Economic News you can Use
Holiday Debt On the Increase
Are your credit cards still smoking from holiday overuse? Based on a recent MagnifyMoney survey, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Money doesn’t grow on trees. We’ve all heard that one before. While it is true, there is a way to grow money. Investing is an exciting way to earn money, and for those that put in the required effort, it offers a lucrative income stream.
You can start investing today.
Even a small investment can start earning you money.
But how do you start investing? What can you do to start building up a portfolio? Keep reading to learn the best ways to start investing and begin growing money today.
You Need to Have an Objective for Your Money
Investing is not just about throwing some money into a business and watching it grow. It may sound simple, but investing takes a lot of thought and planning. The least of all which having an objective.
What is it you want to get out of your investment? Is there a figure you want to see your investment rise to? Are you just testing the water to see how this industry is going to perform?
Without an objective, your and your investment will be lost to the wild seas of the financial ocean, and that is one risk you don’t need. In 2018 many people started and succeeded in their investment career through Betterment. Betterment returns offer an attractive way into the investment market for all budgets.
Buy Into the Business, not the Payout
When looking at how to grow money, it is important to understand that investing is about playing the long game.
A tree doesn’t grow overnight and neither will your finances. There will be rises and minor growth spurts, but a real investor is in for the long haul.
They buy into the business itself and look deeper than just the value of their shares. If you play the long game, then your investment portfolio will look and be stronger for it.
Keep Costs Low if You Want Your Money to Grow
A successful investment portfolio is on that is earning you money. It is appreciating based on your smart decisions in where you put your money.
Why would you then allow exorbitant fees to be deducted from your accounts, costing you money time after time?
The smart investor knows that making money grow means carefully planning for and reducing the cost of the various fees that can arise.
Choose Multiple Investments Over a Single Object
If you really want to learn how to make your money grow fast, then the best tip is to spread your investments out over multiple companies.
The stock market fluctuates. Companies can see big gains and losses, and if you have all of your money invested in just one, then you are running a dangerous gambit.
It is best to choose multiple investments over a range of industries. This helps you build an attractive portfolio as well as spreading the risk of loss but also increasing the likelihood of financial growth.
Growing Money Takes Time and Patience
Investing is not for the faint of heart. Building a solid financial portfolio takes times, and it takes determination. There will be setbacks along the way, it is inevitable.
Businesses rise, but they also fall. However, by following the advice above you are doing everything to start growing money in a sensible fashion with as minimal risk as you can get, while positioning yourself for a maximum reward.
Hold the course, and before you know it, your quarterly and annual returns will speak for themselves.
Check out some of our other posts for more information on managing your money. Whether you are investing or merely looking to get things under control, we have posts and information that can help.
Don’t Let Your Generosity Ruin 2019
Santa was not so kind to your friends and relatives this year, so you felt the need to fill the gap. You overspent on holiday gifts, and now you are stuck with a significant amount of holiday debt. Gratitude from gift recipients is a great feeling, but gratitude is not going to pay off your MasterCard bill. If it’s any comfort, you’re not alone; according to one report, Americans racked up an average of $1,230 in debt last holiday season.
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If you’re planning on selling your home in the near future, then you may be planning some home improvements. In today’s post, we’re going to talk about how your floor plan can influence your home’s value.
Specifically, we’re going to talk about the pros and cons of open floor plans.
Open floor plans utilize large, open spaces and minimize the use of small, enclosed rooms such as private offices. In residential design, open floor plans typically eliminate walls and doors being used as barriers in order to bring together functional areas that would otherwise be separated. For example, an open floor home would combine the kitchen, dining room, and living room into a single great room.
Some people love open floor plans, but there are plenty of problems associated with this architectural layout. Here are some of the noted disadvantages of open floor plans:
- Less privacy — With open floor plans, there isn’t all that much privacy. Though the new owners of your home will likely be a family, privacy is still important inside the home and becomes a rarity when every area is wide open and in someone’s sight line.
- Food odors — The smell of ginger and other spices can be nice in the kitchen, but when it spreads throughout the entire home — not so much. Open floor plans don’t protect odors from traveling throughout every inch of the home, which isn’t the best for the family that enjoys a weekly fried fish!
Conversely, there are a few advantages, as well. Here are some benefits of open floor plans:
- Entertaining — Entertaining guests in a home with an open floor plan is much easier than other layouts. Guests won’t have to all be corralled into a single room. Instead, everyone can roam freely because there are no walls or separate areas, making everyone feel like cramped.
- Safety — For families that have young children, open floor plans are great in terms of safety. You don’t want your child (or hte children of whoever moves in after you) to be one of the 110 million ER patients in a given year. Open floor plans allow parents to keep an eye on their young children when cooking, folding laundry, or performing other household tasks.
Total flooring sales in 2017 covered 19.7 billion square feet. That’s because upgrading your home’s flooring material can provide serious ROI. However, if increasing your home’s value is your goal, then selecting the right floor plan is essential.
You have to keep in mind that every home is different and every homebuyer prefers their own individual style and layout. Try and find the best floor plan to get the highest resale value, but don’t worry if potential buyers would prefer a different kind of floor plan. Try to have a little fun during this process and good luck!
Couples without kids enjoy the freedom to take a weekend or longer romantic trip when they want. Instead of giving each other another token gift, consider one of these romantic getaways.
While Black Friday sales were a record $6.22 billion, there’s still a lot of holiday shopping to be done. Many people will procrastinate and if this year is like last year, only 12% of American consumers will be finished with their holiday shopping by December 12. About 10% of shoppers will be looking for gifts on Christmas Eve.
If you are one of the last-minute shoppers, don’t worry. You can still save money on gifts and décor. Here are a few tips to that will keep more of your money in your wallet.
It doesn’t matter if you’re happily married or in the throes of a brutal divorce. You may have been a conscientious saver; you may have formed wise money-habits and are able to navigate narrow budgets with ease. But one morning you WILL wake up and feel the need to buy something – something stupidly expensive and attention-getting, and it will be right at the time you are making the most money.
So, how do you choose which silly thing to buy?
We have to eat to live, but are you spending too much of your money on food? The United States Department of Agriculture releases a monthly report on the cost of food. Couples who are on a tight budget spend an average of $493.40 a month, while some spend an average of $765.20. And, this only includes food prepared at home. Add eating out and you have a much higher amount spent on food each month. If you’re trying to stick to a budget, you’ll likely need to find a way to save money on food.
Dual Income, No Kids launched in the spring of 2006 and is now part of District Media, LLC. With over 10 million visitors and syndication on Google News, District Media delivers high-quality personal finance news and advice. Our 58 blogs inform, empower, educate and entertain the public -- free of charge, with all operating expenses financed by advertising.
