7 Everyday Ways to Save Money

In today’s society, we often spend more than the ideal amount for our families. Whether you would like some wiggle room in your budget or a family vacation, you don’t necessarily need to make more. 

There are tons of ways to save money on a weekly or even daily basis. Below are 7 easy, everyday ways to save money for you and your family:

1. Make a Grocery List

Before you take the trip to the grocery store, make a list. When you go food shopping without a written list, you tend to buy unnecessary items and forget important ones. 

The cycle continues when you have to return to the store for those forgotten items.

Start by writing down the items you know you need like milk, eggs, and bread. Then, look through your local store’s circular for sale items you can use that week. 

Fruits, vegetables, and meats can be found on sale every week. It helps to write the list by section of the store to make it easier to follow. It can also help to add up each item’s price with a calculator as you put it in the cart. 

Though this makes the shopping trip take a bit longer, it will encourage you to stay within your budget. By using these tips, you can save money on your grocery bill.

2. Utilize Coupons

Coupons are gaining popularity and can be found in print and digital forms. A lot of people think of coupons for groceries but they are also available for retail stores and other products too. 

There are some great resources out there if you are unsure of where to start.

CouponMom is a website that covers major chain stores in most states and gives you clear coupon matchups to go along with sales. 

This allows you to save extra money on items you would buy anyway. RetailMeNot is another great website and app that allows users to find coupons for retail stores and either print or use them right from a smart phone.

The searches are simple and can save you a lot.

3. Cut Unnecessary Expenses

Do you wonder where all of your extra money is going? Take a look at your statements to see if there are any subscriptions you are being charged for and aren’t actually using. 

These can include newspaper, magazine, gym, and credit check subscriptions. Also, think about other items you buy regularly and determine whether you really need them.

4. Walk More

It’s true—we live in the land of getting everywhere fast; but sometimes it’s good to slow down and enjoy life. 

Choosing to walk to nearby destinations can be good for your mental and physical health, in addition to saving you gas money.

5. Maintain Tires to Save on Gas Mileage

Simply keeping tires inflated can help you save on gas mileage. When tires are inflated to proper levels, the amount of improvement can range from 0.6% to 3%. 

In addition to inflation, tires should be rotated every 5,000 miles. Rotating your tires helps to create even wear. Not only does even wear prolong the life of your tires, it can also save on gas mileage, so visit a tire center like City Limit Tire & Service today if you haven’t for a while.

6. Make Your Coffee at Home Instead of Purchasing by the Cup

Some of us cannot go a morning without our cup of coffee. If you usually purchase your coffee on your way to work, try making it at home and taking it with you for a week. 

Depending on how many coffees you have each day, there could be a pretty good savings (e.g. 2 coffees x $2 x 5 days per week = $20).

7. Bring Lunch from Home

It’s okay to go out for lunch when you can, but if you are looking to save money, bringing your own may be a better option. 

Say you spend $10 on lunch every work day. That’s now $50 per week. Add that to your $20 on coffee and you have $70 you could have saved.

Now that you have some ideas on how to save some extra money, give one or more a try this week. Check your tire pressure, make a list, use a coupon, and pack a lunch. 

These small steps will all add up over time and save you a lot of money.

Tokenization - Security Technology Incredibly Effective at Preventing Online Credit Card Frauds

Security is the biggest term of the decade regarding credit card buying that has become one of the most common habits of the customers. 

However, the data violation regarding the credit card online transaction or offline transaction is rapidly increasing. Even, the security has become more prominent among the users and business owners, after the current data breach at Best Buy and Target.

Advancement is the natural phenomena and by holding the hand of this guide, a new technology termed as EMV has been launched in the market in the recent time. 

It is a chip, inside the credit card which is very much useful to control the fraud case in various environments like supermarkets, retail stores where you need to deal with your credit card. 

Nevertheless, in the event of a card-not-present transaction, the information is more susceptible to fraud because the details are loaded on the server of the high risk merchant accounts. Protection is the only key in this context. 

Secure payment processing with Tokenization:

With the assistance of tokenization, the encrypt security has become stronger by securing the detail information of credit card and by avoiding the violation data feasibility altogether for card-present and card-not-present transactions. 

In this process of tokenization, the system or defined technology converts the information of customer’s credit card into a bunch of random numbers. 

If there is a tokenization error, then how to fix card tokenization failure is by sending a tokenization warning that will be sent whenever there is an issue. Then tokenization will not prevent the system from tokenizing the card. Such failures not only jeopardize the current transaction but can also expose sensitive data to potential security threats. But the customer should always be made aware of the issue.

The tech world has faced a rapid and nifty advancement in this domain in last few years. Tokenizing is the essential tool to secure the personal credit card information from the cheaters or hackers. If customer's data is saved to your server, then you are liable for data breach damages.

What is Tokenization and how does it work with EMV?

Tokenization is the keen way to reinforce the way of security for e-commerce and credit card transactions. Also, it minimises the cost complexity by complying all rules and regulations of government and industry standards. 

The working procedure of tokenization evokes a particular pathway in which the merchant is issued with a specific tokenization service provider which drives the credit card to convert into a random token of alphanumeric or numeric combinations during any transaction. 

As tokens are not the real cards, it cannot be used by hackers outside this context of the transaction. In that case, the service provider bears the liability to keep the data secret.

EMV is designed to improve the inherent security of e-commerce card transaction that is an enticing gun to protect from the fraud at the POS (point of sale). 

It is an authentication process that can reduce the retail fraud in the e-commerce e-market. However, it is not entirely technically sound to protect the chip-enabled cards. In the sphere of online marketing, EMV does not provide protection more than traditional cards. 

It just asserts the swipe and sign in of the card by delivering the card number, CCV code and an email verification to complete the process of purchase. 

What is encryption?

Data encryption is the profound way to protect the information of the card holder. Nevertheless, the latest launch is the approach to secure the data beyond encryption, and that is called Tokenization. 

This viable solution to avoid the breaching of credit card information is ideal regarding encryption at the point of card swipe. The point-to-point or end-to-end encryption is designed to locate the risk of unwanted interception during the transaction from POS terminal to the payment processor. 

Which method is best?

To identify the fraud patterns and to prevent them as well Tokenization is the latest solution. 

When it is applied to the data security concern, it transforms all given information into equivalent non-sensitive information from sensitive data element. The original value is stored in a protected local data warehouse. 

The goal is to eliminate the risk factor of losing sensitive information in the retail fraud case, and Tokenization is the best in this regard. 

Concerns with Tokenization:

A number of mindful considerations are related to this system, and they are compiled below.

• Data isolation
• decreased scope for PCI issues
• Internal protection
• goes well with other technologies
• Online protection
• Secured usernames, passwords, employee and patient files, e-mail addresses
• is cost effective 

Should you embrace Tokenization within your store?

Tokenization is to be incorporated in every store, whether it is a small scale retail store, or if your store is to be accessed online. 

This is effective because the hackers won’t get anything to track for as your store does not have any data right after the transaction.

You can always make your tokenization process more secure with the help of secure gateway of payment. Remember, thieves are meant to steal, and their endeavour shall continue as more advanced technologies come up in the market. 

Nevertheless, the system of tokenization is comparatively easy to install in your workplace. You do not have to change your infrastructure entirely to adopt this process.

3 Incredibly Useful Practices to Avoid Debt Relief Scams in Retirement

Debt relief is never a time that people want to fall victim to a scam but unfortunately is does happen. There are some signs to look for though which can ensure that you remain protected against fraudulent financial scams. 

While the great news is that many debt relief companies are in fact legitimate, it is highly suggested to conduct more research in finding out how effective they truly are. 

Here are a few great tips to help you discern which companies are worth looking into and which are not. 

Conduct a Search on the Internet

The Internet, by far, is the easiest way to find out all of the information that is needed. You can check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for reviews and to see how helpful the company has been. 

Many individuals and companies alike that have found they needed to know more about debt consolidation, have gone through the motions conducted the research and have already received the help that they are looking for. 

In turn, many will state whether they have had a pleasant or unpleasant experience to help others that may find themselves, in a similar situation in the future. 

Additionally, searches conducted on the Internet will automatically link you to the sites that have the most traffic, have gained the most recognition, and most importantly – have helped many that have suffered from accruing too much debt. 

Go With Your Gut!

Trust yourself! Even though you may find yourself in a financial bind and feel overwhelmed with the amount of debt that has accumulated, if you get a funny feeling or something is not sitting right within you, do not allow that to go unnoticed. 

As humans, we all have natural instincts and typically, they are not far off from steering us in the proper direction. 

The Association of Settlement Companies

There is always The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC) as well. This is a well- established company in the debt relief sector that is responsible for setting the standard for the current debt settlement process and practices going on now. 

In knowing this fact, you can utilize the information because there is not really a debt relief/consolidation company should not belong to an organization such as this.

Trusting in yourself and the information that is given to you will certainly help you avoid any scams and fraudulent companies. If a company is promising all the bells and whistles, and it sounds too good to be true, more than likely – it is. 

Getting out of debt does take time and effort it is a process and will not happen overnight. Speaking with the right people you will easily be able to gauge your own comfort levels and be able to tell how educated they are, how much experience they have and what they are willing to do to help you out of your current financial situation.

Bio: To know more about debt relief, contact the highly esteemed Stephanie Clarke. With her experience and knowledge in this particular sector you can rest assured that you are in good hands and trust the fact that she will go above and beyond informing you with the right information and steer you down the path to financial freedom.

The Increasing Presence of China in Global Finance - What Exactly Does this Portend?

China is penetrating into world markets far away from home. The country is now funding development activities in Africa- very many of them. 

They are working on expanding their own projects in various parts of the vast Chinese terrain. On the 14th of December, China’s application for inclusion into the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was approved by the board of governors. 

This is one of the many global and regional development organizations that China is a part of. The membership into EBRD is an indication of China’s great ambitions for engagement in the world’s finance.

What does this really mean to the world and to the people of China? The fact that China is finally a member of EBRD is not a surprise. It simply reflects the increasing role of the Chinese government in international policymaking on matters economics.

Global strategy

The membership in EBRD is part of the outward-looking approach that is held by China in regards to global financial architecture. 

The conception of AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) and NDB (New Development Bank) is part of the strategy that is being used by the Chinese government to penetrate into the world of financial policymaking. This strategy goes far deeper than this. 

The Silk Road Fund is probably a more important decision. This unilateral institution has made immense investments already. It also has greatly ambitious plans for development of the large space between Europe and China.

AIIB and NDB are significantly constrained in terms of finances. Alone, they will not be able to meet the overall financial gap for the infrastructure in developing countries without landing into huge debt themselves. 

However, the Silk Road Fund and several other Chinese development institutions such as the China Development Bank are going to make a huge difference, Although there is still going to be a lot of space for more developmental initiatives owing to the presence of large unmet needs.

In 2014, the African Development Bank together with the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) launched what they dubbed the Africa Growing Together Fund. 

This fund which will be disbursed over the next ten years is set to make great changes in the infrastructural developments of Africa. It is worth $2 billion. China’s presence is not being felt only in Africa but also in the Caribbean and Latin America. 

In 2008, China partnered with the Inter-American Investment Bank, an indication of the country’s growing economic as well as political links with these two regions.

What does this mean for China?

Sure, many parts of the world are benefiting greatly, especially when it comes to infrastructural development. 

However, what does this really mean for China? Generally, with the presence of the country being felt in various parts of the world- economically- they are going to have more power in economic policymaking across the globe. 

There are also many financial institutions that have been made. They are increasingly being forced to step into some really complex political processes plus engage with the civil society. 

This is an area where China is going to have to make great improvements in. The nation will also learn how to make better international investments and how to make better use of its revenue domestically.

How Banks are Slowly Losing their Position in Global Finance

Since 2007, economic growth all over the globe has been persistently slow. Simply put, money is not going to places where it should be. 

For this reason, the banking industry is in great doubt. There are bigger compliance costs and a drop in margins which has pushed banks towards more consolidation. When there are fewer banks, then there will definitely be a drop in competition. 

This has far-reaching effects on the end users of the financial services and the banks themselves. For starters the banks will be more fragile and will depend greatly on the governments to underwrite their lending practices.

This is just one of the many changes that are being noticed in the financial system. It is gradually changing. People are favoring hedging activity over real investments thanks to widespread uncertainties. 

At the same time, there is the growth of the FinTech frontier. This one is further degrading the banking system’s traditional income streams. The banks are going to have a really hard time surviving in the market pretty soon. 

The only way that they will remain relevant is if they take time to reconsider ways of capturing new customers, transacting and engaging with the new and current customers. 

Banks losing opportunities

Getting new customers is very important in the growth of any business. Growing new business and stimulating the economy of the world is vital for the banks. 

Close to two billion people all over the world remain under-banked or completely unbanked. This is a great lost opportunity for the banks. For these individuals, the lack of access to financial and banking services means that they have a hard time growing businesses and taking up new ventures.

Banks try to make as much profit as possible without landing themselves into debt. 

For that reason, the banks have always been reluctant to offer services to this segment of customers. 

They have an unknown risk profile, their income is low and wealth limited. Geographic dispersion of the potential customers makes work even more difficult. They are simply too expensive to provide service to.

Opportunities for other individuals

This might have been true a few years ago, but now targeting these individuals has become so much easier and more profitable. 

Consider businesses like Lending Club, Ant Financial and M-Pesa (a mobile money transfer service offered by Safaricom in Kenya). These are among the most profitable businesses in the world of finance. 

Safaricom is a telecommunications company with M-Pesa as part of its brands. M-Pesa currently generates close to 60% of the whole company’s revenue. 

The thing about these businesses is that they are targeting the individuals at the grass root level. They are able to access financial services with more ease. 

Whether it is getting loans, making payments, transferring money or saving up for a project, people are able to do that with such ease now. This is where FinTech has brought the world.

Banks are not going to benefit much from acquisition of these startups. This is mainly because of the data integration processes. 

The banks will be able to acquire the FinTech startups but then they will not be able to integrate the technology into their legacy systems that fast.

The new face of global finance is the internet-based banking services. They are at a better capacity of integrating the FinTech startups into their businesses. It is no wonder online business is booming as much as it is. 

These online banking facilities make it possible for people to carry out transactions of all kinds online. Even if one does not have the time to go to their bank to place a money transfer order, they are able to send it to use their cards online. 

This is where global finance is headed, everything is done from home.

8 Hobbies that Will Boost Your Creativity

Whether you consider yourself a creative or not, having a hobby that stirs your creativity can enrich your life in many ways. 

A creative hobby can help you reduce stress, express your emotions, and see the world in an entirely new way. And even if it’s a hobby you aren’t skilled at, the simple act of practicing some form of creativity regularly is going to increase your creativity. 

Here are eight hobbies that you might consider picking up if you want to invite more creativity into your life.

Photography

Photography has a way of helping you hone your “artistic eye.” As you practice composing photos and identifying good shots, you’ll begin to see the world in a more artistic way. 

You don’t have to be a photo expert to take up photography, either. With the conveniences of digital photography and high capacity memory cards, photography has truly become a no-pressure hobby that you can practice for hours on end, without draining your wallet on expenses like film and film processing. 

In addition, with dSLRs, compact system cameras, action cameras, drones, and point-and-shoot cameras, consumers have more camera options to choose from than ever before. Find a camera that you feel you can learn with and grow into, and start shooting!

Reading

Reading is a timeless hobby that just about anyone can enjoy—when they choose the right books to read, that is. And as this article points out, with nearly 130,000,000 published books to choose from, you’ll never run out of reading material. 

Reading can boost your creativity because it introduces you to other styles of writing, broadens your perspective, increases your knowledge base, and improves your vocabulary. Reading is an especially powerful tool for those looking to improve their writing.

Writing

If any two hobbies were perfect complements of one another, they would be reading and writing. Writing can boost your creativity by encouraging creative thinking and forcing you to think more deeply on the things you are writing about. 

And with social media and blogging so prevalent these days, just about anyone can find a writing platform and format that works for them.

Playing a musical instrument

Since learning to play a musical instrument engages your mental, emotional and cognitive abilities all at once, it stimulates your brain to think out of the ordinary. 

Practicing and learning to play an instrument will require patience for sure, but it will also allow you to engage in creative pursuits like covering popular songs and writing new songs.

Drawing and painting

Drawing and painting have the power to nurture your creativity by showing you color theory in action, encouraging you to come up with creative solutions, and allowing you to think out-of-the-box. 

Many people never pick up a pencil or paintbrush because they don’t consider themselves artists—and drawing and painting are so stereotypically artistic. The thing about drawing or painting, though, is that no one has to be an expert artist in order to pick up charcoal or a paintbrush and take it to canvas. 

If you’re nervous about starting, you might sign up for a local drawing or painting class that is geared toward artists of all levels—or just watch some Bob Ross.

Cooking and baking

You can also express yourself in the form of food. You might delve into a hobby of cooking or baking by first finding a cookbook or food blogger you love and trying out their recipes. 

Then, you might indulge your creative juices even further by creating some recipes of your own. A good place to start when creating your own recipes from scratch is to try to re-create your favorite dishes at your favorite restaurants.

Flower arranging

You don’t frequently see flower arranging as a hobby, but florists will definitely tell you that there is an art to creating bouquets and centerpieces. 

Flower arranging is an art that engages attention to detail, color theory, and skills in balance and composition. As an added bonus, this one hobby that is sure to beautify your home.

Blogging

Just as this article about nurturing creativity discusses, blogging is a highly versatile hobby that offers a multitude of creative outlets. 

You might use blogging to practice your writing skills, or you might use it as an excuse to go out and practice your photography skills. You can also use it to showcase artwork, to review books you’ve recently read, or to try your hand at videography. 

Whatever creative hobby you might have, blogging can help you delve deeper into that hobby and continually find inspiration.