Some Things You Need to Know Before You Start Investing

     

Don’t throw your money down the drain! Do a checklist of some things you really must know before start investing…

1. Know your current financial situation

Know your debt level. Calculate your income and expenses by taking into account the following:

  • Mortgage repayments
  • Personal tax
  • Loans and overdrafts
  • Living expenses
  • Emergency funds
  • Car expenses
  • Entertainment
  • Holidays
  • School fees
  • Credit card debts
  • Family commitments

Before you start investing your money in any investment products, you should know how much you could spare each month for investment. General rule is that, you should clear your debts first, then save and invest later.

That is to say the more money you put aside now, the better it will be for your future

Some Things You Need to Know Before You Start Investing

I would say put aside 10% of your income for rainy days. 10% is a small amount that you won’t feel a pinch. Save it until you have managed to build a “dam management funds”.

2. Prepare funds for dam management

This goes in line with point 1, you need to keep at least 3 to 6 months of your income as dam management.,after you have managed to do that then additional money that you saved can be used to invest.

3. Protect yourself and your family first

By this point, I mean you should have basic life insurance that insure you and your family against terminal diseases and accident. This is very important as even though you might lose all your money through investment and if you or your family members need medical attention, it will be well taken care of.

4. Know your risk level

If you are not able to take big risks, short-term investment and swing trading is not for you. It’s better to invest in mutual or trusts funds which will give a steady payout and have a lower risk. If you are a high-risk or medium-risk taker, you can try investing in stocks, growth and hedge funds.

5. Diversify your investment

The expert would tell you it is a must to diversify your investment. Your investments need to have a steady mix of stocks, mutual funds and/or bonds. Besides that, you should invest in different industries and /or different regions. This will help you minimize your risk as fluctuations in the markets will not have a big impact on your investments. Your ideal mix will be 20-40% stock and the rest mutual funds and bonds.

6. Do your homework before you invest

It is good to seek expert advice. But, the money is ultimately yours. So you need to do some research and make a sound decision on what to invest even though your financial advisors might have already worked it out all for you. This is to make sure you know what you are investing and able to keep track of them. If your investments suffer loses you will be able to make the right decision whether to sell or hold if you know your stuff well.

7. Do a stock take yearly if not frequently

Your investment might already be reaping in profits. But, it is good to know how well you fare at the end of the day. Reinvest the profits and celebrate if you have success. This will serve as motivation for you and will make you more determined to achieve your financial goals.

How To Contract a Good Professional Business Plan Writer

     

Are you interested in starting up your own business? If so, you should carefully consider contracting a Good Professional Business Plan Writer. The thought of preparing a business plan tends to fill most business owners with dread; it can be a difficult, stressful, and time-consuming process. For this reason alone you may want to think about seeking assistance.

How To Contract a Good Professional Business Plan Writer

One of the many ways that you can seek help to write your plan is by hiring a professional, who in this case is a professional business plan writer.

What Is a Professional Business Plan Writer

Before deciding whether or not you should hire the services of a professional business plan writer, you should first clearly understand what they are. In most cases, you will find these individuals to be experienced, professional writers who are well versed in business terminology and who can effectively understand the needs of businesses.

It is important to understand when writing anything, even a business plan, that it is the wording which makes all the difference; the words used can be the difference between success and failure. That is why a large number of small business owners turn to professional writers for assistance.

What a Professional Business Plan Writer Can Do For You

When it comes to searching for a professional business plan writer, you will find that different writers perform different duties. For example, a large number of writers will merely take your ideas, which you have already thought out and developed, and present them in a professional matter; they will just present your plans in a more professional way than you could.

Then there are the professional business plan writers who will work with you to develop your plan from the inception of the basic ideas for your business to the finish document. Naturally since more work and time goes into to assisting you with developing a business plan from the bottom up you will probably find that the services of these writers cost more than traditional ones.

It is important therefore that before you start your search you be very clear in your own mind as to what level of support and input you require.

Why Hire a Professional Business Plan Writer?

There are a number of different reasons why small business owners turn to professional business plan writers. One of the key reasons is of lack of experience when it comes to putting ideas on paper and not knowing what format a plan should take. If you have never created a business plan before you can easily find yourself staring at a blank piece of paper for hours on end!

Although it is relatively easy to learn how to create your own plan, it can be a time consuming process to undertake the research and get into the appropriate mindset. With the right experience, a professional business plan writer will be able to create a detailed, professional business plan in half the time that it would take you to create the same plan.

How Do You Find Someone?

If you are interested in acquiring the services of a professional business plan writer, you have a number of different options. One of those options is to search for someone locally. Dealing with a local business plan writer is great, especially if you want to deal with someone face-to-face.

Your search can focus on your local government business advice centers or even asking fellow business colleagues. If there is a writing group or circle in your locality then you can approach them for potential names.

The only problem that you may find is that not all areas of your country will have professional business plan writers. This means you may have to turn to the Internet for assistance. By conducting an online search you will find a large number of professional writers who specialize in creating or writing business plans.

What Should You Look For Before Hiring?

When choosing a professional business plan writer it is important that you don’t choose either the first person that you come across, or the cheapest. If a well written business plan is crucial to the success of your plans then you must be careful in your selection.

Your business plan may not only be used for your personal guidance, but it may also be used to attract financing for your business and that is why your plan must look professional, be detailed and readable.

Before hiring a writer, you should request samples of previous work and also ask to see testimonials from business owners who have used their services. This will help to ensure you are getting your money’s worth and that you end up with a business plan you can proud distribute.

As with any contract you enter into be very certain what you are getting for your money. Does the contract include the provision for free updates or unlimited revisions before the final version is agreed? Will you be charged per word, per page, or by the hour? Make sure you fully understand the deal.

By following these points you should be able to decide whether or not a professional business plan writer can assist you. Whilst they can be an additional cost you may not be able to afford, in the long run it could be the best investment you ever made.

Top Social Media Management Tools

     

As a blogger, you already understand the importance of Social Media. Social Media is an opportunity to share your content with the world. Through Social Media, you can show who you are as a brand and interact with the people that are interested in what you know best. Creating interesting, timely, thought-provoking content is a small part of being a blogger. Once you create the amazing content you have to be sure you get it out into the world. You want your blogs to be shared regularly and through a variety of mediums. With all of the things you have going on in a single day, how cool would it be to have a resource that can flawlessly execute your entire social media calendar?

Top Social Media Management Tools

Having a tool that schedules, implements and reports on your Social Media are priceless. There are several great options out there. Not only are these tools cutting edge, easy to use and comprehensive; they are all under $10 a month! I have compiled my list of the top five Social Media Management Tools.

HOOTSUITE

With Hootsuite, you can manage your Social Media, schedule posts and track conversions. They offer a free version, as well as a 30-day free trial for their amazing pro version.

SOCIALOOMPH

With SocialOomph you can schedule tweets and blog posts and monitor social media activity.

BUFFER

Buffer allows you to share content on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also schedule posts throughout the day to make sure you are always relevant!

EVERYPOST

Everypost allows you to update all of your social networks from one site. This tool is FREE!

BITLY

Bitly bookmarks your favorite sites tracks clicks and shortens your links that are posted across all of your social media networks. This is helpful for fitting URLs within character limits on Twitter and tracking what links are getting the most clicks across all of your platforms.

Each tool is different and has its own set of special features. Depending on exactly what you need the tools can be tailored to fit your specific blog. Take some time to think about your Social Media goals for the next month and chose a tool that will best help you achieve them. Now that you have all of this extra time…write your next blog!

How To Choose The Right Affiliate Program With Zero Mistakes

     

When people decide to join an affiliate program to make extra money, or to have a full time job, they often do so with illusions and no idea of how the affiliate program actually works. Read the following top 5 mistakes people make when it comes to choosing an affiliate program and avoid these mistakes at all costs. Then, you will be able to be more effective and make more money for your time, so it is definitely worthwhile to read these warnings and avoid them.

How To Choose The Right Affiliate Program With Zero Mistakes

1 Don’t Compete, Support

Too many affiliate programs compete against their competitors which wastes money and puts affiliates out of business. However, if you are part of an affiliate program the more affiliates the better for getting more information and more money.

One of the worst things to do is choose an affiliate program that believes in competing against other affiliates. Instead, choose an affiliate program that agrees with supporting and growing other affiliates to have a larger network and access to more affiliates.

2 Little Reward

Another mistake people frequently make when choosing affiliate programs is choosing a program that offers little reward for the individual’s hard work. Too many affiliate programs pay too little and as a result affiliates find it difficult to make the money they should be making. Look for an affiliate program that has a good pay rate for your work.

3 Old Statistics, if Any

You want an affiliate program that offers good, solid, real time statistics, not old statistics or ones that are no longer valid. There are not many affiliate programs out there that provide the kind of statistics an affiliate manager needs, but do your best to find an affiliate program that offers the most.

4 No Support

Too often affiliates find themselves waiting days for an answer to an e-mail and an important question for their business. You want an affiliate program that guarantees you support round the clock if possible or at least within 24 hours. If not, keep looking for an affiliate program that wants to help you help yourself.

5 Fresh Ideas, Creative’s

Many affiliate programs provide few ideas or creative’s to their affiliates and so thousands of web pages end up with the same advertising. However, affiliate programs would have a better success rate if many different ads were made available so affiliates could alternate ads and place different ads on different sites, depending on the products sold.

Commit these five mistakes to memory so you know exactly what you are looking for in an affiliate program, as well as what to avoid. You will be much more successful and happier as well if you do not get caught in these traps!

5 Tips To Choosing The Right Affiliate Program

Affiliate programs can be a great way to make money online. You don’t have to spend time developing your own product, worry about taking orders, or take care of customer service.

If you already have a high traffic website or run an e-zine you can stand to earn a steady flow of commissions every month without a lot of extra work on your part.

To help you get started promoting affiliate programs, I’ve provided the following 5 tips to help you choose the affiliate programs that are right for you.

1 Choose affiliate programs that match the content of your site. If your site targets a niche market than choose affiliate programs that offer products to that niche market.

2 Choose affiliate programs that pay a high commission. For example 30%-50% on your direct sales.

3 Join affiliate programs that pay two-tier commissions. This enables you to not only earn commissions on your own sales but also on the sales of people who you introduce to your affiliate program.

4 Join affiliate programs that offer a line of products so that you can earn commissions when your referrals come back and purchase other services or products.

5 Join affiliate programs that offer their affiliates great marketing support. Many affiliate programs offer their affiliates pre-written ads to use or get ideas from, sales letters, marketing courses, and articles to use in promoting their services.

Remember, the best affiliate programs will see their affiliate program as a partnership with you and combine high commissions with excellent support so that you can start earning money promoting their products as quickly as possible.

Mistakes To Avoid When Searching For Your Next Investment Property

     

Some Mistakes To Avoid When Searching For Your Next Investment Property

Finding a bargain investment property on paper is only half of the process of property investment. The other half of real estate investing is going down to the property to examine the real estate investment property physically for defects either in terms of the construction and legal title and other liens that can be on the property.

Mistakes To Avoid When Searching For Your Next Investment Property

You do not want to spend lots of legal costs later to undo the bad lemon you bought into. This article will highlight five possible things to consider when searching for your next investment property.

1 Unless you find a property that is really run down and you want to tear it down to its foundations

The reason why this is critical is that, wiring and water piping is usually hidden behind walls and other furniture fixtures and repairing them can be a very costly affair since you have to hack into the walls and run the piping and wiring if the problem is very serious. If you are new to property investing try to bring an electrical engineer along with you when you are doing some property inspection.

2 Foundation problems are usually harder to spot

When walking around the property, look for cracks appearing at the side of the house and the foundation that goes into the ground. Look for large unusual holes found at the side of the property and cracks on the exterior paint of the building.

You might want to bring a civil engineer and a contractor along to figure out how much it would cost to fix the property if you suspect the repairs involved will be substantial. You can also bring them along to give a “grim estimate” to the house owner and bring down the cost of the property.

3 Roofing problems can be a persistent nightmare to you

And your potential tenant if you are purchasing the real estate for tenancy purposes. When inspecting the house, look around the ceiling near the windows and around the edges of the walls to look for new paint or yellow spots or cracks with water in them.

Most sellers would be smart enough to eliminate the water bubbles after a heavy rain when trying to sell the property, but it is always important to figure out if there is a major leaking roof which might cost you are lot into repairing it. Use this defect to negotiate the price of the property further if you are interested in the property.

4 Another reason why the investment property in question might be a bargain might

Be because there are legal problems associated with it. Common ones include, multiple owners that cannot agree whether to sell or not. Litigation here would be futile and you should avoid such property once you learn about it.

Another problem might be a lack of clean title. Did you know that the seller can be selling you only the building without the land or maybe there are existing tax liens on your property or some other liens that can prevent you from getting good title to the property? Spending some time chatting with a reliable real estate attorney to learn about common real estate problems in your area can save you lots of legal problems later.

5 Bankruptcy of your seller or one of the part owners of your real estate

May depending on the legal proceedings of your state affect your ability to transfer title quickly. Most states make it a requirement that the receiver of the bankrupt has to agree so pay careful attention to the bankruptcy legislation of your state.

That being said, sometimes the banks are willing to sell you at a bargain so as to recover the bad debts quickly so do your homework before purchasing such an investment property.

In conclusion, these five pointers can be used as a starting point for you to evaluate your property investment. Spend some time to think rationally about the properties that you have seen and see if they have any of the above flaws and consider if you want to continue purchasing them and whether the costs that you may incur in fixing them will justify the discount of the property to the market value. Above all, take massive action today and pursue your property investment dreams.

Some Tips You Must Know Before To Buy Software Online

     

Some Tips You Must Know Before To Buy Software Online 

Buying software online can be tricky, especially if you are new to shopping via the internet. Whether you are upgrading an existing software package or looking for a specific program to install, the process will be a lot less complicated if you know what to look for.

1 Software Online Buying

Read customer reviews. Many popular online stores, such as Amazon, allow users to leave their comments about a particular product. Reading other customer reviews may help to make your decision easier because it gives you an idea of others who have experienced the product firsthand.

2 Software Buying

When considering any type of software, make sure that it is compatible with your computer. Most software requires a specific processor type, such as Pentium or Celeron, and a certain amount of free hard drive space. The reason is because, in order for software to function properly at quickly, the computer must be able to handle the application. By being familiar with your computer’s configuration, you will be able to select the right software.

3 Software Buying

Become familiar with the software by reading its description and capabilities. Before purchasing any type of software, you should make sure that it is exactly what you want or will enjoy learning. Often times, after software is opened, there is no refund policy for buyer’s remorse.

4 Software Buying

Purchase software from a reputable company. This will ensure customer service, reliability, quality products and timely shipment. By purchasing software from a reliable source, you will also ensure that the title is authentic and not an illegal copy. The best way to check out a business’s reputation is through the Better Business Bureau.

5 Software Buying

The best part of shopping for software online is the competition. Because there are so many retailers, prices are more competitive than if only one store had the software that you want. Shop around and compare prices before making a final decision.

6 Software Buying

When making a purchase online, consider using a credit card. Most credit card companies provide a dispute resolution process, which is beneficial if the product is not delivered, is not as advertised or is damaged and the company will not stand behind the transaction.

7 Software Buying

If purchasing from another individual, such as often the case with online auctions, confirm that the software has all manuals and/or product keys to ensure proper installation.

8 Software Buying 

Learn about the company’s return, refund and/or exchange policy. In many cases, especially with software, the company may refuse to accept the product back for a refund. However, there is always the possibility that a program is damaged or doesn’t function properly, in which case the store should honor the purchase with an exchange for the same title. When buying software online, it’s best to purchase from a store that is reasonable when it comes to exchanges if not refunds.

9 Software Buying

When purchasing software online, take a moment to look at the company’s shipping costs, methods and availability of a way to track the package following shipment.

10 Software Buying

Common payment methods include credit cards, checks and/or money orders. If you want to purchase software online, you will need to do so from a company that accepts a convenient payment method. If you do not have a credit card, most companies will accept a mailed payment. Most companies, however, recommend not sending cash.

Property Insurance Common Mistakes You Could Lose Everything

     

Getting the right property insurance and casualty coverage may not rank high on your list of financial priorities. Compared with investment decisions and estate planning issues, questions about the language in your home owner’s policy, say, may seem hardly worth considering.

Yet the more successful you become, the more complicated your asset-protection needs are likely to be—and the more you have to lose. Suppose, for example, that in addition to your primary residence—a historic home—you also own a house at the beach and a condo in the city.

The properties are in three different states. The value of your collection of Abstract Expressionist paintings has grown rapidly. And you just volunteered to serve on the board of directors of a charitable organization.

Property Insurance Common Mistakes You Could Lose Everything

Almost every aspect of this situation could cost you dearly. property insurance laws may vary widely from state to state, different kinds of property require specialized coverage, and collections of art, antique cars, and other unique items may be difficult to protect fully. Meanwhile, serving on a nonprofit’s board could subject you to additional personal liability.

Safeguarding yourself and your family may mean buying additional coverage, but more insurance isn’t necessarily the solution. Rather, it’s important to review all of your needs, consider specialized policies or policy options, and coordinate your coverage with other aspects of your financial situation. Here are 6 different shortcomings that could prove costly.

1 Leaving gaps in homeowner’s coverage

Any homeowner needs to review coverage regularly to keep up with rising replacement costs. But ensuring different kinds of homes in different locales poses extra challenges.

If you buy property insurance from more than one carrier, you may face contrasting rules, limitations, and policy renewal dates. For example, the liability limit on the policy for a second home might fall below the minimum on an excess liability policy designed to complement the insurance on your primary home. You could wind up responsible for the difference.

2 Ignoring property's unique characteristics

One perk of affluence is the means to own exceptional homes; one drawback is that they may be difficult to insure adequately. Standard homeowners coverage won’t pay for the materials and craftsmanship needed to rebuild that 19th-century showplace you’ve painstakingly restored. Coastal homes may face hurricane damage, while a place in the California Mountains could be subject to earthquakes or wildfires. Meanwhile, city co-ops or condos may need policies tailored to their buildings or associations coverage.

3 Under insuring art and collectibles

Standard homeowner’s policies limit coverage for the losses of antiques, furs, and other valuables. And while you could schedule additional coverage, insuring the real value of a collection of contemporary art or vintage muscle cars likely will require a specialized policy addressing several critical issues.

How is the value of the collection determined? (You’ll need a professional appraisal when the policy is designed, with frequent updates as items appreciate.) Will a damaged or destroyed item be paid for with cash, or will you be required to have it replaced or restored? Will additions to your collection automatically be covered?

4 Forgetting to insure household employees

When someone works for you or your family, as a nanny, landscaper, personal assistant, or in another role, you could be liable for medical expenses and lost wages if the worker is hurt on the job. Several states require household employers to pay into a workers compensation fund, while in other states it’s optional, but providing such insurance may be mandatory for ensuring your financial wellbeing. If an employee drives your car, also make sure he or she is included on your policy.

5 Neglecting your liability as a board member

Excess liability coverage could help protect you if you’re sued as a director of a nonprofit’s board. Or for more comprehensive protection, you may want to consider special directors and officer’s liability insurance.

6 Failing to get frequent policy reviews and updates

Your financial life isn’t static, and neither are your insurance needs. The value of a collection may increase; extensive home renovations could mean a sharp rise in the value of your property; and the re titling of assets as part of your estate plan—or because of divorce, a death in the family, or the birth of a child—could necessitate policy changes. Even lacking major events, you probably need a comprehensive review of all your insurance coverage at least every two years.