CFI.co Blog - Page 22 of 47 - Business, Finance, Economics

If you’re still writing paper checks, waiting in line at the bank, or meeting with banking associates in person in 2021 and beyond, you’re missing out.

In recent years, digital banking has exploded in popularity, with research suggesting that nearly 70% of people in the UK use mobile banking, with 86% using it as their primary banking channel. If you’ve noticed this growing trend, it may leave you wondering, “Should I start digital banking?”

If you’re unsure about making the leap, it’s time to learn more about the benefits of digital banking—and why you should take advantage of this new technology.

1. Simplified Onboarding

Online banking makes the onboarding process much easier for new customers. With a virtual process guided by the latest technology, applicants can provide required documents to open an account in no time at all—with no need to spend time on a face-to-face meeting with a bank associate.

Of course, it’s still important, both now and whenever you access your digital bank account, to follow through with basic online security practices. Be sure to look for the lock symbol in the address bar, avoid using public WiFi, and use a strong password to keep your data safe.

2. Higher Interest Rates and Lower Fees

This benefit, of course, can vary from bank to bank.

However, in general, you’ll find that online bank accounts tend to have higher interest rates than traditional alternatives. A high-yield online checking account, then, can earn you a little more in interest per year than an account with a traditional bank.

One other money-saving perk is the lower fees. Because online banking demands less overhead than the brick-and-mortar alternative, many online banks pass those savings along to customers. This means that you’ll find lower (or no) monthly maintenance fees, minimum account balances, and even transaction fees, depending on the bank you use.

3. 24/7 Banking From Anywhere

There are few things most of us hate more than a lengthy queue—especially when we only need to take care of a quick transaction.

With digital banking, it’s possible to take care of banking tasks from anywhere and at any time, which opens up a world of convenience. Most banks offer mobile apps that allow you to access your accounts even when you’re out and about, allowing you to double-check your transactions in real time. What’s more, your easy banking pairs well with any budgeting apps you already use for extra convenience.

4. Easy Check Deposits

Most mobile banking apps will save you the trouble of heading to a brick-and-mortar bank each time you need to cash a check. The process is simple: using the camera on your phone, you’ll need to take pictures of the front and back of the check. Certain banks may have additional requirements when you cash checks online, like writing a specific phrase in addition to endorsing the back of the check, but the process remains fast and easy no matter where you bank.

5. Online Bill Pay

For easier bill pay services, digital banking is a must. With most online banks, clients have the opportunity to set up payees in their account, allowing you to send a payment to the company or client in question whenever you need to. This ensures that you no longer have to worry about checks getting lost in the mail!

In addition, automation can make regular billing tasks even easier. Setting up recurring automatic bill payments can help you stay on top of your cash flow for regular expenses, like car payments or subscription services.

When needed, you can also authorize providers to automatically remove money from your account when your bill is due. This can be helpful for providers like electric companies or mortgage lenders. To do this, you will need to provide the company with your bank’s routing number as well as the checking number of your account.

6. See Transactions at a Glance

When you bank online, all of your past transactions are easy to access and view at a glance. This makes it more convenient to check your account history on a regular basis, especially at a time when many of us worry about unauthorized transactions and identity theft.

If you are more accustomed to traditional banking, you may also catch sight of a feature exclusive to virtual banking: pending transactions. With pending transactions, you’ll be able to see transactions that a merchant hasn’t yet processed. This helps you see and understand the full context of your spending, even when a charge hasn’t been authorized yet.

7. Transfer Money With Ease

Whether you’re transferring money to your own account or paying back a friend for those concert tickets, money transfers are easy when you bank online.

Instead of visiting the bank in person, you can start an online transfer and input the details of the account you’re sending money to. Once your request is complete, the transfer may take up to three days to move to the receiver’s account, though it’s often far less if the receiver has an account at the same bank.

Harness the Power of Digital Banking

Given these benefits, it’s not hard to see why digital banking is poised to grow in popularity in the next few years. With added convenience and quick transactions, it’s easier than ever to make the most of your money with an online bank. Consider opening an account today to see the difference it makes!

For more of the helpful banking and finance guides you need, CFI.co has you covered. Check out our related posts for more insights.

Banking

What Are the Different Types of Credit?

ByCFI.co

You got to give credit where credit is due. And sometimes, credit is due to you. Credit allows you to pay back your debts and get loans. Millions of people in the United Kingdom have credit cards and use them wisely. But the average credit card debt per household still totals over 2,100 pounds. Many people assume that all types of credit are alike.

But there are some significant differences among the types of credit. Understand how credit works and you can reduce your debt. Here is a quick guide.

Revolving Credit

If you have a credit card, you probably have a revolving credit account. Revolving credit provides you with a maximum credit line.

Once you hit that line, your creditor assigns a payment you must make. You cannot use your credit line until you pay your payment in full. Most creditors allow monthly payments, but plans can differ.

If you cannot pay your monthly payment, it will roll into the next month. Your creditor will charge that payment with interest. Some creditors charge very high rates of interest, so you should try to pay in full every month.

The more on-time payments you make, the higher your credit scores will be. You are more likely to receive approval for loans and advance payments. Using less than your credit limit will also assist your credit scores.

Some creditors charge additional fees on top of interest rates. You may have to pay a cash advance or foreign transaction fee. Read the terms and conditions of your contract carefully before signing.

Instalment Credit

If you take out a loan, you probably have instalment credit. Instalment credit lets you borrow a set amount, which you pay off with fixed monthly payments.

Your contract determines the amount you will borrow and the time period of the loan. Even if you make on-time payments, you may have to pay interest. Keep a close eye on what the interest rates are through time.

Some contracts do not allow you to pay your loan off early. They may charge you a penalty for doing so, which can be higher than the amount you pay over time.

Several factors determine the terms of your contract. Your credit score is a major determinant. If you have paid off your loans on-time, your terms will be more lenient.

Your debt-to-income ratio is almost as important. If you have little debt on hand, your payments will be lower. The bank may make your payments higher if you have a high income.

You should show a stable history of employment, with no long gaps between jobs. You should also display any additional sources of income you have. The more sources, the more likely you will receive a strong line of credit.

Open Credit

Open accounts are rarer than revolving or instalment accounts. But some utility and cell phone companies do offer them.

An open account provides a balance that you must pay in full every month. Open creditors do not charge interest, but they can charge penalties if you don’t pay. In exchange for your regular payments, you receive services.

Open lines of credit don’t appear initially on your credit report. Companies may refer your information to credit bureaus if you are late on your payments.

An open credit account is the simplest kind of credit. As long as you pay every month, you should not run into difficulty.

Secured Business Line of Credit

If you are looking to start a business, you may receive a secured business line of credit. This is a special type of loan that is similar to a revolving line.

A secured business line sets a maximum amount that you can borrow. However, you can keep borrowing past your line. You need to make a payment, but you can break your payments up so you can keep borrowing.

To receive a secured line, you need to provide collateral. The most common types of collateral are property and equipment. Banks usually do not accept stocks for secured lines.

Real Estate Line of Credit

If you want to invest in real estate, you need to have some money upfront. A real estate line of credit can get you the resources you need.

Home equity determines many real estate lines. An investor exchanges equity they have in their house for money from a creditor. They can use that money to purchase a property, usually to renovate or flip the property.

Their line of credit is limited to what the investor receives from the creditor. But an investor has no restrictions on how they can use the cash. The credit line requires no other financial statements besides a personal credit report.

A real estate line is the best line of credit for a quick payment. But it requires a high credit score.

You can use the equity in your house as collateral and pay the loan back through monthly payments. If you default on your loan, the creditor can place a lien on your house.

The Five Different Types of Credit

Many people struggle with credit. They don’t understand how payments work, let alone that there are multiple types of credit. But you can distinguish amongst them.

A revolving credit line charges monthly payments. These payments can incur interest if they are not paid off. An instalment line provides less interest but sets firmer conditions for when you make payments.

Most utility companies use open lines of credit. Secured business lines are good if you want to start a business, while real estate lines are good for real estate investors.

Get the facts you need to strengthen your finances. Capital Finance International provides premium reporting on business and economics. Contact us today.

Finance

VEON and Mastercard enter into global partnership to boost digital financial services

ByCFI.co Blogger

Partnership to accelerate scaling of VEON’s digital financial services business

Amsterdam, 3rd February 2021 – VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ and Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a leading global provider of connectivity and digital services, announces a strategic global partnership with payment technology leader Mastercard to boost digital financial services in key markets.

The partnership, covering core portions of VEON’s footprint (Russia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh), will allow VEON to further scale its digital financial services business by offering consumers and merchants in these countries best-in-class products tailored to their needs. By working together, the companies will support the financial and digital inclusion of traditionally underserved consumers in each geography.

VEON’s co-Chief Executive Officer Sergi Herrero commented: “Expanding digital financial services is a key growth priority for VEON as we look to meet the evolving needs of our consumers. Our partnership with Mastercard provides our operating companies in five countries with world-class capabilities to fast-track their plans for developing digital financial services and demonstrates the trust Mastercard has in VEON’s ability to encourage greater financial inclusion through these transformative platforms.”

Jorn Lambert, Chief Digital Officer, Mastercard said: “As digital transformation accelerates, there is also an opportunity to expedite its many benefits, including the way it effectively addresses consumer needs and experiences. Mastercard strongly believes in the power of partnership and we look forward to working closely with VEON to expand financial inclusion and greater access to the digital economy.”

The partnership is an expansion of the relationship between the two companies that began in May 2020 when Mastercard partnered with Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited, VEON’s financial services provider in Pakistan, to boost financial inclusion across that fast-growing nation. It further cements the joint commitment of VEON and Mastercard as strategic partners on this ambitious but vital journey to empower individuals and communities though financial services access.

About VEON

VEON is a NASDAQ and Euronext Amsterdam-listed global provider of connectivity and internet services, headquartered in Amsterdam. Our vision is to empower customer ambitions through technology, acting as a digital concierge to guide their choices and connect them with resources that match their needs.

For more information visit: http://www.veon.com.

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

For more information visit: www.mastercard.com

Finance

Why trust and transparency are the key ingredients for strong leadership in 2021

ByCFI.co Blogger

Jonny Combe, UK CEO of PayByPhone, gives his 7 Top Tips on leading a remote team in 2021

Build a foundation of trust

Leadership is about empowering your people and one of the main ways to do this is to trust your team to make responsible decisions – just as they did in an office-based set-up. In a remote office model, it’s important to trust them to make good judgements about time and personal commitments. And whatever your leadership style, trust engenders an adult-to-adult model of interaction. This has always been the case but is even more crucial now with so any of us working from home. Leaders can also build trust by demonstrating authenticity. We’re all human and acknowledging the challenges we encounter in these strange times helps to build trust and also encourages people to speak up about any struggles they are facing.

Work out what really matters

Being suddenly plunged into remote working patterns in 2020 was a shock for leaders and employees alike – it’s easy to talk about being more productive but suddenly you had to deliver it. The situation forced leadership to work out what the truly key tasks were and to ensure their team delivered them. This focus continues to be a benefit of remote working and helps leaders direct their people towards a more outcome-based model of working.

Intentional communication with staff

Frequent communication and contact with staff have always been important and being remote shouldn’t have changed that. What has changed is that as a leader, you now have to be more intuitive and tap into your EQ. Whereas in the office you might pick up on someone’s mood changes and check in, now you have to check in on people intentionally. After nearly a year of working remotely, this has become almost second nature for many leaders and managers. However, there is a danger that as lockdown conditions drag on, some of these good habits can fall by the wayside. Leaders must not underestimate the importance of connecting – both on a personal and a professional level. These regular connection points help people feel valued and significant – which encourages them to feel good about themselves, what they do and the value they bring. As well as being the right thing to do on a human level, on a business level, it also means people will want to do their best work.

Empower your leaders to lead

Businesses have to adapt to changing circumstances – as a leader you have to work out the most effective way to recalibrate and to communicate with your leadership team and your staff. You’ve got to keep your leaders and all your people in the loop. Leaders should also look to capitalise on opportunities and the pandemic is certainly an ideal time to embrace great internal comms.

At PayByPhone we walk the talk – we have introduced a senior management team call three times a week, which are good connection points for us. We also have a more formal leadership meeting once a month, and we have an all-staff virtual meeting every Monday morning.

Follow up on your promises to your staff

Many leaders tell their people how important they are, but you have to follow this through with action. There are some great examples of intentional actions and at PayByPhone we have opted to pay for Disney+ subscriptions for those employees with children as a way to support them during lockdown. For employees who don’t have children or who already have a Disney+ subscription, we pay for them to have the new Joe Wicks app to help them get active and to maintain a positive mental attitude. These are small gestures in themselves, but they are important because they help people feel valued and remind them that out-of-sight isn’t out-of-mind.

Adjust your expectations

Paying tribute to flexible working and actually demonstrating flexibility are vastly different things. At PayByPhone we were already advocates of flexible working when we were office-based so it hasn’t felt like a huge leap. For us, it has never been about ‘face time’ at your desk, or ‘presentee-ism’, it’s about getting your job done.

Right now, however, the game changer is having multiple employees with children who need home schooling, so it’s crucial that as a leader, I adjust my expectations. A single parent trying to juggle home working and home schooling will inevitably have their work impacted, despite their best efforts. Frankly any working parent right now probably deserves a superhero cape! Accepting that some employees may be unable to give 100% focus and being aware of the pressures is vitally important as a leader. And it’s also essential to set clear boundaries and goals about the achievements and outcomes you expect. Just make sure they are realistic.

Recruit from a wider talent pool and consider a hybrid-remote office

Part of good leadership is seizing opportunities and since the pandemic has accelerated the working-from-home revolution, it’s now possible to source employees from a wider area. Leaders should cast their recruitment net wide and carefully consider the kind of skills, experiences and diverse ways of thinking that would help take their organisation to a new level. By securing the very best employees, leaders can add more value to their organisation. We used to restrict our hiring pool to people within a relatively small radius of the office. Now, we’re looking within a 100-mile radius of the office, which will enable us to operate a hybrid-remote office with people in the office once a week even when we are clear of the pandemic crisis. The flexible nature of remote working has the added benefit that it attracts Millennials and Gen Z who like a portfolio approach to work. Having these digital natives on board and harnessing the mindset of different generations is all part of creating a vibrant and diverse workforce – and for PayByPhone this helps us consolidate our position as a leader within our industry.

Business

How to Make Money in Real Estate: 8 Investing Tips

ByCFI.co

Investing in real estate is a great way to make a lot of money in passive income. Have you been considering going this route? Once you get started you’ll get the hang of it in no time, but first, you need to learn how to make money in real estate in the first place so you don’t end up wasting your investment.

We want to help with a few tips and tricks that have helped us (and helped plenty of other investors) in the past. Don’t go in blind. Keep reading to learn how to make money investing in real estate so you can start growing your income and making your way towards financial stability.

1. Always Diversify

As with any kind of investment, you’ll get the most out of investing when you diversify your portfolio.

When you’re just starting out, you may be limited to one or two properties within your general geographic location. Sometimes it’s as small as a single neighbourhood or a city.

It’s not a bad idea to look at real estate in other locations. We’ll talk more later about knowing the ins and outs of where you’re buying, but even if you aren’t a local you can do research into other cities where the market is booming.

Even if your local market falls into a rut, you’ll have homes in other areas that can still thrive and make up the difference.

2. Network for Success

Many people view the other real estate investors in their area as competition. They’re not.

While you’re all looking to get the tenants in your local area, different investors have different types of properties that will attract different renters. It’s a great idea to network with each other.

Networking will open you up to advice from experienced investors, insight into property management and renovation, and cost management.

3. Stay on Top of Maintenance

Maintenance is everything if you want to keep making money on your properties. Poorly-maintained properties get bad reputations and if you let a building go for long enough, maintenance becomes more expensive.

If you let a small leak go on for long enough, for example, it turns into water damage.

Once you have renters, it’s a good idea to keep up with them so they can share any of their maintenance concerns early on. Not only will this save you time and money, but you’ll also gain the reputation of being a caring landlord who attends to the needs of their tenants.

4. Know the Neighborhood

As we mentioned, diversification is important, but you need to be an expert on all of the places in which you plan on buying properties.

The first thing to know is the market. Is the housing market booming at the moment?

If it is, you might be too late if you don’t have the money to buy an expensive property. While booming markets are attractive, look into areas that seem to be up-and-coming.

You’ll pay less for your property and your income will increase sharply once the neighbourhood starts thriving.

Also, pay attention to aspects of the neighbourhood that will attract or repel potential renters.

What does the crime rate look like? While many people looking for affordable rentals will look past a medium to high crime rate, families with young children aren’t as likely to rent that property.

Also, look at local schools and amenities. You’ll get more younger renters in areas that are walkable where there’s access to entertainment and more families in areas with good schools and plenty of parks.

5. Set a Budget

We want to preface this with the fact that you will go over your budget at some point or another. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t set one.

You can’t devote your entire budget towards the actual purchase of the property. You need to factor in any hidden fees, any maintenance work, renovations, and the cost of advertising (including professional staging and photography).

Decide how much you’re willing to spend on a property before you go searching, and when you find one within your range, make sure that renovations won’t put you over-budget.

6. Prepare for Vacancies

Even in booming markets, there will be times where you’re unable to find a renter. If you’re only renting single-family homes, this means that you’ll experience a lapse in your income.

You need to prepare for this. Set aside a healthy amount of savings. You’ll also need to use some of this money to amp up your advertising efforts.

7. Don’t Avoid Single-Family Homes

While single-family homes are a greater risk when it comes to vacancies, they also provide more income with less work and maintenance costs.

You can also try eXp Realty’s new property search facility.

When you have multi-family properties, each tenant will have their own maintenance issues. There are several sets of appliances to keep tabs on. You’ll also need to do renovations on each unit.

Single-family homes attract families. They tend to stay for a longer period of time, making them reliable tenants. You’ll also only service one set of appliances and you’ll only renovate one space.

Both single-family and multi-family properties are valuable, but single-family homes should get your attention.

8. Pick the Right Renovations

It’s easy to get caught up with renovations when you want to make your property as attractive as possible, but over-renovating leads to going over your budget and not getting the best returns on investment.

So what should you focus on?

Aside from necessary renovations like fixing walls and floors, consider things that many people look for when they’re looking into rentals. Kitchens and bathrooms are popular places to start.

Now That You Know How to Make Money In Real Estate, Get Started

Knowing how to make money in real estate is the first step towards your success as an investor. There’s a huge market for real estate right now as the housing and rental markets continue to grow. The best time to invest is five years ago, but the second-best time is right now.

Are you looking for more helpful articles on investing and managing your wealth? Check out our articles on wealth management, as long as a plethora of content that can help you with your business and investment goals. We want to be your online resource for financial success.

Technology

Digital Transformation Strategies You Need to Know

ByCFI.co Blogger

These days, companies in quite a few industries are talking about digital transformation (DT). DT involves using process improvements and new technologies to transform your operations. You have to embrace change to meet the demands of evolving business models and customer expectations.

Digital Transformation Strategies You Need to Know

The Importance Of Security

Improving security is one of the most important aspects of digital transformation. More than ever, it’s important to protect those assets that are most vital for your organization. You need to protect identities, strategies and trade secrets. Once you’ve established stellar security, you’ll have a solid foundation for achieving comprehensive DT.

What Is Digital Transformation and How Do I Sell It?

Not many people have heard of what is digital transformation since it has become more common last year due to the start of the pandemic. Increasingly, people are recognizing that DT involves telling a compelling story. Just having the right facts and figures won’t prove enough to get buy-in from critical stakeholders. Arguably, storytelling is the most important persuasion tool in your arsenal. According to science, the human brain is programmed to pay attention to stories. After all, storytelling is how traditional cultures pass on knowledge vital for survival. If you tell the right story, you’ll be able to help your co-workers overcome any qualms they have about drastic change. Fear of change is a constant in human psychology. Even forward-thinking people often balk at making major new capital investments. However, investing in digital transformation is one of the best ways to disaster-proof your business.

A story is not a sterile to-do list or a budget. A story is not a PowerPoint presentation, no matter beautifully designed your presentation may be. Instead, a story is a series of events described in a coherent order. These events can be real or hypothetical. For example, you can describe a hypothetical future where your company is outmatched by a competitor. This type of storytelling can inspire noncommittal stakeholders to take action.

Aligning Your Transformation Strategy With Long-Term Goals

DT requires willingness to make significant changes. Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily have to reinvent the wheel. At every stage of your transformation plan, be sure to align your efforts with your long-standing goals and values. Cohesion is the ultimate watchword when planning your digital strategy. Ultimately, you’ll want each one of your digital channels to serve your essential business objectives. Web design, social media marketing, e-commerce, apps; all of these channels should cohesively serve your goals.

Part of DT is making sure your messaging and content reflect your customers’ interests and values. You’ll also want to craft consistent brand messaging. To maintain cross-channel cohesion, be sure to invest in analytics. You can use each channel to gather and analyze data about your customers’ habits. If you aren’t gaining new insights from your digital channels, you’ll need to invest every available penny into DT. When it comes to transformation, it’s never too late to start turning the ship around. Even if your digital channels are producing strong revenues, maintenance isn’t enough. Revenue growth is crucial for commercial sustainability. You needn’t give in to the temptation to adopt every trendy new digital channel that comes online. Instead, focus on developing a few key channels.

Maintaining The Right Skills Mix In Your IT Team

If you want your DT to be maximally effective, you’ll need to assemble the right IT team. That may prove more complicated then ever during this pandemic time. Make sure you are fully taking advantage of teleworking. In addition, make an effort to keep your remote workers feeling heard and appreciated. If you’re not careful, it can be easy to overlook remote team members when it’s time to hand out promotions. This type of oversight can only limit the effectiveness of your IT team.

Properly executed, DT can help you achieve transformative business goals. Do whatever it takes to get your whole organization working together on DT.

Banking

Investing in Stocks vs Bonds: A Comparative Guide

ByCFI.co

Are you interested in investing your money into stocks and bonds? You often hear those two items paired together in a sentence, but what do they actually mean? They are both a form of investment, but the similarities stop there. Both of them have a different level of risks, levels of returns, and daily behaviours that you need to be prepared for. Before you invest, it’s important to know these differences to pick which ones are the best course of action for you. See below for an in-depth guide on stocks vs bonds and how they fit into your investment plans.

What Are Stocks?

Imagine, if you would, that someone brings you a pie they made and sets it down in front of you and 2 of your friends. Let’s say the pie is cut into 8 different slices.

The maker of the pie tells you that each slice is £1 each. So you choose to buy 3 slices, one of your friends buys 3 slices, and the other buys only 2. This is essentially the concept of a stock.

When you buy a stock, you purchase a small piece of ownership in that company. The more shares that you have in the company, the more ownership that you have over it.

The goal is to buy shares, wait for them to rise, then sell your investment to turn a profit.

For example, let’s say you decide to buy £100 worth of shares in Callaway Golf Company (ELY). For the sake of simple math, let’s say that Callaway shares are going for £20, so you end up with 5 shares.

As Callaway grows, so too will the value of your shares. Let’s say that over time, they end up experiencing a 50-per cent. So now, each share is worth £30 apiece. You decide to sell all of your shares for £150.

By buying your stocks low and selling high, you’ve turned a profit of £50. You bought them for £100 and sold them for £150. You can scan the stock market however you so choose, buying any stocks that you envision a legitimate return for!

What Are Bonds?

Instead of purchasing a piece of the company as you would with a stock, a bond is when you loan out your money to a business. This can help them grow and expand their business, getting their hands on the money they’d need (from you) to do so.

In return, the company you lent the bond to will pay you back the full amount with interest. Unlike stocks, bonds are more of a long-term play. They’ll help you make a bit more money over time. The more bonds you invest in, the more you’ll gain in return.

So let’s say that you buy a bond for £1,000 (just for the sake of simple math). Let’s say it pays you back 1% annual interest over the next 10 years. With that bond, you would make £10 in interest over the next decade.

When the 10 years has concluded on that bond, you will have made £100 in interest payments that you wouldn’t otherwise have made.

There are many variables to bonds. You can purchase ones with a duration of only a few days or ones with a duration of several decades. The interest rate varies as well, so be sure to find a balance that you’re comfortable with.

What Are the Risks Involved?

As you’ve already seen in this article, both stocks and bonds can have tremendous payouts for those that invest in them. However, there’s always a potential that either one does not do well, and you lose money on the whole deal. Here’s a bit more insight on that:

The Risks of Stocks

Earlier, we highlighted a scenario in which you would make money investing in shares from Callaway Golf. However, every stock that you purchase has risk involved, some more so than others.

All it takes is one setback from the company you’ve invested in to incur a loss. Back in April 2010, BP was flying high. They were seemingly doing everything right and their stocks climbed up to $60 in US Dollars (approximately 44 British pounds).

Then, almost out of nowhere, the deepwater horizon spill occurred. Over 3.19 million barrels of oil were spread throughout the Gulf Coast. As a result, their stocks fell 55%, meaning that investors lost over half of what they paid to buy BP stock in April.

Granted, most losses are not that significant. By educating yourself and reading investor books, you can limit your losses when you invest.

The Risk of Bonds

The ideology of bonds is sound. You lend a certain amount of money to a growing company, then they pay you back over time with interest. All is fair in the world.

But what if that company goes under before they’ve paid you back? What if they go bankrupt during the term of your bond? You may never get back your full investment entirely.

As you can see with both stocks and bonds, there are risks. However, you can minimize the risks of both by performing thorough research.

In the case of bonds, do your due diligence on any company you lend money to. If they’re shooting for the stars too quickly, they might overextend themselves and leave you to suffer a loss as a result.

Stocks Vs Bonds: Invest Your Money in Both

Now that you’ve seen a comparison of both stocks vs bonds, as well as the differences between the two, it’s time to use that information effectively.

For more financial advice, make sure to read this article on the 5 things that you need to do with your money once you’ve turned 20.

Be sure to circle back on our blog often to receive more information and guidance on economics, finance, banking, and so much more.

Business

How Long Does It Take to Start a Business?

ByCFI.co

Are you thinking of starting a business?

Every year, many people dream of quitting their full-time jobs and starting their own successful enterprises. Often, these people have big visions for their businesses, and they hope that they’re able to channel their dreams into something profitable and impactful.

But sometimes, these people worry about how long it will take them to get their new company up and running. After all, quitting your full-time job is a risk, and you don’t want to go too long without making a paycheck.

So, how long does it take to start a business?

We love supporting people who are establishing their own businesses, and below, we’ll go into how long it takes to start a company.

Keep reading to learn more!

How to Start a Business

So, have you wanted to begin creating a business?

If you’ve wanted to venture out and build a brand and name of your own, you probably want to know the fundamentals of getting started. Let’s go into the steps of starting a business below.

Define What You Do

Before you set out to create a business, you should know the basics of what you want to do.

Of course, organisations always change and evolve, but successful business owners begin with a vision. They know which central service they wish to provide, the client needs they plan to meet, and who they believe their target audience is.

To get this part of it right, you need to do a lot of research. Make sure you’ve thoroughly ensured there is a demand for your products or services and that you know which demographics are looking for the solutions you provide.

This can take up to a few months, depending on how much research you do.

Get Your Domain

What is your domain?

It is the name by which your company is known on a public level. It will go on all of your official materials, your advertising, and your website, so make sure you choose wisely.

When selecting your domain name, make sure it remains memorable, fits with the tone and personality of your brand, and communicates what you do. Run it by a friend, loved one, or colleague to see if other people think it’s a good name.

How long this takes depends on you and how much time you dedicate to finding a domain that works.

Hosting Foundry can help you with your website’s web hosting and start a business.

Find a Business Location

Where do you plan to work? Every business needs a specific location.

These locations range from an office in a high-rise to a desk in your home. Think about what you can afford and what type of building would best suit your needs.

Make sure you take into account any renovations you would need to make on your potential office and ensure it fits within your budget.

Finding a business location can take anywhere from a few weeks to 2-3 months.

Get the Proper Licenses and Permits

When you start a business, you often need proper licensing and permits.

Check with your local government to see what kinds of additional documentation you need. The requirements vary from location to location. Obtaining these documents often takes you from a few weeks to up to a month.

Your business also needs a seller’s permit if you plan to sell products.

Local Registration

You also need to register your company with the local government.

To do this, you will need to select the type of business you want to have, so make sure that you know which type of company you’d most like to create.

Completing this process takes about a month, including the time you take to decide which kind of company you would like to create.

Determine Your Funding Needs

Now, you need to determine how much funding you need and how you will get the funding.

This often takes a long time; in fact, it can last up to many months. To get started, do your research on what your overhead costs will be, including any shipping charges, product costs, utility and rent bills, and employee salaries.

All of this information should then go into your business plan. Your business plan consists of an overview of your entire company, including a detailed explanation of what you do, your organisational structure, your expenses, and your marketing plan. This usually takes quite a bit of time.

The exact amount of time depends on how much time you can devote to putting the plan together.

Getting Funding

After you’ve created your business plan, you should use it to try to get investors or a bank loan.

This gives you the funds you need to start your company. Often, this also takes a while, as banks and others who invest in your business will want to know how they will make their money back. While many wonderful new businesses launch all the time, newer companies are also unproven, so you will need to convince them you’ll be able to repay them.

How Long Does It Take to Start a Business?

So, how long does it take to start a business?

We recommend giving yourself a large amount of time to start your business. After all, this is the foundation of what you’ll do, so getting it right is important. Starting your company will probably take you at least a year or two.

It often takes even longer for a company to become profitable. After you launch your company, you need to work on raising business awareness and gaining your clientele. It takes 2-3 years for most small businesses to turn a consistent profit.

Ready to Start Your Business?

So, have you asked yourself, “How long does it take to start a business?”

If so, we hope the article above answered your question! It usually takes a while for businesses to get up and running and turn a profit. Still, if you have a dream and believe you can make it, the handful of years of work are worth it!

Have questions? Want more advice? Contact us today!

Lifestyle

5 Ways To Save Money With Your Online Shopping

ByCFI.co Blogger

Online shopping is the one thing in our life that is never going to stop. But, let’s be real, it is not surprising that we often end up spending a lot more than we have and that too in one round. If the same is happening with you, we’d suggest that you find some wholesale online shopping websites like DHGate that host a range of amazing items for half the price but double the quality.

All that aside, here’s a quick list of tips that you can use to save money the next time you think of shopping online.

Make a list

We can’t stress this enough but making a simple list of the items that you want to buy. This might not seem like a lot, but it can help you save a lot of coins. Firstly, you will know what you want and what you don’t. So, the moment you navigate through the website, you won’t get side-tracked by other items that you probably don’t need in your life. Instead of aimlessly scrolling around the website, you can go ahead and buy things.

Compare the prices

Another way to save money while shopping online is by comparing the prices. One of the best ways to do so is by comparing the prices on multiple websites. This can help you solve a lot of hassle and help you get a better idea of what’s right and what’s not. Try and choose the items across the major online portals because that helps you get a better idea of what kind of prices are trending.

Look out for sales

Another factor that you need to look out for is the sales that happen on online shopping websites. There are several platforms that you need to look out for. That said, the sales are often seasonal, so you need to keep an eye out for that too. Make sure that you even set up alerts or notifications for the website to get notifications about the deals that are happening around.

Join online shopping communities

Much like how there are several groups for foodies on this planet, there are also a few online shopping communities that you can join to get an idea of what kind of offers that you can avail and what kind of coupons that you can use. In these communities, you can also get a better perspective of things, which comes in handy as well.

Refrain

Several people have a bad habit of just buying anything even when they don’t need it. If you are one of them, you need to avoid giving in to that habit altogether. Make sure that you keep a check on the items that you need only. Just because there is a sale going on doesn’t mean you need to buy something.

If you are here trying to save some extra coins during your online shopping, you must keep a check on these tips before making the purchase. Remember that you don’t need to buy something if you don’t need it.

Banking

5 Things You NEED To Do With Your Money Once You Turn 20

ByCFI.co

When you’re young and carefree, it’s easy to neglect your finances. A lot of young people don’t know how to manage their money and end up getting into debt.

But as a young adult, you’re actually in a great position to set good financial habits for life. Making savvy decisions from when you turn 20 can build solid foundations for a financially healthy future.

Let’s dig a little deeper. Here’s our list of top money management tips to consider when you’re 20 years old.

1. Get Into Good Habits With Your Money

You’re only going to be able to start saving once you’re spending less than you earn. So the first step towards financial security is setting up a watertight method to track and manage your expenses.

You need to have a clear view of your fixed expenses such as rent and council tax, and also a firm grip on your variable expenses such as fuel, food shopping, and utility bills. Then you can set a budget for discretionary expenses like nights out with friends and clothes purchases.

After you have a system set up, you can manage your cash flow and track your spending, to ensure you’re staying within your budget. A popular method to manage this is by setting up a zero-based budget, where you allocate every penny of your income to a specific expense or savings goal.

By adopting this method, you should prevent yourself from getting into debt. But if it’s too late for that, you should focus on clearing your debts. Limit your credit card spending; you should only use your credit card enough to establish a decent credit score. Once your short-term debt is clear, you can make a start on clearing your student debt.

A final good habit to set up is to automate all your payments. It’s good to set up your direct debit payments to go out near the beginning of the month, so you have a clear view of what you have leftover for discretionary spending, once all the bills are paid.

2. Start Saving Now!

You’re never too young to start thinking about savings. You should start out by building an emergency fund, then work towards having 3-6 months of expenses set aside. Having a reasonable liquid cash reserve will prevent you from getting into debt in emergency situations.

You might want to set up separate savings goals for big purchases, such as your first car, so you have the money upfront rather than having to take out a loan. Longer-term savings goals are also worth considering, such as a deposit on a house, paying for postgraduate education or saving for your children’s future.

In terms of saving for retirement, the earlier you start, the more benefits you will reap. You should aim to be putting at least 10% of your income into a pension fund.

3. Protect Yourself

You should make sure that you have all the insurance you need to protect yourself from future problems. Car insurance of course is a necessity if you have a car, but you should also consider pet insurance if relevant, as vets’ bills can be very high.

You may want to invest in health insurance and also income protection insurance. If you have children, you’ll also want to look at life insurance. It’s not the most exciting topic to be thinking about, but there are benefits to setting up insurance policies while you’re young and insurers see you as less risky.

4. Invest in Yourself

When you get your first job, it’s easy to just feel grateful to have found employment, especially in today’s challenging economic circumstances. But you should still negotiate your salary to make sure you’re being paid what you’re worth.

You might also want to plan for further education and training. Lifelong learning has many benefits, not just for your career but for your own happiness and sense of fulfilment.

You could also look into setting up a side hustle to earn some extra money to put against those savings targets. Perhaps you have a hobby that you could make some money out of? Maximizing your income is a great way to grow your savings.

5. Think Long-Term

There’s never a better time than what you turn 20, to be thinking long term. Establishing your wealth goals and prioritising them when you’re young is critical to long-term financial security.

Once you’ve paid off your debts and you have enough liquid cash saved up to pay for any emergencies and planned future purchases, now’s the time to think about investing. It’s a good idea to start investing as early as possible, by putting money into something other than your retirement plan.

But perhaps you don’t really know what to do with your money? It might be wise to hire a financial advisor to help you choose the right kind of fund to invest your money in. It’s sensible to get some advice about the best investment bank options before you decide where to put your hard-earned cash.

You need to make sure that your money is working for you, wherever you choose to keep it. You could see which providers have won banking awards, to help you choose the best banking services.

The longer your money is in an investment fund, the higher the returns are likely to be. So choosing the best bank while you’re young is a good long-term strategy to build wealth.

Seize The Moment!

The sooner you take control of your finances, the better. Your 20s are the perfect time to establish good habits and routines around money to set you up for long-term financial security.

Building wealth takes time, so starting young will reap long-term benefits. It’s never too early to educate yourself. Check out our informative articles on wealth management to expand your knowledge and help you to make the best decisions about how to manage your money.