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When you hear the term investing you can think of images of a busy New York office with people on phones yelling “sell, sell, sell.”

While this can be something that is part of investing, it is definitely quite far from the truth for a regular and everyday investor.

When you invest your money responsibly, then investing is one of the best ways to increase how much money you have. 

No matter your age, being prepared and investing can improve your prospects for the future. It could be to make sure that you are financially independent or to make sure that you have things in place for your children.

So with all of that in mind, here are some of the things that are good to invest in for your future. Of course, as with anything, there are risks to some investments, but some are less risky than others.  

High-yield savings accounts

If you are looking to let your money do more for you, then looking out for a high-yield savings account can be the best way to go. It can offer you much more back than a traditional savings account or checking account. When you have some money to save, then it may as well make more money for you. Then you can accumulate your savings ready for the future or for an emergency fund.

Government bonds

If you don’t know what a government bond is, then it is a loan from you to the government, that pays you as an investor when there is interest over a set period of time. This can usually be over a long period of time such as thirty years, so it is a good thing to start doing especially when you are in your thirties. You can get a fixed income with this, which is why it can be a good investment that is practically risk-free. 

Trust loans

If you are looking for a way to reduce costs when it comes to inheritance tax, then you might want to consider looking into trust loans. This is where you establish trust with a provider. You get loaned money to the trust, which is usually created around a property. The trustee will then invest the money in the trust. The trustees then invest the money back, which is usually an investment, which will be of benefit to the beneficiaries of the trust. If you have older children and you are perhaps older yourself, then this would usually be a good thing for someone in your situation to consider.

Dividend stocks

A dividend stock is where you have a fixed income for bonds, as well as for the growth of things like stocks and funds. A dividend is a regular cash payment that a company pays to shareholders and will be usually from the most profitable and stable companies. It can be something that is good for a first-timer to a retiree, as you can choose how much and what kind of dividend you choose.

Credit cards are often the most convenient way to pay for your purchase for several reasons, which is perhaps why more than 2000 million people in the U.S alone have at least one flexible friend.

Of course, it’s really easy to misuse your credit card and end up in unmanageable debt or paying off more interest than you really need to which is why we’ve put together some top credit card tips that you need to know.

1. Balance alerts can help you avoid overspending

When you’re spending on a credit card it is really easy to go overboard and maybe make more purchases than you can really afford. One thing that can help you to rein this impulse in is to set up balance alerts that will notify you when you are approaching a certain level of spending that you can set yourself.

2. Save money with 0% offers

These days you can compare credit card interest rates at the click of a button, which means that is it easier than ever to find those 0% deals By doing so, and by transferrin your valances to them if you can, you can stop paying interest, start paying off more of the actual debt, and get yourself into a much better financial situation, in no time at all.

3. Boost your credit score with mid-cycle payments

Something a lot of people do not realize about credit card companies is that they will report the status of your credit card account to the credit score companies every month. The credit score companies will then take into account the amount of available credit you are using to determine your score with a lower percentage of debt to available credit making for a better score. So, if you can make an extra payment in the middle of the month, or even just change your payment date to mid-month instead of the first or last of the month, you can use this to your advantage and potentially boost your score by lowering your debt burden.

4. Credit card bonuses often expire

It’s worth remembering that many credit card companies that offer finanical rewards also stipulate that those rewards must be used within 12 months. If you have been collecting rewards and you don’t want to lose them, it’s important that you redeem them before the expiration date. Setting up a reminder on your phone or calendar will help you to avoid losing what is effectively free money.

5. Pay off high-interest cards first

Although you need to make the minimum payment on each card each month, it is also important that you remember that paying off the highest interest card first will result in a smaller interest burden overall. So, once you have made the minimum payments, if you have anything left over, pay it towards the highest APR and see your debts slowly but surely come down.

Credit cards can be a useful tool but only if you use them right, so be careful.

If you are looking to save your money on your monthly payment for a Mortgage, you should consider refinancing. Refinancing your mortgage means taking a new home loan to pay off your current loan. Refinancing can save you money when you move to a lender that offers a lower interest rate on a loan. However, before considering refinancing your mortgage, you should put all factors into consideration. Below is a guide if you are considering refinancing your mortgage.

Understand Refinancing

Before you dive all in, you should carry out your research and understand what refinancing entails. Refinancing comes with so many benefits but also tags some costs along as well. The refinancing process will be similar to the one you took while taking the Mortgage in the first place. However, this will include new terms, rates, and payments. Ensure that these terms and rates are favorable to you before you move on with refinancing your Mortgage.

Know why you want to refinance your Mortgage

Many reasons can prompt you to refinance your mortgage, but you should define your goal first. Are you refinancing your mortgage to take advantage of their high home equity? Or are you refinancing because you want to take advantage of lower rates and save money? Whatever your goal is, you should be as clear about it as you move forward.

Weigh your Options

Make sure that you put all your options on the table and do not go in blindly. There are several categories of refinancing. Some of these options include rate-and-term, limited cash-out, and cash-out. Go for the option that favors you and your credit score. There are many loan products in the market. Hence, you will carefully have to choose the type of loan you want. Consider shopping for a mortgage refinance rate with several lenders and go for the one that has the best options.

However, there is more to refinancing a mortgage other than the rates. Do not forget to look at cost and fees as you choose which lender to go with.

Prepare yourself

After weighing your options, the next step is preparing yourself. Preparation is key in every major step in life, and decisions on your Mortgage are one of those steps. Just as you did while applying for the first mortgage, you will have to prepare for this too. How is your credit score? Do you currently have outstanding debt? Will you be able to cover the closing costs? It is helpful if you consider these questions as you prepare yourself to apply for the mortgage.

Go for It

After all the necessary preparation, it is time to apply for refinancing your mortgage. This process will not be any different from the one you took when applying for the first mortgage. You will have to share your financial details with your lender. Such details may include income, debts, and assets.

Depending on the lender you choose, a home appraisal might be part of the refinancing process. Your attorney will need your attorney on the closing day as you seal the deal with your lender. Your attorney will explain and guide you through every document that you will sign. In case you have any questions, that will be the best time to address them.

Final remarks

You can never go wrong when it comes to refinancing your mortgage. It may be a long process, but with the right lender, it is all worth it. We hope that the steps above will guide you through your refinancing process.

SMBs don’t always have big budgets, but that doesn’t mean they have to struggle. There are so many ways to reduce your operating costs, supporting your company as it grows. Here are a few ways that you can reduce your expenses over time.

1 . Boost Energy Efficiency

Boosting your energy efficiency is an excellent way to lower your company’s operating costs. When you run a more energy-efficient company you’ll protect the planet and improve your business reputation. There are plenty of ways that you can boost your energy efficiency within your company such as:

• Upgrade the insulation in your roofing and walls.
• Use a renewable energy provider.
• Ensure that your appliances carry an energy star rating.
• Use energy-efficient bulbs for your lighting.
• Implement policies to switch off devices when not in use.

2. Buy Second Hand Equipment

Purchasing second-hand equipment can save you plenty. You might consider using second-hand furniture, office decor items, or second-hand computers. MacBook Pros are expensive to buy new, yet there are plenty of second-hand outlets where you can snap up a good deal. Another way you can save on your hardware costs is by making repairs yourself. If your computer starts running slowly, check out some simple troubleshooting guidelines, there could be a simple fix.

3. Negotiate With Suppliers

Negotiating with your suppliers can help you to make a few savings. If you’re unable to get a better deal you might want to shop around. There’s every chance you’ll find a supplier offering cheaper prices. When you’re searching for a supplier, try using a Supplier Information Management System. These systems allow you to search for suppliers, using criteria such as rating, price, location, and so on.

4. Automate Your Processes

Businesses can reduce operating costs by automating their processes. For instance, using chatbots on your site means you won’t need to hire as many customer service staff. There are plenty of other ways that you can save time and money with automation:

• Use accounting software to automate your financial processes.
• Use AI to streamline your recruitment procedures.
• Email marketing is useful to run cost-effective campaigns.

5. Inexpensive Marketing Strategies

Marketing is essential, yet it doesn’t have to be expensive. If you’re looking for a way to save money, there are plenty of inexpensive marketing strategies that you can try:

• Use social media to promote your brand and target the right users.
• Work with micro-influencers for a low fee.
• Write your own SEO-optimized content.
• User-generated content is another great way to save.
• Take advantage of free online marketing tools.
• Listen to the leading marketing podcasts to upskill.

6. Use Outsourcing To Your Advantage

Businesses have many different outsourcing options, whether it’s managed IT services, accounting, content, or graphic design. Companies can lower expenses by outsourcing, as opposed to hiring full-time in-house staff. Outsourcing can help businesses to save money in several ways:

• Companies won’t need to rent out as much space for new staff.
• Businesses can limit their spending on new software and hardware.
• Less spent on staff training, and benefit programs, etc.
• Managed services and freelancers are often less expensive than hiring in-house staff.
• Projects can be executed on a one-time basis, using a pay-as-you-go model.

 7. Improve Your Time Management

Without great time management, businesses will waste both time and money. Companies should consider using time management software, to maintain productivity levels. Apps like RescueTime and Toggl are both useful time management programs for businesses. These tools have various features to boost productivity levels, from scheduling tools to productivity charts, and website blocking.There are several other ways that businesses can improve time management including:

• Get rid of unnecessary meetings.
• Take advantage of project management tools.
• Create a task hierarchy to stay organised.
• Ask staff for feedback, (their viewpoints may be helpful to improve time management).

8. Reduce Travel Expenses 

Travel costs can be incredibly expensive, it’s worth limiting travel to those occasions that are essential. By embracing concepts like remote work and virtual meetings, businesses can reduce the need to travel. Looking to put on a business event? You can drastically cut the costs by hosting your event online. Over the last year or so the popularity of online events has soared. Naturally, it’s harder to engage your audience, so businesses need to get creative. Before you arrange an in-person meeting or event, consider if it’s necessary and what value it will bring.

9. Free Business Resources 

Lowering your costs is all about getting freebies, here are so many free business tools that can support your operations. For some great ideas to get you started, try these suggestions:

For Project Management: Click Up is an excellent free project management tool. Using this software you can choose from various task views, including mind maps, and Gantt charts. You can also take advantage of chat pages, document view, and embed view. It’s a fantastic free tool to improve your PM.

For SEO: Using the free version of SEM Rush you can perform 10 searches each day using the keyword and domain database. You’ll have access to the ‘Keyword Magic Tool’. The free version also lets you crawl 100 website pages, with the site auditing tool. To support your SEO needs, SEMRush is a wonderful tool.

For Accounting: Wave is a great accounting tool for small companies, freelancers, and sole proprietors. Using the Wave features it’s simple to keep your finances organized. It’s easy to connect Wave to various bank accounts, for the purposes of expense tracking. With useful tools like these you’ll boost productivity levels and improve your ROI.

The takeaway 

Small companies have plenty of options when it comes to lowering their operating costs. With ideas like these, you’ll be able to make some smart savings and raise your productivity levels. There are so many free tools that can support your operations, and outsourcing will allow you to keep your employee costs low. Don’t forget to use budgeting and forecasting methods to review your finances over time.

Part of being healthy is having a good relationship with money. But many families struggle in this area. They’d love to enjoy their lives more, but they find themselves continually worrying about their finances, fearing that they will never have enough money to get what they want out of life. 

The worst part of all this is how money stress can actually adversely affect your health. If you are worried about money all the time, it takes a physical toll on your body and can actually make some people sick. 

Fortunately, there are many ways that you can say goodbye to money stress and improve your overall mental and physical health. Here’s what to do. 

Talk About It With Your Family

The first step is to get money stress issues out in the open. Keeping it all bottled up and trying to deal with it yourself isn’t an option when so many people are responsible for your budget. 

Instead, bring it up at dinner time with everyone and talk about the major issues that your family faces. Discuss how it is causing you stress and the changes that the family needs to make to get into a better financial position. 

Give Up On Consumerism

The next step is to make a conscious effort to give up on consumerism. So many people are locked into a cycle of earning and spending money, but it isn’t improving their lives. In fact, acquiring more possessions is just creating stress and making their lives more difficult to enjoy. Families with children can very easily fall into this trap. 

Try instead to rethink what your family needs and how you spend your money. Do you have to spend a fortune every time you go out? Do you need new gadgets every month? Or would a simpler life serve you better?

Make More Sustainable Choices

Making your family more sustainable can dramatically lower your expenses and move you towards financial freedom faster. For instance, getting rid of the car and finding alternative means of transportation can save you a tremendous sum of money, especially if you have more than one vehicle on the drive. 

You can also lower your utility bills by joining renewable energy schemes – a concept that www.choosesolar.com explains. The basic idea is to buy the cheapest available solar energy without the need to install any solar panels on your home yourself. 

You can also change the food that you eat. Beans and grains tend to be much cheaper (and healthier) than meat and takeout. 

Clear Up Your Debt

Unsplash – CC0 License

According to usatoday.com, millions of families experience financial stress because they are carrying a lot of debt. Sometimes, it is the result of overspending, but many times it is just the result of people believing that they are living a normal life. 

Taking steps to get out of debt can improve both your physical and financial health. Once you eliminate monthly interest payments, you soon discover that you have far more money than you imagined. 

Investing in commercial real estate has its perks. The entire deal could turn out to be one of the best decisions you make, provided you act diligently and do your research beforehand.

This post discusses a few errors in judgment and mistakes (if you will) that you should always try to avoid in the process. Let’s begin: 

1.   Inadequate Financing

You should be able to find some very reliable and attractive mortgage options in the market. Getting the right financing ensures that you can get your hand on a great deal that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to grab. You should first assess your financial flexibility before you choose any kind of financing. Whether it is a fixed-rate mortgage or an interest-only loan, analyze your requirements and make a decision wisely. You may also choose to pay a portion of the price in cash to avoid any mortgage payment problems in the future.

2.   Thinking You Can Do Everything On Your Own?

The real estate market is quite volatile, to begin with. Regardless of whether you have closed several deals successfully in the past or not, making a deal successful in the present time might not come that easy. What you will need are a skilled and experienced real estate agent and a qualified home inspector. You will also need to associate with a reliable attorney and a dependable insurance representative. These are the experts that can help you make the right decision and choose the most appropriate investment avenues for your hard-earned money.

3.   Rushing The Deal Ahead

No commercial real estate syracuse ny deal should be rushed into under any circumstances. There will be certain facts and information about the property that you may not be aware of initially.

These facts are not apparent in the beginning but only get revealed upon more research and digging on your part. These details have the power to dilute the financial merit of any real estate deal/property if and when uncovered on time.

Therefore, it is advised that you take your time when investing huge amounts of money in any kind of real estate.

4.   Forgetting About The Builder’s Reputation

The very first aspect of a commercial investment is the quality of construction.

This is what reveals to you how well reputed the builder is. Any reputable real estate developer or builder will always be known for their quality customer service and not just their top-of-the-line construction. 

5.   Incorrect Property Assessment

Talking about taking your time, let’s not forget about the importance of property valuation or assessment.

There is a difference between commercial and residential structures. The profitability of a commercial undertaking largely depends upon its:

• Location
• Quality of construction
• Durability
• Access
• Desirability
• Layout
• Floor plan, and a lot more

The market conditions of commercial real estate are also going to determine whether you should invest in it in the first place or not.

The statutory and local taxes will also play a key role in helping you make this decision. If there are any property disputes or unresolved claims on it, stay away from the deal. Not paying attention to these details may cost you dearly.

Don’t be overwhelmed with favorable government policies and a surplus supply of commercial units.

You have to be patient and steer clear of any unreasonable claims and advertisements. Seek advice from an expert for more clarity and you will land a great deal sooner than you think.