It sounds like an easy way to make money. Buy a house and let it out for a profit. After all how hard can it be? There is a shortage of property. The rental market is getting bigger all the time. Not only that, people pay premium prices for renting out holiday cottages. It does seem you can’t lose as a landlord. Property can be a tempting market and buying to let looks like a sure way of making some money. What things do you need to consider if you are thinking about such an investment?

The state of the market

Any investment is always the balance between risk and benefits. At the moment interest rates are low. That means investing in property is a good bet, if you can afford the deposit. Buy to let mortgages are available but they do involve costs. You will pay fees and you need to do your sums. If it looks like you can afford it then you’ll need to consider some of the issues. There are hoops you’ll have to jump through before you can count the rent money in your account.

Look for the best location

It makes sense for you to look at your property as an all round investment. That means you would like the value of your investment to increase while you are letting it out. Choose a promising area. It doesn’t have to be one that you would personally choose to live in. But it should be somewhere that is attractive to potential tenants. When looking to find the right property seek property investment advice from the professionals. You want to be able to secure a great investment, but you also want to ensure it is in the right location.

That maybe because of a proximity to facilities or simply because it is close to a good school, or even an access road to a work centre. Perhaps there is a college nearby. Letting to students can be an attractive prospect.

Is the best location for you somewhere you already know? It would also make it easier for you to maintain the property and keep an eye on it. It maybe that you can afford to look further afield. If you are using a letting agency then you may not even have to be there. That opens up all sorts of property possibilities.

Who are your tenants?

If your property is close to or even located in a University town then you might consider letting to students. These properties are likely to be shared and the more bedrooms the better. You’ll need to provide a shared living area and a functional kitchen. Students are the not the most fastidious tenants and there might be drawbacks to consider.

Your property might be empty during the holidays for example. There is a greater risk of mess and possibly even repairs. You will also have a high turnover of tenants and quite a lot of administration to take care of.

The needs of young professionals will be different. They might like to be closer to restaurants and bars. Your property might benefit from a more upmarket feel. Families will have their own ideas about a property and enjoy a blank canvas to make their home in. As tenants they will be bringing in their own furniture and looking stay for a longer tenancy.

If you do your sums and find the right property you could well be on the road to enjoying an extra income as a landlord. On top of that you will be reaping the benefits of a lucrative property investment.

The festive season is slowly closing in upon us. This means that it’s time to start buying gifts, decorating the home and purchasing the mammoth amount of food and booze that will be required to get us through Christmas and the New Year. But, if you’re already short of money, then the festive period can be a bit of a nightmare. In this post, we look at financial options to help get you through the Christmas period. 

Plan and Budget Expenditure Carefully 

Before you start your festive spending, it’s vital that you fully understand your financial situation. In order to do this, you’ll have to plan and budget your expenditure carefully. You should look at exactly what you’re spending each month and how much you have left in your savings. 

Once you’ve calculated this, you can see exactly how much you have left over to spend in the festive period. This can then be divided into presents, food and drink. 

Is Overtime an Option? 

If your finances don’t add up, or if you simply think you’ll be too short, it’s well worth considering asking work whether you’d be able to work overtime to boost your financial position.

Depending on the sector you work in, a number of different businesses offer overtime during the festive season in order to cope with the extra demand that Christmas brings. If there’s some overtime available, it could help you fund those extra bills or allow you to buy that extra present. 

Consider a Scaled Back Option 

If you can’t get overtime and the bills are starting to stack up, then it may well be worth opting for a scaled down festive season this year. This is an option advised by Martin Lewis. Presents that come from the heart matter just as much as those that are purchased. As a result, try to encourage making gifts or spending a smaller amount. Sometimes these are the best presents as they come from the heart. 

Think About a Loan 

If you’re unable to get overtime or cannot use scaling back as an option, then you may be able to get a guarantor loan to cover your expenses. This way, you’ll still be able to fully enjoy the festive period. You’ll just have to be aware of the repayments.  

To conclude, the festive season may be expensive but, even with limited funds, there are financial options to help you. Consider all of them carefully, it’s more than likely that there’s one that’s perfect for you.

Investments are an excellent way of giving yourself long-term financial opportunities. They will help to generate extra income for you at a later date. That’s why it’s important to be sensible and make the right decisions. There are common investment opportunities like real estate or options trading. However, these represent a pretty saturated and unstable market so they may not be the best ideas for your money.

Instead, it can sometimes be useful to think outside the box with this sort of thing. That means you need to think up unusual investment opportunities. And there are plenty of these around it’s just a case of finding them, and making your investments! Check out these ideas for a bit of inspiration.

Silver

We've all heard of investing in gold, but silver is a less common choice. However, because of this it might well be one of the best investment options out there! The great thing about silver is that it’s very affordable, and that make it an accessible investment for you. There are many places to buy silver online so make sure you shop around. This can be a very lucrative investment over a long or short period. I would definitely recommend investing in silver if you want to go into the investment market.

Whiskey

Whiskey is a more recent and equally unusual investment opportunity that has arisen. Everyone knows about wine investment, but whiskey investment is an emerging market. Do you know you Black Label from your Glenfiddich? If so, then you’re perfectly placed to be investing in whiskey. Mind you, that’s not to say you have to be an expert in fine scotch to be an investor! As long as you take the time to research the industry, and you make sensible investments you should be fine.

Comic Books

It may sound like an investment exclusively for geeks, but comic books can be hugely lucrative. These are collector’s items, and there are many people out there who will pay a pretty penny for the right issue. The brilliant thing about comic books is you can pick them up in a huge variety of places. Yard sales and record stores will often sell cheap and pre-owned comic books. You can buy in bulk for very cheap, and then sell them on and make a profit. You might even consider hunting around online for rarer copies that will bring in the big bucks.

Films

It might not occur to you at first, but you’ll find that investment in films is a real opportunity these days. Motion pictures can bring about hugely lucrative returns on investment. And you get the added bonus of knowing you've helped create something timeless. If you are a film fan then this should absolutely be your main consideration for investment. Do a bit of research, so you understand how the process works, and then you’re ready to begin.

We all know how important it is to invest our money these days. Planning for the financial future is essential for later in life. And that means you will be a bit more comfortable when you reach retirement age. This is a list of some of the more unusual things you might want to consider investing in. All of them can prove exciting and lucrative decisions.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) started the year at 1,333,000 won, and it is now trading at 1,270,000 won on the Korean Stock Market. The stock has lost 4.3% for the year to date, with the biggest fall occurring between April 2015 and August 2015. Since then there has been a resurgence in the share price from a low of 1,067,000 to its current level. Binary options trading sites have capitalized on the reversal in the share price of Samsung over the past two months, having recorded a strong uptick in call options. If we look at the market fundamentals for this company's stock, it is clear that the price is midway between the 52-week high and the 52-week low. On the low end, Samsung is priced at 1,033,000, and on the high end it is priced at 1,510,000. The company's market capitalisation is 189.12 trillion Korean won, and the price-earnings ratio is 9.73.

What is in the pipeline with Samsung?

Sales of the new Samsung Galaxy smartphones have been tepid at best. This has caused a great degree of consternation with investors who have been weighing their options with regards to the stock. The latest smartphone released by Samsung – the Galaxy S6 - has received a tepid response from customers the world over. This has fueled investor anxiety, resulting in a plunging share price in Q3, 2015. But there is hope yet for Samsung shareholders, since the company has $55 billion in cash available. Investors and economic analysts alike are expecting the company to initiate a series of share buybacks this month to restore investor confidence in the company. This is typically a surefire way to get investors interested in the stock again. As a case in point, Apple Inc (AAPL) has used share buybacks to boost shareholder confidence.

If Samsung decides to use its cash resources to purchase stock, the share price could surge by as much as 20% according to analysts. That would effectively wipe out all of the losses incurred by the company for the year to date. The chief concerns for the company include lagging sales of the Samsung Note 5, and the Samsung S6 smartphone. Stiff competition from Chinese smartphone manufacturers and Apple has put the brakes on Samsung's profitability this year. Should the buyback take place, it will be the second one since 2007. Analysts point to the fact that Samsung has shaved $22 billion off the top in 2015, and the buyback may be the only way to restore confidence in the company. Profits at the company have increased for September year-on-year from 4.1 trillion Korean 1 to 6.7 trillion Korean won, but that pales in comparison to the profits recorded in 2013 (10.2 trillion Korean won).

Samsung Still Dominating Market Share 

Q3 guidance from Samsung has bolstered the company standings in the market. The latest releases from the smartphone giant – the Galaxy S6 edge + and the Galaxy Note5 - may not be selling like hot cakes, but Samsung retains its position as market leader. Although that lead is diminishing, thanks largely to Apple's encroachment into Samsung's territory, Samsung is for now still the market leader. However, this has all come at great cost to Samsung which has now recorded 7 successive quarters of declining profits. During Q1 and Q2 of 2015, Samsung generated 43% of its operational profits from its mobile communications division and its information technology division. This is a result of its strong sales in smartphones. 

Despite falling sales figures, Q3 profits from the company indicated that operating profits will rise by 7.3 trillion Korean won on sales of overall sales of 51 trillion Korean won. In dollar terms this translates into $6.3 billion in operating profits off sales of $44 billion. More good news is that the forward guidance from Samsung beats analysts’ expectations.

It is clear from the lukewarm response to the latest smartphones from Samsung that the company has been generating its profits from things other than its latest products. This points to the mobile communications and IT division. It has also been reported that mobile telecommunication carriers are reducing the prices of Galaxy S6 edge units and the Galaxy S6 unit owing to poor sales figures. The more likely reasons for the Q3 turnaround in profits for the company are its semiconductor operations and the cross-currency exchange rates. Since the US dollar appreciated so strongly against a basket of currencies in 2015, this allows for greater exports from Korea. The Korean won depreciated by 12 percentage points against the USD during Q3, and this added hundreds of billions to the operational profitability of the company. Samsung has also been pushing its devices solutions and semiconductor operations hard, and this has likely contributed significantly to the bottom line.

Samsung Holds a Slim Lead Over Apple Inc.

During the course of Q2 2015, the global smartphone market increased by 13%, year-on-year. Most of the growth came from EM countries, with slowdowns taking place across North America, Western Europe and China. Android smartphones formed the bulk of shipments for Q2, 2015 at 82.8%, with Samsung dominating the market especially in the low-cost smartphone sector. Binary options trading sites reacted to the declining market share of Samsung, which has fallen from 32.2% in Q2 2012, to 31.9% in Q2 2013, dropping to 24.8% in Q2 2014 and now leading with a slim 21.4% in Q2 2015. Samsung's nearest rival is Apple Inc which has a market share of 13.9% as at Q2 2015. Other smartphone companies making up the remainder of the market include Huawei at 8.7%, Xiaomi at 5.6% and Lenovo at 4.7%. 

Are you thinking about buying property? If you are, we imagine you’re already confused about all the mysteries that lay before you. That’s why we’re here to help you through a few. By reading this guide, we guarantee you’ll know more about buying property. But, before we tell you how to buy we want you to ask yourself a question. Is it the right time?

There are plenty of different things that can affect the answer you will give here. Your job might be quite unstable. If that’s the case, it’s not the right time to buy a home. Many people think that once you buy property you’ll be in less risk of falling into debt. But that’s just not true. The bills on a property can be far more expensive than what you were used to paying when renting. As well as this, you need to be aware that mortgage repayments can be challenging, at best. You should also think about the stage that you are at in life. Again, if you’ve chosen someone to spend your life with, buying property can be a wise financial decision. But, if you’re a single adult renting gives you a lot more freedom.

Some people claim renting is wasting your cash. However, the economy has changed. You might find it more financially attractive to continue renting. However, if you think you’re in the right position to buy a home let’s look at what you need to do.

Saving Up

One or two years before you start thinking about buying a home, you should start living on a budget. That way you’ll be able to save up some cash for the deposit. That means it’s time to start cutting out the little luxuries that you love so much and being more financially responsible. Don’t worry, once you’ve got a big sum of money to buy your home, you’ll be able to start living more freely again.

Other Costs

Don’t forget that it’s not just the deposit and the mortgage you need to think about when buying a home. You will also have to buy a number of services such as a solicitor, moving team and inspector. These are all necessary services for buying a new home. You need to fit these into your budget and make sure you can afford to pay for them. You don’t want to buy your home and already be in debt in your first year. If that’s going to happen you might be better off continuing to rent.

After You Buy 

Once you own the house, you’re going to have to consider other expenses. It’s not uncommon for a new home to need repairs in the first year. You should also be aware that bills can be more than you have been used to. In general a house is more expensive than a rented apartment. Sometimes you might not be able to deal with these costs as quickly as necessary. In this situation, Evolution Money loans can help. You can get the cash you need to upkeep your new home, even with a history of bad credit. 

Take this advice on board and you’ll understand everything you need to know about buying a home. The financial costs can be overwhelming at first, but once you understand what you are paying for and why, it becomes easier to manage. Congratulations, you’re out the maze!

With interest rates across the globe at all-time lows, in the UK for example the Bank of England interest rate is at 0.5%, if you are looking for a return on savings account the rates of return are impossibly so. As central banks have sought to ride out the financial crisis by lending more and trying to put people off saving money, you may be looking for a way to get better returns than the incredibly low rates of interest the banks are offering. One such way has long been the investment in commodities and in the modern world possibly the best commodity investment is in silver. Here is a basic guide to buying physical silver.

Commodities OverShares

When investing your money, the traditional, most well-known approach is investment in stocks and shares. However these are risky investments which can fluctuate massively and are dependent upon a variety of factors beyond your control, and you are just as likely to lose money as you are to make it on the stock market. This is why commodities have become a more acceptable way for individual savers or investors to invest their money. With most commodity products there is a limited supply and as more people want to invest in them the demand increase outstrips supply. And with basic economic theory, the price will increase.

Silver as a Commodity

There are various types of goods described as ‘commodities’; precious metals, industry metals, diamonds, oil and natural products are some examples of this. Precious metals are amongst the most stable in investment terms, and tend to make the steadiest return for a low-level individual investor. Other types of commodity tend to be vulnerable to large level investment artificially increasing the price by buying up huge amounts and controlling the supply to the market as recently happened with cocoa beans. Silver tends to be the most stable of the precious metals as it lacks the grandeur of investing in gold or other metals, as it is perceived as a more ‘common’ metal.

How to Invest 

When looking at investing in silver you should consider the price relative to how much you have saved and are prepared to invest. If you have significant savings and are looking to invest it all, take a look at the price fluctuations over the past few weeks or months and make a decision on how much you are prepared to invest. When choosing how to invest you should consider whether you want to buy directly, or use a service which will buy and manage it on your behalf. When investing in silver if you are buying bars or the silver in another form it is preferable to use a service which will deliver the product to you. When buying physical silver this can be done online and delivered straight to your home, saving you the trouble of having to buy it from directly from suppliers.

Silver is a precious metal which is increasing in value and is an affordable commodity product and a great alternative to traditional forms of investment.

It is always believed that a businessman is more of a risk taker than a person who is having a job. Owning a business increases the number of responsibilities by ten folds at least. But there is a fine line between taking risks and taking calculated risks. Taking risks is not business, it is gambling, which can be quite dangerous for a business. A good businessman however, foresees the possible consequences before taking any risk and acts accordingly. Many new bees in the world of business can totally miss this fact. But that can be fatal for an enterprise which is just being started.

Things to keep in mind when setting a business startup

There are some points one must consider when starting a new business.

1) Choose a good team:  This is probably the most important factor in the business. If the core team lacks enthusiasm, dedication and perseverance, the business won’t last for a long time.

2) Less is more: One needs not to invest a heavy amount as a capital when just starting out. Keeping the budget to minimum and spending only where there is a true necessity is one of the basic things on should keep in mind.

3) Get insured: This is the point many of the people miss out. But believe it or not it is as important as the above two. With the entire budget allotted, one generally chooses not to foresee an unexpected damage to the company in the future. Getting one’s company insured can save one from that unexpected hazard that could occur. Now there are many kind of insurances vis-à-vis property insurance, product insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, etc. But the one which is easily miss able but equally important is General Liability Insurance also known as Business Liability Insurance. This type of insurance protects a company from any unexpected damages occurring because of the company. For example, an employee files a lawsuit against the company.

The important thing to remember here is that business liability insurance can cover many things but ca also leaves out on many. This depends on the policy also. It also differs from place to place. For instance, California business liability insurance coverage  may differ from that of Newyork state.

4) Know where to spend and where not to: One must always trying to spend on an asset in a business or even generally. One should always ask oneself before spending whether investing on a particular thing will help in running his or her business efficiently or not.

5) Hire intelligent people: It is always said that to be a good business man, it is not necessary to be a know-it-all kind of person. It is not necessary to be a genius. But it is absolutely necessary to have efficient and intelligent employees.

So these are some of the basic points one must consider while starting a new business. This list may not be the only set of points to be considered but it will certainly help the ones who are just starting out.