Posts tagged: financial advice

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.

Can I Afford To Hire Someone?

business hiringFrom a financial perspective, running your own business is the biggest risk you can take, but can also reap the biggest rewards for you and your family. Running a business takes a huge amount of planning, time spent working, developing skills and completing orders. There will come a time within your budding business career that the jobs seem to mount up to a level which you cannot cope with alone. It is at this point which you may start to wonder whether hiring someone will benefit you and your business.

Think about yourself and how much you value your time. You are the owner and instigator of your own business, you are worth a lot of money, and this is money which should not be wasted by sitting in front of a computer checking emails, social media and handling tech support. These are all tasks which other people can do for you at a more reasonable price- so instead of costing yourself an hour of your own time, cost an hour of someone else’s.

It is hard to know exactly when the right time is to hire a new person you’re your team, but it really comes down to how much profit you earn and the time you take out of your day to complete tasks which prevent you from doing your work to its full extent.

The right person could save you time doing these small tasks and allow you to focus on new ways to expand and increase the profitability of your empire. You could end up deciding to expand overseas, open a store, or maybe invest in things such as foreign currency: http://trustedforexbroker.com. It will free up your time and in the end mean you can make much more money.

If you feel that you need someone there to help the business grow and prevent it from falling into debt, then you will have to make the financial sacrifice to start with in order to see those long-term results. It may seem as if you simply cannot afford to hire someone- but can you afford not to?

Hiring The Right Person

If you do decide that you need to hire an extra pair of hands, make sure you take that time to hire the right person for the job. Simply having the right employee can bring your profits up and the efficiency of your business up by a huge amount. Someone who has the knowledge, skills, enthusiasm and drive to succeed can transform the way your business operates. It may mean you have to offer them a larger sum to start off with, but that investment will pay off tenfold when you are able to work on more projects and expand. If you need tips of finding the right employee, here’s a helpful post: https://www.thebalance.com/top-tips-for-hiring-the-right-employee-1918964

And remember, if you can’t afford to hire an employee for full-time work- all you need to do is offer a part-time position instead. It will give someone the chance to work for you and balance their other commitments and you will have an extra helping hand.

Things To Look Out For When Applying For A Credit Card

deal with your cardsIf not managed properly, a credit card can have a massive negative impact on your credit rating. For this reason, you shouldn’t just apply for credit cards on a whim; You need to weigh up all the pros and cons and all the benefits before making any decisions. Shopping around to get the best deals on your credit card is always a sensible option, so here is a list of things that should look out for when you do.

1. Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

This is the cost for using the card if you don’t pay off the balance in full every month. Have a look around for credit cards with the lowest APR, so that you have to pay less interest back if you can’t pay the balance off in full for a month or two.

2. Credit Limit

This is the amount of money that the credit card issuer has agreed to let you borrow. This amount will vary depending on your credit score, current financial situation, and other facts. Because of this, you could be offered anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands. Regardless of your credit limit, you will want to avoid spending anywhere near your credit limit, as this will negatively impact your credit score.

3. Annual Fee

Some cards add a fee on top of your balance each year for the use of your card. Like with the balance, you will have to pay interest on this fee unless you can pay the full balance at the end of the month.

4. Charges

Ensure you know of any possible charges for using the card, going over your credit limit, spending money abroad, or making late repayments to avoid any nasty surprises. You can check this on your credit agreement.

5. Minimum Repayment

Even if you can’t afford to pay the full balance each month, you will still be required to make a minimum repayment. This doesn’t tend to be more than around £5 or 3% of your balance, but you should try to pay much more than this otherwise it will take longer and cost much more to pay off your debt.

6. Cash Back

Some credit cards will refund you a percentage of your spendings back onto your card. Even if a credit card advertises cash back, you will want to check the small print, as they may only offer this for customers who spend less or more than a certain amount, or ones who have paid off their balance in full at the end of the month. Websites like best.creditcard compare the cash back offers from a range of different credit cards, as well as other benefits.

7. Points & Rewards

Some credit cards offer points every time you spend money which can later be converted into different types of rewards. These rewards can include vouchers, loyalty points for supermarkets, or even football merchandise.

Be sure not to apply for many credit cards in a short amount of time, as this will harm your credit score. Instead, compare the benefits and see which one fits you best, and ensure you make your repayments if you are accepted.

A Guide To Getting A Mortgage When You’ve Got Bad Credit

mortgage for youIf you’re wanting to purchase a home, but have missed paying a few mobile phone bills or have been bankrupt, you may think that you’ve got no chance. Although it’s certainly difficult to get a loan when you have a bad credit score, it’s definitely not impossible. Getting a mortgage with bad credit isn’t easy, but that doesn’t mean you should just give up. Here are a few options for you to consider before throwing in the towel.

Increase Your Credit Score

If you have a bit of time before you actually want to put down a down payment, then you should definitely consider trying to raise your credit score. This will mean that not only will you find it much easier to secure a mortgage, but you will also generally have to pay less money in the long run, as the interest won’t be as high. Checking your credit report for mistakes is one possible way to do this, as you could have been a victim of fraud in the past. Ensuring that you’re on the electoral roll is also important, as you are unlikely to be accepted for any kind of credit unless you have this as proof that you are who you claim to be and live where you claim to live.

Increase Your Down Payment

Whether you have a bad credit score or not, mortgage lenders are much more likely to approve you for a mortgage if you provide a down payment that is much larger than usual. If you have some extra money saved somewhere, whether this be in a savings account or under your mattress, then you are halfway there. If not, then you need to find a way of securing these funds. Asking family and friends is a possibility, but isn’t always an option. Even if it is possible, you may not want to ask for large amounts of money from your loved ones. Here is when you need to start thinking about a bad credit personal loan. What are personal loans for people with bad credit? Well, they’re exactly what they say on the tin. A bad credit personal loan is there to help people with bad credit secure a personal loan, for things such as making a down payment on a new house.

Have Some HOPE

If you don’t have a large enough income to make a big down payment, then the HOPE program is something you may want to consider. Hope will allow borrowers with bad credit get approved for loans, sometimes with as little as a 0% down payment. This is a great option for someone on a low income, with bad credit, as it will help you to improve your credit history when you start to make your repayments.

Buying your own home, even with a bad credit score, is definitely not impossible. You do need to do a lot more research, and often have to pay more than others with a better credit score, but it will all be worth it when you’re falling asleep in a house that you own.

How To Be Frugal Without Being Cheap

couponNobody likes to spend more money than they need to on things, and saving money where you can is always a wise move. However, there is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. When you are frugal, you watch your pennies and make wise, thoughtful financial decisions. When you are cheap, you skimp in order to save money, but you may sacrifice quality or even your reputation for the sake of saving money. Frugal people recognize the value in an item and may find a way to save money on it, such as by using coupons or promo codes to buy smartphones or other items. Here are some tips to help you avoid being cheap while still saving money on your purchases.

Plan and Save

Frugal people are those who make thoughtful, informed buying decisions. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary that you think ahead and plan for your purchase. You want to research the different product options well ahead of time and avoid buying impulsively. More than that, you want to save money to make large purchases. When planning for purchases, keep an eye on your budget. Always pay attention to how a purchase will affect your budget and your bottom line. If you are comfortable with the affect that a purchase will have, have saved money for it and have comparison shopped to find the best deal, you can make your purchase with confidence.

Consider Older Models

For many types of products, new models are introduced on a regular basis that have more bells and whistles than predecessors. The older models may have slightly less functionality, but they may be entirely functional for your needs. More than that, once new models are available, the older models are often available at a discounted price. A great example of this is cell phones. New models seem to come out on a yearly basis, if not more often. The new models may have slight benefits, such as a slightly longer battery life or better image quality in the on-board camera. However, in many cases, the older model may be $100 or more less than the new model. Which one is really the better deal? If you decide that you must have the latest model, consider waiting a few weeks to buy a gently used model when someone else who snatched it up initially has become disenchanted with it.

Watch and Wait

Even after you have planned for your purchase, saved money for the purchase and comparison shopped between older and newer models, take one additional step. Almost everything will go on sale at some point. In some cases, discounts are available via holiday sales or end of season sales. In other cases, you can find coupons and promo codes that can help you to save money on your purchase. There is rarely ever a reason to pay full price for an item, and you can save a lot of money over the course of time when you adopt the philosophy of never paying full price for anything.

Learning how to be a smart, frugal shopper can help you to save a considerable amount of money. By following these tips, you can save money on purchases without developing a reputation for being cheap.