Tips for Restoring a Classic Car

 For auto enthusiasts, there are few things that are more fulfilling than finding an old classic vehicle and going through the steps to restore it back to its former glory (perhaps with a few updates). However, restoring a classic car is anything but easy, and is a process that takes a considerable amount of time, effort, and money (lots and lots of money). 

It isn’t uncommon for people who are restoring a classic car to spend years of time doing so, especially if they work a full time job on top of that. Regardless, the feeling of getting behind the wheel of a classic that you restored is well worth the trouble. Here are some tips for restoring a classic car...

Consider what type of restoration you’re doing

Typically, when people are restoring a classic car, there is a reason that they are doing so, whether it be for a car show, a competition, or even just for their own personal benefit. The purpose of your restoration is going to determine some of the finer details of the work you are doing. For this reason, you should figure out the reason for your restoration, first.

If you are restoring for a car show, then the bodywork is going to need to be a lot more precise, whereas the cosmetic work on a car that doesn’t need to be show-ready will be far less intensive. Another thing to consider is that doing a restoration for a local car show or competition is going to create an inherent deadline that you need to be done by.

Have an easily accessible place to work

Fixing up an old car takes time, and you’re going to need to work in a place that is available for you to work at your own pace, while taking up a great deal of space. You want to be able to do this in a large garage that is outfitted with the equipment that you’ll need. 

Ideally, you’ll be able to do this as a project in your own home garage, assuming that it is big enough and you don’t need it for other reasons. However, if you aren’t able to do it in your home garage, the good news is that there are usually co-ops of mechanics who pool resources together for workspace and equipment that you can join.

Find the right car

Some cars are going to be a great deal more difficult to restore than others. Putting together an old VW Beetle is a heck of a lot easier than trying to restore a 62 Shelby Cobra. 

For this reason, it’s important to pick the right car for your restoration project, especially if this is your first time doing so. Do your research about what vehicles are more difficult to find parts for, and how much time and money is liable to go into restoring them. 

In addition, it might be a good idea to ask around the auto enthusiast community to get an idea of what they would recommend.

Add modern amenities

When you are restoring a classic car, there’s a tendency to think that everything you are doing needs to reflect the state of the vehicle back when it was released. 

However, you don’t necessarily need to replicate the factory-settings of the car. Indeed, if you are planning on driving and enjoying this vehicle, you’re probably going to want to take advantage of the modern conveniences that have advanced in the auto industry over the past several decades. 

Here is a list of some modern updates that you should think about for your classic car restoration.

Have an experienced consultant

While there are plenty of sources of research that you can find online, it’s still invaluable to have the advice of an expert mechanic that you can turn to. Ideally, you’ll just have a friend who has already restored a classic car that you can get advice from. 

However, if that’s not the case, then check online for auto restoration groups. These people are enthusiasts who are usually willing to share knowledge and insight with people who are trying to get into the same passion.

How Business Owners Can Prepare for Retirement

As a successful entrepreneur, it is likely that you have spent a lot of your life working hard and putting the hours in. Instead of relying on someone else to pay your salary, you had the determination to take matters into your own hands. 

Therefore, the thought of walking away from a busy working life may seem like a huge and intimidating change. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be. If you are eager to enjoy retirement, without compromising the success of your business, you will need to read on.

Push forward with your expansion

The first step is to push forward with your plans for expansion. In order to leave your business in a good place, it is vital that you make it to the next level. If you are already thinking about retirement, you may not feel like taking any risks. 

However, it is far better that you are involved in these changes, as opposed to leaving it up to someone else. Even if you don’t yet have the available funds to move forward, you could resolve this issue by looking into Kabbage loans. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to get the money you need to secure a bright future for you and your business.

Get your finances in order

The next step is to get your company finances in order. If you don’t already keep a close eye on your funds, now is the time to start. You need to ensure everything is clear and correct in time for your retirement. 

While you might be able to understand the system you have in place, this means nothing if no one else can get their head around it. That is why you should embrace a professional approach. You could also think about hiring an accountant to do the hard work for you.

Train up your team members

Another important step is to train up your existing team members. Of course, you can do this in relation to your company finances, but you should also train them up to understand your approach to customer service, your marketing strategy, and your company ethos. 

It could also be a good idea to include select members of your staff in important business meetings. This will give them a better chance of holding onto contacts after you have gone. 

Furthermore, it will boost employee morale, as your team will be able to see just how much you care about their futures.

Gradually decrease your work hours

If you are intimidated by the prospect of leaving your business behind, you should consider gradually decreasing your work hours. This is a great way for you to enjoy the best of both worlds. 

It is also a brilliant way to ensure you aren’t making a huge mistake. After all, you only want to retire if you are truly ready for the change.

Hold onto your shares

Last but not least, you should do everything in your power to hold onto your shares. Even if you don’t keep them all, you should try to hold onto a substantial percentage. This will involve a little more work, but at least you will still have your foot in the door. 

If you have dedicated your whole life to building up your business, the last thing you want is for it to take off after you have gone. That is why you should hold back from completely severing your ties.

What is the Difference Between a Loan Against Property, Mortgage Loan and Home Loan?

When you find yourself in need of a loan, it is important to assess all the options available to you. This will allow you to choose a loan variant that caters to your needs adequately. 

One such consideration is choosing between a loan against property, mortgage loan and a home loan. While all three terms seem similar at first, there are differences that set them apart. Take a look at what these differences are.

Based on collateral

Home loan: When you take a home loan, the home that you are about to buy acts as the collateral for the loan. You have to pledge it to the lender until you repay the loan amount.

Mortgage loan: This loan simply means that you can get access to funds by mortgaging an asset. Here, it is important to remember that the asset may be property, but it can also be gold, investments such as securities, etc.

Loan against property: As the name suggests, when you opt for this loan offering, you must pledge a property that you own in exchange for funds. You can pledge either a residential property or a commercial property as collateral.

Based on purpose

Home loan: When you take a home loan, you can only use the funds from it to purchase a residential property. You can then stay in this property (self-occupy) or rent it out if you’re purchasing a home as in investment. You can’t use it for any other purpose.

Mortgage loan: Mortgage loans are of various kinds, and in fact, the term is used to define a category of loans rather than one particular loan. For example, a home loan is a mortgage loan, as is a loan against property, or a loan against insurance. 



Depending on the variant of the mortgage loan, the end use will vary. While a home loan offers limited flexibility in terms of what you can use the funds for, a loan against insurance allows you to use the funds for any purpose that you deem fit.

Loan against property: This diverse loan offering allows you to use funds for a variety of purposes. You can use the money to buy commercial property or a home for your family. You can also avail the loan for lease rent discounting. 

Whether you require substantial funds to start a business, pay for your child’s overseas education, pay for wedding expenses or invest in an asset, you can take a loan against property to meet any of these needs.

Besides this, if you need a large amount of money and you anticipate unpredictable or periodic need for finance, you can avail the sanction as a Flexi Loan. When you take a Loan Against Property from Bajaj Finserv, for example, you can choose to take the amount as a Flexi Loan and use funds from the total sanction as per your needs. 

You only have to pay interest on the amount that you use, and you have the option to pay interest-only EMIs through the tenor. Once the loan repayment period comes to a close, you can repay the principal. You can withdraw, repay and redraw funds as many times as you want to. 

More importantly, you don’t have to file a new loan application each time you need funds. Simply make a request to access the amount.

Here’s a look at a few benefits that this Bajaj Finserv loan offers.

• This loan gives you a high-value loan that you can use for both professional and personal purposes. As a salaried individual, you can access Rs.1 crore, while if you are a self-employed individual, you can get up to Rs.3.5 crore.
• A loan against property’s interest rates are low, and you can use a loan against property EMI calculator to determine what you monthly outflow will be with ease.
• The documents required for a loan against property are minimal, as is loan against property eligibility. You can apply in a matter of minutes and receive the loan amount within 72 hours.
• You have the choice of a long tenor to make repayment easy. Choose from a repayment period spanning 2–20 years if you are salaried, and up to 18 years if you are self-employed. 
• You can also make use of prepayment or foreclose options at a minimal charge to repay the loan quickly.
• If you already have a loan against property, transfer it to Bajaj Finserv to enjoy fast processing, and add-on benefits such as a high-value top-up loan.
• Manage your loan online with ease via a secure customer portal. Get all loan-related information at your fingertips, as per your convenience. 
• With complete understanding about the difference between the three loans and the benefits of a loan against property, you’re sure to be able to make the right choice for your needs. Before you submit your application, be sure to check the eligibility criteria to see if you qualify.

Basics About ETFs for Beginners

Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) are not too popular instruments for retail traders and probably if you are new to trading you haven’t heard of them before. 

ETF trading had become popular in the last few years among institutional investors like investment banks, hedge funds, equity funds and even pension funds. 

Since the “big players” from the financial world had been eager to invest in ETFs, let’s see what exactly this assets are, so you can understand them better and decide yourself if it is worth to invest your time and money.

What is an ETF?

To understand an ETF, you should think about a basket with a few different products in it. An ETF is a tradable instrument which tracks the performance of a commodity, index, stock or a group of assets just like an index. 




The ETF market had been on the rise in the last few years and only in the United States, there is an annual trading volume of approximately $ 20 trillion just with ETFs, according to statista.com. That’s more than the annual GDP of the US and proves the high interest there is for this kind of instruments.

Why should someone buy an ETF?

There are several reasons why ETF trading might be good. First of all, it provides diversification. As we’ve mentioned at the beginning, you can buy a basket of assets, not just one. 

By doing this, you have the risk spread across a certain number of assets, not just one. If you buy a stock, for example, and the stock goes down, you are losing money. 

But if you are buying an ETF which tracks a basket of 5 stocks, your risk will be spread and even though one or two will perform poorly if the others have a good performance, the risk will be balanced.

Investing in a fund

It is also imperative to understand that ETFs are created by banks. When you buy an ETF you are basically buying a portion of the fund behind it. 

The fund is the one who invests in the assets contained by that particular ETF. We must also mention that ETFs are regulated instruments. 

Each bank that wants to create them needs to send the proper documentation to the Securities and Exchange Commission for approval. Only if they receive the approval they can move along and create the fund.

What Causes Mortgage Interest Rates to Increase?

Do you wonder what causes mortgage interest rates to increase and fall the way they do? The media and even mainstream economists tend to say that interest rates are increasing as an indicator of economic health. 

However, this isn’t absolute and there are definite flaws in the idea. It is clear than the media has no clue what causes mortgage interest rates to rise at all.

Economic Growth

Interest rates went up almost 40 points in one stretch, and that is being hailed as evidence of economic growth. That isn’t the case, though. Recently, Treasury bonds saw a rise in yield, and the effects that had have been noticed all around the board.

Mario Draghi is the head of ECB (European Central Bank). The ECB printed trillions of Euros hoping it would pacify the bond market. The Eurozone had been financially flustered, and this helped the situation. After Greece left the Euro, some were afraid that the Euro would suffer more. Investors sold their Treasury Bonds to buy back into the Euro.

Economic Knowledge

Despite what is called wise economic knowledge, the rise of sovereign bonds would cause their credit to decrease. It would also run the risk of inflation. However, interest rates aren’t going to be so affected by economic health as is being pushed by the media.

When you mix economic growth with a well thought out, responsible financial policy, inflation tends to be less of a problem and then mortgage loan interest rates will rise. However, this happens without causing nominal rates to rise. It essentially just gives a much higher rate of return.

Inflation Concerns

This is exactly what happened in the United States in the 80’s. The battle against inflation had finally been considered over, the economy was booming and the stock market was doing great. Nominal rates were falling, not rising.

This is the direct opposite of what is being said now. Now, we are being told that the rise in interest rates is due to our well groomed, thriving economy. Why then, was the economy doing so well then, and the interest rates were lower?

When the amount of money in circulation is drastically increase, inflation increases as well. With all of the extra money and credit, centralized banks give some cover to the government, allowing it to end up in enormous amounts of debt. Central banks control interest rates for only a small amount of time.

Despite what is being said by most of the mainstream media outlets, mortgage loan interest rates are largely controlled by the banks. Rather than the economy influencing interest rates, a more realistic scenario is the interest rates influencing the economy.

What the banks base their interest rates on, however, is influenced by the economy and the need for profit. So while the interest affect the economy, they are based in part on the economy that it influences. This is the way things work, economics is a crazy, confused mess of policies, strategic manipulation and risk that if not watched carefully, can and will take you by surprise.

5 Ideas To Follow Your Passion In Retirement Years

As retirement get closer, many people find themselves struggling to figure out what they are going to do. While some individuals will just continue working, others view retirement as an opportunity to pursue their passions or find new ones. 

If you are new to the idea of retiring, then you might want to consider following your passions. It will allow you to find fulfilling ways of spending time, helping others and feeling good overall. 

In this post, we’ll cover some of the best ideas for following your passion during your retirement years.

Travel Around The World

One of the most common passions, travel eludes many people during their working years. Now that you are coming up on retirement, take the opportunity to plan all of the places that you would like to visit. 

In the beginning, do not set a budget. Unless you have been investing in annuities already, just list all of the amazing places that you want to go. Then, when you are retired, you can consider options like downsizing and moving to an apartment so that you can travel the way you want to. 

Of course, the experience of seeing the world first hand is a great way to pursue your global interests after leaving the workforce.

Get Politically Active

After so many years of working, you could apply your passions to the political world. If you have a successful track record in communicating with others, you could run for political office. 

This is a great way to have a meaningful role in the community while making a positive impact. If this would be too much of a commitment, you can always use other skills to support politicians that believe in your views. 

As a politically active citizen, you will stay engaged in the community and society around you. It will certainly present the opportunity to pursue your interests and maybe find some new passions along the way as well.

Start A Blog About Your Passion

Thirdly, you could write about your passion online. It is easier than ever to start a blog and share it with people you know. Especially if you are passionate about a particular topic, you will find other bloggers online to connect with. 

Regardless of your technical ability, you can write on a blog and start building an audience. Using a partner like https://www.DreamHost.com, all of the technical parts are fully managed for you. 

This gives you the time and freedom to write and talk about your passion. As people find out about your blog, it can be highly rewarding to read their comments, feedback and suggestions. In effect, you could build your own online community around your passions during retirement.

Open A Local Business

If you are one of those people afraid of not working, maybe its time to open your own business. Since you would be doing this to pursue your passion, it should be a local business with low overhead. 

This way, you can do business because it is important to your rather than to make money. As it turns out, this will probably make you very successful in your endeavor. Just remember to keep your passion first and enjoy spending your time in a business that you control. 

If it ever gets too stressful, then you are missing the point. Open a business to pursue your inner passion and share it with others.

Mentor Others Who Need Help

For anyone who doesn’t have a defined passion, you can still pursue a meaningful retirement by helping others. Since you probably have experience in life or a specific industry, mentor those around you. 

When you truly help others achieve their goals, the feeling is absolutely gratifying because you are selflessly helping them. You will feel some ownership in their success and manage your retirement well. 

Moreover, they will appreciate and remember your influence. This is a great way to help others even if you are unsure of what to do many years into your future retirement.

In addition to spending time with friends and family, retirement gives you the chance to pursue your passions to their fullest extent. You can do this with many ideas. 

Travel around the world. Get involved in your community. Start a blog to build an audience. Open that business you always wanted to have. Or, mentor others who need help. Using these ideas, you can pursue your passions for many years into your retirement and have a fulfilling life.