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If you have water damage in your home and want to get it under control as soon as possible, you might be wondering if you should handle the water and mold damage alone or contact a professional.

You could be tempted to do it yourself to save money on repair fees. Keep in mind, though, that not addressing the water damage the right way gives it time to progress and get even worse than it already was. In the end, you will pay a lot more if you try containing it yourself and fail. If you don’t want to face that situation, learn when to contact a water restoration expert, and you will be glad you did.

Why You Need an Expert

You might see a little water damage from a leak or burst pipe and believe you can take care of it on your own. A lot of people take that path and think they are making progress and that they have removed the water. When you try to dry all the water in your home, you can only get water on the surface of your carpet or drywall. Any water that remains under the surface can cause your boards to rot or allow mold to grow, issues you don’t want to face.

Roof Leaks

The shingles on your roof do an excellent job at preventing water from getting into your home and causing harm. The shingles are positioned in a way that causes rainwater to run off your roof and into your gutters, and it goes into the ground from there. Wind and hail damage can make cracks in your shingles that let water pass through to your boards and home. Also, shingles can crack with time, and those who live in areas with extreme temperatures are even more at risk. If you have water damage from a leak in your roof, you want to get an expert on the job.

Faucet and Pipe Leaks

If you check under your sink and discover your faucet pipes have been leaking, take action right away. In addition to causing water damage, a leaky pipe can also run up your water bill more than you think.

Some people ignore a leaky pipe because they don’t want to invest the time or money to fix it, a path down which you don’t want to travel. The water from a leaky pipe can cause the boards under your sink to rot. It can also cause mold growth and invite a variety of pests with which you don’t want to deal. A team of water removal experts will protect you from that issue and give you peace of mind.

Burst Pipes

A leaky pipe is one thing, but a burst pipe is even worse. If one of the pipes in your home burst, you could have a flooded basement or crawl space on your hands before you know what happened. Getting the water out of your home and fixing the pipe is only half the battle.

It’s important you address any water damage right away so that you can contain it in the early stages. Contacting a mold removal team is also a wise step in the right direction when you face this issue because a burst pipe creates an attractive environment for mold.

Flood Damage

Most people think a flood would never happen to them, but a flood can strike at any time. A few hours of heavy rain is all it takes to trigger a flood that causes countless damage to homes and property. If you want to reduce the damage and protect your property, act the second you have the opportunity because doing so saves you time and money over the long run. Rather than trying to tackle the threat on your own, turn to a trusted team of water removal professionals.

Understanding the Process

Now that you know when contacting an expert is wise, explore the ways experts address and solve the problem. This gives you an idea of how an expert will help protect your property from further damage, and you will be thrilled by the outcome. Professionals have tools and training to do the job right the first time and provide outstanding results to their clients.

Water Removal

Water removal is the first step in the restoration process and a vital aspect of damage control. Since water in your home can spread to other areas over time, removing water is a powerful step along the correct path. Your experts will begin by removing all furniture, appliances and electronics from the impacted area. They will then use equipment to dry the area and inspect it for signs of damage so that you can have peace of mind. If water comes in contact with your drywall, they remove and replace the impacted sections.

Mold Prevention

As far as mold removal is concerned, your experts will begin by sealing off the area to prevent mold spores from spreading to other parts of your home. Vacuums, air scrubbers and HEPA filters are among the tools used by mold removal professionals when they come into your home to solve your issue. While most people miss spots when trying to remove mold without help, a team of professionals uses a systematic process to contain the mold and let you breathe easy.

About Aloha Restoration

If you need water or mold removal services and don’t know where you should turn for help and caring support, Aloha Restoration has your back. They are a team of talented professionals who care about the communities they serve. The team will remove your water and have your home dry within 48 hours of calling them.

Working with Aloha Restoration puts your worries to rest because they have a proven record of success and dependability. When you enlist them to dry your home, they pay attention to each detail and have your back from start to finish. If you are ready to begin and get your home dry in no time, pick up your phone and give them a quick call.

No matter what size of business you are, choosing which merchant service provider would best suit your company can require some research and consideration. With so many options, it can seem overwhelming to just pick one, and many businesses often work with several providers because it opens up choices for their customers. However, with the right information, you can make a choice that will affect your company for the better.

Here are some things to consider when you are choosing the right merchant services for you.

What kind of pricing do they use?

It’s most likely that the type of payment method you choose will include the use of credit cards. When it comes to this type of payment, simple tends to be the best. A quick setup can get you started right away and provide you with the assets you need in order to conduct business efficiently while offering support to clients.

This means you will have to consider the pricing your chosen merchant service provider has and whether it works within your budget. This can be especially important for small business, who might have to choose between one or two options instead of several. The most common forms of pricing nowadays tend to be flat pricing or Interchange-Plus.

Much of which payment facilitator you use will depend on how much growth you see for your company over the next few years. A flat rate can be great for small companies that are unlikely to see additional locations open up, but for a company that is looking to expand, Interchange-Plus might be the way to go.

Are customers’ cards on file?

Most small businesses rely on loyal customers that return because of the quality of the product or service. Having clients’ cards on file might not seem like the most exciting aspect of choosing the right merchant services option, but it can make a big difference if you have a number of returning customers. It also makes it much simpler for you since you don’t have to re-enter important information when you know that it is safely stored within an app.

These merchant services providers also often offer additional services such as integrations with your software. This can make it easier to know which payments have been made, which are outstanding, and what purchases your customers have completed. It also makes it simpler for them to buy products or services since their info is already on file. If you have an ecommerce store, this can be especially helpful for client retention.

Having cards on file can also give you a leg up over the competition since you will have a better idea of which items in your store are selling well. You can see where you need to make changes or where you might need to incorporate advertising, as well.

In conclusion

Choosing the right merchant services can help your business to thrive, while also offering you the tools to continue growing as a company. With this in mind, you can choose a provider that offers you the support and tools you need in order to be successful as a small company.

The key to financial independence can be staring at you, right there, unlocking your front door. New home owners will take great pleasure in paying towards their own equity for the roof over their head, as opposed to lining the pockets of landlords. Though this is a great first step to becoming free from financial burdens, there are many costs and potential profit that can go unforeseen. Here are a few tips for new homeowners in what to look out for, as well as how owning a home can be the key to an early retirement.

Ignorance is not bliss

Maintenance work and interest rates. Two things that can be neglected when renting an apartment, but can’t when owning a home.

Maintenance costs are often underestimated, with many seemingly minor issues getting overlooked “for next year”. The problem is, these issues become expensive when neglected. Staying on top of your home care with a fixed budget is smart, but it can be difficult to calculate, with any figure you settle on appears arbitrary. Well, the one percent rule isn’t a bad starting place, which states that the average maintenance cost is around 1% of a house: budgeting $4,000 per year for a $400,000 house.

Other factors may influence this budget by +-50%. If your home is brand new or was recently renovated, then this figure may be an overestimate. The opposite is true if the home is 100 years old, located in a flood-risk area or poorly looked after.

It is also worth bearing in mind that interest rates will not remain the same, which means budgeting for variable-rate mortgage repayments to potentially increase. To recover from the 2008 crisis, many countries have extremely low interest rates, but these are expected to creep back up. The US have already risen there’s gradually over the previous two years, with the UK’s forecasted to rise in late 2019.

Contracts over contacts

It’s no secret that most big projects can cost much more than is quoted or planned, we’ve all heard the horror stories. Flicking through your contact book to ask semi-skilled friends or having a go at it yourself can therefore be very tempting. Don’t be tempted.

Perhaps painting the spare bedroom or amending furniture can be great to try yourself, learning new skills and saving money. But fundamental repairs to the house should be treated with great respect, as your property is of great value as much as it is a home.

Tiling, electrics and plumbing are jobs that can tempt us into attempting but should be left to a professional. These jobs have very costly repercussions when they go wrong and can get messy very quickly such as rewiring a light switch or improperly installing sink.

Don’t get caught off guard

Maintenance costs and interest rates aren’t the only cost that can arise unexpectedly. Property taxes are usually based on a mixture of local tax rates and your property value, two things that are prone to change. This is worth accounting for in your budget when moving into a home, as rates vary greatly depending on location, but it is also worth noting that this expense will likely increase in the future with the same home. From 2000 to 2010 property taxes had almost doubled in the US, whilst in the UK, council tax rose from £26.6 billion to £28 billion in 2017.

It is also worth having your home independently valued by an estate agent or local builder. It is possible that you purchased your first home for either more or less than its value. This will guarantee that you are insuring your home for what it is worth, so you can avoid overpaying in premiums.

Locations that are prone to natural disasters often do not offer standard insurance that covers for flooding or sinkholes. It is important to understand what is covered, for which you can either seek out insurance with greater coverage, and if there is no option, save specifically for such an emergency.

Using your home to reach financial independence

For many who have early retirement or financial independence (FI) as a core goal in life, getting on the property ladder as soon as possible is a must. This is somewhat ironic, as FI enthusiasts often preach about avoiding debt at all costs; it must be remembered that FI and being free of rent and mortgage repayments is a long-term goal, with the home being a very important factor.

Whilst this may be a 20-year plan for some, the home can be used proactively to contribute towards this goal by being used as a revenue stream in the here and now.

One method of raising revenue using your home is to rent out a portion of it. This may include putting the spare bedroom on Airbnb with a nightly rate. Investing in some nice furniture and interior along with some salesmanship may provide a healthy passive income, which can really be lucrative in the summer. Additionally, taking this to the next step and building a suite for guests, perhaps a cabin in the garden or converting a garage may be a worthwhile investment with a better separation of living space.

If guests aren’t a passive-enough income for your personality or lifestyle, then renting out space may be a better option. If you have a large off-road space that can fit a RV or a boat, then it’s possible to rent this out for those who want somewhere to protect their vehicles from the weather. Renting a parking space in an urban area or near a large workplace can also be in great demand.

There are opportunities for some extra side-income for new homeowners, but these may be taken more seriously when striving for financial independence. Treating your first down-payment as an investment in yourself as much as it is a home can provide you with income opportunities. This approach may lead to the mortgage paying itself off, with a thoroughly planned budget to account for unpredictable expenses being equally as important.

Owning a home is everyone’s dream.  Owning a house however means you have the sole responsibility to ensure it is in the best condition possible.  This entails taking care of everything from the simple necessary repairs to handling larger issues. It is only in doing this that you can protect your home from depreciating and making it as comfortable and appealing as possible. Consider seeking the help of real estate professionals or even inspectors to find ways in which you can improve the value of your home.

Many people are short of ideas when it comes to increasing the value of their homes.  Some are torn between updating their kitchen, the bathroom, or even investing in a new roof. While working on either of these might seem like a wise idea, you need to identify just the spot/area that needs to be updated. Where you put the money in is more important than how you do it. Here are a few ways in which you can protect your home from the current market trends.

1. Regular Maintenance

Routine maintenance is the one best way to preserve/protect your home’s value. According to the National Association of Realtors, it would be advisable to set aside at least $500 per month for big repairs. Plumbing, electrical, and roofing problems do put a considerable dent on the home’s overall value. For this reason, you need to keep up with minor fixes to ensure these do not get beyond your control. Simple practices such as working on the gutters, weatherproofing, replacing broken shingles and roof tiles, and stopping leakage go a long way in protecting your home’s worth. Furthermore, hiring a cleaning service Houston way, or a cleaning service wherever you are based, to make sure the inside of the home is spotless is a great way to keep the property looking its best.

2. Work on the home’s Curb Appeal

Good aesthetics play a huge role in almost anything. Loose railings, a dirty siding, broken light fixtures, and even an unkempt exterior only show how fast the property is depreciating. Consider applying a fresh lick of paint after every few months, ensure the garden is in the best condition, fix broken fixtures, and most importantly, keep the entire house clean.  Keeping the trees and the lawn in the best shape also shows how caring you are as a homeowner hence protecting the value of your home.

3. Consider Some Upgrades

Old cabinets, outdated appliances, and countertops in both the kitchen and the bathroom can cause a drop in your home’s value.  Replacing any older and inefficient appliances can give your home a value boost. If possible, consider going for energy-efficient appliances for an upgrade. These include dishwashers, refrigerator, light fixtures, and even the heating system. Although you might want to take on a remodeling project for your home, you need to be careful with the areas you choose for an upgrade. This is according to the National Association of Realtors.

4. Neighbors

Vacant homes due to foreclosures can also have a significant impact on the houses within the neighborhood.   For this reason, you need to be watchful of empty homes that fall into disrepair with unkempt lawns, dead or encroaching bushes, as well as bushy flower gardens. You can make it your responsibility to pull out weeds in their yards, as well as clean the compounds to preserve the neighborhood’;s appeal. You could also engage neighbors to help keep the neighborhood clean and protected.

5. Seek Professional Advice

A real estate consultant can help guide you into boosting your home’s value. The best thing with working with a professional is that they can notice even the smallest problems that if repaired, can give your home a significant boost in the market value of your house. Consider calling a real estate sales agent or even a home inspector for help identifying mechanical and structural problems that could be causing your home to lose value. The inspector should be able to make a list of recommendations on possible repairs that could make a difference in the property’s worth, such as those related to roof repairs and plumbing line repairs. For roof related problems, you can get in touch with a company like Team Roofing to get your roof fixed.

A well-maintained house lasts a lot longer and is more valuable than a neglected one. Taking the initiative to ensure everything is in the best condition possible in the house is one way to protect the house’;s value. You won’t need an expert’s eye to see a well-kept house, and one that needs serious work to restore its former glory. That said, it would be advisable to take the necessary measures to ensure the house is in the best condition possible.

Some factors can affect the price and value of your home. These include regulation changes, rising interest rates, and economic patterns that affect/influence a buyer’s decision. While you might not have control over such factors, taking care of what you have control of is all that matters. Working with a professional realtor can help protect your home’s value.

What do Sears, Toys ‘R’ Us, and JC Penney’s have in common?

Not a single one of them was able to make the right adjustments in order to succeed in today’s data-driven retail market.

90% of today’s data worldwide has been gathered only in the past couple of years. In addition, the data made and gathered is only becoming more intricate, therefore, it’s rebuilding the way the retail industry does business.

However, since the amount of information that companies have to evaluate keeps on growing in addition to the fact that they’re competing in markets that are becoming more dynamic, retailers have been searching for ways to deal with their big data issues. Machine learning has come in handy in several areas within retail as it is able to deal with more data than anything else has ever been able to manage before. On top of that, it offers better results more consistently in comparison to humans. Let’s dive in deeper to see how businesses are utilizing machine learning in order to beat out their competition.

Inventory and Supply Chain Planning

When trying to balance inventory maintenance based on the demand, companies used to simply figure it out via trial and error. They had to make a lot of guesses when trying to predict which items will go into style and which ones will fall out of style or when trying to figure out how many new customers would buy items each month, for instance.

Machine learning removes all of that guesswork within supply chain planning as instead, it focuses on optimizing root cause analysis. This provides retailers with a much wider view of the faults in a system that already exists, assists with pinpointing incomplete data, and can steer clear of both human bias and error. With time, machine-learning will be able to optimize supply chain planning even more than it is able to now as it continues to unravel different patterns and relationships. In turn, it also makes it a more reliable source throughout the entire process.

Marketing

Machine learning within marketing campaigns is not a new concept, however, the magnitude at which it is utilized in marketing has not yet been completely fulfilled by retailers. Today, machine learning allows us to personalize both advertising and promotions to customers by evaluating customer behavior and pinpointing those who are high in value. Machine learning is also able to make marketing campaigns much more effective by being able to figure out when’s the best time to send out emails to consumers or by providing context to retailers about factors that may have been overlooked via traditional analysis like the weather.

In addition, both AI and machine learning have a big impact on how successful omnichannel retail is. Customers are more likely to be on multiple platforms when interacting with a brand instead of just one which is why it is difficult to be consistent with marketing. Machine learning can help pinpoint the platforms that are the best at getting the attention of various kinds of customers while also assisting retailers with figuring out how both customer wants and needs alter with time.

For instance, today, businesses are using machine learning in order to figure out if customers would rather buy items in a store with a cashier or if they would rather do it at self-service checkouts. This kind of data can provide retailers with the information that they need to maintain the tender balance between automation for increased efficiency while steering clear of the negative image that comes from automation based on previous human encounters with a brand.

Pricing

Optimizing prices within a dynamic market is usually expensive as both a lot of resources and a big IT budget are necessary. Similar to inventory planning, pricing also typically requires both a trial and an error process. Since a lot of data that has to be evaluated in order to alter the price of just a single product, there was a time when price optimization took up way too much time as. In addition, often times, not enough context went hand in hand with the scale of a business’s item portfolio.

Machine learning assists companies with optimizing their prices in several ways. It can use both historical and real-time market data in order to make very accurate price predictions which, similar to supply chain planning, end up much more fine-tuned since relationships between both items and prices are monitored during a much longer time span. In comparison to competitive pricing strategies, machine learning is able to offer a much wider perspective into a business’s product portfolio, letting businesses establish prices that take into consideration pricing relationships such as the halo effect or price cannibalization.

Through machine learning, prices are more accurate and price recommendations are given much faster which helps ensure that businesses are able to keep up with each change in the market. This is how businesses such as Amazon are able to make price adjustments several times a day, boosting both sales and revenue as well.

Machine Learning is Here to Stay

We have barely dipped our toes into how machine learning is shifting the way in which we do retail. However, it is still no secret that if businesses want to be able to remain in competition in the modern world, they have to adopt machine learning into a number of aspects of their business strategy. Machine learning is making revolutionary changes in retail including aspects such as marketing campaigns and pricing. Just as you have witnessed with the giants such as Amazon and Walmart, the success of future retailers is directly correlated with how they utilize machine learning in order to optimize how business is done.

Donald Trump’s 2020 budget has caused some waves in the Education Department and for students who need to take out or have taken out student loans. Trump’s budget has slashed Education Department funding and made some major changes to government programs aimed at helping students pay down their debt. Specific programs affected are the Public Service Loan Forgiveness and the elimination of subsidized student debt. With more graduates of post-secondary institutions struggling with crippling amounts of student debt than ever before and a record number of student loans going into default, this news will make it even harder for graduates to get out from under their debt.

Thankfully, companies like SL Account Management are working hard to help as many people as possible with their current student debt. As a private company that assists students with document preparation and determining if they are eligible for any government debt-assistance or forgiveness programs, the SL team has their work cut out for them. The changes proposed to Trump’s budget will phase out the popular programs for loans that were taken out after July 1 2020. Currently, SL Account Management is striving to help as many people benefit from the programs as possible, while they still can.

Trump’s Big Changes

Trump’s big changes include a 10-percent cut in Education department funding, the elimination of the  Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and the removal of subsidized student debt. Established in 2007, under Bush, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program forgives loans for government workers and some nonprofit organizations provided they have been making payments for 10 years. The removal of subsidized debt means that the current benefit to borrowers who are in school or facing economic hardship of not having interest accrue on their loans will end. Ultimately, the goal of these changes is that the government will no longer be responsible for backing up federal loans that students are unable to pay back, meaning taxpayers will not feel those effects trickling down.

SL Account Management

SL Account Management continues to assist students in document preparation and trying to qualify as many people as possible for government debt-relief and assistance programs while they are still in place. SL Account Management provides each and every client with a customized approach to paying down their student debt. They provide a comprehensive one-on-one budgetary consultation to determine how students can pay down their loans while still maintaining a decent standard of living and quality of life. SL Account Management is willing to work harder than ever before to assist people struggling with student debt before Trump’s budgetary changes are rolled out in 2020.

Thanks, in part, to the recent downturns in the American economy, post-secondary graduates are carrying more student debt than ever before. Many turned to getting an education in an attempt to secure future employment for themselves, but what they found after graduation was that they were starting out with large amounts of debt. SL Account Management strives to help people get back on the road to financial freedom and will continue to do so for as long as possible.

If you want to increase the productivity and efficiency of your business, you need to ensure that your software can meet the needs of your business operations and address issues even before they occur. Custom software development involves tailor-made designs and features far better than templates or packaged software.

With custom software, cost-effectiveness, integration, and personalized service play a vital role in your successful business operations. A unique and exclusive software makes your organization stand out and upgraded. In this post, you’ll learn about the important benefits of custom software development to achieve business success.

Personalized Features and Services

When it comes to software development, you don’t want your business to be left behind. While the built-in features of a packaged software can be modified, it only meets your small needs. It’s because packaged software has obvious limitations that can hamper your business growth. Custom software is a dynamic and innovative solution to today’s fast-paced growing businesses. Even if you have a small business, a custom software ensures that you won’t need to worry about minor issues brought about by a uniform software as everyone else does.

Here are the personalized benefits of custom software:

• Customized features can be tweaked or modified according to the daily operations, needs, and expectations of your business.
• You can decide on the complexity and intuitiveness of your software depending on the current performance and size of your business.
• Perform daily tasks easier and faster.

Meet and Adapt Business Scalability

Businesses grow exponentially nowadays with proper planning and management. However, off-the-shelf software is not scalable. It means that you need to train your workforce again to use new software if your current software cannot meet the needs of your business expansion. On the other hand, you don’t have to conduct full training for custom software because you’ll be using the same system and only minimal enhancements and short training are required.

Here are the benefits of a custom software when it comes to business scalability:

• Custom software can support your business throughout its stages and milestones.
• Benefit from the innovative features brought about by upgrades, thus providing effective and efficient solutions to client or customer issues.
• Expect the full trust and confidence of your employees when it comes to handling or managing the software for increased productivity and better customer service. Reduce cost involving acquiring new software because your existing or old package software can’t meet your new requirements for your growing business.

Current System Integration

Multiple software programs are what many businesses need nowadays because of varying requirements and emerging business demands. Just imagine training your staff to use different programs while managing customer service or product sales. It can be a huge hassle. That’s when custom software comes in.

Here are the benefits of system integration:

• Your software developer can accommodate your workforce’s expertise levels.
• All changes in app usage or staffing are quickly addressed by creating modules, short course training, and updates.
• You can adjust your software towards the direction it is heading.
• Integrate the best features from your current software version to the updated version. For instance, you can download and review product manager resume on your system for integration, so your employees can fill it up and send it to your dashboard for review and approval.

Encourage More Investors for Your Business

Of course, with custom software, expect nothing less but premium features and services. It means that your system is very competitive, so your major competitors won’t leave you behind. A custom software reflects your business reputation, and it is one aspect that investors check. Investors are impressed with businesses that have advanced facilities or state-of-the-art equipment and systems because of higher security and better system support.

Promote Cost-Effectiveness

Software development doesn’t come cheap. While the upfront cost of custom software can be pricier than packaged software, you can save more money in the long run. If you’re on a tight budget, you can take advantage of installment loans from a trusted lending company offering flexible terms and requirements.

Here are good reasons why custom software gives you more savings than traditional templates or off-the-shelf software:

• Custom-built software doesn’t require constant change.
• You can use custom software without significant investment for the long-term.
• No need to worry about additional costs for licenses and extra fees like packaged software.
• No need to spend on full software training like off-the-shelf software needs.

Get Full Support and Maintenance

Packaged software solutions provide limited support at the expense of your business, compromising your business operations and growth. If you don’t want to find your business in bankruptcy, get full support and maintenance from a trusted and reputable custom-built software developer.

Here are the benefits of working with a good custom software provider:

• Your customer software is appropriately maintained as long as you desire.
• Get a reliable, personalized, efficient, and targeted technical support plan.
• Custom software provides stronger security features and solutions, minimizing system intrusion or cyber attacks.

Gain More Customers and Build Customer Loyalty

Because your employees are familiar and confident working with your business software, the service reflects on the influx of customers availing your products and services. Of course, the domino effect is tremendous, increasing the number of new customers, word-of-mouth of your excellent services, and boosting your sales.

Here are some ways a custom business management software can help you gain new customers and build customer loyalty:

• Your staff doesn’t need to worry about fixing technical issues because of the full support provided by a good web developer.
• Your employees can focus on the most crucial aspect of their tasks with minimal or zero disruption for higher productivity and personalized customer service.
• You can collaborate with your workforce better to discuss the business side of things more often than addressing software issues, which impede the quality of your products and services and your entire business growth.
• Create compelling and creative marketing strategies, analyze business metrics, and formulate better sales and customer engagement ideas instead of facing system issues every time. 

Conclusion

There are plenty of benefits to investing in custom software. As a business owner, you want to ensure you get everything set right the first time. If you want increased employee productivity, scalability, excellent features, greater security, and cost-effectiveness, getting a custom-built software is a smart decision. In any investment, you usually get what you deserve, and your business deserves the best system for a smoother daily operation and more success.

The good news is that you don’t have to have a ton of money in order to take a vacation. However, that does mean that you have to think very carefully about how you spend each and every dollar if you want to make the most of your time away from home.

It’s easy to spend way more than you planned for when you’re on vacation, but it’s equally as easy to save gobs of money. That is, as long as you hop in the car, get on the bus, or board that plane prepared.

Here are just a few easy ways you can save big on your next vacation without compromising your experience.

Look for Vacation Packages

Bundling can make things more affordable. It’s why so many travel websites allow you to bundle your plane tickets with rental cars and hotels!

However, you can bundle a lot more than your plane tickets if you want to save money. Many popular vacation destinations offer vacation packages of their own that will help you save.

For example, vacation packages in Williamsburg, VA can include lodging, tickets to area events, tickets to museums, and more. By purchasing them as a bundle, you can save more money than if you bought each one separately.

Make History and Education the Focus

There are a lot of great things you can do while you’re on vacation. In many cases, trips away from home include concerts, shows, and theme parks. There’s no doubt you’ll have fun if you make these things the focus of your trip, but you’re also likely to spend a lot of money.

Instead, make history and education the focus of your trip. Museums are wonderful places to visit when you’re on vacation. You can learn about local history, and they are especially great for children. The best part is, they cost a lot less than other attractions. Some are even free!

Don’t think museums have to be stuffy either. Many areas offer tours of historical landmarks, interactive museums, and outdoor walking tours that are affordable and fun.

Spend Less on Food

Creating a budget and sticking to it is important when it comes to traveling. One area where people spend more money than they would like is food.

If you’re looking for ways to save money on vacation, one of the best ways to do it is to learn how to eat on a budget. Ways to do that include:

• Taking advantage of free breakfast
• Making sandwiches in your hotel room for dinner
• Dining at fancy restaurants for lunch, when menu items are cheaper
• Avoiding restaurants that are marketed to tourists and eating locally instead
• Stocking your room with snacks from the grocery store to avoid the vending machine

Pack Light, but Know Exactly What to Pack

Packing light can be a lot more convenient, but it turns out it can save you a lot of money too. For example, if you’re traveling by plane, most seats allow you to bring one bag on board for free. Checked bags cost extra. By getting everything in your carry-on, you can avoid that baggage fee.

Knowing what to pack is just as important as packing light. For example, don’t say you’ll get your toiletries when you arrive. You’ll end up spending precious time shopping for deodorant instead of enjoying your vacation. Not to mention, they are likely to be more expensive at your destination. Pack these items instead.

Choose How You’re Going to Get Around Wisely

There are a lot of US cities that are great for travelers without cars, and there are even more places in Europe where a car isn’t necessary. However, there are plenty of places where a car does seem necessary, and your own vehicle is always convenient.

You can save a lot of money by choosing how you get around at your destination carefully. A car may be convenient, but that doesn’t mean you need to rent one. It doesn’t mean you have to pay a lot to hail a cab or get an Uber either! Most cities have some form of affordable public transportation, while others are pedestrian-friendly. You can also consider renting a bicycle!

Going on vacation shouldn’t mean you have to drain your bank account to have a lot of fun. There are plenty of ways to save, and all that money can really add up. With these tips, you’ll save as much as possible so you can start planning your next vacation sooner rather than later!

When you run a small business, deciding which merchant services you want to use can take considerable time and effort. It might not always be clear which options would be best, and the type of services you use can have a direct effect on whether your payment methods are successful or not. By determining which traits you want your merchant service provider to have, you can make a choice that affects client relationships positively.

Here are some methods for choosing the best merchant services options for your business.

Do they offer real-time reporting?

Technology has made it easier than ever to keep track of which payments were made when. Real-time reporting allows you to access all the information related to your clients and payment data, so you can keep track of incoming and outgoing transactions. You can also narrow down results by time frame, which can make it much simpler to put together invoices and to see if sales have increased for your product or service. If you are collecting customer data, it can be helpful to have it all in one web-based system so you can spend less time on accounting and more time reaching clients.

Do they offer support?

Nothing is more frustrating than dealing with a phone tree rather than a real person when you have billing questions, and your merchant services should be able to provide your customers with actionable information. This might mean that they include one-on-one training or a stocked resource center that can allow a customer to ask questions about your payment system. It can be important to have a full understanding of how payments are made, and your merchant services provider should give you the tools to complete transactions successfully.

Do they provide next-day funding?

As more companies are using payment methods such as PayPal or Venmo, customers now expect their money to go to their bank accounts as quickly as possible. The merchant service you choose to use should also offer this as an option so you can remain competitive with other companies. It is possible that some merchant services charge a fee for next-day deposits, but it is also possible that your business can avoid these, as well. This feature can help to strengthen your relationships with clients and also make it simpler for you to keep track of payments.

Do they provide integration?

If you are going for simplicity for your business’s processes, then it can be important for you to consider what integration programs you might want to use. The right merchant services provider should be able to streamline your entire sales process from beginning to end, while also allowing you to see which areas need improvement. If you find that your system is riddled with duplicate data entry or manual errors, then it can be all the more crucial to think about implementing automation.

In conclusion

Merchant services can help you to create an easier, more direct way to engage with customers. Choosing the right ones can also allow you to develop better results with additional support, next-day funding, and integration.

An unsecured loan is a loan that is approved without any collateral attached. The lender takes on a lot more risk with this type of loan and because of that, there are certain terms you might have to agree too before the cash is paid out to you. One of the biggest pitfalls of unsecured personal loans is that they often come with a high interest rate attached.

When you are in dire straits or faced with unaffordable or unexpected expenses, a personal loan might be the only option for you. Before a bank or lending institution can approve an unsecured loan, they need some sort of reassurance that you can pay it back. To determine this, several factors are taken into consideration including (but not limited to), your credit score and the outcome of your affordability assessment (your debt-to-income ratio).

You know that a personal unsecured loan is the best option for you, but how do you ensure that your application is approved, especially if you have no collateral to offer? That’s the tricky part and we have 5 tips to share with you, to improve your chances of getting the cash loan you need.

1. Pay your bills on time.

This might not seem like an immediate fix, and it’s not. By paying your bills on time, you will develop a good credit record and this is something that banks and lenders look at. If you show that you can be responsible and pay your accounts on time, every month, your application will be viewed more favourably. Having a good credit score also often means you will be offered a lower interest rate.

2. Show you have a stable income.

Lenders want to know that you are earning enough to pay the installment each month. For this reason, you should include as much detail regarding your income as possible. Don’t just provide your payslip as proof. If you earn any extra money with a part time job or through a side hustle, make sure that you provide those details too.

3. Share the load with a creditworthy friend.

If you have a creditworthy partner, friend, or family member who is willing to co-sign on a personal loan with you, your application will be viewed more favourably. The co-signatory will be confirming that they will pay back the loan amount if you are unable to come up with the payments.

4. Apply with the right lenders.

Not all lenders are the same. Some might turn down your application, while others will give your application and financial status a broader overview. Research which lenders are the most sympathetic while still operating in strict accordance to laws and regulations in the industry. It’s strongly recommended that you first apply for instant cash loans with Multimonthloans.co.uk, if you want the best possible deal and a quick turnaround time on your application.

5. Be honest!

During an affordability assessment you will be asked to make a note of all of your expenses and income. If you fib on this assessment, you could be caught out quite easily when the loan company checks your bank statements or other supporting documentation. Be as honest as possible and don’t expect to loan more than you can realistically afford to repay.

Follow these 5 simple tips to improve your chances of getting an unsecured cash loan as quickly as possible. 

Probably, there is much that you don’t know about insurance premiums. If you step out to go shopping for a favourable insurance premium, it’s essential that you learn everything an insurance premium entails. There are two factors that affect the cost of your premium. They include raising your deductibles or lowering the amounts of coverage.

It’s challenging to realize that even the overall rate of your car insurance premium is somehow affected by other different factors. However, some of these factors can be controlled while others can’t. Getting to know what affects your rate can assist you to make a steady decision when you plan to acquire an insurance premium. Additionally, you will be aware of exactly what step to take to cut the cost of all the expenses.

Demographic factors.

Such factors include your age, gender, marital status, credit score and your geographical location. All these factors affect your insurance premium in different ways. Let’s take a look at some of these factors in a summary.

Marital status.

Couples are said to be involved in fewer accidents compared to single people. This means that getting married especially for men can lower the insurance premium rates. The rate at which your premium will decrease will also depend on your previous driving history. If it was pathetic, definitely you will have to dig deep. If you are a man whose driving record is clean and has never been involved in an accident, then your premium rates can be cut by half.

Credit score.

Most insurance companies consider your credit score and give it a thought before they finally determine your rate. If you are wondering, there is no specific point where your credit score will start to affect your rate. However, lower scores will translate to higher insurance premiums.

Gender and Age.

Statistically, younger men incur higher rates compared to young women. There is an increase in the number of teenage men that get involved in accidents compared to young girls. Generally, older men have a better reputation for careful driving compared to older women.

However, some evidence compiled suggests that older women are involved in less minor accidents compared to older men. Despite the statistic, the difference in premium is not that drastic.

The place you live in.

Many traffic accidents transpire close to people’s homes. Therefore, the area of your residence will significantly affect your insurance premium. An area that is dense with cars and the population is massive translates to a higher risk of accidents, injuries, theft and collisions.

In some areas, repairing your vehicle is costly compared to other areas. Additionally, some areas are faced with high rates of theft and burglary. Also, in most urban cities, there is an increased number of unemployed persons. This means that there is a high number of uninsured drivers. Most of these drivers can’t afford to ensure their vehicles.

Profession.

Auto insurance organizations may make correlations between a person’s profession and the risk of an accident. This way they will adjust your premium consequently if they see there are chances of you getting involved in an accident.

A good example is delivery drivers and journalists. These professionals are always on the road travelling to different places. This means that their risk of getting involved in an accident is high. Compared to pilots who only drive between the airport and their home, so they don’t spend much time on the road.

Paramedics, police officers and nuns are always given thumbs up as they are considered responsible and more careful while on the road. Insurance companies view them to be more cautious compared to average drivers.

Factors that are car –related.

The car model that you drive affects your premium rates. Some cars are likely to be stolen. They are costly to repair and even lack safety features that work to prevent the occupant from accidents.

Safety rating.

A vehicle that possesses a high degree of safety features means that there are reduced reasons for having to pay for a passenger’s medical bills. Owning such a vehicle will cost you less when it comes to insurance rates. Possessing a car with less safety rating will mean that you will have to pay more for your insurance.

The size of the vehicle.

Large vehicles are assumed to be safer compared to smaller vehicles. Large vehicles rarely get involved in accidents. This means that larger vehicles with adorable safety ratings are required to pay less when it comes to insurance premiums.

On the other hand, smaller cars, i.e. sports cars are required to pay extra costs compared to larger vehicles. Such car owners are involved in high speeds which mostly result in fatal accidents. It’s for this reason that most insurance companies take caution.

The age of the car.

Car repairs are similar. The cost of repairing an old car is almost the same as that of a new one. However, in the event that an older car is involved in an accident, the expense of carrying out the repairs might be higher than the vehicles worth. In such an event, the owner will likely discard the vehicle and request to be compensated with a new one instead of repairing.

The cost of replacing a new car is elevated. It’s more costly compared to replacing an old car. A newer car has a higher coverage premium. What you should know is that paying an insurance premium is a burden that you have to bear for owning a car. Therefore, it’s up to you to do all it takes to have a lower rate that will be beneficial to you.

Filing for bankruptcy is a major decision. It damages your credit and seriously impedes your chances of getting a loan. Yet, it might be your best option. If you’ve gone through all of your debt-relief options and still feel as though you’re buried, there’s not much that you can do.

Ultimately, bankruptcy is your chance to start over. It’s your second chance. The path won’t be easy but if you’re smart you can create a strong financial future for yourself.

Reasons to File

It might be easier to keep your head in the sand, but it’d healthier to face your problems. One of the most common reasons to file for bankruptcy is medical debt. When it comes to your health, you can’t pull punches. It doesn’t matter if you have great insurance or if you’re uninsured, you have to get medical treatment.

Unfortunately, health problems can interfere with your ability to work. This makes it even harder to keep up with your bills. If you’re lucky, your boss will be understanding and you’ll be able to hold on to your position.

If you’re not, you’ll lose your job.

There are other reasons why you might not be able to repay your debts. These include your home is being foreclosed, you’re living entirely on credit, and you’re being sued by your creditors.

You should carefully review your situation before you decide to file bankruptcy, even if you’re sure it’s what you want to do. You want to make sure that all other options are exhausted before you commit to this step.

Alternatives

Okay. You’re in a rough financial position. Do you have any options besides bankruptcy? It depends on the state of your case and how dire things have truly become. However, it’s worth it to at least consider if there’s something else you can do.

You can try tightening your budget. No more trips to the movie theater, no more coffee during your morning commute. Cut your spending to the absolute minimum. You might have to make more serious financial adjustments as well, like downsizing your home and selling your car.

If slashing your budget isn’t enough to do the trick, you can try picking up extra work. Getting a second or third job isn’t fun but it could get you out of your difficulties. A solution is to become a rideshare driver. Then you don’t have to worry about scheduling conflicts.

A strategy that could work for you is to negotiate with your creditors. They’ll often accept a payment plan. Just make sure that you don’t agree to something you can’t stick to. Otherwise, you’ll end up in the exact same spot.

Be wary of credit counselors that promise amazing things. A good one acts as an advocate on your behalf in dealings with your creditors. A bad one charges you a lot of money and doesn’t do anything at all.

Do You Qualify?

Everyone can’t file bankruptcy. You have to meet certain standards. There are two types of bankruptcy, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. They each have their own specific rules.

You can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy if you can’t afford to pay your bills. You’re completely swamped by your living expenses and have no way to repay your debts.

You also have to earn less than a set amount. The court will determine if your position is as dire as you claim.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is for people who have a job and are earning income. They must have less than $394,725 of unsecured debts and less than $1,184,200 of secured debt.

Contact an Attorney

If you seriously think that bankruptcy is your best option, it’s a good idea to contact an attorney. He or she can explain your options and help you achieve your goal. An attorney might be able to help you discharge your debt as well.

Going through a financial upheaval is incredibly difficult. It can mess with your stress level as you’re eaten up with worries about money. However, bankruptcy isn’t the end of the world. You can completely recover.

In order for that to happen, you need to be smart with your finances. You’ll have to submit to a strict financial plan. It won’t be a lot of fun but it will slowly improve your credit.

You can speak with a professional to determine if filing for bankruptcy is the right choice for you. If it is, it’s better to get started as soon as possible.

According to the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), UK homes now owe an average of £15,385 to places such as banks, credit card companies and other lenders. They have also said that debts for households in the UK have reached an all-time high. Furthermore, the TUC have stated that due to years of wage stagnation and austerity measures in place, household debt has increased rapidly as a result of households being forced into raising the amount that they borrow.

According to the TUC, in the 3^rd quarter of the past year, the amount of money that was owed by households in Britain had risen by £428 billion. It was stated that roughly each household owed around £886 pounds than they did in the previous 12 months. The statistics released by the TUC include student loans but not outstanding mortgage debts.

It was also recorded that levels of unsecured debt as a share of incomes of households is at the highest level that it has ever been at, around 30.4% including short term loans, personal loans and credit cards. The TUC have also stated that the amounts owed by debtors is significantly higher than the £286 billion peak in 2008 before the effects of the financial crisis came into play.

This highlights the role of using lower cost alternatives such as borrowing from family and friends, credit unions or where possible, using payday loans comparison websites which have helped customers save on average £120 per loan.

Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the TUC, has warned that household debt is at “levels of crisis.” She believes that the many years of wage stagnation and austerity measures have left many families in vulnerable situations. O’Grady also said that she thinks the government is “skating on thin ice” by relying on debts accumulated by households to stimulate economic growth and she stated that a strong economy needs people to be spending their wages rather than credit cards and loans.

It is expected that today graduates who leave University, are not only leaving with a degree but also 50,000 pounds in debt. Although, the students are not subject to making repayments on their loans until they earn over £25,000 pounds. This has been recently changed from £21,000.

While planning to buy insurance, you have to think carefully about your families needs, their lifestyle, your current age, your budget, your gender, your current health, extraordinary and unforeseen expenses such as mortgage balloon payments, medical emergencies and the costs of sending your colour kids to college.

There is simply a lot to think about when assessing your insurance needs, and it’s often not easy to do so until you put it all down on paper. Buying any form of life insurance is a decision, which may affect you and your family for 30 years or more into the future and you certainly don’t want to just wing it. Below are several considerations to think about carefully when deciding upon the amount your family may need to live comfortably in the unfortunate situation where you may pass away.

Your age

Quite obviously, if you buy your term policy at age 25 and you are a healthy non-smoker, you’ll pay a lot less than if you are age 50 and have high blood pressure or other warning signs of congenital disease in the future.

Your gender

Women simply live longer than men, so you may need to stretch the amount of insurance your spouse and her children, if any, are expected to need by an extra 10 or 15 years if the insurance is purchased to protect your wife.

Your lifestyle

Here is often where the rubber meets the road. Assessing realistically what type of lifestyle the surviving spouse will have in the future. Do you live in a palatial home, regularly take exotic ski vacations or, as is often the case, do you live an excellent lifestyle but only because both you and your spouse work? It’s not often easy to talk about how your lifestyle would change if one of you passed away but it’s a necessary factor in choosing life insurance.

Budget vs lifestyle

Buying term life insurance is akin to buying a new pair of shoes. One size, colour, and style of shoe do not fit all. Another consideration is budget vs lifestyle. Are your finances stretched so that even a modest insurance premium seems to be a pinch? Imagine then the upheaval your spouse would undergo if you vastly underinsured or even skipped your life insurance needs entirely?

Your health

Assessing your health or the health of your spouse can also become a “come to Jesus moment.” Do you or your spouse smoke or are heavy drinkers? Do breast cancer, prostate cancer or strokes and heart attacks run in your family genetics? Do you have any dangerous hobbies such as paragliding, skiing, or do one or both of you ride to work on a motorcycle? These are all critical elements to help self-assess the risk of dying earlier in your life.

Changing family needs

Another thing to assess is the changing needs of your family. Did you just give birth to a child or adopt. Did you recently purchase a home and want to be sure that the house is paid for in the unfortunate result of you are passing? Did it only recently occur to you that your son or daughter will attend university and modern colleges are much more expensive than you thought? There are dozens of conditions that cause one to go reexamine their life insurance needs, so even if you have life insurance, periodically look at it with fresh eyes to see if your insurance needs an update.

Is my work coverage enough?

Many people work for companies that offer life insurance at a competitive group rate. So they sign up for it at age 23 or 24 and that’s the first and last time they look at it. And while having insurance through work is great, it’s quite frequently no longer enough for a worker who has since gotten married, had children, and he or his spouse has undergone a worsening health situation. As mentioned before, be sure to reexamine and reevaluate any life insurance policy you have frequently.

Simple Dollar’s Life Insurance Tips

Besides affordability, savvy insurance shoppers would be wise to consult an independent insurance agency regarding the time of payout in case of the passing of your loved one as well as an honest assessment of their insurability. Some insurance companies can take two or three years to pay out rather than doing so immediately, and others make any health risks either completely restrictive, or they make the insurance so unaffordable it’s simply a losing proposition. If you have any type of health risks, you want an honest assessment by a reputable insurance company.

For those who may not know, invoice financing can be simply described as the financing of unpaid invoices which is to be paid within a short period of time. And what makes it very important is the fact that you won’t have to wait for it to be approved like you normally would when it comes to securing a loan from a bank or any other lending institutions.

So, apart from being fast as far as approval is concerned, there are other reasons why you need to consider invoice financing as part of your day to day business practices:

 

Invoice Financing Promotes Business Growth

If you happen to be the sole owner of a startup and would love for your business to grow at an exponential rate, then one of the ways you hark this is through invoice financing. And how is this even possible you might ask? Well, it’s quite easy, to be honest.

For a business to grow on a steady, upward trend, it needs some good cash flow. And one way of having good cash flow is through invoice financing. With this kind of cash flow, it would be a tad easier for you to pay off all your suppliers and have everything operating smoothly.

You’ll also avoid the stress that comes with not having enough money to run your business and thus have enough time to operate optimally. Needless to say, this will end up increasing your productivity in the long run.

 

Only Make Payments When You Can

The main reason why you should consider practising invoice financing is that more often than not, there usually isn’t any pressure to pay back. This because it’s only payable when your clients have cleared the tab.

And so with the pressure of creditors knocking at your door after every couple of days gone, you can easily focus on what really matters, and that’s growing your business.

Apart from being spared from the stress that comes with fixed-term payments, you’ll always have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the cash flow in your business since, well, you don’t have to make any payments until the clients clear it for you. Trust me, it doesn’t get any cooler than this!

 

You’ll Be More Comfortable in Taking Bigger Risks

Another reason why most startups are afraid to take bigger risks is simply that they don’t have the monetary resource of doing so. and as you know what the dictum says, ‘bigger risks equal bigger rewards’.

But thanks to invoice financing options, you can be encouraged to take that risk which, if backed up with the right kind of hard work, will most certainly end up in paying off big-time.

 

Invoice Financing Is Way Convenient

Long gone are the days when you had to leave your office and queue at a bank just so you can apply for a loan, which is highly likely to be rejected because you are a struggling startup. But with invoice financing, you won’t even have to leave the comfort of your office.

This is because you can do all the application online and have the money wired to your bank account. If you do this right, you can have your application approved in a matter of hours which is a far cry from the normal loans that might even take weeks or worse, months.

 

Eliminate The Likelihood of Accumulating Bad Debts

Nothing damages your business more than accumulating bad debts. Heck, even a single bad debt on your resume can scare off both the prospective clients as well as lenders. And that’ll be the beginning of your end as an entrepreneur.

But with invoice financing, the likelihood of accumulating bad debts is completely taken out of the equation. For instance, you’ll have the chance to have the balance cleared as soon as the clients make the necessary payments.

Also as mentioned earlier, it is quite important for you to take short term loans since you can really be sure about what will happen in the long run because fate takes twists and not all twists are good ones. It’s therefore safe for you to always be prepared.

 

Conclusion

After going through all the above mentioned financial benefits that are attached to invoice finance, it shouldn’t be that much of a problem securing one whenever the need arises. But if this ever happens, it would be a great idea for you to take your time and carry out in-depth research.

The last thing you want to do is getting a lender who doesn’t have your best interests at heart. And once you’ve found a great lender, then your next order of business should be choosing to finance the invoice with the highest urgency.

The others which aren’t on top of your list of priorities can wait for the right time since failure to finance them on time would do little to nothing as far as affecting your business is concerned.

In today’s complicated and developing business environment merchant card machines can help give your business that badly needed boost. For those who are wondering how these payment terminals achieve this, read on to find out more about how your business can profit with a PDQ machine.

Regardless of the size of your business, statistics have shown that merchant card machines can help increase your customer base by as much as 70 percent. Business has become more dynamic than ever before, and if businesses don’t upgrade to the usage of these machines, they fail to benefit from these transactions.

Let’s face it, this is a consumer’s market, and customers need ease of transactions, and large cash transactions are way too inconvenient. Here, we’ve outlined everything you need to accept card payments, including the best card machine options for small businesses in the UK:

How do I Accept Card Payments in My Small Business?

If you want to accept card payments, you’ll not only need a payment terminal – there’re other things you need to sort out first.

 

• Merchant Account

 

The merchant account is a protected account where money from clients sits while the payment is approved. It’ll be provided by your payment service provider or bank and is a requirement for receiving card payments.

 

• Payment Gateway

 

The payment gateway is the part of the chain that authorizes the payment. Your payment service provider or bank provides this together with your merchant account.

 

• Card Machine

 

Lastly, you need the payment terminal. There’s a range of PDQ machine options for small businesses on the market, from inexpensive budget options to feature-heavy full point-of-sale systems.

The following is a roundup of the best merchant card machines for small business in the UK:

Top 5 Merchant Card Machines

Are you on the hunt for an affordable way to start accepting card payments? Then have a look at the following 5 merchant card machines:

 

• iZettle Reader

 

iZettle is a well-liked card machine option for small businesses in the UK. This card reader is sleek, small, and is one of the most inexpensive options on the market.

Features

• Battery life of up to eight hours
• Accepts magnetic stripe, contactless and chip, and pin payments
• 12-month warranty
• Money deposited within 1-2 business days
• Connects through Bluetooth with your tablet or smartphone
• Free POS App
• It’s incredibly fast.
• You can send receipt through Email or SMS

 

• PayPal Here

 

Though not as competitively rated as the iZettle payment terminal, it does benefit from integration with PayPal, one of the best online payment methods. If you already have a PayPal account set up for your business, this payment terminal might be a good option.

Features

• Accept contactless and card payments with no monthly fees
• Payments reach your PayPal almost instantly
• Works with Android Pay and Apple Pay
• A UK-based customer support team
• No fixed contract
• The machine is cheap

 

• SumUp

 

Although SumUp may be less recognizable than the two previous options, it’s the most economical app-based card machine in the UK. SumUp is the best alternative to iZettle for businesses, but their current transaction fees are slightly higher.

Features

• Lowest fixed fee: 1.69% per transaction
• Very simple payment app
• Accept all credit and debit cards
• No fixed monthly costs
• 100% online application with no paperwork and no contract
• Allows Bluetooth connection and is compatible with Android and iOS phones and tablets

 

• Square

 

This PDQ machine is the smallest, most lightweight card reader on this list. It’s literally a square-shaped plastic payment terminal that is white all over, but the technology makes it just as reliable as bigger card readers.

Features

• The most comprehensive free app
• Keyed-in payments possible
• Accepts contactless cards, chip and PIN cards, and other mobile payments
• Accept American Express, MasterCard and Visa
• Comes with a free point-of-sale app
• Can also be used to sell by phone, online and collect payments via invoices

 

• WorldPay

 

WorldPay is the UK’s biggest card processing company and also offers an assortment of other PDQ machines and merchant services for both online and offline payment processing.

Features

• Compatible with all iOS and Android devices
• 24/7phone support
• Fees depend on turnover and more
• Accept payments over the phone or face-to-face
• Issues receipts via SMS or email
• Keypad comes with a 12-month warranty

What is the Cheapest Card Reader for Small Businesses in the UK?

The lowest priced card reader in the UK, in terms of upfront cost, is the iZettle reader which goes for £19 + VAT. It also offers very competitive card transaction fees (1.75% flat fee), but not the absolute lowest. To get that you either have to go SumUp (1.69% flat fee) or PayPal Here (as low as 1.00%).

Which is the Best Card Reader for Small Businesses in the UK?

While all of the 5 PDQ machines highlighted above are great and allow your small business to accept card payments, the iZettle card reader is perhaps the best choice. Not only is it the well recognized, but at just £19 + VAT it’s very cheap to try out. And they offer transparent pricing and among the most affordable fees.

Final Verdict

 

• IZettle: Ideal if you just need a card reader.
• Square: Ideal if you need more than just a payment terminal.
• SumUp: perfect for getting started.
• PayPal Here: Best if you need online integration with PayPal.
• WorldPay: Best suited for businesses that need to accept phone payments or those who want to work with a recognized brand.

There is clearly a lot to process when it boils down to payment processing and card readers. Pat yourself on the back for making it this far; hopefully, you’re more confident about your knowledge of merchant card machines.

Ensure you’ve understood what each company charges for different transactions and what may be the ideal option for your business. Also, don’t ignore things like customer service repute. It’s a very competitive market, and you can make sure you get a payment terminal that can best help your small business flourish.

The History of Investing in Gold

Gold has earned a rich and valuable history throughout the world. Coins containing gold were first seen in 800 BC. The first pure gold coin came about 300 years later. The value of gold coins has continued to increase and is one of the best investments in the world.

The Value

Gold maintains value as time passes. You may purchase gold to preserve and pass on your wealth to future generations.

Inflation

When the cost of living goes up, gold is your ideal investment against inflation. As inflation rises, so does the price of gold. For fifty years, the price of gold has increased along with inflation.

Deflation

When prices drop, the economy is left with excessive debt and the growth of businesses slow down. This is referred to as deflation. This is what occurred in the 1930s during the Great Depression. You may already know prices dropped at this time, but the price of gold soared.

The Increasing Demand for Gold

In the past, the demand for gold increased due to the boost in emerging market economies. In a lot of different countries, this caused the cultures to intertwine with gold. This was when India became one of the nations with the largest consumption of gold. Gold became invaluable for many different markets such as jewellery. The biggest demand for gold in India is in October because this is the traditional Indian wedding season. One of the most traditional ways to save in China is by purchasing gold. This demand has never wavered.

Diversifying the Portfolio

The best way to diversify is with investments separate from each other. Throughout history, gold has not been correlated with other types of investments such as stocks. During the 1970s, stocks plummeted while gold soared. By the 2000s, you were most likely still purchasing gold. Gold can decrease the risk and volatility of your portfolio.

Geopolitical Uncertainty

Gold does not lose value during financial uncertainty. This is the reason gold is referred to as the crisis commodity. You probably see gold as being safe because it outperforms the vast majority of other investments. The current crisis in the European Union led to an increase in the price of gold. When government confidence declines, the price of gold goes up. This includes purchasing gold coins from Goldstackers.

The Supply of Gold

Since the 1990s, the majority of the gold supply has been coming from the global central banks selling gold bullion. You may be aware this source significantly slowed in 2008. Since 2000, there has also been a drop in the amount of gold produced by the mines. It can take as long as a decade for new mine production to begin. As the available supply of gold decreases, the value of gold increases. There are also more investors demanding gold. They now see gold as an investment class and safe commodity. This has further increased the demand for gold while reducing the amount available.

The Bottom Line about Gold Investments

You should always make gold a part of your diversified investment portfolio. The events causing paper investments to decline including stocks and bonds, trigger a rise in the price of gold. Over the long term, gold has always maintained the value. As time has passed, gold has been successfully used as a hedge against inflation. As major currencies have lost value, gold has remained steady. This is an investment you should strongly consider.

Each business owner is on a never-ending hunt for improving growth strategies without spending a fortune. When it comes to growth, many experts focus on B2C companies. However, B2B growth strategies require as much attention as B2C.

The importance of constantly looking for new solutions can’t be overlooked. B2B companies must be open to new experiments to stay ahead of the competition. Exponential growth is often the goal. But can it be achievable while staying within a reasonable budget?

Let’s take a look at several growth strategies which won’t empty out the company’s bank account.

1. Creating Interactive Content

B2B marketing efforts involve engaging the customer just as B2C approaches do. Creating interactive content, which can catch the attention of a representative, is a highly useful method of getting conversion without exceeding the budget limits.

Interactive content creates a useful “fun” experience. For example, you could come up with a simple game, which checks the professionalism of your potential target audience. Professionals are always happy to test their skills. A quick and appealing test is likely to be shared and reposted.

2. Using Mobile Marketing

Plenty of things have been said about the importance of mobile marketing. However, many companies are still somewhat slow with the implementation.B2C has been taking advantage of the mobile approaches for years. B2B seems to be somewhat behind.

Mobile friendly websites, mobile app development, mobile-oriented promotional efforts are just the tip of the iceberg. According to experts at Miromind, mobile-oriented SEO solutions show impressive and fast results for B2B companies.

3. Taking Advantage of PPC Ads

 

While you may think that this method is more useful for B2C companies, it’s not true. Generating organic traffic to your website by taking advantage of PPC ads is an excellent strategy. It doesn’t require serious investments since you only pay for an actual client, who has a potential of converting.

While you are optimizing your website for SEO efforts, you can give the business a boost with posting PPC ads.

4. Considering Marketing Automation

These days, programmatic advertising is gaining momentum. By investing resources in automating your marketing process, you can cut the marketing team expenses and focus on other important matters.

Besides numerous marketing automation software available on the market today (some freebies are easy to find as well), you can look deeper into programmatic advertising and enjoy a “hands-free” promotional effort.

5. Listing On Third Party Review Sites

When you are asking clients for reviews on your website and reviewing your own products there, it creates useful content for your potential clients. However, being listed and reviewed on other websites can help you enjoy quick business growth due to increased visibility.

Influential review websites can bring you thousands of new potential clients every month. All you have to do is offer information about your company to these sites. Get listed on influential websites and make sure your profile is full and interesting.

6. Practicing Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the key components of B2B business growth. A special approach is vital to catching the attention of the company representative. B2B email marketing requires a careful approach to checking email validity and creating proper calls to action.

With the right specialist taking care of email marketing efforts, the expenses can be kept to a minimum while the result may be impressive.

7. Exploiting Social Media

Many B2B companies opt out of social media marketing because they don’t quite understand which tone of voice they should use with their audiences. Sounding too professional is a risk since people usually use social media to relax. Sounding too relaxed is a risk as well since it may create the wrong impression about the company.

A simple way out is to ask the employees to use their social media accounts to promote your services. It’s that easy. A couple of seconds a day for reposting and sharing can lead to substantial conversions.

Effective B2B growth strategies are a reality even if you are on a tight budget. Use the above tips to choose the right approach.

In the Autumn budget plans, Phillip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced plans to attempt to wipe out the dominance of the payday loan industry. He has announced that they will create a no-interest loan scheme in order to do this.

This scheme will be offered to over 3 million people who are on low incomes in the UK and is similar to one that was offered in Australia. As reported by the Australian Government, this programme officially helped 4 in 5 people to stop using payday lenders. The scheme will attempt to lower the cost of debts that people have accumulated as a result of borrowing from high-cost credit lenders. It will also aim to provide a much cheaper, more affordable substitute to payday lenders. Another objective of the scheme is to aid people in society from ending up in debts that they are unable and preventing them from turning to loan sharks to pay off the extortionate amounts that they might owe.

In order to get help with this project, and to ensure that it goes the best way possible, Phillip Hammond will aim to get support for this scheme, by teaming up with others. This support will come from debt charities, banks and other lenders.

Also in the Autumn Budget, The Treasury has said that in 2019 there will be a survey that will take place in order to test the likelihood of this scheme working as well as a pilot scheme to physically test how successful it will be before it actually occurs. As well as this, they have said that they will provide £2 million to help design these plans in order to try and entirely wipe out loan sharks which are often illegal.

Furthermore, grants will be provided to many entrepreneurs that are involved in the technology industry. This will act as an incentive for them to create cheaper, legitimate substitutes for people who are no longer willing to borrow from payday lenders. Another aim that Phillip Hammond has laid out, is to extend the amount of time given to customers when trying to settle their debts before creditors can take action against them. This is known as the ‘breathing period’ and Hammond plans to extend this from 6 weeks to 3 months.

This plan as set out in the Autumn Budget, also takes place after the recent shutdown of Wonga in August. They were the largest payday lender and after receiving huge amounts of critisicims for mis-selling loans to many customers, they went into administration. Another reason for the demise of Wonga, was due to the fact that in recent years there has been a huge number of claims for compensation that have been made against them.

Elsewhere, traditional short term loans have pivoted their loan proposition away from payday products to more personal loans, with lenders such as Cashfloat and MY JAR now offering loans repaid over 12 and 24 months. This should give customers more flexibility when repaying their loans through staggered repayments and alleviate the problems associated with high cost short term borrowing.

Bingo is a popular game of chance and luck that is loved by people around the world, find more info here about online casino and how you can play. The game is known for its light-hearted and social elements and has been enjoyed by players for hundreds of years. With the rise of online casino over the last twenty years, bingo has enjoyed a renaissance amongst younger adults and has become a firm fan favourite online. Online bingo games are incredibly popular and large communities have evolved from these online casino rooms. With such a range of exciting bingo games to choose from, players of the light-hearted game are spoilt for choice.

Where did bingo come from?

If it seems like bingo has been around forever, that’s because it has! Or at least it has been around since the 1500s. A form of bingo, ‘Lo Giuoco el Lotto D’Italia’ was first created in Italy and enjoyed as a Saturday night family game. The game is still extremely popular in Italy. This game was picked up by French aristocrats and found its way across Europe over the following centuries. By the 1920s, the game had arrived in America and was known as ‘beano’. Beano was commonly played at fair grounds in exchange for prizes of cigarettes and cigars. The version of bingo that we know today what developed by business man Edwin S. Lowe who was amused to hear an excited player shout ‘bingo’ instead of ‘beano’ whilst playing the game at a carnival. Along with a mathematician, Lowe developed a more complex version of bingo.

What is bingo like today?

Over the following decades, bingo surged in popularity. In the UK, it was commonly played in designated bingo halls and was regarded as attracting an older audience. However, physical bingo halls have seen a steady decline since 2004. This is due to the rise of online casino and the new opportunities for online gamers.

In the modern day, the image of bingo has changed, and the game is now attracting a young crowd of people in their twenties and thirties. This is due to the exciting potential to play bingo in the comfort of your own home or on-the-go on a mobile device. These advancements have made it easier to access the range of online bingo options available, as well as creating a more personal and engaging gameplay experience. Advancements in technology have made bingo even more exciting through the use of apps, touchscreen, and a diverse interface design.

Younger bingo players are thriving in the social communities created by online bingo games that often involve meet-ups and gatherings. This social aspect is reflective of the popularity of social media sites and allows a greater level of user interaction with like-minded individuals around the world.

Bingo is even more popular than it was twenty years ago, but now a younger generation have fallen in love with the classic game. The light-hearted, simple, and social game appeals to the millions of players who take part in online bingo every single week.