If you are looking to sell your home and you want to move things along and maximize its value then there are some simple tricks which you can do to speed things up and to get more value out of the property. Having sold 4 homes here in California in the last decade we consider ourselves as the experts in making sure that your property sells and these simple changes will certainly help you to do just that. Let’s get that house sold.

Home Warranty

Home warranty plans offered by the likes of First American Home Warranty are just there to offer you protection of the systems in your home, they can also help you to sell the property. Studies show that you are 16% more likely to sell the home for an average of $2,500 more if you have a home warranty in place. Home warranties can be transferred to the buyer to give them the proaction that they need. When you compare home warranties be sure to focus on the level of protection, the price, customer service and reviews and whether or not it can be transferred easily.

Curb Appeal

The power of a first impression when it comes to selling your home is huge and that is why you have to pay particularly close attention to what is known as the curb appeal, the view of your home when you pull up. Simple changes here make a big difference and investment in a new front door and garage door will pay for themselves when you sell the property. Getting the front garden redone, repainting the home at the front and even replacing the roofing has all been shown to increase the chances of buyers and adding value to the property .

Kitchen Update

You may think that putting a new kitchen in the home will cost you big money but for an investment of $1,500 you can expect to get at least $2,000-$3000 added on to the value of your home, not to mention making your home that bit more appealing to the buyer. Millennials in particular are heavily focused on getting a home which has a kitchen which is ready to use, so this could really boost your chances of nailing that sale.

Plumbing and Electrics

Updating your plumbing and electrical systems may set you back somewhere in the region of $1,000, but doing both could add up to $3,000 on the property of the home. Increasingly buyers are looking to purchase homes which are ready to live in and even if they like a property, the prospect of having to carry out work like this can often put people off. This is a perfect example of how you can make a small investment and see your home sell quicker and for more as a result.

Don’t just put your home on the market as is, invest a little and reap the rewards.

Being in debt is not always a bad thing but if you are in debt and you aren’t able to manage it then the consequences which this can have can be very severe. When we talk consequences there are two main concerns which you should have, the first is on your health as living under a mountain of debt which you cannot afford will affect your stress and your anxiety. The second risk which you will run is that ultimately debts must be paid and you may lose your home, your car or whatever possessions you obtained with the credit that you took out. When debt collection agencies like Brennan & Clark LLC get involved, it is time that you face up and work with them, and here is why.

How Debt Collection Agencies Operate

Debt collection agencies will buy debts from the original lender, they purchase your debt for a reduced rate and this is generally accepted because for the lender, it means that they are at least getting some of the money back, and they can cancel the debt out without putting effort in to changing the person who borrowed from them. Debt collection agencies will then try their best to make a deal with the debtor and failing that they will be forced to take out a court order to get the value of the debt back, something which they very rarely want to do.

Working With Debt Collection Agencies

Unfortunately for many people who are in debt, they think that the best option when they receive communication from a debt collection agency is to simply bury their head in the sand and ignore it, this in fact is the worst thing that you can do. They are not going to disappear and forget about your debt, and the more that you ignore them the worse that things will become. If you have been contacted by a debt collection agency then you should always respond to their communication.

Benefits of Working With a Debt Collection Agency

Something that many people don’t realize is that debt collection agencies actually have more scope and flexibility than the original lender when it comes to negotiating how you are going to repay the debt. Because they have bought the debt at a far lower cost than its value, they are able to freeze interest payments, accept a low one time payment or offer a structured payment plan that fits around you and your situation. Not only should you make contact with the agency when they reach out to you, it is important that you are also honest with them about your current situation and what you can afford to pay. As long as you keep them in the loop about our financial situation and any changes in your finances, they will be able to offer you a payment plan which ensures that you chip away at your debt, without it putting too much pressure on your finances.

Don’t ignore these companies as things will only get worse for you.

 

Given that the average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their smartphone everyday, putting that time to good use has the potential to entail financial returns. It could be as simple as downloading an app, filling out a survey or learning some new skills – there’s a way to make money from your phone to suit everyone’s interests.

That’s why in today’s article, we’re discussing some savvy ways to make money from your phone LearntoTrade, helping you can put your screen time to efficient use. From app recommendations to completing in-store evaluations and taking up forex trading, these mobile side-hustles will slot into your day-to-day routine to provide some helpful financial assistance.

Download cash-earning apps

Downloading smartphone apps is an efficient way to make money without taking up too much of your time. So, for those who want to make money quickly, or tend to spend less time than average on their smartphone, this savvy hack could be a great option for you to consider.

Apps such as Job Spotter (created by Indeed) facilitate you to make money on the move – whether you’re using the app on your morning commute or your evening dog walk. This app pays users to take photos of job advertisements in windows and submit them using the app. The algorithm then decides how ‘valuable’ the advert is, and rewards the user with points accordingly. So, to make the most cash while you’re on the hunt, keep your eyes peeled for unique adverts for small businesses over large company posts across many locations.

Alternatively, if you want to make money with minimal effort, consider downloading Fronto – which places adverts on your phone’s lock screen and pays points for unlocking your phone. With these points, you can redeem gift vouchers from Amazon, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer to name just a few. Whether you have a few spare minutes on an evening or are in search of some entertainment on a train journey, this app is a savvy way to make money without requiring a substantial investment of your time.

Complete in-store evaluations

If you’d like to earn money while doing your weekly grocery shop or during a shopping day at the weekend, in-store evaluations are a great option to consider. Field Agent can help you earn money by simply checking store displays, taking photos of grocery shelves or finding specific products. Payouts are made directly, meaning this is a great way to make money quickly with, quite literally, a click of a button.

If you fancy yourself as a part-time mystery shopper, consider downloading BeMyEye. Typical tasks include checking the availability of certain products and simply snapping a few photos. This tasking app is easy to complete while also offering a fun element to making money from a simple 15 minute job. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to relax on the sofa, consider survey apps such as Streetbees – which asks you questions in a chat format, making them extremely quick and easy to complete.

Take up forex trading

If you have some free time on your hands, instead of opting for money-earning apps which offer quick fixes, investing your time in learning to trade could offer greater long-term benefits – while also offering the opportunity to acquire useful skills. The forex market is the largest investment market in the world, and is continuing to grow – so, there’s no time like the present to start trading.

The forex market allows for 24/5 trading in currency pairs and is the most liquid market across the globe. So, as an active forex trader, you’ll need to have access to market news, quotes, charts and trading accounts at all times. Therefore, forex trading from a smartphone is very popular with forex traders on a range of apps, from Bloomberg Business Mobile App to Trade Interceptor, as information can be gained as and when it’s required to make successful trading decisions. Whether you require access to live price feeds, streaming charts or news, trading from your phone means data can be acquired at your fingertips, wherever you may be.

So, spending three hours on your smartphone doesn’t always have to be an embarrassing fact to admit to. When utilising your smartphone efficiently, you could make some extra cash to supplement your existing income – it’s all about deciding on what’s right for you based on your available time and skillset.

Stock trading is a great way to reach financial gains in today’s society. What’s even better is there are several methods one can use in order to become a successful investor. Even with limited capital, you can begin investing in stocks by watching the markets and attempting to hit something big. In this article, you’ll learn about different approaches you can utilize in the stock trading markets.

There are two main different strategies to stock trading

 

The two strategies you’ll come across in the stock trading profession is automated trading and manual trading. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and different investors will choose one over the other. It’s important to learn the difference between these two methods so that you can figure out which one is best for you. Whether you are using the swing trading or day trading methods, it’s imperative to know how to get around the markets to make your gains.

Automated trading has been growing in popularity in recent years

Automated traders are exactly what it sounds like: software robots that keep track of the markets for investors and traders. These automated trading systems make it so traders can create specific rules for trade entries and exits. Unless the bots are malfunctioning,  they will always execute programmed commands correctly. These systems make the life of trading a lot easier and roughly 75% of U.S. stock exchanges are done using them.

There are some disadvantages to these systems, however. Because it is technology, there is always the chance that it can malfunction in one way or another. You need to be careful about buying cheap software, otherwise, you get what you paid for: a cheap automated system. A cheap and poorly made system will not work as well as one that was made properly. Other disadvantages include having to constantly monitor the computers for any technical errors and avoiding over-optimization.

Old school manual trading is still an option many prefer

Manual trading is what it’s called when an actual person is behind the markets and doing all the hard work. Unlike the automated trading system, the human manual traders actually have a brain and can use their sense of emotions to help with a stock trade. Whereas a bot has to execute all of its decisions based on what’s been programmed into it, a human trader looks at the whole picture in order to process everything and piece it together.

As fantastic as the manual trader sounds, there are some disadvantages to using human rather than a robot. It’s much slower as a bot can just automatically do what it’s programmed to and a human has to process before taking action. Furthermore, a human will eventually get tired and need to take a rest, whereas a robot will be able to keep going without any breaks.

In conclusion, personal preference is the deciding factor

You can choose to have an automated trading system with the bot that does all your trades for you, or you can choose the human manual trader. It’s all dependent on if you care to have all details in the near and far future monitored, or if you are fine with just the immediate scenarios, as the robot can only study so many details.

 

It will soon be time for you to file your tax return online. While we were told that we’d have to use the Making Tax Digital scheme from April 2019, HMRC has delayed it until after Brexit.

For now, this means that none of us has to file our accounts using this method just yet. However, if you want to file your taxes accurately you’ll appreciate a few tips. These tips could prove to be beneficial now and when Making Tax Digital comes into fruition.

Get all your Paperwork Together

When you’re about to file your taxes the last thing you’ll want to do is hunt for your P45 or P60. The best way for you to get organised is to make sure you have everything to hand before you start. In addition to having your P45 or P60, you’ll also need to have a copy of your receipts with you so you can record your business expenses.

Make sure you also have details of any interest that you have earned from your bank or building society accounts.

Consider Hiring an Accountant

If you’re not good with numbers or you’re struggling for time then you should consider hiring an accountant. Please note that you will have to pay to use the services of an accountant. If you can get away without hiring an accountant you could save yourself a lot of money.

Use the Internet to your Advantage

The internet is here to be used. It can offer you a wealth of information about all kinds of business-related topics but it can also help you do your tax returns. In the UK you will even find online tax tools that can be used to your advantage. (Note: if you’re filing taxes in the US there are also some specific online tax tools to check out.) You don’t have to struggle to do your taxes, there is so much helpful information out there. Even those who have always filed a paper tax return can learn how to fill their taxes online and without much trouble.

Make a Note of your Income and Expenditures

Remember how hard it was to do your tax return last year because you couldn’t work out how much you earned? Now’s the time to do things properly. Make a note each time you are paid and each time you pay out for something. Note who the money is from or who it’s going to and why. Doing this will help you to have a clear account of how well your business is doing and how much you’ve earned in the financial year.

Save Money so you can Pay your Taxes

Lastly, you should consider opening an account so you can save money. This money will go towards the payment of any taxes. Save as much money as you can so that you’re not left to pay a huge bill at the end of the tax year. Any money you have left over can go towards next year’s tax bill.

When it comes to filing your taxes you can make things easier. Simply get all your paperwork together, consider hiring an accountant and use the internet. After a while, you will soon find that doing your taxes are a lot less arduous.

 

It could be hard to believe, but the holidays are quickly approaching. Everyone tends to wait until the official Christmas shopping season before hitting the stores. But there are many reasons to do early Christmas shopping rather than waiting for another month.

Plus, the sooner you start, the more money you can save and the less stress you’ll endure. Here are some other reasons why it’s so smart for you and your family to get your holiday shopping done now.

1. The Best Deals May Take Longer to Ship

Once you start Christmas shopping early, time is on your side. You should take advantage of the hundreds of websites offering great deals on gifts around the world. And if they’re expensive to ship, you may want to get around to budgeting for that sooner rather than later.

You may have to wait anywhere from six to eight weeks to deliver those gifts, but if you do your early Christmas shopping, then you’re ahead of the game. You can start your online shopping now and save yourself the expedited shipping costs. Plus you can ensure getting those gifts from across the globe right on time.

2. The Shopping Season Isn’t Crazy..Yet

Shopping malls are notorious for getting crazy once Thanksgiving is over and on Black Friday, it’s an all-out war. You’ll have difficulty finding parking, getting through lines quickly, or even shopping in peace. Everyone is in a rushed or bad mood and chaos is everywhere.

Skip the madness by buying Christmas gifts early while everyone else is focused on their Thanksgiving menu. Most doorbuster deals on Black Friday go in minutes, anyway. Become a smart, frugal shopper and use discount codes or coupons to find those good deals instead.

3. The Prices Are Still Low

Those “seasonal markups” can add up and it’s up to you to beat everyone else to the punch. Going early Christmas shopping ensures that you can shop while there are regular specials versus those “holiday sales”. Make sure you go shopping before that “late shopping tax” is applied to everything from toys to perfume to jewelry.

4. You’ll Never Miss Out On Things You Really Want

As the holidays approach us, popular merchants start getting depleted, especially toy suppliers. Each year, there is a certain toy that is on every child’s Christmas list. Waiting too long can cause you to risk disappointing someone who’s been waiting on that item all year.

You can avoid all of this by getting your Christmas shopping done early.

5. You Have Enough Time for Hand-Made Gifts

Sometimes the best gift you can give is one you make yourself. When someone knows that you’ve spent your own time and creativity to make them something, they feel great. If you have skills cooking, painting, sculpting, etc. you should make use of them for the holiday season.

Rather than doing early Christmas shopping, you can make awesome gifts in the comfort of your home. Plus you’ll have plenty of time to work on them before the holidays roll around. But leaving a task like this until the last minute may add extra stress to your life so heat started early!

Or if you’re looking for a Christmas gift with a handmade touch, check out Appletotes & Co.

Start Early Christmas Shopping Today!

It’s finally time to enjoy holiday shopping stress-free! Get to early Christmas shopping so you can have your wrapping done, your holiday treats baked, and have time to watch Christmas movies with your family. Check out some of our best suggestions for having the best holiday season with your family this year!

Your 20s easily make up for the most crucial decade that you will experience in your entire financial life. It is a decade that can help make or break your ability to pay off your home on time, ensure that your hypothetical kids get to attend a good college, and enable you to retire when the time comes.
The following are reasons why you should consider investing during your 20s:

Time

While cash flow may be tight, adults in their 20s have a time advantage. Albert Einstein had a good reason for referring to compounding as the 8th wonder of the world. Compounding makes it possible for you to generate riches over time. The good thing about it is that it only needs two things: time and earnings reinvestment.
For instance, investing $10,000 in a private pension on your 20th birthday will translate to more than $70,000 by your 60th birthday. This means that the longer you are willing to wait for the money to work, the more money it will generate for you in the coming years.

Take on More Risk

The amount of risk that an investor can withstand is normally influenced by their current age. A young investor who has many years ahead of him will be able to afford to take on additional risks. This is because the investor knows that they can easily earn back any money lost in an investment deal gone bad.
Investors approaching their senior years or retirement age will often be more opposed to taking unnecessary risks. Many will choose to gravitate towards options that do not have too many risks or unknowns. Common options for people in this group will include certificates of deposit, bonds, and investing in a retirement fund.
A pension guide will come in handy in helping you make a decision on which investments to make based on their volatility and ability to make good returns.

Learn by Doing

A person in his 20s will have enough time and flexibility to study the art of investing. They also get an opportunity to learn from their failures and successes. Considering that investments have a long learning curve, the younger investors have an advantage as they will have enough time to study different markets and refine the strategies to use when financing new ventures.
Apart from their ability to absorb increased risk, investors in this age group will also be able to overcome past investment mistakes as they attempt to recover from recent failures.

Tech Savviness

Young venture capitalists tend to be tech-savvy. They are able to research, study, and adequately apply different investing techniques and tools. Educational websites, online trading platforms, financial websites, and chat rooms provide numerous opportunities for investors to learn technical and fundamental analysis skills.
The technology available today, including financial apps, social media networks, and online opportunities can make immense contributions to the expertise, confidence levels, knowledge base, and experience of a young investor.
All that is required is a willingness to learn and be open to taking risks.

To read more on topics like this, check out the budget & finance category

 

You spent a lot to pay off your mortgage finally. If you now wish to sell your property, you want to make the most of it by selling it at a high price. Unless you find the perfect buyer, you need to keep searching. These tips will help you achieve that goal.

Be open-minded and realistic

Before you start thinking of the property’s selling price, you need to ask an expert to assess its value. You need to know how much the suggested amount is so you can work around that figure. Be willing to go slightly lower than that value and avoid turning down everyone who doesn’t meet your standards. It’s a common mistake made by some buyers. They keep turning potential buyers down, and they end up with someone who offers a meager price.

Ensure the house is in perfect shape

Make sure that you do any necessary repairs before putting your property on the market. Clean the place and throw garbage away. Repaint the walls and replace the carpets. When you finally decide to sell the place and ask the potential buyers to come over and check it, they will not hesitate to buy it at the price you want.

Look at other listings

Compare your property with the houses nearby or with similar listings to know the appropriate market value. Find a way to ensure that your property stands out and will be the preference of potential buyers as they begin to compare.

Talk to your agent

You might need to have a talk with your agent regarding the price of your property. Some of them have reasons to intentionally reduce the cost apart from the discount asked by the potential buyers. When the house is cheaper, it’s easier for them to sell it. They might even increase their commission.

Hold an open house

Try opening up your place to potential buyers. Don’t rely on an online listing alone. It’s crucial that you let people see the place and give you an offer. Sometimes, when people decide, they need to see the actual item first instead of relying only on information available online.

Sell to wholesale buyers

You can find companies that purchase houses. Not only will you sell your property at a reasonable price, but you can also sell it fast. Find such companies by typing We Buy Houses online. You don’t need to keep looking for the perfect buyer because you will have one right away.

You can hope that you will soon sell the property at the desired price. If not, you can wait for a while until you find a buyer with a reasonable offer. Be open to selling the property at a slightly lower price, but you can’t give in to all requests. If the potential buyer requires reasonable repairs, you also need to do them. Anything that involves a significant expense is unreasonable.

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When you’re working towards certain goals, it can often take some time to meet them, especially if there’s money involved. Depending on the time-scale you’ve put in place or your particular goals, it can be common to feel impatient with the time it’s taking to get where you want to be.

Whether your financial goals involve purchasing your first home, saving for the holiday of a lifetime, or building an attractive retirement fund, consider these top tips which will help you meet your goals quickly and effectively.

Get serious about saving

There’s no doubt that saving can be tricky, especially if you don’t have much expendable income left at the end of the month. The reality is, however, that saving is one of the key ways you can meet your financial goals. The quicker you can generate a large sum of money, the better, which is why getting serious about saving is a good way to meet your financial goals. Start by opening up a savings account if you don’t already have one, and transfer a sum of money into this each week or each month. When you’re trying to generate a large sum of money on a short-term basis, putting money aside each week may be more effective.

To avoid dipping into your savings and taking money out, open a savings account that doesn’t allow withdrawals. A Cash ISA is a good idea for this, which helps you gain interest while you save. While these accounts tend to allow you to take cash out if needed, this could sometimes affect the interest you make on your savings, which is likely to stop you withdrawing money and help you meet your goals faster.

Start investing your money

If you really want to take your money further and meet more substantial financial goals, investing could be perfect for you. Buy to let property investment can help you generate some extra income each month through rental returns, which are higher depending on the location of your investment. Certain locations offer better rental yields than others, like Liverpool and Manchester properties which generate yields of up to 7 and 8 per cent with property companies like RW Invest.

You can also benefit from future returns when you choose to sell your property — although this isn’t exactly a quick way to make money as it can take some time for your property to grow in value.

Be stricter with budgets

If you’re not used to it, it can be difficult to get into the swing of budgeting. The stricter you are with budgeting, however, the quicker you’ll notice the benefit. Sit down and completely analyse all of your spending habits, thinking about certain costs that you don’t need and can cut down on. This could be your morning take out coffee, that weekend takeaway, or the new pair of shoes you just had to buy. Be more realistic about the things you can and can’t spend money on while budgeting, and you’ll find that you’re able to meet your goals much more quickly.

A good method to keep in mind while budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule. With this, you put aside fifty per cent of your monthly income for ‘needs’ such as bills and food, 30 per cent for ‘wants’, and then 20 per cent goes into your savings. Sticking to this could help you meet your goals in a shorter time period and provide you with a better idea of where your money goes each month.

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