding. So if you have an idea for a business, now might be a good time to try it. After all, you’ve probably got a few financial or family commitments to worry about right now.
Conclusion
It’s OK if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. Even if you do, the chances are that you’ll change careers at some point during your professional life anyway.
Don’t pressure yourself and use the period in your life where you don’t have too many financial commitments to really explore yourself and what you want to do.
