Posts tagged: cash flow

Managing finances wisely: A guide for young people

Finance tips for youngThe monetary system works well, which is why people all over the world have used money for thousands of years. Money has an agreed upon value, a standard by which worth is judged. Our standard is of course the dollar, and no one better than a young person knows the value of a dollar. Why? Because for you, dollars are hard to come by, easy to spend, and difficult to replenish.

Here is how a young person can stack these dollars by acting smartly

Start saving

Saving money is just plain easier if we’re saving for something. The thing we’re saving for is our goal. Our goal can be short-term or long-term, depending on the nature of the purchase. Generally speaking, short-term goals are easier to achieve because our aim is shorter. Long-term goals take years to achieve, but we all have to start somewhere.

Getting Credit

If the companies you want to borrow money from find out you’re negligent about paying your bills, if you’re always late, or always short, you’re going to have to pay more to borrow the money you want. That makes sense, doesn’t it? If you’re considered a risky bet, you have to pay more to borrow money. If on the other hand, you’re always on time, people will trust you more and you won’t have to pay as much for that car loan as the person who’s always late.

Automatic Savings/ Direct Deposit

Banks and other institutions know exactly how hard it is to save money. So they’ve come up with a tool to make it much easier. I’ve used automatic savings for years, and there’s no doubt that it’s helped me achieve some major financial goals. The only thing you need is a job and a bank account.

Here’s how it works:

  • Decide how much you want to save
  • Decide where you want this saved money to end up
  • Save money without worrying about it!

Every month, I have money deducted from my paycheck and deposited into a variety of accounts. The money goes its way without my ever seeing it, in other words, it never makes it into my paycheck, so I don’t have to face the pain of writing a check, or even worse, depositing cash. You sign up in one of two ways. You can contact your human resources office, who should be able to send the money where you want it to go. And if you go from the direction of where you want your money to end up — say you want to open an online savings account and also fund your Roth Individual Retirement Account, then set up the accounts and have those institutions contact your bank account.

Value Investing

Your aim should be to buy good solid companies whose prices are within your budget. You are to then hold those companies until investing in them no longer makes sense. When does investing in a company make no sense? When their fundamentals — how they run their company — are not good, or when a company’s stock price is so expensive that it’s simply too late to count on any further upward momentum.

Look for impressive dividends

Some companies’ dividends are impressive indeed, and if their fundamentals are sound, I suggest that you own a piece of those companies. If it’s a great stock, like Apple was once upon a time, when it cost less than $20 per share, then you hold onto it and don’t ever let it go. Things that make us rich are a blessing, and I say that without one bit of hesitation. Having money in abundance is something to be grateful for, and if we’re able to earn money even while we’re sleeping, we’ve got the right idea.

So, what’s your investing motto? Buy good companies cheaply. If the company offers you the option of re-investing your dividends, act like you’ve got some sense and re-invest them. Buy and hold. Buy and hold.
Here’s what you look at carefully when you’re considering whether to buy shares of a company:

  • What is their market capitalization; i.e., how much is the company worth?
  • How much debt do they carry?
  • Who runs the company? How long has this person been on board?
  • What is their price to earnings ratio?
  • What do they produce, and is their future outlook rosy or bleak?
  • How many employees do they have? Are the employees treated well?
  • How long has the company been in business?
  • What is the outlook for the future?

How do we as individuals and nations keep up with rising prices when our incomes aren’t keeping pace? We can’t. Not as long as we don’t make a decent amount of money with our investments. Life is scary, unless you just sit around in an easy chair all day. We have to get out there. We have to take risks.

How are fast cash online lenders helpful if you have low cash flow?

cashflowThe fast cash online lenders or the payday lenders come in as soul savers if you are low on cash. The name has been derived from the procedure which is followed with regards to the loan processing. That is, the fast cash lenders do not check with your credit rating. That quickens the lending process and it becomes easier for you to obtain a loan, even if you have bad credit, you can obtain a loan unlike the ordinary ones. The ordinary loans require you to have good credit and a good credit score.

What are the fast cash loans?

The fast cash loans are also known as the no credit check loans and in some cases as the payday loans. That is mainly because these Bad Credit Personal Loans Up to $5000 Now Available | PRLog do not require you to have good credit. The lenders do not make any credit check when you apply for the same. In case of especially the payday loans, you are required to pay back the amount borrowed after the next payday.

These loans come in handy if you fall short of cash in the middle of a month. There are no specifications on the purpose for which you can use the loans. You can use it for any purpose and as per your requirement. However, the amounts available under these loans are not too large to cover all of your expenses at the same time. In that case, you may have to take out more than one loan, so as to manage all of the expenses.

How are these helpful?

How are the fast cash loans helpful? That is mainly because these are available without credit check. As a result, you can benefit in two main ways, and two types of people can benefit from the same. One category is that of the people who have bad credit and cannot obtain loan in the general way. The other category is that of the people who are in instant need of money. So, the fast cash loans can be obtained in case you have bad credit or if you are in an emergency.

For example, suppose that you had applied for a loan which would be used as payments against home improvement. However, you application was denied and the cause is bad credit. In such a situation, you can get loans or a bad credit loan. Another example is that of an emergency. Suppose that you require quite a large amount for a medical condition within a couple of days. In such a situation, obtaining a personal loan is going to take time but the processing of a fast cash loan is going to prove to be faster.

However, there are some facts which you should be aware of before obtaining a payday loan. One is, as the lenders are not aware of your credit rating, the interest rate charged is quite high. Second is, the loan amount available is not too large. Third, in case of missed payments or default, the interest rates can outgrow your expectations. Therefore, you should never apply for more than what is required and try to pay down the debt within the stipulated time. Click here for more information.

Could Cash-back Websites Help You Save Money?

cash back iconWhen retailers want to increase online sales, they will sometimes pay a commission to other websites which direct potential customers to their cyber store through a link. However, you can take advantage of this reward by using cashback websites.

Rather than keeping all of the profit, these sites give some of the proceeds to you, meaning you can save huge sums on digital purchases. Therefore, you should check whether you can click through to a company on a cashback site before going direct.

How can you save money?

Normally, you will receive a certain commission on each transaction you make. For example, you can currently receive 3.03 per cent cashback from the Debenhams website by using the link provided on Topcashback.co.uk.

However, you will sometimes be able to take advantage of lump sums. These are often provided if you sign up to a subscription service. npower is currently offering up to £100 cashback to new customers who sign up through Quidco.com.

Receive cashback on the essentials

You can get money back every time you spend on essentials, such as groceries, by becoming a member of a cashback website. Most supermarkets offer £5 to £10 to customers who order their first online shop.

However, you can also take advantage of cheaper groceries by going to your local store. Quidco’s ClickSnap has a range of different offers, such as 40 pence cashback on eggs, which you can claim by sending in a picture of your receipt.

Save money on financial products

If you’re on a debt management plan, it’s likely that you are looking to apply for a new bank account or switch your home insurance provider. Cashback websites can support these types of money-saving exploits further by allowing you to claim commission when you sign up.

However, make sure that the financial product is right for you before applying, and always calculate the overall cost so you can compare properly. Sometimes, it might work out cheaper to go with a company that offers a smaller cashback reward.

Get your hands on gadgets for less

Cashback websites often have fantastic deals on the latest gadgets, meaning that you can treat yourself or buy gifts for others for less. Since these items tend to be expensive, even a small commission can amount to big savings.

Special deals are often available on new mobile phone contracts – Tesco is currently offering up to £50.50 back on the Apple iPhone 5 through Topcashback. However, you can receive rewards on almost any item or service, from photograph prints to flat-screen televisions.

Enjoying days out on a budget

Research from Family Action shows that 44 per cent of British parents cannot afford to throw their child a birthday party. However, a larger proportion might be able to celebrate the special occasion without breaking the bank by taking advantage of cashback websites.

As a mum or dad, it might fill you with dread when your little one asks to go to the theme park or the cinema for their birthday, but just a few clicks on your computer could mean that the dent in your bank balance is less noticeable.

Families who visited attractions during the recent Easter holidays saved £35,000 on tickets through Quidco, so no matter what the event, accessing these websites before planning a day out can be extremely beneficial.

No purchase offers

You could profit from your cashback exploits, as long as you’re careful to read all of the associated terms and conditions. Getting cashback doesn’t always mean an initial outlay – sometimes making money is as simple as clicking a link.

On Topcashback, you can earn £1.51 for a car insurance quote application, secure 70 pence for filling in a survey, or receive £15.15 for signing up for a free LOVEFiLM trial. Look under the ‘Free Cashback’ section of the website for more deals.

If you download the Quidco mobile phone application, you can earn a few pence just for ‘checking in’ at nearby retailers using the GPS system. This money can soon stack up if you’re strolling down the high street.

Are cashback websites right for you?

Cashback websites are normally free to use, and they offer you discounts or commission on everything from loaves of bread and electricity bills to airline tickets and car tyres. It could therefore help you to save money in a wide range of areas.

However, you should always be cautious. You should still shop around, since you might not always get the biggest savings from a cashback site, and decide which deal is the best for you by calculating overall costs of a product or service.

Stef has worked through a debt solution plan with the help of Debt Free Direct, she now writes articles on money saving tips and advice to help people avoid getting into debt; or save money to pay off their existing debt.

Can You Calculate How Much Love Costs?

calculate your costingIt is an interesting question really; do you think that you could do it? Putting a price on love is impossible, the perfect relationship is priceless. However, how much does it cost to be in a relationship?

There are many people that will have never have thought about this before. They will; not have considered that a relationship will cost any money at all, but in fact research has been done to show that it can cost a lot. Rate Supermarket looked at the cost of dates, holidays, engagement and wedding over a two year period and calculated that on average the total would be over $43,000.

This may seem like a lot of money and you may wonder whether it is actually worth it, with trying to keep another person happy and no guarantee that will end happily. However, kidding aside, it just shows how important it is to put away money from a young age. If you have to pay this out just for two years of a relationship, imagine what life will cost once there are children to support and a home to pay for. It is therefore worth thinking about getting some savings together really early.

If you want to be able to afford a mortgage or even just rent a really nice property, then you will need significantly more money than this. Therefore you will need to start saving up.

It can be difficult saving. Especially if you do not know what sort of future is ahead of you. However, there is a secure feeling in knowing that you have some money put away. Whether you will use it on a relationship or other things in the future does not really matter. Just knowing that it is there can really give you a good feeling. It can give peace of mind and then if you do have a bill or emergency where you need money. It will be there to help you. When you do start a relationship, then you can treat your partner to some really nice things or you can continue to save and get some things in the future. Obviously what you do with it, is up to you but unless you have it in the first place, you will not need to be making this decision.

Financial planning can sound like something that pensioners need to do, but actually the earlier we can get in to good spending and saving habits, the better. We will be much better off in the future if we can get used to be financially clever when we are younger and knowing the best way to handle our money. Then we will know how to use it to our best advantage when we are older and will be more likely to have more of it, when it comes to having to pay for the important things in life such as mortgages, weddings and children. It can seem a daunting prospect but learning financial lessons young can save a lot of hassle when you are older.

5 Amazing Tips To Help You Cut Your Expenses

jonnynomoneyDuring an economic recession, everyone realizes the importance of cutting back on expenses. However, many people think that cutting expenses is a lot easier said than done. Cutting back your expenses is never easy, but it is not an impossible task either. Here are 5 amazingly helpful and practical tips on how to reduce personal expenses.

Carpool to work

What is the one thing whose price just keeps going further up and will continue to do so beyond the foreseeable future? That would be gas prices. Simply by cutting down on how much gas you pump in your car you can end up saving a huge chuck of your monthly expense. The best way to do so is to start carpooling. In tough economic times, there will be others in your workplace looking to carpool and save gas money.

Don’t eat out as much

It is amazing how much money we end up spending while eating out. It may not seem like much, especially at the fast food joints. But it all adds up at the end of the month. Try to cut back on dining out. Packing a lunch for office everyday can save a lot of money in itself. Cook more frequently and stop depending on the take-out menus. Besides saving money, knowing how to cook is an essential skill that everyone must know. Save the dining out for special occasions only.

Create a budget and stick to it

We have all tried to do a bit of financial planning in our heads when stuck in traffic. However, once the vehicle starts moving, all our bright financial plans get blow out the window. Sit down and make a proper budget for your household expenses. List all you monthly and annual expenses, including financial obligations. Create a budget so that you can meet the essential expenses without having to stretch your budget. Of course, there is no point creating a budget if you don’t stick to it. Use cash for all your expenses instead of using credit cards; it’ll help you stay on budget.

Reduce household energy consumption

One of the biggest expenses for everyone is the monthly energy bills. Reducing the amount of energy used in a household can have a massive effect on how much the homeowner can save. Ideally, you would want you entire house to be powered by solar or wind energy, but that is not a financially feasible option for most of us. Simple practical solutions, such as using energy-efficient light bulbs and ensuring the house is properly insulated, can help you save bundles of cash every month.

Get your insurance premiums lowered

Along with energy bills, another major monthly expense is the premiums for car, home, and medical insurance. You jolly well cannot stop making monthly payments and let your insurance lapse. What you can do, is shop around for insurance quotes. When your coverage period comes to an end, look for insurance quotes that offer you the same level of coverage, but for lower premiums. There are websites that allow you to compare and shop for home and auto insurance online, so being lazy is not an excuse.

The 5 helpful tips mentioned here are very practical, even in times of recession, and nobody should have any trouble following them.

This post is contributed by Andrew Hopes. He helps provide useful financial tips and strategies and has found great use of payday loans for a quick relief from all the financial problems.