Mohit Tater's Blog, page 684

Protecting Your Investment: 5 Security Solutions For Your Business

Whether you own a small, medium or large business venture, security is a significant watchword for commercial success. This applies to both intellectual and physical property, which underpins your business model and drives profitability. If you consider that the threat of cybercrime alone was thought to have cost the average small business £4,000 per year in 2014, for example, the need for business-owners to invest in advanced security solutions has never been more pressing.

So, here are five viable and advanced security options that can help you to protect every aspect of your business in 2016 and beyond:

1. Understand your data and its requirements

While it may be tempting to believe otherwise, not all data is created equal. More specifically, it is important to understand the difference between standard information and business-critical or sensitive data before creating handling and storage procedures that are compliant. This may require a full audit of your data, but at the end of this process you can ensure that your most sensitive information is fully encrypted and securely stored.

2. Appreciate the value of encryption

While encryption is a foreign and occasionally controversial topic for business-owners, it is crucial if you are to manage and store data within a safe environment. Not only this, but encryption technologies are becoming increasingly accessible and easier to understand for independent entrepreneurs, making it easier to protect and manage data over a prolonged period of time. From Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to 128-bit encryption software, the decision to encrypt your virtual business will protect your venture and sensitive consumer data.

3. Manage your Passwords easily and efficiently

While encryption technologies can be complex and often unheralded, the management of passwords remains the tangible cornerstone of business security. Simply setting individual user passwords is not enough in the modern age, however, as these must be carefully managed within a wider business network. Resources such as LastPass enable you to achieve this, by allowing users to set business-wide passwords that meet set company criteria and applying customised policies to restrict access across specific devices or accounts.

4. Focus on Protecting your Businesses Physical Assets

In the modern age, it is easy to become preoccupied with protecting your intellectual assets ahead of physical alternatives. This is an oversight, however, as business premises such as offices and storage units must also be secured at all time. This involves insuring your assets and content to their full value, while also physically securing premises with alarms and tailored fencing. Brands such as Paramount Steel Fence offer a host of fence designs, each of which can be applied to a number of alternative structures.

5. The culture of Education and Understanding

While all of these steps can help to theoretically protect your intellectual and physical assets, this means little if your employees do not understand the importance of security and become slack when handling sensitive data, locking-up premises or managing files. To avoid this, it is imperative that you create a culture of understanding and education within your business and this is best achieved by initiating tailored training programs that are in integrated into staff induction seminars.

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Sitting Is Killing You

Recent scientific studies compare the health risks of sitting still for long periods to smoking a whole packet of cigarettes! There seem to be significant health risks associated with uninterrupted sitting. This is concerning as many of us have jobs where we have to be in front of a computer screen all day every day and/or we have to spend hours traveling. The latest evidence shows that you can’t compensate for a long day chained to a desk by working out hard in the gym either. The only thing that reduces the health risk is to break up those periods of sitting with standing or walking.

The Problem

Modern working environments, both in terms of their design and accepted working practices are bad for us. To improve our health we need to be brave and be prepared to do things differently. We can change the design of our work spaces and offices to reduce the risks without reducing productivity.

What changes should you be thinking about making in your home office or for your team?

• Create an area where one can stand and work. You can do this by buying the right type of office desks that tidy cables away and have plenty of room for storage meaning there is more space elsewhere. You can also consider investing in standing desks or even desks whose height can be adjusted. It might be impractical to create a space where staff can stand while working at a PC but make sure there is a place to stand to read or take calls.

• Sit people away from toilets and drinks. This will force them to take longer walks. If you have a home office use the upstairs loo not the one downstairs.

• Have headsets available so people can take calls or be involved in conference calls while walking.

• Leave some floor space free as a stretching area. This will only really be practical if you have an initiative to give people the confidence to stretch in front of their co-workers and the knowledge to do so safely. The cost of a personal trainer for an hour or two is not very high. They can take you all through some safe stretches and it will be a good team building exercise.



• Invest in some pedometers. They are very cheap and very effective in helping people set and keep activity targets. Consider adding some activity targets to staffs performance assessments. The targets don’t have to affect their pay review but seeing them in black and white and having to discuss their achievement with a line manager will add some motivation.

Of course this is easier to do if you work for yourself or are the boss. If you work for someone else it can be harder to influence your physical workspace. What you can do about it depends on how motivated you are and who is in control. Some practical ways to effect change in an office environment are as follows;

• Use a national health initiative, sporting event or sponsored event to start a debate about health and generate some interest in health at work.

• See if you can find a senior manager who is a health nut and see if they will champion a few changes.

• If you have a committee or group who effect the working environment get yourself on it.

• Be prepared to provide evidence that improving physical activity will not decrease efficiency.

Arm Yourself With The Facts

If you need to get your boss, staff or co-workers on board or convince a budget holder then you will need to have the facts at your fingertips and some powerful sound bites. These should help you form a good business case for some simple changes and motivate co-workers to get involved.

First of all you circulate the info graphic attached to the bottom of this article. Secondly you can circulate the powerful quotes we have provided below. Thirdly you can do your own reading starting with the sources below.

Quotes

• Q. What can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. It’s free, easy to take, has an immediate effect and you don’t need a GP to get some.

A. Exercise.

• In the UK physical inactivity causes 10.5% of all heart disease, 18.7% of all colon cancer and 17.9% of all breast cancers.

• Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide.

• Exercise has been called a miracle drug that can benefit every part of the body and substantially extend lifespan. Socially, being inactive is perceived as normal. This passive attitude towards inactivity, where exercise is viewed as a personal choice, is reminiscent of the battles still being fought over smoking.

• The benefits of improving staffs health are legion – when it works, it cuts sickness absence levels, number of accidents and staff turnover, and their associated costs; it boosts reputation and gives a competitive edge.

• Best-practice firms are seeing real value in focusing on the health and the health management of the entire workforce year round – not just when an employee is off sick.

Sources & Further Reading

• UK Government physical inactivity guidelines; https://www.gov.uk/government/publica...

• The pandemic of physical inactivity: global action for public health – full Lancet article;

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

• Getting Better: workplace health as a business issue – The full CBI report; www.cbi.org.uk/media/2724238/getting-...

• Physical Activity Facts & Evidence- Cancer Research Information;

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about...

• An Active Workforce; http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-d....

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How to Reduce Accidents in the Workplace?

Accidents in the workplace are definitely something you want to avoid. They are disruptive to the normal flow of activity on the production or warehouse floor and can prove to be expensive in lost revenue, but that takes a back seat to the human cost if one of your workers is severely injured or loses their life on the job. You will want to be proactive about taking measures to keep everyone entering your facility safe, whether they are employees, contractors, suppliers or visitors to your premises.

Tips to Help you Reduce Accidents in the Workplace

Hire experienced candidates for available positions.

Take your time when trying to fill a vacant position. Rather than trying to hire someone quickly, find a candidate with experience working in a similar position. They will be more likely to be aware of potential hazards and less likely to make a careless mistake on the job.

Provide safety training to all staff.

Everyone on your staff should receive mandatory safety training upon being hired. Refresher training should be offered at intervals. This is too important to be put on the back burner. Safety should be on the forefront of everyone’s mine when they are at work, especially if they are responsible for operating vehicles or other machinery or handling any type of dangerous substances.

Make a firm rule that no one on your staff will be allowed to operate equipment unless they have been trained and are fully competent in handling it. All staff need to understand that this is one rule that cannot be broken; the potential for an accident causing an injury or property damage is far too high.

Ensure that task areas are clearly marked.

If you have an area where employees will be using fork lifts or other motorised vehicles, you can be sure that they will be moving along at a considerable rate of speed. Indicate where workers and visitors can walk safely by erecting pedestrian safety barriers.

Even if a vehicle were to hit a barrier, the cushioning would take some of the impact, resulting in less damage to the vehicle. Pedestrians would be less likely to wander into restricted areas where they would face the risk of injuries themselves due to being hit by a moving vehicle or falling objects.

    4. Provide proper ventilation if operating forklifts indoors.

Forklifts emit carbon monoxide and you will need to ensure that the work area is properly ventilated every time they are being used. Carbon monoxide is clear, odourless tasteless. It is quite hazardous and carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to severe illness or even be fatal if the exposure is severe enough.

Managers and staff should be aware of the following signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning”

Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Nausea or vomiting
Shortness of breath
Blurred vision
Confusion
Loss of consciousness

If someone on the job experiences any of these symptoms, get them outside into fresh air and call the emergency number for medical assistance right away. Ask the rest of the staff evacuate the premises until the fire department has performed an inspection and determined it is safe to re-enter the building.

     5. Have a security plan for early morning or late night shifts.

Your business can be at risk from outsiders looking to steal from you, and employees working early morning or late night shifts may be at risk. Avoid having one employee being assigned to “open” or “close” your facility on their own. Instead, have a group of workers finish together and walk to their cars as a group so that no one is left alone.

Arrange for private security at night so that your staff will not be left on their own if you must have workers stay late for independent work. Have a security guard walk them to their vehicle to avoid a slip and fall injury after dark?

There are a number of strategies that you can put in place as a business owner to help reduce accidents in the workplace. Keeping your staff healthy and working is an investment you make that will pay off in increased productivity that will help to grow your company over time.

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Understanding Jetlag and Learning to Control it

If you are someone who flies frequently across the world, you may have already experienced the symptoms of jetlag multiple times. A lot of people don’t really understand jetlag or what causes it, but simply take it in their stride. Interrupted sleep, excessive fatigue during the day, and issues with concentration and normal activities are all part and parcel of jetlag. Instead of just “going with it” though, you should think about the how, what and why of this condition that affects millions of travelers across race, gender and age (although some kids are so hyperactive they seem to be immune to this). You need to be able to deal with this. Thankfully, there are many ways in which you can overcome jetlag with little to no effort at all.

What is jetlag?

Jetlag is a condition that is likely to affect you if you travel quickly across multiple time zones in a flight. Sailors aren’t affected by this because they travel slowly, hence the name JETLAG. The more time zones you cross in the flight, the sleepier and more lethargic you get. The symptoms also tend to last longer and become far more intense based on the distance that you have travelled.

While jetlag is a disorder that is only temporary, it can still be annoying for a lot of travelers. For example, if you happen to be flying from the USA to a place like Italy for a vacation that lasts a couple of weeks, you might take up to 9 days to fully recover! It takes your body almost a day to get over each time zone that you cross, and readjust to local time. The direction you travel is also a major factor. For example, if you are making the return trip from Italy to the US, your lag will only last about 5 days. This is because traveling from east to west “gains” time and traveling west to east “loses” it.

What causes jetlag?

Jetlag is caused because of the way our body reacts to fast travel. Everyone has a biological clock inside them. This helps you know when to sleep and wake up. This is why you feel sleepy at a certain time every night, no matter where you may be. This is known as the circadian rhythm, and rapid travel across time zones tends to throw it out of whack. Usually, the rhythm is controlled by your exposure to sunlight, mealtimes, your level of social activity, and your day-to-day activities as well.

However, crossing time zones disrupts the rhythm because your internal clock and the external time are desynchronized and it takes a while for your body to regain the rhythm of the new time zone. This is aggravated by the fact that you can’t really walk around, judge time, or have exposure to normal sunlight throughout your flight. There are other factors affecting this as well, including the level of pressurization of the cabins in the plane. When a cabin is pressurized, it lowers the oxygen level in the blood. This can interrupt your circadian rhythm as well.

By staying in control and on top of the situation, you can minimize the effects of jetlag on your body and actually enjoy your vacation or business trip without suffering too many consequences.

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Do You Have What it Takes to Be an Entrepreneur?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be your own boss. If you are an independent soul who prefers to work under your own terms, then entrepreneurship might be a more suitable career choice. But being a control freak is unfortunately not the only requirement to become an entrepreneur. In reality, you have to possess several characteristics to have what it takes to be an entrepreneur and become famous and successful. Since the number of entrepreneurs in the industry is increasing by the day, it is important to stand out among your competitors. Listed below are some entrepreneurial qualities that will give you the competitive edge.

Proper planning

Being an entrepreneur means that you are responsible for your own actions. Since mishaps in any business are inevitable, the least you can do is to pre-plan your actions to reduce the casualties. The very first step is to identify the right business. You need to consider your style, age, strengths and limitations to find the suitable industry. Conducting a research about the industry’s current market and popularity is also important. In order to achieve your business goals, you need to identify your strategies prior to the initiation of the business. This will make execution much easier.

Financial management

Managing and tracking your personal finances is important to ensure an easy flow of cash. Your two main areas of concern should be budgeting and taxation. Whether you are a beginner or not expensive mistakes must be avoided at all costs. You must be sufficiently informed about the company’s assets as well as liabilities. Also, being familiar with concepts such as cash inventory, security market structure and divided policy decisions will ensure the future financial security of your company.

Marketing capabilities

As an entrepreneur you must be a shameless self-promoter. Self-promotion is a marketing tool that all entrepreneurs have at their immediate disposal. You must know how to differentiate and promote your product or service from that of others. But also remember not to get too obnoxious. Marketing requires a lot of research. When promoting a product, you should be able to identify your target audience without wasting precious resources. Market research will also enable you to develop and customize products according to the needs and preferences of the customer.

Customer service skills

This skill set is important to ensure the survival of any business. You must have a pleasant and cheerful personality that should attract your customers almost instantly. Knowing your customers and their demands will enable you to provide a more personalized service. This will not only increase customer satisfaction but will also enhance customer loyalty which will retain your customers within your company and lead to a balance in profits and income. It is important to have good presentation and public speaking skills as well.

If you possess these characteristics, then you are eligible to start your own business. If not, remember that it is never too late to develop them.

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How to Brush Up Your Business Skills While You Work

Just because you may have landed your dream business job, it doesn’t mean that there is no longer any room for improvement. In fact, those who have the attitude of constantly learning even whilst at work are often more likely to receive promotions, be more productive, and more successful than those who stop actively learning as soon as they receive their degree. People look to brush up on their business skills whilst working for a number of different reasons, whether it be to pursue a promotion, to become more productive, or even to leave the company for another one or start their own business venture. If you are looking to improve your business skills whist at work, here are a few tips.

Company Development Programs

Many corporate companies run development programs for their employees. These programs will assist you through learning new business skills as well as improving your old ones, with the opportunity to apply for different roles in the business or aim for a promotion once complete. However, you don’t have to be looking to change roles or even be pursuing a promotion in order to take part in a company development program as they are also excellent for brushing up your current skills in order to become a more productive employer. Speak to your line manager or HR department about the company development programs that are on offer and which ones would be best for your needs.

Online Learning

If you are looking to gain a further qualification whilst working in order to help improve your business skills, you’ll be glad to know that there’s no need to attend physical classes at an educational institution thanks to online learning programs. With online learning, you can study anything from career certificate courses to masters and doctorate degree courses, so there really is no limit to the amount of education that you can attain online. Online learning programs are beneficial to those who want to study whilst working full-time as they allow for full flexibility and the ability to tailor your studies around your working day. Check out these Online Degrees in South Dakota for some online learning course ideas.

Research

If you don’t want to take part in a company development program or pay to enroll on an online learning course, it’s still possible to brush up your business skills. The internet is home to a wealth of information for business people, and by searching online forums, business blogs, and informational websites, you can learn a lot of new information which will help to improve both your skills and your productivity. You may also like the idea of reading books by the top business people and entrepreneurs in order to learn more about their strategies for success and skills which they value. If you have an e-reader, this is a handy way of learning more as you can store various books and use it on the go.

If you run a business, how do you encourage your employees to brush up on their business skills? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

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Freelancing: Will You Join The Revolution or Be a Slave Until Retirement?

The landscape of the workplace is experiencing a paradigm shift. Back in the day, you were told to:

Go to College.
Get a Degree.
Work in a Company 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for the rest of your adult life.
Retire at 65, get your retirement check and enjoy life to the fullest.

Doesn’t this sound contradictory to you? Logic dictates that it is: You should be enjoying life in your prime, not wasting away like sheep as a corporate slave for eight hours a day or more until you’re all bent and graying at the temples.

There’s no doubt that retirees are having a blast on cruise ships and trips to Europe. The whole “to the fullest” line was meant to be subjective, and no disrespect to older folks was ever intended. But life and enjoyment are different when you’re young, full of spunk and 20 feet tall. It’s a tragedy that most people will spend the prime of their lives working for money and not making their money work for them.

Digital Nomadism

Ever since we entered the digital age, things have sped up considerably. No one ever thought that working from home or remote would even be a possibility, and it was even frowned upon as being lazy or unambitious. Now, the stigma of remote work has been shot down and thrown out with authority.

Freelancing has changed the workplace landscape and ushered in a new economy hinged on getting work done – fast and cheap. Gone were the days that company stability and benefits were the first things workers looked for in a company when they applied for a job.

Now, workers are looking for companies that allow remote work. It could be single mothers (or fathers) who need to stay home for child care. Students looking to have extra cash. Retirees who want to stay active and even people from the unemployed sector who are just praying for a break to get back on their feet.

Today’s workplace is all about flexibility and freedom. Freelancers work anywhere from 5 hours to 40 hours a week, and it all depends on them. They control what jobs they take and what hours they need to work, freeing them from the rigid schedules of the corporate world.

Outsourced Code

Software companies used to hire an army of coders and testers to make great software free of bugs. Now, sites like Topcoder allow companies to outsource some of their software projects to a guerilla force of more than 300,000 coders registered on the site. This eases the pressure of hiring top notch coders and keeping them happy.

The same software company can then go ahead and outsource their projects to testers so they can find the bugs and crush it before release. Sites like pegasie.com offer complete test automation services for corporations who don’t have the budget to hire and keep full time testers on their payroll.

An App for Everything

Whatever you need, there seems to be an app for it, and behind the app are young entrepreneurs making it happen because they believe in the freelancing model and are taking advantage of its popularity. It’s never been easier to connect with a plumber or a driver near you with apps such as Handy and Uber.

Want flowers delivered or someone to pick up your dirty laundry? No problem! There’s an app for everything. Grocery delivery, house cleaning services, lawyers and even doctors that make house calls are available by clicking an app.

The Risks of the Revolution

The only problem here is oversight, because there is none. There’s a real risk of someone losing a job because the client gave it to another freelancer with cheaper rates. Although it’s a dick move, many people still do it. There’s a wide gap between what a skilled freelancer in India charges versus a skilled freelancer from North America or Europe.

This gap is also dangerous because it lowers the average compensation a freelancer may get if a lot of people offer jobs below market value. Writers suffer the most, with some clients only paying $1 or less for 100 words. If you’re a talented writer from Canada for example, you can face tough competition from international writers with the same skills you have, but come cheap.

Before We Go

It’s imperative that freelancers learn how to market themselves and create lasting relationships with their clients. This will ensure a steady stream of income and not losing out on poachers who offer cheaper rates. Are you ready for the workplace revolution? Who’s side will you be on? Let us know!

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5 Simple Ways You Can Make Some Extra Money

How many times in the past few months have you needed some extra money? Around 44% of us are already putting away money every month, but cutting costs and saving money can only do so much. Why not try to boost your income on top of your regular salary? If you’re looking to make some extra cash, here’s a few ideas.

Rent out your spare room. Got an empty room that’s just full of boxes? Don’t mind sharing your space with someone? You might want to consider renting the room out. Of course, there needs to be an incentive for you – in the UK, you’re entitled to earn up to £4,250 per year in rent, tax free. This is automatic if you earn less than the threshold, but if you earn over that amount, you’ll need to complete a tax return. There’s also a few other legalities you’ll need to cover off beforehand – for example, you must register as a private landlord and you’ll also need insurance to cover unexpected events and accidental damages. Renting a property or a room is never without a risk and there will always be accidents, so make sure your property is protected and you’re aware of what the policy covers.

Don’t have a spare room to rent but have a driveway or space outside your house to park? You can rent it out! Renting your driveway might not seem like an obvious way of making money, but if you live in a city where parking is at a premium, people are willing to pay for it. You could make as much as £3000 per year for a parking space in London.

Share your car. As this article by The Guardian notes, it’s simply not rational to own a car in a busy city such as London – lack of parking spaces and congested roads means it’s easier to ditch the car in favour of public transport. However, for those living in places with less-efficient public transport systems as London, a car is often (an expensive) requirement. Fortunately, with the rise of car-sharing sites and apps, you can split the cost of petrol with a couple of other people – spending £100 less on fuel every month is a lot of extra cash in your wallet!

Wardrobe full of clothes that you never wear? Sell them! We’re all guilty of buying clothes we never wear or decide we don’t actually like all that much, but that doesn’t mean they need to be confined to the depths of our wardrobes. eBay is the obvious choice, but there are a number of other apps and websites with features targeted specifically for selling clothes.

Switch your bank account. Some current accounts offer cashback on direct debits and reasonably good interest rates. A lot of banks offer one-time cash bonuses as an incentive to open a new account too, and if you live in the UK, you can easily switch by using the Current Account Switch Service.

Lets be clear – this isn’t a way of getting rich quickly, but these five things are easily achievable and don’t require a huge time investment. Keep track of your side income and separate it out from your main income and you might be surprised at how much you can earn.

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Understanding the Differences Between Co-Borrowers and a Guarantor

Applications for loans may be signed in conjunction with a co-borrower or guarantor. This usually makes the loan more secure and assures the lender that the loan will be paid back in case the principal borrower defaults. However, if you are planning to help your friend or family member to guarantee a loan, you should know the implications of signing as a co-borrower or as a guarantor. Here is a brief explanation of the major difference between co-borrowers and a guarantor. 

Who is a Co-Borrower?

A co-borrower is liable to repay the entire debt with the original borrower whether the borrower defaults or not. Although the principal borrower always undertakes to pay back the entire debt, the co-borrower bears an identical financial and legal responsibility as if they had taken the loan themselves.

Who is a Guarantor?

A guarantor is a person who signs a contract of guarantee on behalf of a borrower. This contract of guarantee is a promise made by the guarantor to the lender that the borrower will abide by all terms and conditions in the credit contract. If the borrower defaults, and cannot pay back the loan, the terms of the contract of guarantee obligate the guarantor to pay the lender the money owed by the borrower.

Guarantors may sign a secured or unsecured guarantee depending on the demands of the lender. Under a secured guarantee, the lender requires the guarantor to pledge assets as a collateral to secure the guarantee. If the borrower cannot meet up with the payment and the guarantor cannot pay back the debt, this type of guarantee permits the lender to sell the assets to recover the money owed by the borrower. However, an unsecured guarantee does not require the guarantor to pledge any form of collateral to make the guarantee more secure. With an unsecured guarantee, the lender must obtain a court judgement against the guarantor before selling any of their assets to recover the money owed by the borrower.

Differences Between a Co-Borrower and a Guarantor

The main difference between a co-borrower and a loan guarantor is that the co-borrower is always liable for the payment of the loan whether the principal borrower pays back or not. If the principal borrower cannot pay at all or starts to default, the lender can request for full payment from the co-borrower. However, a guarantor, is not liable until the principal borrower defaults and the lender has taken all necessary steps to collect the payment. To get the guarantor to pay back the loan, the lender would have to prove that the principal borrower has defaulted.

Moreover, the guarantor is permitted to recover from the defaulting borrower, all the money that has been paid to the lender. But the co-borrower may only recover from the borrower half of the debt they paid to the lender. In addition, a guarantor may be released from the initial contract of guarantee before the loan term ends. Usually, after the borrower has built up some equity in a piece of real estate (approximately 30 percent), the guarantor may be released from the terms of the contract of guarantee. A co-borrower does not enjoy this privilege.

When taking a large personal loan or signing as a co-borrower or guarantor for a close friend or family member, it is very important to seek for legal and professional financial advice. A lawyer or personal finance expert can help you have a deeper understanding of the risks involved and help you to protect your personal assets.

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The Top Benefits of Living In a Condo

Many people tend to shy away from living in a condo at the heart of the city. Some think it’s too crowded, noisy, cramped, and the proximity to all your other neighbors seems a little creepy. It really all depends on where you choose to stay and the quality of the condo you get, but for the most part, living in a condo can be a very good thing.

Condo Living is Awesome. Here’s Why:

You’ll be in the Heart of the City – Condos are situated in the heart of the city, and you’ll be surrounded by loads of things to do, see and explore. Step out of your building and start exploring all the museums, art galleries, specialty shops, shopping malls, bars, restaurants, cinemas and other attractions that make the particular city you choose to live in unique. You’ll also be near hospitals, schools and the central business district – a major deal if you work in the city.
You’ll do very little upkeep – You’ll be paying association dues every month to let the building’s management office handle the upkeep of almost everything related to the exterior and interior of the condo. You won’t have to repair a broken window, shovel snow, cut the grass, sweep the garage or any other activity that you’d normally do in a house with a yard. The most you’ll probably do is replace a lightbulb or oil your doors.
Save Money on Transportation – Since you’re in the heart of the city, you won’t have to drive as much because of all the public modes of transport available such as trains, subways, cabs and buses. You can also ride/rent a bike or take a walk. Most big cities have ample bike lanes and foot paths.
You’ll be near City Parks – Living in a condo doesn’t mean you won’t get enough sun. Most large cities have awesome parks. Perth, Western Australia has the beautiful King’s Park, New York City has the iconic Central Park and London has historic Hyde Park chock full of trees. You can do a lot of things in any park if the weather is great: you can go on a picnic, walk your dog, read a book, spend an afternoon with a loved one, go running and multitude of other great outdoor activities.
Go for a Swim Anytime – You can go for a swim anytime you want. Most condos have either an indoor pool, an outdoor pool at the rooftop, or both, so you can take a dip or do laps even when it’s cold outside. Condo pools have resort inspired furniture, so you can lounge around and relax. You can even invite a few friends over for drinks and a barbeque on the rooftop!
Gym Access – Fitness is a top priority of condo dwellers, and almost all condos have built in gyms where residents can pump iron or run on the treadmill. While condo gyms are adequate in some cases, most of them aren’t as well equipped as full blown gyms around the city. So if you’re really into serious lifting and need more plates, it’s better if you do light training in the condo gym and use a bigger gym for your heavy lifting days.
You’ll have Less Waste – For condos, space is a premium and every purchase or addition has to be well thought out. For example, the bigger 3-bedroom units on districtgriffin.com are approximately 1,362 sq.ft. or 127 sqm. You have to choose furniture with the proper dimensions so everything will fit. You can also have furniture custom made, with a priority on hidden storage because your extra stuff may become an issue in the future. Beds and sofas with drawers underneath, open shelves and dual purpose furniture are just a few ways to save on space in a condo.
Become a Minimalist – If you do run out of space, maybe it’s time to simplify your life and get rid of some stuff. Being minimalist can save you from the stress of having to worry about material possessions, buying this and that just to make you happy.

With all the benefits of condo living, many people have started to move back into the city. The proximity alone to all the major sights, schools and hospitals are enough to convince most people that living in a condo is better than suburbia. What about you? Would you give up your home to live in the heart of the city?

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