Category: Money

6 Tips to Make Your Gold Investment More Profitable

investment in goldInvesting in profitable schemes is a great way to improve your financial conditions and secure your future. However, it is important to carefully plan where you should invest your money. Gold is a safe investment that provides a good value. Whether you want to purchase gold coins or put your money on gold in the stock market, here are some tips that will help you make the most of your investment.

1. Understand Factors that Influence Gold Prices

Gold prices fluctuate with time. Unless you know about the factors that influence the rates, you may not be able to get profits on your investment. Gold is only used for making jewellery and in the electrical market. Since there are almost no industrial uses of gold, its prices in stock market depend on the strength of the currency. The lower the value of the dollar, the higher will be the price of gold. If you fully understand currency market, you can make the right decisions.

2. Determine Whether It Is the Right Time to Invest

Instead of keeping your savings in your bank account, why not invest in a profitable market, such as gold? However, you need to consider whether it is the right time to invest in gold. There is no defined rule to determine the right time for investment, but you should consider current market trends and history of gold prices so that you do not lose your hard-earned money.

3. Choose the Right Dealer

The reliability of the dealer matters the most when it comes to investing in gold. Never go for a gold dealer with a shady background, since it will risk your investment and may create legal problems for you in the future. Not every dealer out there can be trusted. Be careful when choosing a dealer to stay away from scammers. Contact gold bullion dealers for safe investment.

Go through the policies of a dealer before purchasing gold. The selling rates of gold vary with dealers as they define their own policies. Therefore, get in touch to discuss their policy in detail and find out any hidden charges.

4. Stay Away From Rare Coins

Unless you are a pro at investing in gold, you should refrain from investing in rare gold coins. It requires a good insight into the coin industry to make the right choice. Some gold coins may look the same, but their value varies due to different factors. If you want to purchase some rare gold coins, you should hire a professional grading service to determine the current value of coins.

5. Do Not Over Spend

Do not invest all your savings in gold just because you think it will be more profitable. Begin your venture by investing low amounts and then gradually increase your investment with time. It will allow you to understand the market and make decisions that will benefit you in the long run.

6. Do Not Worry Unnecessarily

Gold is a long term investment. Do not panic by day-to-day changes in the gold market, or else you’ll end up making the wrong decisions.

Life Hardships That Cost You Financially

money crisis timeLife isn’t always plain sailing, I think we can all agree. Often we are dealt a deck of cards and within those situations we can suffer financial hardships as well as emotional setbacks. This isn’t always going to be easy to overcome. But people live on, grow accustomed to their new set of circumstances or see some bad situations as a time to shine and an opportunity to make positive changes for the future. I wanted to share with you what some of these life hardships can be, and how they can cost you financially. However, I also want to provide some tips and hope that you can, with the right actions and steps, move forward.

Committing a crime

There are times in our life where we can make poor choices. Decisions we are faced with for one reason or another. Maybe desperation, a lack of judgement, or just not thinking. We can all be there, and then in some cases we can make the wrong decision which can ultimately result in us committing a crime. Whatever that may be it is always worth getting criminal law lawyers on your side to fight your corner. Whether it is a driving offence, a burglary, or something more there is always a way to move forward positively. Be that taking the consequences for the crime. Always be mindful that anything that happens can be a reason to learn and become a better person for having gone through the situation in the first place.

Losing your job

While it is never easy to lose your job, it can also have a real negative effect on your self-esteem and your mindset. Losing a job, whether that being because you no longer fit within a company structure, for not meeting targets or performing or simply feeling pushed out, is ever going to be a confidence boosting thing. But, what you can do is take the criticisms, learn the lessons and move forward and do something that you love and enjoy. This could be a huge blessing in disguise. It may give you the boost to take on a new career challenge, or learn a new skillset. It could even be a change that provides a more positive future for yourself and your family. The options are endless, and right now it may seem like you are stuck. So it is important to get out of that mentality as soon as possible to enable you to move forward.

Going through a relationship breakdown or divorce

Finally, a big hardship that we can all go through perhaps at some stage in our lives is a relationship breakdown and/or a divorce. It can be devastating on both parts, especially when there are finances to work through and children involved. Of course, what you have to accept is that sometimes these things are best happening, and it isn’t always a good thing to stay in an unhappy marriage or relationship, no matter what consequences or issues you need to resolve. You only live once, and it is better all round to be in a loving relationship that makes you happy.

I hope that this has given you some idea of some of the issues anyone can face at anytime.

Freedom Debt Relief Shares Old-Fashioned Savings Tips That Still Work

debt storyIt’s true that financial habits change as time passes, but there are some money saving methods that are tried and true. Adopting some of these old-fashioned savings tips recommended by Freedom Debt Relief will help you build your savings account. The money you save can be used to boost your emergency fund, pay off debt, or take your annual vacation without going into debt. With that said, there are a few time-tested savings methods you can adopt.

Get rid of marketing messages.

Once you give your contact information to a company, you open up the door for them to send your marketing messages. Companies send millions of dollars and lots of time crafting messages that will convince people to buy. It’s hard to resist the temptation of marketing messages, so opt-out of them completely. If you’re receiving marketing messages, click the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email to stop receiving those message. That way, you never get hit with an advertisement.

Cut back on eating out.

Eating out at restaurants is enjoyable, but the cost adds up quickly, especially if you’re eating out several times each week. Reducing the number of meals you eat in restaurants will let you save hundreds, possibly even thousands of dollars each year. When you do eat out, don’t let leftovers go to waste. Portion sizes in the United States are large enough that you can take half your meal home and enjoy it for the next day’s lunch or dinner.

Don’t pay for things you can do for yourself.

While it may be more convenient to pay someone to do small repairs or other odd jobs, you’ll save money by doing things yourself. Picking up some basic sewing skills, for example, will allow you to make your own clothing repairs and avoid having to pay a seamstress. Freedom Debt Relief recommends using the internet to learn how to solve some of your basic repairs and save the big jobs for professionals.

Save your change.

A few dimes and nickels here and there doesn’t seem like much, but over the course of weeks and months that little bit of pocket change adds up. Get a separate change jar or bucket where you can collect you change. You might be tempted to dip into it every down and then, but leave it alone. The longer you let you change accumulate, the more you’ll have, says Freedom Debt Relief.

Avoid disposable items.

Let’s face it, many of us like to eliminate as much housework as possible. To accomplish that, we turn to disposable items like paper plates, cups, and cutlery. Not only do these items lead to more environmental waste, they also cause you to spend more money than necessary. It only takes a few minutes each day to do the dishes. Freedom Debt Relief advises families to simply make the sacrifice and avoid throwing money away on disposable items.

Get rid of debt.

With debt, we can purchase things now and then conveniently pay for them over a period of time. But, there’s a catch. When a lender gives you the option of paying for something in installments, you’re going to pay interest. The more you borrow, the higher your interest rate, and the longer it takes you to pay off the debt, the more you’ll pay in interest. You can potentially save thousands of dollars in interest, says Freedom Debt Relief, just by paying off debt faster. Look for extra money in your budget or find ways to increase your income and use the additional money to reduce your debt faster.

Don’t discount these methods because they seem old-fashioned. You’d be surprised to see just how much impact these savings strategies can make on your savings account.

Going From 0 to 100: Massively Improve Your Financial Situation

financial statusThere may be a time in your life that you find yourself in a real difficult financial situation. We have all been there, and while it can feel embarrassing at the time, it doesn’t necessarily mean that is going to be your fate for the future. Things can change, you can change, and you can do things to improve your situation massively. Often at the time, there may feel like no way out and you are heading to bankruptcy, but in most cases, this isn’t true. There may be a solution it is just a case of knowing where to look. Which is why I wanted to share with you some of the realistic options you could consider. I hope that it provides you with some hope in what can be a very difficult and emotional time.

Have you got an asset

One of the first places to look when you are going through a difficult time is your assets. Many assets have huge potential, and we can often be to blinkered to realise what you can and can’t do. First of all, you could consider your home. While it may not be nice to potentially sell your home it could be holding the key to improving your financial situation by releasing valuable equity. Selling may seem like a long drawn out process but actually, using companies like Wren Realty could be an ideal solution. Enabling you to change your situation fast. Releasing funds could then mean you pay off your debts, get yourself straight, and allows you valuable breathing space. Of course, selling your home might not be an option, so think of the other larger assets you have. Do you own a car that you can sell? Maybe you have land you could sell from your property or renting out your drive for commuters and people surrounding for their vehicles. Once you know where to look you can start to improve your situation.

Increase your disposable income

Maybe you need to look at your outgoings a little more closely. Too often people let their bills leave their account dutifully without giving it another thought, but this can be a big mistake. There are bills that you could perhaps get cheaper, things you may no longer need but are still paying for, or simply making some changes to your habits to brings some costs down. Analyse your bank statements and look at what is costing you the most. One big expense is the food bill each week, but this is one bill completely in your control. Why not try meal planning, buying only what you need, or changing the shop you go to? Even switching from brands to supermarket brands can make a big difference to your expense. Next up, consider changing providers for things like energy. Many companies save their best rates for new customers.

Could you spare time be a money making opportunity?

Finally, you could think about making money in your spare time. Filling out surveys online, performing mystery shops and even just selling unwanted things online on platforms like eBay or Facebook groups could help to improve your income and pay of debts that are costing the most each month.

I hope that these tips help you to consider other avenues you can take to get you out of a financial struggle.

What to do With Inherited Real Estate

real estate investmentsAs awful as it is to think about our loved ones passing away, unfortunately, death is the only thing guaranteed about life, aside from perhaps taxes as the saying goes. Most of us dream of having something to leave our children when we go, property, money or a family business being the ultimate goals. Some of us are even lucky enough to be able to pass things on before we die. Giving us the chance to see the people that we love benefit from our life’s work. Your parents and family are no different. Leaving you a property is something that will have pleased them, so it’s certainly nothing to feel guilty about.

When you inherit property, there can be a period of adjustment. Whether your loss has been expected or come as a complete surprise, it can be a lot to take in. In these situations, it’s best to let yourself grieve and take your time to adjust before rushing into a decision on what to do with your new property. An instinctive reaction can be to either move straight in or not want it at all and offer your inheritance to someone else. Both of these things could prove to be a mistake. So, take your time and give these options some consideration.

Rent it Out

Renting the house out is an interesting option, with both pros and cons. If you choose to rent your house to someone else, you get a steady monthly income from it. Sometimes, there’ll be very little you’ll need to do for this money. Then, other months absolutely everything will go wrong, and you’ll need to work ridiculously hard as a landlord. You will also be subject to landlord’s insurance and taxes as well as having to ensure that your property meets all health and safety standards and completely adheres to the law.

But, it does keep your options open. When your tenants move out, you can rethink, sell, move in or search for a new tenant.

Finding tenants is much easier than it used to be now so much business is done online, and properties rarely sit empty for long. Keeping your property in good condition and appealing to tenants is also easier than ever. You don’t even need to do any of the work. Learn more about these options before making your decision.

Live in it

Whether or not you chose to live in the house can depend on a variety of circumstances. You need to consider your current housing situation. If you already own your own home and feel happy and comfortable where you are, you may not want to move. It will also depend on your past experiences in the house and with its previous owners. If it’s the happy home of your childhood, you could either love going back or feel a bit odd, like you’ve been out and made your own life only to find yourself taking a step backwards.

If you don’t own a home, work locally and still have relationships with people in the area, moving into your new property could be the perfect answer. You won’t have to worry about selling, finding tenants or the pressures of being a landlord.

The value of the home should be another consideration. Is it worth selling? Or could you make more in the long term by renting it out? If you already own a house, could selling or renting that out instead be more cost-effective?

Of course, if you do decide to live in it, for now, you’ll still be able to sell at any point in the future should you change your mind. However, it is worth bearing capital gains tax in mind. If you inherit a house and choose to sell, you get a bit of a tax break. Say the house was bought for $150000 and is now worth $300000, only the difference will be subject to capital gains tax. Once you’ve lived in the house for two years, this tax break starts to decrease.

Sell it On

Selling the property on is a popular choice. If you need money quickly, because your current financial situation isn’t great, then this can be the best option. You save money on capital gains tax; you don’t have the constant responsibility of being a landlord or the hassle of moving to a new house yourself and you get a large cash injection. If you currently rent but have significant debts, selling to enable you to pay things off could be a good idea too, as it will allow you to improve your credit score before you get on the property ladder. You could even have plenty left for a good deposit.

However, selling has associated costs of its own. You’ll need to make sure the house is in sellable condition, pay to get it valued and pay estate agents fees. If it’s on the market for a long time, these fees increase, and you have to wait for your payout.

It’s also the only option on this list that’s final. Once the house is sold, that’s it. There’s no changing your mind once the sale has been made.

Use it as a Business Premises

Another option is to use the property in another way. If it’s in a great location, you could convert it into a business. Perhaps a shop or restaurant. If you work from home and need some more space, it could give you an ideal solution. These options very much depend on location and how much the conversion would cost.

Another alternative use is hiring it out as a holiday property. If it’s in a great location that would attract tourists or people on business trips, list in on Airbnb and make some money off it. Then, there’s nothing to stop you keeping it as a second home when you need a break yourself.

When deciding what to do with your inherited property, there is a lot to consider. Your own living situation, your income, cash flow and debt levels, your long-term plans and the home’s condition and location for a start. So, wait if you can, let yourself grieve and then take you time to reach the right decision.