The Benefits of Gold Investment

You’ll be surprised to learn about all of the benefits of gold. I didn’t believe it myself until I started to research it and then discovered how lucrative it can really be compared to investing in paper. Check out these benefits:

Stable and Steady Increase History

If you look at the chart below, you’ll see how gold prices have remained either steady or increased over the last 10 years. Even when the economy was doing better than it is now, gold remained at a stable price. That means, the people who invested in gold, still didn’t lose much money when the economy was doing well.

Why is the economy such a huge factor in gold? Well, when the economy drops, gold prices soar. Investors have found comfort in gold when paper lost its value and this has been the case throughout the last decade.

Experts Report Increase Well Into 2014

While there has been a slight decrease in gold prices in the start of 2012, experts report that gold will bounce back and will continue to increase all the way up to 2014 and possibly beyond.

More Options to Invest In

If you want to invest in gold, you have many more options than with paper. You can invest in gold coins, gold bullion or gold stocks. Deciding which type of gold investment to pursue will take some research on your part. There are benefits and disadvantages to each of them and it really depends on what type of investor you when you make the choice.

Add Gold to Your IRA

Have you looked at your 401K and almost choked because of its decline? You could always invest in a gold backed IRA. People with gold backed IRAs have seen either steady worth or increases in the past few years. That sounds much better than what you’ve been seeing with your IRA investment, right?

Portable Investment

Gold is accepted all over the world. You can take your gold and sell it to just about anyone 24 hours a day. You can also buy gold whenever you’d like. With the ability to purchase gold online, you can simply jump on the Internet, choose the amount of the investment you want to make and then purchase it.

Just know, that if you do intend to purchase gold online, always research the institution you are buying it from. The Internet is filled with scammers and with this type of investment you want to choose a company that you can trust.

Making the Decision to Invest In Gold

If you’re new to the gold investment world, it’s common to feel apprehensive about it. It’s not something everyone does, but it is something that many wise investors do.

If you aren’t sure about it and just want to dip your toes in the gold waters, you can always purchase gold coins. These gold coins are normally worth less than investing in other forms and you can then see how your investment does because you decide to invest further.

The other benefit to gold coins is that they are very easy to pass down to other generations. So, if you decide to, you can hand them over to your grandchildren so they can learn the amazing benefits of gold investment for themselves.

So, do you invest in gold? If so, how? Please share.

Guest Post Author Bio: This guest blog was written by Marcelina Hardy, a personal finance blogger spreading the knowledge of gold investing.

Related posts:

1. How to Invest Like an Extreme Couponer
2. Invest in Your Health, Invest in Your Wealth
3. How Your House or Business Can Invest in a Greener Planet
4. How To Invest In Just 5 Minutes A Year
5. How to Invest for the Long Term

Passive Income For Cheap

Many of us may not have the deep pockets of the wealthy, but what can we attain that also has value? I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “Time is money!” This statement says it all – we may not have the money to invest in real estate or a big business, but we most likely can invest our time.

Rather than going out and buying a passive income source, we’ll have to build it. While this is by no means the conventional approach, it still can be quite effective. Let me try to explain myself with a few examples.

Niche Websites

You may not realize it, but a website is incredibly inexpensive to start. After you buy the domain and a years worth of web-hosting, you might only have $50 invested in your passive income project. While the website is cheap, the work has only just begun. In order to monetize this site, you’ll have to create content and optimize each article so that any search engine can locate it. This process can sometimes take months to perfect, but once it is ready, it hardly takes any maintenance and the income is quite steady.

Insurance Sales

Selling insurance is certainly not simple. When people find out you sell insurance, they often become rude and short with you, because they assume that you’re getting ready to make a sales-pitch. Sometimes your friends start avoiding you because they’re afraid that you’ll start talking about your latest life insurance plan again!

While it can be tough, selling life insurance can be a phenomenal source of passive income. After all, once you make a sale, you receive commissions on their premiums for life! What if you make 1,000 sales within your first few years? Then you can most likely lay back and just watch your bank account fill up with earnings. It takes time, but the potential for passive income is a great benefit.

Network Marketing

You may not know it, but there are thousands of products out there that are only offered through network marketing! If you have faith in a particular product and would like to help others make money as business owners, this could be a great way to earn some passive income as well.

With this option, you will run into quite a lot of opposition. After all, this model is much different than your typical, “go to work and get paid” method. But, if you have the gift of enthusiasm and encouragement, you could build up a passive income that is limitless. Believe me, I’ve witnessed it.

Get Creative

Just the other day, I saw a man carrying a snow shovel from house to house, asking the residents if they needed their driveways cleared. It seemed to me that he didn’t like selling his service, but just wanted to shovel their driveways and collect his $20.

Immediately, I thought, “I could earn some passive income with this idea!” I could sell the service and set up service contracts before the snow flies next year and tell the man that I’ll pay him $15 per driveway with a guarantee of 15 houses for every snowfall – and he wouldn’t even have to talk with anyone. Because I made the sale early in the year, I’d collect $5 for each driveway, which equates to $75 per snowfall – all because I invested a little time and made a few phone calls. Passive income can be created with almost anything!

How do you plan to earn a passive income? Is it with one of my examples above, or do you have some other ideas?

This post was written by Derek.

Related posts:

1. Passive Income With a Pinball Machine
2. How to Make Millions with Passive Income
3. What is Passive Income?
4. Blogging for Passive Income
5. Passive Income With Real Estate

Canadian Finance Blog hosted the Canadian Finance Carnival #73 and included Marie’s post Five Home Renovation Savings Tips.

The Amateur Financier included my post, What Buddhism Teaches Us about Personal Finance in the Yakezie Carnival as well as the Carnival of Financial Planning – Edition #221 .  My University Money who hosted Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #18 also included it in his round up.

Canadian Personal Finance included my post How to Build a Bird Feeder from Recycled Materials in the Totally Money Carnival #52.

Lastly, Retire by 40 included Nelson’s post, How to Invest in Just 5 Minutes a Day in the Carnival of Retirement #4.

Related posts:

1. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Eight Carnivals This Week
2. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Six Carnivals This Week
3. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Seven Carnivals This Week
4. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Six Carnivals This Week
5. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Six Carnivals This Week

Be honest with yourself

Many people say that the reason they are working so hard is because of their family but if it means that there is limited quality time spent with the family, more is lost than is gained. Spend some quiet moments of reflection to discover the real reasons you work long hours and to re-set your priorities. Your family would probably prefer to have you around more often than the things your salary buys.

Do you want to continue to work long hours or develop meaningful relationships with family and friends?

Find ways to reduce working hours

On the surface, this may seem an impossible task. However, many workaholics have just got into the habit of working long hours, taking work home, working weekends etc. Take the time to consider how you could be more productive at work, what tasks you can delegate, where best practice can be implemented and so on. Train others to do your job when you are absent. Make changes gradually and tell your family what you are doing.

Plan your day and week

You will find it hard to make any changes if you don’t have a workable plan. In your weekly plan, block out time for family, friends and recreational activities. You will notice increased productivity and less stress at work when you have more time out.

Try these planning tips:

• Have a day planner. Everything should be in your planner – meetings, appointments, birthdays, special events so you don’t miss anything important. You will be surprised how an effective planner can improve your time management in all areas.  I like Remember the Milk but whatever will work for you is fine.
• Prepare a to-do list for the next day before you leave work each evening.
• Work out when you are most productive and do the important work at that peak time.
• Avoid interruptions and distractions when you are working at your peak time.
• Block a time for phone calls and emails. Don’t take calls as they come in, unless they are urgent. Return calls and emails during the time you have allocated.
• Leave work at the same time each day to fit in friend or family time.
• Block in time for family and friends and refuse to work at these times.
• Arrive at work early to get a jump start on the day.
• Avoid taking work home at night and limit the amount you have to do on weekends.

Keep family time free

When you have blocked in family time into your planner, make sure you are there for your family. Don’t take phone calls, check emails, write reports etc. Even if friends call, gently let them know that you are with the family and then call them back later. It is up to you to set the boundaries to make sure family time is quality time without interruptions.

Be present with your family. Don’t allow your mind to drift to work issues. Be with them in body and mind; kids especially quickly get when you are not really ‘there’.

Allocate time for friends and recreation

Just like family time, time for friends and relaxation has to be planned. Keep in touch personally, not just via Facebook. Invite friends over for a family barbeque on the weekend, go on family picnics or hikes with another family, catch up with friends for a drink after work or for a quick lunch.

You need downtime from work and the support and sharing with friends and family but it won’t happen unless you plan it. Use these strategies to balance your life and enjoy the benefits of spending quality time with the people who bring meaning to your existence.

So, has balancing life been a challenge for you? What kinds of things have you done to find better balance? Please share.

Related posts:

1. 5 Tricks for Work Life Balance
2. 7 Financial and Work-Related Life Lessons I Learned From My Dad
3. 7 Ways to Rid Stress from Your Life
4. 20 Ways to Spend Time With the Family Over the Holidays
5. 5 Ways to Save Money and the Planet at Work

Benefits of Bond Laddering

Minimize Risk and Manage Cash Flows

There are several benefits to bond laddering. One is the ability to reduce risk through the actual fixed income security itself. Bonds are seen as more safe than stocks because of the reduced movement or volatility. This will depend on the type of bond. Bonds that are backed by the government will be seen as less volatile than bonds that are backed by a corporation. However, the risks associated with bonds should be carefully researched and if you are unsure at any point, you should contact a financial advisor that can walk you through the process of selecting bonds. Bonds are called fixed income securities for a reason. They give you the ability to manage your cash flows. You can create a bond ladder using coupon bonds that will pay quarterly, monthly, or even weekly. It all comes down to creating your desired cash flow with the proper bonds.

Diversify Bond Holdings Within a Portfolio

Buy Bonds with Differing Maturities

To begin your bond ladder, you would start by looking at bonds with different maturities. There are a few benefits to selecting bonds with different maturities. When a bond’s maturity date reaches closer to the present, the interest rate becomes more sensitive to changes in the market rates. For example, the 30 year bond rate may only move a small bit when economic changes cause current yields to fall; while the 3 month rate could change widely. Laddering using bonds with differing maturities is necessary in order to smooth out wide swings in your bond portfolio.

How to Create a Bond Ladder

There are 3 basic steps to creating a bond ladder. You will need a screwdriver, some wood and a hammer. Ok, just kidding. But you will need some tools. Namely, you will need a few bonds of differing maturities, you will need to know how long you plan to maintain this bond ladder and you will need to know what type of bonds or fixed income securities you want; corporates, treasuries, municipals, CDs, etc. You should also be ready to start with about 20 thousand dollars. Most bonds are sold in 1000 dollar denominations. As each bond matures, it would be reinvested in the bond ladder and you would continue to receive the coupon payments. If you are not ready to begin investing with that level of cash, you may want to consider bond funds instead. A bond fund can replicate the benefits of a bond ladder and help you get to the level of cash you need to start bond laddering.

Have you considered a bond laddering strategy? How do you plan to control cash flows in retirement?

This post was written by Latisha.

Related posts:

1. 10 Important Steps You Can Take to Better Plan for Retirement
2. Seven Retirement Lessons Learned
3. How To Invest In Just 5 Minutes A Year
4. Imagining Your Retirement
5. 3 Secrets to Retirement Saving Success

Using thrift stores to find used furniture is a great idea for college students (living in apartments and rental houses) and young professionals/couples who want furniture but who do not want to spend a lot of money.

What follows is some advice on how to find great deals, how to prepare for a furniture shopping trip, and what to bring with you.

1. Pull Out the Phonebook – You want to call around and get locations and hours for your local thrift stores. Some thrift stores have odd hours because they are small businesses. You also want to make sure they sell furniture too! Some thrift stores only focus on smaller items like clothing.

Also don’t let the word “antique” scare you, and some thrift stores are called antique stores or antique malls when in reality, very few things that they sell qualify as antiques. (To be an antique, an item has to be at least 100 years old).

2. Make a Plan – You should decide which stores you will visit in which order, ranking the most important first in case you get tired. Also, decide what you need before you leave the house. For example, you need a bed frame, and you would like some bedside tables. While you are there, you also want to look at prices on coffee tables. A plan will help keep you from getting distracted and spending too much time looking at kitchen tables, for example.

3. Set a Budget – Set a budget before you leave and bring cash. Some small thrift stores don’t accept credit cards and a budget will help keep you from overspending or buying things that you do not necessarily need that day.

Tip: Leaving your cards at home, or at least in the car, will help you stick to your budget because you can only use the cash that you have on hand.

4. Bring a Truck or a Van – If you don’t have one, see if you can borrow one from a friend. In most cases, you will need to be able to get your purchase home because most thrift stores don’t deliver though some of the larger ones (Goodwill, etc) might.

5. Be Observant – When you are looking at furniture, you want to look closely. You should look for loose legs, missing pieces, dents, scratches etc. Look for things that you cannot repair.

6. Be Ready to Do a Little Work – A good coat of paint can fix just about anything. You should remember to be opened minded, and you should be ready to do a little touching up on the furniture that you bring home.

7. Be Prepared to Bargain – In some stores, haggling will get you nowhere, but in established flea markets and smaller stores, it is always worth trying to get a lower price.

8. Bring a Tape Measure – Why? Because there is nothing worse than not having enough room for the lovely new dining table or those traditional sofas you just bought.

9. Come Early, Come Often – The stock at thrift stores and flea markets changes all the time. You want to try to get to know people (store owners, vendors, cashiers) and talk to them. They can often tell you when there is or will be new stock, good deals, etc. It is important to get to flea markets early before the crowds, and you will want to check thrift stores often for new items.

Have you ever bought furniture at a thrift store or antique mall? If so, what was your favorite find? What strategies do you use to find good deals at thrift stores?

This post was written by YFS.

Related posts:

1. 10 Ways to Shop Green and Budget Friendly During Boxing Day Sales
2. Are Credit Cards From Grocery Stores Worth It?
3. How to Shop for a Used Car

What does your dream job look like?

You first need to work out what you really want to do, so spend some time deciding what your dream job looks like. Don’t worry, at this stage, about qualifications, skills or job availability; just think about what you dream of doing as a job. Consider the following to help you:

• What is something you are really passionate about?
• What really interests you?
• What hobbies do you have?
• How do you like to spend your spare time?

Most people find their dream jobs are in the answers to one or more of these questions. Think of an area in which you would love to work because that is likely to be where your dream job is located.

Once you identify the industry you want to work in, it is time to research the types of jobs that are available within that industry. Again, don’t worry of you don’t have the skills or qualifications, just find the job of your dreams. You might be able to refine it right down to a single position or you might decide to explore a more general group of jobs.

What skills or training do you need?

Your past experience and training have provided you with a set of skills and it is likely that you have also acquired others through sport, community work etc. How do your current skills match with your dream job? Can you add to your current qualifications or do you need to completely retrain? How qualified are you for your dream job already?

Research what qualifications, training and experience are expected for those applying for your dream job. Find out what type of people are currently employed in that position. Talk to them, if possible, and get answers to your questions about the type of position you will be going for. Look around your network of people for someone who is involved in the industry you want to get into and talk to them. You may already know someone who can help you land your dream job. Look for prospective employers and educate yourself about their company, products, ethics etc.

Remember that education alone won’t get you your dream job; there are numerous other skills that employers are looking for these days. These ‘soft skills’ are keenly sought in the modern workplace and include good communication skills, initiative, problem solving skills, leadership and the ability to work as part of a team. For me, these soft skills have been my deal breaker and have gotten me the job.

What if you are not qualified for your dream job?

The obvious thing to do if you don’t have the skills or qualifications is to retrain; go back to school and get the relevant qualifications. However, this is not the only way. Look for ways you can work in your chosen industry other than in the position you desire. You might find an ancillary or peripheral job just as satisfying as the one you had identified as your dream job.

Consider an internship with the company of your choice so that you are working where you want, even if it will take you longer to get to your chosen position. Even asking for some unpaid work experience in your chosen field can give you the relevant experience you need.

Once you have these elements in place, it is time to go out and promote yourself. Target the companies that you identified as being the ones you want to work for and soon you will land that dream job.

So, are you doing your dream job? If so, what is it? Or, if you aren’t doing your dream job, what are your plans to get it? I want to know.

Related posts:

1. How to Live your Dream Life Debt Free

1. Use Rags – You can either buy a cheap pack of rags and reuse them or you can cut up old towels and t-shirts rather than throwing them away. If you use rags to clean instead of paper towels, you will save a lot of money.
2. Use Sponges – Using sponges is another great way to reduce the amount of paper towels that you use.
3. Use Newspaper – You probably don’t want to use a rag to clean your windows and mirrors as this can leave them streaky. Newspaper, however, is a great, cheap alternative to paper towels. It can be used on glass and some counter tops. However, do not use it on porcelain or white counter tops as the ink from the paper can stain the surface.
4. Use Homemade All Purpose Cleaners – Really all you need to clean nearly every part of your house is some white vinegar and some baking soda. One suggested formula for an all purpose cleaner includes ½ a cup of vinegar with ¼ of a cup of baking soda, mixed together in a ½ gallon of water and store in a container.  What can you use it for? Everything! For example,  for cleaning counters, you can sprinkle some baking soda on them, spray some white vinegar on that, and use a sponge to wipe it off.  Then use a damp cloth afterward to clean off any leftover baking soda.
5. Use Earth Friendly Bleach – Bleach is a cheap product, and it can be used for all purpose cleaning and disinfecting. Bleach usually needs to be diluted with water, but it makes a good bathroom cleaner, and it can be used to disinfect things like toys, plastic shower curtains, and dog bowls.
• Here is a tip: If you have cats, hydrogen peroxide will get rid of urine odors (it breaks down the urine crystals). Spray the peroxide on the spot, let it dry, and rinse with water.
6. Use Homemade Floor Cleaners – Diluted vinegar (mix the vinegar with equal parts water) can be used to clean nearly all floor surfaces. It is even gentle enough to be used on hardwood floors. Apply with a mop and let air dry. Note, any vinegar scent will dissipate when the vinegar dries.
7. Use Homemade Furniture Cleaners – You can even make your own furniture cleaner at home. Olive oil and vinegar are some of the favorites when it comes to making furniture cleaner. The formula is generally three parts olive oil to one part vinegar. For example, ¾ cup of oil and ¼ cup of vinegar. This mixture can be stored, but it does need to be shaken well before use. Spray onto your rag and rub into your wooden furniture. Some people prefer to add a couple of drops of lemon juice for the smell.
• Here is another tip: It’s always best to store your homemade cleaners somewhere that is cool and dry, like a pantry.
8. Use Homemade Carpet Cleaners – Carbonated water is a great option for cleaning small spills and stains. A baking soda and vinegar paste can be used for tougher stains, though you might have to vacuum up the excess when the paste dries. Water and vinegar mixed in equal parts can be used in carpet steam cleaners for general carpet cleaning.
9. Use Homemade Glass Cleaners – Again you can use equal parts water and white vinegar to clean glass mirrors and windows. Make sure to wipe off the excess solution, and it should not leave any streaks.

As you can see, if you invest in a little extra olive oil, vinegar and baking soda, you can pretty much clean your entire house for a few dollars. Cheap cleaning products like bleach are another good option for tough cleaning jobs. Using these products often saves you money, and you know exactly what you are using to clean your home.

So, do you have any tips or tricks for keeping your house clean for cheap? I want to know!

This post was written by YFS.

Related posts:

1. ‘Cupboard’ Surprise?.. Green Cleaning At Your Fingertips
2. Don’t Just Cook-Cook Green
3. Going Green on a Budget
4. Why You Should Use Eco-Friendly and Natural Cleaners for Your Home
5. Tips for a Frugal and Eco-Friendly Spring

Young Adult Finances included the guest post, Buying a Home with the Help of Mortgage Insurance in the Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #17 as did Little House in the Valley who hosted the Yakezie Carnival and Credit Cards Canada who hosted Carnival of Financial Planning – Edition #220

Lastly, 20s Finances included Latisha’s post, The 4 Biggest Myths of The Stock Market in Carnival of Retirement #3.

Related posts:

1. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Eight Carnivals This Week
2. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Six Carnivals This Week
3. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Seven Carnivals This Week
4. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Five Carnivals This Week
5. Prairie Eco-Thrifter Was Included in Seven Carnivals This Week

Reduce Waste

Millions of tones of food are thrown away in western countries every year. In the UK, it has been calculated that 330 kg of food is thrown out by every household each year. This rotting food accounts for 20 million tones of carbon dioxide gas each year. It is a similar story in other large, wealthy nations worldwide.

To reduce food waste, there are several simple strategies that you can employ:

• Learn creative ways to use left-overs to make delicious and nutritious meals.
• Store food correctly to reduce the amount of spoilage.
• Shop wisely; only buy what you know can be consumed by your family within its use-by date.
• Plan your menu and only buy what you need.
• Learn new ways of preserving food for later use.

Shop Locally 

The best and freshest produce is purchased locally, from farmers’ markets, farm gates, CSA’s, roadside stalls or a friendly neighbor. Locally grown food has greatly reduced food miles and doesn’t need to be specially treated to have a long shelf life. A lot of locally produced food is also grown organically, so the food is better for you and the environment.

Choose packaged products that are produced as close to where you live as possible to limit the miles it has to travel. Support local industries wherever possible.

Eat Organic Food 

Organic farming is a sustainable method of growing crops and grazing meat animals without the use of toxic chemicals. Traditional farming methods have developed that use large quantities of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, which have been shown to be present in the food we eat. These toxic chemicals kill off the good bacteria and insects along with the pests. The soils become so degraded that large quantities of artificial fertilizers, many based on petroleum, need to be added to make crops grow. Often growth hormones are added to force the plants and animals to achieve marketable size more quickly. Food grown organically is sustainable, non-toxic and produces better quality food.

Eat What is in Season 

We have come to expect to buy any type of fresh produce at any time of the year. This means that the food has to travel long distances to get to you, often from overseas. Varieties have to be selected that have a long shelf life to allow for the length of time between picking and purchase. Often quality and taste are sacrificed to obtain this long shelf life. By eating food that is in season, you are saving on storage and freight costs while eating the way nature intended.

Read Labels – know what you are eating 

Educate yourself by reading the labels on food packaging. You might be surprised by what is actually in many packaged foods. We were not meant to eat artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, enhancers and more. There is still a lot to be learnt about what effect these substances are having on our health but medical research is showing that many are bad for us.

Grow your Own 

Plant a vegetable garden to grow those foods that you can in your area. If you don’t have a garden, use pots on a balcony or sunny windowsill. I use pots and my garden does extremely well. Check out my harvest from this year by clicking here.

Remember, anything you grow is going to taste better and be more nutritious than anything you can buy in a store. Trade any surplus with neighbors or take it to a farmers’ market. You can’t grow everything you eat but every bit helps.

These tips have really helped us eat more sustainably and I hope they help you too.  Start small and make a few changes at a time. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself.  Remember, every small step is helping you move towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

So, do you eat sustainably? What are some ways you have learned how to cut down your carbon footprint?

No related posts.