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Teach Your Kids About The Online Property Market

February 27th, 2017 Posted in Property Investment, teaching children about money
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If you are in the process of moving house, this may be the perfect opportunity to teach your kids about an important phase that they are likely to go through later in life. A house is the biggest financial investment most people make, and selling it is a process that can be a complicated affair.

While they are learning about the financial aspects of house sale, they can also discover the different ways to improve the chances of it being sold quickly. Just as the internet is revolutionising so many parts of life, it is also doing the same to the process of selling a house. Here are just a few of the other ways that the internet has changed the housing market.

Research Online

Before people do anything these days, whether this is going out for a meal, heading out to the movies or buying a house, they are likely to research it online. Properties that are more difficult to find online are significantly less likely to get many viewings. It’s also likely to be time saving as people are able to view pictures before they actually decide whether or not they want to visit the property. You can even make a video that gives a virtual tour to give an extra personal touch.

If you are in the process of selling your house, show your child how your house is listed online and explain to them the value of it compared to different houses in your neighbourhood. Property prices are a tricky thing for anyone to understand, so the earlier you teach them, the better.

Real Estate on the Web

Certain companies are now offering online services that are providing a challenge to traditional real estate brokers. Companies like Doug Hopkins are now able to showcase their services through an online portal.  As the internet continues to move at warp speed, it is likely that these services will continue to increase in number. This is being seen as a way to massively reduce fees, but of course there are numerous pros and cons to this approach. It’s worth running over all of these with your kids as when they get round to buying and selling houses, it’s much more likely that the internet will be playing an even bigger role.

Communication

There are so many different ways for house buyers and sellers to get in contact with each other thanks to the internet. Whether this is just making small enquiries or actually putting in an offer, buyers and sellers can stay in touch like never before. When you are getting in touch with buyers, keep your kids in the loop so they know how things are developing and the types of questions that are likely to get asked.

In the future, the internet is likely to play an even bigger role in the property market. If you get your kids involved from a young age, they are more likely to have an advantage when the time comes for them to get on the property ladder.

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The Financial Error’s Of The Lion King’s Mufasa

February 24th, 2017 Posted in Uncategorized
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There’s much we can learn from The Lion King, Disney’s 1994 classic. It’s a tale of redemption, of overcoming all the odds against you, about fighting for peace,…and about how you should never fully trust your brother, especially if they look evil and everything they say is said with a vague threat implied. But there’s something we shouldn’t take from the film, and that is: financial advice. Yes, a whole lot of mess could have been avoided had Mufasa just been a financially responsible parent. Alas.

The Financial Error’s Of The Lion King’s Mufasa - lion image

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Investing in Property

‘Everything the light touches is our kingdom’, and thus implied, all yours Simba. Only, Mufasa didn’t actually invest in the land he was claiming was his; he just assumed it was his. That the zebras and giraffes didn’t put up a fight will not stand in the court of law. He should have acquired a deed to the land, which would have been very profitable. Also, the hyena hideout? We see a rustic getaway away from the heat, right in the heart of safari land. Imagine what that’d go for on AirBnb….

Securing the Family’s Future

For a guy with an obviously evil brother, Mufasa sure was pretty lax about securing the family’s history. Should he have put the time into looking for selectquote insurance? Of course he should. Instead, he was thrown from the edge of a canyon to his death and his family was left with nothing. His son has to spend his entire childhood hanging out with a meerkat and warthog. All because he didn’t have five minutes to spare….

Teaching Simba about Taxes

Mufasa didn’t teach Simba about taxes because…he didn’t have the foresight to think they might be useful! As king, all he had to do was enforce taxes, even a token gesture of taxes, and he might have spared his son his later hardships with the IRS (unreleased Lion King sequel – Simba and the Jury). If kids learn about taxes when they’re young, they can avoid the same fate as Simba. They’re a natural part of life, just like the circle of life they sing about so passionately during the film.

Not Working Hard

Mufasa and his family did have a pretty idyllic life when they were all alive, as did the other animals in the kingdom. But this would have eventually cost them: because it was wildly, recklessly unsustainable. To gain financial freedom, you have to be ready to work hard while you’re in the prime of your life, saving each and every week. Doing the bare minimum needed to survive – like Mufasa – will eventually cause financial difficulties.

One Thing He Got Right

We would be unfair on Mufasa is we didn’t give him credit for the one thing he most definitely got right. By teaching Simba not to have more than this share (in the scene where he explains how everything lives in tandem), he’s telling his son to live within his means, which is what all our children should know!

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Teaching Your Kids to Take a Stand Against the Bullies in Life

February 24th, 2017 Posted in Uncategorized
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Bullying is something we see in all walks of life and at all ages. The exact cause of bullying can be related to problems in someone’s life, but when you grow up into an adult you’ll realise that some people are just chaotic and spiteful. At a young age, a bully is usually formed due to neglect or bad parenting, but when someone grows older there is really no excuse to resort to playground tactics and tyrannising others—it’s just childish.

However, teaching your children how to deal with the bullies in life is going to be a key component in their development. Whether it’s bullying within the school, at university or in the workplace when they grow older, there are some basic foundation elements that will help them deal with all forms of bullying.

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Teaching them about respect

Respect is something that should be taught at a young age. Far too many parents put a heavy emphasis on respecting elders or seniors, but you should also be teaching children about respecting their classmates and even those who are younger than them. Age shouldn’t be something that sets you apart from others or something that makes you feel superior. It’s a sign of how long you’ve been on this earth, but that has no real bearing on your status over others.

We see this a lot in the workplace. A senior member of staff will try to exert his or her power in status over others, or an employer might give ridiculous orders and think they are above everyone else. While there is a need for leadership in the office, there’s a distinction between a good leader and a tyrant and this is what your child should be learning.

Seeking help

If the bullying has gone too far and your child feels like they are in danger, then it’s best to teach them to seek help. Speak to a parent, a figure of authority such as a teacher, or an older student such as a sibling. It’s best that your child doesn’t bottle up those emotions to a point they feel lonely.

Later on in life, we might experience similar bullying from our employers or people that we work with. For instance, you might have suffered an accident at work and your employers might not believe that anything is wrong with you and force you back to work. You can deal with this in the same way a child turns to a figure of higher authority—by contacting a lawyer such as Jacob Partiyeli to give you advice and help you deal with workplace bullying and also your injury.

Making a stand

You should be teaching your child not to succumb to the demands of bullies and to make a stand for themselves. If they believe that something is unfair, then they need to act on it. For instance, if they are being pushed around at school, teach them to calmly ask the bully to stop. If they see someone else being bullied, then they should attempt to help that person. While making a stand and protecting someone else can be a gamble, they can help that person in other ways such as comforting them and making friends with them.

Again, this happens later in life too. You might see an employee being shouted at or ridiculed at work because of his or her choices, but instead of joining the bullying your child should learn about respecting that person and making a stand.

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Help Your Friends In Times Of Need

February 22nd, 2017 Posted in Uncategorized
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Friends are an important part of the structure of our lives. Some friends can even be closer to us than a lot of family members, especially if we connect with those friends on a level which cannot be replicated. Friends can help us out when we are in dire straits and need an extra helping hand, financially, socially and with personal issues. Friends are people we can reach out to when situations have occurred in our lives which we feel too embarrassed or awkward to speak about those situations with family.

We all know a friend who we can call and they will pick up immediately. We all know a friend who, even if we have not seen them for a while, can connect with immediately upon seeing them again. People like these enable us to live happier lives and also allow us to be the people who we want to be without trying too hard to be someone we are not. In short, friends are a great addition to have in our lives.

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So, when our friends are in troublesome situations of their own, we may feel more inclined to help them out if they have helped us when we were in need. Some friends may not ask you directly for help, but if you know a friend well and have a good relationship with them, they may not need to say anything and we will know something is wrong.

Helping a friend can include financial solutions, advice, guidance and the ability to be there when they need us. For example, if they are short of money for whatever reason and need to pay off a bill, you could lend them the money. If they have not got a great knowledge of cars, and you tend to know more about that subject than they do, speak to them about the best car finance deals that you know of. If they are going through family issues, provide them with an outlet to talk about the problem and be there for them if you sense they are feeling in need of some company.

Some friends can be people we have known for a long time – say, since school, college or university – while other friends can be people we have known for a short amount of time but connect with on a level which is reciprocated and appreciated.

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Allowing ourselves to branch out and meet new people is a great way of developing social relationships with people. If an acquaintance asks you to go for a coffee, a walk or even to a bar for a few drinks you may not feel that inclined to say yes but you should really take any opportunity to meet as many many, and new, people that you can. You never know, you may meet your new best friend after deciding to join them for a drink on a whim. Surrounding yourself with like minded people is a good way of developing your social circle and well being.

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Kids Make Great Entrepreneurs: Here’s How To Teach Them About Business And Life

February 22nd, 2017 Posted in Entrepreneurship, kids and money, learning about money
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If you don’t fancy the idea of your children spending all their holiday time watching TV and down the skate park, what should you get them to do? One idea that is becoming more and more popular among parents is getting kids to start their own businesses. Not only is this a good idea, given the direction that the economy is going, it’s also beneficial for helping kids develop confidence and people skills.

Here’s how to help your kids achieve their business goals.

Let Them Pursue Their Passion

Kids find it really difficult to focus on things that they aren’t interested in. This is why getting them to go to school can be such a mission: smart children hate the fact that they have to sit in rows all day, doing things which are boring.

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If you want their new business venture to be sustainable, take a step back and ask them what sort of business they’d like to run. Kids who love animals will probably be quite happy to set up a dog-walking business or even a pet sitting business. Children who are gifted in music or acting could hold their own after school classes. The possibilities are endless.

Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, set up a worm farming business when he was a child, selling worms to passers-by at the tender age of nine. His goal was to become the number one worm farmer in the world.

Introduce The Concept Of Money Management

Because parents provide all the resources that kids needs, many children grow up with the impression that money is infinite. The reality of business soon teaches them that it is not. In fact, it shows that it is often very hard to come by. They’ll soon find out that most companies have to go through lenders, like Colbeck, in order to make ends meet, especially for the first few months and years. Teenagers, for instance, can do things like calculate profit and loss, and how much they would have to repay to a lender every month at a given interest rate. Younger children can practice things like counting up how much money they have in the till and what they’d need to spend to expand their business.

If your children are particularly adept, you could even hold your own investor meeting, where members of the community come to hear the business pitch and commit small sums of money if they like the idea. This will get children used to the fact that they have to offer value to investors in order to receive money in return.

Teach Them About Customer Service

Being able to listen and communicate with people is an essential entrepreneurial skill. It’s what forms the building blocks of all entrepreneurial careers. One of the key skills children need to learn is how their business idea can actually benefit other people. Why do people want to have somebody sit their dog, for instance? Getting children to understand that people want problems to be solved (like the fact that they are worried what their dog will do to the house if it gets distressed while they are out) is the key to giving them good “business sense.”

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