fbpx

5 Ways to Reduce Your Investment Risk

August 18th, 2022 Posted in Investment
1 Comment »

If you’re looking for a way to generate some additional income on the side, there are few better options than investing. It’s a perfect accompaniment to a fulltime job, as you can set up your investments and let the money trickle in.

But all investments come with some element of risk. You can be smart with your portfolio but you ultimately can never guarantee you aren’t going to lose money. It’s for this reason that many people don’t bother, as they see it as too dangerous and complicated to get started. 

But with a well-managed portfolio and some caution, there are many ways to reduce your investment risk and look after your money. Here are a few tips to get you started.

5 Ways to Reduce Your Investment Risk - trading screen image
Image by Lorenzo Cafaro from Pixabay

Do your research

If you are only just getting into the investment game, it’s not wise to play fast and loose with your money. Too many reckless people invest too much too early on and end up losing it due to a lack of understanding about the mechanics of the process. Make sure you take some time to do your research before you get started. Speak to a financial advisor or find a mentor who can talk you through the finer details. Learn about the different types of investments such as cryptocurrency and stocks in order to understand the pros and cons of each. ONly once you understand the basics can you then consider parting with your money.

Know your risk tolerance

How much money can you afford to lose? Your risk tolerance is your ability to endure the risk of losing the capital you have invested. This will depend on a range of factors including your income, your financial obligations, and your demographics. For example, an unmarried single person in their twenties will have a higher risk tolerance than a 50-year-old investor with debts and children in education. By understanding your risk tolerance, you can use this information to seek out investments that deliver the best ratio of risk to reward.

Avoid extra charges

Some investments come with additional fees and charges that are not immediately obvious to those who are new to the game. To avoid this, make sure you do your research and find opportunities that don’t require additional expense. For example, if you’re foreign exchange trading, it’s useful to know that swap free accounts incur no interest charges.

Diversify your investments

You can reduce your risk by spreading it across multiple types of investment. This is known as diversifying your portfolio, and means you avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. If one investment loses you money, you have others to fall back on.

Start small

The key to successful investing is to start small and work your way up to the larger investments. As you gain more experience and learn more about the process, you will begin to reap the rewards and minimize your losses.

By following these five tips you will learn to reduce your investment risk and create a successful portfolio. Good luck with your money-making venture!

,
Read More

Signs That You’re Prepared To Buy Your Very First Home

August 9th, 2022 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
No Comments

Being ready and able to buy your very first home is a huge milestone in life. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and responsibility to be able to afford even the deposit for a house. Paying off your mortgage is usually a long-term commitment that will take up a lot of your life. As such, it can be an extremely daunting process.

So in this post, we’ll be explaining a couple of signs that show you are certainly ready to buy your very first home.

Signs That You’re Prepared To Buy Your Very First Home - suburban street with terraced houses image
Photo by Martin Sepion on Unsplash

You’ve paid off most of your debts

Your financial circumstances play a huge role in when and if you should buy your very first home. If you haven’t paid off most of your debts yet and aren’t on track to do so, then you should absolutely focus on getting your finances in order first.

You know that you have job security

Job security usually means that you won’t be made redundant or replaced in the foreseeable future. It can also mean having skills and experience that are heavily sought after in the industry, meaning it’s easy for you to find a job should you lose your current one due to circumstances that are outside of your control.

You’re already doing your research

If you’re already doing plenty of research into mortgages, finances, locations, and even schools for your children, then it’s a good sign that you’re prepared to take on a mortgage. You should also look into specialists such as a mortgage broker or even financial advisors that can help you get your books in order to see how much you can afford each month. This can be a long process, but it’s extremely informative and will help you make better decisions in the long run.

You have plenty of savings


A mortgage deposit can easily be anywhere from 5% to 20% of a home’s market value. This is a huge amount of money that most people don’t have lying around. Start saving money now and you’ll find it easier to stomach a big deposit.

Your credit score is looking great

A good credit score means good mortgage rates. Before considering to buy your very first home, check your credit score in advance of researching mortgages to see what you could be eligible for.

You know where you want to live

If you’ve done research on where you want to live then it’s a sign that you’re prepared to choose a location. A lot of people find it hard to pick somewhere to live, so it pays to do your research and make up your mind ahead of time.

You’re thinking about starting a family


If you’re starting a family then you probably want to move into a larger home with more space, especially if you want to have several children.

You’re content with your career

Mortgages require you to have long-term stability and this includes your career. Making frequent switches can result in periods of no or little income, so make sure you’re content with your career so that your financial situation is stable and predictable.

You’re ready to take on the future

Of all the factors to consider when buying a home, one must be prepared for the future. This means a life away from your current conveniences, friends, and family members. It can also mean a life with your new family, and it could even involve starting a new job in some cases. If the idea of change is daunting, then you may want to hold off moving home.

, , ,
Read More

5 Tips To Make Your First Home a Little More Affordable

August 9th, 2022 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
1 Comment »

Your first home is probably one of the biggest expenses to save up for in your life. A typical mortgage deposit can be anywhere from 5% to 15% of the home’s full value which can easily be tens of thousands of pounds. It goes without saying that you should try to reduce the amount you pay for your first home to make it more affordable, and luckily there are a bunch of different ways to do this.

So here are a couple of tips to help make your first home a little more affordable.

5 Tips To Make Your First Home a Little More Affordable - aerial shot of London and the river Thames
Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

1. Be more selective about where you purchase a home

It’s a good idea to be a little more selective when purchasing your home. Some areas can be much cheaper than busy places like central London, and even homes on the outskirts of major cities can be extremely expensive due to being in prime locations with great amenities. So unless you really want to live in a specific part of the country, we suggest trying to be more flexible with your location.

2. Check your mortgage eligibility

If you’ve got a great credit score then you have a better chance of getting a nice big mortgage for your house. This means you can afford a larger home or one in a location that you consider to be a prime choice. You’ll want to work with a mortgage broker to help you scout out the best deals, but you can prepare by getting a credit check with one of the major companies such as Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.

3. Consider first home schemes

The government actually offers a First Home scheme for first-time buyers. With this scheme, you could get up to a 50% discount on the market value of your home. However, there are a couple of conditions that need to be met before you can claim this. For starters, the home must be a new one built by a developer or it must have been bought with a First Home discount in the past. You must also be eligible for a mortgage and your income must be below a certain threshold.

4. What about renovating a run-down property?

You can actually save a lot of money by using less conventional methods to get a home. For instance, you could consider renovating a run-down property. Buying this kind of property is fairly cheap, but the costs of renovating it can add up if you’re not careful. This requires DIY knowledge if you want to keep the costs low, but it can work with contractors too if you’re smart about your expenses.

5. Ask how much home you really need

There are many questions to ask before buying a home and you should always re-evaluate your needs and preferences to make this a bit easier. For instance, do you really need guest bedrooms? Do you really need a large garden? Does it have to be detached? Consider these questions and you might find yourself saving a lot of money.

,
Read More

The Best Strategies for Selling Your Home for the Highest Price Possible

August 3rd, 2022 Posted in Property Investment
No Comments

In the real estate world, there are two types of buyers: those who want to buy a home and those who want to buy an investment property. Selling your home can be a great way to make some money and invest it in something else. But this can also give you the opportunity to knockdown and rebuild your home if you’re planning to live somewhere else. 

There are plenty of questions you may be asking yourself such as “How much should I sell my house for?”, “What are the benefits of selling my house?”, and “What steps should I take before putting my house on the market?”. All of these questions are very valid because navigating this can be fairly tough. But here are some tips and strategies for getting the highest price possible when selling your home.

The best strategies for selling your home for the highest price possible - family home with palm trees image
Photo by Sieuwert Otterloo on Unsplash

Preparing your House for Sale

One of the very first things that are questioned is how much a house is worth. But it’s so important to keep in mind that if you want to maximise the profit, this will include making some changes in your home. Sure, you can sell it as is, but you would be better off taking the time and money to invest changes within it. 

A clean, clutter-free home can make a big difference in the way potential buyers see your house. Staging your house is not just about getting rid of clutter. It also includes making small improvements to your home so that it looks more appealing to potential buyers. A well-maintained and tidy house will be more likely to sell faster and for a higher price than an unclean, cluttered one.

How to Stage your House When Trying to Sell it Quickly and Easily

Staging your house can be a hard task, but it is worth it. There are many benefits to staging your house and the most important one is that you will get more money for your home. While you will most likely need to hire an interior designer, it’s going to make things so much better. There are a few things you should know before staging your house. The first thing is that staging does not have to cost a lot of money. You can even do it yourself if you feel confident enough.

Marketing Your Home

Marketing your home is an important process. You want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to get the best price for your home and find a buyer. Here are some tips on how to market your home:

– Work on the curb appeal

– Stage it – make it look like someone is living there with furniture, plants, etc.

– Be honest about any projects that need attention and have them fixed before putting your house on the market.

A real estate agent can help you get it on the market as soon as possible, this alone can save you a lot of stress while also getting the highest profit possible for the house.

, ,
Read More

Are You Prepared for an Injury, or Will It Take You by Surprise?

July 25th, 2022 Posted in Money Tips, Wellbeing
No Comments

Most of us don’t really plan ahead for injuries or anything of the sort. For instance, we don’t have a pair of crutches ready and waiting for us to use, and we don’t exactly have a wheelchair that’s ready to be used in our garage. But being ready for an injury doesn’t just mean how you’ll deal with it physically–it can also mean financially or in terms of your work as well.

For example, if you’re injured and your employer doesn’t have a sick payment policy, then you may be out of luck when it comes to your income. Unless you have savings prepared in this situation, then there’s little you can do to manage your finances and you might end up running out of funds. So in this post, we’re going to discuss a couple of concepts that will help you prepare for an injury in order to minimize the impact it has on your life.

Are You Prepared for an Injury, or Will It Take You by Surprise? - person on crutches image
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Get in touch with a law firm as soon as possible

The first thing to do is get in touch with a law firm or at least look around for one in your local area. A personal injury law firm is going to be a great help in getting you back on your feet. They’ll help you recuperate the costs of a personal injury and they’ll ensure that you get the right amount of compensation from your insurance company. The entire process of speaking to your insurer and getting financial aid after an injury can be complex and daunting, so having a lawyer at your side can really make things smoother and easier.

While you don’t necessarily need to get in touch with a lawyer, it helps if you at least understand your local options so you won’t be in a panic when you are injured. The sooner you can get in touch with a professional, the easier it’ll be to recover.

Can you continue earning while injured?

One of the biggest concerns you’ll face when injured is that you won’t be able to make money. Thankfully, there are plenty of workplace policies that will give you some form of sick pay while you recover. These days may be limited or the amount may be capped, but it’s a good way to keep making money while you’re injured. However, if this isn’t an option or you work a job that doesn’t have any kind of sick pay, what choices do you have?

If you’re able to work remotely, then you could do a couple of hours each week to maintain some form of presence at work. This is usually good enough for most employers to keep paying you a full salary. Your injury might also not affect your ability to work. For instance, if you have limited mobility due to a leg or foot injury, then you might still be able to work on a computer. This isn’t ideal, but it’s still a good way of stabilizing your income while you’re injured.

Read More
Older Entries
Newer Entries