Which Investments Are Really Worth It?

 If you’re thinking about putting some of your money into investments, then you will obviously want to ensure that you are making the right decisions. And the most important decision of all is which investments to actually go for. There are so many to choose between, and in truth you should be trying to diversify as best as you can, meaning that you need to have several investments of different risk levels.

With that in mind, however, let’s take a look now at some of the best investments that you might want to go for, along with an explanation of why they are so worthwhile. After reading through this, you should be in a considerably better position to choose which investments to aim for.

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Gold

People are often quite surprised to discover that you can invest in gold easily, or that it doesn’t even require a huge amount of money to do so. If you are keen to try out an investment that is easy, but above all very certain, then gold is a good one to try. Because of the gold standard economy, even if other markets struggle, gold generally remains very solid, and it is therefore a great thing to have at least some of it in your investment portfolio.

If you are keen to invest in gold, bear in mind that you only need a fairly small amount to begin with - and you can always add to that later on if you are able to and you want to increase your portfolio even more. And be sure to buy the gold from a safe place - being particularly wary of strange-looking websites offering suspiciously good prices.

Real Estate

A long-held favorite investment is of course real estate, and for similar reasons to gold, above. Property rarely decreases in value, and it’s one of those markets that generally improves and improves over time. People are always going to need homes, after all. What’s more, there are so many ways to invest in property - from buying and holding to renovating, flipping, and of course the passive income of buy-to-let investments. With so many options, you are certainly going to find real estate a great option, no matter what situation you might find yourself in financially.

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To succeed with this kind of investment, there are a few things you might want to do. Most importantly of all, remember the value of location, and make sure that you are keeping your sight set wide open for that reason. You should also be sure to make use of professional real estate agents, as they will have a lot of advice that will help you to succeed with this kind of investment.

As long as you do that, you will find that you are much more likely to invest properly, and this is a great investment to be involved in, so that’s something that you will want to consider at the very least.

Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies get a lot of bad press, and it is certainly true that there is nothing at all certain about these kinds of investments. They are infamously volatile markets, and you never know whether the whole thing might just crash suddenly, so you should be careful not to put too much money into it. However, as part of a diversified portfolio, having a small amount in cryptocurrency is not a bad idea, and there is a chance that you could make a huge amount of money out of it in the long run.

If you are going to invest in cryptocurrencies of some kind or another, be sure to be careful therefore. Don’t try to time the market - just buy some crypto and hold on to it for a few years, selling it when it seems to be at a good price. It could be a great investment if approached in that way.

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Alternatively, you can mine bitcoin or try trading between coins in the same way as you would with Forex. Just make sure that you take care with whatever you do, and again don’t put the balance of your portfolio in these high-risk investments if possible. Although the temptation might be strong, it’s not worth the risk.

Those are just some of the investments that you might want to consider if you are trying to make the most of your money. Whichever you go for, just ensure that you take your time and take care, and don’t rush into anything. If you can do that, it should work out.

Beat the Cost of Living and Save Money on Everyday Things

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There are many ways you can save money and beat the rising costs of everyday things. You simply need to make some adjustments, stop paying for extras, and maintain your home.

Ride or Walk Rather than Pay

You might need your car for work as part of your job or to travel long-distance. Yet fuel alone is expensive these days. Additionally, you should always negotiate (click here) the price of a new car. However, it's not always necessary to use your car. If it is possible, using a bike instead of a car to get to work or run errands has numerous benefits for the budget. It saves money on gas and car maintenance while also lowering carbon emissions. And with all the extra exercise you are getting, you might be able to reconsider your gym membership while the weather is good.

Save Money by Canceling Memberships

Speaking of memberships, gym memberships are one of the most unused in the world. A gym pass costs, on average, $60 per month in the USA alone. However, almost 70% go unused. Of course, these aren't the only monthly costs that people neglect. The top unused expenses are cinema passes, magazine subscriptions, and streaming services. You don't really need any of these. Movies and TV shows come to free channels eventually, and you can exercise for free anywhere at any time. If you have the space, you can buy used gym equipment.

Buy Generic Products

All too often, we are sucked in by branding. This is especially true when shopping for food and clothes. You can make substantial savings by switching from big brand products to generic supermarket items. In many cases, the products are precisely the same and use the same supplier. Or in others, the difference is hardly noticeable. Medical bills are also on the increase all over the world. And like food, you can save money by switching to generic brands of medication. Pharmacies often have generic alternatives to common prescription medication.

Address Leaking Taps and Pipes

Water waste is an issue for many reasons. First, it contributes to the sustainability problems currently plaguing the world. But it also directly increases your water bills for the year. And the amount you can save by being mindful of water use is staggering. For instance, the average family can save over 200 gallons per month by switching off the tap when brushing alone. Saving water this way will have a direct impact on lowering your bills. Additionally, you should fix leaking taps and pipes to save even more since they account for 10,000 gallons of waste.

Turn Off the Power

We live in a world where we rely on electronic devices. It's pretty hard to keep up with life without a smartphone, computer, and TV. They're also necessary for work in some cases. However, they draw power all the time. Here are some tips for saving energy at home:

• Unplug chargers when they aren't in use.

• Only leave something on standby if it's necessary.

• Turn off monitors when not using your PC.

• Switch to energy-saving devices where possible.

• Install smart plugs for controlling them remotely.

Making these simple changes will drastically reduce your energy usage and your bills as a direct result. Chargers alone account for a massive amount of energy use and should be used carefully. But switching to devices like LED bulbs can half your electricity use on lighting.

Embrace VR Tech

During the pandemic, we couldn't leave our homes to visit attractions like museums. However, many commercial businesses that rely on public visits embraced virtual technology. Places like natural history museums now offer virtual tours of their attractions which you can see online. You can tour places in 2D on a website or go even deeper with 3D-VR tours. Additionally, some live performances, such as Hamilton, now offer online versions for streaming. These are much cheaper than going out to a theater and saving money on fuel and transportation.

Turn Down Your Thermostat

Yes, it's summer. But it's never too late to begin thinking ahead. And you can plan for winter now. 10% of heating costs can be saved for each degree your thermostat is lowered for at least eight hours per day. Keep the temperature no higher than 68 instead of the usual 72. And if you need to, wrap up in a sweater or put another blanket on the bed. Cut the AC and use fans to create a cross breeze in warmer weather. Turn off the AC in the summer and use fans to create a cross breeze. Additionally, you can leave the windows open at night since it's cooler.

Save Money by Cooking Fresh

Why would you pay more money for something you can easily make at home? We live in a world of convenience, that's true. But the prices are four times higher for pre-packaged meals than those you can make at home. Consider a sandwich as an example. For the same price as a standard sandwich from a store, you could make them for yourself for a week. Additionally, fresh ingredients are much better for you since they will contain no preservatives, extra sugars, or salt. And you have direct control over what goes into your daily meals.

DIY if You Can

Finally, you can save a ton of money by doing what you can. Don't pay someone to wash your car, clean the windows or mow the lawn if you are non-disabled and can do it yourself. Instead, consider how much you can save by putting a little extra effort into your car and home maintenance alone. And then there's cosmetics. Finally, there's nothing like a nice set of professional nails. But you can save that for a special occasion. In the meantime, do your nails at home with a home nail kit that costs less than one trip to a professional nail salon.

Summary

The cost of living is rising again. But you can save money by walking or cycling where possible, addressing water and energy usage, and doing things for yourself if you can.

Common Problems In Your Home That Need Fixing ASAP

 

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Your home can encounter multiple problems at any given time. There are some that are more severe, and there are some which aren’t too much of a problem. The general rule is that it is always better to get a problem sorted sooner rather than later, but there are some which are more urgent than others. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that need fixing in your home ASAP, so keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Broken Appliances

The first thing that we’re going to mention are broken appliances. You might not think that a frayed wire is anything to worry about, but it could be. Frayed wires and damaged appliances are some of the leading causes of electrical fires which are extremely dangerous. Instead of allowing this to happen, you should be checking your appliances regularly for any damage, and if there is a problem get it fixed as soon as you can. Or, you can even just replace the item and get a new one so that you don’t have to worry about this. 

HVAC System

Another common problem in the home is that the HVAC system isn’t working properly. If it’s the summertime, then you likely need your AC to get through the day when the temperatures are soaring. We recommend that you check your AC before the summer begins though so that you have fully working air con through the hot days. However, if it’s not working then at least you have the time to get it sorted before the temperatures start to soar. You should call someone who specializes in AC repair to get this sorted for you.

The same goes for the heating in the winter months. Both of these need to be in working order, so we recommend getting this serviced every six months or so to ensure it’s in the right condition.

Leaking Roof

The final thing that we’re going to say is that a leaking roof is one of the most common problems to face in your home. It’s also one of the easiest things to fix if it’s only a small issue, so that’s a blessing in itself. Some people can even manage to fix it themselves if they have any kind of handy experience which will save you a lot of money. If not, then get in touch with a roofer and they will sort the problem ASAP.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the common problems in your home that need fixing as soon as possible. You can’t leave things like this to fester, as all that will happen is that they will get worse until it gets to a point where it’s mega expensive to fix. Or, you have to live with these problems making your life harder for a while which is not what you need. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you manage to get all of these problems sorted as soon as possible.

Benefits of Doing Regular Maintenance On Your Home

 Homeownership is a big responsibility. Not only do you have to worry about paying your mortgage, but you also have to ensure that your home is in good condition. This means doing regular maintenance on your property. Unfortunately, many homeowners neglect their homes because they don't think it's necessary, leading to bigger problems. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of doing regular maintenance on your home.

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1)Save Money

One of the most significant benefits of regular home maintenance is that it can save you money in the long run. If you neglect your home and don't do any maintenance, eventually, something will break down and need to be repaired. This can end up costing you a lot of money. However, if you do regular maintenance, you can avoid these costly repairs.

2)Increase the Value of Your Home

One of the most important benefits of regular maintenance on your home is that it will increase the value of your home. This is especially true if you do major repairs and updates, but even small things like painting and fixing leaks can make a big difference. In addition, if you keep your home in good condition, it will be worth more when you sell it.

3)Avoid Health Hazards

Another benefit of regular home maintenance is that it can help you avoid health hazards. For example, if your home is in poor condition, it could be full of mold or mildew, which can cause respiratory problems. Additionally, if there are any electrical or plumbing problems, they could lead to severe injuries. By doing regular maintenance, you can avoid these health hazards and keep your family safe.

4)Improve the Look of Your Home

In addition to all of the practical benefits of doing regular maintenance on your home, it can also simply make your home look nicer. If you keep up with repairs and painting, your home will look much better than if you let it fall into disrepair. This can increase your enjoyment of your home and make you proud to live there.

5)Avoid Extensive Damage

By keeping up with regular maintenance, you can avoid having to do extensive and expensive repairs down the road. For example, if you have a roof leak, it will only get worse over time. Eventually, you may have to replace your entire roof. Roofing is a costly project, so it's best to avoid it if possible.

6)Get to Know Your Home

Regular home maintenance is a great way to get to know your property. This can be especially beneficial if you just bought your home or plan on selling it in the future. By keeping up with repairs and doing regular inspections, you'll be able to spot any potential problems early on.

Overall, there are many benefits of doing regular maintenance on your home. From saving money to increasing the value of your property, it's well worth the effort. So don't neglect your home - make sure you keep up with its maintenance! It will pay off in the long run.

5 Straightforward Methods Of Earning A Passive Income

 

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In life, we all have to work in order to earn money. Some people love putting in a real shift throughout their lives, and some people would rather get money for working only a few hours a day. Whichever bracket you fall into, you’ll know that neither results in good money unless you use your brain and work smartly. Whether you’re in a factory or you work from home, you have to put in the hours and sacrifice a few things. 

 

A lot of people are eager to find a way of getting passive income into their accounts so they can live the life they want. Fortunately, there are lots of ways this kind of thing can happen. Here are a few examples: 

 

Write a Blog 

 

Blogs are great for making money as they can supplement businesses and bring in passive income in a multitude of ways. Advertisements, affiliate marketing, selling products, and so many other methods can breed prosperity here. 

 

Invest In Lucrative Businesses

 

Investing is a very popular avenue to go down in this world. If you have enough money to invest, the chances are that you’ll continue making a little more every single year. It’s not like gambling as there is a lot of research that goes into these kinds of decisions. Check out this Freetrade Review to see what kinds of apps and services can be used while getting into the world of investments. There is a lot to sink your teeth into in this realm. 

 

Rent Out Your Home 

 

If you have space in your home and you feel as though you can let someone stay for extended periods, then you can absolutely charge someone for the privilege. Whether someone is traveling or simply needs to move, there will always be people available that will be happy to stay in your home. You might even renovate your home a little to make it more suited to dual-occupancy. 

 

Write An E-Book Or Online Course 

 

Writing something that people can really get something out of could work for your money-making exploits. An e-book or a program on how to do things makes sense as they’ll simply purchase it and the money will flow into your pocket. You’ll obviously have to put in the work beforehand, but it’ll all be comfy once finished. 

 

Create An ECommerce Store 

 

If you can master this kind of thing, then you could find yourself in a very good place financially. There are many people out there who are experts at e-commerce because they found a way of working and they cracked the code of how to sell. While the initial setup of this kind of thing can take a while, the passive income that falls into your bank account tends to happen all while you’re sleeping. Some people prefer to have a hand in everything and some people prefer to dropship so they don’t have to touch the stock at all. Whichever you choose, it could end up being a seriously lucrative move. 

3 Ways To Increase Your Credit Score While You’re Still Young

When you're young, you might not worry too much about how much you spend on your credit card. You won't think before you apply for credit for whatever you want. As you get older, though, you'll find that you need to know your credit score and that you need a good score to get what you want in life. If you have bad credit, you might not be able to rent an apartment or get a loan for a car. You might have to settle for a less secure apartment building when you would rather have one with a multi-tenant apartment intercom. It’s surprising how bad credit can affect you. 

 

If your credit score is low and you know you need to raise it, there are some things you can do. Find out what some of them are by reading on.

 

Photo by Pixabay

 

Use Secured Credit Cards 

If you have no credit or a low credit score, it's hard to get a traditional credit card. What do you do if you need one? In this case, the answer is to use a credit card that requires a deposit.

 

With a regular card, you can borrow money and pay it back. With a secured card, your credit limit is based on how much money you put down as a guarantee. Secured credit cards are a great way to improve your credit score as long as you make your payments on time and, ideally, in full. It might sound strange, but if you use a secured card to pay for your next visit to the cinema, to get your car detailed, or to do your online grocery shopping and then pay it all off at the end of the month, your credit score will go up, and you won't even be in debt.

 

Fix Errors In Credit Reports

There could be debts and other things on your credit report that you never had and that have nothing to do with you. The only way to find out is to carefully read through your report and see if all the information in it applies to you. If it does, there's nothing you need to do (other than work on improving your credit). If, on the other hand, you find mistakes, this could be why your credit score is low, and you'll need to do something about it.

 

You can fix these mistakes yourself, which is good news. On the websites of the three biggest credit agencies, you can see details about every mistake on your credit report. You will be able to report any problems so that they can be fixed. In this case, the only downside is that you might have to wait a few weeks or months for your credit report to be fixed.

 

Have Small Loans

It may be time for you to get a loan, maybe for a car or to make improvements to your home. When you have a low credit score, it can be a little depressing because you won't be able to get the loan you want. You might be turned down completely, or you might be offered a loan with a higher interest rate or for a smaller amount.

 

You can get better loan offers, though, if you can find a co-signer for your loan. You'll need to be sure you can pay back the loan, though, or your guarantor will be responsible for the payments. If this is the case, you can get the loan you want, and when you pay it back, your credit score will go up because you'll be able to show that you're responsible with money.

How To Spot Common WFH Scams

 

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Working from home is the dream of many people. Whether you want a better work/life balance, have to work around family, or just because you want to, you could potentially fall for some very convincing scams aimed at the WFH community. 

So how do you go about ensuring that a potential opportunity is a legitimate one? Here are some of the most common ones circulating at the moment. 

General guidelines for staying safe

While there are some very specific and complicated WFH scams out there. There are some general rules you should follow to keep your personal details and money safe. 

• Don’t send personal details and financial account details over the internet. 

• Don’t click on any suspicious-looking links 

• Don’t buy equipment or software upfront

• If you suspect a job listing is fake, report it to the job platform and authorities 

Red flags

All recruiters hype themselves and their jobs up, but there’s a difference between this and outright lying. If a job seems too good to be true, it is. People generally don’t make thousands per week with zero experience and only work a few hours. 

The adverts are too vague

The job listing isn’t specific. All job listings should be clear about the company you’re working for and what you’ll be doing. If it’s all detailed marketing speak, then at best it’s going to be a terrible job but most likely is a scam. 

Poor online reputation

The reviews are terrible. You should always look at reviews of a company on forums, sites like glass door, or other sites. If you’re looking at doing cashback or market research survey sites then check out sites like Clean Cut Finance and read their Swagbucks review, which shows that this is a legitimate money-making opportunity. 

Paying to work for them

You need to give them money. No job should require you to pay to do it.  If they are requesting money from you, this is a red flag and you’re never going to get it back. 

MLMs in disguise

Requiring you to recruit other people as part of your job. Unless you’re going into a role in recruitment or HR, then your job should not involve simply recruiting others. This screams MLM, which is something you should stay away from. 

The payment mistake

Most companies should pay their employees directly via bank transfer or Paypal. If a company is insisting on paying by check, be careful of this scam. You’ll likely receive a check for a lot more than you’re expecting. Rather than sending you a revised check, the company will ask you to send the amount that they’ve overpaid to them directly before you cash their check, which will invariably bounce. 

Takeaways

There are a lot of legitimate, work-from-home opportunities out there, but the popularity of this type of work makes them targets for scammers. It’s important that you stay vigilant and don’t try to take any shortcuts. Protecting your personal and financial details is very important for your safety. 

5 Perks to a Positive Work Environment from Home

 For many people, the home is now the new work environment. From working for employers to running a business yourself, it’s going to be vital that you enjoy the environment you’re in for your job, right? Sure, one great thing you can do would be to either create a home office or even look into a new home with the help of a real estate agent and mortgage lenders. But before going that far, why not look into some of the perks of having a positive work environment right at home?

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1) You'll Have More Time to Work on Important Things

The workplace is becoming increasingly competitive and stressful. It is no longer a place where you can just focus on your work. You need to be productive in your work and also enjoy it. Many people opt to work from home or move away from the corporate world entirely to ensure that they can have a calm environment. The best way to achieve this is by making sure that you are happy at work and happy in the environment that you’re in. This, of course, even means being happy to work from home too. At home, what gets in the way of your work environment being comfortable and happy? Loud sounds? Uncomfortable? How can these be fixed?

2) You'll Stay Mentally Fit for the Long Haul

Happiness is the key to a productive and successful during work hours. There are many ways that you can be happy at work, but some of them are more difficult than others. Since your home is your haven, this should immediately help out. Plus, no commute time means that your budget will go further.

3) You'll Keep a Better Perspective on Life

It is not easy to stay positive in the workplace, even when it comes to being at home. But there is something about being in your comfort zone that makes even the grittiest of work seem better. You’ll look forward to each day. Overall, when it comes to working, it’s usually the environment itself that plays the biggest role.

4) You'll Improve Your Quality of Life

Having your work environment right at home can be a great way to improve your quality of life. It is also a great way to save some money and get more time for yourself. Your quality of life soars thanks to having more time to yourself, sleeping in, and decorating your workspace however you’d like.

5) You Can Make Changes Whenever You Want

Being in a work environment, such as for an employer, means that you usually won’t get to make changes. But when it comes to working from home, you can change whatever you want. This includes moving into a new house, opting into a bigger room for your home office, or even just changing the interior around. This freedom alone can be honestly quite invigorating!