Posts tagged: budgeting

Keeping Score: How To Get Your Credit Rating Back In The Black

score your creditIn the modern era, just about the entire economy is built around credit. While many people think of credit and debt as inherently scary things, the truth is that most people find them to be incredibly useful. Whether you’re applying for a mortgage, buying a car, or paying for something on your credit card, your credit score is both affected by everything that you do and impacts what you’re able to do. However, a lot of people struggle with how they can go about improving their credit score. For something so important, it’s shocking just how many people don’t actually know how to go about improving it. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do to get your credit rating out of the red and into the black.

Consolidate your debts

Debt isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it comes to your credit rating. After all, being able to borrow money and show that you can pay it back in full and on time is one of the very best ways to building up a decent credit score. However, having a lot of debt from different creditors can have a pretty negative impact on your credit score and can make lenders much less likely to trust you with their money. Sites like consolidated.credit can help you to consolidate your debts and combine them into a single monthly payment. Not only can this improve your credit score but it can potentially help to reduce your monthly outgoings significantly.

Reduce your spending

One of the biggest issues for a lot of people is simply that they fail to pay close enough attention to how much they’re spending. Sure, you might not spend large amounts all at once, but it’s the little purchases here and there that actually make all the difference. It’s incredibly easy for those purchases to add up and before you know it you’re spending far more than you can actually afford. Ending up in your overdraft every month is a surefire way to wreak havoc with your credit rating and leave lenders highly reluctant to do any dealings with you at all.

Speak to the experts

Sometimes your financial situation can be so bad that it feels like you can’t deal with it on your own. If that’s the case, then don’t panic. There are plenty of organisations and debt based charities that can help you to manage your finances better and help to provide you with plans to pull yourself out of debt and improve your credit rating. Remember, no matter how bad things get, there are always ways to pull yourself back out and take back control of your finances.

Improving your credit rating isn’t necessarily going to be something that you can achieve right away. There’s a good chance that it’s going to require a good deal of discipline and patience from you. However, it’s important that you hold onto it because it’s simply too important to ignore. There are so many things in life that you cannot do without decent credit.

A Closer Look At The Steps Of Revenue Can Help You Get A Lot More Of It

measure your revenueAll businesses need to begin with a good idea and a target market that can sustain it. You may very well have those, but you’re still not getting the kind of revenue in return that you hoped for. Was the enterprise just doomed to fail? Most likely not. Instead, you might have to look at the different steps of acquiring revenue a little more closely and make sure you’re maximizing the potential of every one of them.

The source

Your revenue source is going to be the most important part of the question. You might find yourself hitting the cap on the streams you already have and finding you need more. In that event, you must start looking at the opportunities for new business. New product variations, new locations, new additional services. You don’t have to radically change the business to find a source for new business. You can even look into using the brand in new ways, like selling your expertise to other business owners.

The customer

Being competitive with your prices sounds like a realistic tactic for taking on some of your more established competitors. But the truth is that customers are often willing to pay more than we expect them to. They’re willing to pay it when a business truly invests in better customer service and more interactive communication. A study showed that 39% of customers feel that most companies feel to live up to their expectation of customer service and that 73% are willing to pay more for better service.

The payment

As important as the customer service is how the customer actually pays. In many ecommerce platforms, poor user interfaces can confuse the purchasing process, leading to what’s known as shopping cart abandonment. But the actual payment methods can be just as big a sticking point in both ecommerce and brick and mortar business. If you’re not looking at service providers like PayPal and sites like creditcardprocessing.xyz, you might very well be looking at the prospect of losing customers who don’t like having their payment options limited. Make your payment process simpler and more flexible. That’s an easy way to unlock more revenue if you have a happy customer base.

The return

That happy customer base needs a lot more attention, too, not just the new consumers you’re trying to welcome to the business. It takes considerably less investment to retain customers than it does to convert them. Nowadays, services like loyaltylion.com are boasting stats like contributing to 5.3% or 6% of a business’s annual income, which can be a huge boost. A focus on incentivizing customer returns also has the knock-on effect of creating brand fans that then go on to lead to more new customer referrals, too. It can very well hit two birds with one stone.

The more value you provide, the easier it becomes to capitalize on that value, and the more you go on to keep delivering it, the more money the business will make. Keep the tips above in mind the next time you’re thinking of how to start making more money.

Top 3 Fastest Growing Investments In 2017

investments measureEach year we see certain things come to the forefront of the investment and trading world. These things grow in value quickly and are predicted to keep increasing in value into the near future. As such, they’re perfect investment opportunities for anyone looking to get in early and cash in when the assets peak.

In 2017 many things are catching the eyes of top investors, and we’ve narrowed down the list to these things down below:

Amazon

When it comes to the fastest growing stocks in 2017, Amazon.com is right up there. This has really been the year that Amazon has started to kick start a few new projects. Their video streaming service is improving as they add more exclusive TV shows and movies. Not to mention they’ve also acquired the rights to stream various sporting events live on Prime Video too. Then, there’s their biggest move yet which saw them buy Whole Foods. With so much diversification all in one year, the future looks very bright for Amazon. Experts predict the share prices will rise considerably, so this is the time to get involved and earn a piece of the Amazon pie.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the world’s most famous crypto currency, and it’s really skyrocketing in 2017. It’s fair to say that the price of bitcoin has risen quite dramatically since it was first around. These days, while it may fluctuate in value during a day, it’s generally predicted to keep going up and up. Plus, with things like Bitcoin IRA, you can now invest using a retirement account or your 401k. As such, it’s become more accessible now than ever before, which opens up your investment opportunities. Other crypto currencies are slowly creeping up on bitcoin, but it may be a year or two before they make a ‘fastest growing investments’ list. If you want to go crypto, bitcoin is the way to go.

Virtual Reality

If you’re looking for an industry to invest in, virtual reality is one of your best bets. It’s an industry that saw sizeable growth throughout 2016 and into 2017. More companies are creating virtual reality software, and we should see a lot come to fruition in the next year or so. Just the other day Apple announced the iPhone X with augmented reality built in. This paves the way for more virtual and augmented reality in the smartphone world too. One thing’s for certain, if you’re looking for a fast-growing industry to invest some money into, virtual reality is at the forefront of things right now.

While these investments differ from one another, they’re all incredibly fast-growing right now. Granted, some may still be expensive to invest in, but the potential rewards outweigh the investment costs. All three of these ideas are set to become even more valuable in the future so you can save money by investing now instead of later. The great thing is, they’re all fairly steady investments too. They’re growing fast now, which means you shouldn’t have to worry about extreme price fluctuations over the course of a year or so. If you want to get involved, there’s no better time than the present.

Cost Effective Life Hacks When You’re Out Of Work

financial life hacksWe always want to know little hacks for daily life, usually in the form of needing less effort to accomplish something or finding a cheaper way to fix or obtain items. However, situations vary a lot and the more serious the issue, the more we search desperately for ways to get around it. So what can you do if you’re out of work? First of all, don’t worry. If you’re out of work, whether it be your fault or not, there’s plenty of things you can do to make ends meet each month. There’s never any shame in needing a little help, even in the form of looking to someone else for answers, so read on for a few good ideas that can bring in some easy cash to make the hard times a lot easier.

Important First Steps To Take When Out Of Work

First of all, considering hiring a service such as LaPorte Law Firm if you think you were unfairly dismissed or aren’t getting the benefits you’re legally entitled to. It’s the best move in a situation when you’re out of work and your dismissal doesn’t feel right. Finding someone who specialises in social security means bills will also be a lot cheaper!

Also, try digging into your savings account if you have one. It can help pay off any debts if you’ve been laid off, and keep a few things at bay, most of all any collectors. Your number one priority at this kind of time is looking for a new way to bring in a stable income; in other words, a new job. Make sure you’re getting all the help you can with things like rent and mortgage most of all, so see if you’re owed any back pay or deductions in terms of tax.

If You Have The Commitment, Join A Blogging Platform

Making money at home couldn’t be easier when you have an internet access and some spare time. Vlogging and Blogging means you’re exposing yourself to some kind of audience, which also means advertisers will be exposed to them as well.

One of the main ways you can start bringing in extra cash every month is through placing ads on your pages. The most popular way to utilise an ad is to host a CPC (cost per click) banner or sidebar. Every time a visitor to your site turns into a customer by clicking through the ad, you get paid for it. It’s that simple!

Yet depending on the amount of visitors you have to your blog, some advertisers may even approach you with exclusive offers. If you can offer them exposure then you’re guaranteed a few offers from all different kinds of products, whether they be big companies or small. You can even write sponsored posts to advertise something in the form of reviews, and they’ll often send you the product for free!

Sell Off Your Surplus

So this category is going to have a lot of stock to it, but that’s just representative of how much you can sell off if you don’t want or need it anymore. So, got some clutter laying around the house? Spruce it up and put it on an auctioning platform! This can seem a lot like common sense, after all, everyone uses a yard sale or Ebay at some point to get rid of something. However it’s a much more lucrative market than you may have first thought.

We need to get into a lot of detail here. A lot of specialty stores and sites exist for each kind of item, so look around for a good place to get the best money for value. DVDs and CDs are one of the main sources for this, so polish up any old records and get rid of them.

You can even use social media to find the best market place and the most competitive prices. It’s also a lot easier to talk to people in real time. Facebook is good for this kind of selling, as it is specialised for this kind of action.

You can find cash for clothes centres, meaning you can just fill a sack with any clothing items you no longer want or fit you and finally get rid of them. It even means you get money in hand on the same day.

If you have a vegetable patch in your garden, now’s a good time to harvest and sell off what you don’t need at places like farmer’s markets, if you like being surrounded by competitive prices and the good smelling produce. However you can once again sell off anything you’ve grown online, and find advice on making the most money for value.

Write Your Own eBook Or Make Images

If you have some writing skills or photoshop proficiency, then you can sell anything you craft from these online as well. Creating products in a digital format means anyone will be able to access them, immediately increasing the market you can sell to.

With an eBook, you should have a good amount of time to work on writing a story if you’re out of work. Don’t just rush something out because you need the money and think people will be interested in whatever you have to offer. Making quality content is the best way to get visitors and potential customers to click on you. Similarly, drawing in photoshop takes some time to do well, and you can even take commissions from people.

It’s even better if you already have a blogging platform to work off of, as you can introduce your products to loyal readers and have them interested from the start, which means word of mouth advertising in real life as well.

So there you have it, a few hints as to what you can do to bring in some money when you’re out of a stable income. You can do any and all of these things, so don’t panic about how little each one seems to make alone.

That’s Your Lot! Why Auctions Are Great Real Estate Investments

money in real estateWhen a person invests in real estate, he or she doesn’t go to an auction. Usually, they find a realtor, view a variety of properties, and make a few bids. There is nothing wrong with this method. In fact, it’s a tried and tested technique which has provided excellent results on many occasions. But, that doesn’t mean that an investor only has one path to walk. Regardless of how you feel, auctions provide a range of benefits which make them a no-brainer. For the non-believers, below are the reasons why they are great places to find cheap properties.

Seller’s Circumstances

No one likes to address this topic, but the conditions of the seller play a significant role in the price. Anyone who can afford to wait doesn’t have to go to auction. Instead, they can put their house up for sale and go through the normal channels. By definition, people at auction can’t do the same thing. They either have to make a quick sale for financial reasons or have gone bankrupt. Again, it isn’t nice to admit, but this is an opportunity. Because people need an immediate injection of cash, they will accept lower offers and you can pick up a bargain. Sometimes, the bank will set the price and that will reduce the value further.

Less Popular

There is no doubt that the majority of people use the method above to find an investment property. Therefore, auctions are less attractive and not as well frequented. The reason this is important is due to a lack of competition. If there are fewer people at an auction, the price is bound to stay steady. When that happens, you pay less for the building than normal. Yes, auctions are usually packed, but not every person bids on every lot. For the most part, you will have competition from one or two people and that will keep the price low.

Perceived Risks

Another reason an average investor stays away from traditional and online auctions is the risk factor. In their eyes, the negatives outweigh the positives. Yes, there are risks and you will have to take a gamble of sorts. Still, the dangers aren’t as big as people like to imagine. After all, everything is in document form, signed and accounted for. Plus, there is a description of the house flaws. By reading this, you can get an idea of what to expect. Ultimately, the stigma keeps investors away and increases the chances of a bargain.

Play The Game

Think of an auction like a game of poker. By bluffing the other people in the room, you can keep your cards close to your chest. If they don’t know which properties you find appealing, they won’t up bid and increase the price. For example, a great trick is to bid on lots which aren’t attractive. This will get the ball rolling and people thinking the property is a keeper. When it comes to the one you want to buy, the competition will be less as everyone will have made their bids.

As you can see, an auction is an excellent place to find an investment property.