Author: Complete Controller

I suppose that you have heard that turning off the fluorescent bulb lamps costs more than leaving them on, and in this post, my idea was to analyze how much we could save by carrying out this trick (I already told you that not as much as with the commissions that nail our bank).

However, when looking for information, I have found that this trick is more a myth than a fact, and it seems that it will be better to turn it off or leave it on, depending on the situation. The answer to whether you save turning off the fluorescent is dependent and depends on how much time will pass from when you leave the room until you enter again.

Two factors influence the calculation. The first is extra energy consumed by the fluorescent when it is on, and the second is the possible reduction in the life of the fluorescent when it is turned off and on many times.

Many articles make calculations and assumptions, so I will summarize the conclusions instead of doing analyses that you can see if you want in the links. At the end of the article, I will leave you a video of myth hunters studying this case, which is always a reliable source.

The answer to the question asked varies depending on the source consulted. Still, it is generally considered more profitable to leave the light on instead of turning it off if a maximum of between 5 and 20 minutes will be out of the room.

Before writing the article, I thought it was profitable to leave the fluorescent on for a long time because I had heard it many times, but it turns out that it is only convenient if you leave the room momentarily. According to the video of myth hunters that I put below, the timeframe was reduced even more, so we will have to look for other ways to save.

Fluorescent lights need more energy to glow; they only consume your extra money when you let them off. You must turn off the fluorescent lights to get a minimum bill amount. With such lights, you must save more energy for the best activation. For this, you will have to apply the 15-minute rule.

If your fluorescent lights are open and you are not using them, you cannot save energy. Degrade the light electrodes to shorten their lifespan fast. It will apply to the case when you let these lights open and off over a short span—the best way to extend a fluorescent bulb’s life is to leave them on. According to emerging suggestions, the following rule of thumb is necessary to save money via fluorescent lights. Whenever you leave your room, you will leave these lights on without any tension, even for five minutes. But you will not let them open for 15 minutes if you exceed this time. You will have turned the lights off.

Total Cost When the Lights On

People do not make all bulbs with equal qualities. Today, people are using the oldest lightning technology, Incandescent bulbs. You will spend lots of money to run. The use of electricity breaks down due to the Department of Energy. It also decides the cost of electricity by watt usage of the bulb as its brightness is equal to 60 watts (W).

• 12W LED – These are 80% more efficient than the energy-saving capacity of incandescent bulbs. The ratio of light-emitting diodes is the most efficient of all. Approximately $1.32 for each LED is only for 1,000 hours. It is an insubstantial cost or expense of electricity.
• 15W CFL – Incandescent bulbs save 75% energy less than 15W CFL. For 1,000 hours, you must pay around $1.65 for a single compact fluorescent light.
• 43W Halogen – By using Halogen, you can save 25% less energy to yield the corresponding amount of light. These are slightly efficient if we compare 43W Halogen with incandescent lamps. The operating cost of this light is around $4.73 on 1,000 hours of light usage.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Look around you, and you will see nearly everyone connected to the internet. It is no coincidence but the beginning of a trend that can potentially reshape our lives. The concept of the Internet of Things is here. Though it is still in a rudimentary form, it is making its way into our lives fast. Connectivity is the day’s mantra, and IoT is the means to achieve it.

Who would have imagined a day when your home appliances follow your commands? You can control your voice commands as you have appliances with basic internet connectivity. Surprisingly, IoT tech showed a lot of promise during its early stages of development. Today, this tech is leaps and bounds more efficient and bug-free and is progressing fast. Let us have a look at what the future of the IoT holds:

IoT Meets AI

It was inevitable that both techs would finally meet each other. We see this happening more than before. Introducing AI with IoT will help corporations achieve optimum efficiency without increasing costs. It is estimated that combining both technologies will also reduce waste.

Furthermore, AI will help improve overall procedural efficiency while reducing associated risks. In simple words, managers will have access to the analytical data they can use to draw proficient insights. Keeping ongoing trends in mind, we will likely see the safe integration of smart devices, as they will be protected in real-time, reducing security vulnerabilities and risks.

Edge Computing

Edge computing is in its infancy but is being matured and will likely be available this year. The concept is designed to improve efficiency by reducing the amount of data transmitted. Furthermore, it can also help reduce the distance that a given type of data needs to travel. This technology will come in handy for significant data users.

Remember that big data involves processing a tremendous amount of data, while infrastructure can handle some data. The technology will also reduce frequent speed slowdowns when many users are logged in. Tech innovations such as self-driving cars and process deliveries will use this tech in the future.

Enhanced Security

Connecting devices and gadgets was the first step. The next big thing in IoT would be to secure every connected device. Keep in mind that more connected devices increase the risk of cyber threats. Hackers and vulnerabilities are always around to pounce on connections with weak security and protection.

We will see companies paying more attention to the security of connected devices. IT administrators will have their work cut out as they monitor vulnerabilities, ensuring all connections remain concealed from cyberattacks.

Digital Twins are Now Possible

Do not get it wrong, as it is an upcoming concept in IoT that will become mainstream. The digital trend is a virtual asset corresponding to a physical object. Through this, the thing is now open for thorough testing using digital tech before its implementation in the real world.

The emergence of the digital twin is making room for new possibilities in the IoT. We will see this tech catching up big time in the coming years. Digital Twins will allow users to save money, test objects and gadgets, and provide accurate data using simulative methods. This technology will tremendously benefit manufacturing, services, industries, and automobiles.

Smart Cities are Now Possible

Urban centers are becoming more interconnected than before. Introducing IoT to achieve a safe and smart city is no longer a fantasy. Many cities across the world are being connected using IoT. It will bring a digital revolution that has not been seen before. Urban transformation is merely a pilot project for now, but it will connect cities into one fast, powerful, centrally connected network when implemented.

These cities will have city blocks, neighborhoods, and houses connected through the central network. The same network will control resources such as electricity and water. Moreover, the web will also calculate the amount of waste produced and when to dispose of it. Governments and tech providers have plans for smart cities using cutting-edge tech and the IoT.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Track Finances Using a Personal Finance Spreadsheet

Control finances using a personal finance spreadsheet. One of the simple tools for controlling expenses is the spreadsheet. It is easily adaptable to your financial reality. You can build the table you want. In addition, it is easily understood, as you only need to list the expenses to have control.

Swap High Debt and Interest for Lower Interest to Control Your Finances

A habit you should have is always looking at the interest rate of everything you hire, whether a service or a credit card. You will be amazed at how much you pay in fees. Compare values ​​and always opt for the lowest interest.

Cut Unnecessary Expenses

List all your expenses so you can balance them. You will see where your money is going. From there, you can know what is essential and what is superfluous. With this, it is possible to cut unnecessary expenses, one of the main tasks for capital accumulation.

Pay Your Bills on Time

Pay your bills on time. If we do not have control of the accounts, we may even forget about some slips. One way to never get lost is to pay your bills on time. You avoid headaches or even fines that would take part of the income.

Create a Financial Reserve for Emergencies; Save a Little Every Month

Another fundamental step to having reasonable control of personal finances is to create a financial budget. Indeed, you have needed money in emergencies, and you had to take it out of other expenses or even borrow it.

Negotiate Overdue Debts

Negotiate overdue debts. The ideal to build solid financial wealth is to have no debt. But when we become aware of this, we are always already in debt.

Use Your Credit Card Wisely

One of the most significant difficulties we often face when building equity is to spend the credit card consciously. It would help if you established valid criteria because the interest rate on cards is among the highest. A credit card is an additional tool for your purchases.

Create a Shopping List Before Going to the Supermarket

Before going to the supermarket, make a list for shopping. If you have the habit of going to the supermarket several times during the month, whenever you remember that you need something, you know what it is like to spend more than you planned. We usually buy more than we need. Therefore, the idea behind this tip is simple: we need to go to the supermarket as little as possible to avoid expenses.

Create Concrete Personal Finance Goals

It is not easy to achieve goals without goals. For example, if you want to do ten tasks a week, you need to have at least one goal: by the middle of the week, you will have completed half of the functions. In financial terms, your goals must be entirely achievable. You can either establish how much you should spend in the month or how much you should earn.

Understand the Difference Between Fixed and Variable Expenses to Control Personal Finances

Two fundamental concepts for organizing finances are fixed expenses and variable expenses. A fixed cost is one whose value remains, regardless of the month, such as your rent, car payment, cable TV, or gym.

Use the 50-15-35 Rule to Control Personal Finances

Use the 50-15-35 rule to manage personal finances. This rule states that you should dedicate 50% of your finances to essential expenses, 15% to financial priorities, and 35% to lifestyle. Necessary expenses are everything you need to support yourself daily: electricity, water, market, gas, etc.

Invest Your Money, Even if it is Little

It is no use being moderate in spending and organized in planning if you are not making your money work. It would be best to acquire assets; you must have alternatives that will multiply your money without generating many expenses. Always invest, even if you have little left for that month. There are several market investment types; good research will show you the best way.

Instruct Your Family About Personal Finance

You can be responsible for all your family’s finances. But that is not enough if only you understand the subject. Financial education is critical to the family’s asset growth, although income is only through a person.

Do Not Use Overdraft

Many people who go bankrupt believe that overdraft is a kind of credit. Instead, it is debt! For example, if you have one hundred reais in your account, and the bank gives you $300 in overdraft, which does not mean you have $400 in credit. You have $100, but $300 is available to borrow. And therein lies the danger: overdraft interest rates are usually the highest.

Use an App to Keep Your Finances Up to Date

Use an app to keep your finances up to date. Another tool that can help you control your finances is an application. They are easy to use and always in the palm of your hand.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

You have decided to buy your car; you have already decided on the model you want; you even know where you will buy it, but do you know how to buy it on credit? We want to help you with this procedure of great importance to make the best decision and release the car you have dreamed of. Here are five tips you should consider to buy your car on credit.

Consider Your Budget

To make a good decision, you must consider how much money you have to buy your car. Remember that you should avoid acquiring a debt that exceeds your payment capacity so that this credit helps you manage your savings according to your payment capacity and thus settle your debt as soon as possible.

A down payment is usually unnecessary for your loan, but giving one is a good idea: you won’t have to borrow a large amount, and your monthly payment will be lower. (In general, for every $1,000 you put down, your monthly car payment drops by $15 to $18, according to Edmund’s data from November 2017.) Use Bank of America’s auto loan calculator to learn how a down payment can affect your monthly auto loan payment.

Analyze Your Ability to Pay

Give yourself the time to do the math. Consider your income, your expenses, and your savings. This financial analysis will determine ​​how much you can pay monthly for your car credit.

Your credit score helps determine the interest rate you pay on an auto loan. Better credit can help you get a more favorable interest rate, which will affect your overall car budget. You can also get your credit outcome free through your credit card provider.

Doing this exercise will also allow you to identify unnecessary expenses to avoid having healthy personal finances.

Save to Pay as Much Down Payment as You Can

Paying as much down payment as possible will help you settle your credit as soon as possible; therefore, your payment time will be shorter, and the amount of interest to be paid will be lower.

For this reason, our recommendation is regarding your savings. If you do not have protection at that second that allows you to pay a significant down payment, your best option is to save or seek extra income to help you have a more attractive down payment.

Choose the Payment Term that Best Suits Your Ability to Pay

It would help if you considered, according to your income, how much you can pay month after month, which will guide you to choose the most appropriate term for your needs, which can be 12, 18, 24, or more months.

Buying your car is much easier than it was for your parents. The Internet offers many sellers beyond your local area (who can ship vehicles to your location but for a fee), which can mean more options within your price range. You can search and narrow your choices by viewing online car ratings in safety or car-type categories (such as SUVs and hybrids). Learn more about how to buy and even refinance a car online.

For new cars, ask multiple dealers for price quotes. If you’re looking for used cars, ask for a Carfax report, which offers a used car’s history, including any accidents.

Although the idea is to choose the shortest possible term, because the amount of interest you must pay will be less, you must stay within your payment possibilities.

Make Your Payments on Time

It would help if you were organized with your finances to make your financing payments on time to avoid possible penalties. Consider that late payment fees are usually high, making it difficult to pay off your debt; avoid these unforeseen events by keeping your finances in order.

 We know how complicated it can be to obtain financing to buy your car, so we seek to help you get it to obtain a vehicle loan that fits what you want to buy.

Prequalify with Us Online in Less than 5 Minutes

Are you ready to launch? Then visit us at your nearest dealership so our advisors can put you behind the wheel of the truck you love. We have more than 30 lots throughout Texas and provide financing without social or credit.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Investing in the stock market can double your money every ten years, and Buy and Hold is one of your options when choosing a strategy to start investing.

I started investing with Buy and hold, also known as investing in dividends and buying and holding. I have three different investment strategies, and one remains this. Anyway, I already told you that it is not my preferred strategy.

There is one thing about dividends I do not like, which I did not know at first. But do not hurry, I will tell you later.

What are Buy and Hold?

Buy and Hold (B&H) is a long-term investment strategy based on buying shares of stable companies that distribute dividends and hold them indefinitely. Of course, on occasion, claims will be sold, such as, for example, in the irreparable deterioration of the company. These types of companies are known as Blue Chips.

It is not enough to make a purchase, and that is it; you must invest continuously and constantly (that is why it is a long-term strategy).

It is essential to try to buy at the best possible prices, but choosing the right companies is necessary (if you never want to sell, you must choose very well). The objective of the Buy and Hold is to obtain dividend income that allows you to have an extra salary, just as if you bought a property and rented it.

Earlier, I told you that I have three strategies, and the three share these characteristics, so they are not unique to Buy and Hold.

Invest in the Long Term

You are not looking for a punch. The intention is not to buy and sell continuously but to buy to hold indefinitely.

There are three reasons why a person becomes a long-term investor.

1. It requires less time, freeing you of continuously watching the markets
2. It is practical and likely to result in meaningful wealth creation
3. It reduces fees and taxes and keeps more money in your account.

Invest in Equity and the Stock Market

Therefore, what characterizes Buy and Hold is that you buy shares of large and stable companies that distribute dividends.

Desired Characteristics in Companies – Blue Chips

Companies with continued benefits Suppose we buy a company to maintain it indefinitely. In that case, we must ensure that it always benefits in times of prosperity or crisis. We do not want a company that has a bad year every three years or things like that. We are looking for companies with stable and growing benefits.

• Large companies

 Small companies are easily manipulated and may have problems due to their size, so acquiring large companies with high market capitalization is essential.

• Companies that distribute dividends continuously

The key to Buy and Hold is to look for a periodic income, so we want companies to share a portion of their profits as dividends.

We are looking for companies with a good dividend distribution history, not cyclical companies that pay dividends only in the good years.

• Companies that have been in the stock market for years

We are looking for companies with a history of benefits and dividends, so companies must take 5-10 years or more in the stock market to have that history.

Many new companies go public continuously, getting a lot of publicity, so many people invest in them. Not having a history behind it makes it exceedingly difficult to predict whether the bet will go well.

All in All

Long-term investing requires perseverance, conviction, and the capacity to do nothing when others are active with their portfolios. Investment in the stock market gives you leverage for years as its profits change with the stock market variation. Whenever you build a new house, strive to make it a double or triple-story, as it will be the best investment to provide you with a long-term profit.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Leave the Vacation for Later

It was the most challenging point in our whole process of entrepreneurship since we were used to giving express weekend escapes or each new holiday. But if you want to save to travel the world (and not a 15-day trip), you must also sacrifice your passion for travel.

I know it’s not easy to stay still, but your pocket will thank you, and, in the end, it will be worth the sacrifice. In our case, we were one year without traveling to start together, and now we begin our long-awaited adventure.

Refrain from Being Exquisite with Food

It has been the most challenging point for me (Gabriela) since I am a “foodie” and always thinking about eating. But to save, we had to say goodbye to the cravings and cook our food. Did you know we ate only tuna and tomatoes for almost a year? It is prevalent to eat outside if you work, but the food will always be cheaper if you cook it yourself.

Say Goodbye to Parties and Outings with Friends

This point has been one that cost us a lot and that almost none of our friends understood. Why had we disappeared? And if you are like your friends and we love to go to fashionable clubs or eat out, you will have to say goodbye for a while! We know these are the few getaways from our reality, but have you ever thought about how much each of these exits cost you?

Do the accounts of how much you could save by eliminating?

• coffee with friends
• the departures on Fridays
• Frater Thursdays
• the beers on the weekends
• Going to the cinema

If your dream is enormous, you can leave these exits aside to take care of saving to travel around the world.

Ask Your Parents for Space

Are you paying rent? Or do you have your own house? If you plan to leave for a good time, you can ask your parents to make you a space at home for a few months, it may seem uncomfortable, but it is a great option to help you save for your trip. In our case, we rotate house between parents the last two months before leaving for a trip. In November 2017, we lived in Yeyo’s parent’s house, and in December, where my parents were. It meant significant savings in service expenses, and they did not become a problem as they knew that we would soon be traveling. Sure, they even pamper you more because they know you’re leaving!

Sell What You do not Need

We return to the point of minimalism, but how important it is to have only the necessary things! In our case, we put almost everything for sale. We had a living where we never sat, a dining room with six chairs we did not occupy, two televisions for lack of one, and so many things. Take advantage of a weekend to clean your house and see what you did not use more than a year ago. After organizing a sale on Facebook and your social networks, we could sell everything in less than a week. Do you have a car? Sell it and use public transport. That’s what Yeyo did, even though he absolutely loved his Jeep.

Plan Your Trip in Time

And the final point to save money to travel the world is to be flexible and plan your trip well in advance. We know that sometimes we want to improvise, and that’s fine, but always remember that you will save a reasonable sum of money while you buy your air tickets and even land at least three months in advance.

Conclusions About Saving Money to Travel Around the World

Making a long or much better trip without a return date is not impossible, and millionaires or those who took the lottery cannot only play in Las Vegas. On the contrary, we can all travel the world if we plan well and travel a little slower without many amenities. If you plan well and take each of the tips and methods to save money in this article, we are sure you will achieve your goal.

But you want to go even further and have the personalized help you need to overcome your mental, financial, and information obstacles. In that case, you can see our traveling coaching service, where we will turn you into an expert traveler ready to take your first trip worldwide.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Finding out more about your prospects before you start marketing your business is good. For example, you can do market research to discover who your customers are and how you can best solve their problems, monitor different industries worldwide, and investigate how your main competitors are doing. You can consult a business expert if you need clarification about communicating your message or which channel is appropriate for your company.

Specific About Marketing

You have to be careful that marketing must adhere to the Marketing Act. The purpose of The Marketing Act was to combat misleading and coercive marketing. The design or promotion of your marketing should look like marketing rather than just some information, knowledge facts, or anything else. It must also be apparent who handles marketing and should not be deceptive.

Marketing Information Needed

The Marketing Act specifies the types of marketing used and the information marketers should include. The information requirement states that you must consist of content in your marketing likely to be of particular interest to a customer, such as product content, features, and pricing. Although the law does not provide a comprehensive list, you must determine what information to include.

Calculate Your Budget

To get a first starting point for how big your market budget should be, you need to link it to your goals. One way to do this is to start from your plan and count backward with the help of the measured values you know. As one of your concrete goals, you should figure out how many new customers you will get in during the year. How many leads are required to bring in these customers, based on your conversion rate (conversion of leads to customers)? Then, you calculate how much reach you need to get so much information, such as how much traffic you need to your website. When you know that, it’s easier to figure out what budget is necessary to create that traffic and reach.

Use a Rule of Thumb

Using a standard rule of thumb means allocating a certain percentage of your sales to your marketing budget. To know how large a share you can choose to be at the same level as your competitors or based on how much you invested in your marketing last year. You can also start with your industry index to indicate how much you should invest in your marketing.

Use Your Free Google Listing

The first step to making it easier for customers to find you is to market your business more effectively. Consumers today will Google everything, but especially when it comes to products and services, they always prefer someone near; this is where Google comes in. You need to create a free Google My Business account, making it much easier for local customers to find you. Ensure all your information is filled in correctly and include a website link. Once you fill out the Google My Business form and submit it, you get instant online visibility, and you’ll start appearing on Google Maps as people search for what you’re selling.

Work with Branding

When trying to take your company to a higher level, one of your most valuable marketing tactics is to work with your brand. Do not stick to designing a logo, as more is needed. Customers will remember your brand if they recognize and know it, which could positively affect your sales results. Branding can be miraculous for a small, local business, and making it work isn’t as difficult as you would imagine. Consider your desired demographic and tailor your brand, color theme, and tone of voice to represent that audience. Although the brand can develop, especially as you grow, it must have a solid foundation. Branding is a top priority when it comes to knowing how to market your business locally.

Web Presence is Necessary

In addition to Google My Business and Facebook pages, you should also consider making your web presence using a website where users can get desired information anytime. It must be easy to use, mobile-friendly, and consistent with your new brand. You do not have to learn to code or hire someone to design your website. Several easy-to-use website creations and hosting systems are available, so even if you don’t have any technical abilities, you can get your small company online and look fabulous in no time. There are many ways to get more out of your website as you become more accustomed to these marketing methods, but having a web presence is essential.

Business Cards and Stationery

After you’ve developed your brand identification and have visibility on both website and social media platforms, the next step is to ensure that you seem as professional as possible. If you are handing out service invoices on scrap paper or discussing your business with potential customers, you must look at some branded products. Business cards are essential for distributing to relatives and friends and when meeting new people who may become prospective local customers. Word of mouth is just as important as having a website for promoting a local business, and to make your business successful, you should have to be professional. Knowing how to market your business locally means combining traditional and modern marketing methods.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Investing is hip again! Some of you may already be investing, while others have yet to take your first steps in the investment world. It is essential if you want to build up a reserve for the future.

In the Past: Effects Under the Mattress

It was once different when people bought securities and received an official title deed instead. Securities could be registered but were often anonymous. These were called bearer securities.

The major drawback was that the finder was considered the owner when someone previously lost those bearer securities. He could collect the interest, dividends, and capital (at maturity) without any problem. And then there’s the story of the baker who returned from vacation, turned on his oven, and only then realized that he had hidden all his bearer securities in the range and saw his fortune go up in smoke!

Now: Everything in a Brokerage Account

You may no longer issue new bearer securities since January 2008. Bearer securities registered in a securities account have been converted into ‘dematerialized’ securities. These are not physical securities but securities whose ownership is recorded in a register of names. Anyone who owns stakes on paper can still collect or write them in a securities account. But there is a penalty of 10% on the value and another 10% increase in fines yearly. Because the fine will be the same as the value in 2025, securities will be worth nothing in practice.

Securities are all kept in a brokerage account today. This securities account is linked to a savings or current account by default. All dividends or interest are automatically deposited into that existing savings account.

Why a Securities Account?

A securities account offers you as an investor many advantages:

• Safe: No risk of loss or theft.
• Practical: transactions such as exchanging, collecting dividends, and paying out securities at maturity happen automatically.
• Tradable: securities in a securities account are always in line with the market and can be traded immediately.
• Straightforward: You have an up-to-date overview of your portfolio via the Internet or the extracts you receive with every change in your trading account.

Method

Like your other accounts, a securities account has an IBAN (international bank account number) and at least one holder (the owner). A securities account can belong to several persons (co-holders), and it is also possible to designate authorized representatives.

A mandate account is linked to your securities account at Crelan. The Crelan Current Account from which the purchase of the securities is settled and into which the dividends, interest, and securities sold and maturing are paid out.

The holder of the mandate account must be the same as that of the securities account. Exception: The mandate account may be a joint account for married and legally cohabiting partners.

Rates and Costs

• Management fee: see the list of rates for private individuals. The management fee includes the Crelan Performance Pack and the Crelan Excellence Pack.
• Custody fee: see rate list of private individuals. The custody and follow-up of securities issued by Crelan are free.
• Taxes: Customers with average assets in securities accounts of $500,000 or more are subject to a wealth tax of 0.15% per year (situation 2018).
• Let me explain what it is about: if you buy bonds, shares, or other securities, you have been followed for several years to place them in a securities account. A so-called bearer delivery is no longer allowed.

There are advantages to placing your securities in a brokerage account; they cannot be stolen or go up in flames. Your bank also ensures proper follow-up by automatically cutting the dividends and notifying you of critical transactions. Of course, it should not offer this free service, but it is paid for. How much precisely is that compensation? Your bank itself determines that.

Tip: View the cost of security accounts at the various banks here

Fees for Transfers

The stock of costs is not finished because your bank may also charge fees if it must transfer your securities to another financial institution. And here, too, they are free to determine these costs themselves or to change them. In the latter case, if desired, they must inform their customers at least two months before switching. If they do not, you will tacitly accept the new rates.

Banks appear to be eager to make use of that freedom. For example, MeDirect and BNP Paribas Fortis charge $150 per line. Suppose you have shares of 6 companies and four different investment funds in your trading account, then the cost of switching to another bank can already rise to $1,500.

Other banks are less fierce, although that is also relative: Belfries charges $75 per line. With a fee of $60.50, this practice often deters many investors from transferring their securities to another bank. Experts even consider this outright hostage-taking.

Many banks do not charge any fees to receive securities. It is also good to know that some banks will refund (part of) your transfer costs if you switch to them.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

The debates are extensive, and there are conflicts of opinion even on many essential matters. Bitcoin, for example, appears to have been created as a form of payment in the past, but more and more people today perceive Bitcoin as primarily a new investment category. People also have differing views on whether Bitcoin will replace the current system or be a new financial product alongside all the others. True crypto enthusiasts regard Bitcoin as the future money, while skeptics predict it will crash.

For some, cryptocurrencies are an elusive form of payment. However, several currencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, have recently seen a surge in popularity. Companies are increasingly investing a portion of their money in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are frowned upon; the first e-sale of property took place in the Netherlands using Bitcoin. Is cryptocurrency, then, the currency of the future?

The Price of Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies have been around for about ten years, although it has received greater attention in recent years. This increased attention is also because the market price of cryptocurrencies has shifted dramatically in a good direction around 2020. People were seeking new methods to invest due to the recession and low-interest rates on savings accounts. Moreover, more prominent organizations’ faith in cryptocurrencies grew, driving the worth of the coins to skyrocket. The trust in currencies increased significantly, and Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple reached new highs earlier this year, resembling those seen earlier this year on their way to new highs. These record highs boosted faith in these currencies even further. Since, after all, the price of cryptocurrencies is determined by their value.

Don’t Want to Miss the Boat?

The concern about whether cryptocurrencies will eventually replace traditional currencies is major. That could be something that lasts a long time. Nonetheless, there have been some exciting advancements in the area, and cryptocurrencies are becoming more widely accepted as legitimate money in the future.

Because of the rising confidence in crypto technology and its improved security, the future of cryptocurrencies appears bright. The European Union, for instance, implemented several restrictions on the crypto industry in 2020. These restrictions ensure that future inventions and advances will be more readily adopted.

Would you like to avoid missing out on Bitcoin, Ripple, and other crypto coins? After that, you may create a new account with a dealer like Litebit. After that, you can invest a portion of your wealth or savings that you are willing to invest in cryptocurrencies. Remember that these are highly volatile currencies. As quickly as the coins might increase, they could fall precipitously due to unfavorable news.

Consequently, it’s essential to be aware that investing in cryptocurrencies carries the risk of potential financial loss, so staying informed about any crypto-related events is crucial.

Can You Borrow in Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is difficult to utilize because it has zero-sum game characteristics. You can lend and deposit simultaneously with ordinary money besides paying. In the case of Bitcoin, the return, whether positive or negative, is ultimately determined by the Bitcoin price. Consequently, the fortune of someone who takes out a Bitcoin loan is, by definition, inverted to that of the investor. People who bought Bitcoin at the start of 2020 and can collect their earnings at a much higher price are receiving much attention. However, someone who would have taken out a home loan in Bitcoin, for example, has seen the value of his debt in ordinary money skyrocket and is undoubtedly insolvent. I’m unaware of how many individuals have taken out a Bitcoin loan.

As previously stated, the underlying issue is that there is no core Bitcoin economy to track all revenue and costs in Bitcoin. Ethereum (or any other crypto, for this matter) can only do a poor job of fulfilling the role of money as long as people’s daily income and spending are in traditional money.

Bitcoin does serve as an asset, although one with a significant level of risk due to its tremendous volatility. As a result, a probable essential function for Bitcoin in the upcoming financial system appears to be that of an asset.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Once you plan to buy a car, the first thing to figure out is how much of a monthly vehicle payment you can afford. You should spend less than 15% of your monthly take-home pay on your car payment so that your overall automobile expenditures are less than 15% to 20% of your income.

It may lead you to believe you can only afford a beat-up Yugo. This rule of thumb, however, comes with an interesting exception. The balanced budget strategy is what it is called. The following article will explain how the balanced budget strategy works.

Budget to Spend on a Car Payment

The monthly payment on your motor loan is unquestionably a “needs” item. A car is a lifeline for many individuals, linking them to crucial duties like keeping work or getting the children to school.

On the other hand, figuring out the budget for the car payment allows for some flexibility. If you prefer a more costly automobile, you can allocate a portion of your monthly income to the “wants” area if your entire budget remains balanced.

Over time, new automobiles have become more expensive, and our incomes have not kept pace. As we have mentioned, this figure now reflects your automobile budget, which includes more than simply the monthly payment. Now, it is time to calculate gasoline expenditures and insurance premiums.

Fuel & Insurance Expenses

Find out your fuel costs and how much it will cost to insure the car before buying or leasing it. Both fees vary significantly depending on your region, driving history, and car selection. Even though generating these estimations requires some effort, you should not disregard them. Knowing these prices might assist you in selecting a car from a variety of options. Some may be more expensive to fuel, while others may be more expensive to insure.

Contact your agent or insurance provider about the car you want for insurance quotes. You need to be able to receive a precise estimate. Alternatively, go to your preferred vehicle insurance website and look for an option to acquire an online quotation. Do your monthly insurance and gasoline bills total less than 7% of your take-home pay? Then you are good to go.

Avoid Common Mistake

Consider what happens under the hood when the lender calculates your payment after establishing the monthly auto payment you can afford. Factors to consider include:

• The amount of the loan
• The interest rate includes the annual percentage rate or APR
• The loan’s duration

You might waste a lot of money by focusing just on the monthly payment and neglecting all of your financing charges.

Remember that your credit score and other criteria determine your vehicle loan’s interest rate. Higher rates are usually associated with lower credit scores. It is a clever idea to shop around for the best vehicle loan rates, but it is especially vital if you have terrible credit.

Furthermore, while many people take out a lengthier loan to receive a lower auto payment, they frequently pay significantly more interest throughout the loan. For used automobiles, a loan of no more than 36 months, and for new cars, a loan of no more than 60 months.

Best Option

Each of these methods of affordability has a case to be made. It is critical to understand your auto-buying history, and if you take out a long-term loan, make sure you keep driving the car for at least a few years after you pay it off.

Ultimately, the optimum car-buying situation considers your expenses and other financial obligations. Do not buy an automobile at the very top of your price range. If you cannot afford it now, consider saving a little extra and purchasing it later. The essential things to remember are to stick to your budget and realize that having a car entails more than a monthly payment.

Conclusion

You will be better able to negotiate a fair deal now that you know what auto payment you can bear and how it fits into your budget.

While most financial gurus advise saving money on transportation costs, if updating your vehicle is vital to you, go ahead and do it – if your whole budget is balanced.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.