Tag: finances

Categories
Adulting Finances How To

How To Increase The Resale Value Of Your Car

Resale Value Of Your Car

Hardly anyone who purchases a car expects to keep it forever. Many car owners choose to replace their vehicles when their needs change. For example, new parents might sell their roadster for a minivan; empty-nesters relocating to a sunny state might sell their SUV for a convertible, and students leaving home for college might not need to bring their high school car to campus. If you’re ready to sell your car from high school, here’s what you need to know to increase the resale value of your car.

Resale Value Of Your Car

Questions to Ask Before Taking a Car to Campus

Most college campuses have all the amenities that students need — such as dining, entertainment, shopping, and laundry facilities — within a few blocks of their residence halls or apartments. Many students learn quickly that they can get almost anywhere without a car just by walking, biking, or taking public transit.

For some college students, owning a car might be more trouble than it’s worth. Aside from buying gasoline and paying for insurance, students might get a sticker shock when they learn how much they’ll need to pay to park a car that they barely use.

Before you leave for college, investigate the campus parking arrangements. Find the answers to the following questions:

  • What is the fee to keep a car on campus? Is it a monthly, yearly or per-semester rate? Is summer parking included?
  • Are parking areas secure?
  • Is covered parking available? (Don’t forget about hail and snow.)
  • Are parking spaces numbered and reserved, or does the parking lot get full by the time morning classes begin?
  • How much are campus parking citations?
  • Are unused portions of parking fees refundable?

Alternatives to Keeping a Car on Campus

If having a car on campus isn’t an option, there are usually alternative modes of transportation available. Municipal transportation systems typically offer bus routes from campus to popular destinations around town. Check the local transportation website to see if you can ride the bus or rail systems for a discounted student rate. Besides bus and rail service availability, you might not need a car on campus if:

  • A friend or roommate already owns a car
  • A bike or skateboard works just as well
  • Ride-sharing services are plentiful

After you weigh the pros and cons of keeping a car on campus, it might make more sense to sell the high school car before college begins.

Tips to Ensure Good Resale Value When Purchasing a Car

No matter when you decide to purchase or sell a vehicle, there are steps you can take to ensure you get the most money for it when it’s time to sell.

  • Purchase a car that’s a neutral color. A car that’s fire engine red or electric blue, although eye-catching, tends to draw more attention than the average person wants when behind the wheel.
  • Purchase a car with an automatic transmission rather than one with a manual transmission. Only 18% of Americans know how to drive a car with a stick shift, so four out five people shopping for a used car will disregard your vehicle.
  • Purchase an extended warranty for the vehicle.
  • Wash your car regularly to help preserve the exterior paint. Damage from salt or other corrosives can occur whether you live in the snowy north or near the ocean.
  • Detail the interior of the car to prevent permanent stains or damage from ground-in sand, dirt or debris.
  • Protect your car from the weather. Covered parking is good; secured garage parking is even better.
  • Fix dents and scratches in the body and chips in the glass immediately, before they get worse. Sudden changes in air temperature can transform a tiny chip into fully cracked windshield.

For more tips to increase the resale value of your vehicle, see the accompanying resource.


Infographic Provided by Chrysler Factory Warranty

AUTHOR BIO: Sam Combs is the founder of Chrysler Factory Warranty, an Internet-only provider of genuine factory-backed Chrysler Service Contracts. He has 18 years of experience in the industry and focuses on offering customers the same Chrysler coverage plan for less.

Categories
Adulting Finances Learning

Managed Futures: Market-Neutral Vs. Trend-Following

Managed Futures

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of available investment options? You’re not alone — especially when it comes to alternative investments across asset classes, such as managed futures.

Of course, you’ve already heard of stocks and bonds, but you may not know quite as much about managed futures. This alternative investment can help diversify your portfolio, enhance your risk and return profile, and hedge against market volatility.

Read on to learn about two approaches to managed futures: market-neutral and trend-following strategies.

What Are Managed Futures?

Let’s start with the basics: What, exactly, are managed futures? A future is an agreement about buying or selling a commodity or security (i.e., stocks, bonds, or options) at a specific time for a specific price.

Futures — also called futures contracts — allow investors to speculate on the potential direction of a commodity or security. A contract includes an expiration date and locks a set price.

Futures contracts may be used to trade:

  • Stock indexes, such as the NASDAQ Composite, S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average
  • Commodities, such as wheat, corn, livestock, oil, coal, gold or copper
  • Currency futures, such as the Euro, British pound and Japanese yen
  • Precious metal futures, such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium
  • U.S. Treasury bonds

Managed futures refer to a portfolio of futures that’s actively managed by a professional broker or adviser. This type of alternative investment provides exposure to more asset classes. Since managed futures aren’t strongly correlated with traditional stocks and bond markets, they’re a great way to diversify your portfolio. This helps protect against market volatility and mitigates risk.

Futures portfolios are managed using a market-neutral or trend-following strategy. Let’s look at each approach.

Managed Futures

Market-Neutral Strategy

A market-neutral approach attempts to make a profit from increasing and decreasing prices, all while mitigating risk. This strategy involves taking matching short and long positions in the industry. For instance, you might purchase $5,000 worth of Apple stock, while simultaneously selling $5,000 of Google stock.

In essence, these long and short positions act as hedges to each other, protecting against loss. They work by increasing returns — thanks to spreads creating by mispricing — while reducing the risk that comes from overall market movements.

When utilized properly, the market-neutral approach can allow you to profit from increasing and decreasing stock prices. At the same time, the risk is mitigated, as the focus lies on meeting stock price convergences rather than general market performance. This is because the market-neutral approach isn’t closely correlated with market movements.

There are two kinds of market-neutral approaches:

  • Fundamental market-neutral investing: Uses fundamental analysis — or a study of various economic and financial factors that can affect a security’s value — to predict trajectory. Trades are then based on predictions of stock price convergences.
  • Statistical market-neutral investing: Applies quantitative methods and algorithms to historical stock performance, with the goal of identifying price discrepancies. Trades are then based on these quantitative past performance indicators.

Trend-Following Strategy

In contrast, the trend-following approach monitors market movements more closely. This type of strategy attempts to profit by going short or long, depending on an analysis of market signals over a certain period.

For instance, if an asset’s price is trending upward, that indicates taking a long position. If the price is on the downswing, taking a short position may be in order.

Sometimes known as momentum investing, it’s based on the idea that market movements aren’t random; instead, rising prices will keep rising while falling prices will keep falling. For futures trading, this means buying contracts when prices are on the rise and selling contracts when prices are lowering.

A trend-following approach attempts to take advantage of the market’s downturns and upswings, using multiple indicators to determine an asset’s direction. Because this strategy is subject to market volatility, trend-following may result in large drawdowns or the percentage of the difference between an investment’s peaks and valleys.
 
Whether you choose a trend-following or market-neutral approach, investing in managed futures can help balance and diversify your portfolio. This alternative investment offers a way to mitigate risk while hedging against market volatility.

Want to learn more? The accompanying resource further delves into this topic.


Infographic provided by Institutional Advisory Services Group

Author bio: Greg Taunt is Vice President of Institutional Advisory Services Group, a managed futures company. He has more than 10 years of experience in the industry and focuses on maximizing portfolio effectiveness to potentially reduce risk while increasing returns using managed accounts in noncorrelated vehicles.

Sources

https://www.thechartist.com.au/market-neutral-trend-following/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/managed-futures.asp
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/futures.asp

Categories
Adulting Finances How To

4 Smart Ways You Can Prepare Financially For Your Family’s Future

When you have kids, the last thing you probably have a chance to think about is later on in life when you and your partner are grey-haired and walking around in a frail manner. But unfortunately, you do need to at least plan a little bit so that you know your children will be taken care of financially in the future. So the more you can do now to prepare financially for your family’s future, the better it will be.

Prepare Financially For Your Family’s Future
Source

Prepare Financially For Your Family’s Future

1. Find a Good Savings Account 

It is worthwhile to shop around online to see if you are making the most of your savings account. Ideally, you want to have an account where you can top up funds in a fixed rate cash ISA account so that you know you will not need to access that money for the time being. The longer you can leave your money in your account, the more you could accrue in interest over the years. So it is only worthwhile doing this if you know for definite that you will not be using that cash for the time being. 

2. Be Frugal With Your Money 

Paying attention to your expenses and spending can show how much money you have to last the month. Being aware can help you make your money last longer. If you can be frugal at times and know when to look for a good bargain, this will free up cash to spend in other areas that could help long term as you will be left with some money to put aside into your savings account. 

Prepare Financially For Your Family’s Future
Source

3. Teach Your Children The Value of Money 

As well as putting cash aside for your children, it is also essential that you teach them the value of money. It will help them later in adult life if they learn how to save money and not just spend it. It also teaches them that you need to work hard to earn it as opposed to just being given it. 

4. Draw Up a Last Will and Testament 

You might not want to think about it right now, but in the eventuality that something were to happen, you want to know that your children will be ok financially. It is a good idea to write out your last will and testament before you get too old to realize what you are signing away so that you can ensure that your children will inherit any property and finances. Organizing your Life Insurance for Seniors will enable you to prepare in advance for such an event so that the financial burden of things like funeral costs will not fall solely onto your children, who may already have financial difficulties of their own in adult life.

Prepare Financially For Your Family’s Future

While you might not want to think about how to prepare financially for your family’s future, it is essential. You will be glad that you took the time now to set your family up for financial stability. Do you have any tips to add? Leave a comment and let us know!

Categories
Finances Home How To

7 Ways to Be a Great Landlord

Ways to Be a Great Landlord

Being a landlord can be tricky. There are several rules and regulations to follow and the need for constant maintenance and repairs. If you want to be a good landlord, there are things that you can do on your end to help make the experience easier for both you and your tenants. 

Ways to Be a Great Landlord
Source

Seven Ways to Be a Great Landlord

1. Best Practices When Marketing Rentals

Be sure that your ads accurately describe what renters should expect when living at your home so that they don’t feel duped by false advertising later on down the line. Advertising your rental unit on residential property management websites is by far the best and safest method.

2. Know Your Laws

The first thing that you need to do is make sure that you understand the laws of your region. Even if there are no specific rules or regulations in place where you live, it’s still crucial for landlords to be aware of their rights and responsibilities when renting out a property. Knowing your rights will guarantee greater peace of mind and protect you and your tenants from potential conflicts.

3. Reach Out to Current Tenants

Make sure that you maintain a good relationship with your current tenants. They’ll be able to give you detailed information about what needs improvement and when repairs should happen.

If something breaks in between tenancy periods, get out there quickly so that no one gets hurt. Repairing or replacing damaged items while your tenant is on vacation can also keep things running smoothly throughout the year.

4. Honesty About Fees

While it’s okay to charge fees like security deposits and last month’s rent upfront, don’t try to sneak additional fees into legal documents later on down the line, as this will only lead to trouble (and furious tenants).

Being honest about fees includes charging higher rent rates or fees for late payments. It may be tempting to try and make a bigger profit, but it will only hurt your business in the long run.

5. Set Fair Rent Rates

Remember that this is not just about making money; it’s also about providing housing for people who need somewhere safe and comfortable to live.

Make sure rent prices reflect what current market conditions look like so tenants can afford their homes without any unnecessary stress or financial strain. Being transparent with renters from the beginning makes everyone feel better when moving into new places too!

6. The Signing of Legal Documents

When tenants apply for rental properties, have them sign all legal documents on the first day they move in, so there is no question about who owns what. 

Having them sign a rental agreement prevents any miscommunications from taking place. Plus, it protects both you and your tenant if anything were to go wrong later on. (fingers crossed it doesn’t!)

7. Provide a List of Maintenance Contacts

Make sure that tenants can easily reach out to maintenance professionals, whether these are general repairs or damages caused by an accident or natural disaster like flooding in their property.

Home repairs and maintenance should happen as soon as possible to keep everyone safe and comfortable! If this isn’t available, give instructions on how the tenant can handle things themselves without causing further damage.

Apartment Safety

If you own an apartment, ensuring that it is a safe home for your tenant is essential. This infographic explains how renters can keep themselves safe and how a landlord can ensure apartment safety for their tenant. Some of the information can help landlords of homes, as well.


Infographic Provided by KEYper Systems

Another bonus for apartment rentals is to have a balcony or patio area. Even a small space is beneficial, and if it is set up well, your tenant will love the area.

Ways to Be a Great Landlord

While you must ensure a profit on your rental property, you should also work on ways to be a great landlord. When your tenants think you’re great, they’ll take better care of your property and be more likely to pay rent on time. Plus, they might recommend another great person to rent your property once they move out.

Do you have a rental property? How do you ensure a good relationship with your tenant?

Categories
Adulting Finances How To Life

5 Clear Signs that your Business is Failing And What to Do About It

Your Business is Failing

Entrepreneurs have endless creative ideas and passion, so people falsely assume that business comes easily for them. With that being the case, you must be realistic about your business if you want to come out on top. Sometimes this means that you need to recognize the warning signs that your business is failing and make some changes to fix it.

your Business is Failing
Source

Signs That Your Business is Failing

1. You Haven’t Spoken to a Customer in Weeks

Talking to potential customers is the only way to build your business. While you might dread it and think it’s hard, there isn’t much to it. All that you have to do is get out there and start talking to people. Since you already have the ideas and the passion, start talking to potential customers about it. To successfully talk to customers and bring business your way, do the following:

What to do About It

Talking to potential customers is the only way to truly build your business. While you might dread it and think it’s hard, there really isn’t much to it. All that you have to do is get out there and start talking to people. Since you already have the ideas and the passion, start talking to potential customers about it. To successfully talk to customers and bring business your way, do the following:

-build trust by listening, keeping the conversation about the customer, keep the conversation going

-ask the right questions, typically open-ended questions ensuring an honest answer

-recognize and note the stand-out parts of each conversation to help with lead generation and understanding what’s most important to each person

2. Nobody is Talking About You

If no one leaves reviews about your company, or if your community has no idea that you exist, it’s a bad sign. One thing that you should be concerned about is online reviews. Reviewing businesses online is the norm. If you want to improve the quality of your reviews, but it isn’t happening, then this could indicate that you have an underlying problem with your company.

What to do About It

To get people talking about you and your business, do the following:

-build trust and a good reputation by asking for word-of-mouth recognition

-always do your best job, offering first-rate product and service

-ask for feedback and constructive criticism

-request online reviews from current or past customers

-don’t rely only on social media because real-world interaction is best

-try to gain at least one high-profile satisfied customer

-give back to your local community

-build relationships with your customer by sending newsletters and direct mail

-always respond on social media

-say thank you to each customer

–start a blog to give potential customers insight into your knowledge

3. You Keep Making the Same Mistakes

CEOs and business owners don’t tend to do things like this on purpose. If you keep making the same mistakes without acknowledging them, then your company may not be doing too well. You might think that you have solved a problem, only to witness the same outcome that you see repeatedly. The mistakes could be through analytics, or it could be through client responses. If you haven’t figured out why you keep making the same mistakes, then your business is likely on its last legs.

What to do About It

-switch up your routine to inspire you to do things differently

-visualize the process and brainstorm entirely different ideas

-look at things from a different point of view

-avoid doing conventional things and learn to have fun while coming up with creative solutions

4. Your Business is Failing if You Are Not Paying your Bills

A successful company should be able to pay the bills on time. Paying expenses should be a priority. This doesn’t mean that you are in a slump. Instead, it means that you have a severe issue that requires your immediate attention. It also requires that you reflect on what you need help with.

If you need some help with your business money collection, then you may need to think about contacting a cannabis collection agency, if you work in that field or a debt collection agency. Whatever business you are in, start thinking of other ways you can bring money in.

What to do About It

-consider your income goal and determine what it needs to pay for you to pay the bills

-trank income and expenses correctly so you can highlight areas that need to change

-lower your expenses until your income increases

-make sure you’re pricing for profit and adjust as needed

5. Your Business is Complacent

Again, this is something that can go unnoticed until it is far too late. If you look back on the last year that you’ve had, and you don’t feel like you have changed anything in your company, then this could mean that you are heading towards failure. Even the top companies have to experience some degree of change and innovation to keep things moving. Lack of change can be scary because it is easy to miss.

What to do About It

-make a plan for improvement and growth

-outsource time-consuming or problematic tasks

-upgrade your software and equipment

-implement new marketing techniques

Signs that Your Business is Failing And What to Do About It

If your business isn’t generating profit, you must make changes to turn it around. Ignoring the signs that your business is failing won’t make it go away. You already have the ideas and passion, so start finding the problem areas and plan for a positive change.

Do you have any other ideas for what to do when your business is failing? Let us know in the comments! 🙂

Categories
Adulting Finances How To

4 Ways to Increase Sales for Your Small Business Career

Increase Sales for Your Small Business

If you are the owner of a small business and worry about your business career, you must find new ways to boost your sales and create more revenue for your business. Instead of steadfastly looking at ways to increase sales for your small business, you need to take a holistic approach and concentrate on things that will help you naturally boost sales, rather than giving salespeople insane targets, for instance. Implementing insane sales targets may work sometimes, but realistically you need to think broader and perhaps even change the business strategy focus. 

Increase Sales for Your Small Business
Source

How to Increase Sales for Your Small Business

Customer-Centric Approach

To boost sales, you must concentrate on learning as much as possible about your customer base. You can ask for feedback after a sale or have a quick questionnaire. With the advent of social media, this kind of research has never been easier. You have access to a wide range of free materials, but you need to know how to use them.

By creating a posting system, you can work out what products and services speak to your customers. You can discover more about how they live their lives and what your product does to solve the issue they need resolving. If you can understand the mentality behind purchasing a product, you can better target your marketing. Plus, you can also make better products and services which cater specifically to this need.

What Social Media Is Right For Your Restaurant? Check out this in-depth guide to social media platforms for small businesses The tips are definitely not just applicable to restaurants.

Infographic created by Clover Network, a POS system company

Marketing

Using information gathered from the customer research tools you have decided to use, you can create specific target-driven marketing. You will be able to speak directly to your customers. If you are a teacher, specific education marketing needs to target a particular age range and type of person, including gender, interests, etc. There is a wide range of things that need considering to get the marketing just right. But if you do, you will end with a boost in those sales.

Promotions

If you are struggling with sales, create some fun promotions. Discounts are a great way to encourage people to buy your products. Create some competitions, too, as they serve as great material for your social media accounts. Think about including freebies, as well, because everyone loves a freebie! A promotion is a way to entice new people to your brand and get back on track with previous customers.

Customer Service

Always make sure your after-sales are on point. You can save a customer and encourage them to come back through excellent customer service. Ensure there are plenty of ways a customer can reach out, be it by email, phone, webchat, etc., and when they get through, ensure you listen to their issue and resolve it as best you can. Remember, bad news travels faster than good news, so be sure to be professional. A customer generally gives the company a chance before bad-mouthing them.

Increase Sales for Your Small Business

When you want to increase sales for your small business, you must do more than simply raise your sales goals. Implement some of these techniques and see if it helps. Do you have any other ideas for increasing sales? Leave a comment and let us know!

Categories
Adulting How To Life

4 Important Things to Consider When Choosing A Lawyer For Your Family

Choosing A Lawyer

Your family may require the services of a lawyer for many different reasons. You might need a lawyer for child support or custody, property management, medical negligence, or an accident. Whatever the reason, you’ll need to ensure that you choose the right attorney for your family. To help you make an informed choice when choosing a lawyer, keep the following areas in mind.

Choosing A Lawyer
Source

Things to Consider When Choosing A Lawyer

1 . Determine Your Needs 

When you’re choosing a lawyer, start by determining your needs. Determine the specific issue you need help with, and look for a lawyer that works in that niche. There are many different types of law, and choosing a specialist maximizes your chances of success.

You might require a divorce lawyer, a car accident lawyer, a corporate lawyer, or a criminal defense lawyer. Check this website to know how a lawyer can help settle your case. Veterans affected by mesothelioma can work with a specialist mesothelioma lawyer to represent their case. Whatever your problem is, it’s best to seek specialized support.

2. Focus on Experience 

When you’re choosing your lawyer, focus on how much experience they have. Ask how long the attorney has been practicing law and how many years the company has been around. When you’re assessing experience, focus on how many cases have been successful.

You can ask the attorney, read the website, and look at online reviews. There are several law review sites where you’ll find testimonials and reviews. With the help of this info, you’ll be able to make a great decision.

Make a list of questions to ask each potential attorney. Focus these questions around their successes, strengths, and likelihood of winning your case. It’s important to trust your gut feeling and never commit to working with a lawyer if something doesn’t feel right.

3. Think About the Location

Don’t forget to consider the location when you’re choosing a lawyer. If you’re happy to meet via video call, you can choose a lawyer farther away. If you prefer to meet in real life, you’ll need to restrict your search. Remember, the most important thing is choosing a lawyer that you feel at ease with. You’ll need to trust this person and be confident in their abilities.

4. What’s Your Budget 

You’ll need to consider the budget when you’re choosing an attorney for your family. Ask about the prices and the billing structure. Find out how much you’ll be required to pay and when.

Generally speaking, more complex cases involve higher fees. If you choose the best law firm with the best reputation, this may be more expensive. Equally, beware of firms that offer ‘too good to be true’ low fees.

Those who can’t pay for a lawyer might find a pro bono lawyer or get legal aid. There’s no guarantee that you’ll qualify, as it depends on your situation. When it comes to managing your family, you’ll need to budget all your expenses.

Choosing A Lawyer

When you’re choosing an attorney for your family, this should be a decision that you make together. Ensure that everyone is happy with your legal representation before moving forward.

Categories
Adulting Finances Life

3 of the Worst Home Expenses that can Be Cut or Lowered in Your Budget

Worst Home Expenses

Some of your worst home expenses are ones that take up too much of your budget and recur each month. Plus, you’re likely just sick of dealing with them. Luckily, there are some great expense cutting and saving strategies out there to help with your worst home expenses. 

The fact that these expenses can get this bad isn’t only on you. So many people struggle with the expenses below, which are mostly bills, and that’s because they rack up quickly! When you know how bad they can be and how to avoid making them any worse in the future, you have a better chance of living with financial wellness on your shoulders. 

Worst Home Expenses
Source

The Worst Home Expenses

1. Your Credit Card Balance

The total amount of credit card debt in the United States is at $807 billion, with most people in the midst of paying off a $5000+ balance. If you have a high balance to work through, then the interest might just be demoralizing you further. 

To combat this, you could try to apply for a balance transfer card. Try to tackle the higher end of your credit card debt, including purchases that carry a high amount of interest (APR) before you tackle anything else. 

2. Your Mortgage Payments

Dealing with your mortgage payments can be tricky. The longer the term of your mortgage, the more you have to pay. Plus, who knows when the interest rate is going to go up and make things even more expensive? However, there’s a lot you can do here. 

You could try refinancing or recasting the mortgage, both of which will allow you to eliminate your mortgage expenses quicker. Both of these options have their own benefits based on current financial standing.

Another good thing to do is keep an eye on the mortgage market. Using quote sites such as MortgageQuote.com, you can get an in-depth look at the kind of mortgage payment amounts and terms for properties like yours, and secure a much better deal because of it. 

3. Your Reliable Transport

Having a vehicle costs a ton of money over the years, even if you stop noticing the expense. The average amount a person will pay for their car or financing each month is $706. This amount is probably more than you’re paying for your mortgage in the same time frame. 

You have to factor maintenance needs and gas into this number, too. However, factoring maintenance into your emergency fund and joining a mileage rewards program are two good ways to combat these costs. 

The Worst Home Expenses that can Be Cut or Lowered

Some home expenses are worse than others, and the ones listed here are some of the worst home expenses. Make sure you can deal with them effectively, and limit the long-term stress of these expenses. In the meantime, try to find ways to cut or lower the expenses.

Leave a comment and give a tip for cutting or lowering some of the worst home expenses!

Categories
Adulting Finances For the Home Home How To Life

3 Ways Decluttering Your Home Can Make You Money

decluttering your home can make you money

Clutter can be a problem for any household, and there are many reasons you should clean it up. One of the most convincing reasons is that decluttering your home can make you money. Whether you need a bit of cash to help pay your household bills or you’re looking to sell a collection of things that you know are worth a lot of money, decluttering can be a surprisingly good way to make money.

decluttering your home can make you money
Source

How Decluttering Your Home Can Make You Money

1. Decluttering Means Spending Less On Storage

Since you won’t have to continue buying things to store your items, decluttering can save you a ton of money. Whether it’s buying new shelves, storage boxes, or renting a storage space, you won’t have to do as much. If you spend too much money on storage furniture and other random items, decluttering will decrease those expenses.

Make the most of your storage space and don’t keep adding more shelves and cupboards to your home. Get rid of unwanted clutter, and you won’t have to spend so much money on storage furniture.

2. Unwanted Gift Cards Can Be Sold

When you received a gift card in the past, you’d have to use it before it expired. These days, you can sell Target gift cards and gift cards for other major brands such as Walmart and Apple.

It’s surprisingly painless, and you don’t need to invest much time into the process. You just give the code to the service, and they’ll check that it’s real. Then you get credited the money in your bank account.

If you declutter your home, you might find old Christmas and Birthday cards that still have gift cards in them. It’s not the most likely situation, but it’s still possible. More likely, you might find gift cards tucked away that you forgot about. Plus, you won’t feel obligated to buy more things that you don’t need for your home with a gift card.

3. You Can Sell Electronics That Still Work

If you’re like most people, you probably have a fairly large collection of random electronics, cables, and other similar items. You might have old smartphones that still work or even an old games console that you don’t use anymore. If you have no use for these items, you can sell for extra cash on eBay or a similar website.

Make sure you look at the value of these items before you decide to sell them. The items can be worth quite a bit of money, and it’s essential that they’re valued correctly. When they are valued correctly, you can get the most money possible.

If you are listing similar items, you can match the prices. On the other hand, with things like an antique or old collectible, you might need expert assistance.

Decluttering Your Home Can Make You Money

If you have clutter around your home, you could be missing out on an earning opportunity. You can declutter your home and make money at the same time. Now that you know how decluttering your home can make you money, you can get started right away.

Categories
Adulting Finances For the Home Home How To

3 Simple Ways To Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

One of the most challenging tasks when owning investment property is keeping your properties well maintained. To do this, you need to consider every aspect of the property and make sure that it keeps functioning as it did when it was brand new.

This will allow your house’s value to be on an increment and when you need to sell, you get a return on investment nothing. Your property’s main areas that require constant maintenance are electronics, drainage, wall paint, and flooring.

Taking good care of these areas of your house will ensure the value never decreases and that you don’t lose money in the investment process. Like the care and attention to detail you embrace when trying to find suitable tenants, you will also have to keep your investment properties well maintained.

Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained
Source 

How to Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

Electronics

Electronics are always the first component of a property that poses issues for tenants. These electronics include your garage motors, light switches, lightbulbs, and any other electrically powered fixed fittings. It must be said that an annual electrical maintenance check-up by a local electrician can quickly resolve this. 

Plumbing 

The worst problem you may experience is plumbing. This is merely due to the purpose that plumbing fulfills. Plumbing ensures that the household remains odor-free as well as a hygienic environment for living.

When plumbing starts causing problems, a specialist should immediately be called in. To avoid getting regular emergency plumbing services, consider getting sewer drain cleaning done once per year. It will ensure your drains remain clean and that no blockages occur due to dirty plumbing systems. 

Aesthetics 

The finishings on your property are bound to be affected by ordinary wear and tear over time. It means that your tiles will crack, your wall paint will fade, and your roof may start leaking. These things are all normal and should be dealt with right away.

Your house needs to be painted every 5 – 7 years to avoid the paint fading. The roof should be checked immediately when it starts leaking, and flooring must be replaced when it’s damaged beyond repair. These sound like expensive renovations, but they’re not, as long as you deal with them immediately.

Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

Regardless of what maintenance your property needs, there’s no reward in avoiding it. It will have to be done at some point, but it doesn’t need to be at great expense. There are many surprisingly inexpensive but still high quality and aesthetically pleasing means of keeping your properties well maintained.

Don’t ignore the issues and upset your tenants or let the issues get worse. If you decide to sell and have many issues, you could lose money, too. Start now and ensure that the tenants occupying your property remain happy with the living circumstances your property offers.

Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

Do you have investment properties? If so, how to you work to keep your investment properties well maintained? Would you add anything to the list? Let me know in the comments!