How to Manage Money When You Start Earning

Finance Money

money
money
Photo by CC user 401 (K) 2012 on Flickr.

When I first started working full time I was still living with my parents, I had bought a cheap car a couple of months beforehand and I had absolutely no responsibilities other than my road tax and my car insurance. Looking back, I now realize that this was a perfect opportunity for me to sensibly manage my money so that I could have a bright future.

Unfortunately at that time, I was 21 years old and pretty much blew my paycheck each month on partying and general recklessness, if only I had known then what I know now. If you are entering the world of work and want to avoid making the mistakes that I did then here are some things that I wish I’d done at that tender age.

Save Save Save

There is a huge temptation to spend all of your salary each month and not make any plans for the future, after all, you are young and probably think that things will stay the same for ever, they won’t. The far better option is to be smart and start saving some of your money as early as possible. Look to save a quarter of your monthly income, you will thank yourself for the decision to do this when the time comes along to buy a house. I have quite a hefty mortgage and had I saved better then I could’ve got a much better deal on my borrowing.

Consult Someone

People seem to have this notion that great financial advisors like Keith Springer are solely for the rich and famous in this World, that is not correct. In fact using financial advisors should be encouraged from an early age when we are less financially literate. They can offer you great advice on what to do with your money both now and going forward and they can even help you to find great bank accounts and help you make savings plans. You don’t need to meet with one on a weekly basis, just go and see one, lay out your financial situation to them and see what advice they can offer you when it comes to being smart with your money.

Monthly Budget

Remember that you are in it for the long-haul when you approach your finances, of course you could die tomorrow but let’s assume that you aren’t going to and work out how best to set yourself up for the future. A solid monthly budget can help you to stay within your financial goals, budget for everything even if it is alcohol and party money or gadget-buying money, the point of the budget is to control your spends. If you sit at the beginning of each month, take a look at your salary, remove the amount that you wish to save and any other costs which you cannot avoid paying (car insurance etc.) you will be left with your spends for the month, try and split this up into weeks until you get paid again and stick to your plan. Doing this early on will really help you out in the future when you start paying bills.

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Why Your Start Up Needs a Financial Advisor

Business

advisor
Photo by CC user Christophe Benoit on Flickr.
Photo by CC user Christophe Benoit on Flickr.

Starting your own business is an exciting time and one that will test your mettle, your knowledge and ultimately your acumen. Whilst there are many avenues of success that you can find yourself walking down with your business, the roads to success are often fraught with dangers where a series of bad decisions could see it all fall down.

The financial management of your company is key, this is where the staggering numbers of start ups that fail often find difficulties. Naturally your business will need to bring in money through the popularity of your products and services but without sound financial dealings, you could find yourself in difficulty regardless of how high your sales are. Hiring a financial advisor for your firm is a smart move to make for the security of your business and here’s just a few reasons why your start up needs one.

Investment in Your Future

Whilst hiring a great financial advisor, people like the effective Keith W Springer, will set you back some money, it is important that you look to this as an investment rather than a cost. A financial advisor can help you make financial mistakes that could cost you money in the long run and their advice will essentially pay for itself over time. Deciding what part of the business to outsource can be tough but a financial advisor is one area that should not even be questioned.

Free Up Your Time

Even if you yourself are financially savvy, your time is better spent on working out how the business can operate better, how you can achieve growth and ironing out creases that exist. If you are bogged down in the financial side of things then this inhibits you when it comes to doing what you should be doing, which is leading your company. A financial advisor will give you more time in your business, the value of time to spend on your business is immeasurable.

Staying up to Date

The world of finance, taxation and government legislation is always changing and as a business it is vital that you keep on top of what you are required to do from a legal standpoint. A financial advisor is paid to stay on top of such changes and offer you advice in order to adhere to them. For you to spend time keeping up to date on such things will only take you away from the day to day running of the business.

An Extra Pair of Ears

When it comes to making key decisions for your business it is important that you bounce the idea off many people to gain various perspectives. Having a financial advisor gives you the opportunity to seek advice from a financial standpoint and from somebody with no vested interest. Generally speaking, financial advisors are those who deal in figures alone, they weigh up risk through calculations and can offer advice without any emotional bias, the perfect way to help you make your decision.

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All You Need to Know About A-Frame Ladders

DIY / Home Improvement

a-frame-ladder-2

A-frame ladders are very popular ladders. They are heavy duty aluminum ladders, but with a very specific purpose, which is to elevate the user up to four feet off the  ground. It also has wider steps, which makes the ladder more stable. An added benefit is that they fold together, which makes them very easy to store.

What Is an A-Frame Ladder?

A-frame ladders are affordable options for people who look for something to use around the home. Because they elevate up to four feet, people should be able to reach just about any fixture in your home. The ladder has two sides that are of equal length, with a crossbar that keeps everything together. This is from where it gets its name, as it actually looks like an A. Using A-frame ladders is very easy, and reasonably safe. However, it is important that you do follow all the necessary safety tips as well.

How to Use an A-Frame Ladder Safely

  1. Only position the ladder on even surfaces, and never place them on top of a different object.
  2. Make sure the foot pads are adjusted so that the ladder has completely even and level contact with the ground.
  3. Only climb ladders when you wear proper footwear. After some use, the rungs, can become oily or wet, which means they could be slippery.
  4. Check that there are no dents or cracks in the ladder before you use it. Aluminum is a durable material, but if it does break anywhere, it tends to break completely.
  5. Lock the ladders brace so that it is completely stable. This will prevent the ladder from collapsing while in use.
  6. Make sure you understand the maximum workload of your vehicle, and never exceed that weight when using it.
  7. Check for OSHA ANSI A 14.2 compliance, as this means the ladder meets the relevant safety standards.
  8. Check what the ladder’s material is. Aluminum is the best and most common, but some A-frame ladders are made from wood or fiberglass. Each of these materials has its own pros and cons. Aluminum is preferred for a reason (it is safe, durable, and lightweight), so try to stick with that as much as possible. Aluminum ladders are also much easier to store.
  9. Do not climb onto the top two steps of your A-frame ladder. These rungs are there to give the top of the ladder stability, not to carry your weight. Being too high up can render the whole thing very unstable. And of course if you are pregnant never climb a ladder.
  10. Do not get anything stuck behind the rungs as you are using the ladders.

With Christmas just around the corner, many people use A-frame ladders to hang up their Christmas lights. The ladder lends itself perfectly to that. However, make sure you always keep your safety in mind, which means engaging in the right behavior when using a ladder. This is true regardless of what you are doing with the ladder itself.

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It Can Be Quite Hard to Find a Reliable Numismatic Dealer

Business Careers Money

numismatic-dealer

One of the world’s oldest hobbies is collecting coins. If you are interested in becoming a numismatic collector, then it is vital that you find reliable rare coin dealers as well. These can help you not just in terms of finding coins, but in confirming their authenticity as well.

Creating a Coin Collection

Finding a rare coin is perhaps the most exciting bit about collecting them at all. Unfortunately, cunning people are aware of this, and they will try to sell you counterfeits instead. This is why a good dealer should have an excellent reputation, not just in terms of what they sell, but in terms of how they authenticate as well.

A numismatic collection is both exciting and frustrating, particularly if you are hoping to complete a set. This can take years to do. A good coin collector should be able to find any missing pieces of you are still looking for. In fact, without a good coin dealer, you are likely to struggle to ever finish a collection.

Coin collectors may also need a dealer to sell coins every once in a while. This could be because they need a bit of money for themselves, because they have doubles, or because they want to use the money from less rare coins to purchase a rarer one. Again, you need a dealer for this.

The good news is that you can find these dealers online. They have lots of resources for you and they should, if they are truly good dealers, be as excited about coin collections as what you are. They should also be a wealth of knowledge, explaining to you why coins like Buffalo Nickels are so rare. They can also tell you how to look after your coins and how to store them.

So how do you recognize a good dealer?

The Hallmarks of a Good Coin Dealer

  1. They have a lot of experience. You need to make sure that they actually studied the subject themselves. Make sure they have been in business for a while, therefore, and that they have helped others just like you.
  2. They have excellent assets. Every once in a while, the market is flooded with counterfeit coins. You should check for a dealer that has ridden out these types of storms in the past. Sometimes, counterfeits are really hard to spot, so the least you should look for is a certificate of authenticity a well.
  3. They have a fantastic reputation. If you go to a dealer’s web page, they should have a number of reviews from other clients, but also from their peers. However, there is always a risk that these reviews are not genuine, so make sure they are also listed on independent sites.

A coin collection is an investment that can pay you well, and you need to be careful with what you invest in. Do some research into the world of coin collections before choosing a dealer to work with. And remember that you do not have to stick to a single dealer either.

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How to Spend Less on Your Children’s Wardrobe

Fashion Shopping

childrens-wardrobe

It is very easy nowadays to find affordable kids clothing brands. The majority of those are mass-produced and available in online stores, supermarkets, and retail stores. However, as available and affordable as these are, parents sometimes do feel under pressure to make sure their children look fantastic, wearing designer labels. Their kids, generally, don’t care as much about this, but parents do not want to lose face in front of other parents. The sad part about this, however, is that parents simply cannot afford the labels they would like, in the quantity the need. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to make sure your kids look amazing without landing yourself in debt.

  1. Resell Anything You Bought New

Kids grow out of their clothes very quickly. If you ever gave in and bought a true designer label, like Burberry Kids or other such brands, it is likely that by the time your child outgrows them, they will still be in excellent condition. Don’t throw or give them away, but sell them so that you have some money to buy something new.

  1. Shop Secondhand

It stands to reason that, if you will sell your old designer clothes that your child has outgrown, other people will do the same thing. And since you can see that the clothes you want to sell are still in excellent condition, you can safely assume that other people’s clothes are the same. The thing about real designer labels is that they are of excellent quality, and you won’t be able to tell that they have been worn by someone else before you. Naturally, the previous owner will have had to look after things properly, followed the washing instructions, and so on. But you can check this before you buy or, if you buy online, you can return items if they are not in the expected condition.

  1. Swap with Other People

Don’t be embarrassed about asking other people who you know who also have children to swap with you. You could even create a little clothing bank. If you were to invest in really expensive designer labels, you will find that those clothes stand out from the crowd, so you won’t be able to let your child wear them often, or people will start to think they only have one outfit! But if you swap with parents, it could mean that each of you only has to buy a single designer outfit, yet all of your kids can look unique regularly.

  1. Shop for the Right Designer

Does your child really have to wear Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, or Prada? Or will they be perfectly happy, and perhaps even cuter and cooler, in designer brands that focus specifically on children? These clothes tend to be a whole lot more affordable. Plus, they are made with kids in mind, which means materials will be slightly strong at certain pressure points (like the knees!). This is perhaps the best tip of all, as it means shopping affordably, but for high quality.

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The Tools Idea Management Software Can Provide You With

Business Tech

software

Idea management software is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. This is because they allow businesses to be systematic about how they innovate. Today, almost everything is in the cloud, and this means that businesses also have the opportunity to look further afield for their idea management tools, being able to find something that meets not just their particular needs, but also their budget.

What Is Idea Management Software?

Idea management software is best described as a turn key system, which is often provided on the cloud. Its goal is to make sure that you easily and quickly create a process of innovation that helps to improve your organizations. To do this, all these software packages usually have a number of key features, which includes:

  • The ability to create a web portal under your brand, where you can manage ideas through.
  • The ability to determine who can have access to which parts of the portal. Certain areas may be public, for instance, whereas others may be restricted.
  • Enabling people to submit ideas into the system.
  • Ensuring different ideas can get grouped into relevant categories.
  • Allowing people to view, comment, and vote on submitted ideas.
  • Enabling participants to work together, so that they can improve submitted ideas.
  • Finding out which ideas are the most popular.
  • Evaluating the various ideas using predetermined criteria that are relevant to you.
  • Selecting ideas that may need testing, or even implementing.
  • The ability to ensure users know what has happened to their idea.
  • The ability to provide rewards to various participants, which usually is some sort of virtual reward.

Who Uses Idea Management Software?

The amount of organizations that use this type of software is almost countless. However, two of the most famous are Dell IdeaStorm, by Dell, and My Starbucks Ideas, by Starbucks. Both of these platforms are targeted specifically at consumers. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. For instance, other businesses use portals and platforms to speak to employees within their organization, to increase B2B customer involvement, to speak with suppliers and other stakeholders, and so on. Either way, the software is there to create a systematic way to innovate within an organization, making the chance of the ideas becoming successful much larger as well.

Because idea management and innovation is now so popular, there are countless organizations that have created software tools. You do, therefore, have to make sure that you properly compare the market in order to make sure that you find one that fits your specific needs. As such, your very first innovative project should be one that determines what the needs of your organization actually are: what do you want to innovate, where do you want to innovate, why do you want to innovate, how do you want to innovate, and when do you want to innovate? Another important question is just how much you are happy to pay for the system as well, although the most important thing is that you get good value for money.

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Experience Real Culture on East Coast Tours

Shopping Travel

east-coast

A lot of people go on vacations and other trips because they want to enjoy natural scenery, gaining a feeling of serenity. Natural wonders truly take your breath away, but that doesn’t mean nature is the only thing worth visiting. In fact, some say that it is exposure to culture and creations that will create true wisdom. This is why you may want to consider East Coast USA tours as well.

East Coast USA Tours

The East Coast has many beautiful and major cultural centers available. We have all hear of Philadelphia, Washington DC, and New York City, for instance, which are all part of good East Coast packages. In these cities, you will experience a unique opportunity to see how American history is mixed with the modern world.

While everybody has heard of America, not everybody has actually been there. It is a huge country, and it is unlikely that you will be able to see it all in a single vacation. Instead, it is recommended to focus on an area of the country at a time. In fact, people from within the USA, and some from Canada, do the same thing, enabling to experience the marvels of their own country or neighbor.

Should you book on an East Coast tour, it is likely that you will visit:

  1. New York City, popularly described as the ‘Big Apple’. Here, you can see amazing things like the Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue, NBC Studios, the Rockefeller Center, Wall Street, and the Statue of Liberty. These are all representations of the strength of the American economy through the ages, and they have shaped the country as a whole.
  1. Washington DC, which is the country’s seat of the government. You don’t have to enjoy politics to enjoy Washington DC, however. Simply looking at Capitol Hill and the White House is impressive enough for many! Inside those walls are some of the greatest decision makers in the world, thinking and debating on how to make the country better than it already is for everybody involved. Washington DC also has fascinating war memorials, as well as reminders of former presidents of the country.
  1. Philadelphia, which is known for far more than the Fresh Prince of Bel Air! Most Americans see Philadelphia as the Mecca of liberty of this country. This is because it is home to the Independence Bell and the Liberty Bell. Respectively, they represent the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

The above three examples truly show how exposure to man-made culture is fascinating, as well as important at the same time. Plus, you should not see these tours as visits to cities only. In upstate New York, for instance, you will find Niagara Falls, and you can’t get a more fantastic natural site than that. There is no reason why you couldn’t combine the two, enabling you to see both the man-made culture and the true wonders of nature, comparing the beauty of both.

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Getting ESA Certification Issued Through Online Referral Entities

Education

Animals like dogs and cats are excellent companions for humans, as has been seen in cultures of various countries since ancient ages. Of course, the penchant to keep certain species of birds and reptiles as pets is not exactly uncommon. However, a company of such creatures is mentally reassuring for some people and they find it easier to lead a healthy life when their avian, feline or canine companions are with them. People with specific emotional disorders often rely on particular animals and birds. These creatures are termed as ESA,which denotes emotional support animals. The company of such creatures does not heal their disorders but those people find it easier to cope with symptoms and hassles.

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Need for ESA certifications

While the company of an ESA may be helpful to you, getting ESA certification can be really advantageous. When you acquire such a certificate from a veteran psychologist or psychiatrist, the advantages are clear.

When you get issued an emotional support animal letter from a veteran doctor, it enables you to override limitations imposed at housings where landlords do not normally permit pets. Since your dog or bird is an ESA, the landlord cannot deny you accommodation, as per law. Besides, such certificates enable you to take the beloved animal along with you in a lot of flights. The airlines cannot refuse the ESA entry into the plane if the owner can show a valid document. In certain situations, having such certifications enables you to take the ESA to specific public places without fuss.

Getting an ESA certificate

While primary care providers are entitled to issue their patients with ESA such letters, not all of them would do that. Sad as it sounds, a lot of doctors still do not think ESAs can be beneficial for people with mental disorders. Rather than approaching doctors randomly to get such certificate for the ESA, you can contact the online referral agencies and fulfill the requirement.

There are dedicated online ESA certification referral entities that can make your task easier. When you seek their packages, these entities arrange for an online test for the certification. As an applicant, you have to appear for the online test. The test is held by a veteran psychiatrist or therapist who is authorized to issue ESA letters and certificates. It can be done in less than 30 minutes and the doctor takes 2 days for evaluation. If he deems you suitable for the certification, you will receive it or else refund will be issued. The process is quite simple and transparent.

Evaluating the referral agency

It is necessary to check the track record of the ESA referral service online before you seek its packages. These agencies have separate packages which enable you to get comprehensive emotional support animal letter covering both flights and accommodation. However, you may also opt for packages covering either of these areas. The entity should have a robust helpline along with customer support. This ensures you get to know if your disorder makes you eligible to apply for an ESA certificate.

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Finding the Best Women’s Clothing without Throwing a Fit

Shopping

womens-clothing

For countless women, the idea of finding the right clothing can seem like the most daunting tasks in life.

Whether it is locating the perfect dress, shirt, pants, hats, the list could literally run forever.

That said you don’t have to make locating the right clothes as difficult as you make it out to be.

Between relying on girlfriends and female family members, getting out and doing some shopping (preferably after the holiday rush), and even turning to the Internet (especially clothing websites and social media), you can typically find what you are looking for.

So, will you find the perfect clothes without throwing a fit?

Put Some Research into Getting the Best Fit

In order to improve your chances of finding women’s clothing to feel good about, remember a few pointers:

  • Girlfriends – What woman doesn’t like shopping with her best girlfriends? Although tastes and styles can certainly vary, most women will be able to agree on clothes when all is said and done. One of the most common things for women to do is trade their clothes back-and-forth with one another. Not only is this a great way to save some money, but you literally never run out of anything to wear. If you have not done so in the longest of times, plan a shopping day with some of your closest girlfriends at the local mall and/or clothing outlets. Not only will it be fun to hang out together, but you can get each other’s opinions on which clothes do and do not look best on each of you. Finally, you might want to wait until after the holidays to do such a get-together, especially since there are likely to be sales galore when the big holiday rush is over;
  • Family – If you have sisters or female cousins close in age to you, the idea of sharing clothing as mentioned a moment ago by girlfriends is certainly an option. For those women with a sister or sisters only a year or two apart, this can be the perfect solution. Yes, many women want to create a style all their own, but sharing some of the top brands in sweat suits, shirts and more on occasion certainly doesn’t hurt the purse or the space in your own closet. If you’re twins, you can even by clothes that are an exact match. If you don’t think that will make it more difficult for those outside your family to tell you apart, think again.

See How Stylish the Internet Can Be

  • Internet – If you’re not much of an online person, you might think to change that moving forward. Many clothing designers and/or sellers are quite prevalent on the worldwide web. As a result, you can find just about any brand of clothing you are looking for with some simple web surfing. To make your searching as easy as possible, start by doing a simple Google search of the kind of clothes you want to learn more about. From simple T-shirts and sweatshirts to designer brand sweat suits and much more, it won’t take you very long to find what you are looking for. Also look to social media for your clothing searches. Many companies in the clothing business are also quite active on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn and more. Lastly, you can follow and even interject yourself into conversations involving women’s clothing on social networking sites.

While finding clothing for the common man may seem rather simple, it oftentimes is not the case for many women.

For those women out there finding clothing shopping to be a difficult task, put your heads together with those females closest to you today.

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Make It Your Business to Know the Political World

Business

political-worldIn today’s world, having even a little bit of interest in the political world can do wonders for you.

Yes, you likely are worn out after the recent Presidential election, but you also probably have a better handle on what is going on now and what might take place down the road for the U.S. That said if you are a business leader of any size nationwide, you would be best-served having some interest in where things in this nation are headed politically.

For business owners, what happens at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and elsewhere around the country (in some cases the world), can have a lasting impact on your brand.

So, will 2017 see you make it your business to know more about what is going on in the political world?

Turning to the Experts

In the event you are a business owner that can best be described as not too savvy when it comes to politics, there are experts out there to help.

For instance, having a political expert speak to you and your team about how politics and business are so often intertwined is certainly an idea worth pursuing.

Keep in mind that there is a large field of experts with which to pull from, including the likes of Ana Navarro.

If you choose someone such as her, you will get an individual with years of experience in the political world.

That experience as a Republican strategist has helped her find countless TV opportunities and speaking engagements nationwide. Those engagements could be just what you are looking for heading into the New Year. Having her or others with such experience speak to your employees can run the gamut of topics.

Among them:

  • Business and politics relationship – It should not come as a big surprise that many business owners across the country have a vested interest in both national and local elections. On the national front, the overall health of the economy can go a long way in determining how successful (or not) many businesses (including your own) will be. Getting a guest speaker willing to discuss that correlation can be beneficial to you and your team, especially heading into the New Year. Knowing what your business may need to differently (or keep the same) can prove quite helpful in turning an even bigger profit;
  • Managing your business reputation – Who better would understand the importance of one’s reputation than a politician or one speaking about them regularly? Politicians know (at least they should) how even the slightest doubts about their personal reputations can prove downright damaging, especially in today’s world of 24/7 social media. That said your company doesn’t want to get the wrong reputation either, especially when you are talking about major business and dollars being at stake. By having a political expert come and talk with you and your team, you can hear about the importance of not only initial customer service, but also following up with customers. Simply put, today’s customers just want some of your time, something that can be a direct correlation to what most voters want from their politicians.

Finding the Best

In your efforts to locate the best public speakers to work with you and your team, go online to begin your search.

By doing a simple Google search of the kind of individual/s you’d like to have speaking to your group, you will set things in motion.

Ask yourself what is most important in finding the right speaker or speakers.

Among some of the traits:

  • Experience – How many years do they have in their respective field?
  • Humor – As important as experience is (and it certainly does matter), bringing a little humor to the table is key too. You could have the most experienced individual (in their respective field) show up, yet your team tunes them out within no time. Having the ability to lighten up some oftentimes serious subjects can make a big difference.
  • Connection – Last but not least, you want someone that with an ability to connect with your team. That connection may vary from individual to individual, but finding it should always be a top priority. In doing so, you and your team will walk away from the discussion to some degree better able to improve how you run your company.

If hiring a public speaker or two is on your agenda for 2017, why not turn to someone with experience in both business and politics?

If you do, you may very well ultimately get the vote of your customers.

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