Are you looking for ways and opportunities for growing your wealth and gaining even more financial freedom in 2018? Have you considered investing in properties in some of the USA’s hottest locations for investments? If you haven’t before, perhaps we can convince you otherwise.
We have done some research in property investment opportunities in the best locations for 2018, which means when you buy property in any one of these locations, you are more than likely going to make a buck out of your purchase in the long run. Let’s take a look at what locations you should start investigating as property investment opportunities this year.
Kansas City is a perfect location to buy property right now. There are multiple reasons to back this statement, but we’ll keep it short and sweet. In essence, the city is attracting a lot of newcomers due to a rapid growth in job opportunities. Due to the influx of job seekers and jobs being made available, a need for living space in the form of rentals is a current need. The average income per household is around $50 000, and the average cost of housing or rentals sits at about $700 per month. If you are able to buy some property here, priced at around $100 000 depending on the area, you should be able to make a very good investment.
With an impressive job growth rate of 2%, Detroit is attracting a lot of job seekers and people in need of decent rentals. This location allows you to buy a fairly decent property at a very reasonable price of about $65 000 without having to do much work on the property itself. The average price of rental in the area and price range is about $900, and as the location keeps on growing and gaining traction, property values are also increasing. A perfect investment opportunity.
Houston has experienced extremely rapid population growth over the past couple of years and is listed as the fastest growing city in the US right now according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The annual population growth in Houston is around 15%. Properties are affordable, and a lot are either on auction or bank-owned and as an investor, you can get a very favorable discount, up to 40% to be exact. Rental prices in Houston are also favorable for investors, standing at around $1 500 per month, with property prices ranging from $392 000 and up. You can’t go wrong if you want to invest in property in this location!
With affordable properties and houses due to the recession back in 2008, you will be reaping all the benefits as an investor. You are able to buy a decent and even newly built house at a price of around $200 000, and rent it out at about $1 500. MarketWatch even listed Cape Coral as the #2 destination for pensioners and retirees, meaning there is a lot of potentials to invest safely.
Are you aware of any other prime locations for property investments? We’d love to hear your opinion. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below or get in touch with us. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to read this insightful guide on property investment.
Choosing where to get a credit card might not seem like a big deal at first. Opening a credit card account is, however, a big step to take and can mean more trouble and debt than financial freedom. Choosing where to get your credit card is also key to ensure you get the best possible services and benefits. Having a credit card has its benefits too – we’re not saying don’t get a credit card, simply that you should choose wisely.
In this post, we take a look at some of the best credit card options on offer for 2018 – making your life a little easier and saving you some time in looking for the best credit cards. Let’s get started!
You won’t get charged an annual fee when opening your Discover it® Cashback Match™ credit card account, and you will have many rewards and benefits to look forward to. Get up to 5% of your cash back at selected retailers, enjoy 1% cash back at other stores and don’t have to worry about your rewards expiring.
Enjoy your first 21 months with 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases when getting your Citi® Diamond Preferred® Credit Card and 14.24% – 24.24% after your first 21 months, depending on your credit record. This is a great credit card for balance transfers, and you won’t pay any annual fees!
With the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you’ll be able to get $150 back when you spend $1000 on the card within the first 3 months. This credit card is best for everyday spending, because of the fantastic cashback offers you will be enjoying. You also won’t have to pay any annual fees.
With this plastic wonder from Capital One, you are able to swipe and earn up to 50 000 miles. This credit card is great for frequent flyers, earning you about 2 miles per every dollar spent on the card. You will, however, have to pay an annual fee of $95 after your first year. But, you can rest assured that you won’t be losing out on any miles you have earnt during the whole time you have the account, as miles will accumulate and won’t expire.
This is your go-to card if you are a business owner. Enjoy a bonus of $500 after you have spent $4 500 on your account within the first three months, and earn a fantastic 2% cashback on purchases. What’s more, is you will be able to get additional cards for employees for free while earning rewards as they spend too.
There you have it – whether you need a credit card for personal or business purposes, you are sure to find something in our list to benefit from. Be sure to do your homework however and ensure you are comfortable opening a credit card account with any financial service provider before blindly committing. Also, note that you will only be able to apply for one of these credit cards if your credit score is above standard.
One of the biggest investments you will ever make is buying a home. It is also a very big purchase that takes some planning, searching and a whole lot of saving. If you think it is too much of an ambitious goal, you are in luck. With some dedication, planning, and perseverance, it might just be closer than you think.
If you have already seen your dream home, and you are thinking to yourself ‘how on earth am I ever going to afford this’, we’re here to set your mind at ease and provide you with practical tips on how to save up for a big deposit on your little haven. In this article, we discuss these saving tips to equip you with the knowledge and skills to enable you to reach your goal. Let’s get started.
If you don’t have a budget yet, now is a good time to put one in place. This way you will have a grip on where your money is going, and you will be able to see where exactly you can either cut down or spend more (if you have debts to take care of). You will also be able to identify how much you will be able to save towards your deposit. For some tips on how to draw up a budget, read our guide here.
It is very important to be sure you will be able to afford the mortgage each month, if you have a lot of debt, this might set you back. Be sure to take care of all your debts before buying a house, this way you won’t risk losing everything if something goes wrong. A bonus when paying off your debts before applying for a home loan or mortgage is that your credit record will reflect that you are a reliable candidate.
If you have some debts to take care of as well this is a very good idea. Having a second income will enable you to reach your goal much faster, and ensure you are able to pay off your debts sooner as well. Putting in some extra hours after a day at the office will pay off as you will find that you are able to put all the extra cash away. Just be sure to check that you won’t run into any trouble at work with conflict of interest as some companies may prohibit employees to freelance.
Start preparing yourself for what your monthly expenses would be and how much you would have to pay off on your mortgage. Keep in mind that the bigger the deposit you put on the house, the smaller your installments will be, so the more you are able to save up in the time before you buy the house and pay the deposit, the better.
You never know, you might just be able to get some help from family members or friends. If you are able to borrow some money from someone you know, it is likely that you won’t be ridiculous interest rates. Another option to consider is applying for a grant.
If you stick to these tips, you should be well on your way to reaching your goal and having enough funds to put down for a deposit on your dream home. We hope that you found the information we shared helpful and that buying your house will be closer than the dream now.
Personal banking is important, and something not to make light of. Sometimes just choosing the correct financial service provider will save you some money and earn you a higher interest rate, all it takes is a little bit of patience, and a whole lot of research to find the very best financial service provider for you.
Don’t worry though, we have done some homework ourselves, and came up with this list of the best saving accounts you can have in 2018. All you need to do is read our review and decide whether it is for you, simple as that! But first, here’s what you need in order for you to actually open that savings account:
Personal information including your social security number, name, surname, address.
If you have another savings account, you will need to provide that account’s routing number.
An official ID issued by the government.
Do you have everything ready? Let’s take a look at some of the best savings accounts you can have in 2018.
With an American Express savings account you can expect a whole lot of savings and a staggering APY of 1.35%, and you won’t be paying any hidden monthly fees or costs. As a financial service provider Giant, American Express offers clients 24/7 access to friendly customer care.
An online savings account at Discover will afford you just as many benefits, with an annual percentage yield of 1.30%. You won’t be expected to pay a deposit to open the account, and you won’t be charged a monthly fee. What’s more, is you can earn a bonus of $200 just by opening your Discover savings account.
Synchrony Bank’s savings account holders can enjoy peace of mind knowing the service provider is FDIC Insured, convenient banking services via phone, desktop, or ATM and an amazing APY of 1.45%. You won’t be charged a deposit or monthly fee either, saving is definitely made easy when you bank with Synchrony Bank.
As a new customer, Chase offers you a bonus of $150. But this is just one of the many benefits you can enjoy when opening your Chase savings account. You will, however, be charged a minimal monthly fee of $5 and a lower APY of 0.01%.
Barclays won’t charge you a cent, there are no hidden costs and customers enjoy a very high APY of 1.40%. You will have access to your account 24/7 by using their state of the art website or app, and assistance from the service provider in making the most of your savings account.
We hope you have found a viable option in our list of the best savings account to open in 2018. With banking services like these, your personal finances will definitely start to flourish. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to read our post on How to Budget Like a Pro, where we give you some other handy saving tips.
One of the biggest investments or purchases you will ever make is probably buying your first home. A lot of first-time homeowners don’t realize the importance of getting insurance on their property and belongings and suffer irreplaceable losses due to this fact. Buying a home is not a decision you are going to take lightly, you will probably browse and view until you can’t until you find the perfect place to call home. Or perhaps you would prefer building your dream home yourself. Whichever way, making sure you and your loved ones are insured is imperative.
There is a lot that can go wrong and most of the time, these things are out of your hands. The loss of your property and belongings due to common burglary or even a fire could be devastating if you are not fully covered. In this post we discuss the importance of being insured, let’s take a look at all the reasons why you should get homeowners insurance today.
If you are looking at buying a home, chances are you won’t buy it with a roll of notes, in cash. Normal everyday kinda people go to the bank or a special financial services provider who offer mortgages. This is not only to cover you from any natural elements or thieves, but also to ensure the party responsible for the loan will get their money back. Simple as that. This is however not the case in all states, but almost everywhere in the USA.
Let’s say you are having a shindig at your house, for argument’s sake, let’s just say it is your housewarming. Something goes terribly wrong, and your new neighbor is somehow set alight because he was standing too close to the barbeque. Or, you have a very cute but feisty dog who bit your neighbor’s child. If you have homeowners insurance, you will be covered for those instances and won’t be held liable. Your insurance will pay out for any injuries or mishaps that take place on your property.
Natural disasters are one of those things that are in no one’s hands and can happen at any time, the devastation it causes is life-wrecking if you are not prepared and protected against losing everything. Imagine a fire or flood wipes your house from the face of the earth, and you are not insured. You would have to start from scratch. If however you are covered by insurance, you will be able to claim some of your losses, depending on your specific insurance contract.
As the years go by, you are more than likely to make some sort of renovations to your house. Whether it is just a new coat of paint or new kitchen cupboards, it is bound to happen. Your property’s equity increases over the years, especially when you do some upgrades to the house. If you have homeowners insurance, your equity will not be lost should you lose the house due to natural disasters or other damages.
If you are burgled, and all your appliances are stolen in the middle of the night, it is a big deal. Especially if you aren’t insured. If you have homeowners insurance, you will be able to replace stolen good without a hassle. Even if the burglars had to break a window, bend a doorframe, you name it, you will be covered and the insurance will pay these unforeseen expenses.
Apart from all the facts listed above, home insurance will definitely give you some peace of mind in knowing that your loved ones are protected and that you will be able to provide for them even in the face of danger.
We hope you are convinced and that you are on your way to get insured right now. If you would like to know more about homeowners insurance options, read this insightful post. Our blog features different types of content discussing financial and personal banking matters, be sure to read this article discussing the best financial blogs of 2018 that you have to bookmark.
Having a healthy relationship with your finances is the best way to get to the top and get a grip on where your money is going month-in and month-out. We all have been in a situation where we get our wages and within a flash, there is nothing left of it and we simply cannot explain where it went. This is why having a solid budget you can stick to will help you manage your spending and ultimately your finances are key to achieving a little more financial freedom.
In this article, we take a brief look at different strategies you can apply to ensure you draw up and stick to your budget, easily and stress-free.
This is not too difficult, in fact, you should probably have a fairly good idea of where your money is going each month. Fixed expenses include things like rent, mortgage, gas, debt and accounts, groceries. Even though something like groceries is not really a fixed expense, you should have an idea of what you spend on major items per month, more or less. You can use a program like excel to list these items and stipulate the amount of each. Remember to include your income on this sheet as this will clearly indicate if you are spending more than what you are earning.
Keep a tight grip on your spending habits by keeping yourself in check when out and about. It is very easy to simply grab the credit card and swipe for something you want but don’t actually need. If you have put aside dedicated time to spend on your finances, you should get a better understanding of where your money could be used more efficiently, simply by looking at your spending habits.
We mentioned credit or debt in point #1 above. Now, before you can actually budget effectively, you also need to understand where your attention is needed. If you are struggling with debt, you probably should focus on getting this out of the way before you can spend money on lavish trips to Spain. If you have very little debt, and you are able to commit to paying a definite amount off each month, you will probably be able to also put some money away. Saving is a big priority when it comes to managing your finances. Know what is needed where, and take it from there.
Once you have everything set up, you should be able to know exactly how much you have to spend on what you need. Always leave some space for other spending and activities, this will ensure you have a positive attitude towards your finances, and positivity is contagious! What we mean by automating, is that you should use a tried and trusted method of tracking your spending and earnings that minimises stress and doesn’t take up too much time. Get your statements automatically from your financial service provider, use a program or app to type in your fixed expenses, and adjust as needed.
If this sounds like too much effort, you can always use this guide written by Ramit Sethi.
We hope that you have found this article insightful and that you will be able to manage your finances more efficiently in 2018. If you have any questions or would like to chat with one of our team members at The CBT, feel free to give us a call.
If you are like many others wanting to start investing in the stock market and have some money you would like to invest for the very first time, you should be prepared. Even though it is not a clear science, one can never be too prepared, especially if it is your first time investing. A lot of people take on the ‘leave it to luck’ approach, or simply put all their money in a stock that is doing great right now, which can be detrimental. Never fear when The CBT is here! We’ve got loads of experience and some neat tips for beginners.
In this article, we look at some of the key principles you need to start applying before you invest in anything. Let’s get started.
Firstly, you need to know and familiarise yourself with stock investment terms and how everything works. If you have no idea what you are doing, you increase your risk, which is what you want to try and avoid at all cost. Learn the basics and you should be fine. Things to specifically focus on include:
Investment accounts
Order types
Metrics and definitions
Methods of timing and selection
Follow this link for a detailed guide for beginners who want to invest in a stock.
Identify Your Goals
Merely investing for the sake of investment is not reason enough to just throw your money into something. This is true with anything in life. Know exactly what you are investing in and why you are doing so. This will determine whether you have long- or short-term goals. If you are going to need the money sooner rather than later, investing in the stock market might not be the best idea. Knowing what your goals are will also assist you in deciding how and where to invest.
Bonus tip
Your portfolio growth will depend on the following factors:
Investing in stock can be a stressful activity to some people, depending on their risk tolerance. If you are not familiar with this term, you should get comfortable with the fact that everyone has a level of risk tolerance. It basically means that the less you are likely to risk, the lower your risk tolerance. The more you are willing to risk, the higher your risk tolerance. Before investing, understand that you have a risk tolerance and know what yours are, this will allow you to avoid stressful situations in terms of worrying about your investment.
This goes for emotions as well. If you are unfamiliar with the stock market, you should know that it is a game of risks and emotions influence the price of securities. Know how much you are willing to risk, what you want to achieve, and this should give you a clear idea of when you should bank in on your investment and sell your stock.
According to the pros, it is always best to spread our investments far and wide, as this will also minimise your risk. This allows you to cover potential losses, should stock that you have invested in perform poorly while other stock you invested in performed very well. Instead of investing all your eggs in one basket, and risking losing everything, you now have an opportunity to grow your portfolio either way.
We always advise against utilizing leverage to those only starting out in stock investments. Leverage is a tool, offered by brokers, and basically means that you borrow a certain percentage of money from them in order for you to buy stock. The downfall of this is, if the market crashes or the stock does not perform well, you have lost all your input and still owe the bank or broker the amount borrowed from them, including interest.
We hope you have found this short guide helpful and that you will become a stock investor extraordinaire in no-time. Looking for a great resource for stock investment? Read this guide. If you are interested in learning more about personal banking and finances, read our article on the best personal finances and banking blogs for 2018.
As professional financial advisors and experts in the finances and banking sectors, we love keeping up to date with all the latest news and tips regarding personal finance and banking. Our aim is to provide consumers with nothing but the best in financial advice, whether you need to learn how to manage money effectively, or how to invest, we’ve got your back. We have found some of the best personal finance blogs for 2018 and would love to share them with you.
In this post we look at the top 6 of these sites, and what you can expect when joining the community.
A fantastic source for all your financial needs and queries with helpful advice and tips that can be applied to your own life. The Kiplinger platform covers all things related to finance and money management, from personal finance to business finance. The site also offers you a handy rate tool where you can get live readings of what is happening in the finance sector in terms of increasing and decreasing interest rates.
Your definite go-to guide for all your personal finance questions, Money Crashers covers everything related to personal banking and financing. Read about taxes, investments, insurance, you name it. Articles are informative and cater to anyone looking to sharpen their money management skills and have their money start working in their favor. You are even able to read some handy career tips. Money Crashers reaches our list because of its all-inclusive approach to personal finance.
Another one of our favorites, Get Rich Slowly offers real-world advice to anyone in need of guidance in all things finance. J.D. Roth shares his expert advice with his audience – whether it is debt related tips you need, advice on how to retire early, or what to do if you want to buy a house or make other larger purchases or investments. What makes this blog so unique, is the fact that tips shared here are not supplied by a professional financial advisor, but rather someone who had to learn how to effectively manage their finances without formal training.
Learn practical tips on how to save and manage your finances in such a way that you can enjoy some financial freedom in The Digerati Life. The blog focuses on financial matters and aims to educate its readership on topics such as entrepreneurship, shopping, finance management, investing and personal banking. Definitely worth a read!
On his blog, David Ning takes on a different angle and encourages his audience to act on sound financial advice instead of remaining in the same financial state infinitely. Here you will find a whole lot of common sense, packaged in educational articles and guides on how to save money, how to spend smarter, and how to manage and avoid getting into debt, and get out of it if you are that unfortunate.
Here you can find some of the best tips and advice, whether you are looking at getting a bank account and not sure where to apply for a credit card, need some pointers as to what loan would suit your pocket best, or just about any aspect of saving and managing your money more effectively. Articles are informative and engaging, and your life will be richer for it if you keep updated with the latest articles published on The Simple Dollar.
We hope you have found this article helpful and that you will be signing up for at least one of the blogs we have discussed. If you need to talk to a professional financial advisor, remember our doors are open and you are more than welcome to give us a call to have a chat about your financial questions.
Remember, at the end of the day, having a good relationship with your finances will give you the advantage, become financially savvy and make your money work harder without making unnecessary sacrifices.
