Wednesday, August 19, 2015

What You Need to Know About Managing your Debt

Debt or no debt, it is crucial to maintain control of all your payments. Most of the time, debts develop when you do not keep track of all your payments and bills. Juggling bills while paying off debts is not easy. 

Debt review is a relief process for most debtors as it helps them manage their debt better through making single affordable payments until their debt is complete. The debt review process is quite thorough in terms of addressing financial issues. 

It is facilitated by a debt counselor. The following are some of the things you could learn from your debt counselor in order to avoid landing into crippling debt again:

Keep track of your debt


One sign of being in bad debt is when you do not know whom or how much you owe. Ensure that you always have a list of all your debts and creditors. This list should contain important details such as the amount due, the date that it is due and the kind of monthly payments you need to make. 



This list should be your point of reference when paying your bills at the end of the month so make sure you regularly update it. 

Always pay your bills on time


Late payments attract penalties and disrupt the financial balance that is necessary between income and expenditure. It becomes harder to pay off an amount that is more than a month overdue. 

With the new age of technology, you can use your Smartphone to create a calendar with reminders for when your bills are due.

Make minimum payments


When finances are tight, always try to make minimum payments on your bills. Growing debt arises from bills left unpaid. Minimum payments do not clear your debt but they prevent it from growing. 

Prioritize your debts properly so that you can make minimum payments on the debts much lower on the priority list. 

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Start an emergency fund


Every individual should always have an emergency fund from where to can pull out a lump sum of money when needed. Work towards creating an emergency fund of at least $1,000. 

The emergency funds reduce the chances of you tapping into your salary and getting salary advances, which may affect your bill payment schedule.

Create a monthly budget


Spending without a budget can be very dangerous since there is always the risk of overspending. Keeping a monthly budget helps you to know how much your need to spend, save and use to repay your bills. 
A budget will also help you to determine how to spend extra money, which often goes to waste.

Ask for help


In case you have tried all the above but are still suffering financially, it is advisable ask for assistance from professionals such as debt counselors. They can help you to determine your level of debt and plan for repayment as well as budget for your monthly expenditure. 



Debt counselors will also help you to get reduced penalties and interest rates when paying off outstanding debt.

BIO

Rachel Johnson is a debt counselor who has worked in debt review for many years. She speaks more on debt review and learning to manage your own debt on her blog. Click here to know about your credit reviews.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

5 Easy Online Moneymaking Ways

With the current job market, it is becoming more and more difficult to find employment even as a trained professional. 

Rather than sit back in despair, you can always make money using one of the most widely accessible resource: the internet. 

You can make money online through so many ways but here are a few:

Website testing


The process of creating a new website online is quite detailed. The web designers have to ensure that the website is user friendly and capable of serving the purpose for which they designed it for. The only way to tell is through testing using real people. 

Through connecting with middleman companies that recruit website testers, you can be paid to test these new sites and give feedback on your experience using the site. You can get as much as $10 every time you test a website. 

Testing a website usually takes about 20 minutes. So if you are earning $10 every 20 minutes, imagine how much you can make on a good day. 

Data entry


Data entry work is widely available online. There are recruiting companies that hire home based virtual employees to carry out this work for their clients. Granted you have to take an efficiency test before you can do the work but most people with basic academic backgrounds and skill sets often make the cut. 



The availability of work largely depends on the client’s orders but it could be a great way to earn some extra cash.

Online surveys


If you have good general knowledge and a strong opinion, you are the best candidate to take online surveys. There is often a lot of research that goes into creating new consumer products, releasing new TV shows and writing schoolbooks among other things. 

Surveys is one of the ways through which the people creating these things can find out public opinion and make products more suited to the consumers based on these opinions. You can even make a full time income by participating in online surveys. Some surveys may take as little as two minutes and earn you as much as $20!

Online tutoring


High school and college graduates can make great use of their academically acquired knowledge through offering online tutoring services. 

You do not have to be physically present but you can use the internet to conduct tutoring classes for high school kids and college students who need extra help in specific subjects. People with strong teaching experience can earn up to $50 tutoring online.

Freelance writing


Freelance writing is one of the most lucrative online opportunities today. If you are interested in writing, you can build a strong portfolio by working on projects such as web content writing, blogging, social media posting and ghost writing among other ways. With the right amount of dedication and time, freelance writing can be quite rewarding. 

There are various websites where clients seeking writers post projects and sometimes you have to outshine other writers to get the project, but once you create a strong online reputation, many clients will start seeking you out.

BIO

Christen Stewart is a freelance writer who quit her job as a waitress to pursue her writing dreams and now is making money writing online as well as doing what she loves. Do not suffer financially anymore, get a debt review and start making money online.



Monday, August 17, 2015

4 Things to Consider When Purchasing Your First Investment Property

Buying property, when done right, can pave the way to wealth and create financial freedom.

Whether you’re a first timer or a seasoned investor looking to diversify your portfolio to include property careful, strategic planning is vital to your success.

Here are some of the biggest things you need to consider before diving in to buying an investment property.



Can you really afford to invest?


Before the hunt for property even begins you need to work out how much you can afford to invest and more importantly, how much the bank will lend you.

Seek out a certified financial planner or accountant, to get the most accurate understanding of what you can afford. They’ll conduct a cash flow analysis and crunch the numbers so you can base your decisions and strategy on hard data.

There are several hidden costs to factor in when buying property, which include: financial advice fees, legal fees, building inspections, insurance and ongoing maintenance and repair costs.

Think long term


Smart investors know property investment won’t make them rich overnight. It’s a long term game.

Take one of the most successful investors, Warren Buffett for example, who says: “If you don’t feel comfortable owning something for 10 years, then don’t own it for 10 minutes.”

Get the right advice and outline the best investment strategy


Don’t be afraid to turn to the experts for help. A solid investment strategy needs to be based on data, tailored to your specific financial circumstances. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to invest in property”. 

Finding the right investment strategy for you is really a question of risk versus return. How much risk do you need to take to get a defined outcome? Having a clearly outlining goal of what you are aiming to achieve will go a long way to understanding exactly how much risk you need to take to get there. 

 When speaking about risk, we mean debt levels, tax structures, location and type of asset. Speak to your financial advisor about your risk tolerance. The support of good financial advisors will make you a confident investor, save you time trying to learn and understand technical jargon and help you to avoid making costly mistakes. 

How do you find advisers you can trust? Shop around, meet with a few different advisors and always check their certifications.


Find a mentor


Educate yourself on what it takes to be a successful property investor. Find one of those who have succeeded in property investment and are willing to share their secrets to success through blogs, online community forums, published books and articles. Scour the internet for invaluable knowledge and tips from these mentors.

Treat your investment like a business. When selecting the right investment property to buy take your time to do the research. Gather as much data as possible on the area’s overall growth, housing market, job market and rental demand. 

When inspecting potential properties to buy, don’t get emotionally attached to a particular property, buy with your head. You are not looking to buy your dream home. The property needs to be structurally sound, clean, tidy and well maintained to attract tenants. Speak to family and friends who have invested in property about their experiences. 



Gaining insight knowledge from advisors and mentors can help you identify the best locations and types of property to invest in. Approach your property investment venture as you would entering into a business. It requires a detailed, well thought out plan, strategy and commitment in order to manage it properly and successfully generate income.

For more advice on property investment, visit www.otiumgroup.com.au and download the Ultimate guide to property investing.


Monday, August 10, 2015

The Most Common Crimes That Increase When People Are Strapped For Cash

Cash is both praised and condemned in movies, songs and literature. Those who have it want more of it, and those who do not have it want the same. 

Those who are strapped for cash to meet obligations sometimes revert to criminal activity as a means to restore lost income. 


Here are the most common crimes that increase when people are strapped for cash.

Family Theft


Theft committed against family members is one of the most common entries into the world of illegally acquiring cash. Stories of children, neighbors and even spouses stealing from purses and wallets are so common that almost everyone can recount an instance or two. 

Parents and grandparents in some families are reluctant to report children and grandchildren who forge checks and steal jewelry and antiques to pawn, making it top the list for how those willing to revert to crime get money when strapped for cash.

Car Thefts


Modern vehicles are tougher to steal than they were a few years ago. Modern car thieves now commit car jacking heists instead. With most vehicles needing a key to make the engine work, it is easier to "jack" vehicles than it is to hot wire them. 

The stolen car business is alive and well, and it is going strong in almost every region of the United States. 

Mugging


Personal robbery has been such a common crime in urban areas that it is often depicted in television crime dramas. The suburbs and rural areas are now fertile grounds for cash-strapped people looking to make a quick score. 

Mugging is robbing someone in public that often involves personal attack. It includes purse snatching and grab-and-run thefts of personal electronics as well as the traditional demand for money, jewelry and other valuables under threat of violence.

Robbery


Standard commercial and residential robberies include smash-and-grab and home invasion types of robberies along with your standard convenience store type of robbery with a criminal, a gun and the demand of cash. The criminals have graduated to demanding cash and/or drugs. 

Some of the criminals are users desiring the drugs. Others realize that drugs can be quickly converted to cash. A further incentive that has this crime on the rise is the number of homes with residents who are taking prescription narcotics and other popular drugs.

Shoplifting


Though it has such a high risk of those perpetrating being caught, shoplifting is viewed by criminals as a victimless crime because it is most often perpetrated on big retail businesses. Shoplifters rationalize the crime by saying things such as, "That's why they have insurance," and "They make too much money anyway." 

Personal electronics, cigarettes, and cosmetics are extremely popular shoplifting items. Meat, especially expensive steaks, are the target in grocery stores. Shoplifters steal them and then sell them. If you are accused of shoplifting, it's important to talk to an attorney right away, say the experts at Clark & Clark LLC.

Embezzling


An easy crime for some employees and volunteers is embezzlement. Those with access to company funds, whether it be petty cash or bank accounts, see opportunity if their morals and ethics are low and their desire for cash is high. 

Many companies have instituted higher levels of security when it comes to accessing funds and redundant accounting. However, there are still plenty of employees out there who have access to company credit cards, fuel credit cards, checking accounts and liberal petty cash boxes without any redundant monitoring of how the money is being spent. 

Non-profit volunteer groups are often fertile grounds for this type of thief because volunteerism often implies higher ethics and morals of the volunteers.



The old saying about locks keeping honest people honest can be adapted to apply to many people who are strapped for cash and looking to make an easy buck. People with no prior history of criminal activity often report when caught stealing that they needed the money and the opportunity was there. 

Though society should not have to lock its doors, it does every single night. Taking this mindset to heighten security to dissuade those strapped for cash from turning into thieves, whether they are family, friends, neighbors, volunteers or employees, may be good too.

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