Hello! Enjoy this post from my friend Martin. I know this situation applies to many out there (the possibility of what you or others may believe to be useless degrees), so hopefully this post can help someone out! “Why did you waste your time on that degree?” The most ignorant question in the world. You deserve […]
The post How Do You Use a Degree That Isn’t Very Specific? appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
If the interviewer isn't willing to cut you some slack, pay attention to that vibe! I mean, is a workplace that can't roll with real-world challenges graciously really where you want to be?
In the absence of body language, you’ve got only your voice, so check in with the interviewer.
Focus on being fully present.
Every company wants to know: Are you resilient?
Preparing financially for a job loss can help keep your budget secure through any hardship.
The post A Step-by-Step Guide to Prepare Your Budget for a Layoff appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
As the dust slowly begins to settle and we observe businesses putting their action plans in place to recover, we all sit and wonder what this may look like for us. How will I recover from this? How am I…
Full Story
The post How to Financially Prepare for Post-Pandemic Life appeared first on MintLife Blog.
When youâre setting up a home office for remote work, keep these key principles from ergonomic experts in mind. Your bodyâand your productivityâwill thank you.
The post Planning a Home Office? Check Out These Budget-Friendly Tips appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
If you’re educating yourself on how to invest your money for the first time, books such as Thinking, Fast and Slow, The Little Book of Behavioral Investing, and Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism may already be on your reading list. But you shouldn't stop there. Many investors are surprised to learn that building wealth isn’t based purely on graphs and facts you can learn from books. In fact, psychology plays a huge role in the process. Cognitive psychology shows that the ways we manage our money has a lot to do with fear, excitement, greed, and personal biases.
We often imagine that investors are always rational and make consistent decisions based on new information. However, statistics show that only 20% of individual investors and 30% of institutional investors act rationally. In real life, investors are closer to behavioral finance, which means that they’re influenced by personal beliefs, impulses, and emotions. Even if you did your homework and researched the best investment strategies, emotional behaviors might prevent you from applying them correctly, so it's important to know some of the types of irrational behaviors that can sabotage you.
Five types of irrational behavior that can sabotage your investment portfolio are:
Studies have shown that people generally believe they are better than average, even when that’s not the case. After a series of successful investments, it's common for investors to assume they have it all figured out. But in reality, it takes years to become an experienced investor, and even the best investors make mistakes.
After the excitement of the first successful investment, it’s easy to become overconfident in your abilities and forget that chance plays a major role in the financial market. One of the most important lessons in investing is that you can never know too much, so no matter what your financial situation is, manage your portfolio prudently.
The more you invest, the more you realize that loss is inevitable. After all, the higher the risk, the higher the reward. But while many investors accept risk in theory, they aren’t ready to deal with loss. This is called loss aversion, and it can prevent you from making a profit. According to researchers, investors experience the pain of a loss twice as strongly as a success, and they’ll do whatever they can to avoid it. As a result, when they notice that an investment is losing them money, whether that investment is a house, stock, or currency, they hold on to it for as long as possible to avoid the sense of finality of the loss. But that can turn out to be a huge mistake and end up losing you more money in the long run.
There are other, more effective ways to limit losses. For example, if you’re trading Forex, you can try copy trading, where live trading results are openly published online, and you can copy the actions of more experienced traders. Or if you’re trading stocks, you can simply set a stop-loss order. This is designed to limit your loss on a security position and make you sell the stock if it drops below a certain value. Of course, there will always be cases when a stock rebounds after an initial drop, but especially as a new trader, it’s wiser to protect your portfolio proactively.
Although diversification is a surefire way to minimize the risk of loss, gain more return opportunities, and safeguard your portfolio against the volatility of the market, research shows that investors tend to stick to assets they know and are comfortable with. This is called a familiarity bias, and it can be detrimental to your portfolio.
One study has shown that beginner investors in particular stick to domestic stocks, such as large telecom companies or factories in their area, without realizing that these businesses may be sinking. Or even worse, people invest only in their employer’s stock, and when that employer goes out of business, they lose both their job and their profit.
Diversifying can be a bit uncomfortable at first since it means researching stocks out of your comfort zone, but overcoming your familiarity bias is important if you want to protect your portfolio. Don’t put all your eggs in the same basket. Instead, cast a wide net when choosing investments.
The ability to put things into perspective and estimate the impact that events will have in the long run is crucial in trading. However, this ability takes years to develop. When you're new to investing, you’re much more likely to inadvertently practice framing – a cognitive error where you have a narrow-minded approach and evaluate investments in isolation rather than as a cohesive whole.
According to Harry Markowitz’s modern portfolio theory, the assets in your portfolio shouldn’t stand alone. Instead, you should consider how they fit into your general portfolio and, when necessary, readjust the portfolio to reflect the new reality of the market. Cryptocurrency is a perfect example of framing. People who bought Bitcoin in its early days and held onto it are probably very happy, but if they didn’t invest in anything else in the meantime, their portfolio consists entirely of crypto now, and that’s a risky move.
The confirmation trap, also known as anchoring or “the house money effect,” occurs when an investor relies relentlessly on a single investment, simply because it worked out well once. Another example of anchoring is when someone takes information from only one source because they were right the first time. But as any experienced investor will tell you, one positive experience is not a guarantee of future success. While learning from the past can sometimes help you understand future numbers, it can also prevent you from making fresh choices based on more relevant insights. To prevent anchoring from limiting your options, always try to view an investment opportunity from different perspectives, stay open-minded, and talk to several consultants before making a decision.
We recently covered the new Haunting of Bly Manor, director Mike Flanaganâs so-called sequel to the epic mini-series The Haunting of Hill House. And while we were anxiously waiting for the series to drop on Netflix, we thought weâd try to distract ourselves by taking a trip down memory lane and re-watching the first season. […] More
The post Is It Real? The Creepy Mansion in âThe Haunting of Hill Houseâ appeared first on Fancy Pants Homes.
At some point, most people experience an unexpected crisis that shakes their financial world. It could be losing a job, receiving a huge medical bill, or having a car break down at the worst possible time. But surviving a pandemic is a situation you probably never thought you would face.
No matter what challenge you’re facing, you’re not the first.
Along with the public health toll, the COVID crisis has put millions of people out of work. For those struggling financially, here are eight critical rules to help you manage money wisely, stretch your resources, and bounce back from this unprecedented health and economic disaster.
Here are the details about each rule to manage a financial setback during the coronavirus crisis.
The key to successfully navigating a financial setback is to be realistic. If you’re in denial and don’t face money troubles head-on, you can quickly compound the damage.
Instead of focusing on the problem, getting angry, or letting stress overwhelm you, channel your emotions into finding solutions. Start talking about your challenges with people and professionals you trust, such as a money-savvy family member, financial advisor, legitimate credit counselor, or an attorney.
Instead of focusing on the problem, getting angry, or letting stress overwhelm you, channel your emotions into finding solutions.
The following financial associations have certified volunteers who can offer free help and advice:
To fully understand your situation, create a list of what you own and owe; this is called a net worth statement. Compiling your data in one place helps you evaluate your financial resources, make decisions more efficiently, and have essential information at your fingertips if creditors or advisors ask for it.
First, list your assets:
Then list your liabilities:
Include the estimated values of your assets, the balances on your debts, and the interest rates you pay for each liability. You could jot down this information on paper, enter it in a computer spreadsheet, or create a report using money management software.
When you subtract your total liabilities from your total assets, you’ve calculated your net worth, which is an indicator of your financial health. It’s not uncommon to have a low or negative net worth when you’re in financial trouble.
RELATED: 10 Things Student Loan Borrowers Should Know About Coronavirus Relief
An essential part of bouncing back from a financial crisis is keeping an eye on your monthly income and expenses. Create a cash flow statement that lists your expected income and typical expenses, such as rent, utilities, food, prescriptions, transportation, and insurance. Again, you can create this report manually or by using budgeting features in a financial program.
Understanding where your money goes is the only way to prioritize expenses and cut all non-essential spending.
Understanding where your money goes is the only way to prioritize expenses and cut all non-essential spending. Making temporary sacrifices will help you recover as quickly as possible with less long-term damage to your finances.
As you review your spending, it’s an excellent time to comparison-shop your essential expenses. Evaluate your highest costs first, such as housing, vehicles, and insurance, since they offer the most significant potential savings.
For instance, you may be able to move into a less expensive home, purchase or lease a cheaper vehicle, and shop your auto insurance to find better deals. Ask your utility provider about assistance programs that offer energy-saving improvements at no charge.
If you haven’t been in contact with your creditors, start a dialog with each one immediately. You’ll come out ahead and get favorable treatment from creditors if you are proactive and honest about your financial troubles. Ask them for solutions, such as deferring payments for several months, setting up a reduced payment plan, or refinancing a loan to reduce your financial burden.
You’ll come out ahead and get favorable treatment from creditors if you are proactive and honest about your financial troubles.
Creditors are likely to ask about details regarding your financial situation, so have your net worth and cash flow statements on hand when you speak to them. Be ready to complete any required assistance applications quickly.
Based on guidance from creditors and finance professionals, prioritize your bills and debts carefully. Your goal should be to conserve as much cash as possible without skipping essential payments. Always pay for necessities first: food, prescription drugs, and auto insurance.
Debts related to child support and legal judgments have severe consequences and should be prioritized
Use your net worth statement to rank your liabilities from highest to lowest priority. For instance, debts related to child support and legal judgments have severe consequences and should be prioritized. Keeping up with an auto loan is a high priority if you rely on your vehicle for transportation. Federal student loans are in automatic forbearance through September 30, and the relief may get extended through 2020.
Your unsecured debts—medical bills, credit cards, and private student loans—are lower priorities. Never pay these debts ahead of rent, a mortgage, or utilities when you have a cash shortage.
Prioritizing your debts means some may be paid late or not at all. If a debt collector contacts you about a low-priority debt, such as a medical bill or credit card, don’t allow them to persuade you to pay it before your highest priority bills.
Collectors may try various aggressive tactics, such as threatening to sue you or ruin your credit. A lawsuit could take years, and a creditor is more likely to negotiate a settlement with you. Remember that a creditor or collector can’t send you to jail for civil debts.
If you are behind on bills, that fact is likely already reflected on your credit reports. By the time a collector contacts you, the damage is already done, and paying the bill won’t improve your credit in the short-term.
If your income and savings have entirely dried up, use these resources to learn more about local and federal benefits.
Financial challenges can cause you and your family to experience a flood of emotions, including anger, fear, and embarrassment. As difficult as it might be to put a financial crisis into perspective, it’s critical. No matter what challenge you’re facing, you’re not the first. There are millions of people who are dealing with COVID-related financial hardships.
Face the fact that your recovery could take a while. Do everything in your power to manage your budget wisely by getting organized, seeking ways to earn more, and spending less. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from creditors, seek free advice from professionals, and take advantage of every local and federal benefit possible.
When you buy a home, youâre making an investment in yourself and your future. Youâre building financial stability, equity, and experience. You have a place to call your own and you can customize the space just how you want. Yet,…
Full Story
The post How to Save for a House in 8 Steps appeared first on MintLife Blog.
David and Stephen St. Russell of the Renovation Husbands on Instagram share their first and second-time homebuying experiences and how they got started transforming fixer-upper homes.
The post Our Fixer-Upper Homebuying Journey with the Renovation Husbands appeared first on Homes.com.