Make Your Money Work: Protect Your Portfolio with Real Assets

5:31 PM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments

 




Make Your Money Work: Protect Your Portfolio with Real Assets

One of the best words of advice I’ve received from my dear Grammy is to always make your money work for you. Many people use the stock market as a path to build wealth for the future, though not as many as you might think. Can you believe that in 2017  just 54% of American households own stocks according to Gallup.

Considering all your options and their long-term implications is a must when making any type of financial decision. Investing is arguably one of the best ways to successfully increase your wealth over time, at least when done the right way. Investing in real assets can be an excellent option for protecting capital during volatile market conditions. It’s a topic we don’t get into much and I thought it would be good to have a nice adulting post so we can have some extra cash for all our adventures. Enjoy!

What are ‘Real’ Assets?

Real assets are tangible or physical assets which have value, such as real estate. The Los Angeles and Miami real estate markets, as well as many other coastal cities, are experiencing a boom, but this category includes many other sectors like gold, commodities, rare coins and jewelry, art, agriculture, infrastructure, private energy, timberland and more.

Financial assets, such as stocks and bonds, are valued based on a contractual claim of an underlying asset. For example, if you buy Roku stock, you’ll have contractual ownership as an equity position in the company and will be entitled to dividends and liquidity in the public markets for buying and selling the position. With real assets, they typically have a value that’s separate from valuations that are derived from money’s value, which can make it a great way to defend against inflation.

There’s gold in them hills

Among the many real assets to consider, gold has proven time and again to be one of the best ways to protect your portfolio when stock markets fail. It’s been used as currency for thousands of years, while other forms such as livestock, stones and even tulips (one of history’s biggest bubbles) have come and gone. Gold has withstood history, maintaining its inherent value, and unlike cash, it’s finite. All forms of paper money, whether it’s the yen, dollars or euros, have a potentially unlimited supply as all it takes it turning on the printing press for it to be made. Paper money can be printed again and again until it becomes worthless, which is what can happen when too much is printed out. Governments can’t print gold, so it’s something that holds real value, a true ‘real asset’ that can help keep your portfolio protected.

Real Estate = Real Money

Owning real estate can be a fantastic store of value to hedge against inflation. Buying a rental property can also offer relatively consistent cash for investors looking for income, though it can also be time-consuming and come with unexpected added expenses. Think about issues like having to install a new water heater, making expensive repairs or having to deal with problem tenants. Still, many investors have made excellent income by investing in rental properties. According to Forbes.com, over 2,650 individuals enter the rental market every single day, making it a great time to be a landlord, with rentals flourishing and rents increasing. The demand has been exceeding supply, so you’ll have more applicants to choose from, a better chance of finding a good tenant, and greater odds for increasing your profits.

Pretty neat info right?! I hope you enjoyed this financial post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

I’ll see you around the city soon!

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How Much Rent Can I Afford?

12:52 PM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments






Are you thinking of moving into a different house or apartment? Are you wondering how much rent you can comfortably pay? Zumper makes it easier to calculate how much rent you can afford to pay. 

First you need to make a list of everything you spend money on each month. Keep in mind that beyond paying monthly rent ,  you may need to pay various upfront expenses when moving into a rental property. Expenses may include: Security deposit, pet deposit,amenities fees, move in fees, and parking fees.

Along with rent, you may need to pay for your utilities. Contact your utility provider to ask how much the average utility costs for your new address are.

The ideal sweet spot is spending around 30% of your income in rent to ensure you maximize your savings. As a rule of thumb, we suggest spending no more than 40% of your income on rent to be able to save enough money for all your living expenses.

How Much rent can I afford on minimum wage?

Historically, experts suggest spending 30% of your income on rent. Currently, the U.S.'s federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. However, many states have their own minimum wage laws, so it's important to see if your state guarantees you more than the federal minimum wage.
Using the 30% rule and the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, you can afford $377 in rent per month. While finding housing in this price range in big cities might be a challenge, many rural and suburban areas have rental properties within this budget. You can also consider finding roommates, which brings the cost of renting an apartment down considerably.
Make sure your income will adequately cover your rent and housing costs when selecting a place to live.

What is the recommended rent to income ratio?

When you're looking for a new apartment or house to rent, it's vital to consider how much of your income you plan to spend on rent, utilities, and any other housing expenses. Having a budget in mind before signing a lease ensures you'll be able to pay your rent every month.
We suggest spending around 30% of your income on your rent and other housing expenses. For example, if you make $50,000 per year, you should plan to spend about $15,000 annually on rent, or $1,250 a month. If you're having trouble finding places to rent within your budget, consider getting roommates or looking in less expensive neighborhoods to meet your needs.
Establishing a budget for your housing expenses is important. It will help ensure you have enough income every month to easily pay your rent and still have money for important necessities like food and transportation. Use the 30% rule to help you determine how much money you should spend on rent every month.

So, what is Zumper?

Zumper is used by millions of Americans to find apartments, houses, rooms and condos for rent.  Apply online, submit digital rental applications and credit reports with Zumper's screening service, powered by TransUnion .

Their inventory is updated in real-time, so you'll always see new listings on Zumper first. 
You can filter by location, price range, bedroom count, pet-friendly, amenity, and set an alert to get notifications when a new listing is posted.

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Unwrap Memories With SGILE This Christmas

6:50 AM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments

 



Finding the perfect toys for growing kids can be so tricky. Especially when they are in that in-between stage of not being babies anymore but, not quite big kids either. Knowing how rough this year has been on everyone, even the little ones, I want to share some really cool interactive toys that will get the kids up moving around and playing. Help all the little ones get away from the screen with RC Toys from SGILE.

SGILE offers remote control toys for beginners and experienced kids. The controls are shaped and sized to fit a learning growing hand and are easy to maneuver. They have buttons and wheels that are easy to understand so when they are playing they don't have to worry about frustration and confusion. The RC Robot, RC Dog, and RC Dinosaur are all programmable and can sing and walk.  

Their RC toys are mainly for kids in the 6 years and up to 8 years and up, age range. They do have small pieces and are not recommended for kids under the age of three. With a wide range of pricing, there is something for everyone on any budget. The toys range from $26.99-$59.99. 

For the parents and caregivers, don't forget to take advantage of Amazon Prime and the free two-day shipping. All of the SGILE Toys are Prime eligible and as a bonus, are available for Black Friday shopping! Check out the RC Toys below and let me know what you think.


SGILE RC Stunt Car
Retail- $26.99
Age- 6+
Prime Eligible- Yes





Retail $29.99
Age 8+
Prime Eligible- Yes


SGILE RC Racing Car
Retail- $39.99
Age- 6+
Prime Eligible- Yes




SGILE RC Dog
Retail- $39.94
Age- 6+
Prime Eligible- Yes


SGILE RC Dinosaur
Retail- $59.99
Age- 36 months+
Prime Eligible- Yes



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Colovis Snowman Building Kit 2020

5:57 AM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments




 One of the best parts of a heavy snowfall is having enough frosty flakes to build the ultimate snowman ,the Colovis Snowman Decorating Kit ensures that your chilly companion is dressed to the nines.Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K9MM4D2

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pureauty EYE CREAM

5:11 PM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments





Many of my readers know that I declared war on aging a few years ago. I'm 57 and my face is starting to get a few fine lines here and there. A little sagging at my jaw line, things that  normally happen at this age
 , but I'm doing what I can to keep it from getting worse and hopefully reverse some of it.


I have a little puffiness and darkness under my eyes. I found this pureauty EYE CREAM and decided t o give it a try. I've been using it for about 2 weeks and I can see a difference already. The 3 main ingredients in this eye cream are hyaluronic acid, cucumber fruit extract, and caffeine. It's easy to use, just apply it morning and night to clean skin. Smooth it until it's completely absorbed. It feels light on my skin and has a clean scent.


The darkness under my eyes has lightened and the puffiness has really decreased. I really like finding a product that does what it says it will do. I recommend anyone that is having the same issue that I'm having with puffiness and darkness under your eyes to give it a try.


I received this product at a discount to facilitate this review.

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Toe Juice

3:25 PM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments





 

Toe Juice, I know that's a funny name for a product, but it really works. Toe Juice is powered by DermaVine, a plant based formula.


What makes Toe Juice so effective is the liquid application. To make the effectiveness of liquid application easier to understand, think about the last time you were really super thirsty and felt dehydrated. You needed something to drink fast! Did you run to the fridge and drink down a quart of mayonnaise? Probably not. We need liquids to rehydrate, our cells quickly absorb  liquid. Yet when we have skin issues the available solutions are creams, lotions, salves, and powders that mainly sit on top of the skin and cannot be absorbed quickly enough into the skin to be effective.  Smearing and slopping these solutions on your skin is like being in the hot sun working all day and trying to rehydrate yourself by drinking a quart jar of mayonnaise. Toe Juice is a liquid that is quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and it heals your skin issues fast.


DermaVine is a proprietary blend of plant extracts that makes Toe Juice so effective. Lemon peel oil, willow bark extract, and cinnamonum extract have been used for centuries in many cultures to exfoliate, rejuvenate,and eliminate contaminants.


DermaVine exfoliates, rejuvenates, it's antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal and analgesic.


I received this product at a discount to facilitate this review.



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Acne Slayer

6:02 PM Candy Crush and Snowman Butts 0 Comments





 Is your skin troubled with breakouts? Mine too, even though I'm in my 50's I still have occasional acne flare-ups. I thought when I became an adult my days with  acne were over, I was wrong.


I have tried many products trying to combat the problem and I found Acne Slayer. Acne Slayer is great for adults and teenagers alike. 


DermaVine is the secret formula powering Acne Slayer. DermaVine is a blend of plant extracts like lemon peel oil, willow bark extract, and cinnamonum extract. DermaVine penetrates quickly and works safely to return skin to it's natural health and beauty.


Acne slayer exfoliates and rejuvenates your skin and is also antibacterial, antifungal , antiviral and antimicrobial. Analgesic as well to help with the pain of acne.


So easy to use,  just drip 4 to 8 drops onto a cotton ball or pad and wipe the affected area, face , forehead and neck twice daily.


I received this product at a discount to facilitate this review.

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