Category: Lifestyle

Home, sweet home: how hard it is to find the right one! In fact, if it has happened to us at least once in our life to have to look for a house, we know how complicated it can be to find the solution that is really suitable for us. Better a new house or a period apartment? Or, choose the tranquility of the countryside or the convenience of the city?

Finding your way around the various ads is not easy at all, especially since we don’t always know what we are looking for. 

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When looking for a new home it is essential to understand what our personal tastes are and what are the elements we do not intend to give up. If we are a couple it will obviously be appropriate to do this reflection together, to avoid wasting time unnecessarily viewing solutions that certainly will not be appreciated by the other person. Precisely for this reason it could be useful to draw up a list of the factors that we consider indispensable – such as the garden or the elevator – and of those that we would like to avoid, such as a ground floor apartment, rather than a house without a garage. Or without the second bathroom. Based on this list, we can then quickly select the ads that are really interesting for us.

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How many people will actually live in the new home? Here is the question from which we will have to start to define the characteristics of the house that we will have to find. In addition to the people who will live there at the moment, let’s try to think about what the situation will be like in five years. In fact, if we are now looking for a two-room apartment, perfect for young couples, in a few years the family could expand and we may need at least one more room. Or, if just one room for our two children could be enough for now, when they grow up they may feel the need to have their own spaces, especially if it is a boy and a girl. For this reason it is very important to take these elements into consideration when looking for a new home: perhaps it might be enough to move towards flexible housing, able to adapt to the various changes in the family through relatively simple solutions to implement, such as a veranda or a mezzanine. Do you need a big garden? Make a long list. 

Where to look for your home? 

To answer this question we will have to play with our imagination and take a leap into the future, trying to think about how the management of our daily life can be in one area rather than another. For example, if we love nature and dream of moving to live in the countryside, we will have to understand if this choice is actually compatible with our lifestyle and with our working needs: living in the green could mean having to travel a long path every day to reach the workplace and therefore, if we have children, be able to count on a person who can take care of them while we are still on our way home. A tip: let’s draw up a list of the pros and cons of each area in which we think we can move, considering for each what effects it would have on our daily life.

In this way, we will be able to easily identify the most suitable solutions for our real needs. If you are looking for the number one source for new homes in Lake Charles, you don’t have to look any further.

Establish the budget 

What price are we willing to pay for our future home? What can you afford? Look at refinancing hdb loan for further reading. Whether it is a rented house or that we intend to buy, we will have to have a clear idea of the budget at our disposal to pay for it: this is to avoid unnecessary waste of time in viewing houses out of our reach, but also to prevent any unpleasant situations, in the event that we discover, for example, a few days before the deed, that we do not have enough money. If we are looking for a house to buy, it will therefore be advisable to first check with our bank if it is actually possible to obtain a mortgage and how much the monthly payment will be.  

Your new home is waiting for you, so are you ready to find it yet?

If you own a business, especially one that deals in trading, you should stay aware of financial rules and regulations imposed by the government. Keeping track of your assets and being careful about who you’re dealing with should be your priority. The U.S. government has a list of strict rules, and if you break them, you and your business will be put on one of the OFAC lists. But what is OFAC, and what does being on a list mean for your business?

What Is OFAC?

OFAC, or Office of Foreign Assets Control, is an intelligence agency that deals with financial affairs. This financial intelligence agency enforces sanctions on any individual, business, or even a country, that is deemed to have made actions that threaten U.S. national security. It could be anything from terrorist activity, money laundering, drug trafficking, trading with foreign states which are deemed dangerous by the American government, and more. Depending on the type of offense, it imposes different sanctions on the perpetrator.

Check If You’re on One of the Lists

Checking the lists one by one can be almost impossible, and because of that, experts recommend obtaining software that will do that for you. As can be seen on https://www.microbilt.com/product/watchlist-search, some applications can access the database and check all of the economic and financial sanctions imposed. This will help you learn about rules and regulations that you and your business need to comply with. If you fail to do that, you will not just be putting yourself at risk of paying huge fines but also of doing jail time.

Types Of Lists

As we previously mentioned, there is a large number of lists, and you could be placed on them for many different offenses. For example, if you have done trading with a foreign state that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on, you could be placed on a watchlist and later on sanctioned yourself. The sanctions could be selective or full, depending on the gravity of the offense. At the moment, the US government has banned any trading with companies from North Korea, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, and more.

What Are the Sanctions?

When you are on one of the OFAC lists, the first thing that will happen is that all of your assets will be frozen, and you will be forbidden from offering any kind of financial services. These sanctions apply both on and off American soil. You need to get a special license from OFAC in order not to be sanctioned. The legal process can be lengthy and complex, and it has brought many companies and individuals to financial ruin.

It Doesn’t Just Concern the U.S. Citizens

All of the U.S. companies need to comply with the OFAC regulations, but the harsh rules are not limited to only them. Any companies, both domestic and foreign, that possess American assets have the same restrictions and obligations. Depending on the gravity of the offense, people can be forbidden from flying in or out of the country. These limitations can even be applied to transactions that aren’t connected to the U.S. The rules and punishments are getting more and more strict, so you need to be careful and stay informed at all times.

Be Extremely Careful

Keep all the records and watch carefully who your clients are. Many experts recommend making a questionnaire before doing any business. There have been examples where businesses were sanctioned even if it was their client who has done something that doesn’t comply with OFAC rules, and not them. It has become more complicated than ever to follow all the regulations. That is why you should consider hiring someone who will help you keep track of them.

Do Regular Evaluations

Make sure that you are well informed and have the whole picture of your dealings at all times. Employ people who will help you do that, and try to find software that will help you keep track of all the rules and their potential changes. Try to plan out and then examine and analyze every transaction made.

Getting Off the List

Getting off the list is certainly more complex than getting on it. Even if you were put on the list by mistake, proving your innocence will be a lengthy and complicated process. You need to collect all the necessary documentation and then send your removal request to the OFAC. The removal process could be lengthy but stay patient and try to gather as much evidence as possible.

It is always better to be safe than sorry, so take time to get familiar with all OFAC regulations and avoid breaking them as much as possible. Punishments are harsh and can have a dire impact on your business, and even your life. Keep up with all the novelties and watch every transaction you make carefully. 

Instagram advertisements are the quickest way of increasing your brand awareness. Major thanks for this go to the way Instagram displays your advertisements. There are no pop-ups to annoy the audience. Instead, these advertisements appear in the form of sponsored posts and stories in the middle of people’s feeds. This ensures visibility. Thus, these ads are the perfect option if you want to gain buy Instagram followers. And that is not all they can do. Using these ads, you can have the user visit a webpage, install an app, open your channel, and perform various other actions. You may even use them to get Instagram likes by promoting your posts. Alternatively you may just buy Instagram followers to get an instant reach.

One factor I am particularly fond of while advertising on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, is their pricing option. This is what Facebook has to say about this:

“You tell Facebook how much you want to spend on advertising. Then we’ll try to get you as many results as possible for that amount. If you want to spend $5 a week, you can. If you want to spend $50,000 a week, you can do that too.”

What this essentially means is that you can choose a budget and Instagram will try to get you the best results possible for that amount. All this can sound confusing for first-time users. Fear not though since you are in luck! We have got 5 simple steps to get you started. 

A quick preliminary checklist: Create a Facebook page. Then connect this page and your Instagram account to the Facebook business manager. Visit this page to find out how. Now visit the Instagram ads manager, click on the create button, and follow the steps below.

Choose an objective

All your Instagram ads must have an objective or goal. This is what you want to achieve through the ads. Do you want to increase your brand awareness? Do you want them to visit your webpage? Browse your catalog? Or direct them to your physical store? Whatever your aim is, Instagram likely has you covered.

Once you have identified your objective, name your campaign. What you name it is entirely up to you and the option’s there just to make sure you do not get confused if you have multiple campaigns running side by side. It defaults to your objective. Go ahead and personalize it.

Choose your target audience

Facebook is a data-driven company. And it owns Instagram. Thus, Instagram advertisements provide you with extremely powerful targeting tools. Firstly, it allows you to filter your audience using age, languages, location, and gender among other factors. 

Further, it goes a step beyond by helping you create a message that is most suitable for your customer. This way, you are certain to receive maximum engagement. Through tracking a user’s activity and previous interactions, Instagram automatically displays your ads to people most likely to interact with it. 

Choose where you want your ads to display

Instagram ads are visible in four major places: People’s feed, the explore section, the IGTV section, and between stories. 

You can toggle visibility for one or more of these places as per your needs. Stick with automatic placement for your first try to explore what works. You can customize it for your next campaign.

Select the budget and schedule of your advertisements

As previously mentioned, ads on most social media platforms have a very clever pricing strategy. In Instagram’s case, you get the option to choose a daily budget or a total budget depending on the type of ad. Further, you can select when to run your ad. This option allows you to select a time range within which to display your ad.

There are various other optimization options available and I recommend you explore them to suit your fancy. Instagram automatically displays the expected daily reach of your advertisement depending upon the factors you choose.

Finally, launch your ad

A couple of final steps you will need to take before the ad is up and running are as follow: First, select the format of the ad. That is, choose between displaying a single image, a carousel of images, a video, a collection, or “an instant experience”.

A quick tip: If you are unsure about the format of images you want, visit HootSuite’s post on social media image sizes.

Once the format is selected, it is all smooth sailing:

• Choose the image or media you would like to display.
• Craft your ad copy: This is the text users will see below your ad. Keep it catchy and creative.
• Pick a payment option.
• Review all the options you have selected and make any changes if necessary.
• Now, click on the Confirm button and your ad will be posted.

Sit back, relax, and watch as it slowly spreads across Instagram and brings you the engagement you need.

Conclusion

Facebook’s immensely powerful data collection and artificial intelligence systems provide for very robust ad targeting systems. Thus, your social media marketing campaign can get a significant boost through advertisements on Instagram and Facebook.

Have you got some tricks of the trade you would like to share? Drop them in the comments below.

Adopting a zero-waste lifestyle has many perks that benefit the society, the economy, and of course, the environment. It helps reduce carbon emissions, conserves energy, keeps waste out of landfills, encourages community projects, creates jobs, and supports a local circular economy. In return, this allows us to create a better Earth for future generations. Here’s what you need to know about adopting a zero-waste lifestyle.  

Before you Start

There are a few things you need to know before you attempt to lead a zero-waste lifestyle. You might have heard about the mason jar that symbolizes the zero-waste movement. The first thing that you need to know is that you don’t have to fit all your trash into a mason jar because it is literally impossible. Living a zero-waste lifestyle is not about getting rid of all your waste. You also need to realize that you can’t make this shift overnight, no matter how motivated you are. If you don’t do this gradually, your success will be short-term. 

Don’t throw out all the items you own to purchase eco-friendly products; this would be extremely counterproductive. Continue using your plastic toothbrush and ice cube trays until they are totally worn out. Only then replace them with their sustainable alternatives. It can be discouraging if you see other people producing less waste than you. Remember that it’s not a competition, and you’re allowed to work at your own pace. Every little thing that you do will, ultimately, make a difference. 

Getting Started

Leading a zero-waste lifestyle is about reducing the amount of waste you produce daily to the least amount possible. Since this may sound impossible for anyone who is just starting, you need to set small sustainability goals first and increase them over time. Adjusting to any lifestyle takes a lot of time, and easing into a zero-waste lifestyle requires many steps and practice. 

5 Rules

Living a zero-waste lifestyle, there are 5 rules that you should always remember and live by. These rules all start with the letter ‘r’ and can be remembered as the “5 r’s.” You should always: Refuse the things you don’t need. Reduce the things you need. Reuse the things that you consume. Recycle the things that you can’t refuse/ reuse. Rot, or compost, what remains. 

Start Saying No

We come into contact with plenty of wasteful products every day, and not because you are starting to live waste-free; it means that other people are too. Therefore, start saying no to even the smallest wasteful products like plastic straws at restaurants and plastic bags at stores. The smallest things do make a difference, so every time you are about to accept a disposable item, stop and ask yourself if it’s worth it. 

Eat Clean

Stop purchasing packaged and processed foods. Start eating more fruits and vegetables, and realize that anything packaged, you can make at home. It does not only help the environment, but it also makes you a lot healthier. 

Cut Back on Disposable Products

Use less of your detergents, dish soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and everything else; this doesn’t mean you should use less of what is necessary to remain hygienic. It only means that we tend to overuse and waste a lot of products; be mindful and only dispense what you need. 

Take Part in Zero-Waste Communities

Taking part in zero-waste communities will help you stay motivated. Keeping up with sustainable living news at Trvst.world can also help you stay encouraged. Knowing that you are not the only one who cares about the environment and being part of a green community will provide you with the support you need to persevere and teach you helpful tips to help you ease into the lifestyle.

Essential Products

There are a few things to consider purchasing to help make your journey easier. A reusable water bottle is necessary to avoid using plastic water bottles and disposable beverage cups. Use glass jars and cloth bags, and totes to store your food, drinks, and other items instead of purchasing plastic containers, Ziplocs, and Tupperware. Purchase stainless steel, bamboo, glass, or reusable silicone straws; avoid using plastic ones. You can also use handkerchiefs to eliminate the use of tissues and napkins. 

Living a zero-waste lifestyle is very advantageous to the environment, economy, as well as your health. Although it may seem like an overwhelming change, it is a highly rewarding lifestyle. This information was collected to help you ease into the process. Everyone deserves the best of what the environment has to offer, and the Earth deserves the best care and treatment from us, so start making some small changes today.

Learning how to diversify your income and ways to earn extra cash outside of your main hustle can really give you a strong edge towards reaching your financial goals, enter the side hustle. Now a days it seems like everyone has found a way to earn a little extra side money. The great news about finding ways to generate income that is not your main source of funding is that is can be completely customizable. You can control the time you dedicate to it, how you earn it, and what you do with those earnings.

Debt Management

There may be times in your life where your side hustle might not be on the side of another paying gig, rather another large life event that requires your full-time attention, such as attending college. As a student, your main job is earning your degree, but since that is not going to pay your bills, or help you save for future ones, you might consider opportunities that are flexible and part time to generate some cash flow. If you are thinking about going to college and need help with financing, you can use a student loan repayment calculator to estimate what your monthly payments may be taking out a student loan with a private lender, so you know what to expect.

Repayment on student loans will not begin until after you graduate, however once they start, they only stop when your debt balance equals zero. Thinking about those payments ahead of their due date is a smart way to prepare your current finances for future responsibilities. You can estimate your monthly payments easily with a student loan repayment calculator to give you a loose guideline for your post-graduation budget. Once you have a handle on that, you can decide how much of your current side hustle money is sensible to stash away for this significant looming bill.

Track and Prep

The very first time you collect money from this stream of income, it is time to start tracking it. Not only is this a good practice for financial health in general, but it will help you to allocate your side money in a smart and efficient way. It is exciting to watch your money grow and being casual about your side hustle since it is not your main income is a mistake. Although this is not your full-time dedication, you are still giving your time, energy, and resources to it, it is still work. You would not let your salary land in your bank account haphazardly, so why create that habit with your bonus cash?

Brace yourself for Uncle Sam. Another huge reason that it is essential to track your earnings is because you will have to pay taxes on this money, and if you are not used to this style of tax payment plus you have not saved for it, the totals can really shock you. Same are there are tools available to estimate your monthly payments regarding student debt, tools exist to estimate your quarterly taxes as well.

Save and Spend in Tandem

After you have a handle on your stream of income and have allocated appropriate percentages towards future tax payments you need to figure out how to handle the balance of your money. Assumably the point of seeking out a side hustle in the first place is to grow your net worth, either on the precipice of a major life event like buying a home or planning a wedding, or to set yourself up for retirement and future financial freedom.

You can spread this money across various savings goals, but also allow yourself to live a little. It is possible to save and spend in tandem and to be responsible about both simultaneously. If you are someone who has taken on a side hustle on top of a full-time job, then you do not need to be told about the merits of hard work so give yourself permission to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Even simple spends like buying lunch on a day you normally would not feel like a treat without taking away from your ultimate goal.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was used as a template by the New York Life Investments in 2019 to illustrate the pyramid towards financial freedom. Right in the middle of that pyramid is Accumulating Wealth, which consists of the following: building an investment portfolio, saving for retirement, and paying down debt. A lot of options are available for any investor for the first one, such as stocks, mutual funds, and real estate.

Why Invest in Real Estate?

In case you haven’t seen it on your social media platforms yet, there is this guy who asks random people driving expensive cars and houses what they do for a living. Two of the most common answers were FinTech (Financial Technology) and real estate. It just shows that investing in real estate is still one of the most reliable ways to grow your money. The next step then is to look for ways to finance your real estate project. 

Real Estate Financing Options

Below is a shortlist of ways to finance your next real estate project:

• Owner Financing
• Lease
• Hard Money Lenders
• Microloans
• Equity Partnership
• Home Equity Financing
• Trade Houses
• Special Government Schemes
• SBA Loan
• REITs

Owner Financing

Unlike traditional selling where the buyer gives the seller money in exchange for something, here, the seller extends finances to their buyer. The buyer then will repay the seller later based on agreed-upon terms.

Lease

Leasing is like the usual renting, except that a higher amount of money is being paid. This is because the rent includes a premium, which ultimately accumulates to the purchase price.

Hard Money Lenders

Compared to traditional bank loans, hard money lending is offered by private groups or individuals. While the interest rates are relatively higher due to higher risks, hard money lending has its own advantages. Investors are subjected to less stringent approval procedures; an online application is possible, as evidenced at NewSilver.com,  and those that are considered risky projects are more likely to be approved than in a conventional bank loan. This type of financing also makes making profit easier, as a faster approval rate will mean faster rehabbing and flipping out of the purchased property.

Microloans

Just like with hard money lending, the qualification criteria for microloans are less strict. The lower amount of money loaned makes this possible, and this type of financing targets newer businesses or startups.

Equity Partnership

If the buyer really wants to purchase a property but is short in cash, an equity partner is also a viable option. In this setup, an additional entity (the equity partner) enters the picture of purchasing and injects some cash into the transaction. The terms are to be agreed upon by the buyer and the partner.

Home Equity Financing

When you want to expand your investment portfolio, you can leverage your existing property to buy a new one. HEIL and HELOC are just some of the options being offered by banks and other financing institutions in this category.

Trade Houses

Another way of utilizing your old property is by trading it for a new one. Aside from having a new investment, capital gains that are normally part and parcel of selling a property can also be avoided.

Special Government Schemes

The USDA offers up to 0% interest mortgages to low- and moderate-income individuals to fill underpopulated areas of the country. Towns with less than 10,000 population are included in this program.

SBA Loan

The US Small Business Administration aims to provide financing to small businesses as the name implies. That said, the borrower must occupy part of the whole property being purchased. The funding usually amounts to $125,000 to $20 million, and a 10% down payment is required. Some loan products allow the borrower to buy a building, conduct building improvements, or do ground-up constructions.

REITs

REITs, or Real Estate Investment Trusts, offers many advantages to investors. One of which is liquidity, as a shareholder who wants to opt-out of business can have his cash back when someone else wants to buy his shares. Buying targeted REITs is also possible, as one can select those that build medical buildings, parks, etc. While you do not have to manage anything in those investments, the downside is that the profits are stripped off overheads before distributing to the investors. 

Despite the variety of investment options such as the stock market and other technologies such as cryptocurrencies, real estate remains one of the most reliable avenues for building wealth. And while it requires a comparatively higher capital, several financing options are widely available for any investors. One only needs to consider his or her goals and put up a nice strategy to be able to repay these liabilities.