Guest Contributor on Money Questions and Answers Blog

4 Unique Ways to Trade the Financial Markets

Ways Investors Are Trading the Financial Markets

The global financial markets can be an intimidating place for a novice. For starters, there is the stereotypical Wall Street trader who is perceived as ruthless, self-serving, and virtually untouchable.

Many of us at the grassroots level have been fed the narrative that the big banks and financial institutions on Wall Street control global finance and economic activity – irrespective of macroeconomic variables, regulations, and monetary policy.

There is probably an inkling of truth to all perspectives on the markets. However, there is plenty to go around for everyone. Provided you play your cards right, read market sentiment correctly, and hedge your bets, you can come out ahead in the financial markets.

Ways Investors Are Trading the Financial Markets

First of all, it’s important to identify what you’re trying to achieve. Are you after short-term profits or long-term appreciation of your capital? This will invariably determine whether you are better suited to trading or investing. Traders are not interested in holding assets for the sake of holding assets for long-term appreciation. They are interested in turning over those assets to generate profits in rising and falling markets.

Traders are quick to the draw and don’t get sentimental about their purchases. Investors realize that markets invariably go through plenty of cyclical movements, trends, upswings, and downswings. Overall though, equities markets have a propensity to appreciate relative to other investment opportunities.

How to Trim Down Your Dream Home’s Design If It Doesn’t Fit Your Budget

by Guest Contributor

rebuilding your home with insurance The first phase of your home renovation project deals with a lot of budgeting and meeting with your architect to discuss the design you want. But, what if your vision costs more than you expected?

Matching your dream design and your budget is a challenge. You have two options: either increase your budget to meet your expectations or refine your visions to meet your financial capabilities.

Most homeowners choose the latter. Some feel a little disappointed because they realized they needed to let go of the home features which increase the construction costs. On the other hand, some homeowners discover that they can get the look they want for less!

How did that happen? Here’s our quick guide for you:

Step 1: Revise your dream plan with your architect

Maximize the capabilities of the architect or designer whom you hired for the project. They can do so much more than drawing your home’s pre-existing conditions and the final project plan.

Ask for their help in setting realistic costs of the building materials required for your project. If some of the materials you need to be turned out to be too expensive, inquire about possible cheaper or greener substitutes.

This is also the time to discuss the deeper and futuristic aspects of your project. Identify which parts of the renovation will need consultations from other building professionals. Discuss the possible construction costs so you can adjust your budget properly.

A Cost Comparison: Buying a New Vs. a Used Car

by Guest Contributor

You need a ride to get to work, to take the kids to school, and to run errands. Stretching each dollar to the limit is preferred, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a new or used car. It’s more about comparing costs and getting the best deal. Here’s what to know when buying a new or used automobile. Cost Comparison: Buying a New Vs. a Used Car What’s It Worth? Depreciation is a concept that car buyers soon come to understand. A car loses a significant amount of value as soon as it’s bought and driven off the lot. Consider the first year’s wear and tear, and you could lose $9,000 off of a $30,000 ride. Have you done a … Read more

Why the Big Banks Do Not Want to Fund Your Small Business

by Guest Contributor

James Cummings, the author of numerous books in the management space and Founder and CEO of www.dailyposts.co.uk. If you’d like to submit a guest post to Money Q&A, be sure to check out our guest posting guidelines.

28 million small businesses in the United States account for 54% of all sales in the country, are responsible for providing 55% of all jobs and 66% of new jobs since the 70s, and have added 8 million new jobs since 1990. With statistics like these, you might wonder why it’s so difficult for small businesses to secure loans from the big banks. Big banks are the preferred source for loans because they can afford to issue loans at lower rates than smaller banks, yet they are more frugal and more protective of their money.

Findings from a survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta, Cleveland, New York, and Philadelphia show that only half of the small businesses that requested for business loans in the first half of 2014 were able to get any funding. Ironically, the banks need these small businesses as much as the small businesses need them, especially with the rising trend of online lending. Yet, this does not seem to make much of a difference.

The recession was the worst for small businesses in need of loans and while many expected the tide to change once the recession was over, that hasn’t been the case. In fact, since the beginning of the recession, we have seen a decline of 20% in the total dollar volume of loans from banks to small businesses. What’s more, the figures seem to keep declining even further.

How Much Does it Cost to Lease a Semi Truck for Your Business?

by Guest Contributor

How much does it cost to lease a semi truck? This is the first question every company driver asks when they start considering starting their owner-operator business. Sadly, the answer is not the same for every driver. The main reason owner-operators ask themselves this question is to find out whether running their own business will pay off even after paying the monthly leasing rate. Are the expenses bigger than the earnings, and will they be able to live off of what’s left? The answer to all these questions depends on several factors. In this article, we’ll try to clarify how much does it cost to lease a semi truck. The Cost of a Semi-Truck The price of the truck itself … Read more

Financing a Home Purchase: Demystifying the Mortgage Process and Making Your Dreams Come True

by Guest Contributor

Lessons Learned from Selling My First House

You’ve decided to look for your dream home in the area of your choice, you know exactly what kind of home you need, you’ve crunched the numbers and now you’re looking for a mortgage lender. How do you know that you are getting a reliable lender that will give you the best deal? Do you know and understand the entire mortgage process? Here are a few tips and hints to help you navigate the mortgage process.

Understanding the Mortgage Process

What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a House?

Although your credit score is by no means the only factor that will be taken into consideration by mortgage lenders, it will play an important role in determining how much interest you will pay on your loan.

Therefore, the better your credit score, the less costly your home financing will be. To date, if your credit score is at least 660, you will typically qualify for a mortgage with a decent interest rate.

You may also qualify for bad credit mortgage financing with some lenders who specialize in working with borrowers with poor credit, even if you’ve been turned down by other lenders.

What Other Factors are Important?

As well as your credit score, mortgage lenders will also take a close look at the other information on your credit report including:

Your account status – they will want to see that you have had credit or bank accounts open for at least one year, and that you do not have judgments or collections against you. If you do have outstanding collections or judgments, you will need to take care of these before you can obtain a loan (excepting outstanding medical bills).
Mortgage payments – they will want to see if you have made any other mortgage payments within the past year.

Another thing that lenders will want to see, which will not be on your credit report, but will be verified, is your rental history, to ensure that you have not made any late payments. If you have had more than one late payment within the past 12 months, you may have a hard time getting approved for a mortgage.