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There are many costly expenditures that are unfortunately a necessary evil, but there are always ways to ensure you can save at least a little bit of money on items such as furniture and electronics, as well as your heating and water bills.

One of those, furniture, is a cost that always crops up from time to time. With several rooms in any home and the need to furnish pretty much all of them, there is a good chance that buying furniture is an annual grind on your finances.

There are, however, several ways in which you can save money when purchasing items of furniture for the home.

Buy quality products

When purchasing furniture for the home, you will usually want it to stand up to the test of time and the only way of achieving that is to purchase quality furniture such as solid oak. The better the quality, the longer it will last and the better it will look in your home.

Quality solid wood furniture does of course tend to cost more than your typical “wood effect” items, but in the long-term, it will pay off as it will last longer and therefore remove the need to keep on buying new pieces of furniture because they’ve worn out quickly.

For those pieces of furniture that tend to get tucked away from sight and only come out occasionally, they’re the ones that you don’t have to worry about emptying your wallet on.

Getting your DIY on

Some people have a healthy dose of experience in fixing things and tend to be a bit handy in woodwork or similar. If you’re one of these, then you have the ability of saving money on your furniture by mending those items that are looking a little worn out.

Given the right equipment, refinishing wooden furniture is very possible and doesn’t have to take that long either. This is a great way of sprucing up furniture that looks a bit tattered, but could easily be brought up to scratch with a fresh layer of stain or paint, maybe the upholstered sofa requires a bit of stitching. It really is a great alternative to buying new furniture when it can be repaired all the same.

Keep your eyes peeled and be patient

It is very likely that you’re struggling to find that perfect solid oak table for the right price after looking for what feels like forever. The trick is to be patient and just keep your eyes open for new deals and sales.

Christmas and New Year will often be perfect times to find the right kind of deal you’re after, therefore it can really pay off waiting a few weeks or months until that time and grab yourself a brilliant deal.

Almost everything has become available online since the rise of the internet, and from apartment hunting to food shopping, going online has become a daily aspect of people’s lives. It quickly became apparent that banking customers should be able to access their finances online instead of having to find the nearest ATM for a statement, and thus internet banking was born. Some people were sceptical, and others wholly embraced the technology, but there was no doubt that internet banking was the future.

Nowadays, nearly 70 per cent of banking customers are registered to manage their finances online, and there are many reasons why internet banking has emerged as a staple of everyday life. Apart from being safe, convenient and secure, online banking is available 24 hours a day,and you can also transfer money to a friend or loved one whenever you want. Furthermore, online banking allows you to access your statement anytime you like, and from the comfort of your home. Here’s a list of the pros and cons of internet banking compiled by the people who love and hate it the most.

Pro – It’s Cost Effective

Internet banking means that you don’t have to travel to your nearest branch or ATM machine to access your finances. That means that you’re reducing your carbon footprint, especially when you think how many times you would have to travel every month to see your finances if internet banking wasn’t available. Furthermore, internet banking means millions of customers can be served at the same time, meaning less queues in branches, and more happy customers.

Pro – It’s Paperless

One of the most important advantages of internet banking is that it is paperless – gone are the days where your monthly statement is posted through your door! Banks have reported to have saved millions of pounds in printing since the introduction of internet banking, and many have donated a proportion of their savings to sustaining the green environment.

Pro – Easy Loan Applications

Before internet banking, customers who wanted to apply for a loan or IVAshad to make an appointment with their local bank. Depending on where a person lived, that could be a long journey, and even worse, some banks couldn’t provide appointments until months after the initial application. Nowadays, people who are registered for internet banking can simply apply for a loan online! In just a few clicks, a customer can fill in some details and get an answer to their loan application in a matter of minutes.

Con – Bank Relationship

Internet banking may be convenient, but customers used to be able to build up a trusting relationship with their bank manager. If personal circumstances changed, people could ask to talk to their account handler and explain their financial situation. Apart from providing the customer with peace of mind, bank managers could use their discretion in changing the terms of an account to help a person with repayments. However nowadays, this relationship has been lost.

Con – The Internet

This may sound simple, but what if a banking customer does not have access to the internet, or they are blind? In these circumstances, a person will have to go to a bank directly and organise their finances in person.

Are you looking for a short term loan solution? Well, you would definitely be abreast of the fact that availing a loan is not at all an easy task. Moreover the companies that offer loans are gradually adhering to stricter norms and regulations for providing loans. This is because of late there have been several cases being reported where individuals after taking loans would not repay them at a proper time. Nevertheless, due to the recession that struck the world economy, millions of people had an issue with their credit history and they find it really difficult to get a loan with a bad credit status.

A logbook loan is the much needed credit benefit that has been introduced. There are many advantages of availing this loan as one does not require furnishing their credit history to avail it. In this article we will discuss the other advantageous aspects of this loan and also throw light on how it helps one to suffice their short term monetary needs.

Why prefer logbook loans over others:

• Fast turnaround – This loan gets processed quickly and is also known as ‘same day logbook loans’. The most important thing that one needs to understand is that there is no need to avail a loan if it is not processed at the right time. Short term credit requirements arise out of nowhere, and you can’t afford to wait much to get the money. This is where a logbook loan is so beneficial. They get processed within 24 hours max, if all the documents are properly furnished.

• Helps in finding your credit status – Yes, that’s right; a logbook loan can also help one to get their credit history fixed. This loan has amazingly good terms and conditions that helps one to avail the loan and pay off their outstanding debts and correcting their credit history.

• Use the car – One can easily avail a logbook loan and still use the car. Many people are under the impression that they need to mortgage their car with the logbook loan providing company in order to avail the loan. This is incorrect, as the companies only keep the logbook or the V5 registration with them. They return the logbook once the loan amount is repaid by the borrower. This is also a very helpful condition for those who use their car for their business. They can use the car to continue their business, earn more money and pay off the debt soon.

• Easy conditions – A logbook loan offers various easy conditions. One can choose from the various kinds of repaying options according to their convenience.

Therefore it can be said that a logbook offers the much needed relief to short term credit requirements of individuals. They can easily avail a loan and suffice any short term requirement that they face. And as stated earlier the fact that this loan does not require one to furnish their credit history is an added advantage.

Nothing in life is free. This old adage applies not only to earning an education, but landing a job in the workforce. There is a price to be paid at every level to earn an education whether it is property taxes to pay for public elementary and secondary schools, or tuition to pay for a post-secondary education. Beyond a Bachelor’s degree it is up to the individual to invest further in their education in order to increase their earning potential.

Many individuals with a Bachelor’s from a business program or currently employed in the business sector choose to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration. Pursuing any Master’s degree, an MBA included, is an added expense for an individual’s education. Earning an additional degree needs to pay off in the end by giving graduates the leg up they need to land higher paying jobs.

So, after a student graduates from an MBA program, what are some of highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates? According to Monster.com there are a number of sectors in the business industry that offer six figure salaries to graduates with an MBA.

Finance

According to Monster.com, the field of finance is one of the few in business where an MBA is almost a must-have in the eyes of an employer. An MBA is seen not only as important for advancement in finance careers, but also for junior and entry-level positions as well. The median mid-career salary for many MBA holders in finance is $121,000 annually. The following are some of the highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates:
– Chief Financial Officer: $168,000
– Finance Director: $151,000
– Senior Financial Analyst: $85,600

Marketing

Marketing is a different animal when it comes to the need for an MBA, especially compared to the field of finance. While it is possible for entry and junior-level employees to land and hold jobs in marketing without an MBA, the current economic situation has made holding an MBA an advantage when it comes to advancement. According to Monster.com, the median mid-career salary for MBA holders in marketing is $113,000 annually. The following are some of the highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates:

– Marketing Director: $133,000
– Business Development Manager: $105,000
– Marketing Manager: $102,000

Information Systems

Similar to the field of marketing, individuals working in the field of information systems do not necessarily need an MBA degree to be successful. Possessing relevant experience in the field of information systems and the proven ability to solve real world problems is as important to employers as an MBA. Those hoping to reach higher executive level positions will eventually need an MBA however. Monster.com reports that the median mid-career salary is $106,000. The following are some of the highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates:

– IT Director: $120,000
– IT Project Manager: $103,000
– IT Manager: $99,800

No two individuals will have the same experience upon graduating from an MBA program. The degree itself will not qualify any two people for high paying positions on merit alone. Individuals will need to pursue additional certification in some fields and have proven on-the-job experience with real world success. According to Katie Bardaro of PayScale.com, it is important to remember that simply earning an MBA isn’t a recipe for success. Bardaro reminds students that it is important to remember which MBA focuses are common in business and which ones are desired.

In the week before pay day, many people start praying for their next cheque to clear, as finances start to get dangerously low. Living from one pay cheque to the next can be dangerous, and before you know it, you’ve borrowed yourself into debt. 61% of people admit that they live from pay cheque to pay cheque. So how can you avoid this trend?

Budgeting

With a budget, you’ll have a clearer idea of how much disposable income you have, and this will hopefully stop you from overspending. It may become clear that you are living above your means and that it is time for you to cut down on expenditures; particularly luxuries.

Be a Tracker

Tracking your spending means you have a better idea of where your money is going. Save your receipts and organise them into categories so they are easy to manage. Tallying up the total will give you an overview of total spending. Using Excel can help you analyse the data and make decisions on where you need to cut down.

Maximise Your Income

If you can get a raise, flutter your eyelashes at your boss, but a higher salary isn’t the only way to increase your income. Consider working part-time on a Saturday or turn your hobby into a cash cow. However, making more money doesn’t necessarily mean you will cure your tendency to spend all of it before pay day. 30% of workers earning six figure salaries also admit to living from pay cheque to pay cheque.

A Financial Paradigm Shift

If you are in this overspending position, it’s likely that you aren’t the most responsible person with your money. You may spend more than you really make by overestimating your income. You may just have few organisational skills when it comes to money and you have no idea where it is all going. In this case, hopefully your budget will do all the hard work and get you back into a good financial position.

Set yourself goals and visualise yourself as master of your bank account – the days of borrowing from family and banks are over. Keep that in mind and stick to your budget, rewarding yourself every now and then with a treat. Try to focus on only spending what you need to for 99% of the time: bills, rent, and travel to work.

Uncertainty

In an uncertain climate, who knows when you will need disposable money to prop you up? You may lose your job or get into an accident. In these situations it always helps to have an emergency savings fund, but how are you going to protect yourself if you can’t even make it to pay day, let alone put money aside? Guard yourself and your loved ones through responsible financial practices and cut down on all the luxuries which are putting you further into debt. It’s time to stop worrying.