6 Things You Should Never Do On Your Own

There is a reason why we are here on this earth with other people — so we can “get by with a little help from [our] friends.” 

While it is important to be independant and self-sufficient, there are just some things that you shouldn’t do alone. Read on to learn more. 

Wedding Dress Shopping

When you go wedding dress shopping, take a trusted friend with you to help you pick the perfect dress. 

They can look at you from all angles, take pictures for you to see, let you know if you’re making a poor choice, but also affirm your decision if you find the perfect dress. Just don’t take too many people with you, or you’ll end up with too many opinions, and potentially choose a dress that you wouldn’t otherwise. 

Always go with your gut. If you fall in love with a dress, don’t let others persuade you to change your mind.

Apartment Hunting

When you’re looking for the perfect apartment, you want an extra set of eyes. Like this blog says, it’s too easy to be distracted by unimportant details (hot tub out back, cute kitchen tile, etc.), but having a friend with you will help you stay focused on the things that really matter. 

It’s also a good idea to take a friend because it will keep you safe, especially if you’re headed into a more dangerous part of town. When you’re apartment hunting, don’t be afraid to snoop around in the apartment (and even use the bathroom!), and drive around the neighborhood to check out the area.

Automobile Shopping

Car dealers are very sneaky people, and as such, you should never go car shopping alone.

They know how to read you like an open book, and they know how to push a sale. When you’re first met by a salesperson, you will be overwhelmed at how charming they are. 

Pretty soon though, they will use that charm to try and convince you to buy just about anything. If you look at a car for too long, the keys are suddenly in your hand, and you’re ready for a test drive. 

They know that if they can get you in the car, you’re a lost cause. They slowly wear you down until it feels ridiculous and almost like you are a bad person if you don’t buy that car.

However, if you bring a friend, you suddenly have someone on your team. When the rest of the dealership teams up on you, you will have someone who can be the voice of reason.  

They can help you say “No” when necessary, or help you negotiate a better deal. Just make sure that you bring the right friend, or you both might end up leaving with new cars that you can’t afford. 

Clothes Shopping

Window shopping alone can be quite dangerous, especially if you’re prone to shop therapy. Having a friend will help you avoid buying too much, or if necessary, from passing up a steal. 

Before you go, communicate your shopping goals — whether you are just browsing or you’re looking for something specific. A friend can help you stay focused and avoid buying things that you don’t need, or convince you to buy something that you’re on the fence about. 

Besides, it’s more fun anyway! Again, make sure that you bring the right friend, or you might be talked into making a lot of purchases you wouldn’t otherwise.

Haunted House

Going to a haunted house alone is a terrible idea. If you are terrified, there is no one to act as a buffer between you and the actors trying to scare you. 

On the other hand, if you’re not afraid of haunted houses, it will be quite a bore if you don’t bring someone who is afraid. 

Other tips for haunted houses include: try to stay away from other groups, go with the right attitude, go earlier in the night, and don’t try to predict the haunt, or it’ll be less fun.

Attending a Concert

Concerts are infinitely more fun with friends. You have someone to fangirl with, scream at the top of your lungs with, and to talk you out of going crowd surfing. Just don’t choose someone who is uninterested in the concert, or you will wish that you never went in the first place.

Reevaluate Your Finance Plan With These 4 Lifestyle Changes

Building wealth is a very important part of life. Statistics show that most marriages dissolve due to issues regarding finances. 

Money can literally make or break a person's quality of life if it isn't managed properly. If you're in a position where you're not feeling confident or financially stable, it's important to change that. 

It's time to reevaluate your financial plan. Consider these four lifestyle changes.

1. Avoid Eating Out

While it may be incredibly convenient to show up somewhere and enjoy a delicious meal without having to cook anything, you definitely pay for it. 

The amount for one person at a restaurant can easily cover their grocery bill for a few days. Cut out the middle man. Go to the grocery store and cook the meals yourself. You'll save a ton of money that way. 

Besides, coupons and discounts will help make the grocery bill even cheaper. Make the same foods your family enjoys at restaurants at a fraction of the cost. Plus, food always tastes better the next day. 

2. Downsize Your Home

No matter what stage of life you find yourself in, downsizing is always a financially sound option. Consider moving into a smaller home, apartment or even resorting to an RV. 

It’s much more luxuries than it sounds when you take into account that most dealers, like Orangewood RV Center, offer vehicles that come with fully furnished kitchens, living areas, bathrooms and bedrooms. 

Avoid the high costs of a mortgage by getting creative with your home space.

3. Focus On Savings

It's one thing to say you'll save money down the road, it's another thing to actually do it. Don't wait until tomorrow to put money into your savings account. 

Once you get paid, sit down and create a budget. Within that budget, one of the line items needs to be a savings account. If you get direct deposit, you can set up your account so that a certain percentage of that paycheck automatically goes into your savings account. 

Don't let yourself near retirement age without a hefty amount in your savings account. It's dangerous. 

4. Find Side Jobs

If you've done a lot of downsizing and are still not where you'd like to be, it's time to go out and create some extra income. 

There are lots of ways to work on the side. You can run errands, babysit children, walk dogs and house sit. You can find a part time job working in an office setting a few nights a week. You can start a side business as a network marketer. The sky is the limit.

With all of these suggestions, you'll need to become dedicated and focused on the goal. The end goal is financial freedom and stability. When you get discouraged and don't want to keep going, remember the goal and you'll be able to reach it in no time.

How to Increase the Value of Your Pension

It has become increasingly important for everyone to put a sensible pension strategy into place - why? 

Well first of all we are living longer and therefore our pension has to last longer, second the price of living has gone up dramatically in recent years and finally, the majority of people would like to retire early from their career, giving them more quality time in their senior years. 

With interest rates being so low, for such a long time the savvy pension saver has been looking for new ways to increase the value of their pension. So how can this be done?

Investment Diversification

The answer for many people is by diversification. Putting money into a number of pots is one way of making that capital work a little, or a lot, harder. 

Using a percentage of your pension capital, let's use 20% as an example and investing it in the financial markets, while leaving the remaining 80% in an interest accruing account, pension scheme or ISA can be a great way to maintain a high level security and at the same time apply some speculation into the equation.

A Trusted Broker

Using Hantec Markets to invest in markets such as Forex or tracking index funds can be a really effective way of increasing the value of your pension. 

This can be done over a long period of time or a shorter period of time and the best part is that the potential profits can far outweigh those you will get from any other type of financial investment. 

Using an online trading platform you are able to access a wide range of financial markets and stay in control of your capital. You can also take advantage of professional help and advice in order to maximise your potential for success.

Forex Fast Track

Investing in the foreign currency markets (Forex) is a high risk/high return strategy. If you have an in depth understanding of trading platforms, global politics and economics, trading Forex can be a highly effective way to make large profits in a short amount of time. 

Forex is traded 24 hours a day and trillions of dollars worth of currency changes hands in any such time period. Currency rates can move up and down quickly meaning the potential for profit is great and for those who become good at it virtually unlimited.

Such gains come with risk, however and if you are inexperienced, then you can also suffer large losses.

Tracking Index Funds

Tracking index funds work by, as the name would suggest, tracking financial indexes such as the FTSE 100. 

They are a low cost way of getting exposure to a wide range of shares and are relatively low risk, especially if entered into as a long-term investment. 

Using tracking index funds means you avoid having to choose specific shares and the associated costs, in return investors can expect a modest return on their pension investment year on year.

Increasing the value of your pension provision effectively is a balancing act, which if got right can mean a comfortable and happy retirement.

How to Save Money When Buying a Car

Car buying can be a daunting task for even the savviest of consumers. With so many makes and models available in various trim levels, it may be a challenge to ensure that you're getting the best deal possible on a new car.

Fortunately, several resources exist today which make the process faster, easier and more fun than ever before. Read on to find out how you can save more money when buying a car.

Find out what others are paying

In the age of the internet, it is now possible to know what others have paid for the same car you're interested in.

Before you visit a dealer, look for sites that allow you to select the make, model and trim of the car you want and find out what others in the same area have been paying to avoid paying more.

Check the vehicle history

If you're buying a used car, knowledge of the vehicle's history can give you some powerful negotiating leverage.

For example, if you find out that a certain vehicle has been repaired following a front-end collision, you may be able to negotiate a lower selling price due to its diminished value. Websites like EpicVin give potential buyers an easy way to review the history of a vehicle.

Look for deals and incentives

Many manufacturers and dealerships advertise finance or lease deals on their websites. You may find that a specific vehicle carries low lease terms or that your local dealer is offering low APR financing.




Buying around certain holidays or seasons can also give you a better chance of getting great deals.

Employee pricing 

Many manufacturers offer deep discounts to employees or immediate family members of employees. Be sure to take advantage of this if you are able.

Don't be afraid to walk 

You could be surprised to find that less negotiation is required to get the price you want on a car than in years past.

Even still, some dealers may be less willing to negotiate deep discounts on your first visit. Always be ready to leave the dealership if you aren't getting the deal you want.

This is useful because it shows the dealer that you are a confident, savvy buyer and they may be more likely to call you and offer a lower price.

Consumers are more equipped today than ever before to save money on car purchases. With the wealth of information available, especially online, it is easy and simple to buy with the confidence that you're getting the best deal possible.