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Business/Investment

How can blogging help boost your online presence? 5 Secrets You Should Know

An adage that you’ll commonly come across on the internet, especially when considering content marketing, is “Content is King”. The more content you have, the better the online visibility of your brand will be. And one effective way of generating more content that will lead to an increased interest in your brand is through blogging.

In present day, your business’ online presence is just as important as what type of business insurance coverage you have. If you fail to properly boost and manage your online presence, not only will lose out on the millions of potential customers that surf the internet every day, your brand will also likely be overshadowed by other businesses who aren’t making the same mistake of ignoring the potentials of having a healthy online presence.

Blogging can be an effective strategy for not only increasing your online presence, but for also strengthening it. If you haven’t been using blogging to your advantage, below are some of the biggest benefits you’ve been missing out on.

  1. Significant boost to SEO

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. It refers to the potential of your website to rank highly on a search engine result. The higher your ranking is, the better. Fresh content is a significant factor that search engines take into consideration when trying to determine how highly a website should be ranked. By using blogging to put out relevant content on a frequent basis, your SEO will greatly improve and more of your target audience will be able to find your website on the first page of search engine results.

  1. Grow and maintain relationships with new and old customers

It is important to keep your customers engaged if you want them to keep coming back for more. And one sure way to keep people checking on your website is by adding relevant content to your website on a daily basis by blogging. This will help you attract new customers to your website as well as keep the old ones happy. Blogging can also help build trust with customers especially if your content contains useful information that will turn you into an authority in your field.

  1. Establish your business as a leader in its industry

By sharing valuable content and information through blogging, you can establish your business as a reputable force within its industry. This is possible regardless how big or small your brand is. In fact, depending on how good your blogs are, you can turn your brand into a sought after sensation by putting out consistently engaging, compelling, and insightful content. Before long, you’ll be considered the “go to” resource within your niche

  1. Brand will connect with more people

By blogging sharable content, you create an opportunity to generate more brand awareness and thus reach more people within your target market. Followers of your brand online will likely share your content with friends and family on social media who will in turn share it with their friends and family. Before long, your brand thanks to blogging can become more recognisable which will in turn lead to increased interest in your goods and services.

So stop waiting and get started blogging to expand the reach of your business.

Business/Investment

Here Are 10 Things You Need to Know about Let Property Insurance

It is a good investment to own a buy-to-let property, especially now the demand for rental accommodation is tipped to increase in the foreseeable future. However, it doesn’t end with acquiring the property and collecting rent every month, there are other things to consider.

For one, a landlord property insurance is essential for any buy-to-let property-owner. In fact, some financial institutions or lenders will not approve a loan unless you obtain one. If you purchased your property using a mortgage calculator, the following property insurance tips are essential for a hassle-free tenure.

  1. There are different types of landlord insurance policies

There are many insurance products in the market. Before choosing a policy for your let property, do a proper research about the various types available and choose one that covers your priority needs. Don’t be influenced by rates alone as it may cause regrets.

  1. Not all damage is covered

Some insurance providers offer a bundle coverage for certain types of policies, however, note that not everything is covered to avoid misunderstanding. To be able to make claims on certain damages, they often state that it must be “sudden and accidental”.

  1. Decide the amount of coverage you need

The better coverage you have, the less you will have to pay from your savings if an accident occurs. Some mortgage lenders may decide how much you need. Note that the amount of coverage you buy for the property, its contents and belongings will influence the price you pay.

  1. Replacement cost or full cash value?

There are usually two choices to make when you want to insure your home. Will you want a replacement cost or the full cash value if you have to make a claim? The replacement cost is the amount you need to replace or rebuild your home, while cash value is the amount it would take to rebuild the property after depreciation.

  1. Do your research before you buy

It is never a good idea to go with the first insurance provider you see. Study your options and select the most suitable policy. You will save up to hundreds of pounds if you compare alternatives.

  1. Ask agents about concessions

The insurance market is very competitive. Property insurers are always trying to make their policies attractive by offering discounts. Ask your agents about such concessions and take advantage of them.

  1. A policy for every mishap

Whether you own the property or are leasing it, there is always a product available. From furniture damage to fire, break-ins or accident, you can secure a policy of your choice.

  1. Where to buy a policy

The internet is usually the first choice for most insurance buyers because sites like Money Supermarket and Compare the Market allow you to make comparisons. But newspapers, yellow pages and the phone directory are effective for options in your area.

  1. Read your contract carefully

There are cases where people were disappointed by the outcome of their claims. Most of these issues could have been avoided if the property owners studied their contracts carefully. If you are too busy, hire a lawyer to go through it with a fine tooth-comb.

  1. Review the status of your property insurance annually

Contact your insurance agent at least once a year in case you need to review your policy. The property market changes regularly and you will be well covered if your policy suits the current conditions.

Business/Investment

Saving options for retirement-living the American dream in your silver age

When you are in your twenties or even early thirties, retirement seems a world away. You sometimes have a difficult time planning your next holiday, not what you will do 30-40 years from now. Without proper preparation, your bohemian dreams of sipping cocktails on a tropical beach or seeing the world with your partner could quickly turn into spending time around your back-yard.

The options for retirement plans consist of four choices, which you can sometimes combine to get more consistent savings. The first option is a 401(k) plan which is offered by the employer. This can be supplemented with a Roth 401(k). For additional savings or if you are self-employed, you could opt-in for a traditional IRA, to which you can add a Roth IRA.

Understanding the Roth advantages

This name comes from Senator William Roth Jr. who supported the Taxpayer Relief Act in 1997. By this bill, people can choose to supplement their pension savings with a certain amount, currently up to $5500/ (or $6500 for those over 50 years old) from money that has already been taxed once. This means that once you hit the retirement age, you can get money from your Roth account without paying additional taxes on them in the future.

Roth savings are an excellent option for young people since they have no control over the tax levels in the next decades. The upper cap on the income of $118,000 for singles and $184,000 for married couples also suggests that this option is for those with average earnings, but who can plan. Deductibility of the contributions also depends on the marital status and the filing status of the applicant. AAA Credit Guide offers a detailed description of the Roth IRA including tips and tricks.

401(k) or IRA?

The first myth that needs to be debunked is that this is not a choice, you can have both. The 401(k) plan is offered by your employer and comes with the promise that they will match your contribution to the pension fund up to a certain percentage of your salary, no mere than $17,000/year. Not choosing such a plan is like leaving free money on the table.  These funds are deposited into the retirement account before taxes; you will pay those when you use them.

The IRA (Individual Retirement Agreement) is a plan that you can sign up at any broker and contributions are deductible to lower your taxable income. People who are not in a traditional employment situation can only contribute to this kind of plan.

Putting it all together

If this all seems complicated, you could check out this flowchart to help you make a better decision. The key takeaways are: if your employer offers a traditional 401(k) (pre-tax) be sure to contribute to it and eventually ask about the option to get also a Roth 401(k) (after-tax). In the case of self-employed or those who still want more security, there is always the option of an IRA, either traditional (pre-tax) or Roth, depending on the income levels.

Business/Investment

Binary Options Trading for Beginners

Binary options trading is slowly getting popular among people who want to earn more. If you’re thinking about getting in on the game, here are a few things you need to know.

Binary Options

In coding, binary means that a value is either 1 or 0. In trading, the concept isn’t that far off. You either gain or lose money based on a “yes” or “no” proposition. If the proposition is true, i.e. if the answer is “yes”, then you earn money. If it is false, i.e. if the answer is “no”, then you lose money. Based on your earnings and the initial price you pay, you can determine how much you actually gain or lose.

Binary Options Trading

To give you a clearer idea of how binary options trading works, here is an example:

The proposition is this: “Will the price of gold be higher than $1,000 at midnight?” If you believe that the price will increase, you can buy the binary option. Otherwise, you sell it.

For this example, let’s say that you buy the binary option. Let’s put your initial offer (or the price you pay to buy the binary option) at $40. If the price of gold exceeds $1,000 at midnight, you get $100 and earn $60. If the price of gold doesn’t exceed $1,000 at midnight, you earn $0 and lose $40, which is your initial offer.

Now, let’s consider selling the binary option. If you don’t believe that the price of gold will exceed $1000 at midnight, you can sell the binary option at, say, an initial bid of $37. (The initial bid is typically lower than the initial offer. In other words, you risk more money if you buy than if you sell.) When midnight comes and the price of gold doesn’t exceed $1,000, you get $100 and earn $63. On the contrary, you earn $0 and lose $37, which is your initial bid.

Binary Options Trading Tips

If you want to try your luck at binary trading, here are some binary options trading tips to help you get started:

1. Don’t put all your money in binary trading.

Binary options trading can be exciting, especially for a beginner. But with any type of trading, binary options come with risks that you should take into consideration when putting in money. After all, you don’t want to drain your savings, right? So before you start trading, decide on how much of your money you’re willing to lose just in case the worst happens. Once you start earning, you can make your “trading money pool” bigger.

2. Being wise is better than being quick.

Because binary options trading is time-sensitive, you may feel pressured to bid as soon as you can. However, it is important to stay smart about the bids you enter. Prioritize “wise trading” over “quick trading” so you have a higher chance of earning money.

3. Keep your emotions in check.

Yes, binary options trading is exciting, especially when you start winning. But don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Know when to step out of the game before you start losing big money.

Business/Investment

Solving problems that can occur during construction

There are many problems that can occur during construction

Construction projects are underway, as you are reading this, all over the world and projects can last right through the night. In many cases problems can occur during construction which can come about due to the weather, man power or even poor tools. Take a look at some problems which can occur and how you can prevent them from happening:

Weather problems

Construction projects can last for a great amount of time meaning that due to the changing of the seasons, workers will have to prepare for maybe all four of them. In some cases, torrential rain can occur which can cause the ground of the construction to become wet, soft and can often halt the project depending on the severity of the rain. To prepare and overcome this visit JWA for bog mats which you can place down during and after the rainfall and enable the workers to be able to walk across the boggy ground without any problems whatsoever.

Tool problems

In some cases, workers will be using tools which are old and have seen too many jobs themselves. This can cause a problem, especially with the most commonly used tools, if too many of them break or are not performing the job properly, it can slow down the project to a near stop and cause you to be way behind on the deadline. It´s imperative that if hiring a construction company that you include within the contract that all tools being used will be assessed before the construction project starts and ensure that they will last throughout. In some cases, it will be necessary for new tools due to the wear and tear or length of the project, but ensuring this is outlined within the contract will keep you in budget and won´t halt the construction process

Construction worker problems

In most cases you will be contracting workers from another company and it is the job of this company to keep the workers happy and nothing to do with you. Making sure you hire a reputable company to provide the workers is a sure-fire way that you can avoid any problems during your project. If a poor company is hired, you could have contracted 20 workers per day but they are only sending 10, meaning your deadlines will probably not be kept to and if they are, they will be of poor, rushed quality. Keeping in great contact with the company is also a good way that you can ensure that everything is running smoothly, if you´re the project manager then you will usually be the person that takes the flack if something goes wrong from the bosses upstairs.

As you can see from the above three points, complete risk analysis, preparation and planning are the most important things you can do before you actually go ahead and start the project. Remember that if you don’t prepare, things will most likely occur and it could end the construction project entirely!

Business/Investment

What Are the Key Elements of Creative Teams?

What is the commonality between scientific collaborators, successful Broadway musical production teams, and the Boston Red Sox have in common? This was something that was researched a few years ago by Northwestern University and their results have driven innovation management software for businesses packages ever since. Essentially, the study look at a wealth of teams known to be highly creative and who had exhibited phenomenal performances when they worked together.

Unsurprisingly, one of the key things they found was that each team was made up of a fantastic diversity of people and individuals. Indeed, no two people in any of the teams were even remotely the same. However, this diversity was seen not solely in the age differences, gender differences, or ethnic differences between the participants. While those differences were also present, those weren’t the ones that caused true breakthrough performances. What was far more important, and turned out to be the true key predictor, was that the best performing teams had people in it that had been there a while and that had a lot of experience, but also a few newer members who were very new to the field. Indeed, in the study, teams with nothing but experienced people, so those that didn’t add any newbies, didn’t do as well as those who did add new people. Clearly, therefore, it is the influx of new blood and new ideas, combined with existing experience, that brings about real innovation.

So how does this apply to your team? Is it simply as easy as adding some new members to a team that is feeling a bit staid and old? Well, according to Northwestern University, that is exactly what is needed. Best of all, you don’t need to create a full time position for someone new. Simply bringing them in for a couple of hours to brainstorm is all that is needed!

So What about Facial Hair?

One of the best ways to increase creativity is to expose teams to a range of different forms of information, from a wealth of different sources. Those sources can be really unexpected, in fact. Consider, for example, that research has consistently shown over half of all people believe that men who are clean shaven are more honest than those who have a beard. The reason for this is that a face full of fur is something people subconsciously associate with poor hygiene, concealment, and diabolical intent. Yes, really.

If you have ever looked at the Forbes Top 100 list of the richest people of the world. What you will find is that not one individual on that list has a beard. In fact, very few have so much as a moustache! Similarly, no candidate running for American presidency has had a moustache or a beard since 1910.

To take this back to innovation, if you do want to get your creative juices flowing, particularly if you have brought in an outsider to help with this, then make sure everybody has a shave first!

Business/Investment

Plan Your Trades Wisely

Any new venture requires research and planning. Trading is no exception, but unfortunately, many people jump in unprepared so that their trades are little more than gambles. If you want to become a successful trader, you must have a trading plan. Not only will it help you understand when to place trades, it will tell you know when to exit a trade, manage your risk and help you keep emotion out of your trading. It is important to invest time into researching and developing a plan that will work for you before you begin. Trial the plan, analyze its successes and failures and modify it as necessary and you will be more likely to have success in the future.

Set Your Goals

Before you can create a trading plan, you must set your goals. Take a piece of paper and pen and write them down to make them more concrete. You need to take into account your personality and your trading style in order to be able to set realistic and workable goals. Assess your strengths and weaknesses and how they will impact your trading. Include timeframes when setting your goals so that you have daily, weekly, monthly, bi-annual and annual goals. All of this is the first step to planning your actual trades.

Plan Entry, Stop and Profit Targets

By planning when you will enter a trade and when you will exit a trade, you avoid trading by emotion. Knowing when to exit a trade is just as important as understanding the signals of when to enter the trade. Exiting in time helps you manage your bankroll and will allow you to come back to trade another day. Setting these points forces you to plan a logical strategy and helps you stick to your strategy when you are trading.

Decide on Risk:Reward Ratios

You must plan your risk:reward ratio once you have already set your entry, stop and profit targets. The higher the ratio, the more reward you will have compared to risk and therefore, the more appealing the trade will be. A ratio of around 1:1.5 would look good. As part of this, you need to work out your risk in terms of how much of your capital you can risk on any one trade or in any one day. The amount will depend on your personal risk tolerance, but is typically between 1% and 5% of your total capital.

Keep Records

Keep records of everything. Of your plans, of your analysis, of your risk levels and targets, of your trading records and of your charts. These records allow you to go back and analyze the success or failure of your trade. From this, you can sit and tweak your plan, improving it as you go.

Conclusion

The key to trading successfully is planning your trades wisely. This will be different for each person as goals and personality vary between people. However, planning, recording and modifying your plans are the key to becoming a successful trader.

Business/Investment

LLC vs. Corporation

Applying for federal tax ID numbers is an important first step in starting a new business.  When a business owner applies for a tax ID through IRS-EIN-Tax-ID, he or she must choose the type of entity the business is.

The sole proprietor tax ID number is the obvious choice for self-employed people who have no employees besides themselves.  It is also appropriate for people who are only employers in that they employ babysitters or housekeepers.  When it comes to bigger companies, however, it is not always easy to choose an entity type.  Here are some factors to consider when choosing to register as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC).

Corporation

The IRS treats corporations as though they are completely separate entities from their owners and shareholders.  The term “corporate personhood” means that corporations have rights and obligations just like people.  They can owe money and be owed money, and they can be parties in lawsuits.

This can be a problem when the corporation owns property.  Both the corporation and its owners are responsible for paying taxes, leading to double taxation.  The tax burden on corporation owners can get quite heavy.

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

A limited liability company (LLC) is not required to pay taxes on its income.  The profits and losses of the LLC are figured in with the tax obligations of each of the owners of the LLC.

While LLCs are an attractive choice for very small businesses, problems arise when the company gets bigger.  Only a corporation can issue stock certificates to shareholders; an LLC cannot.

Whether to register your business as a corporation or LLC depends on the size and goals of the company.  To keep things simple for a small business, an LLC is the better choice.  For a large, long-lasting company, registering as a corporation is better.

Business/Investment, Style

This $4000 Car Will Get You Dates

Go get yourself a 16 year old Subaru Outback and watch your life get better. Sure, Subaru is the car company that has made “Love” a central part of its advertising, but this car sells sex. It might not appear sexy from the outside. Hell, it probably even looks ugly, but one thing is certain — this 4000 dollar car will get you dates.

It’s less of the car getting you dates, actually, and more of how the car will allow you to get dates when you drive it. First of all, the car is already pretty old so you’ll be able to drive it with confidence. Forget about worrying if you’re going to scratch the thing because it probably has 20 dents all over the body already. You spend a lot of time in your car. Americans spend hours everyday in their car, so you need to be sure that it will make you confident. A Subaru Outback will allow you to do that because you’re basically saying “it’s all right here — take it or leave it.” Translate that car confidence into your daily life and you’ll be living up dates left and right.

When you pick your dates up and they get into your car, they’re going to feel totally at ease. This care oozes relaxation. Subaru initially made the car back in the 90s to cash in on the SUV craze but they couldn’t actually make an SUV for whatever reason. What resulted was a weird looking utility vehicle that hits all the right notes. They’re comfortable to sit in, they can fit everything you need, and you’ll never have to put on false heirs when you’re sitting in the Outback. Millionaires in the Pacific Northwest are known for driving these cheap cars for precisely that reason.

Back when the car first came out, the millionaires driving these cars didn’t have the money that they have today so they had to buy a Subaru. What they realized, over time, is that this car does not quit. If you buy a 16 year old Outback for 4 grand, chances are you’ll be driving that car for a few years and get more than your money’s worth. This equalizes the playing field. You won’t have to worry about if you car screams “I’m broke” to anyone looking at it because the car is meant for everyone. Rich people and poor people alike drive this car because it just works, on some weird level.

Sure, if you only have 4000 dollars, you won’t have your pick of the litter. If you go with this car though, you won’t need any of the other ones. The Subaru Outback is the perfect investment for you because you’ll be able to be your true self which will lead to more self-confidence, resulting in more dates. People are attracted to the real you and the Outback shows that better than most cars on the market.

Business/Investment, Real Estate, Style

How to Save for Retirement in Your Twenties

It’s tough to save for retirement in your twenties, but it’s not impossible. In fact, it’s easier today than it has ever been in the past. Most younger people are not earning a ton of money, but they are still able to save for retirement by investing, creating an IRA, and saving what little you can. Here are some recommendations for you to create a roadmap to a better life.

Individual Retirement Account

You should open your IRA immediately, even if you can only put 50 dollars in a month. Depending on which company you decide to go with, there may be some contribution limits, but you should be able to find an account that fits your unique situation. If you can only put away $100 dollars or less a month, you’re still saving. IRA accounts allow for you to make more money over time and you’ll never get your early twenties back. An IRA has many benefits, but starting one as soon as possible has the biggest benefit of all. If your employer offers a Roth 401(k) plan then you should immediately open an account with them. Employer contributions can increase your retirement savings by 40% over a lifetime.

Savings Account

You can open a savings account online today and always have something to fall back on. With your savings account, you’ll want to put at least $50 dollars a month into it, unless you can stand to put in more. A savings account will improve your credit score and allow for you to make more money in the future so it’s a good idea to get one started as soon as possible. You can’t always ask your friends and family to lend you money, so a rainy day fund ensures that you’ll be able to stand on your own two feet.

Investing

There is always the tried and true investing in real estate, but also there are apps out there that allow you to squirrel loose change away every time you make a purchase with your debit card. The money will then go into a portfolio that is diversified and continues with an upward trend. While it may seem like a risky idea to go with a startup, these platform based investing tools have been able to sustain themselves while competing with institutions that have been around for a hundred years. You can’t help but love an underdog! Your portfolio should, ideally, be 70% stocks and 30% bonds. This is a time honored distribution which, on average, sees a 9.1% return every year since.

This is not meant to be a complete guide to retiring in your 50s, but you should be able to start putting away enough money to live on when you’re old and brittle. It’s not the sexiest thing in the world, saving for retirement, but it is one of the smartest things you can do. If you ever need to liquidate your assets or pull money out of your accounts in a pinch, you’ll be able to. Forget about getting loans and just be self-sufficient.