Financial management has to be one of the most daunting and demanding tasks that can cause an individual stress. There is simply no margin for error, and a slight misappropriation could have far reaching effects in the immediate future or sometimes later in life. Now, more than ever before, personal finances are at a greater risk thanks to the availability of easy digital spending platforms. Purchases are made easier by swiping or just by a touch of a button, and bank accounts are accessible through a myriad of services. With a few clicks a person can have thousands of dollars of credit and being destroying their financial future.

The Essence of Personal Financial Management

Basically, personal financial management entails understanding your financial situation at current state, and making plans for the future with what you have. It could also be taken to simply mean watching your spending, and saving what you can. It is important to be careful as someone can easily overextend themselves with just a couple bad moves.

The Specifics of Managing your Finances

Income and Cash Flow management

The easiest way of making the most out of your income is by putting in place a mechanism to track and understand what you get versus what you spend, and finally being able to gain capital for covering other additional concerns, as well as setting the stage for a bright future. However, what challenges most individuals is the means of tracking those finances.

Tracking your finances

Financial experts will tell you that the best way to track your finances is by keeping records of every single financial activity. It’s that simple.

Your financial trajectory will be drawn by calculating your monthly, weekly, or daily income against the amount you spend over the same period. Remember, in addition to your daily expenses and other miscellaneous expenses, other amenities such as rent, insurance, subscriptions, etc, should be included in your record. That way you’ll be in a good position to see the real picture and take the necessary steps.

By having such a detailed record, you will be able to qualify expenses in order of necessity, and somehow cut down on the ones you deem unnecessary, or those that you can do without. Luckily, today there are apps dedicated for the purposes of recording personal emoluments instead of keeping an Excel sheet (which is not a bad idea at all). When you can look at all of your expenditures at once, it makes it much easier to figure out where you are going wrong.

Financial Security and Growth Management

Insurance and investment have been listed by experts as areas of great importance. However, these are areas associated with persons who qualify, or can afford some expendable capital even after balancing their other expenses.

Insurance, for instance is listed as a basic requirement for modern living. You will need to identify a good insurance that promises to secure the well being of your family when hard times come, and no one knows when they do.

Investment on the other hand is dictated by a number of issues, like how and when to venture. It boils down to thinking strategically and taking risks, through what is projected to provide financial stability in future.

The best way to go about it is through starting off with a professional to manage your investments. It is an expensive venture, but the importance of lowering the risk outweighs the deal.

Putting up Liquid Savings

Part of the money meant for savings and growth should be accessible should an emergency arise. This could mean either maintaining a savings account with an emergency clause, or investing in a long term venture but with the ability to secure quick transactions during emergency. Ideally, it’s good enough to have enough money to live on for six months or more if a major issue arises.

Summary

The idea here is to practice individual financial discipline and to understand the different strategies of financial management, and how and when to execute them. A complete financial plan is what constitutes a stable financial future, but discipline is paramount. It takes dedication and sacrifice to attain the above, even when low or high risks are involved.

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For some people, renting is a lot more affordable and easier than owning a home. There’s no property taxes, homeowners insurance, maintenance, or repairs that you have to cover. Though it can be convenient to simply pay rent, there are months where footing the bill is easier said than done. A car repair, high utility bill, medical emergency, family emergency, or a mix up with your paycheck can exhaust your funds leaving you in a bit of a jam.

There’s a lot of programs that help homeowners struggling to afford their mortgage payments, but what can you do as a tenant? With only a few weeks before the first and the threat of eviction for nonpayment, you may feel like you’re back is against the wall. Before you throw in the towel and wave your white flag, here are some quick solutions to getting that rent paid.

Work Something Out with Your Landlord

First and foremost, let your landlord know that you’re going to be a bit late on the rent this month. This prepares them financially and could stop them from starting the eviction process. Ask for an extension on the rental payment if possible. If you’re usually good on paying, they may be willing to work out an arrangement with you where you break the past due amount up into smaller amounts and add them onto the regular rental payments until you’re caught up.

Move Some Things Around

Now, take a look at your personal finances. Are there bills that you were due to pay on or around the same time your rent was due? Can these bills be paid at a later date? This can free up some cash you need now and give you more time to pay the other bills later. If another bill is going to be late, reach out to the service provider to inform them to try and avoid fees or collection efforts.

Sell Some Things

When things get down to the nitty gritty sometimes the only way it can be handled is to sacrifice. Perhaps you can clean out your rental property and sell some things for cash. You can get a quick response by taking photos and using an online app to sell to interested parties nearby.

Installment Loans

If your rent payment is due and the deadline is only a few days away, you probably won’t have time to earn enough to pay the balance in full. If you’re simply dealing with a temporary setback (a higher energy bill) and not a serious financial crisis (loss of employment), there are installment loan direct lenders that will lend you a helping hand. If you meet the minimal eligibility criteria, you could have several hundred or thousand dollars deposited into your account within a few business days. Then, you can pay the loan off with conveniently monthly payments.

Get a Roommate

If you’re dealing with an ongoing financial problem like the loss of a job or a decrease in pay, you may want to consider finding a roommate to move in with you. This can be a friend or family member who is in need of a place to stay. You might also offer a room to college students or single individuals who don’t mind a small space. Make sure this is alright with your landlord prior to offering your space. Having someone else in the place with you cuts down on all costs ensuring you can pay your rent on time.

Try Ridesharing

If you can’t get enough to pay your rent from your income, perhaps the solution is to boost your income. Ridesharing has become increasingly popular. Many companies even offer a sign-on bonus of a few hundred dollars. You can get paid a decent amount each day depending on how frequently you drive and where you live.

Government or Private Assistance

Lastly, there are some options for renters who have fallen on hard times. Check with your city, state, and county to find out about government and/or private programs that help tenants with back rent. You may need to meet certain criteria, but if eligible you could have your rent paid for you and even reduced in the month’s ahead.

As cost-effective as renting can be for some individuals, there are times when paying the rent each month is impossible. If your funds are all tied up or you’re going through something that will change your finances temporarily or permanently, there are still resolutions to getting your rent paid. Remember, start by talking with your landlord to avoid eviction procedures and then consider the tips listed above to accumulate the cash you need.

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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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Are you planning on moving abroad sometime soon? Whether you are moving for work and a new position or because you just want to try and start a new life in a new country, there are going to be some big financial burdens that could stand in your way. In fact, the cost of moving to the other side of the world can be so big that some families end up spending their entire life savings on the move. But does it really have to be so expensive?

Thankfully, you might not have to take out your entire savings to pay for your new life abroad. There are some ways you can make the transition a lot more affordable. Read on to find out more!

Ask For Moving Costs To Be Reimbursed

If you are moving because you have got a new job or your current firm wants you to relocate, there is a good chance that they will be able to help you with your moving costs. If the company haven’t mentioned anything to you as of yet, it’s worth asking them to find out if they can contribute to the costs. Sometimes, they might pay for your moving company or shipping costs. Even if they don’t cover all of the costs, they should still contribute a small amount as they are the ones making you move!

Hire Specialist Removal Firms

A lot of work and effort goes into packing up your whole life and shipping it to another country. Not every moving firm will be able to help you with this. But there are some international removalists that specialise in long-distance moves. It’s really worth hiring one of these firms as they will have a lot of experience in this kind of thing. They will advise you on the best form of shipping for your belongings, and will be on-hand to help with the practicalities of moving at each end of the journey.

Be Flexible With Your Moving Date

If you can be, it really is worth being as flexible as possible with your moving date. After all, the price of flights will go up and down depending on the time of year. If possible, you should try and wait to move until your destination’s low season. This will be when fewer tourists will be traveling there, so flights should be cheaper than in the high season.

Consider The Best Way To Transfer Money

It’s not just the practicalities of the move itself that could end up costing you big time. There are some hidden costs that you might forget about, such as transferring all of your money into a foreign bank account. Ideally, you need to wait until the exchange rates are in your favour so that you get as much for your money as possible. Even if this means waiting for a few weeks after you transfer your money, it will be worth it so that you don’t lose out on quite as much cash.

Follow these tips and your move abroad won’t be so pricey!

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The idea of having an investment portfolio may conjure up images of suited and booted individuals, well-coiffed, pinstriped and ready for a day on the trading floor. While you may wish to invest in stocks and shares, you don’t have to be a professional to do it. Many novice investors are now choosing to speculate on a range of financial ventures rather than allow their tasty little nest eggs to accrue only the minimal interest as they wallow in savings accounts. Take a look at these options that you could explore to build your very own investment portfolio.

Property

Nearly everyone has a friend nowadays who has purchased a second property to rent out. Becoming a landlord is getting easier with the emergence of companies like 719Rent.com who will allow you to relinquish the practical responsibilities of being a landlord and just recoup the financial rewards. For a small fee, they will screen your tenants, sort out any maintenance issues and always remain up to date with current relevant legislation.

All you need to worry about is sourcing the property in the first place. It’s a good idea to stick to well established rental areas with high-quality housing stock. If you can purchase the worst pad on the best street and carry out some minor renovations, you can also outperform the market. Long-term, property is a sound investment if you ensure that the rental payments you receive each month cover your mortgage costs.

Cryptocurrency

While you won’t want to place all of your monetary eggs into the bitcoin basket, you could still jump on the cryptocurrency bandwagon by using an exchange like the ones mentioned at techradar.com. The rollercoaster ride is not for the faint-hearted as daily falls in value can be as much as 35%, but equally astronomic rises have also been well documented. With Bitcoin ending 2017 at a value of nearly $20,000, it’s obvious why novice investors want a piece of the action. If you do invest in Ripple, Ethereum or Bitcoin, you need to keep abreast of the fluctuations daily and buy and sell at the right time. This is made difficult by a volatile market and no accurate way of forecasting values in the future.

Wine

The idea of investing in wine may seem like a novelty and a tad odd, but people have been doing it for decades. If you can do your research and locate a decent vintage year such as a 1982 Beaujolais or a 1991 Riesling, you could be onto a sound long-term investment. Buy a case or two, store it at a central facility and sit on your investment of wine. As the vintage becomes more scarce, it will gain an antique like quality, and plenty of wine collectors will pay top dollar for your rare bottles.

Having a portfolio of investments means spreading your risk. While you might want to have a dabble down all of these investment avenues, ensure that you hold some money back in your savings account for a rainy day and always keep your eye out for new and exciting ventures.

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