Finance Blog

So you’ve decided it’s time to move. Whether you got a new job, want to be closer to a loved one, or just need a change of scenery, here are three important questions to ask yourself when trying to calculate the costs of relocation:

1. Why are you moving?

This may seem obvious, but the first and most important factor to take into account when relocating is how said move will affect your income. If you’re not moving far, are you planning to keep your current job and simply commute? If so, consider the change in distance and how that can impact fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance. Are you planning to get a new job? If so, start looking sooner rather than later, and make sure to take into account any potential increase or decrease in your income or benefits.

If a new job is the reason you’re moving in the first place, your employer may be willing to cover or at least split your relocation costs. Some employers will offer to do this upfront, but even if they don’t, don’t be afraid to ask. If they want you enough to hire you over all the other applicants, there’s a good chance they want you enough that they’re willing to help get you where they need you to be.

2. Where are you moving?

Whether you’re relocating one mile away or one hundred miles away, never assume that your new home is going to cost the same as the one you live in now, because it won’t. Property values can fluctuate wildly regardless of distance, and every area’s taxes, utilities, and basic living expenses are different. That’s why knowing your financial limits is so crucial.

Something important to consider is whether you’re looking to rent or buy. If you’re hoping to buy, a home affordability calculator can be vital in helping you figure out your budget. Such tools are capable of taking your annual household income, the amount you spend on monthly bills, and how much of a down payment you’re willing to make, and compare all that information with the current costs of real estate in the same area you’re moving to.

3. How are you moving?

One of the final decisions you’ll have to make before relocating is whether you want to use a moving company or handle the move yourself. Of course, the two biggest factors in making that choice are generally how far you’re moving and how much stuff you have to move. In any case, each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.

If you opt to go the DIY route, your peace of mind in knowing your belongings are in good hands comes with a price, and not just a financial one. Sure, you’ll have to calculate the cost of renting a moving truck and paying for gas, but you’ll also have to invest a lot of time and physical energy. Hiring a moving company costs more, but that money goes towards paying someone else to worry about that stuff for you. If you’re concerned about entrusting your most prized possessions to someone else, comparison shop and browse consumer reviews on websites like Yelp, or research a moving company’s complaint history via the Department of Transportation’s mover search tool. You always have options; don’t hesitate to explore them.

Slot developers sure knew what they were doing naming this slot Danger High Voltage. Anything dangerous atomically draws the eye. The danger is what makes it irresistible.

Danger High Voltage is a 6-reel slot from Big Time Gaming that offers you 4,096 ways to win. You can play it now at Slotzo on mobile and does not need to be downloaded; perfect for those who like to play on the go.

Design

This slot features 6 reels and four rows. Symbols include the usual classic card suites, lucky bells, Mexican sugar skulls, disco balls, hearts, burritos and wilds that expand to fill entire reels.

The slot design is quite different than what we are used to. The reels appear against a background of disco lights. I have to admit, this is not exactly what comes to mind when you open a slot called Danger high voltage.

To the far right is a set of control buttons where you can adjust your bet, spin the reels, view the pay table or select the autoplay option.

Bets & Cash Prizes

Players can place bets from as low as 0.20 to a hefty 40.00 per spin. The reels are jam-packed with multipliers, wilds and spreading wilds; scatters, wild rush, sticky wilds and free spins.

The heart is the highest paying symbol. However, keep in mind that the amount that will be paid out depends on how much you bet. Other high-value symbols include the Mexican sugar skull, disco ball lucky bell, and burrito. The card suites are the lowest in value.

The many wilds (regular wilds, spreading wilds, wild rush & sticky wilds) that populate the reels could really boost your winnings. Fire and electricity wilds can cover an entire reel to replace all the symbols except scatters.

Where electricity wilds form part of a winning combination, your winnings get multiplied by 6.

Free spins

Three or more scatters (represented by the heart symbol) awards one of two types of free spins: High Voltage free spins or the Gates of Hell free spins.

With the Gates of Hell free spins you can claim 7 free spins and one of the game symbols that will act as the sticky wild for the duration of your spins are revealed. Your chosen symbol can only become sticky wild on reels 2 and 5 and can substitute for all symbols during your free games. Each reel containing 4 sticky wilds awards you with 3 extra free spins.

High Voltage free spins activates 15 free spins and high voltage wilds will appear on reels 2 to 5. Adjacent wins are multiplied between 11x and 66x by High voltage wilds when lit. All the free spins with these high voltage wilds are then multiplied by the number highlighted.

If you land three or more scatters during your free games you are rewarded with an additional 15 free games. High voltage wilds can replace all other symbols during free spins (except the scatter).

All these great features plus the 4,096 ways to win is sure to bring you closer to that jackpot. Give this shot a chance, you might be shocked.

 

If you’re not someone who feels very knowledgeable or experienced when it comes to investing your money, the idea of knowing how or where to invest can seem very intimidating. But luckily, with the right plan in place and the right financial help on your side, you can make rise investment decisions that will further your financial future.

To show you how this can be done, here are three tips for deciding how and where you invest your money.

Know What Your Goals Are

Before you can make any kind of informed decision about investing, you first need to know what your investment goals are.

According to James Royal and Arielle O’Shea, contributors to NerdWallet.com, most people have both short term and long term goals for financial investments. Depending on what these goals are, the investment vehicles you’ll want to use will vary. For example, if you’re wanting to save for retirement, you’ll want to choose investment opportunities that last for decades rather than ones that will only be a few months or years.

By knowing what your goals are, both as an ultimate financial goal and how much you’re willing or able to put toward your investments right now, you’ll be better able to decide what type of investments to start.

Embrace The Idea Of Diversification

To really get the most out of your investments, you’ve got to embrace the idea of diversification.

David Weliver, a contributor to Money Under 30, shares that, ideally, you should have various kinds of investments in your portfolio. Some of these investments can and should include things like certain types of securities, bonds, stocks, and cash.

With the right diversification, even if something goes wrong with one of your investments, you’ll have other investments that can either pick up the slack for you or serve as a protection for your money. Additionally, when you have money invested in various ways, you’ll feel less of an emotional response to one particular investment and will be able to make more logical choices.

Balance Risk And Reward

When choosing how and where you invest your money, some of the most important things to balance are risk and reward. If you want a greater reward, you’ll generally have to take on more risk, which can be very scary for many novice investors.

To make this easier, Kate Stalter, a contributor to U.S. News and World Report, recommends that, before you invest anything, you make a plan for your investments and commit to sticking to it. Then, even if you get nervous, you’ll be committed to riding it out because you’ve already played out all the numbers and have decided that you’re comfortable with the projected outcomes.

If you’re wanting to get more into investing, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you decide how exactly to do this.

 

Many individuals often miss that there are other methods to make passive income. They are under the assumption that a traditional desk job is the only way to guarantee financial stability. While this was the case previously, there are many new ways that have come about to enhance one’s existing income from their job or even surpass it in some cases. If you are looking to earn more than your salary, consider creating a product or service with the tips listed below:

Useful Tips for Expanding Your Income by Creating a Product or Service

It is important to learn about the different ways to earn passive income. Review these tips to get yourself in the right state of mind to get started:

Assess Your Strengths

The first step to creating side income is to assess what your talents are. Once you know this, you can start to brainstorm what you would potentially be able to sell to your prospective clients.

Make a Blueprint of Your Idea

Upon realizing your strengths, then you can create a basic framework of your target ideas. Getting this down on paper is helpful because it will enable you to visualize what you want to do and then create the proper steps to achieve your goals.

Invest in a Website & Social Media

Regardless of whether you end up choosing a product or a service, you will need a website and social media pages. It is important to understand that websites are not as expensive as they used to be. The best way to get going is to invest in an affordable website and then build your way up as your profits improve. Social media is also free and easy to get going on at a low cost in the beginning.

Consider Prototypes or Service Packages

Once you have decided upon a product or service, then it is time to create your sales strategy with clear goals. The better that you can define your sales strategy, the easier it will be for you to achieve the goals you are looking to and increase your income in the process.

Create Your Sales Funnel

Once you know what you would like to create, you need to design a sales funnel.What this means is finding a mixture of valued products that your target customer would buy. You may want to mix this up with a buy in product to get them to trust you and then a more expensive package of products or services for later on.

Final Remarks

It is absolutely possible to expand your income by creating a product or service. The key is to understand your strengths and figure out how to gain the trust of your target customers. Once you do so, you will be able to create a side business that has the potential to exceed your existing salary. Be sure to keep an open mind, work hard, and you will be amazed at the potential earnings that you can achieve with your own product or service.

 

It is possible to live debt-free through careful management of your finances. However, that is not necessarily a smart choice. Only a few people in the world make enough money to pay for some of the most important purchases in life. For instance, if you need a home, car or to pay for college, you will most likely need a loan.

Discerning Between Good and Bad Debt

When considering taking a loan, the most important consideration is if it is good or bad debt. Good debt is an investment whose value will grow or guarantee you an income in the long term. For instance, taking a student loan to pay for college is good debt. For one, a student loan comes with low-interest rates. Besides that, going to college increases your potential income in the future.

A Small Business Loan is Good Debt

If you want to start a business, you probably do not have all the capital needed. In such a case, taking a loan is an example of good debt. Being self-employed is a positive move in life. You will be able to avoid depending on third parties to keep your job. Your earnings could also grow by a lot depending on how well you manage the business. With time, your business could grow and even be listed on the stock market. While there are risks, if you pick a find, which you are knowledgeable and passionate about, it will increase your chances of success.

A Real Estate Loan is Good Debt

Buying a home is a good investment. With time, the home’s value could grow in value and you could sell it for a profit. You can also invest in commercial real estate by taking a loan. With time, the loan could be paid off and you could become debt-free. Right now, the real estate industry is doing quite well. Financial institutions will lend you the money you need if you can provide a solid plan.

An Example of Bad Debt

One good example of bad debt is a payday loan. In this type of loan, you will write a personal check to the lender plus a fee. This money is reclaimed on the next payday. As a result, you might end up having to ask for a new payday loan once your paycheck arrives. Instead, consider cutting back on your expenses and waiting until the next paycheck arrives. The interest for a payday loan can be as high as 300 percent.

Consider a Private-Pension

A state pension will only be accessible to you once you are 65 years of age. However, this pension may not always be sufficient to help you in your old age. Instead, consider a private pension that reflects your life. This flexibility can help you retire in peace. Besides that, you can use the funds from your pension to pay off some of the bad debt you may have incurred in life.

Summary

It is quite clear debt is necessary in some cases. Whenever you want to take a loan, always ask yourself if it is necessary and if it will add value to your life later.

If you plan on purchasing or selling a property in the near future and are concerned about the legal aspects of purchasing or selling a property, continue reading to discover a guide to legally purchasing or selling property. You may want to check out Conveyancing Parramatta for additional help as well.

Legal aspects to consider when buying and selling property:

1. If you’re selling a property make sure that you disclose any issues that you may be aware of

Did you know that it’s against the law to sell a property without informing any potential owners of any issues which you home may have, which they may need to repair and which may affect the property value of your property. As an example, it’s illegal to sell a property that has structural issues or plumbing issues.

So when your lawyer and your real estate agent create a contract for the sale of your property, make sure that they include any issues with your home in your contract so that a potential buyer, will be made well aware of the condition of your home, before they sign on the dotted line and commit to purchasing your property.

2. If you’re purchasing a property, make sure to properly read through your purchasing agreement

If you’re about to purchase a property, make sure to read through each clause in your purchasing agreement, before you sign your name on the dotted line. As you won’t be able to sue the previous owner of a property you’ve purchased for selling you a damaged property, if they disclosed any major damage to the property concerned, in your purchasing agreement.

3. If you plan to sell a property, make sure that you have all the necessary documents to legally sell your home

In order to legally sell your home you’ll need to have your property’s title deed on hand or your mortgage agreement. You’ll also need to find your latest real estate tax bill, to present to your lawyer.

If your property is part of a condominium complex, you’ll also need to to provide your condominium documents. While if your property is part of a community which offers a homeowners association, you’ll also need to provide your current homeowners association rule book and fee schedule.

4. You need to contact an estate agent if you plan to buy or sell a home

It’s mandatory to have a qualified lawyer handle any legal documentation related to purchasing or selling your home. As an added bonus, your lawyer will be able to help you adhere to federal and state property laws.

5. All legal offers to purchase a home have to be written down

If you verbally offer to purchase a home, the seller of the property in question, still has the legal right to refuse to your offer, down the track, even if they verbally agreed to accept your verbal offer. What information should be contained in an offer to purchase a home?

A legal offer to purchase a home, should contain the purchase price, the down payment amount, the closing date and the possession date as well as any items such as appliances or furniture that may be involved in the deal.

Hopefully you now have a clearer understanding of some of the legal aspects that you’ll need to navigate when it comes to buying or selling a home.