Creating and launching your new small business can be a very exciting moment in one’s life. On the flip side it comes with its share of stresses. One such stress that many new business owners face is caused by finances. Starting a new business often requires a lot of upfront capital. According to one serial entrepreneur, Jay Reeder, who has started all kinds of businesses from software companies to an alpaca farm, “cashflow is the most important factor to growing a healthy business.” One way to alleviate some of the stress and financial burden of starting and maintaining a small business is to have a detailed budget to follow. Continue reading to learn seven proven methods to budget for your business wisely.

Let Your Employees Get Involved

It’s understandable to believe that since you are the owner of the business that you need to do everything yourself. Delegating tasks and involving others in your team is something all great leaders do. When budgeting for your business the same principal applies. Gather all your employees up and go over the budget together as a team. Not only will it provide your employees with a sense of camaraderie and importance it will keep them up to speed with what is happening within the business. Employees need to know this information especially if it could possibly affect them. Furthermore, having a few more sets of eyes on the budget wouldn’t hurt. Someone may point out something you’ve missed or point out an item on the budget that could be eating up too much cashflow. Lastly, it is instrumental that employees are well aware of the companies short and long term financial goals and their roles in responsibilities on the path to reaching that goal.

You Still Need to Pay Yourself

As a business owner it is very easy to get too caught up in the budget. Many are so focused on saving and allocating every penny within the business that they simply forget to pay themselves. While part of this is simply forgetting it is also due to guilt. You may feel guilty paying yourself or feel as though you may be taking too much money for yourself. At the end of the day you are another employee at your company and you have to remember to set money aside for yourself.

Identify and Understand Your Risks

No matter what business venture you pursue there are risks involved. Some risks can be serious enough to financially ruin your business and they need to be mitigated. The most effective method for doing so is to identify and plan for both long and short term risks your company may face. Such risks include changes to healthcare and increased premiums and increases in minimum wage. Being in a location that frequently experiences natural disasters can also put a serious dent in your operations and finances. Knowing what risks your company may face and following a strict budget will allow your business to save money for whatever life may throw at it.

Overestimate Your Expenses

For businesses that operate on a project to project format it is detrimental that you over estimate costs for your budget. We’ve all experienced having an unexpected cost or situation arise during a project that causes the initial budgeted amount to be exceeded. By over budgeting a project or job you can protect your business from unexpected financial burden. Often times such instances can cause a business to go under before it even had a chance to develop.

Anticipate Sales Cycles

It is not uncommon for your business to experience ups and downs throughout the year in regards to sales. Depending on your type of business the majority of sales may come during one or two seasons while the remainder of the year is slow. Effectively planning for those downturns is necessary for keeping your business open. During the slow periods its important to keep costs down and to plan for the next anticipated sales spike. It would also be wise to have money set aside while your busy to ride out the slow cycles to prevent your business from falling apart financially.

Time is Money

You’ve heard that phrase all too often. In life and in business especially that saying holds very true. You need to treat time as a commodity and as if it were money. Not accounting for time and how it may affect your business financially can derail any budget. This is especially important if your employees are paid on an hourly basis. Being mindful of deadlines is equally important. Set realistic completion times to ensure that the job is completed satisfactorily and on time.

Don’t Set It and Forget It

Once you have a budget in place it is important to keep a full court press on it. Many business owners simply forget to revisit their budget after it is initially created. This is a mistake that can financially cripple your business. Just like events and happenings in life constantly change so do events and happenings in business. Its important to be flexible and agile and to constantly monitor your budget. This will ensure that you do not go into the red and out of business. Anticipating what will happen next will keep you on budget and help you adapt to the ever-changing world of business.

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A blog is a collection of written entries that are posted on a website. There are a variety of ways to keep a blog. Some use the medium like a personal diary to talk about their daily activities while others present information like a newspaper. The point of blogging is creating content for visitors to read.

Typically, blogging is a hobby, but it can also be used to make money.

Making Income from Blogging

The amount of money an individual can make from blogging varies widely. Many barely make enough money to cover the basic expenses of running the website, while others make $1 million or more. While there are no guarantees, there are numerous benefits to having a passive income stream.

The main factor to success is the amount of traffic coming into the website. If a person makes one to 10 cents per page view, it can add up to an extra $500 to $5,000 every 30 days. Results from a survey conducted by the Problogger site indicated that 10 percent of those with income blogs made no money at all, 53 percent made less than $100 monthly, 13 percent brought in $1,000, and four percent made five figures or more. This adds up to serious money.

Income Sources

Individuals can make a passive income directly by blogging and also by taking advantage of opportunities that come their way through the website. The following describes several approaches to setting up a steady money stream.

• Advertising. This is the most common method of making money from blogging. Display ads are used in the sidebar or as a banner at the top of the page to quickly catch the eyes of visitors. They can also be placed in emails and newsletters. Direct ads are paid for by companies that are seeking prominent placement on busy websites. Contextual ads are provided by a management company such as Adsense or Mediavine and are based on a cost-per-impression or a cost-per-click model.

• Brand partnerships. Bloggers with a large following are considered to be influencers, which companies and brands can associate with to their benefit. This association consists of mentions and referrals in blog posts along with clothing, gadgets and other promotional items.

• Sponsored posts. Also known as content marketing, this is a method of creating and sharing blog posts, videos and social media messages in order to improve a company’s influence and Google ranking. The businesses will often pay well to have their content posted on influential blogs. This can range from $50 to several thousand dollars.

• Affiliate marketing. This marketing approach involves the blogger recommending certain services and products on their site in exchange for a commission. Companies and brands know that popular bloggers have a loyal audience that trusts what they say and will check out products based on that alone. This costs the readers nothing and can be very lucrative for the business and the blogger.

• Selling products. One of the most straightforward ways to making money from a blog is through the sale of products. This can be for physical items such as clothing, books and jewelry or digital items like courses, premium content and memberships.

• Selling services. Being a blogger increases a person’s visibility and helps them to become an expert in their field or interest. This can lead to offering paid services like making speeches, being a coach or performing another skilled service. Being good at something will also encourage other people to make an investment in the blogger and the services being offered.

How to Start a Blog

Those with little to no experience running a blog should start with a hosted service like Blogger. Aside from being free, it also features beautiful templates and the ability to connect a custom domain. Setting up a self-hosted WordPress site is also an option. This requires buying hosting and a domain name, both of which are low cost to start out.

Making a Blog Successful

This is the hard part. A person cannot just put up random content on a blog and expect to be an overnight sensation, bringing in large amounts of money. It takes time and dedication to build readership, gain trust and to fully understand how to run a blog like a business. The following tips will help:

• Find a niche. Focusing on a specific passion will bring in the right audience and make it easier to target advertising later on. It is best to choose something that already has a strong interest to avoid getting lost in the crowd.

• Be consistent. Posting fresh content on a consistent basis will keep the readership and show that the blogger is dedicated to what they are doing. In addition, keeping content up to date improves the Google ranking for the blog.

• Promote content. A blogger can be the most amazing and interesting writer in the world, but it is a wasted effort if no one knows about the site. Networking with other bloggers and using social media to promote posts will quickly get the word out.

Is Blogging Worth the Effort?

The majority of blogs die before they are one year old. This happens mainly because the person did not want to put in the effort to build up readership and work toward passive income. Having a successful blog that makes money is hard work in the beginning that pays off well later on. It also depends on what the person is looking to get out of the experience. Whether it is to supplement an existing income or act as a standalone business, having a plan before starting out will help the blogger push past early discouragement and understand that it is all part of a process.

Another consideration is the relationships, both personal and professional, that are built through blogging. Someone with a family will gain the flexibility to spend more time with their spouse and children. These factors do not have a monetary value.

In today’s digital economy, a passive-income blog fits right in to most lifestyles and can provide a better quality of life for both the blogger and everyone around them.

Kelsey is the editor at LuxAuthority and is trying to balance both her budget and her credit card balance. She likes to live lavish and treat herself when the opportunity allows it. She loves the newest tech, old cars and the smell of rich mahogany and leather bound books as well!

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Commercial property finance to buy a new commercial premises sounds simple but it may be far from easy. Lenders are diligent about who they lend to, and for commercial property, the process can be a bit difficult to go through. There are, however, some things that you can do in order to get the commercial property loan that you need.

The process can become less problematic and painful when you follow these tips and it will also help you get a better deal from the loan.

1. Have a Corporate Structure Diagram Handy

Commercial borrowers have many complex corporate structures. The specifics of these structures may include superannuation funds that are self-managed, a trust in the name of one’s family, associated businesses, special property vehicles, and so on.

This structural diagram is crucial if you are to get the commercial property loan that you are after. If this diagram is not clear and presented in a way that the lender is able to comprehend, it may reduce your chances of getting the commercial loan you want. If it is filled with inaccuracies, it will further confuse the lender and reduce your chances to acquire the loan.

Your business structure, once understood by the lender, allows them to expedite the loan approval and shave off weeks from approval time. They’ll know why you’re a good candidate to get the loan from the start.

2. Get the Documents Ready

Before you apply for a commercial property loan, it is crucial that you get all the relevant document and “proofs” gathered so that you are able to get friendly terms for the loan (and the loan itself) approved in a shorter time frame. Make sure that the documentation is all up-to-date.

Typically, what lenders would ask for are your most recent financial statements. That includes a statement of financial position (assets and liabilities statement), income and equity statement and more. Other than that, they’ll need copies of your sales contracts and leases, outgoings statements, tax return papers, rentals schedule as well as your bank statements.

They need all of this documentation in good quality so that they can assess whether they should give the loan to you. When you have done your homework and prepared these things well in advance, it shows professionalism and you will be able to get a commercial property loan for your chosen premises. stamfordcapital.com.au can help you get the right lenders for a commercial property.

3. Value the Property Right

If you are trying to get a loan against your commercial property, you need to be able to show the correct value for your property. Make sure that you are not overstating it otherwise you may be considered “highly unprofessional” by the lenders. You may not get the commercial property you’re after.

4. A Property Strategy

The lender wants to see what your strategy regarding the property loan is. Do you want it for investment purposes, so that you can expand, and if so, what are the specifics of the plan? The lender will be willing to give the loan when there is an expected outcome clearly presented in front of them regarding the utilization of the loan they give you.

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Not many people know but it’s true that you can buy rewards points without having to wait to earn them. This has been a somewhat hidden option all this time. You can actually top up your account by buying points for a redemption. And the best thing is that the cost of doing so is not as unreasonable as you might think it will be.
People can buy points by their Membership Rewards Linked Cards, and at $25 for 1000 points, they’re not as expensive as one might think they’d be. These points are still cheaper than buying from an airline. So in this article, we’ll discuss how you can buy rewards points and why you might want to do that.

Why Buying Rewards Points Makes Sense

The main reason to buy rewards points is to top up your account for a particular redemption. Membership Rewards points happen to a flexible currency. This means you can check how many points you have and how you wish to use them. If you’re short, then you can buy as many points as you want to use them for whatever purpose you intend to use them for.

Buying points to top up your account when you know there’s an airline seat that can be redeemed is another reason to buy rewards points. This way you can secure the seat earlier instead of waiting until you have earned the remaining points from your day to day spends. If let’s say you’re another 1000 points short, then it could take a very long time to earn that many points, and the airline seat that you’re after won’t obviously wait for you for that long.

Important Details When Buying Rewards Points

The process of buying rewards points can easily be conducted over the phone number given at the back of your frequent flyer credit card or charge card. With American Express, you have to buy points in chunks of 1000. There is no limit on the number of points that can be bought. For more details about buying points, you can visit Points Bank.

Whenever you buy Membership Rewards points you’ll have to transfer them or redeem them over to a partner program at the time of purchase. So it’s better if you buy these points with a specific purpose in your mind. Points can be purchased on request immediately, and the transfer of points is also initiated at the same time.

Another advantage of buying points is that if there is any bonus promotion running at the time when you buy points, then the points will be offered to you at the bonus promotion that is being given at that time. However, you won’t be able to earn more points on the purchase of your points.

Buying rewards points is actually very easy. All you have to do is just make an account with Points Bank and state how much points you would like to purchase and for what purpose. These orders usually take 72 hours before your purchased points can be seen in your account.

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Interested in investing for the long term? Can’t figure out a suitable option? Your primary aim is to get a decent return on your investments. Risks do exist in the financial world, which you can mitigate by diversifying your portfolio and combing the available options together.

The time period associated with long term investments is around 7 years or greater. Generally, you are on the lookout for return rates averaging to 8 % to 8.5%. High risks are expected for some of the options, but are usually acceptable because the returns are also worthy.

Before proceeding ahead, educate yourself on the various options available, and accordingly make a decision. Let’s walk you through the best choices for long term investments in Australia.

Savings Account

A savings account offers an interest rate of only 1% to 3%, but is still utilised by many Australians, simply because it is risk-free. You deposit a certain amount from your income monthly, over which interest is compounded.
You can open up a savings account with any bank of your choice, and can manage it through the offered app.

Bonds

Bonds are type of a loan, issued by the government and companies in an attempt to raise money. Investors lend an amount to the issuer of the bond for a certain time period during which they receive a return regularly. The return rates associated with bonds are higher than savings accounts.

Gold

Gold is a popular long term investment option, especially for those looking to diversify their portfolios. Gold always tends to maintain its values and cannot default unlike fiat currencies, which makes it a suitable investment option when economic disturbances and fluctuations are prevalent in the financial market. In such scenarios, gold responds differently compared to other assets, which helps you mitigate risks.

Investment advisors at goldbullionaustralia.com.au suggest that gold should ideally take up around 10% or more of your investment portfolio, but there can be variations. Once the value increases and you start realising returns, you can sell gold through simple processes to generate a profit.

Shares

If you invest in shares, it means you are a partial owner of the company. Your wealth grows when share prices increase and when you’re paid dividends. Shares are a risky investment option, and so it can be hard to figure out the ones that would maximise returns.

Property

Buying and selling property is a common investment strategy in Australia. You get money from the profits earned on the sale or as a regular income, if you rent out the unit or land. Property investment has become riskier these days, but you can address them through numerous ways.

Term Deposits

Terms deposits are god way to accomplish your long term saving goals. You put your money into a term deposit, which is then tied down for a certain period. Choose any suitable period from between 1 year and 5 years, keeping in mind that you won’t be able to make any withdrawals during this time. You earn an interest during this period, and aren’t allowed to make any withdrawals.

So which of these options have you already invested in? Do let us know what works best for you.

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