Filed under Guest Posts,On Behalf of

5 Easy Steps to Financial Recovery After the Holidays

The following is a guest post by Totally Money.

Did you overspend on the holidays?  If so, don’t despair.  It happens to the best of us at least once, and for some of us, more than once.  If there’s one time when it’s easy to cave into spending peer pressure, it’s the holiday season.  After all, you don’t want to be seen as the one giving a skimpy gift when others are giving generously.

If you’re facing a stack bills, hold your head high and know that with a few months of discipline, you can dig your way out and make wiser decisions next holiday season.

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1 Comment Guest on Jan 10th 2014

 Filed under Guest Posts,On Behalf of,Paying Down Debt,Saving Your Money

How To Employ Practical Spending To Avoid Debt

Canada money

$20 Bills, image src:AFP

Irresponsible and unmindful spending leads to debt. Nowadays, people prefer to use their credit cards in purchasing instead of cash. Because of this, they tend to overspend and abuse the purchasing power their credit cards hold. Only when this unconscious habit has been translated into accumulated credit card notification letters do they realize their overindulgences.

It does feel less painful and easier to swipe a credit card instead of taking a few $20s out of the wallet. At the same time, that pain will be felt once the bill arrives in the hundreds of dollars!

Fortunately there are ways to avoid a great deal of debt. By employing smart purchasing practices, you will be able to prevent yourself from experiencing impending financial anxieties, as well as cram for debt relief programs that would help you save your finances. As a consumer, it is anticipated that you know your spending limits whether you use cash or credit card. To help you practice smart spending, here are simple suggestions to help you avoid debt and improve your finances. Read the rest of this entry »

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2 Comments Guest on Nov 2nd 2013

 Filed under Energy,Investing,Real Estate

Energy Efficient Homes Sell for 10% More, but Why?

OIC_noranda_solar_houseGenerally, most of us want to sell our homes for as much money as possible so that we can comfortably begin a new chapter in our lives. According to USA Today, ‘green’ homes sell for up to 10% more than those that aren’t so environmentally friendly, but what’s the reason behind these statistics?

‘Green’ Changes Can Look Good

Most people aren’t yet so concerned about the environment that they’d compromise on style in order to be ‘greener’, but as eco-friendly features are becoming more and more aesthetically appealing, it seems that people are willing to embrace ‘green’ living. Environmentally friendly features in a home, such as wooden flooring from a renewable source, can become an attractive selling point for a property. The ‘green’ appeal of a home can be extended into the garden too through the installation of a vegetable patch for growing produce. It adds a bit of interest to the property’s outdoor space and has a practical application that prospective buyers are likely to love.
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3 Comments Mich on Oct 14th 2013

 Filed under Growing Your Wealth,Investing,Real Estate

How Does the Property Market Affect the Stock Market?

6354095089_3ca0509311_m3There are so many things that affect the stock market, some of which may be obvious, while others are not quite so visible.  Typically, any movement in oil prices, inflation rates, employment rates or interest rates will affect the stock market. Additionally, wars, company mergers, company buy outs, bad company reports and natural disasters affect the stock market. However, it is often overlooked how tremendous of an impact the property market can have on the stock market.

Want to get involved in the stock market, but find yourself asking “How do I buy shares?”. Check out Etrade today for a quick start guide.

The Relationship between the Property Market and the Stock Market

The key link between the property market and the stock market is the interest rates.   Most people cannot afford to buy houses outright. Therefore, they must acquire loans from banks or financial institutions to pay for their mortgage. The interest rate is what borrowers have to pay the lenders for using their money, in addition to the amount they gave them to use for their mortgage, and when the interest rate is high, borrowers will thus pay higher interests on their loans.

What Leads to High Interest Rates?
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Comments Off Mich on Oct 4th 2013

 Filed under Guest Posts,On Behalf of,Real Estate

Home Improvements: Should You DIY or Hire a Pro?

houseSelling your home is a tricky business but if you are savvy, making a number of home improvements can increase your chances of a sale. So whether you want to make a profit on your property or simply want to get an offer that complements your asking price, improving your home can work in your favour. The question is, should you do it yourself or get the professionals in?

Eco-Friendly Improvements

This will of course depend on the complexity of the task in hand. If you are simply swapping all of your energy-sapping light bulbs for energy-saving ones and using non-toxic paint to spruce up old rooms, you can do it yourself.

However, for jobs that involve coming into direct contact with electricity, it is best to hire a professional. One way to make this decision is to weigh up the risks. One wrong move and you could end up having to pay thousands of pounds to put things right. So ask yourself if it’s worth it and if you know all of the steps and have all of the equipment you need to complete the job.

Plumbing

Preparing your home for sale is all about tying up loose ends and finally getting around to those pesky repairs that you have been meaning to attend to. Plumbing is a tricky one to attempt alone and How Stuff Works features five features this and more home improvement jobs you need to leave to the professionals.
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Comments Off Mich on Oct 3rd 2013

 Filed under Guest Posts,On Behalf of

Guarantor Loans: The Loan that everyone’s talking about in the UK

7027601297_5e90a918e2_mIf you have a poor credit history then it is very likely that you’ll struggle to get a loan. Unfortunately, even if you do manage to get a small loan, you’ll still be hindered by your poor credit history and you’ll have to pay an incredibly high rate of interest. Luckily, however, a new type of loan has been introduced to the market; one that is targeted specifically at people with a poor credit history. A ‘Guarantor loan’ allows you to take out a loan with a friend or loved one acting as a guarantor. Here’s an introductory guide to exactly what it entails:

What is a Guarantor Loan?

A guarantor loan is a type of unsecured loan that requires a second person to act as a guarantor in case you’re unable to repay the amount borrowed. For this reason, they are widely considered to be a very good option for anyone with a bad credit record and anyone who is unable to obtain a loan on their own.

Guarantor loans are usually only available through specialist loan companies such as 1st Stop. However, even then, the amount you can borrow and over what length you can borrow it changes widely between different companies. The interest on these loans is much lower than it would be on a payday loan and, in addition, there are far fewer fees and charges.

Is a Guarantor Loan Right for you?

A guarantor loan is not right for everyone, but it is very useful if you have a poor credit history. As well as this, a guarantor loan allows you to borrow at a higher sum than you would otherwise be able to if you were buying any of the other forms of loan that were targeted at people with a poor credit history. For this reason, if you fall under this category, a guarantor loan provides you with the perfect opportunity to rebuild your credit history and prove that you can be a responsible borrower who can make regular repayments.
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Comments Off Mich on Oct 2nd 2013

 Filed under Growing Your Wealth,Guest Posts,On Behalf of,Real Estate

Real Ways to Get the Most Money for Your House

525_T_Street,_N.W.With the presence of record-low mortgage rates all across America, the country is now being swept away by somewhat of a buying frenzy. In this environment, 2 million home owners are beginning to cash in big time by putting their homes on the market. And who can blame them in these financially trying times? However, some don’t realize that they are in fact losing out big time, by not optimizing the potential sale value of their homes. In truth, with a few simple measures, you can ensure that you give yourself the best opportunity for a generous financial return on your property.

Tidy Up Shop

Ok, so everyone buying a previously lived in home realises that they aren’t buying new. But that’s no reason for the house to look overly lived-in. These days, most buyers are looking for homes that are move-in ready. Therefore, making a few small upgrades to the house and repairing any wear and tear is an absolutely essential starting point for ensuring that you get the most money for your property. Of course, you don’t want to spend a fortune. For instance installing a brand new kitchen in order to raise the value of your home may not be cost effective. But redecorating the kitchen with a fresh coat of paint and perhaps installing some new fittings to give it a more contemporary appearance is a great idea and will boost the overall sale value. It goes without saying that you should make every effort to clean and redecorate your home wherever it appears slightly worn.
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Comments Off Mich on Sep 30th 2013

 Filed under Guest Posts,Investing,On Behalf of

Limit the Daily Stresses of Trading by Minimizing Risk

rtaImage-300x2021Trading can be a highly stressful environment and it is one that is fraught with risk. Many people earn substantial amounts through trading, but there are numerous risks too. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely eliminate these risks but, there are several ways that you can manage and minimise them. Binary Options are one of the main methods that people use to trade in order minimise the inherent risks associated with forex.

Binary Options Explained

Essentially, when trading using Binary Options, you’re making a directional decision on the price of an asset. For example, if you were trading EUR/GBP as a currency pair, you’d have to decide whether the price of the euro was going to go either up or down against the value of the British pound.

This decision is made over a ‘session’. Put simply, a ‘session’ is simply the timescale that you’re making the decision over and this can range from anywhere from under a minute to a year, As well as this, the timescale is completely up to you.

When your session expiries you can either win, lose or breakeven depending on how the markets have moved. Unlike some traditional trading platforms, Binary Options are traded for a ‘fixed return’. This means that whether the price of the euro in the previous explanation would have gone up 1% or 15% you would receive the same return.
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1 Comment Mich on Sep 28th 2013

 Filed under Growing Your Wealth,Investing,Real Estate

How to Ensure a Great Real Estate Investment

investing in real estateThis is a guest post written by Juliana Weiss-Roessler.

Buying real estate can be a risky endeavor, but if you do your research and invest wisely, it can really pay off in the long run. Buying a stable property and renting it out can give you a good source of additional income for relatively little effort, and if you’re an investor, it can help you diversify your portfolio.  Now is actually an ideal time to invest; the housing market is beginning to recover, but interest rates and housing prices are still generally low. Before you go jumping into the world of real estate investment, though, you need to look at the costs and benefits of buying a property. Here are a few things to consider.

Look for a property with a positive cash flow. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people decide to invest in an expensive property that won’t start paying off for at least 10 years (more on that in a second). You need to make sure that the income you’re earning from monthly rental is enough to cover all expenses, including the mortgage and any necessary home repairs, so that you’re ending up with a positive cash flow. Remember that if the money you put into a house was sitting in a bank, it would be earning interest—your goal with a real estate investment is to be making more than you would if that money were just sitting in the bank.
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2 Comments Mich on Sep 4th 2013

 Filed under Opinion

Historical Litigation: Patent Wars Throughout History

patent exampleOne could be forgiven for presuming that patent wars have reached their peak in 21st century super-technology disputes, commonly referred to as “the smart phone wars”. However, a historical examination of patent wars reveals a very different, and somewhat surprising, picture. Understanding patent wars to include their litigatious element, as “battles between companies or individuals to secure patents through litigation, either offensively or defensively”, today’s patent wars seem light in number compared with those in history. However, a historical perspective shows that the complexities of patent disputes, both legal and technological, show amazing similarities between then and now.

Since much patent litigation is still solved in the jurisdictions of the U.S.A. this is a good starting point for examining the history of patent warfare. 1790 saw the introduction of the first patent law but it was the dawn of the US industrial revolution that brought the upsurge in patent disputes: the period c.1850 – 1900 is the half century when patent wars really flourished.

The first piece of technology that struggled to protect itself against copy-cat versions was the sewing machine. Elias Hunt had patented his version in 1846 but in 1850 Isaac Singer was pursuing his claim. The issues present in the 1850’s are interestingly similar to those in today’s high-technology patent wars: then many over-lapping patents covering single but similar products were issued. Even then the accompanying law suits were high profile, expensive and taking place in multiple venues.
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4 Comments Mich on Aug 19th 2013

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