Guest Contributor on Money Questions and Answers Blog

New Survey Shows Millennials Have Little Savings for Retirement

Maybe it’s because this generation makes less money than previous generations did, or maybe it’s because Gen Y burns through cash without saving much of it. But either way, millennials are not prepared long-term. This generation is pushing back the big financial decisions in life like buying a home and establishing a viable retirement plan. A new survey[1] from the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council (IALC) reveals that 15 percent of millennials have less than $25,000 saved. One-in-three millennials say they set aside no money for retirement and 24 percent say they owe more than they have saved. Across all generations, Gen Y is the least prepared, but the most optimistic about the idea of saving for retirement. Most millennials think … Read more

Making Your Rent To Own Real Estate Attractive To Tenants

by Guest Contributor

The following is a guest post on Money Q&A. Would you like to write the next one? If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page.

Making Your Rent To Own Real Estate Attractive To Tenants First impressions are very significant when renting out your property, minor things can quickly put potential tenants off, but making a few slight modifications can up your appeal and sway them in the right direction. A well-presented property will entice the right sort of tenants and help you to make your rent to own real estate attractive to tenants.

Make Sure It’s Clean

If it is clean and welcoming when they first view the property it is very likely that they will work hard to uphold this, as this is what will have attracted them to your buy to let in the first place.

Cleanliness is of upmost importance. Dust and lingering smells could quickly put any one off. Open all the window and doors before a potential tenant comes around, filling the house with fresh air will make it much more appealing. Use pleasant smelling cleaning products but don’t go overboard.

Make sure you meticulously clean the house from top to bottom, dust surfaces and make sure the bathrooms and kitchen in particular are spotless. A grimy bathroom will put anyone off, make sure the grouting is clean and mould free bleach the toilets and sinks. Make sure the kitchen cupboards are cleaned inside and out.

Top 5 Tips for Saving Time and Money at Walt Disney World

by Guest Contributor

The following is a guest post by Evelyn Ramsey. If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page.

Disney World is two times larger than Manhattan. If you’ve ever wanted to visit Orlando, now is the time. There are so many exciting things to see and do.

Here’s how to save money at Disney World, have fun, and visit the very best areas of the park.

How to Save Money at Walt Disney World

Get a Good Hotel

Staying at a hotel on property gets expensive. Some hotels in the park can be had for $70 per night, but if you’re bringing a large family, it can be more like $500 per night. So, instead of paying steep prices, check out these Orlando hotels and just drive or shuttle to the park.

Most hotels that are near Disney World also have taxis or at least a car rental agency nearby that can take you and your family. If a rental car costs you $30-$50 a day, and the hotel costs you $60 per night, it might be cheaper than staying in park if the park prices are a few hundred dollars.

Watch What and Where You Eat

How to save money at Disney World? Food in Walt Disney World is notoriously expensive, but the prices are coming down a bit. Drink water, and it’s free. Juice is $1 cheaper compared to the soft drinks.

And, the park has relaxed its rules on the whole “no outside food” rules, with a few exceptions. You can’t bring glass containers, hard-backed coolers, or alcohol or food that would need heating up. That’s how to save money at Disney World.

Some ideas for food that works well at Disney include sandwiches, snack foods that are brought in plastic bags, dried meats (jerky), and candy. Since water is free, you don’t really need to worry too much about this unless you want to bring your own filtered water bottle.

Tips for Assuring the Safety of Your Credit Card

by Guest Contributor

The following is a guest post by Brett Chatz who is a contributor to CFD trading company – Intertrader. If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page.

Protect Your Plastic from Criminals

Credit card safety is paramount The widespread usage of credit cards has given way to a thriving underworld of criminal syndicates. Fraud is more prevalent today than ever before, and the technological sophistication employed by fraudsters is becoming increasingly more advanced. Protecting your credit cards is important, since they offer you all the convenience of a cashless banking system.

For the most part, credit card management is really a no-brainer – yet millions of credit card frauds are reported every week. The priority is the protection of your credit card details, and the integrity of your financial information. Once either of these has been compromised, potential fraud can ensue.

How to make your credit card safer?

Nowadays, most folks have several credit cards in their wallets. These include American Express, Diners Club International, Visa, MasterCard, Discover cards and frequent-flier credit cards etc.

However there are also many in-store credit cards offered by major retailers such as Target, Macy’s, Staples, Gap, Nordstrom and others. As you might imagine, protecting all of these cards takes some doing.

Do You Process Invoices Efficiently?

by Guest Contributor

As your business grows, so do the number of tasks you need to perform. To maintain your profit level as you grow, you need to operate efficiently. If not, the additional revenue you generate will all be spent on administrative costs. Consider these tips to process invoices efficiently. An Operations Manual Many aspects of your business are complex. This article explains some critical tax reporting processes. Working with taxes and payroll can be difficult. Your entire accounting function may be easier if you create a procedures manual. As explained here, businesses should document procedures for tasks that are routine. Documenting what needs to be done creates predictability in your business. Both the manager and the employee will understand what needs … Read more

How to Cool Off Without Air Conditioning

by Guest Contributor

How to cool off without air conditioning Summer is fast approaching, and many regions of the country are already starting to feel the heat. As the dreary days of winter start to disappear, the climbing temperatures are encouraging more and more people to reach for their thermostats — only to find that their air conditioning units have fallen to pieces during the cold weather months.

Fortunately, air conditioning isn’t the only way to stay cool. Whether your unit is dead or you are looking for a low-cost way to beat the heat, here are a handful of ways you can survive spring and summer and cool off without air conditioning.

First, Call the Repair Company, Stat

More likely than not, you don’t know anything about what it takes to get an air conditioning unit up and running again. Instead of tinkering with the complex machinery, you should call your local AC repair company and make an appointment. The earlier in the year you request their assistance, the faster they will be able to respond; when the real dog days of summer begin, everyone will be clamoring for air conditioning help, so you shouldn’t procrastinate a known issue even while the weather is good.

Rethink Your Lighting

Traditional incandescent bulbs may produce that warm, comforting glow that you’re used to, but they also waste nearly 90 percent of their energy on heat rather than light. In the summer, when indoor temperatures can pass 90 degrees, you’ll be able to feel every watt of heat your lightbulbs produce. Instead of being unbearably warm and energy inefficient, you can switch to CFL or LED bulbs; they last longer, lower your energy bill, and are cool as cucumbers fresh from the fridge.

Sunlight during the day can also warm the house through windows. To prevent your own private greenhouse effect, you should keep your windows closed and shades drawn during daylight hours. This simple solution can cool your indoor temperature about 20 degrees.