4 popular credit cards for college students
finance

4 popular credit cards for college students

A good credit score is essential as it can be a criterion for lucrative job prospects or renting an apartment. Moreover, a good credit score is an uncompromisable necessity while applying for a loan that has terms and conditions that favor you. To ensure that you have a good credit score, it is better to start building it young and early. One of the easiest ways to do so is by applying for a student credit card from prominent credit cards companies. Now, there are several credit cards companies that offer lucrative credit cards, making choosing the right one confusing. To help you narrow down your choices, here are some of the best credit cards companies that offer student credit cards. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students: One of the biggest credit card companies in the country Bank of America offers a slew of benefits with its student credit card. With each dollar spent using this card, students can earn 1.5 points. This applies to purchases without any caps. The points can be redeemed as discounts on hotels, flights, rental cars, and vacation packages. There are no restrictions or blackout dates applicable for availing these discounts. With no foreign transaction fee or annual fee, the card allows one to earn nearly 25,000 points on spending about $1000 in the first 90 days.
Read More
What you must know about guaranteed business loans
finance

What you must know about guaranteed business loans

If you’re looking for funding your small business with a loan, you’ll most likely come across the term “guaranteed business loans.” People often misunderstand this term as business loans that are guaranteed to be approved. But, this is not what guaranteed business loans means. To clarify the confusion, let’s understand what the term actually means, and discuss the most popular types of guaranteed business loans. What are guaranteed business loans? In simple terms, guaranteed business loans in the world of small business loans refer to loans that are secured or backed by a guarantee. The guarantee can be in the form of collateral, deposit, or an agreement. This essentially means that the lender is guaranteed to receive their money back even if the borrower fails to pay. When we talk about guaranteed business loans, we refer to loans with a personal guarantee or, more commonly, loans guaranteed by the small business administration (SBA). Let’s take a look at both these types. Personally guaranteed business loans As you understand from the term “personal,” when you make a personal guarantee on a business loan, you essentially agree to sell your assets to pay off the loan, if your business is unable to do so.
Read More
5 mistakes to avoid when investing in a high dividend ETF
finance

5 mistakes to avoid when investing in a high dividend ETF

Exchange-traded funds (ETF) have been gaining popularity in the investment sector for some time now. Along with mutual funds, they have been one of the most preferred investment options among investors. With investors having pumped in billions of dollars in ETFs by now, these funds sure seem like a lucrative investment avenue. However, financial experts suggest treading this path carefully so as to avoid unforeseeable losses. Here are a few mistakes that you can avoid while investing in high dividend ETFs: Overlooking long-term investment Looking at long-term goals is the golden rule when it comes to any type of investment. However, seasoned investors invest in ETFs on a short-term basis through a type of trading called intraday trade. This type of trading allows the investors to buy and sell stocks and other investments on the same day. However, if not thought out carefully, investing in high dividend ETFs through intraday trading can result in lower returns and higher trading costs. Buying an ETF simply based on its name This is one of the most common mistakes people make when investing in high dividend ETFs. Investors may think that an ETF’s name provides an insight into its investment reach, i.e., whether the ETF has local or/and global investors.
Read More
Triple Net (NNN) lease – Pros and cons, and how to find NNN properties for sale
finance

Triple Net (NNN) lease – Pros and cons, and how to find NNN properties for sale

Those who work in commercial real estate know that the triple net lease or, commonly called, NNN lease is only becoming popular by the day. Despite the popularity, the NNN lease is still frequently misunderstood by many commercial real estate professionals, and of course, the general public. So, let’s better understand the triple net lease, its pros and cons, and look at how to find NNN properties for sales. What is a triple net lease? A triple net lease or an NNN lease is a type of lease agreement in which the tenant agrees to pay for all operating expenses associated with a property and the rent cost. Each “N,” or “net” in triple net designates one operating expense category that the tenant is responsible for. The operating expenses of commercial properties include real estate taxes, building insurance, and maintenance. To understand more clearly, in a single net lease agreement, the tenant agrees to pay for one of the above expenses. Likewise, in a double net lease agreement, the tenant agrees to pay for two of these expenses. So, a triple net lease agreement means that the tenant is responsible for all three property expenses. NNN lease pros and cons Pros A triple net lease can be beneficial for both owners and tenants.
Read More
3 money-making apps in 2021
finance

3 money-making apps in 2021

In the age of smartphones, people have been able to make an app for practically everything. These apps have made it extremely convenient for us to lead our lives and carry out our day-to-day activities. You might not know this, but you can earn cash using apps in your spare time! Could you imagine how great it would be to get paid to be on our phone all the time? Here are some popular cash-making apps in 2021. Shopkick This app is perfect for those who enjoy indulging in a little bit of online shopping every now and then. This app only works on mobile, and you can redeem your points as gift cards whenever you decide to do so. Moreover, this app allows you to earn points whenever you walk into their partnered stores. You can also earn additional points by watching ads and videos as well as by scanning certain barcodes. The only downside to this app is that you aren’t paid in actual cash when using this app. ibotta This app is great if you are looking for an app that offers automatic payment options. This app can be used on your mobile phone as well as on your desktop browser.
Read More
Five websites to help make money online
finance

Five websites to help make money online

Making money online is not as hard as you think it is. If you have a bunch of skills to showcase and a drive to get things done, you can easily make hundreds of dollars every month. Nonetheless, sometimes, phony websites and Ponzi schemes seem to make it difficult to find the right sources of money. Therefore, we have taken the liberty to note down five reliable websites to make money online easily. YouTube Got something to share? Is it interesting and non-explicit? Then YouTube is the place to be. All you need to do is create engaging videos, and you can make thousands of dollars depending on how many views you get. Keep up the good work, and YouTube will keep paying you depending on the number of views on every new video you upload. Fiverr Fiverr is a great place to make money if you’re looking for freelancing jobs. From content writing to marketing and web development, Fiverr has a job for everybody. The basic pay starts at approximately $5 an hour. The process, too, is fairly simple. Once you get an order, you complete it, get paid, and Fiverr takes a small cut (around $1). Shopify With Shopify, there is no definite pay scale.
Read More
5 benefits of automated investing and who should use it
finance

5 benefits of automated investing and who should use it

An increasing number of investors are opting for automated investing tools, commonly known as robo-advisors. These automated tools put the management of your portfolio in an autopilot mode. Here are five benefits of such automated investing platforms: Affordable Before robo-advisors, you needed to pay hefty fees to an investment advisor to assist and manage your portfolio. Several of the best automated investing platforms, such as Betterment, Wealthfront, and Charles Schwab Corp’s Intelligent Portfolios offer zero to 0.25% management fees, making it an affordable option. Profitable investment models Most of these automated investing advisors use the best practices of investment theories, which strive to deliver the highest returns at the lowest risks. Moreover, it eliminates human intervention that may result in biases leading to errors. Meeting various investment goals Different kinds of robo-advisors cater to the varied needs of investors. You may choose from advisors that are sector- or industry-focused to robo-advisors that offer an affordable and diversified portfolio of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Several automated investing platforms may offer tax-loss harvesting and claim rebalancing. Low minimum balances You may not have a large amount of investible surplus. Some of the best automated investing platforms offer services, even when you maintain a low minimum balance.
Read More
Top 5 investment advisors
finance

Top 5 investment advisors

Financial discipline is an important trait to acquire. You have come to the right place for people looking for a registered investment advisor, but do not know where to look. Here, we have collated a list of the best investment advisors who are established entities and, hence, quite trusted and reputed. Check out our list of best investment advisors to get the right organization to manage your finances: Morgan Stanley Some of the highlights of investing with Morgan Stanley is getting full value with a personalized portfolio. Your financial advisor can help you curate the right investment strategy that suits you the best. Apart from this, you would also get comprehensive communication, ensuring that you know what’s in line. The best part is the fees of this particular program is based on the number of assets in the account. We highly recommend you consider them for top-quality investment opportunities. Bank of America Bank of America has a corporate Global Wealth and Investment Management division. One of the main reasons why Bank of America ranks so high is because it acquired Merrill Lynch post the 2008 financial crisis. This division primarily focuses on two types of clients: people who have more than USD 250,000 (approximately) in assets that can be potentially invested and high-net-worth individuals.
Read More
The best investment options for a retirement fund
finance

The best investment options for a retirement fund

Retirement is one of the most important periods of life. After retirement, you can enjoy a happy, financially secure life with your family. However, that will require you to have a large enough bank balance that can guarantee financial stability for both you and your loved ones. You need to know the options for the best retirement investments so that you can effectively build the fund you need. Mutual funds A mutual fund is one of the best investment options you have for retirement fund building. Mutual funds are investment portfolios that include bonds, stocks, and other investment instruments. These funds are managed by experienced and professional managers who invest your money on your behalf and help you get the best possible returns. A great thing about mutual funds is that they offer the flexibility of choosing how much risk you are willing to take. You can build your investment portfolio depending on what kind of growth you want to see and your risk tenacity. You should know that the growth of your mutual fund investment depends a lot on the market situation. However, it is outweighed by the many benefits of mutual funds such as asset allocation, tax benefits, the option to transfer ownership, and low commissions.
Read More
Choose the best credit card companies for bad credit
finance

Choose the best credit card companies for bad credit

As defined by FICO (the leading credit rating agency), bad credit is defined as a score of less than 580. Your credit score may range between 300 and 850, and an excellent or good rating is often when the minimum score is 700. If you have a lower credit score, you may have to pay higher interest on loans and may not receive the best financial offers. One of the best and quickest ways to increase your score is to use a credit card. When you avail of the accurate card and use it correctly, you may be able to increase your score in a few months. Here are some of the best credit card companies if you have a lower score: Credit One Bank Visa Credit Card Several card issuers require you to deposit $200 or more when you apply for a card. However, this card from Credit One Bank is an unsecured product and does not require any upfront payments. You receive 1% cashback when you use this card for groceries, fuel, and satellite, cable, and Internet services. Additionally, you get a $300 limit, which increases as you responsibly use the card. Indigo Platinum Mastercard If you have ever applied for bankruptcy, the last thing you want is to apply for a credit card and be rejected as it further hampers your credit score.
Read More
Choosing the best ETFs during the current times
finance

Choosing the best ETFs during the current times

During the current uncertainty, choosing high dividend exchange-traded funds (ETFs) seems prudent. Several ETFs with high exposure to energy and real estate are floundering due to the novel coronavirus. Here is a list of five high-dividend ETF funds that may be a good investment option during this pandemic: Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) This dividend ETF provides two excellent features, higher payout and lower volatility. Although LVHD will generate negative returns in the current year, its performance is still better than the S&P 500. This fund tracks the QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index and allocates almost 25% of the weight in energy and real estate. However, no single investment exceeds 2.8%, which reduces the risk to some extent. The LVHD yield stands at 3.36% with an expense ratio of 0.27%. VictoryShares US Large Cap High Dividend Volatility Weighted ETF (CDL) This fund is over five years old with more than $207 million in assets under management (AUM). CDL targets the Nasdaq US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Index. This fund does not adhere to stringent methodology and offers some versatility. This may result in yield-driven strategies that rely on a smaller number of investments. Another feature of this fund is that it has no exposure to the real estate sector but has a 22.84% exposure to financial services.
Read More