Friday, 8 April 2022

Investing in Stocks for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide to Investing With No Finance Background

                                            Image Credit: Pecondo CA on Unsplash

Stocks and investment can seem intimidating to the uninitiated. Even for those with a general understanding of the markets, the terminology, and the concepts behind them, the process of putting together a well-diversified portfolio can seem like a minefield.

If you’re reading this, then you’re probably looking to get started with investing, but you might need a little help navigating the choppy waters of the Stock Market. Luckily, you’re in the right place. Investing can be a complicated topic, but not in the way you might think.

If you’re looking to get started with investing but don’t know where to begin, then you can continue perusing below contents. In this article, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about investing before you get started.

What does Investing in Stocks Mean?

Stocks are an investment; they are not a bank account. You are not lending money to anyone or receiving a return on your investment. There is a certain level of risk involved in all investments, but there is also a certain level of return that comes with that risk.

Stocks are a contract between an investor and the organization that is offered it in the form of a share of ownership. The ownership of a company is transferred via stock certificates or via a stock exchange.

You are purchasing a share of a firm whenever you invest in it. In exchange, the company promises to give you profits, which is known as dividends. The portion of the profits that you get as a dividend is known as a dividend yield.

What you need to do to start Investing in Stocks

Stocks can be bought in a number of different ways. Asset classes, funds that invest in a variety of equities, mutual funds that pool money from many people to buy a big number of stocks, and exchange traded funds are all options. You can purchase individual stocks via a brokerage account or via a mutual fund. The brokerage account method is the most common way to purchase stocks.

You can go with a low-cost brokerage for a tax-advantaged portfolio or use a robo-advisor (online investment advisor) like Personal Capital or Trove. You can take advantage of a number of free resources to build a diversified, low-cost portfolio. Having a diversified portfolio is imperative and judicious implementation of the steps enumerated below will be handy.

1a. Make a decision about how you'd like to invest in the stock market. Many options exit on how you can start investment in stocks. You may adopt the ‘do it yourself approach’ whereby you opt to handpick stocks by yourself. Doing this will entail that you gather technical, fundamental and financial statements analysis techniques so as to ensure you don’t make investment decision based on sentiment.

 1b. Based on your outlined investment objective, you may engage the services of experts or brokerage firms to carry out the investment for you. Robo advisors may be deployed to ensure optimal maximization of your investment.

 1c. Investment may be initiated through your employer if you are employed. There may not be access to individual stocks for you but small contributions for accessibility to stock mutual fund is tenable in making room for regular investments with the long-term position in mind.

 2. Select and open an investment account. This is necessarily important as you will need a platform for buying and selling of stocks of interest to you. The account opening can be done by a Robo Advisor or a Brokerage Account. The decision to opt for any of this account opening type has to hinge on cost of brokerage commission, benefits in terms of assistance with information and knowledge sharing and proven track record. If you do not want to lean on doing most of the investment activities personally, then you might consider Robo advisor.

 3. You need to know the difference between investments in funds and stocks. Stocks entails investment in company stocks individually while funds involved pooling of funds together: this makes room for smaller investment amounts through mutual funds or exchange traded funds.

 4. Determine your budget for the investment project. Setting your budget for this project will depend on your chosen investment type, your income level and your attitude towards risk. A safer advice for beginner with meagre income is that they look towards funds investment. That said, diversification is also key, hence there should be a mix with the larger chunk of your money going into funds while the rest is channelled into stock. That is, an 80/20 rule.

 5. Maintain control of your stock portfolio. Managing and maintaining control of your portfolio is not all about checking your investment every minute and engrossing yourself with fear. Yes, you need to periodically check in to see what’s going on but the real deal is to look at your circumstances and then position your investment in a way that it is safe with and on low risk. That is why diversification of your portfolio across industries is imperative. You also need to keep yourself abreast of vital information so that you can take proactive action.

6. Take a long-term position. Embrace the focus of investing for a long term. Overtime, Stock investment have shown to be viable with this ideology. Despite whatever happens, the long-term average may be favourable for you.

The Different Types of Stocks

There are a number of different types of stocks that you can invest in. They range from stocks that are very safe and conservative to stocks that are very risky and volatile.

You’re going to have to decide which type of stocks you want to invest in. If you’re just getting started, you’re probably going to want to stick to the safer end of the spectrum.

The following are some of the most common types of stocks:

Utility Stocks: A utility stock is a somewhat safe bet because it is supposed to provide consistent and predictable dividends. They are usually less volatile than other stocks but provide lower returns.

Tech Companies: There are risks inherent in different sectors but most tech companies have shown tremendous potentials for growth. Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, Apple Cisco Systems all show growth potentials.

Biotech and Medical Stocks: Biotech and medical stocks are risky because they often deal with new and experimental drugs. These stocks have a very high risk of failure and are not for the faint of heart.

Energy Stock: Energy stocks are however tricky because they are frequently composed of a single commodity, such as oil, gas, or coal. They are frequently vulnerable to price fluctuations.

Gold and Silver Stocks: Gold and silver stocks are also known as commodity stocks. They are often very volatile, but they also offer the potential for higher profit margins in a rising market.

How to Buy Stocks

There are a few ways to buy stocks. You can purchase shares on a exchange, you can purchase shares on an over-the-counter (OTC) market, or you can purchase shares with a broker.

Purchase Shares on an Exchange: The most common way to purchase stocks is on an exchange. You can find a list of all the major exchanges at InvestingStocks.com. One thing you need to keep in mind is that most brokerage firms will not allow you to trade stocks unless you have a minimum amount of money in your account. Make sure you have at least that much in your account before you purchase your first stock.

 The 3 Most Important Lessons About Investing in Stocks You Need to Know

There are a lot of misconceptions about investment in stocks out there. Here are the 3 most important lessons you need to know about stocks:

  • There really is no such thing as a perfect statistic. Different players in the stock business both the highly experienced and beginners have various ways of analysing stocks and drawing conclusions. There is no quintessential number that delineates bad and good stocks. There are always fluctuations and volatility in prices is real.

  •  Nothing is completely sure and rubberstamped. Most predictions and analysis do not completely turn out as predicted, even the ones done by highly placed professionals. Yields, dividends and prices of stocks may swing either way. Strategies employed to mitigate on this is the best way to go especially when long term position is factored into consideration.
  •  It is a truism that buying low and selling high is a sure way to making profit. This translates to the volatile nature of the stock market. The bullish nature at some period in time does not permanently persist. Knowing when to go in and take position is vital if the objects of investing activities are to be met.

Conclusion

Stocks are an excellent way to build wealth. The more stocks you own, the better your investment portfolio will be. Owning a small amount of a few different types of stocks is better than owning a large amount of one type of stock.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about investing in stocks, so make sure you’re staying informed so you can make the most of your money.

Thursday, 7 April 2022

Seven Steps to Managing Your Money and Avoiding Debt

                                                                                             Image Credit:Monstera in pexel.com

You might be in debt. Or you might just be getting your hands on your first credit card. Or maybe you’ve got a little debt here and there, but nothing that’s getting you down. Whatever your situation, you face the same challenge: You want to manage your money so that you never get into debt again. But how can you do that? It isn't as difficult as you may believe. With a few simple changes to your spending habits and strategies for getting out of debt, you can manage your money and avoid getting into debt again. Here are seven steps to managing your money and avoiding debt.

Step 1: Track All of Your Money

If you want to know how much money you have, where it’s going, and how much you can safely spend, tracking your spending is a fantastic way to start. If you’ve never tracked your money before, you should get started as soon as possible. There are a lot of online tools to choose from, and many of them are free. Some of the best online tools to help you track your money include: Mint: This web app will help you keep track of your spending, set financial goals, track your progress towards those goals, and even send you alerts as soon as your balance falls below a certain amount. You’ll have to provide your own secure account, but it’s easy to set up. If you have a smartphone, you can also use their app. You might even want to sign up for their premium service, which offers more insights, tools, and security.

Step 2: Keep An Eye Out For impulse Buys

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they don’t have enough money is to make impulsive purchases. These are things that you want, but you don’t really need. Or you have the money to spend, but you just really want to have it right now. When you don’t have the money to buy something, your urge to buy it is way stronger than it would be if you had the money to buy it. So the trick is to keep an eye out for those kinds of purchases and not make them in the first place. There are a few options for accomplishing this. First, before you make any big purchases, write them down. You can either write them down in a notebook or use the online tool I mentioned above. This will help you remember not to buy the things you wrote down, as well as make it easier for you to track your spending.

Step 3: Be Realistic About How Much You Can Save

You don’t have to have a ton of money saved up to avoid debt, but you do need to have a little bit put away. The truth is that most of us don’t have enough money saved up to cover a massive expense like debt. This is one of the biggest challenges that people face when they want to get out of debt: They don’t have the money to pay off their debt, but they don’t have the funds saved up to cover the debt either. So how do you manage your money so that you never get into debt again without having a ton of cash saved up? The answer is that you need to be realistic about how much you can save. The most important thing is to set a goal. If you want to get out of debt, then your goal should be to have enough money saved up to pay off your debt when you are an adult. If you want to pay off your debt quickly, then you should aim to have enough money saved up to pay for about half of your debt in one year. And if you want to get out of debt even faster, you can aim to have enough money saved up to pay for about one third of your debt in one year. Once you have a goal in mind, it’s easier to plan your money so that you never get into debt again.

Step 4: Set Up A Debt repayment plan

If you’re like most people, you have a plan for how you’ll pay your bills when you get them. But do you have a plan for how you’ll pay for your debt? Some of the best ways to avoid debt and get out of debt quickly include setting up a debt repayment plan. A debt repayment plan is when you put a little bit of money aside every month to pay off your debt. The nice thing about a debt repayment plan is that it’s not difficult to set up at all. You don’t even have to get approval from a third party like a lender. In fact, many credit unions will even let you set up a debt repayment plan without even telling your creditors. It’s easy to set up a debt repayment plan if you just start writing down how much you’ll be saving every time that you incur a new debt. So if you have a credit card debt, put $50 in a savings account every time that you pay that debt. You can track your progress on a debt repayment plan online through sites like Mint.

Step 5: Bump up the savings rate

Once you’ve set up a debt repayment plan and started putting money away to pay off your debt, there’s only one thing left to do: Increase the savings rate. The more money you save, the less debt you’ll have in your lifetime, and the less chance that you’ll ever have to get a credit card again. So the only question is this: Where do you start? The answer is that it really depends on how much debt you currently have. If you have a small amount of debt, the best thing to do is to set a goal to pay off a specific amount of debt by a certain date. For example, if you have $300 of debt, you could set a goal to get rid of $50 of that debt by the end of the year. Or you could set a goal to pay off $200 of your debt by next spring. If you have a larger amount of debt, then it makes more sense to bump up your savings rate a little bit at a time. The best thing to do is to start by setting a goal to save $20 every week. Once you’ve done that for a month, bump up your goal to $30, and so on.

Step 6: Don’t rely on credit cards to save you

One of the most common questions that people ask when they want to get out of debt is whether or not they should use credit cards to help them get out of debt. The answer is that it really depends on your specific situation. If you have a low limit credit card that you only use for emergencies and you pay it off every month, then using that card to save for big purchases makes sense. If, on the other hand, you have a credit card with a $5,000 limit that you’ve been using to make almost all of your purchases, then using that card to save is a bad idea. Instead, you should negotiate a lower interest rate on your credit card and start making payments. The best way to do this is to make a list of everything that you owe on your credit card and call your credit card company. Explain to them that you want to get out of debt, and ask them for a lower interest rate.

 

Step 7: Estimate how long it will take to get out of debt

One of the best ways to manage your money and avoid debt is to estimate how long it will take to get out of debt. This is important because it gives you a deadline to work towards. If you know that you have a year before your debt is due to be paid off, then you have something to look forward to. And by setting a goal to pay off your debt in a certain amount of time, you’ll be more likely to achieve that goal. The best way to get an estimate is to plug your income and your debt amount into a debt repayment calculator. Once you have an estimate, you can go on to the next step which is to make a plan to get out of debt.

Conclusion

Managing your money and avoiding debt isn’t as hard as you might think. It’s a simple process that involves taking small steps to get your financial act together and following a plan of action. In order to win and change the habit of being in uncontrollable debt, you have to be intentional in applying the above stipulated steps. Make it a daily routine to always take a look at your personal finance plan so that you will not veer off track.

 

 

Tuesday, 5 April 2022

A Look at the Indicators That May Prove the Future of Cryptocurrency

                                                                                            Photo by Kanchanara on Unsplash

The future of cryptocurrency has become a staple of popular discussions and mainstream media coverage in recent months. In the lead-up to the 2017 bull run, many predicted that the industry was about to take off. Now that the dust has settled, what can we say about the future of cryptocurrency? Presently, it is too early to tell. While there are definitely positive long-term trends, the future of cryptocurrency is still very much up in the air. To get a better idea of where things are headed, let’s take a look at a number of the most important indicators.

Regulations are Coming

As soon as we begin to see a significant increase in the number of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), the SEC will take notice. The number of investors involved in cryptocurrency markets is still relatively small, which makes it easy for bad actors to take advantage of the crowd. Once the SEC realizes that a large number of people are getting involved with ICOs, they will put out statements about it. They have already cautioned investors about some of the risks involved with ICO investing. In the future, we should see stricter regulations, which will make it harder for fraudsters to exploit the ICO space.

 Although global authorities have already been engaged on analyzing vulnerabilities and effective policy solutions to the proliferation of cryptos, there seems to be no inclusive and integrated regulation of cryptocurrencies. Monetary authorities and regulatory agencies throughout the world are now keeping tabs on this rising trend. Countries ranging from China to El Salvador have begun examining and enacting various regulatory solutions, despite having a shared goal of preserving their financial systems and fostering development and economic progress.

Although some countries, like as India, have modified their laws, others, such as Liechtenstein, have offered customized approaches. Some other strategy, which appears to be favored by the EU and the United Arab Emirates, is to create wholly new regulators to manage with the industry as a whole.

ICOs are Becoming Popular

We are starting to see more widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies in general. This is likely to continue over the next few years as the market matures. More people will want to get involved with cryptocurrencies as they become more popular. This will drive demand, which will likely cause prices to rise. At the same time, more established investors are looking at ways to get exposure to the cryptoasset market. This might result to an increase in the number of professional investors in the future. As more people get involved with ICOs, it will make it easier for them to get approval from financial regulators. This could increase the number of ICOs that get funded in the future.

 Institutional Investors Are Getting Involved

As soon as the market started to become legitimate, a few large investment firms began looking into ways to get involved. Currently, they represent only a small percentage of overall investment. They have shown great interest, however, and are likely to increase their exposure in the future. More institutional investors means an increased risk of price manipulation and other unethical practices. All of this raises important questions about how best to regulate the industry. At the same time, it is important to remember that many institutional investors also drive long-term growth.

Bitcoin is the Industry leader

Bitcoin is the classic example of a cryptocurrency that is leading the way. More than anything, this is what will determine the future of cryptocurrency. If the price of Bitcoin keeps rising, it will draw in more people who want to get involved with it. This will help to drive demand, which may culminate to increased adoption of other cryptocurrencies in the future. If people see that Bitcoin is a good investment, they may be more willing to give other cryptocurrencies a shot as well. At present, Bitcoin is exhibiting some very healthy long-term growth. This may translate to even more growth in the future.

We have all heard of Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market cap. While all these other altcoins - or alternative coins - may, at present, be marketed to and track fundamental drivers, Bitcoin’s investment value has been growing steadily and will likely continue to do so as its liquidity becomes more prominent. It is important to note that the more comprehensive better asset line – one that includes both Bitcoin and Ethereum – is showing much greater returns than any of the individual asset-tropes.

Other Cryptocurrencies are Exhibiting Strong Growth

There are countless other cryptocurrencies that are already well on their way to becoming major players. Some of these cryptocurrencies are already experiencing very strong growth. Over the next few years, it is likely that we will see many more. This is great news for cryptoinvestors. It means that there is plenty of opportunity to find new and profitable investments in the growing cryptoasset market. One only has to look at the number of new cryptocurrencies that have been introduced over the past few months to see how quickly things are moving.

Cryptoassets as a whole are Evolving

At this moment in time, we are in the very early stages of the cryptocurrency revolution. This revolution is still in its infancy, which means that we can expect tremendous volatility. Long-term growth, however, is likely to be very significant. Cryptocurrencies are still very much in their infancy, which means that we can expect them to change a lot over the next few years. This is especially true when we look at the long-term growth prospects of different cryptocurrencies. As time goes on, it is likely that we will see the cryptoasset market evolve into something more stable and mature.

 More than a third of the global financial system is now powered by blockchain technology. It is only a matter of time before regulators realize this and begin to offer more positive regulation. When they do, it will be a game changer for the industry. It will allow cryptocurrencies to reach their true potential, which is to become a legitimate form of money.

7 Forex Trading Strategies to Help You Avoid Losses

                                                                                               Image Credit: Pixels.com

Foreign exchange (or forex) trading is a risky activity that can lead to massive losses as well as incredible gains. While the former is reality for many traders, the latter is within the reach of almost anyone who is willing to learn and practice sound trading strategies. If you’re just getting started with forex trading, then you’ll undoubtedly experience losses as well as some small profits. However, if you’re looking to hedge your bets and significantly reduce the risk, then you should consider implementing one or more forex trading strategies. Here are 7 strategies that will help you avoid losses and increase your chances of bringing home profits.

Use a Forex Trading Strategy

First and foremost, regardless of which forex trading strategies you choose to implement, you must remember to use them. You can’t sit back and hope to magically make money through forex trading by just trading and hoping for the best. If you want to turn a profit, then you must have a trading strategy.

If you choose to trade manually, then you can take advantage of gap openings and stock transitions by reading the news and chart analysis, as well as following notable forex gurus on different platforms to learn from their strategies to enable you come up with yours. However, if you’re willing to employ forex trading strategies, then you can significantly reduce your risk while making more consistent profits.

Hire a Forex Analyst

When it comes to developing and executing a forex trading strategy, hiring a forex analyst can be a very valuable resource. A forex trader’s job is to look at trends, analyse data, and then interpret that data so that investors and traders can make better decisions. An analyst’s job is to break down the information so that the average investor can understand what is happening.

An advantage of using a forex trading strategy is that it can help you to avoid making mistakes that could lead to losses, as well as costly complications. With a strategy in place, you can simply hand over your trades to a forex analyst and let them handle the execution. If you want to take control, then this might not be the best option for you.

Use a Forex Robots

Although hiring a forex trader can help to avoid trading mistakes, it is still important to be aware of the various risks associated with forex trading. One of the most significant risks is losing control of your trades. As a result, many traders use forex robots to reduce their risk while increasing their returns.
A forex robots is a piece of software that automatically executes trades based on pre-programmed trading strategies. There are a variety of forex robots that you can choose from. However, most forex robots can be split into two categories – MetaTrader and quantitative. MetaTrader is the name of the company’s proprietary trading platform, and quantitative robots usually use technical analysis to make trading decisions.

Don’t trade too often

One of the most significant risks of forex trading is becoming emotionally involved with the trading process. You must approach trading as if you were playing a sport, and you must trade with the same cool headedness and clear-headedness that you use during training.

If you become too invested in the success or failure of a particular trade, then it is much more likely that you will make a mistake. If you make too many mistakes, then you could end up losing more than you would have if you’d simply sat back and done nothing.

You must avoid getting emotionally involved with your trading if you want to avoid losses. Simply trading too frequently can result in an overreaction that leads to a loss. However, trading too infrequently can also have an opposite effect, as it can lead to underreaction and stagnation.

Always use Forex trading strategies

While it is important to avoid getting emotionally involved with your trading, it is even more important to use forex trading strategies. If you don’t employ forex trading strategies, then you could easily end up making a number of mistakes that could lead to large losses.

One of the most significant forex trading strategies is to have a trading plan. A trading plan is essential because it helps you to avoid making mistakes. Having a trading plan can also help you to get the most value from any given trading strategy.

If you’re just starting out with forex trading, then you should use a trading plan that is based on trading guidelines. Trading guidelines help you to avoid making common beginner’s mistakes, such as not knowing when to hold and when to offload or sell.

Day trading – Is it for you?

Many would say that day trading is the ultimate forex trading strategy, as it requires the most skill and knowledge to be successful at it. However, it’s important to note that day trading carries a significant amount of risk.

First and foremost, you must have the financial resources to deal with the high costs associated with day trading. A large portion of these costs comes from the amount of capital needed to be on the lookout for potential opportunities. Unless you are willing to invest a significant amount of money in the forex market, then day trading is unlikely to be an option for you.

However, even if you have the financial resources to successfully day trade, there are still risks. You could end up losing a significant amount of money if you make a number of serious mistakes, such as using leverage, trading too frequently, and not diversifying your portfolio.

If you choose to day trade, then you must be willing to accept the risks associated with it. Remember, even if you have the financial resources to back your trades, you could still lose them.

How to spot a scam FX broker and avoid them

It’s easy to get intimidated when considering the wide variety of forex brokers that are out there. Unlike stock or mutual fund brokerages, forex brokers don’t all operate under the same regulatory guidelines.

This means that you need to do your due diligence before choosing a forex broker. You want to make sure that the company you choose to do business with is legitimate, as well as trustworthy. You also want to make sure that the company is actually selling forex, and not some other commodity.

Here are some questions that you need to ask yourself to determine if a forex broker is a good fit for you. Are they regulated? – Brokers that are not regulated by a government agency are considered to be high-risk. These are the brokers to avoid.

Bottom line

Finally, when you’re ready to get started with forex trading, then you must remember that it’s a process. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to lose trades. However, you can significantly reduce the risk of losing your money by following the advice and examples provided in this article.

6 Investment Apps You Can Use Today to Enhance Your Investments

 

                                                                                                                 Image Credit: Unsplash

Investing is a great way to grow your money, but it can also be a daunting prospect. There are so many options and choices, and it can be challenging to know where to begin. Fortunately, technology has made investing a little easier. Many financial apps allow you to invest on the go, track your portfolio and stay on top of your investments. These apps can help you maximize your returns, identify underperforming assets and stay organized. This article will highlight some of the best investing apps available. Everything from budget investing apps to stock market tracking apps will be covered. Before diving into the nitty-gritty details, take a look at the following:

What Is Investment App Technology?

Investment apps are computer software programs that allow you to superintend your financial goals from the palm of your hand. Most apps are web-based, meaning they connect to a computer network via the internet. You can access them via a smartphone, tablet or computer with internet access. Investment apps can connect to stock brokerages, investment funds and brokerage accounts. They are a great way to keep track of your financials and track your investment portfolio. They can also be a great way to learn about investing and grow your money.

Best Overall Investment App

Betterment is an investing app that focuses on cost efficiency. The app charges a $30 monthly fee, but it also offers a low-cost investment strategy. Betterment takes a hands-off approach to investing, which is ideal for customers who want to learn about investments but don’t want to manage their money. The app provides you with a nice dashboard to view your investments and make basic updates. You can set up a portfolio of investments to track your spending, savings and investment goals. You can also set up a dividend reinvestment plan to automatically purchase additional shares of stock when they’re sold. Betterment’s Investment Strategy Lab provides you with various investment strategies to choose from. You can also connect your brokerage account to Betterment to track your portfolio and make basic updates.

Best Mobile Investment App

If you invest a lot of time on the go, you should consider investing through an app. BlackRock offers a wide range of investment apps to choose from, including mobile apps. The BlackRock mobile app offers investors access to their investment portfolio and tools to stay on top of their investments. You can view your portfolio balances, recent transactions and performance statistics. You can also set up push notifications to receive updates on the stock market while on the go. The BlackRock app also provides insight into your investments and shows how your spending and saving habits are linked to your investments.

 Best Stocks and ETF App

If you’re interested in tracking the performance of specific stocks or exchange traded funds (ETFs), there are a number of apps that can help. Robinhood is one of the most popular apps for tracking specific stocks and ETFs. The app lets you buy and sell shares directly from your phone without fees. You can track up to five different investments at one time. Robinhood offers no-fees trades for most securities, with some notable exceptions. You can view basic information about each stock and ETF, such as price, daily change and profit/loss from your investment. You can also track investment performance for the past six months. With Robinhood, you don’t need to pay brokerage fees or manage multiple accounts. You can keep track of your investments, monitor your portfolio and stay on top of market performance with a single app.

Best Bond Investment App

Investing in bonds can provide a steady stream of income. However, it’s important to understand the difference between a bond and a bond fund. A bond is a liability(debt) that is provided by government, a corporation, or a municipality. You typically get back a fixed amount at the end of the period. A bond fund is a group of bonds that have been pooled together. Both allow you to generate income while keeping your assets safe in a secure investment. You can track bond funds on your phone with Digit. The app lets you make your own bond portfolio depending on your investment objectives. You can also connect your brokerage account to track your investment and make basic updates.

Best Real Estate Investment App

Real estate investing apps allow you to stay on top of your investments in real estate. Zillow is a great real estate investing app to find investment opportunities. The app shows you homes for sale in your area and gives you information about the properties, such as price, square footage and beds and baths. You can also search for homes by price, bedrooms and baths. You can set up alerts to receive email notifications when a home matches your search criteria. You can also set up push notifications to receive updates on homes that match your search criteria. Real estate investment can help you vary your portfolio while also generating passive income.

P2P Investment App

Investing in private peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms can be a great way to generate passive income. Lending Club is one of the most well-known P2P lending platforms, and it offers an app for your phone. The app allows you to track your investments, view recent loan listings, track your lending performance and make payments directly from your phone. You can also keep track of your credit score and receive credit-related alerts. Investing in P2P lending can be a great way to diversify your portfolio and earn some passive income.

Final Words: Invest Wisely

Investing apps can be a great way to stay on top of your finances and track your investments. However, you must use them wisely. These apps are only as good as the information they contain. Make sure you understand how each app works and what information it provides before making any investments. Invest wisely, and you will be able to benefit from the wide range of investment apps available today.

Monday, 4 April 2022

You’re Missing Out: Master These 6 Personal Finance Skills To Live The Good Life

                                                                                                                        Image Credit:Unsplash

Whether you’re a total financial newbie or just want to up your game, It's a good idea to learn a few trade secrets. After all, money isn’t the only measure of success. It is imperative to note that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That’s why learning to manage your money more effectively is such a valuable skill. The sooner you can build a solid financial foundation, the sooner you can reap the rewards. And the sooner you can put that financial foundation to use in your daily life, the happier you’ll be.

Save As Much As You Can

Monetary savings is always a good idea, and for most people, their primary goal is to save as much as possible. And for good reason! In this day and age, where we’re constantly being reminded that everything is slowly becoming more expensive, it’s essential to put some money away for a rainy day. That’s why the first step to becoming financially secure is to learn how to save as much as possible.

There are a few various approaches you can take. You might strive to save as much money as possible by reducing your spending. Or, You can also go through your monthly budget and see where you can save money. Ideally, you want to aim to save at least 10% of your income. If you can, save more. The more you save, the less you have to worry about when it comes to money in the long run.

Reduce Your Monthly Costs

After you’ve saved as much as possible and have some money set aside in a savings account, the next step is to review your budget and see where you can make some cuts.

One of the best ways to do this is to review your monthly expenses and see if you can eliminate anything. While we all have bills that we need to pay, it’s also important to keep in mind that you don’t need to pay for things that aren’t essential.

Examine your monthly budget carefully to see if there are any gaps or areas where you may save money.. If you rent, for example, attempt to negotiate a cheaper rent or consider moving to a different place. If you own your home, examine if there is anything you can get rid of, such as a piece of furniture you no longer use or an extra cable subscription you don't need.

Grow Your Wealth

One of the best ways to protect your future financial security is to grow your wealth. And the best way to do this is through investment.

Investment doesn’t have to be complex or scary. With a little bit of research, you can learn how to invest in low-risk, high-return stocks and bonds that will help you create wealth over the long term.

There are lots of different ways to invest your money, including investing in your own business. If you have a spare moment, working out a business idea is a great way to turn your money into money.

Protect What You’ve Earned

One of the scariest things about becoming financially secure is the idea of losing your job. And while the risk of this happening is relatively low, it’s still something to be afraid of. After all, if you lose your job, you lose your income, which means you lose your ability to pay your bills.

Making sure that you protect what you’ve earned is essential. The best way to do this is to set up a savings account with a high-interest rate that will help you protect your money from losing its value.

A good savings account will have a high rate of interest so that you are guaranteed to make money even if the market drops.

Secure Your Financial Future

Additionally, make sure that you are taking care of your financial future by making sure that you are putting away a small amount of money each month. This is money that will be used to help pay your bills in the future.

For example, if you are 27 years old and just starting out, you should be putting away at least 3% of your income. If you aren’t, then you are leaving a lot of money on the table.

This is money that could go a long way in helping you take care of expensive health problems, replace stolen or destroyed expensive documents, replace your car if it gets totalled, and a lot more.

Make The Most Of Your Money

The best way to make sure that you make the most of your money is to have control over how you spend it. This means that you have to be very intentional with every single dollar that you earn.

First, decide exactly how much money you want to make. Then, decide how you are going to spend your money each and every single dollar that you earn should be spent on something that will increase your income.

Otherwise, you are simply wasting your money.

 Bottom line

Losing track of your money is like losing your keys - it's a very stressful and potentially costly event. If you want to avoid this, learn the basics of financial management. You'll be glad you did.

 

8 Altcoins To Watch Out For In Second Quarter of 2022, And How You Can Profit From Their Growth

                                                                                                                            Image Credit: Unsplash

The cryptocurrency world is changing at an alarming pace. While this has been a good thing for adoption, it has also made it difficult to keep track of what is happening. However, while these gains are exciting, they can also be nerve-wracking. After all, the more money that flows into an investment, the more risk there is that it will lose value. If you’re new to the world of cryptocurrency, this rapid price volatility may be confusing and intimidating. However, if you understand the fundamentals of supply and demand, it’s possible to capitalize on this volatility to earn money. New cryptocurrencies are being created almost every day, making it difficult for investors to keep tabs on them all. When it comes to making money in this market, it is important to be aware of the new players. Many new digital currencies have the potential to grow in value over time. If you are interested in taking your investment to the next level, you should keep an eye on the following altcoins.

Cardano

What Is It?

Cardano is a decentralized open-source blockchain platform developed by the Cardano Foundation. The project’s goal is to become the “third generation blockchain”, after Bitcoin and Ethereum. Cardano is fully mineable and contains its own cryptocurrency, the ADA. The project is led by a scientific philosophy and is highly focused on the needs of the market.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

Cardano is a promising investment because it is fully mineable and has its own proprietary currency, the ADA. The team wants to be the “third generation blockchain” after Bitcoin and Ethereum, which means it has a lot to prove. However, with a strong focus on the needs of the market, it is possible that the Cardano blockchain will be the one that makes it big. Cardano’s price as the time of writing this article is $1.20 USD and the 24 hour trading volume is $1,558,303378 USD. It is placed number seven by CoinMarketCap, and it has a live market capitalization of $40,603,714,468 USD.

Ethereum

What Is It?

Ethereum is a blockchain-based software platform that enables developers to build and run applications that use blockchain technology. It’s a highly popular platform for Initial Coin Offerings (ICO), as an entrepreneurs can use it to issue their own cryptocurrencies that can be used for fundraising.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

Ethereum is a good investment because it’s used by so many people. More than 40,000 merchant around the world are using Ethereum to improve the way they do business. You can also use it to trade peer-to-peer with like-minded people or invest in ICOs. According to CoinMarketCap, Ethereum is number two with a live price today of $3,474.66 USD and a trading volume of $16,701,805,119 USD in the last 24 hours.

 NEO

What Is It?

NEO is a blockchain architecture designed for the creation of smart contracts and distributed applications. It is a smart contract blockchain that can be used to host almost any kind of decentralized application.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

The most attractive thing about NEO is that it promises to build on the strengths of both Ethereum and Bitcoin. They are also committed to creating a smart economy, and they are doing this by creating a platform that will be used by developers to create smart contracts. It is a blockchain designed for the creation of smart contracts and decentralized applications, but it’s also an efficient digital wallet for storing and managing assets. Neo is currently selling at $26.87 USD and in the last 24 hours, the trading volume is $168,268,920 USD. CoinMarketCap currently placed it on number 63 and its live market capitalization is $1,895,349,850 USD. 70,538,831 is the circulating supply and the maximum supply is 100,000,000 coins.

IOTA

What Is It?

"The infrastructure for the growing machine economy" is IOTA's objective..” It’s a cryptocurrency designed for the “establishment of new decentralized ecosystems.” This actually is not a blockchain but rather a proprietary technology called Tangle which is a structured nodes that confirm transactions. It is currently ranked number 54 and $2,419,484,671 USD as the live market capitalization. Its price as at today is $.870465 USD.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

IOTA is a new cryptocurrency with a unique selling proposition. It has a lot in common with Ethereum: it’s also a smart contract blockchain, but it also wants to be a standard for the “Internet of Things”. It’s an ambitious project with a big focus on the future.

Monero

What Is It?

Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency with a focus on providing security and scalability. It is a fork of Bytecoin, which was itself forked from the CryptoNote protocol. Monero, contrastingly is meant to hide both senders and recipients using powerful cryptography, hence making security and privacy its focus objectives. It is currently selling at $213.56 USD and in the last 24 hours has a trading volume of $119,072,280 USD. CoinMarketCap currently ranked it number 43.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

Monero is a good investment because it provides both privacy and security. It’s an open-source blockchain that’s developed by volunteers, so it has no company backing it like the other coins on this list. However, it has a large userbase and has proven itself as a reliable cryptocurrency.

Ripple XRP

What Is It?

Ripple presents itself as a provider of "global financial settlement solutions.". It currently has a unique position in the market as the only cryptocurrency with a proven track record of use. Ripple's native cryptocurrency is XRP, which was developed by Ripple Labs Inc. as a cryptocurrency payment service. Ripple's XRP is a "virtual currency created for cross - border payments," meaning that the company intends to compete with traditional bank-to-bank money transfers. Users of XRP would be able to send money at a very cheap rate, garnering the desire of both ordinary banks and customers. Ripple's core business model is its ultra-low transaction fees and transaction completion in less than five seconds.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

Ripple XRP is a good investment because it is currently the only cryptocurrency that has proven itself as a reliable real-world payment system. It is also the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Ranked number 8, today’s market price is $0.835352 USD and a live market capitalization is $40,209,865,625 USD.

Bitcoin Cash

What Is It?

Bitcoin Cash is a cryptocurrency that split off from Bitcoin in August 2017. Like Namecoin and Dogecoin before it, Bitcoin Cash has no real use case aside from being a digital coin for speculation. Bitcoin Cash is a community electronic cash mechanism that intends to really be a reliable worldwide currency offering fast payments, low transaction costs, and huge transaction capacities. Bitcoin Cash payments are transmitted from one person to another directly, similar to how actual money, such as a dollar bill, is handed to the person receiving payment.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

Bitcoin Cash is a good investment because it is currently the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Since it is a fork of Bitcoin, most of the existing community around Bitcoin will also be around Bitcoin Cash. As a result, it's a strong speculative investment, but not something you would want to hold a large amount of for long-term use. Its live price today is $376.04 USD.

Litecoin

What Is It?

Litecoin is a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency that is hinged on the Bitcoin code but offers a higher maximum coin supply. Unlike Bitcoin, which is controlled by very few people, Litecoin can be controlled by almost anyone.

Why Is It A Good Investment?

Litecoin is a good investment because it is similar in functionality to Bitcoin but has a much larger maximum coin supply. Like Bitcoin, it is a decentralized cryptocurrency - it is not issued or controlled by any central entity. However, unlike Bitcoin, it has a maximum coin supply of 84 million, which means it has a greater potential for growth.

How To Profit From Their Growth

Yes, it is highly possible and obtainable to exploit the opportunities inherent in these altcoins for growth. These three procedures are handy: investing or trading in the cryptocurrency exchange market, usage of coins in your portfolio for staking or lending to the system or other users, and partaking in the blockchain system by receiving coin rewards for task completed or mining. Following the above, you can do the following:

  • Invest. Investing is a protracted procedure that requires purchasing and preserving crypto assets for a period of time. Crypto-assets might seem volatile in the interim but portend significant potentials in the long run for growth. The identified altcoins here have long term growth potentials. Cryptocurrency platform like Changelly can be utilized in doing this.
  • Trading the Crypto Assets. In order to exploit short term opportunities, trading can be leveraged on rather than taking the long position of buy and hold. Due to the volatility of the crypto market, prices can increase or decrease in the shortest possible interval. Using proper analytical and technical skills, one can take position when prices are down and sell off when they increase or rise above purchase price.
  • Stake and Lend. This functions by way of validation of transactions. This means that you have ownership of the coins but you do not spend it rather the coins are locked in your cryptocurrency wallet. Your coins are then used to verify transactions on a Proof of Stake network. As a result, you will be rewarded. To put it another way, you're lending coins to the network.
  • Cryptocurrency Social Media. You will be rewarded for generating and organizing content on a number of blockchain-based social media networks. You are frequently awarded with the platform's own coin.
  •  Airdrops And Fork. To raise awareness, airdrops and free tokens are issued by some exchanges. To build a big user base for a project, an exchange might execute an airdrop. You can acquire a free currency by participating in an airdrop, which you may then use to buy items, reinvest in, or trade with. Changes or updates to a protocol lead a blockchain to fork, resulting in the creation of crypto assets. When you have money on the old chain, you will almost always receive free tokens on the new network. Because you were in the right position at the right time, you get a free crypto asset.
  •  Mining. Cryptocurrencies mining is a way to make money using cryptocurrency in the same way that the early adopters did. Mining is indeed an important part of the Proof - Of - work system. It is here that a cryptocurrency's value is created. You get compensated with crypto assets if you mine a cryptocurrency. You'll require technical know-how and beforehand, an investment in dedicated hardware to mine.

 Final Thoughts

The wave of cryptocurrency prevalence and acceptability is ever increasing and the opportunities and potentials for acquisition of huge profits cannot be over-emphasized. Following the forgoing, it is critical for an investor to commit to carrying out full diligent research before committing funds. This is vital in ensuring that risk of failure is substantially mitigated on.

There is myriad of new altcoins that enter the market frequently, hence attention should not only be centered on the ones mentioned in this article. Doing this will enhance diversification of your portfolio and positioning for greater returns on investment.