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3 Things You Can Do To Make Your Home Renovations More Affordable

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If your home is in need of some renovations, taking on these types of projects can get very expensive. So if you’re trying to make the necessary improvements while sticking to a tight budget, it’s vital that you find some ways to save money and get what you need for a lower price.

To help you see how both of these things can be possible, here are three things you can do to make your home renovations more affordable.

Revive Rather Than Redoing

Depending on how extensive your renovations need to be, you might want to consider reviving what you already have rather than completely redoing parts of your home in the renovation.

For anything structural, you may not actually be able to revive your existing situation. But for renovations that would be cosmetic, you might be able to get away with simply giving a little extra love to your finishes, which can save you a lot of money as opposed to getting something brand new. Especially for things like hardwood, cabinets, and caulking in the bathroom or kitchen, cleaning up the materials can make your space look fresh and new without having to pay for a brand new version.

Help With Demolition

Demolition is one part of home renovation that you may be able to do primarily on your own

For minor renovations, you may be able to take care of the renovation and debris removal without the help of a professional. However, if you’re going to be doing a lot of renovations that will require a big amount of demolition, or if the parts of your home that you’re renovating are structurally important to the home, you’ll likely want to hire a professional in demolition to take care of this for you. But if you are able to do even some of the demolition yourself, you’ll be able to save yourself the money of having to pay someone else to do this work.

Get The Floor Model

When it comes time to bring in the new appliances, furniture, or other features for your newly remodeled home, buying these pieces can be a huge cost for you.

One way you can save money on these purchases is to get the floor model of whatever product you’re wanting to buy. Once you find what it is you want, try visiting various stores or retailers who sell this product. And if you’re able to find one that they have help on the floor for display, you might be able to purchase this exact piece at a huge discount, since it’s been out in public and touched by other potential buyers.

If you’re going to be making some renovations at home and are wanting to do this an inexpensively as possible, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you see how this can be done.

You Can Get Top Business Credit Cards Even With Bad Credit: Here’s How

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For many companies, having a business card seems essential. It makes paying for materials, office supplies, and other operational expenses much easier. But if you have poor credit, you may wonder if you can even get access to a business card. The short answer is yes!

There are plenty of top business credit cards for business owners with no or poor credit. You just need to know where to look and how to find them.

How to Find the Right Business Card With Bad Credit

If you want to find a business card that accepts you with bad credit or no credit, it is as simple as knowing where to look.

Some Great Suggestions

We have two great suggestions for top business credit cards for those with poor credit or no credit. These are Capital One Spark Classic for Business and the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card.

Capital One Spark Classic for Business has a 26.99% variable APR interest rate and no fees. Just keep in mind that it requires a credit score of at least 580. If your credit score is lower than this, consider the second option, the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card. There is also no annual fee, and because it is secured, you can get it with nearly any credit score. However, you will have to deposit into the account to use the card.

Be Prepared for Higher Fees or Interest Rates

There is one important caveat. As with personal credit cards, business credit cards are more likely to have higher interest rates or annual fees if you have poor credit. So, don’t be surprised.

Alternatively, you can look for a secured credit card for your business. These function like any other secured credit card, requiring you to pay a deposit upfront. As a bonus, a secured card is an excellent way to build your business credit.

How to Build Your Credit

As mentioned, a secured credit card can help you build your business credit, but there are also other things you can do. Just establishing your EIN will help boost your business credit score. This is also important as it separates your business and personal finances.

You can also try applying for a credit line with your vendor if you can’t find a credit card yet. This is an alternative with a similar result, and it helps you build your credit. You could also try getting a small loan for working capital.

Finally, be sure to regularly check your business credit report, just like you would your personal one. This lets you ensure there are no errors that could be bringing the score down lower than it should be.

Conclusion

Just because you have bad credit or no credit, that doesn’t mean that you won’t have access to any top business credit cards. While your options will be limited, there are still some great choices. The only caveat is that you’ll have a higher interest rate or need to use a secured card. You also don’t want to rule out alternatives, such as a line of credit with your vendor or a working capital loan.

3 Ways To Make Your Blogs More Of A Marketing Tool

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Whether your blog is your entire business or just a facet of your business, if you want to experience any kind of growth in this area, you’ve got to learn how to market your blog and use your blog as a marketing tool for the rest of your business.

To help you see how this can be done, here are three ways you can make your blogs more of a marketing tool.

Blog With A Plan

The very first thing you’ll need to have in order for your blogs to be beneficial for your business is to blog with a plan. Without a plan, both from a creation standpoint and a marketing standpoint, you can’t hope to have your blogs work to accomplish any of your goals.

To help you in blogging with a plan, you’ll need to consider what type of content you want to include in your blog. Then, you can plan out when you’ll write what content and how you’ll incorporate things like products, sales, holidays, and more into your content marketing ideas. Additionally, you’ll also need to plan how often you’ll be blogging and what you plan to do as far as promoting your blog posts. Without having all of these things planned and prepared for, things are bound to fall through the cracks.

Spend More Time On Your Headline And Images

It’s not only the written body content of your blogs that you need to be worried about. In fact, it’s been suggested that people spend about 80 percent on their time working on the headline and the last 20 percent on the actual body content.

While this might seem like a lot to you, the idea behind it is that no one is going to want to click through to your blog if your headline doesn’t entice them onwards. And along the same line of this, you’re also going to need to spend time finding or creating beautiful images to accompany your content, since the visual aspect of blogs can have a big impact on your readers and visitors.

Write Content With SEO In Mind

As you craft the actual content for your blogs, one thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that you should be writing with SEO in mind. When you’re able to do this, your content will automatically become more of a marketing tool, as it will cast your blog in a positive light online and help people more easily find you. So make sure you’re doing things like using the right keywords, doing solid internal linking, compressing your images, and posting with a mobile-friendly theme.

If you’re wanting your blog to work a little harder for you, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you make some changes that will have your blog being more of a marketing tool.

 

8 MANTRAS TO REDUCE MUTUAL FUND RISK

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Mutual funds have successfully become one of the most popular investment options among investors due to the several mutual funds benefits enjoyed by investors such as hassle-free and convenient mode of investment, professional management, tax benefits, liquidity, etc. But are they devoid of risk? Well, no investment option is entirely risk-free. Just like different types of investments, mutual funds are also exposed to certain risks. However, there are certain ways in which you can decrease the exposure of risk of your mutual fund investments. In this article, we will understand how you can reduce mutual fund risk of your investment portfolio.

5 mantras to reduce mutual fund risk

If you are looking to reduce the risk exposure of your investment portfolio, here are 5 mantras that can help you achieve the same:

  1. Diversification of investment portfolio
    Diversification of investment portfolio is the key to reducing risk exposure of an investment while investing in mutual funds. As mutual funds invest in different types of securities such as fixed income instruments, equities and equity-related securities, money market instruments, gold, etc. they help to diversify an investor’s portfolio, making them one of the most sough-after investment options among retail investors.
  2. Avoid overlapping of mutual fund schemes
    There might be times while choosing the right mutual fund schemes for your portfolio, there is an overlap of sectors or themes, even though the mutual fund investments are channeled through varying AMCs (asset management company). This results in concentration of a particular type of asset class or theme or sector which could result in opportunity cost of the portfolio in other themes or asset classes or sectors or categories that could have added value to the investment portfolio.
  3. Periodic monitoring and reviewing of mutual fund investments
    It is important that an investor periodically and regularly monitors and review their investment portfolio to keep a track of the performance of their investment portfolio and their progress towards achieving a specific investment goal. This will also help an investor to identify any under performing assets, if any and take necessary steps that will benefit their portfolio.
  4. Taking the services of a financial advisor
    With different types of mutual funds available at the click of a button to an investor, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Investing in the markets require a certain knowledge and time about the financial markets. Not every investor might have the time or expertise required to make the right investment decisions for their portfolio. This is when financial advisors come into picture. A financial advisor has adequate experience and knowledge to make the right investment decisions on behalf of an investor.
  5. Investing in mutual funds through SIPs

Systematic Investment Plan, commonly referred to as SIP is an investment tool that allows investors to invest in mutual funds in a systematic and disciplined manner. Several investors make the mistake of assuming SIP as an investment product; however, it is merely an investment tool. SIP investments allow investors to benefit from the concept of rupee cost averaging and the power of compounding. What’s more, with the help of SIP investments, an investor does not need to time the markets, an investment concept which is often frowned upon by mutual fund experts.

Thanks to advancement in technology, you can now invest in mutual funds online from anywhere in the world. So, what are you waiting for? Invest today to enjoy benefits of mutual funds tomorrow. Happy investing!

 

Tips On How To Budget For Home Renovations

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Renovating your home is always a bigger job than you think it will be. Budgeting is super important for a successful renovation, because there is almost always something extra you’ll find along the way.

If you want to get the ball rolling on your home renovations, you should start with a thorough budget. Check out a few tips on how to formulate that budget, and go into your home renovation with confidence.

Decide on what you need renovated

Take the time to think over which needs aren’t being completely met by your current living situation. You may need more space. You may need a new bathroom. Whatever it is, deciding on exactly what you need to get done is the first step to formulating a budget for the work.

 

Pricing can shift rapidly, depending on what sort of work you need to get done, so think hard about how you use the space in your home before you go knocking down any walls.

Weigh the cost versus the value

When you spend money on upgrading your home, it’s important to know what kind of equity you’re gaining with the work. If you want to sell your home down the road, the equity you gain will help boost the selling price.

A minor bathroom remodel can draw more than a hundred percent ROI (return on investment) if you don’t go overboard with materials. Finishing the attic or basement are also two high return investments for your next renovation project.

Figure out how to finance the project

The most challenging part about renovating your home may be figuring out how to finance the whole thing. Unless you have a lot of money in savings, you will need to finance the work done to renovate your home.

Try looking into what a HELOC or a home equity loan can do to help you get the job done. Credit cards may also be a viable option for funding.

Get bids from several different contractors

Finding the right team to do the renovations on your home is another notable step to managing your renovation budget. You have to know what it’s going to cost you to have professionals do the work you aren’t capable of doing.

It’s great to have a strong DIY effort, but some things are better left to the pros. Scout out contractors, and be thorough. Interview at least three different options before making your final choice on hiring.

Mix materials to save money

You can save money on your renovation budget if you think rationally about the materials you use. For instance, you could spend a little more to put hardwood floors in the living room and kitchen, but add tile or vinyl to the rest of the house to save some dough.

Tips for Families When Choosing a Credit Card

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A credit card can be a great way to save money as a family. While you might assume that a family should stay away from credit cards, as they can definitely lead to debt if you’re not careful, there are also many ways to use a credit card effectively for better savings. You just need to know how to make the best of them. When you’re thinking about signing up for a credit card, here are four things that you need to do to make sure you’re choosing the right one.

1. Consider the Yearly Fee

One of the first things you’ll likely think about when you’re choosing a credit card is the yearly fee. Remember, while no-fee credit cards are definitely a good option, they may not be the best for your family. Some families may benefit from a credit card with a moderate yearly fee, as the benefits you receive from these cards may actually give you more bang for your buck.

2. Make Sure You Can Get the Sign-On Bonus

If a card you’re interested in has a sign-on bonus, you need to be sure that you can qualify for that bonus. The BoA Premium Rewards card, for example, has a pretty significant bonus, with 50,000 bonus points, equivalent to a $500 value, that you can redeem for a number of rewards. To qualify, you need to make at least $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. Make sure you can hit that number to get the most out of your card.

3. Utilize All Statement Credits When Available

Statement credits can effectively nullify your annual fee. Some credit cards offer statement credits to help you cover certain purchases, and those credits can be as much as your card’s yearly fee. If your credit card has any statement credits available, make sure you use all of them. It’s the best way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your yearly fee.

4. Maximize Your Rewards Earnings

It’s important that you do whatever is necessary to maximize the number of rewards points you’re earning with your card. Check to see what categories provide the most rewards for the specific credit card you’re interested in signing up for. If you strategically use different credit cards for different purchases, you may be able to get more rewards points than if you were to just use the same credit card on all your purchases.

Conclusion

Families often end up needing a variety of credit card benefits, which is why a credit card can be such a useful tool for a family. However, if you’re interested in getting a credit card, you need to make sure that you’re getting the right card for your family’s specific needs. These four things are all important things to make sure you’ve thought about before you sign up for a credit card. With the information from these things, you’ll be able to get more with every credit card purchase.

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