Every standard investment advice consists of making a big purchase in the shape of a house, as it’s generally viewed as one of the best ways to get a good return, or if you ask for another item to invest in, most people will say get another property! But are there other options for investment that don’t involve four walls and a roof? Well, surprisingly enough, there are!

Precious Metals

Precious metals like gold are considered to be quite controversial assets. Some people see them as a no-brainer and are a foolproof investment, and while others may view them as a nightmare, the fact is that the truth is neither here nor there, but they are responsive to certain market conditions. Precious metals appear to gain value when the dollar is weak, and then weaken when the dollar is strong in value. However, this is not an exact science. And of course, we don’t know when this will occur, so it’s best to have some precious metals available at all times. The great thing about items like gold bullion is that you can purchase them and keep them safely at home.

A Boat

A lot of people would consider a boat to be a terrible investment. However, this is largely due to the upkeep and maintenance of the boat. The financing alone can be crippling, but there are sites like boatfinancing.co that can show you the best options for getting a loan to purchase a boat. As time goes on, and the concerns about rising water levels and the threat of natural disaster at every corner, it would be very sensible to own a boat. So not only is it a sensible investment right now, but it’s something that is going to be highly desirable in the coming years.

Peer To Peer Lending

As a way to remove the middleman out of the equation, this is a great way to get a higher rate of return. It benefits both sides, the investor, and the borrower, as the borrower gets a lower rate. Many organizations specialize in peer to peer lending, such as ratesetter.com, but there are plenty of other peer to peer lending platforms that have a decent return on investment, you just need to look for them. But you need to beware that with certain lending platforms, you may be required to invest more than $50!

Wine

Yes, believe it or not, wine is a great product to invest in because it can increase in value as it ages. With the right type of vintages, these can be highly sought after, and you can make a decent amount of money. Of course, to make the most out of this investment, you need to have a good understanding of wine generally, but you also need a room to store them in that is temperature-controlled. To get a substantial profit from your wine, you will also need to buy in bulk. In addition, you need to keep notes of when you bought certain vintages and where from, as these are vital trinkets of information to wine connoisseurs.

You see? There are more investment ideas than a house. So take some of these ideas on board and start investing!

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The heritage and history of a country is a very important thing. It shapes the attitudes and lifestyles of the people that live there, and it is a great source of pride for so many people. Remembering where we came from is the best way to decide where to go next, and respecting the sacrifices of those that went before us helps us to appreciate the things that we normally take for granted. Heritage has an incredible emotional and spiritual value, but have you ever considered its financial value? These are the ways that the heritage of a country brings lots of significant financial benefits to its government and its citizens.

Tourism

The most obvious way that heritage benefits a country financially is tourism. Some countries depend on their natural features like beaches and hot weather to attract tourists, but when you don’t have that to offer, history and heritage can be just as big an attraction. Europe is the perfect example of this. There are still some European countries that are the perfect beach destination but for the most part, the continent doesn’t have that asset. It does, however, have a rich history that you can see in the form of tourist attractions. There are lots of museums dedicated to the continent’s history during the world wars. People come from all over the globe to see these kinds of attractions and it brings huge amounts of money to the countries.

Collectibles

You can use the heritage of your country to make yourself money personally as well. Lots of important historical events have been immortalized in the form of collectibles that will be worth a lot of money a few years down the line. Sites like www.lpm.hk sell special collectible coins dedicated to historical events. These kinds of collectibles will appreciate in value very quickly and can be sold on for a big profit in the future. Collectibles are a great investment that you can start at home fairly easily. As well as coins, you can invest in commemorative plates or even actual relics from historical periods. Items of interest from historical periods are worth lots of money to collectors and the longer you keep them, the rarer they will become as similar items fall into disrepair. The condition is one of the most important things to consider when you’re investing in these items because it hugely affects the value of them.

Trade

Countries hold grudges for a long time. The history and heritage of countries often dictate the relationship they have with other countries. Having a rocky past with another country is going to hugely affect any trade deals that they might try to make with one another. Countries may find themselves involved in unfavorable trade deals with other governments that they have had disputes with in the past. Regardless of the many years that have passed, bad blood runs deep and it can have far reaching effects on the economy of a country.

The heritage of a country is a hugely important part of life for its citizens, but it also brings serious financial benefits.

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One of the most popular ways to secure financial freedom in this current generation is to establish multiple streams of income. It could be from multiple jobs, a personal business or even investments. With job security an ever-growing problem for people all over the world, it seems like the most secure living you can get these days is to invest in the internet and work from home. Not only does working from home bypass the minimum wage that is set in your country, you also guarantee a wide range of clientele and the ability to work with people all over the world.

But most home-based investments require a lot of money. Trading stocks, starting up a business or investing in a company takes a lot of cash to start, making it a difficult option for someone who’s climbing out of debt but still wants to secure a comfortable future financially. In order to give you a hand, here are a couple of low-cost investments to get you started with making money from home.

Low-Risk Investments

When investments are concerned, we often think about expensive high-risk purchases like stocks, foreign currencies and even property. However, among all of the investments that people can make in life, there are some low-risk ones that have a very small chance of making you bankrupt. For instance, you can learn how to trade penny stocks online as a way to practice stock trading and you could invest in land purchases instead of entire properties. There are many low-risk investment options available to you as long as you do your research and look at the stability of a market instead of the potential gains.

Penny shares are, as the name implies, very low in price, meaning you can trade them freely without much consequence. However, don’t expect to turn $10 into $1,000 in a single week, and don’t even expect to make money within the first week of getting started. It’s a gradual and slow process, but that’s the nature of low-risk investments.

For property investments, you typically have a lot of factors involved when developing a property to be sold such as the location, target audience and so on. However, when it comes to investing in land, not only is the price a lot lower because you’re factoring out the development costs, it also doesn’t have a defined use, making it a versatile purchase for your buyers.

Starting a Content-Focused Business

A business could mean anything from a YouTube channel to a small company. However, the cheaper options here are definitely content-focused, such as a video channel, news website or a blog. You can monetize most of your content with the help of advertising services, but if you’re feeling brave then you can always upgrade to affiliate programs or even offering a product.

For instance, if you have a popular blog about the history of candy, then you could compile all of your material and blogs into a book to be sold. Ebooks are a natural transition for blog owners due to the content being relatively similar. All you need to learn is how to publish your own eBook and then advertise it to your viewers, social media and so on.

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Smartphone usage is on the rise across India and this has revolutionized banking, as phone users can use several mobile banking apps that improve convenience and efficiency. Banking institutions adopt new technology and increase their product offerings to retain and expand their customer base.

Mobile banking services are experiencing rapid growth and innovation, with the aim to incorporate cutting-edge technology in financial services. Opting for these services gives users different benefits, such as convenience, time saving, and flexibility.

Mobile banking applications have several interesting features that allow users to view information, perform transactions, and enjoy other value added services. Some of the features include:

Viewing

• Bank account overview and transaction history
• Track term deposits
• Scheduled payments
• Statement request
• Credit card statement
• Demat account overview
• Investment details

Transaction

• Fund transfer through NEFT, RTGS, One-time transfer without adding beneficiary or message money
• IMPS money transfer
• Payments for mobile bills, utility services, direct-to- home recharge, and credit card
• Service requests for debit card, credit card, or cheque books
• Bookings for flights, hotels, and other services

Applications

• In My Kotak you can customize and personalize your home screen
• Modify different settings for your account

Benefits of Mobile Banking

• Convenient – Users do not have to visit bank branches, travel agents, or utility-service providers. You can do more than just transfer funds, with some mobile banking apps even allowing you to recharge your mobile or DTH connection, make flight and hotel bookings, and lots more, all through your smartphone.
• Flexibility – Mobile banking in India has grown so rapidly, increasing versatility, allowing users to perform a wide variety of transactions that were previously unheard of. The message money feature, in Kotak Bank’s mobile banking app, even allows you to send funds to friends, relatives, and associates through a messaging service!
• Safe – Almost every transaction done through your mobile phone requires authentication. Moreover, the bank will usually send you an SMS whenever a transaction happens in your account. Any mobile banking apps require 2-level authentication to prevent mobile fraud. Users need the login password (MPIN) and the activation code for authentication.

Almost every private and public sector bank in India provides mobile banking services to customers, but the services offered by some banking apps are exemplary. The app from Kotak Mahindra Bank is notable in this regard. Some of the innovations give users the ability to customize settings, setup transactions and view information. This adds several benefits to the user experience.

Settings

Certain mobile banking apps allow users to even customize their banking settings. This means that users can:

• Add or delete multiple customer relationship numbers
• Personalize the Home Screen

Transactions

Banking transactions are redefined with mobile banking, as they are no longer restricted to fund transfers or payments. Users can perform the following actions:

• Money transfer – Through RTGS and NEFT
• IMPS fund transfers – generating one-time password for IMPS2M
• Customer can view/modify the MMID
• Bill payments – utility services, mobile or DTH services, redemption requests, balance transfer, purchase, cancel request
• Service requests – request add-on card, auto debit for credit card payments, report lost or damaged cards
• mStore – Book flights, buses and hotels

View

Users can also track their financial activities, not just in terms of transfers executed via the app. You can access and update information related to the following:

• Activity – bank account, Demat account, investments, and credit card
• You can also create or modify your profile, if you’re the primary CRN, go to Settings> Mange Profile and change the CRN, the same goes for modifying one. This is only applicable if you’re the primary CRN.
• Financial History – Credit card summary, bank account summary, My investments, bill pay, mobile recharge, JIFI

Technological innovations are driving rapid growth across all sectors and banks are taking the lead by offering new and improved services to customers. The scope of mobile banking is only likely to grow in the coming years.

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All kinds of costs come with running a business. Of course, a lot of your budget should go on your primary operations. Many companies choose to invest money in things like marketing, great equipment, and a large workforce. But while these costs are helpful, some expenses are absolutely essential. Here are some of the costs you must pay to keep your business running smoothly.

Workplace Upkeep

Whether you operate out of an industrial building or rented office space, you’ll likely have to pay monthly costs. While the main cost of the building is a big concern, there are also other costs associated with the upkeep.

Naturally, you’ll also have to pay for utilities like water and electricity. You may also need building maintenance work from time to time. Some workplace problems can cause you and your employees illness. Make sure everything is well-maintained to avoid health and legal problems.

Sometimes rented office space covers a lot of the upkeep themselves. By renting out a small office unit in a business building, you won’t have to worry about handling building maintenance costs. This can save a lot of money.

Taxes

All companies must file business income taxes each fiscal year. Failing to do this can result in penalties and fines for your business. If you fail to pay the full amount back, you’ll have to pay extra interest on the rest. Therefore, it’s essential you plan for this cost in advance and handle it on time.

What you pay and the forms you fill out can vary depending on what type of business you’re running. It can get confusing trying to handle it all on your own. Most companies enlist the help of an IRS lawyer to make sure their taxes are handled professionally.

If you can’t pay your taxes on time, you can sometimes get a short extension. The good news is you can get all kinds of deductions from your business tax. Things like office supplies, premises, and work-related travel can often be taken off your tax bill. This can make the costs much easier to handle, so keep receipts for anything you might be able to deduct.

Payroll

You’ll need to pay your employees what you’ve agreed to on time, every time. Terms are often set out in employee contracts about how your employees will be paid and when. Some businesses choose to pay workers weekly, some monthly. Either way, make sure employees get their money.

Paying employees late can severely reduce their motivation to work. Not only that but if you fail to fulfill payment agreements with employees you could find yourself in legal trouble. If your payroll is becoming a crippling cost, you may need to look into downsizing. However, not paying employees is never a suitable option.

Internet Connection

The internet is essential for many business operations nowadays. Make sure you pay for internet connection with the best uptime- this is the most important factor for company internet.

It’s also a good idea to use I.T. services to handle any computer or internet problems around your business. Computing problems can affect your business’s productivity, so it’s important to pay to keep it running well.

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