Mohit Tater's Blog, page 638

Feeling Sluggish Working from Home? Here are Some Tips to Achieve a More Productive Routine

One of the most amazing components of the internet is the accessibility. Because of the internet and technology, a person can easily complete a full day’s work from the comfort of their own home. In most cases, a reliable laptop and WiFi connection are the only things needed to make things happen. However, most people don’t talk about the other component of working from home that involves willpower. When you’re at home, it’s easy to create your own schedule. At the same time, it can be very easy to fall off that schedule, get sidetracked and not complete work. If you’ve found yourself in a rut where you struggle to complete the tasks of the day and need some inspiration to get going again, consider these seven tips.

Focus on IPAs.

Income-producing activities are paramount for the person who works from home. It’s easy to get stuck on the details of projects that have nothing to do with work. Plus, if things are messy at home, you might be tempted to sit down and work on the laundry for an hour and then cook dinner. Before you know it, the day is over. Instead of falling into this trap, sit down each morning and decide what your IPAs are for the day. Once you figure those out, sit down and relentlessly knock them out. When you do this, you’ll always be able to cross off a major bullet point on your to-do list.

Create a workspace.

If you think that working in your bed is going to fare well, you’ve got another thing coming. While working from bed may be nice on the days when you’re not feeling well, it’s best to create a nice workstation. It helps you to focus and zone into your work without distractions. A desk and a comfortable chair are important. Keep a few office supplies within an arm’s reach such as pens, paper and sticky notes. Add a few visual incentives to make your space lovely. A favorite quote or a picture of your dream vacation spot are nice ideas.

Take breaks.

If you think you’ll be able to be in your home and sit at a desk for eight straight hours without getting distracted, you’re setting yourself up for failure. There are people who can do it, but in most cases, they had to build up to that level of focus. For starters, consider the Pomodoro technique for a balanced approach to work vs. breaks. During your breaks, switch the laundry or watch a few minutes of a favorite tv show. If you’re a social media lover, use the break to hop on. Just make sure to time yourself so that you have a reminder to get back to work when the break is over.

Get dressed.

While sitting in your pajamas works nicely for the first few days of working from home, it can quickly become a gateway to relaxation in the bed. Relaxation is nice, but not when you’re supposed to be working. Even if it’s just a comfortable pair of jeans and a button-up t-shirt, get dressed. When you look the part, you’ll feel like doing more. Don’t forget to shower, brush your teeth and floss. Choose between an air or water flosser. Personal hygiene isn’t just for when you leave the house.

Develop consistent work hours.

Decide which hours of the day will be solely dedicated to focusing on work. Too often, people either underestimate the amount of time it’ll take to complete a project. Look at it this way. It’s better to overestimate the amount of time and not need it. That way, you’ll have free time to enjoy other things. Learn how to manage and master your time with consistent work hours and you’ll get a lot more done.

Drink.

Between hydration and exercise, most people who work from home don’t seem to get enough of either. While exercise is excellent and helps you maintain a healthy body, you don’t have to leave your desk to keep up hydration. Always keep a few water bottles within arm’s reach. If you like an extra boost at certain times of the day, keep a coffee maker or an electric kettle close by so that you can enjoy a latte or some tea.

Implement a rewards system.

If you know that there’s a reward at the end of a task, you’re more likely to get the task done. Work on incentivizing your day. If you’re able to knock out a certain amount of work at a certain time, treat yourself to a pedicure. Find things that you like to do and treat yourself when you hit different work goals. A rewards system will help you support a level of alertness and discipline.

These seven tips are the foundation. As you continue to build upon these suggestions, understand that you’ll probably need to customize some of these strategies to fit your lifestyle. If you have tighter time constraints, you may not be able to take breaks. Take the details into consideration and create a work routine that allows you to knock out your goals, be successful and have a life outside of your work hours.

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Screwfix: UK Tradesmen’s Favorite www.screwfix.com

This review of Screw fix uk breaks down one of the most reputed building and tools suppliers in the UK, offering a look into the services they provide to their customers. The company claims to be the leading trade catalogue in the UK, but this review explores whether they truly are. For a comprehensive review of Screwfix, please visit the Screwfix Review specifically for Tradesmen.

Screwfix website interface & business hours

When it comes to supplying builders’ materials, the more readily you are available the better it is. Screw fix uk has kept this point in mind and when we checked their business hours, we found them to be more available. They are open 7 am to 8 pm on weekdays, 7 am to 6 pm on Saturdays and 9 am to 4 pm on Sundays.

And they have a dedicated contact centre in UK that stays open 24 by 7.

When it comes to their website, it offers a plain interface with all the required information available on the fingertips. All the major product categories have been listed in the menu bar, allowing you to directly access the category and sub-category further down the menu. You can also directly search for a specific product by entering the product name in the search box.

Placing an online order is simple and quick. There is a click and collect feature that lets you to check the stock at the local store, pay online, and collect almost instantly. Once you have placed the order online, you can visit the store and collect the products in just a minute.

Screw fix uk has 549 branches all over the UK, which means that you can easily find a store near you. The store locator is available on their website to make it easier to search. Locate the Screwfix store closest to you.

Sscrewfix discounts & promo codes

Screwfix offers one of the widest ranges of products and this encourages most of its buyers to seek discounts to save as much as possible. There are almost always screwfix codes and special deals on offer, not just on the company’s website but also around the web. It takes some research to find a better deal and save big on your orders.

A little search can display several screwfix promo code and discounts. There is the deal of the day offer on the homepage of Screwfix’s website. But you can find higher discounts elsewhere around the web. For example, searching for discounts showed that 15% to 60%-off on different products ranging from Bathroom and Kitchen to Plumbing and Heating products on vouchercodes.co.uk. The same offer couldn’t be found on Screwfix’s website:

Screw fix UK free shipping offers

Many times you can also avail free shipping offers from Screw fix uk. These promotions allow you to save a lot on your shipping costs. For example, dealscove.com is currently offering a free shipping offer for orders worth £25 and more from Screwfix. This offer can be activated using a code:

There are many websites where you can find special Sscrewfix discounts for ordering different types of products. Some of these websites include hotukdeals.com, discountcode.metro.co.uk, and couponfollow.com to name a few.

Screwfix shipping details

If you place an order worth more than £50, Screw fix uk offers free delivery. Orders worth £50 placed on Screwfix website qualify you to receive free next day delivery. This service is available all days of the week, but it is important to place the order before a certain time to receive next day delivery. You should place the order before 8pm during weekdays and before 4 pm on weekends to avail next day delivery.

You can avail next day delivery for orders worth less than £50 by paying £5. Screw fix uk also offers faster delivery services at additional shipping charges. However, delivery on weekends is free only for orders more than £100.

There is also a same day delivery option for customers who are within the m25. This option costs a flat £10 on a per order basis. All orders are confirmed by sending the consignment number to the email. You can also receive a live tracking link on your mobile number, if you provide one.

Screwfix reviews & costs

Almost all the products on the Screwfix website have a near perfect 4.5 to 5-star rating. Many products are more popular and have hundreds of positive reviews. This tells about the quality of the products and the service provided by the company.

When it comes to prices, they are similar to what is offered by most of the major competitors in the builders’ materials and supplies segment. To get an idea of prices, the Titan 18V 1.5AH Li-Ion Cordless Combi Drill costs £54.99, which is an entry level drill. But you can also find the more powerful Dewalt 54V 6.0Ah Li-Ion Flexvolt Cordless Brushless SDS Plus Drill that costs £499.99. There is a product in Screwfix’s catalogue for each budget and need.

The near-perfect reviews show that customers are mostly satisfied with the price for most of the products.

Conclusion

Customer reviews across most of the product categories on Screwfix are almost near perfect. This speaks a lot about the company’s range of products and customer service. Extending same day delivery to more areas can be one more step in reaching out to more customers with quicker delivery option. Screw fix uk has a pretty large catalogue and it is recommended to choose it as the place to purchase anything from tools to screws, electrical fittings, ironmongery, heating and plumbing and a wide range of builders’ materials and supplies.

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Creative And Cost-Effective Ways To Build Your Social Presence Online

A New Marketing Environment

Today’s marketing environment is different than it has been in recorded human history. The internet makes it possible for exponential growth to be experienced by essentially any business savvy enough to use the worldwide web to their advantage.

The best way for you to take advantage of this unparalleled technology boom is to have a daily presence which continuously reinforces itself. You want to make online posts on a daily basis. If you’re running a blog, type up a few hundred words every morning, evening, or whenever it’s convenient for you to do so.

Do you have social media? Use it to your advantage. If you aren’t, you’re already missing out. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Minds, Gab, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn—there are quite a few different social media platforms out there today, and you need a presence on all of them. It is not a bad investment to hire someone whose sole reason for employment is expanding your presence on social media.

The best way to “go viral” is organically. It’s difficult to “force” going viral—unless of course you’re one of the people who works for the government and has some mitigating control on social media. This is another consideration you have to know as you work to advance your business. The government works with Google, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

Cyclical Trends

There are trends which make cyclical appearances on the web. Some of these trends are encouraged, others discouraged. You need to have your finger on the pulse of societal trends in order that you can “roll with the punches”, as the saying goes, and continuously deliver the most relevant, sharable, effective content.

Social Media Daily helps provide strategies for employing Instagram; according to the site: “Photos and images speak volumes—if you let them. Instagram gives you the ability to let your images speak for themselves. If you can harness this technique and remain consistent…you will gain relevant fans on Instagram to whom you can market your products or services.”

Content from Instagram is pictorial, and this is some of the most valuable content on the web. The reason is human psychology. It is said that a picture says a thousand words, and this is very true. But additionally, those who are disinclined to read—or who can’t—are still able to understand and seek your company via pictures.

But you need to get statistics pertaining to your operations in order to determine what is and isn’t effective. Ultimately, any content you’re designing is couched under the term “SEO”, or Search Engine Optimization. When it comes to SEO, you need to use solutions that can demonstrably expand ROI, or Return On Investment.

Solutions Which Come From Multiple Directions

The best kind of ROI-expanding SEO is going to come from multiple directions. You’re going to have written content, pictorial content, and visual content through motion picture. YouTube is a social media outlet, and you can both record and post a vlog, or video blog, every morning. You can do this inside a half hour.

Provided you understand your demographic, and how to best reach them, you can affect your target market every bit as effectively as a big-ticket marketing campaign, but spend next to nothing doing so. The only real difficulty you’ll experience here is internet lag as you upload videos, and a drought of ideas after you’ve reached a certain level.

All these things being said, it’s not enough to establish a regular social media presence and continuously post factual, useful, interesting, shareable content. Additionally, you need to have links which drive users back to your site. The ultimate goal is to sustain a new client who will interact with your business in a perpetual, profitable way.

To that end, one thing you can do is create a “gate” to your content. That is: for those browsing the web to see what you’ve made available, they have to type in their email address, phone number, or both. Don’t make the gate to personal. And don’t make this your only content. You want the gate in front of “white papers” and technical videos.

Physical Promotions Derived From The Web

Also, run promotions as you can afford to. Have you ever heard of laser engraving? When it comes to laser engraving as a means of expanding marketing, QualityLogoProducts.com points out that: “Thanks to applications and tools used in the medical, manufacturing, and even retail industries…lasers figure into everyday life…”

Laser engraving derived from such disciplines can be excellent for promotional marketing, and you can sell laser-engraved goods online. Perhaps have some sort of promotional arrangement where if someone goes to the right place at the right time, they’re able to get a free laser-engraved keepsake—a translucent cube, or something of the kind. These are great gifts; especially during the holidays!

Laser engraving isn’t the only way to go, either. There are a lot of ways you can brand promotional items which ultimately endorse your business in a tangible way—find those which best fit your core directives.

Ensuring Your Content Is Properly Structured

It also makes sense to work with content agencies who have already “invented the wheel”, and can help you avoid banging your head against the wall trying to solve something that was fixed a long time ago. There are a number of different practices that can serve as a means of maximizing content. Keywords and content structure come to mind.

You need keywords in your titles, your subheadings, and the body of your writings. The keywords need to be at a proper level of saturation. Too many and you’ll get banned by Google bots. Too few—or the wrong keywords—and they’ll essentially have no effect.

In writing, you don’t want paragraphs that are too long, and you don’t want writing that is too short. What you’re looking for is between fifty and a hundred words per paragraph, and more than five hundred words when it comes to length. Generally, with written content you’ll find that larger writings tend to have precedence over shorter ones. But there are always going to be statistical outliers.

Today, resources are available for businesses large and small which give them the ability to reach more people more quickly, and more effectively, than has been seen in modern times. If you haven’t gotten aboard the bandwagon when it comes to optimizing your internet presence for greatest impact using social media and other content solutions, you’re ultimately leaving money on the table.

The post Creative And Cost-Effective Ways To Build Your Social Presence Online appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

How to Teach the Value of Money to your Kids!

Children are becoming smarter day-by-day. With 3-year olds operating smartphones like an adult, we know for sure that the younger generation is going to be faster and probably smarter. Kids have access to internet at a young age and hence they have a good grasp about how everything works in the world. Parents have also started giving pocket money to children at a young age, this situation creates a need to make sure that our kids know the value of our hard-earned money.

The value of money can be taught to kids in many fun ways and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a boring financial lecture. You can try out the following strategies to develop cognitive skills necessary to understand basic monetary concepts.

Take your kid to the bank

On your next visit to the ATM or to the bank make sure that you take your kid along. Getting your kid involved in all the bank related activities to make them understand the value of money.

Make them understand that money is limited and whatever you have is in the bank. As your child gets older, it would be wise to open an account for them so that they learn to track their own savings.

Give small allowances

You can choose to give small allowances to your child weekly or monthly so that he/she can buy small items for that money. If you go out shopping, tell them to use their money, so that they learn the concept of buying. If they finish the amount and still want something more, let them know that they’ll get extra money next week. Don’t give in. Be firm.

If your kid asks for a big item, teach them how to save their weekly allowances so that they can buy the big item in a few weeks. This will teach them the idea of saving.

Let your child go to the grocery store

It is necessary for you to teach your child to go to the stores and buy stuff independently. Being alone will instil a sense of responsibility in them and will teach them to deal with strangers. They will learn to count cash and to take the change back. At first you can be with them but observe from a distance while they do the whole transaction, but after a few times it would be wise to let them go alone.

Shop at a vegetable market

Instead of going to a supermarket to get your vegetables, take your kid to the vegetable market. Not only will your child learn the connection between work and money, but he/she will learn to choose the good vegetables from the pile. They will learn to see the market economy in action and will be able to relate between seller and buyer.

Play Monopoly

Games like Monopoly and Game of Life are interesting ways of teaching your child about earnings and savings using fake cash. They will not only enjoy the whole board game activity, but will learn to deal with money.

Give your kid a chance to earn money

To learn the real value of money your kid needs to earn some money based on his/her hard work. This will show them that earning money is difficult and one should spend it wisely. You can give money to your kid if they clean their room or the garage. You can also tell them to clean the car or trim the bushes to earn some extra pocket money. Assign some small things and hand out some cash if they do end up completing the task well. Reward them if they do the task well. This will ensure that your kid will be interested in this whole activity and will do the task with his/her whole heart.

Teaching kids the importance and value of money is quite important as many teenagers are known to recklessly spend their parents’ hard-earned money.

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Quick Tips for Settling Your Money Loans with Ease

Having a debt can be frustrating if you’ve no idea how to plan and tackle it decisively, and that what’s could make you wade in debts and loans for so long and end up in a financial hole that could well destroy your very future. There are many tips and tricks you need to know. For further tips on money loans click on this link to find more information.

It is indeed painful to be in a bad financial situation, which is why you’ll take great interest in these simple tricks that could see you settling your money loans with much ease.

Make a Budget

You’ll never get out of debt if all you do is keep borrowing while throwing the money around like it’s made in your factory. The principal factor in “fighting off” debts is living within your means, and being a spend-thrift doesn’t help anything in this endeavor.

First, you’ll need to make a reasonable monthly budget and swear to stick to it. You won’t be making any progress if you’re prone to temptations of spending more than you’ve budgeted for. Secondly, you institute some austerity measures. Spend only on the necessary stuff like basic needs. When you stick to your budget and cut back on unnecessary spending, you find that money is saved in the process. You can use this money to off-set some of your loans.

Consolidate Your Debts to Better Manage Your Money Loans

One thing you’ll notice about people who suffer the pains of extreme debts is that they tend to deal with too many creditors simultaneously, and that’s by no means a smart move.Find out more here. To ease these pains, you can consolidate your money loans through balance transfers for credit cards or a debt consolidation loan. This way, you’ll only have one creditor to deal with. In addition, you’ll have the chance to negotiate lowers charges on credit card transfers, and you save some cash that way.

Besides that, a single loan will carry a lower interest rate as compared to the many debts combined. Also, you get an extension of the payment period and pay lower premiums. However, you’ll have to stay away from any more debts until you’ve cleared the debt if you want to keep the financial pressure at ease.

Have a Strategy and the Right Mindset

For you to really make it, you need to be in the right mindset and motivated. You can use the snowball method whereby you clear one debt as you pay little to others. This way, you progressively decrease your creditors and keep motivated to clear all your debts. You can also choose to use the debt avalanche method whereby you first pay off the money loans with the highest interest rates. This way, you save on the interest you would have to pay in the long-term.

As you realize from these simple tips, settling money loans is actually easy. All you need is a smart plan and the will to pull it off.

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How to Budget this Holiday Season

The holidays are a beautiful time of year, but getting hit with credit card debt shortly thereafter is never fun. Alleviate future stress by creating a holiday spending plan – and stick to it. If you’re not sure where to start, use this guide to help craft your budget. Your wallet will thank you!

Determine How Much You Need to Spend

Before the holidays are in full swing, determine how much you’ll need to spend on everything from increased energy bills to cookie costs. This will allow you to allocate funds to set aside in advance, and will give you time to start saving up. Everybody’s holiday experience is different, but some common categories you should count ahead for include:

Presents for family members (decide how much to spend per person)
Gifts or goodies for the office
Clothing for holiday parties, such as a cocktail dress or ugly Christmas sweater
Airline or gas fares for any traveling
Food for baked goods or any holiday meals you might contribute towards
New décor for your home (wreaths, Christmas tree, lights, etc.)
Gift wrap and postage
Holiday photos and greeting cards
Charitable offerings

Be realistic with how much you can spend. Try listing these categories in order of priority and allocate your funds appropriately. For example, if you decide decorating is more important than dressing up, you might have to rework that ensemble from last year’s festive soiree.

Keep Yourself on Track

Setting a spending limit is just the beginning. Budgeting for the holidays will require diligence and discipline. Set a weekly reminder on your phone to check in with your number using a budgeting app like Qapital. If you’ve overshot your allotted weekly spending, make the necessary adjustments and spend less on your lowest priority. Consider how much you spent last holiday season, and any regrets you might have about your spending activities. Did you need to buy anything last minute? Could you have saved money by planning ahead?

Give Up an Indulgence

To save money and fluff up your fall back net, consider nixing some regular indulgences. Even small spending purchases, when made multiple times throughout the week, can add up to a big number. Here are a few ways you can add to your holiday spending account by swapping some indulgences with low-cost alternatives:

Brew coffee at home instead of stopping by the coffee shop everyday
Rent DVDs and watch movies on the couch rather than the theater
Browse thrift stores versus department stores
Cook dinner and eat at home instead of going out to restaurants
Cut cable and rely on streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu
Skip your monthly gym payment by exercising at home or outside

Do Your Research

Shopping around online can positively impact your budget. Surf different websites to research and compare various benefits, features, prices, and any available rebates. While comparison shopping online, be sure to look for coupon codes and figure out which retailers offer free shipping or any other incentive that will keep costs down. This will ensure you spend the least amount for the best value on your big-ticket shopping items.

Commit to Cash

Most people use credit cards with reward points to finance their holiday purchases, which can lead to a slippery spending slope. If you rack up a bill you can’t afford, you can incur late fees and interest charges. Avoid the credit card blues altogether by committing to cash this holiday season. If you don’t have it, don’t spend it.

The holidays take place in November and December, but the wrong spending habits can affect your finances into the New Year. Be proactive, make a list – check it twice – and budget as a gift to yourself. Stay true to the holiday spirit, and don’t let the weight of a restrictive budget get you down. If you focus on spending time with family and friends, you’ll care less about cutting costs.

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5 Things to Know When Selecting a Mobile Provider for Your Business

It’s often difficult to get people to agree on anything anymore, especially regarding technology. Everyone has an opinion about which is better, an iPhone or Android, PC or Mac — but we can all agree on one thing. A mobile phone is an essential part of our business. According to Vernard Martin, senior systems administrator for the Center for Comprehensive Informatics at Emory University in Atlanta, a cell phone is one of the top five vital tools for any business. A simple missed call or text, a dropped call, or problems accessing a website can potentially cost a company thousands (or even millions) of dollars in lost business.

Telecom providers will often try to attract you with humorous or sexy commercials and an endless array of new handsets with new features we never knew we needed. Your decision on which of the countless mobile providers to partner with will undoubtedly make a huge difference to your bottom line in a number of ways. Fortunately, with a little research, the choice doesn’t have to be that complicated. Here are five things you should know when selecting a mobile provider for your business.

Shop Around

The best way to select a mobile phone service provider is by comparing the carriers available in your immediate area. Select at least three service providers and compare their available plans, network coverage, services, warranties, prepaid plans, and types of networks they use.

Local or National Provider

If your business operations tend to take place mainly in your local or regional area, consider choosing a smaller local service provider. Local mobile service providers usually charge lower rates on voice and data packages and typically offer more personalized service. Bigger is not always better, and the rule definitely applies to telecom service providers.

Review Coverage

Image via Flickr by Anders Adermark

Check and compare the coverage maps very carefully. Coverage area maps are generally accessible on every mobile carrier’s website. Remember to review not only your local region but the coverage in other areas where you might conduct business. If the map shows a strong presence in your local area, but coverage is lacking in cities where you’ll potentially be spending a lot of time with clients, it’s probably best to pass. Not only would you receive spotty service, but your company might have to pay roaming charges for both calls and data, which can push your cell phone bill out of control.

Consider Security

If you typically use smartphones to access any type of sensitive data while in the field, security should be an important consideration when comparing providers. Make sure your chosen mobile service provider allows you the ability to exercise control over the equipment. You should be able to trigger a quick wipe of any business cell phone in the event the device gets lost or stolen, or if the person leaves the company. Protecting your data at all times is crucial.

Choose a Plan

Mobile service providers offer a wide array of plans for business use, including bundles of voice minutes, data, texts, and emails, but most providers require at least five lines of service to open a business account. Always start with the datasheet provided by the carrier which gives you a snapshot comparison of the price, number of minutes, and gigabytes of data allowances in each plan. Narrow it down to a couple of plans that appear to meet the needs of your company and then dig deeper. Read the fine print to check for extra fees and overage charges. A low-cost plan may not be worth it in the long run if you constantly incur huge overage fees.

While the pricing described is clearly provided in black and white on the datasheet, there still might be some room to negotiate the price down with the service provider on both the plan and the equipment. It sure doesn’t hurt to ask. Over time, if you realize your company is using more or less data than you anticipated, call the vendor and renegotiate. Most will adjust your plan accordingly to give you a better deal.

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8 Things Every Mutual Fund Investor Needs To Know

Today there are at least 3500 mutual fund schemes floating around in the market. Which makes the task of picking the right one extremely difficult and daunting. Many first-time investors feel that picking any mutual fund can help them get their desired amount, but it is important to know that every mutual fund scheme is unique and it is tailored to a certain risk profile. Selecting a mutual fund is a rigorous process involving a lot of analysis and parameters. There are several factors that come into picture while picking a good mutual fund.

Pre-requisites

First and foremost, you need to have a bank account and you must be KYC (Know your customer) compliant. KYC verifies you as an investor and you can register for it with a Registrar and Transfer agent or directly through a mutual fund house. You need to have a PAN card if you want to invest more than Rs 50,000 in each fund house each year.

How to choose the funds?

Mutual funds simply the world of investing, but choosing an ideal mutual fund still remains a big task.  Here’s how you can decide how to make the right choices-

Debt or equity

Debt mutual funds will give you a steadier but lower return. They have a low-risk profile and can be used to meet short-term goals. While equity mutual funds can give you higher returns in long-term. These shares fluctuate in the short term and thus are suitable for a long-time duration. The chances of incurring losses reduce over time and hence makes it a good investment for long duration. For first time investment, you can go for balanced funds, which 65% of your money goes into equity while the other 45% goes into debt. This combination will give you stability as well as good investment.

Which funds to choose?

Don’t just blindly trust your friends and relatives and go along with their opinions. Research well and opt for funds which have performed well consistently over a long-term period. Look for the star ratings by Value Research.

How many funds?

Two or three funds from different fund houses will be enough to provide an adequate diversification in your portfolio.

Which plan? Direct or Regular.

Direct plan charges a lower annual expense because it does not include the commission. This involves investment yourself without going through a broker. This does save some money, but then you will end up doing all the work yourself, which will quite frankly be a little difficult for a first timer.

Instead, you can opt for a regular plan initially and once you gain enough knowledge you can shift to a direct plan.

Buying funds

After choosing a mutual fund you are ready to buy them. You can do that yourself or through an intermediary broker. You can also choose to invest online at website of mutual fund houses.

Keep a track of your investments

Monitor your investments and keep a track of how well they are performing. With some apps you can get constant updates about the ups and downs of the market situation. But don’t constantly keep a watch on it. Review your investments once in a while and analyse it.

Know when to sell

You will need to sell your funds when it becomes a poor performance or when you need the money to meet your financial goals. You can sell it when you need money for the goals you were investing, in the first place.

If your funds are constantly dipping compared to the other funds, you need to analyse the situation and decide if it should be a part of your portfolio. Also, keep an eye on the fund’s ratings. If the rating drops to one or two and remains there, you should consider selling it.

If you have invested in equity funds, you can withdraw systematically. As you reach your financial goals, you can exit your equity funds and move to debt funds.

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Freedom Debt Relief Shares Top Picks for the Best Finance-Oriented Books

As the weather starts to cool down, a lot of us look for more sedentary, cold weather-appropriate activities. There is hardly a better way to spend a cold winter day than under a cozy blanket with a good book. And if you are going to spend time reading this winter, why not making your choice of reading material something that will enrich your mind and also, perhaps, enrich your bottom line, in the process? Freedom Debt Relief is here with its top picks of some of the best finance books to consider adding to your to-be-read pile this winter.

It might seem like finance-related books would be boring, dry, and full of terms that only economists would understand. While there is no dearth of books that would fall into this category, not all finance books are like that. There are some authors that can make these concepts not only accessible to people without a deep understanding of economics, but they can also tell a good story along the way. What follows are some of the hot picks from Freedom Debt Relief.

Poor Charlie’s Almanac by Peter Kaufman

Classics are classics, often for a reason, and there are certain finance books that fall into this category. Poor Charlie’s Almanac, now in its third edition, is a must read for anyone interested in hearing the thoughts from a proven successful businessman. The book features an array of stories, anecdotes, and more from Charles Munger, who is Warren Buffet’s business partner. Buffet is one of the most successful financiers in history, and these stories provide the foundation of their investment mentality, which is why it comes so highly recommended by Freedom Debt Relief.

Once in Golconda: A True Drama of Wall Street 1920-1938 by John Brooks

Freedom Debt Relief highly recommends this seminal account of one of the most notorious financial periods in American history. This work brings to life the turmoil, backstabbing, and pure cunning that was the bull market of the 1920s in the United States, followed by the whole system coming crashing down in 1929. It is a fascinating true story that gives readers an intimate look at the environment that created a market so ripe for such a full collapse.

Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk by Peter L. Bernstein

One of the things that has always plagued the financial field, whether it be personal or corporate finance, is how to best manage risk. How much risk should we take and how much can we truly even afford to take? This book is an accessible, easy to read guide on how we have tried to understand risk in the financial world, how we try to guard against it, and how to judge future risk as well.

All the books that Freedom Debt Relief recommends provides an accessible look into some facet of financial history, financial theory, as well as stories from successful businessman that are not only highly informative, but are also great reads. A well written history reads as well as any fictional story and the three books we briefly review here all manage to weave together a good narrative story, helpful advice, and accessible information that can prove useful in our everyday lives.

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Three Industries That Are Heavily Impacted by Data Science

Data science is a somewhat broad term that describes the study of deriving knowledge, information, and insight from raw data through detailed analysis. Therefore, data scientists are tasked with the job of examining large amounts of diverse data and interpreting those results to produce a meaningful conclusion, solution, or suggestion. However, with programming and AI being a factor in recent years, the field has expanded into automated systems and robotics. In fact, this sector of science is currently utilized in the core development of most hardware and software manufactured today. With that said, here are three industries that have been heavily impacted by data science:

1. Competitive Sports

While some people may view a competitive sport as being “just a game,” the overall industry generates hundreds of billions in revenue annually, as well as a huge number of jobs and other economic benefits. As such, there’s an ongoing incentive for league/team owners, broadcasting network investors, players, and coaches to invest funds into the betterment of their sport and their team’s capabilities. Often, the best way for a team to get better is to analyze their past mistakes and faults and then work on improving those stats. Sports statisticians, analysts, consultants, and trainers use different forms of data science to refine training regimens, identify and work on weaknesses, and increase the team’s overall win percentage. Of course, these strategies have a major impact on the quality of professional sports, as discussed in this article http://onlinedsa.merrimack.edu/how-data-science-and-analytics-changing-sports/. Teams are now competing on a much higher level intellectually due to having access to greater data insight and coach-specified objectives.

2. Healthcare

It’s no surprise that healthcare and medicine rely heavily on data science for the development of new medications and medical procedures. The field has been instrumental in the production of almost every modern treatment, allowing scientists to give data-based input that affects the outcome of drug development, hospital construction, healthcare software design, and virtually every other data-related field in medicine. One could even go so far as to say that without data science, medicine would be what it was 50-80 years ago. Data science is also useful for analyzing the results of medical imaging and comparing patient info in analytic surveys or studies.

3. Computers and Technology

Since this is the most obvious industry that is essentially completely reliant on and based on data science, we’ve included it in this list. Still, it does deserve mention as it’s responsible for the creation of the field itself, which has given rise to so many new job positions and opportunities. Without computers, data science would only be a mathematical theory, applied to written or printed data, but never capable of being analyzed within a software interface.

Business Implications of AI-based Assistants and Training Systems

If we look forward to the next 5-10 years, it’s easy to assume that data science will be instrumental in the development of artificial intelligence systems, as machine learning basically involves teaching a computer how to analyze, interpret, and respond to data independently. By 2030, data science is sure to be one of the most exciting and advance scientific fields of study, so right now would be a good time to make entry into the sector with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

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