Big Lessons We Should Learn From Our Grandparents to Save Money

Each of us wishes to spend money within defined budgets but this becomes almost impossible for us just because of the increased fantasies, daily expenditures, family demands, and much more. Instead of trying useless tricks for saving money, we should consult our elders or grandparents to guide us in a better way. This is because they have always tried their level best to have maximum savings and have spent worry-free lives. How can they help us in saving more? Let us discuss it here. 

Define your Limits:

Saying this is extremely easy but to act is very hard. Our grandparents used to save a lot of money by the end of month just because of this simple golden rule. They used to set up a limit for saving and saved that amount by any possible means. For example, my grandfather used to save at least $500 every month without considering that how he will manage the rest of his responsibilities. In this way, he had a lot of savings in the end. This is what we do not do. We do our calculations at the end of month by just regretting that we have lost a lot of money in buying useless things and this is just because lack of planning.

 

Parties on Specific Days:

No doubt, our grandparents loved to have parties too but not on regular basis, like the one, we do. They preferred enjoying parties mostly on the weekends by considering their budget. Sometimes, for better financial management, they used to have one-dish parties. In this way, they enjoyed their life as well as saved money too. This is what we lack nowadays. We like to party almost every day and spend a lot of our money on lots of unnecessary events, which spoils our monthly budget most of the times. 

Cooking Budget:

Instead of eating junk food daily, our grandparents preferred to design a weekly menu in order to have maximum savings by enjoying balanced diet in a month. On the contrary, today, our demands, eating preferences, and menus vary almost every day resulting in huge wastage of money. 

Prefer Durable Utensils:

Have you noticed that grandparents usually prefer to use durable utensils normally made up of copper, silver, or metal? Do you know why they used such type of utensils? It is just because these type of utensils are durable and can be polished on frequent basis to give them a new look. On contrary, these days, we use plastic made utensils, which we have to buy almost every month because they are not that much durable. Trust me that buying these utensils repeatedly ruins our budget. 

Take Time While Shopping:

How much time do you spend while shopping? Maximum 30 minutes or an hour, is it? Our grandparents used to spend a day for purchasing best possible stuff. Can you do this for you? Purchasing stuff in short time is not an art but purchasing high-quality stuff with some delay surely is. Grandparents never wasted their time but made best use of their time to achieve fruitful results. Spending maximum time in a shop or mart gives you an idea of current market prices along with the best purchase of items within your defined budgets. 

Final Words:

However, there is a change in culture, generation, and living styles yet ideas cannot change if followed properly.

Author’s Bio:

Mudasar began his career in finance at Speedyloan. Now, he helps people getting loans. To get more details, visit over here.

6 Rules for Coupon Etiquette

Coupons (Photo credit: iateapie)

The growth of online shopping has offered many new opportunities for buyers to get even better deals. They are able to get much better deals because competition by online retailers has driven down the costs of the goods we need. Not only from direct competition but also because retailers are using coupons as incentives to get buyers to their websites.

When using your online coupons with retail websites it is a straight forward approach of entering the your coupon code in the inappropriate place. It is very simple. Other coupons that you print for use at local businesses has a different approach. Retailers appreciate your business and are happy to take your coupons because it mean more business for them and maybe they will get you to return again.

Recently many stores have changed or updated their coupon rules to clear up any questions of how the coupons are to be used. Our local supermarket has published a new use of coupon rules in each store because things have gotten out of hand. The problem is some shoppers are abusing the use of coupons and this may make it harder for the average couponer to shop.

If you are an avid coupon user there are a few simple rules to follow to make the whole experience a little less stressful for the cashier and the people in line behind you.

Rule #1 Check out coupon websites before shopping. Before you begin your shopping it's important to check out coupon websites like Fat Wallet, Retailmenot, and Couponraja. When you check for coupons you not only find good deals for what you need but also discover new shopping destinations that you can visit. Every year new websites pop up to serve the needs of shoppers. Also it adds a little fun to the process of finding these good deals.

Rule #2. Be organized. When checking out have all your coupons organized and not just in a messy pile facing all different ways. It shows respect for the cashier and the people waiting in line behind you. Also make sure the coupons are not expired and that you are following the rules of the store in their use.

Rule #3. Try to plan your shopping at a slow time of the day. Holding up the line with coupon redemption at the peak shopping times shows bad form and is inconsiderate of other people. It irritates other customers when you are trying to use so many coupons, so go when you know its the slowest time of the day. 

Rule #4. Be polite to the cashier and other customers. You may know more about coupons than the cashier but it's no excuse to be rude or impatient. Use your manners and stay calm if there is a problem. Ask to speak to the head cashier if extra help is needed. Also alert customers behind you that you have coupons and that there may be a delay. Let people behind you in line go ahead if they only have a couple of items.

Rule #5. Don't clear off the shelves when you make purchases. It's bad form for you and keeps other shoppers from cashing in on the great deals. Also the store may not know the shelves are emptied out, so its better to only purchase a small amount. If you must make a large purchase either call ahead to the store so they can arrange to put aside enough items for your purchase and not have bare shelves. Also make your large purchase not just in one store, but spread it over a couple of stores.

Rule #6. Follow the rules. Know the rules of the store your shopping at. Don't be pushy with your coupons. If you are having a problem with the use of the coupon just skip that particular one. It's not worth arguing over something like that, it's better to not be known as the neighborhood coupon freak. It's better to build a friendship with the store and the cashiers that work there. Also make sure you have the correct item for that coupon and that the coupon is not expired.

Shopping with coupons will save you a lot of money. Following these few rules will make the experience pleasant for all.

Selling Your Structured Settlement for Maximum Cash - An Illusion or Reality

What a Structured Settlement Is and Why Some Plaintiffs Opt to Sell Their Future Payments?

Senior couple signing financial contract (Photo credit: SalFalko)

As you probably know, people who get injured in various accidents usually receive a structured settlement. This is actually a monetary compensation paid by the insurance company in a stream of fixed installments over time. Such financial agreements typically arise as the result of a lawsuit from various personal injury cases, like traffic accidents, medical malpractice, work related injuries, wrongful death and some others. There may be also cases with no relation to personal injuries, like legal malpractice, worker's compensation, commercial cases, etc. However, in any of these circumstances the entire amount of monetary award assigned to a plaintiff is spread out over some time period and distributed in the form of monthly, quarterly or annual payments, rather than in a single lump sum.

Of course, any structured settlement owned may become an excellent source of substantial additional income. Though many structured settlement holders who face sudden life circumstances change and unforeseen financial burdens, find that they need pretty much more cash than their periodic payments provide. There is also a group of plaintiffs who consider it rather stressful and inconvenient to be tied up to the inflexible schedule of small periodic payments and, therefore, wish to unlock their future payments and get access to their legal money in full now to use it however they need: either to eliminate current financial obligations or meet some short-term or long-term goals.

For both groups of structured settlement recipients turning their future payments into a lump sum of cash is definitely the most deliberate choice. Since 1988, it has become legal to sell structured settlements, annuities, insurance policies and some other related financial agreements in US in return for a lump sum of cash. In such a way, funding companies, also known as settlement funders, have quickly emerged on the asset-backed market. They are dedicated to accomplish such transactions allowing payment recipients to gain absolute control over their finances.

The truth is that many plaintiffs hesitate to sell their structured settlements, even when facing the dire need in cash, mainly influenced by a rather widespread opinion that a settlement sale transaction may dramatically reduce their monetary reward. But what actually happens with your money when you sell your future payments to a funding company? How much is your structured settlement worth in fact? What should you do in order to get most cash for your settlement or is it still wiser to keep to the initial payment schedule with small periodic installments coming over time? Let's clean the air on these rather crucial questions for each and every plaintiff.

Roots of the Misconception

Indeed, there is a strong belief that getting maximum cash after selling a structured settlement is no more than a myth and a plaintiff would get a dramatically reduced amount of his/her money. In fact, settlement sale transactions owe their bad reputation to non-direct funders. Unfortunately, there are some funding companies on the asset-backed market that partner with intermediate brokers and use some third-party assistance.

They typically require certain fees for their services, and it is rather obvious, that every broker in this chain will cut off a piece of your monetary award. As longer this chain is, as less money you may expect to get. And like many other promises and guarantees connected with third-party companies, adequate settlement cash payouts may also turn to be just an illusion.

When Getting Maximum Cash is Real

But the situation may go the whole different way, if you are dealing with a direct funder. Established and reputable funding companies operate typically as direct funders avoiding any intermediate brokers during the whole transaction process. While applying various solid financial and legal instruments, they are able to provide plaintiffs with maximum cash advances for their structured or annuity settlements. When you hand in all related papers, their financial consultants will determine the value of your settlement and tailor a package meeting all your specific needs and goals.

It's also worth to point out that an established settlement funding company imperatively submits every single transfer agreement directly to the local court for review to ensure that the proposed cash payout option is in the best possible interest of a plaintiff and a purchasing company works in the fullest compliance with both state and federal laws.

In such a way, whether getting maximum cash for your structured settlement is an illusion or reality is the matter of your deliberate choice only. If you would like to share your personal experience of cashing out future settlement payouts, feel free to do that in the comments below.

Author's Bio

Derek Wrend is a PR manager at OzarkFunding - a settlement funding company offering the maximum lumpsum of cash for structured settlements.

Your Financial Life After 50. Are You Planning Right?

As you get closer to retirement age, you start to wonder if you are taking the right steps to prepare for your financial future. When it comes to preparing for your golden years, there is no such thing as too late. There are steps that everyone can take after the age of 50 to make sure that they are ready for the life changes to come.

Have The Proper Insurance

In most cases, couples have long-term financial plans that involve the two of them contributing funds to reach certain goals. If something were to happen to one of the spouses, then the other could be left in financial ruin. It is critical to have all of your plans insured to protect against any kind of potential disaster. Term life insurance can help protect a home while the mortgage is still being paid and it can also be used to make sure that a surviving spouse is still able to survive if the other is to pass away before financial goals can be reached. Life insurance will also help offset the costs of your final arrangements and help relieve your next of kin of any of the debt that you leave behind. Image via Flickr by moolanomy

Think Long And Short-Term

Good financial planning includes short-term and long-term goals that need to be achieved in order to maintain the lifestyle that you want. When people reach the age of 50, they start to think in terms of long-term needs as opposed to any short-term requirements. But immediate goals such as paying off your mortgage or buying a new car are just as important as providing for your retirement income. Be sure that you attend to all of your financial goals as you get ready to celebrate the next stage in your life. Image via Flickr by NRMA New Cars

Get An Expert Involved

Pride can sometimes get in the way of good planning. As we get older, we often feel that we have everything under control. For example, when we get a little tight on money, we know that we can use Arizona payday loans to take care of things until our paychecks arrive. But it never hurts to have a financial planner review your arrangements and make sure that you are doing everything you can to prepare for your future. An experienced professional can help point out areas that could use improvement and make sure you are on the right track. Image via Flickr by norfolkdistrict

Look To The Future

The biggest mistake that people make when they start discussing their financial goals after the age of 50 is to dwell on the past. Any decisions that were made years ago are done and over. If you want to make solid plans for your financial future, then let the past stay behind you and stay focused on the future.
You have plans for after retirement that will need to be funded in some way. As you draw closer to your anticipated retirement, it is essential that you review your financial plans and make sure that you are taking the steps you need to live the life you have always dreamed of. Image via Flickr by Nature Pictures by ForestWander

About the Author
Shaun Chatman is a well published author on many authority sites. He lives in Dunedin, FL, and spends his free time playing with his kids or advising friends on his pet subjects: tech, gadgets, travel and finance.


Resources:
http://www.realty-1-strategic-advisors.com/life-stages-of-financial-planning.html
http://moneyexcel.com/2991/new-year-resolutions-for-a-better-financial-life-2013
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/jobhunt/salary/2002-11-14-financial-future1_x.htm

More Structured Settlement Questions

Have you been awarded a large amount of money from a lawsuit? If so, you might be curious about structured settlements. The court will offer you a choice of how and when you want to receive your cash reward. You may choose to receive it all at once, or you can set up a long term payment plan. This long term payment plan is what is known as a structured settlement. Before you make any decisions regarding your reward money it is a good idea to learn as much as you can about how structured settlements work. Here are some more answers to your structured settlement questions.

Why Would I Want to Create a Structured Settlement?

There are many advantages to receiving your reward money in the form of a structured settlement. It will save you in interest taxes on any investments you make. It will also allow you to set up a steady stream of income so that you can properly plan for your future. Structured payments help ensure that you don’t accidentally spend all of your compensation at one time. Studies clearly show that compensation recipients tend to spend less of their reward if it is provided for them through several payments over a long period of time.

Will My Reward Be Any Less if I Choose a Structured Payout?

No. The amount that the court has awarded you will not change. You will receive the same amount whether you choose a structured payout plan or if you choose to get all of the money at once. However, structured settlement payments can help save you money in the form of taxes.

How Much Will a Structured Settlement Save Me in Taxes?

The amount that a structured settlement could save you in taxes could be substantial. You can expect to save approximately 25% to 35% of your total reward in state and federal taxes on any income your reward will generate. All settlement funds are tax free, but you will be taxed on any interest you accrue if you invest any of your reward. If you invest the single large lump sum you will end up paying more in taxes than if you invest using a structured payment plan.

How Much Flexibility Will I Have to Set Up This Form of Payment?

Structured settlements offer a tremendous amount of flexibility in determining how and when the payments will be made. You can set up equal payments over a set number of years. An example of this would be to receive $1000 a month for 20 years. You can set up payments on a per week basis, or you can set up monthly or bi-monthly payments. The payments do not have to be equal either. You could set up specific periods of time that pay out more than others. For example, if you were injured in an accident and require a new motorized wheelchair every 5 years, you could set up a payment plan that pays out more money every 5 years in addition to the regular monthly payments. This would allow you to pay for what you need when you need it.

What If I Change My Mind?

Once a structured settlement has been created it cannot be changed or altered. So if you currently receive $500 a month from a structured settlement and you need $1000 the next month, you cannot change your agreement. You can sell part of your total monetary reward to a company in exchange for receiving a lump sum of money now, when you need it.  The result of this form of transaction will be that you get all of your money upfront, but you will lose a percentage of it to the company.

Overall, structured settlements are very helpful to plaintiffs, but it is not recommended that you pursue this form of payment until you speak with a lawyer or tax professional. 

Top 4 Tips on Buying Gold Jewelry as an Investment

A couple of 14-carat gold wedding rings. Picture taken in Brazil, where 14-carat is the most common kind of gold used in jewelry. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While gold coins may look better on paper, for those who want an investment that they can actively enjoy, gold jewelry is an excellent choice. Many people choose gold for women’s and men’s wedding bands, but you don’t need to stop there; gold jewelry can easily supplant the bulk of your costume jewelry as well. Here are four tips on buying gold jewelry as an investment.

Choose a higher karat grade. Gold is a naturally soft metal, and as such it must be alloyed with a harder metal if its intended use is as jewelry that will be worn on a regular basis, such as wedding rings for men or women. Pure gold is 24K, but the most common karat purities seen in gold jewelry are 10K, 14K and 18K; the higher the karat grade, the more pure gold used. To quickly calculate how much pure gold is in a particular karat purity, simply divide the karat grade by 24. For example, 18K gold is 18/24, or 75% pure gold. Needless to say, higher karat grades are more expensive due to the presence of more pure gold.

For gold jewelry that you intend on wearing frequently, 18K is your best bet for both investment and durability purposes. While 10K and 14K gold jewelry may be harder and somewhat more durable due to the increased presence of alloying material, both of these karat purities are significantly less valuable. If purchasing gold jewelry that you intend to wear less frequently, or jewelry that is less likely to acquire any damage through wear (such as earrings or a necklace), you might also consider 22K gold, which is fairly soft but very valuable.

Be discriminating when it comes to alloying material. Not all alloying materials are created equal when it comes to gold jewelry. Higher karat purities of gold like 18K and 22K tend to use higher quality alloys, but you will still want to find out exactly which alloy or alloys was used prior to making a gold jewelry purchase. Alloying material will to some degree depend on the color of gold that you are purchasing; gold is naturally yellow, but other common colors found in gold jewelry include white gold and rose gold. For white gold in particular, the quality of alloying material can vary greatly, from less expensive nickel to high quality precious platinum group metals (PGMs) like platinum and palladium. The quality of the alloying material should ultimately factor into the price that you pay for your gold jewelry.

Buy wholesale. When purchasing gold jewelry as an investment, the last thing you’ll want to do is to pay full price at a high end jewelry store. While some designer brands like Tiffany or Cartier are considered to hold a certain value that is completely independent from the material used, the higher cost of these items may start to detract from the overall investment value.

To get a sense of how much you’re paying for a particular piece of jewelry versus the actual value of the gold that it contains, use the weight of the item and current gold prices to calculate worth versus cost, taking into account that lower karat purities will not have the same value as pure gold. If you are buying an item that you have no immediate intention of selling (such as women’s or men’s wedding bands), do some comparison shopping online to make sure that you are getting the best price for your desired item. 

Watch the market. Part of what makes gold jewelry such a good investment is its consistency in the market, especially when compared to more volatile precious metal commodities like platinum. Nonetheless, gold prices still experience normal market fluctuations, so try to buy gold jewelry whenever there is a dip in gold prices. On the flip side, if you are thinking of selling your gold jewelry, make sure the market favors you before unloading it. In an ideal world, you will be buying wholesale during a dip in the market, and selling retail when the market is high.

Tanya Naouri writes articles on gold men’s wedding rings for men for JustMensRings.com.

Different Financial Risk Types Explained

In an uncertain financial market, people with money to spare are always looking for investments with the perfect combination of low risks and high returns. 

Although no investment type is entirely without risk, by doing your research and trading wisely, you can still see big returns on your money. 

But which investment type is right for you? Here’s a quick guide to help you decide how to get the most out of your money. 

Share investment 

Investing in shares in generally seen as a long-term investment. It is extremely popular as the growth of shares normally out-performs inflation, giving you a greater return for your investment than a bank could.

When you buy shares in a company, you become a partial owner of that company. Depending on how many shares you have, you can vote in shareholder meetings and have a certain amount of say in the running of the company. 

If the value of that company goes up over time, so do the value of your shares. Therefore giving you a profit on your initial investment when it comes time to sell. 

Historically, investing in shares has produced some of the strongest after-tax investment returns over long periods of time. So if you’re looking for somewhere to put your money, this could be a great option. 

Two approaches can be taken when dealing with shares. You can either buy into a company and then hold on to your shares for many years. Or you can actively trade between companies, buying and selling shares as values fluctuate. 

Before you buy any shares, research potential investments as thoroughly as you can. Invest in the right company, and your money could be working for you for years to come but invest in the wrong company and it could be wiped out in an instant. 

Foreign exchange 

The foreign exchange market, also known as the Forex, FX and currency market is the name given to the market trading in foreign currencies.

Forex Money for International Curency (Photo credit: epSos.de)

Thanks to home computer programs and increased awareness of the Forex market, its popularity has grown massively over the last few years. In fact as of April 2010, average daily turnover in global foreign exchange markets was estimated at $3.98 trillion. 

To make money out of the Forex market, you have to buy and sell currency at the most opportune times. Exchange rates fluctuate constantly due to various factors; military action, natural disasters, and political activity all have an impact on market confidence and therefore the perceived value of currency. 

Trading in shares can be lucrative but risky 

Large companies can use this to their advantage by executing payments or purchases when currencies are at the right levels. Even the smallest change in rates can have a big impact on large transactions. 

Individuals can make money on a smaller scale by buying up one currency and then selling it when the exchange rates change. The margins are rarely massive, but it can give you a bit of extra cash in your pocket. 

Commodity trading 

Commodity trading refers to the trading of raw and primary products and the speculation on their values increasing or decreasing.
Raw and primary products include corn, milk, soybeans, sugar, precious metals and crude oil. Each product can only be traded in certain months of the year, so becoming familiar with the process is crucial before you start trading. 

Money can be made by speculating on crop performances. For example, if there is a bad crop of sugar the price of sugar will go up. So buying sugar before the price increase and then selling when it’s at its peak will give you a profit.

Geopolitical factors can also influence the commodities market. For example, political instability in the Middle East can drive up the cost of crude oil. Or military action in a coffee producing country could affect that year’s crop, also driving up the prices.

As with shares, commodity trading can be long term – buying a product at a low cost and waiting for the value to rise – or short term, where the products are sold high and then bought back lower. 

Dealing in commodities is like trying to predict the future 

Whether you invest money in shares, foreign currency or commodities, they all revolve around speculation, risk and luck. Outside factors can dramatically affect each market, changing the value of your investment over night.
So whichever market you decide to invest in, do your research, and study the market and most of all never invest more than you can afford to lose.

Tom Reynolds, financial analyst at currency brokers firm, Currency Index. He analyzes the changes in yields and financial markets on daily basis, creating predictions on how different financial risk will change in the future that helps the company to hedge its assets and secure their clients’ investments.

The Do’s and Don’ts When Applying for Your First Bad Credit Loan

Loans (Photo credit: zingbot)

While it may be quick and easy to apply for a bad credit loan, you’ll first want to slow down and cover your bases before you rush into this type of cash advance. Bad credit loans are great options for getting you out of a bind, but you need to approach them in a responsible way in order to avoid falling deeper into a financial crisis. Consider these top do’s and don’ts before applying for your first bad credit loan:

Do apply for an easy payday loan only if it’s an emergency situation. You should reserve bad credit loans for dire situations such as an urgent medical bill or a car repair.

Don’t apply for a bad credit loan for a frivolous purchase. Be smart about the loan and don’t use it to pay for a big screen TV or a trip to Las Vegas. Using a bad credit loan is this manner is one way you could end up digging yourself a financial hole.

Do be in reality that you can pay back the bad credit loan in short order.  You want to to make sure that you are able to pay back your loan on time so that you don’t incur any extra fees or interest. Whether you need to cut back on unnecessary spending or borrow money from a family member, consider these options before you take out a loan and make sure to stick to them.

Don’t take out another loan to cover this loan! This can lead to a vicious cycle of never ending loans, debts, fees, and interest. Consider consulting the Center for Responsible Lending for advice on avoiding an spiraling financial situation.

Don’t overlook the terms of the cash advance. Carefully read the terms of any loan agreement to find out the exact payment terms (such as due date) and figure out any fees associated with the loan. By design, you are expected to pay back the loan and any fees by the next pay day. Failure to pay back your loan on time could result in hefty fees, expensive interest, and potential headaches.

Don’t borrow more than you need. Although it may be tempting to borrow more, resist the urge and only apply for the exact amount you need. If you’re already in a desperate money situation, you don’t want to unnecessarily rack up more debt.

Do get a job. In many cases, you need to have a job to qualify for a bad credit loan. Without proof of employment or employment records you could be out of luck. But all hope is not lost, if you don’t have have a job, get one, any one!

A bad credit loan can be a lifesaver in an emergency money situation, but you need to understand the penalties associated with failure to meet payment deadlines. Follow these do’s and don’ts to prevent yourself from creating an even bigger personal monetary issue.

ChloeMulliner is the Editor for creditsources.org , an industry leading authority site on credit related consumer services, personal loan options for people with fair, poor and bad credit, payday loans, emergency cash advances, credit cards and more.  

Debtor Finance: What is it and What is it for?

Finance (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

Debtor finance is a very useful tool which may help you business develop, literally you business will get a loan against your outcome. You will be able to get the fast loans within 24-48 hours and those loans are designed for developing your working capital and they simplify your business process. 

Why is it so convenient?

Usually businesses are begun with the working capital and for getting the capital it is almost always necessary to get a credit to start your business out. The credit must be paid within 60-90 days. Debtor finance can help you with your working capital, literally to free it up, and with keeping your budget in line. Moreover, while appealing to the debtor finance a real estate security is not necessary like in conventional financing. 

The kinds of debtor finance

The debtor finance may be divided into two subcategories: confidential and disclosed. The first one means that your business finances are not notified to your client base. They make just payments for your company. The second one is about that the notification will be transferred to your clients where there will be an explanation that you have got a loan and in this case your customers will make their payments directly to the financier. 

Terms

The ordinary time line lasts 90 days. If you do not pay back within those 90 days the financier will recourse the invoice that is supposed to mean that in 90 days your company will get the credit liability again. There is an extra recourse period which lasts 120 days and during this period of time you will be able to gain more financial freedom. As it has been mentioned a real estate security is not required.

Who can obtain it?

There are no definite criteria for obtaining the debtor finance tool. Still the businesses that are connected with selling goods and services use those online loans no credit check more often. Moreover, you should have a strong client base for getting the debtor finance, nevertheless it does not depend on the credibility of your business but it does depend on the credibility of your clients. A strong and tight relationship with your clients is highly appreciated for being eligible for a debtor finance tool.

How to Use the Internet for Self-Publishing Your Books and Make Money

English: A Picture of a eBook  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There has never been a more exciting time to consider writing and earning from a book!
Gone are the days of mailing a manuscript to a publishing house and waiting for months to get a response. Thanks to the huge success of Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform and many more self-publishing services, it's possible to publish a book and start making money in next to no time.

How it used to be

Prior to the digital publishing explosion, many authors who were rejected by traditional publishers made the decision to collaborate with a "vanity publisher" instead. It typically cost each of these writers thousands of dollars to have their books edited and published by these so-called publishers. A large portion of the fee went towards the purchase of a pre-determined number of books that the authors were then responsible to try to sell themselves.

How Internet Can Help

Now, writers can utilize print-on-demand services offered by sites such as blurb.com or createspace.com to print their books as needed, or in small quantities. These merchants typically offer additional assisted self-publishing services (individually or in different packages) such as:

• Cover Design
• Editing
• Formatting
• eBook Publishing
• Promotional Materials
• Book Fairs
• and more…

That’s the reason that we can see more self-published books being released as compared to their traditionally published counterparts. According to a rough estimate, more than half of the total numbers of books released are self-published. These numbers represent astounding figures, which is wonderful news for writers and authors of all genres.

The Advantages of Self-Publishing

In addition to the speed at which a book can hit the virtual shelves (print books can take up to 2 years before they are actually available) there are many advantages to self-publishing. They include but are not limited to:

• Total control of content. There is no specific word count to adhere to, no need to make unwanted editorial changes and writers have the option to add elements such as numerous photos and interactive links.
• Total price control and a higher per book profit margin. Books sold online typically net the author a royalty of 30-70% per book. Traditionally published titles typically net the author a royalty of 5-25% per book, minus agent commissions.
• Ability to retain exclusive rights to content. This includes movie rights, foreign language rights, television rights and digital book rights.
• Total control of promotional efforts. This includes everything from creating a blog and/or Facebook page, tweeting about a book, joining general author forums and forums relating to the subject of the book, giving away free books for review, book fairs and more.
• World-wide readership. In the past, many traditionally published writers considered themselves lucky to have their books displayed in stores in their local area. However, publishing with the help of the Internet allows authors to promote to a global audience.
• Indefinite availability, regardless of sporadic sales. The majority of brick and mortar bookstores remove books that aren't selling well, after a period of four months.

Whether an author decides to publish completely on his or her own or work with an online company that offers self-publishing assistance, there are many options to choose from. Before making a final decision in regard to this type of outsourcing, it is crucial to research each vendor, and go through the reviews, to ascertain what will be the best service for the job?

Is it the real deal?

Well-known authors who have recently taken advantage of self-publishing and the Internet include J.K. Rowling, who exclusively markets the digital versions of her books from her website Pottermore, Catherine Cookson, and Deepak Chopra.

Of course, like any other accomplishment in life, successful self-publishing holds no guarantees. Many authors sell a few copies of their book and then simply decide not to pursue it further. However, with patience and due diligence many individuals manage to generate a reasonable, if not insanely big income from their writing efforts. There's absolutely no reason you can't do the same.

In particular, authors who take the time to learn all that they can about publishing and marketing their own work will generally prosper the most. But given the wonderful marketing opportunities offered by internet in general, and social media to be precise, there’s no reason why you cannot earn substantial profits by writing and self-publishing books.

This is a guest post by Farah from http://verybestsoftware.net/. 

The Best Methods to Teach Your Grandchildren to Save Money

Too many people in society today live beyond their means. The economy has left people who had a good job trying to juggle their finances while earning a lower wage. People need to learn a new way of making ends meet. As a grandparent, you can help your grandchildren learn to save money. 

Tiny Feet Change the World

Creating a generation of savers can help protect your grandchildren against a future financial crisis. When the economy was growing rapidly, banks were willing to lend money and credit cards were easy to obtain. This led individuals to believe that they could obtain anything they wanted without having to work for it.

Changing the way people think about money and how to handle it can help your grandchildren understand that even if they want something they don’t necessarily have to have it. Sometimes it is important to save for a desired item, while other possessions are out of reach. 

No Longer a Disposable Society

For many years people would replace broken items instead of repairing them. The state of the economy made certain goods inexpensive, and repairs often cost more than buying a new product. With the decrease in wages and increase in prices, goods are often too expensive to replace.

It is important to teach grandchildren the benefits of repairing certain products. Cars are often expensive to replace but can be repaired. With the wide variety of resellers of auto parts, a person can find replacement parts for many different vehicles online and replace them on their own. Whether a person is looking for Ford Mustang parts, Chevrolet parts or foreign auto parts, repairing a car can often be cost effective.

Open a Savings Account

A good way to help teach your grandchildren to save is to open a savings account in their name. If your grandchildren are still minors, you can be custodian of the account. Many banks offer special programs for young children to make saving a fun prospect. If you start them while they are young, saving money may become a habit as they age. 

Reward them for Saving

Positive reinforcement is often a good way to encourage specific behavior. If your grandchildren save consistently you may want to offer a reward for their thrifty ways. Another idea is to set a monetary goal. When your grandchild reaches a specific amount in their savings account you can give them a gift, take them out for a meal, or even let them spend some of their money.

Grandparents are good role models for their grandchildren. If they see that you make saving money a priority they will be more apt to become savers. Encouraging them by open a savings account for them will allow them to have a good vehicle to save money. Rewarding your grandchildren when they save will help reinforce this behavior and create a potential saver.

This is no longer a disposable society, and people need to learn that they can’t buy everything they want. Instructing grandchildren in the benefits of saving will help them when they become adults and are providing for their children and grandchildren.

Adrienne is a blogger with an interest in personal finance. When she’s not blogging, you might find her practicing her French, whipping up some recipes she found on Pinterest, or obsessing over vintage postcards and stamps.

Are Payday Loans Really a Bad Choice?

Loans (Photo credit: zingbot)

We all have heard horror stories of friends and family taking out short term payday loans and ending worse off in doing so. But are payday loans really so inherently-evil and problematic for borrowers? Is borrowing a short term loan with no financial guidance from the lenders more of a problem than the actual loan itself? I would argue and say yes it is, and that lenders need to provide better and clearer information on the loan itself along with the repayment schedule for the financially illiterate.

Arguable, it’s even more likely that you’ll fall into the bank overdraft trap which is seemingly harmless, given how you can do so without any prior warning at all – it’s not like you have to visit your bank’s website first and request to borrow money from them, as this is something included automatically with most current accounts.

Emergency Borrowing When You Need It

Emergency lending is sometimes necessary – to generate some cash you need to dip in for emergencies, or unexpected accidents that are inevitable around the home. For example people taking out fast payday loans to fix a broken boiler in the middle of winter. Its quick cash when they need it and the companies based in the U.K and U.S providing them with these short term loans on average only make around a 9% profit margin per loan according to the government run Consumer Focus UK. This does not accurately reflect the negative public image attached with payday loans.

Wonga is one of Britain’s fastest growing payday loan lenders, and they argue that unplanned overdrafts can have up to 53,000,000% APR which, for short term borrowing, is a colossal jump up from a payday loan’s relatively-small 4214%. Not only does this highlight the risk of dipping into your overdraft, but it raises a more important and often-missed question – why for so long have we relied on our overdrafts when the APR can be so ridiculously inflated and not be complained  about as publicly as we do with  payday lenders?

A Negative Public Image - Dispelled

So why then do the general public shudder at the phrase ‘payday loan’ and bow in defeat to the banks?  It’s quite simple; a payday loan gone wrong receives more exposure through the press and media in comparison to someone who is dipping in and out of an unplanned overdraft and incurring higher costs – banks just don’t get the same reputation as “loan sharks” because they offer lots of other services. Word of mouth hatred for payday loans spreads seamlessly like wildfire through society as a whole. Compare this experience to someone who is financially organised and able to pay it back without any problems - we never hear about good payday loan experiences. The irresponsible use of these loans by members of the public who should never have taken a payday loan in the first place is the very reason the public views them to be somehow dishonest and misleading.

Payday loans are professional and readily available to people on a short term basis. If you are financially prepared and meet your repayment schedule, then there is nothing for you to worry about. You cannot be excluded from a payday loan regardless of any financial scores or assessments that would otherwise restrict you from the main stream credit world.

Making Your Own Mind Up

Consider why payday loans receive such negative press, and who is making these accusations; when you start seeing the patterns of people borrowing to pay for cars, widescreen TV’s and to pay off credit cards, you will begin to understand that the negative press associated with a payday loan is unjust.

Perhaps symptomatic of this irresponsible use of payday loans is the average age group involved – 33.2% of 18-24 year olds have, at some point taken out a payday loan according to the site Open Wonga. So even if this age group tends to have lower incomes, they also haven’t yet developed, arguably, a sense of financial responsibility. Payday loans are like any other good – there is clearly a demand for short-term lending, so it seems wrong to blame companies taking advantage of this. Whilst the government could just ban loans over a certain APR, given the tiny actual profit margins of the involved firms, the market would die off instantly, and many more people would be left with broken down cars, flooded living rooms and frosty temperatures with broken-down boilers. A lender naturally is not incentivized to give money to someone who will not pay it back, so perhaps the media is being unduly harsh on this popular industry that really does provide a useful service – it’s a classic case of buyer beware.

Daniel Hilsden is a personal finance journalist. He provides audiences with ways to cut their spending and blogs on a regular basis for Payday Angels – a company which reviews loan companies, like Payday Express, to make sure you know exactly how much it will cost and what the conditions are, if you’re looking for short-term borrowing in the UK.

Wish: How an Affiliate Marketer and a Conversion Rate Optimization Expert Found Success in Simplicity

Richard and Stephen are the rare breed of business partners. They don't quarrel, they don't have firm delineations of duties in their business, and they somehow managed to start and grow an incredible business alongside an existing successful venture. How did they do it? Answer: they kept things simple.

An Expert in Conversion

Stephen Pavlovich started out in SEO. From his humble beginnings, and working with a photo printing company, he established his skill in Internet marketing - getting the company ranked very well for its desired keywords. Still, the rankings weren't good enough for the printing company to rank #1. Stephen had a choice. He could attempt brute-force tactics that could diminish the ranking of the company over time, go after broader, less-relevant keywords, or he could focus on increasing conversion.

He chose the conversion route, and understandably so. Within three months, the company's revenue had increased six times over. From that point forward, it was obvious what Pavlovich should be doing for clients.

An Expert in Affiliate Marketing

Richard Kershaw's background is in affiliate marketing. Yes, affiliate marketing. When companies want traffic, they don't always pay up front for it. Sometimes, they seek out the services of someone like Kershaw, and pay a referral fee for delivering sales. It's a win-win relationship since the company saves money on the front-end, but someone like Kershaw can command ever higher referral fees for good performance. As a business model, it's solid. So solid that Kershaw became a top affiliate for a major supplier in the UK. Eventually, he decided it might be better (and more interesting) to be on the other side of the fence.

When Kershaw Met Pavlovich

Pavlovich and Kershaw met in 2007, thousands of miles away from their home. Ironically, it was Las Vegas that kicked off a rock-solid relationship that would eventually turn into multiple successful business ventures. Ironic because both lived near London, but it took PubCon to bring them together. Their first successful business venture together was The Conversion Factory. Harnessing the lead generation skills of Kershaw, and the conversion acumen of Pavlovich, the company focuses on taking existing traffic and increasing conversion without increasing traffic. Next, they turned their eye to a truly unique business idea.

To Wish Upon A Star

You can't commoditize a zombie hunt. That's part of the magic behind Pavlovich's and Kershaw's new business venture Wish.co.uk. They offer unique experiences that are difficult to replicate and, even if you could, no one can touch them on pricing.

Want to learn how to fly a plane? Want to see what it's like to be thrown into a full-on riot? How about romantic getaway for three? Wish.co.uk plunges you into some of the most exotic and thrilling scenarios. In some ways, it's like those "daily deals" you get from Living Social or Groupon - except that Wish doesn't have an expiration date on coupons and its pricing allows vendors to perpetually offer deals without going out of business.

Companies that agree to do business with Wish agree to discount their services, but both the customer and the offering company walk away happy with the deal. The key to making the business work is partially in the business structure. Much of inner workings of the company are outsourced - from marketing, to lead generation, to fulfillment - Pavlovich and Kershaw have kept things really simple.

That's a good thing because, in a way, Wish has had to compete with other heavyweights in the "daily deals" industry - heavyweights with a lot of cash and full-time employees. The founders do admit, however, that their choice of name allows them to "punch above their weight." Incredibly, the two landed the website name in a Sedo auction for about $12,000. It was serendipity. Wish was just the right word for their unique service. Going forward, it looks like blue skies for the two partners. The name has real market appeal, it's ridiculously easy to remember, and it has a high resale value if things ever come to that.

Jack Harding is a marketing analyst with more than a decade of experience under his belt. He spends his time exploring the world of online marketing and reporting his observations on various blog sites. To see affiliate marketing and CRO in action, visit Wish.

The Benefits Of A Mortgage Payment Calculator

A mortgage payment calculator can help a person easily and effectively calculate their mortgage payments, and they can customize the prospective mortgage using the calculator to tweak certain aspects of the mortgage. 

Before signing for a mortgage, it's always important to first calculate your payments, and this calculator provides the most comprehensive and effective tool for calculator your mortgage payments ahead of time. 

The Interest Rate 

A person can customize the interest rate of their prospective mortgage when using the mortgage calculator, and as a result, they can easily determine how different interest rates will affect their monthly payments. 

The Overall Length Of The Mortgage 

The duration of the mortgage is an important aspect of any mortgage. While a shorter duration may provide a slightly lower interest rate, the monthly payments are likely to be higher due to the short duration. 



In contrast, a longer duration will likely provide much lower monthly payments because the monthly payments are more spread out. A person can easily determine which type of loan duration will be best for them by utilizing the mortgage calculator. 

The Down Payment Amount 

By using the mortgage payment calculator, a person can decide how much of a down payment they would like to make. While a lower down payment can give a person much more money in the bank, it will likely lead to higher monthly payments. 

A higher down payment may save a person a lot of money in the long run, and it can significantly lower a person's monthly payments and lower the overall amount of the mortgage loan.