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7 Investment Options That Are Just Right For Retirees

March 29, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Retirement is that golden era when you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labor and watch the grass grow. But let’s be honest, after the 100th episode of your favorite 90s sitcom, even the sofa starts feeling a bit… well, less cushy. Here’s the scoop on seven investments that are perfect for your golden years. Just remember – this is not investment advice, just some helpful ideas!

1. The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Think of dividend-paying stocks as the gift that keeps on giving. You invest in a company, and bam! Every so often, they share a piece of their profit pie with you. It’s a win-win – you get a steady stream of income, and you still own your slice of the company. Perfect for a retiree looking to spice up their income without selling off assets.

2. Your Real Estate Empire Lite

If you’ve ever fancied being a real estate mogul, now’s your chance. Real estate income funds might just be your ticket. These funds pool money from investors to buy properties, and they distribute the rent among investors. It’s like owning real estate, but you get to keep your hands clean and your sleep uninterrupted!

3. The Snug Safety Blanket

For those who prefer their investments to be reliable and not flashy, treasury securities are a perfect match. They’re backed by the U.S. government and are about as safe as investments come. You won’t double your money overnight, but you’ll sleep soundly knowing it’s not going anywhere either.

4. The Retirement Paycheck

Annuities are the financial world’s equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet. You pay an upfront fee, and in return, you get a steady stream of income for a set period or even for life. It’s a way to ensure you keep getting a “paycheck” even when the work emails have long stopped. Just be prepared to put in a hefty initial amount.

5. The Steady Eddy

Not everyone’s looking for a rollercoaster ride in their retirement. For the Steady Eddies out there, a high-yield savings account offers a no-frills way to earn a bit more on your cash reserves. It’s not going to buy you a yacht but it’s much better than letting your money laze around, earning next to nothing.

6. Stability Meets Income

Investing in bonds means you’re giving a loan to either a corporation or a government entity. In return, they promise to pay you back with interest over a set period. This investment is essentially a steady and reliable stream of income, making it an attractive option for anyone who is looking for more financial stability.

7. Direct Impact Investing

Peer-to-peer lending platforms allow you to give direct loans to individuals or small businesses needing capital. This can mean you earn higher interest rates compared to traditional savings accounts. At the same time, you’re also helping someone’s dreams come true! Of course, you do need to be careful of the risk, particularly since these loans are not backed by traditional financial institutions.

Expanding Your Portfolio

Retirement doesn’t have to mean putting your feet up and watching the world go by – unless, of course, that’s your thing. If you’re looking to add a little to your financial portfolio, these seven investment options can give you some stability and income. Just remember, the key is to find the balance that works for you.

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Filed Under: Investing, Personal Finance Tagged With: , ,

6 Things You Should Be Doing Daily as a Business Owner

January 3, 2024 By Leave a Comment

If you’re a new business owner, you may be interested in knowing your odds of success. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021 statistics revealed that 65% of new companies will fail during the first ten years. The same statistics cited 45% of the businesses cited had to involuntarily end operations during the first five years, while 20% were forced to close in their first two years. Here are some things business experts recommend you should do to even the odds of your company’s success.

1. Consider the Big Picture

While it may sometimes seem everyday stresses predominate your mind and direct your actions, you’ll be more motivated if you keep your company’s long-term goals in mind. Decide on an overall goal for your business. Whether you want to make enough to support a family, or if your business is a second source of income, what will it take to make the business meet that goal? By keeping your goal in mind, you can evaluate each business opportunity in light of whether it will help you get closer to your overall goal.

2. Evaluate your Financial Status

The most significant part of your business’s financial picture is your operational expenses. First, you should see if there are regular expenses that could be streamlined. Review any debt the company is currently carrying, and do some research into available interest rates for those loans. If there are better interest rates available, it makes sense for you to switch lenders.

3 Keep Your Employees Safe

All businesses have a responsibility to keep their employees safe, and that includes a fire protection system. According to the NFPA25 Code, visual inspections and functional testing of your fire protection are required to ensure the system is current and functional. Business managers should expect the fire protection inspections and testing to be scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. Once those system tests have been completed, they must be repeated at five and ten-year intervals.

4. Make Your Mark With Marketing

Your business will not reach its highest potential without growing your customer base. One of the most essential ways to promote your business is online – through your company’s website or through your social media presence. However, you should keep in mind you must also attract new local clients. Statistics show more than a third of customers discover local businesses when they see that business’s sign while they’re driving by.

5. Check In With Your Team Every Day

When you work with a team to accomplish a business goal, it can help you bond closely together. Each member of your team works with you for a reason, and you need to depend on them to accomplish their assigned role. By having a daily staff meeting – including a Zoom meeting for any remote employees, you can review each team member’s progress and any concerns they may have. When your team is able to work together harmoniously, your production activities can’t help but benefit from that togetherness.

6. Focus Your Efforts on Customer Service

Using exceptional customer service efforts can help your company stand out as a top contender in your industry. When you get an inquiry from either new or existing customers, answer the inquiry as quickly as possible. Customers may appreciate the quality of your products or services, but without an excellent customer support program, you won’t keep your customers for long. Whether you offer a loyalty program for repeat customers or offer a category of products available only to those repeat customers, your treatment of your customers can become part of your online corporate brand.

As a new business owner, you have an obligation to your customers, and to your coworkers. Producing quality products is just the beginning of your path to success. When you follow the guidelines above, you will find that success follows you as closely as your shadow.

Filed Under: Investing, Spending

7 Key Offerings Rental Properties Need to Succeed in California

April 6, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Rental properties are hyper-competitive when they set out to attract the perfect renters. Knowing what renters in your area desire is key to winning this competition. In California specifically, there are some crucial offerings rental units can use to make them stand out amongst other local choices. For property investors and owners looking to profit massively in 2022, here are seven key offerings rental properties need to succeed in California, and how they can make your unit appear brand-new in a durable, affordable manner:

1. Commute-Friendly Location

Californians are often living either in or nearby a major metro area. With high housing costs, many of them rely on strong public transportation, or quick road routes, to get to work every day. With this in mind, properties that have convenient, nearby access to these luxuries are certain to not only rise in value, but they will attract more professional renters. Renters in less metro-heavy areas will not have to keep this offering in mind, however. If nothing else, avoiding areas that are actively anti-commute-friendly is crucial if you want to ensure renters flock to your rental property.

2. Home Office Space

Especially in 2022, there are much fewer people who are commuting to work day after day. Working from home has been a calm, production-boosting experience for many American workers, and California’s massive size makes it home to perhaps the most at-home workers in the United States. Reinventing a space within a rental property unit to either be explicitly set up for a home office space, or making it so it can accommodate one easily, is an excellent feature to attract professional, working class renters. Additionally, the attention to detail in how you set up the space within your rental units will show potential how professional you are in presenting the property, and allow you to maximize your ROI on property investments in 2022.

3. Ample Storage

Speaking of Californians living in metro areas, there’s one feature that can absolutely charm them and make you stand out from the competition immediately: having ample storage space built into your rental units. Whether the storage is included in the unit itself, or somewhere accessible in the rental lot area, Californians who are used to more cramped rental units will breathe easy knowing they will finally have the breathing room within their own apartment that they’ve been dreaming of. Rearranging or refitting the layout of a unit to create creative storage space solutions will showcase your versatility as a property owner as well.

4. Modern Amenities

Having your rental units outfitted with modern amenities that come packed in with the cost of rent will help you gain qualified, reliable renters at a lightning fast rate (and retain them). From “smart” appliances, to updated electrical outlets, to bidets, knowing what your ideal renter desires from a modernized apartment space is key in implementing this step. Finding affordable, durable and trendy solutions to packing modern amenities into your rental units will be especially helpful if you decide to go down this route. With the help of financing, making these updates will become that much more accessible.

5. Plant-Friendly Spaces

Californians are known for their love of plants, and having plants a plenty in an apartment or rental home is incredibly trendy in 2022. Not only do plants provide more oxygen in a space, but they boost the mood of occupants as well. Not only will they grow in their pots, but they’ll grow in your heart. While providing plants themselves is not affordable or sustainable, creating spaces in your rental units that are plant-friendly is key. From light-heavy window spaces to airy locations, there are plenty of solutions to making plant lovers feel confident about renting their living space from you.

6. Competitive Rental Prices

Although it’s a simple idea, simply understanding how you can both bring in a massive passive income, while still pricing your unit in an affordable, competitive way, is key to succeeding in the Californian rental property market. Despite job growth and economic growth over the last half of the year, the economy is still having some trouble, so giving your renters more breathing room with their income is sure to help attract them into signing a lease.

7. Eco-Friendly Features

California is one of the most eco-friendly, green places in the United States. Finding ways to make your rental properties more energy-efficient will make residents of the state appreciate your property more. Solar panels, plumbing changes and eco-friendly amenities are all great ways to achieve this quality. Beyond attracting people to your property, these changes will save costs in the long run as well (especially since California offers incentives for property owners to “green” up their properties).

It’s Time to Attract the Perfect Renters

Renters are always looking out for their dream apartment or rental home. With these seven qualities embedded into your properties, you’ll have a massive leg up on the competition. As you implement them, you’ll boost your passive income to an impressive new level with rental properties in 2022.

Filed Under: Investing Tagged With:

A Comprehensive Guide On How To Upgrade Your Financial Status With Smart Investments

November 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment

You’re probably wondering why this article is talking about investing in your financial status. If you want to increase the amount of money that you make, then it’s time to start looking at investing. It’s not as hard as it may seem and there are a lot of ways that people can invest their money. The key is figuring out what type of investment will work for them and finding someone who knows how to help them get started with their investments. This article will talk about how people can invest in themselves financially and some different options that they have available when it comes to doing so.

 

Think About What You Want to Accomplish with Your Investments

Many people just jump into their investments without thinking about what they want to accomplish. Knowing what you want to achieve with your investments is a good place to start. You’d get to research the benefits of a gold ira among others and see whether it suits you or not. You can’t just blindly invest and expect your money to grow by itself.

It’s important for people to look at their current financial situation and see if they’re already on the right path financially. For some people, this means that they need to save up money slowly over time before they take the plunge and invest. This way, they can use their money to start investing in something that will net them a return on investment instead of spending it on other things like paying for their monthly bills or buying nice clothes.

How Much Do You Have To Spare?

The amount of money that you have will determine how much you can invest. People who are looking to make a quick buck probably won’t be able to hire someone to help them with their investments overnight. They’ll need to make sure they have enough money to invest in whatever they want and that it will still be around when their investment starts bringing in returns. It’s best for people who want to take it slow and let their money build up over time before they even consider putting some of it into investments. It also depends on how much they have to invest and for how long they plan on investing it.

Different Ways To Invest

There are a lot of different ways that people can invest their money in the short term and in the long term. One option is real estate, which includes buying property or houses and renting them out. It can be hard to get started on your own with real estate, so it’s best for people to hire professionals who know what they’re doing.   There are a lot of real estate agents out there that people can talk to and they’ll be able to help them get started. There are also other options like buying stocks or bonds that will give you a better return on your investment than just having the money sit in the bank without any interest.

Pick an Investment Account

It’s important for people to pick the right kind of account when it comes to investing. There are different types, like 401(k), SEP, brokerage, and no-load mutual fund accounts. The right choice depends on the person’s financial situation and what they hope to accomplish with their investments.

People who want a more hands-on approach with their investments might need a brokerage account, but it all depends on how much they have to invest and for how long they plan on using this kind of account. All of these will let you invest in something that is worthwhile and that you can be proud of down the road.

Identify Your Financial Goals

The key to making smart investments is identifying what your financial goals are. Once you have that figured out, then you should be able to find someone who can help you get started with the right type of investment for your needs. Make sure that you’re investing in something that gives you a good return on your investment and doesn’t take up too much of your time. Whether it’s buying a house, getting some stocks, or something else entirely, people need to make sure they do their research to find the best investments that fit their needs.

 

Decide Whether You Want to Take a DIY Approach Or Not

There are pros and cons to each approach, but it all depends on what the person wants out of their investments. If they want something that doesn’t take up too much of their time or if they don’t have enough money to hire someone, then it’s important for them to do some research about how to invest in themselves. It’s not as difficult as it sounds, especially if they know what kind of investments they’re looking for. Learning how to invest in yourself is pretty simple once you have the right information. There are a lot of resources online that will help people get started with their investments.

In conclusion, the only thing holding you back from upgrading your financial status with smart investments is fear. You may not know what to invest in or how much money you should be investing and that’s okay!  We hope these tips have helped give insight into why making small changes can go such a long way when it comes to improving one’s lifestyle.

 

Filed Under: Investing, Personal Finance
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