According to CBS News, 8 in 10 Americans say they live paycheck to paycheck, which makes it hard for individuals to get out of debt. And with 80% of Americans in debt, this puts most people at a tough financial impasse. If you’re one of these people, you may be thinking there’s no end in sight, but it is possible for you to pay off debt even when living paycheck to paycheck. You just need to keep in mind that it’s going to be hard work and will likely require some changes made to your current spending habits. But if you can commit to the following tips and tricks, you’ll find yourself debt free before you know it.
Ensure everyone is mentally prepared.
Whether you handle your finances alone or share finances with a spouse, it’s important that everyone is mentally prepared for what it will take to get out of debt. This means you both need to understand that your spending habits will likely need to change and some adjustments may need to be made to your current lifestyle. If you cannot wrap your head around this, it will be entirely difficult for you to get out of debt. However, if you can commit, you’ll have a goal that’s closer to obtain than ever before.
Gain a better understanding of your current financial situation.
Before you can start your journey to paying off debt, you need to gain a better understanding of your current financial situation. This means you need to take the time to sit down and look at the money you have coming in versus the money you have going out. Write down a list of how often you get paid and how much it brings in every month. Then write down a list of your monthly expenses, listed by things like necessities (mortgage, utilities) down to those that are not necessities (dining out, entertainment). By doing this, you’ll have a better understanding of where your money is going.
Negotiate bills or cut expenses.
Now that you know where your money is going, it’s important to negotiate bills or cut out certain expenses. For instance, if you pay $30 a month for a gym membership you barely use, then it’s a good idea to cancel your membership. This gives you an extra $30 you can put toward your debt every month. In addition to cutting expenses, you can negotiate your bills. For instance, if you have a high cable bill, call the provider and see if there are discounts you can take advantage of. If not, then maybe you should decide if there’s another cable provider in your area you can use or if you even need cable altogether. If you’re uncomfortable doing this yourself, consider using an app like Trim that will do all the work for you.
Create a budget.
After you have cut expenses and lowered bills, it’s time for you to create a budget. There are plenty of ways to do this, so you need to find the way that works best for you, whether it’s using a spreadsheet or by using an app like Mvelopes. This will help you see exactly what you have coming in and what you have going out every month. Be sure to budget for everything, including things like groceries or gas. If you forget something, it will make it harder for you to get out of debt. After you create the budget, you’ll notice if there’s a disconnect between your income and your expenses. If you don’t bring in enough money to cover everything, you’ll need to find more expenses to eliminate to help balance.
Generate side income.
Generating side income can be tricky, but it’s a good idea especially if you want to get out of debt. For some people, this means taking on another part-time or full-time job; however, this isn’t an option for everyone. If you cannot afford to do that, then find other ways to generate income. For instance, maybe you can put a skill to good use, such as baking, babysitting, or taking on online writing or proofreading jobs. You can also look for jobs like Uber or Instacart that allow you to work when it’s convenient for you. Or, find things around your home to sell for extra cash, such as old appliances, clothing, or even sell a car for parts.
Once you have this side income, it’s important to use it solely to pay off your debts. Even if you only bring in an extra $100 a month, that’s $100 you didn’t have before. In order to most effectively climb out of debt, consider using Dave Ramsey’s Snowball method, which forces you to pay off the smallest debt first and continue to roll money into the larger debts.
By being on top of your financial situation and making the necessary changes to your spending, you’ll find yourself getting out of debt and out of the paycheck to paycheck cycle before you know it.
7 Reasons Why You Should Adopt Cloud-Based Workflow
It is hard to ignore the advantages of using cloud-based workflows. In this era of low code platforms and cloud computing, cloud workflow software adds a lot more value to the business process modeling. Adopting the trend of cloud-based workflow is not a tough task. Yes, in the beginning, you might experience some difficulties, but once you get to know all the features of cloud BPM, you are going to love the concept.
With cloud-based workflow module, it is feasible to enhance the business productivity by eliminating the wastes and bottlenecks. You can transform the operating model of your business and streamline all the processes with a uniform architecture. Cloud-based workflow allows you to analyze the statistics in one click and helps in taking the decisions instantly.
If you are still in doubt and hesitate to adopt the cloud-based workflow system, it is recommended to read and understand the below-mentioned reasons.
- Remote access – In the traditional business processes, accessing the data was only feasible in the office network. But cloud workflow eliminates the legacy and allows the users to access the data from anywhere in the world. It also gives you the power to work from any device like mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. No matter, whether you are awaiting a flight in the airport lounge or simply residing at your home, you can easily access the data through cloud workflow and can complete the work within the deadlines.
- Data safety – When the data gets corrupted or the server crashes, it is very difficult to recover the lost data. The entire recovery process involves high expenses and time, which increases the worries of the business organizations. But if the data were maintained on cloud-based workflow software, the backup and recovery solutions would have been very simple. With cloud computing features, you don’t need to worry about the safety of data. Without any large upfront investment and time, you can effectively recover the lost data from the cloud storage.
- Cloud workflow security – Security is the main advantage of working with cloud BPM For a business organization, it is obvious to worry about data theft and loss. But when your business processes are maintained with cloud workflow software, you don’t need to worry about any security threats. The cloud-based workflow is protected by multiple layers of security and ensures safe data. Even the professional hackers can’t steal the data from the cloud-based workflow server.
- Collaborative modeling – Any user can actively participate in the cloud-based workflow module. No matter, whether the user is present in the office or is sitting at some different location, he/she can easily modify the contents of data. If you want, you can share the screen of your device with any user from the workflow. This allows you to make necessary modifications in your tasks, with the help of seniors or experts. Indeed, this collaborative modeling feature ensures participation of every user in real-time.
- Easy integration with other software – Integrating your cloud workflows with other software is not a tough task anymore. With simple drag and drop interface, cloud BPM allows you to integrate your workflows to any software as per your needs. This helps you in keeping a good track of your statistics as well as streamlines the workflow. No need to write any lines-of-code to integrate the software with cloud workflow.
- Good scalability – Every time your team increases or decreases, you don’t need to worry about the cost. With cloud workflow model, you don’t have to buy new equipment or servers for a new user. You can simply scale up your operations by paying an additional fee to the service provider. The cloud-based workflow software is marketed by SaaS model, thus all you need to do is just inform your service provider. The provider will then allow your users to access the data in the cloud workflow
- One-click customization – Yes, you can now customize your workflow model with one click only. Depending on your needs, you can decide which workflow operations, you want in your business process. You are free to add or remove any functioning of the software, anytime. Keep an active eye on every process and performance of users and enhance the efficiency of your cloud-based workflow system.
All these above reasons justify the use of cloud workflow in business processes. But shifting your business module to the cloud is not a single-day task. You need to train your team to work on the cloud platform, which is the most important part of cloud BPM. Once all of your users are set with the cloud-based workflow module, the entire workflow will be streamlined automatically.
In case, you are finding it difficult to work with cloud workflow; it is recommended to consult a trustable cloud computing service provider.
The New Pension Scam and How To Avoid It
It’s a sad fact that those of us that have saved up to support ourselves in retirement by saving for a pension is often the target of scammers, both at home and abroad.
Of course, the authorities have been trying to fight the number of pension scams for some time, which only gets harder to do as the scams evolve.
One of the best ways to protect yourself against scam and mis-sold pensions is to learn a little bit about how to spot them.
So, here’s how a Third Generation pension Scam works, and how you can avoid it.
Old Vs New Pension Scams
As more people become aware of pension scams and how they operate, some scammers have upped their game.
Just a few years ago, people were receiving cold-calls and being told to transfer into SIPP pensions, investing in high-risk stuff like overseas property schemes and forestry projects, without being fully informed about the risks involved. This often resulted in people losing huge chunks of their pension, especially in circumstances where they were unable to make a claim.
But both the FCA and many pension savers got wise to this, forcing the scammers to change the rules of the game yet again.
So some began disguising the high-risk investments in bonds.
High Risk Investments In Disguise
Much of the scamming model has remained the same – it usually starts with a cold-call to the intended target, and it may involve a “free pension review”.
From then, SIPP pensions (as well as SSASs and QROPSs) are often still the destinations – more flexible pensions that can often hold high-risk investments.
But here’s the difference: instead of directly offering more obviously risky investment in something like overseas property, the investment is ‘wrapped’ in a bond, with a friendly sounding name that doesn’t hint at the high-risk nature of the investment lurking underneath – an extra layer of disguise.
Suitability
Let’s use an analogy to explain suitability and how negligent or even “scammer” financial advisers sometimes work.
Let’s say you want a chocolate bar, but you have a nut allergy.
Of course, you wouldn’t want a chocolate bar with peanuts in – it would be unsuitable for you. But the guy selling the chocolate bars is overstocked with peanut flavoured bars, or maybe makes a bigger profit if he sells those bars rather than plain chocolate.
So, he cleverly takes a chocolate bar with nuts in and wraps it up in a plain chocolate wrapper, so you make the purchase. What happens later? Well, it could cause you damage, and make you feel like you’ve been had, but by that time, our chocolate bar seller has disappeared off into the night…
Well, that’s sort of like disguising a high-risk investment so people who aren’t suitable would unwittingly push their money into it.
How to avoid a pension scam.
- Information is power – get to know your pension arrangements, including where your money is invested and how it is supposed to pay a return. Be on the lookout for any investments that aren’t regulated by the FCA, or are based abroad – they may be higher risk than you thought.
- Avoid cold-calls: we hope these will become less now that tougher data protection laws have come into effect, however scammers will still try to find a way to contact you. Free Pension Reviews can sound good, but they will often be far from unbiased as they look for places to put your pension that pay them the commission.
- Find a reputable and regulated financial adviser – Always seek independent financial advice, and check your adviser out using the FCA register (free to use).
- The Golden Rule: If it sounds too good to be true… you know the rest. Keep your head screwed on, and be on alert for high-pressure tactics like playing down your old pension, posing the new arrangement as a limited time only offer, and anything aggressive or biased.
Keep your retirement plans safe, and if you get into trouble, don’t take it lying down.
Tom Iveson is the Content Manager for Get Claims Advice where he covers topics related to SIPPs and mis-sold pensions
Learn to Be Financially Savvy When Buying a Car
When buying a car, even the most financially-prudent people seem to lose their head. It’s understandable though since you’re spoilt for choice with so many possibilities. But, failure to be financially savvy when buying a car can mean that you end up in a deep financial strain in the future. After all, what’s the point of owning a fancy car if you’re constantly stressed and worried about paying your bills?
Here’s a quick guide to help you make sound financial choices when you’re looking to buy a car.
Make A List of Your Needs
Notice how we mentioned “needs” and not “wants”. Many people tend to confuse the two. You need a fuel-efficient car, but you want a car with heated seats. One is a sensible need while the other is a non-essential want. Before you start looking at cars, make a list of your car needs. What are the things that you just can’t compromise on when it comes to your new car? Having a well thought out list will help you stay focused. When you know exactly what you need, you will be less likely to be swayed or distracted by attractive features that are basically-essential luxuries.
Narrow Down Your Car Brand Options
The market is flooded with so many different car brands. But only some of them offer maximum value for your money. Once you decide on your budget and what you need from a car, the next step should be to narrow down the car brand options. Do some research to find out which car brands offer you fuel-efficiency, resale value and just overall value for money.
Have A Clear Budget in Mind
Just because you can afford it, doesn’t mean you should buy it. When deciding on a budget for your car, don’t stretch yourself. Give a lot of leeway for unforeseen expenses that might crop up on other areas of your life.The last thing you need is to buy a car that’s well over your affordability range & struggle with monthly repayments and a ridiculously long loan period.
Check the Car’s History
So, you’ve found the perfect car. It’s in great used condition & you’re getting it at a steal. But before you sign that cheque, do a quick car history check. All you need is the VIN number. This is a very crucial step that should not be skipped. There are a lot of websites that offer this service. For a small fee, you can have the car’s accident history and any other hidden faults it might have.
Have A Mechanic Inspect the Car Before Purchase
It’s a good idea to have a seasoned mechanic inspect the car before you buy it. For one, having an auto expert look at the car will help bring any unknown issues to the forefront. It is possible that the seller is not aware of some issues that the car has since the issues have not been obvious. But a mechanic will be able to point them out, which can help bring down the price or even change your mind about buying the car. And if a seller refuses to let a mechanic inspect the car, then you have to ask yourself, what are they hiding? Do you want to risk buying the car without inspection, only to find out it has some major issue post-purchase? Or do you want to walk away from such a risk?
Sell Your Old Car Before Buying A New One
Don’t wait till you find your perfect car before selling your old one in a hurry. Last-minute car sale means that there’s a high chance that you will settle for a lower price, just to be rid of the old car. It also means that, in your rush to close the deal, you’re more likely to enter into a sale with unreliable or dodgy buyers, who might try to scam you.So, make sure you sell your old car to a trustworthy car buyer who will pay you top dollars for your car before you start shopping for a new one. Even if it means that you will be without a car for a few days, it’s still worth it than getting scammed with a lowball offer for your car.
All the above-mentioned tips will help you make sound financial decisions when buying a car. A car is a pretty expensive purchase, so it pays to be careful & takes all the necessary precautions to ensure that you’re getting the best value for every dollar spent.
Is it Better to Buy Car Insurance in the Summer?
There are a number of drivers that may not be aware of the impact the seasons have on insurance premiums. Common knowledge tells us that the winter months present more hazards and a higher risk of accidents than in the summer, but does this really affect car insurance premiums?
The answer is yes. It does not always come down to just the weather, however, but a number of factors which present a higher risk to insurance companies. Car insurance quotes change throughout the year for different reasons, yet, over the past few years in many parts of North America, December was the most expensive month to get cover. As prices have spiked in December since 2013, they have fallen by mid-January.
This is not a trend only experienced by Americans and Canadians. The British have also witnessed a trend in prices rising significantly in December.
According to The Telegraph, 2015 saw a rise in the price of an average policy by 7% in December. These prices were also highlighted during periods when “insurance prices otherwise remained fairly stable.”
One reason cited by a leading insurance provider in Britain was that, due to the holidays, there were fewer quotes being generated. The companies which were more active around Christmas and the New Yearcould effectively raise their prices due to the lack of competition. When everyone was back to normal in early January, marketing campaigns and price deductions naturally led to a drop in the average quote.
More Vehicles on the Road
Another theory behind why insurance prices tend to go up in December (but car prices don’t) is that there are more vehicles on the road. For example, the majority of workers will have time off over the holidays and will be driving from place to place; whether it is shopping for the holidays, visiting family, or simply enjoying leisure time.
More vehicles on the road mean more chances of crashes and accidents, in general. This could be the reason why certain states see a price hike in the summer months. As students are not in classes and there are more and more first time drivers looking for cover, insurance companies may deem this to be a significant risk in general.
Back to the Weather
It is very difficult to discount the role of the weather when it comes to insurance companies producing higher quotes during the winter months. With heavy rain, snow, icy roads and treacherous conditions, the chances of an accident occurring are naturally increased.
Insurance companies rely on a multitude of stats and figures, so they will account for things such as how the weather plays a part in collisions, for example. Understanding this may influence drivers in when they choose to look for insurance cover, if they have the luxury of doing so.
When it comes to purchasing car insurance, there may be certain times of the year when quotations are higher to some, but this is not applicable to all. The best thing to do, as always, is compare and go from there.
Gold as an Investment – Tips for Gold Investors
If the financial meltdown of 2008 and the difficult years that followed taught us anything, it was that we need to take control of our own destinies when it comes to investments. Trust nobody and nothing, as even the most venerable of financial institutions can collapse under its own weight and that of a thousand investors, if the market is subjected to certain winds of change.
It also taught us a lesson that the world leaders and captains of industry from hundreds of years past knew very well – that whoever possesses gold and precious metals holds the most valuable cards.
Whether you are a seasoned investor or you are considering entering the gold market for the first time, here are some tips that you would do well to keep in mind.
Gold means gold
There are those who talk about investing in gold but actually mean putting some money into ETFs, assuming they are “as good as gold” in terms of their value, butdo away with the need for physically owning gold bullion or coins. The trouble is, in an extreme scenario, these funds are as vulnerable as any other and you could end up possessing worthless sheets of paper.Most investors agree that if you are going to invest in gold, do it for real. You can purchase 1 oz gold bars here, along with other forms of gold and precious metals.
Stick to your plan
Gold might be quite different from stocks and shares, but it is still an investment. To convert it into profit, you need to follow a logical and coherent plan, just as you do if you are trading the Forex market or dabbling in Bitcoin.
Making refinements to your plan is fine, but don’t commit to wholesale changes on the basis of a sudden rise or fall in market condition. Gold is a long-term investment, and like anything else, it sees fluctuations on a day to day basis. Let it ride them out, and assess progress on a weekly or even monthly basis to get a true indication of how your investment is performing.
Protect your investment
Physical gold is a beautiful thing to own and enjoy. It is also imperishable, and can withstand extreme conditions. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to look after it, however. Keep your gold properly stored and secure, and if you are holding it at home, look into any reporting obligations you might have on your home insurance schedule. If in doubt, disclosure is always the safest option.
Diversify
Gold serves as a perfect hedge against market uncertainty. As such, it is important to get the right amount in your investment portfolio. Of course, we all know diversity is the key to risk mitigation, so there is a school of thought that keeping it as low as possible, and even diversifying with other precious metals such as silver and palladium makes sense. At any rate, a holding of 10 to 15 percent of your overall investment portfolio in gold is usually seen as ideal.
How to Act on Volatility in Forex Trading
Volatile markets create trade setups, so you need to act fast when the opportunities arise. The Forex market is no different – Forex traders live on volatility. Still, many traders miss on this rapid and rewarding market movement by following very liquid currency pairs and ignoring important forex economic calendar events.
In addition, be prepared to trade wherever you’re – markets don’t sleep and neither should you. By using a trading software which runs on all computers, such as the MetaTrader5 web trading platform, you’ll be able to act fast and catch the price movement as soon as the volatility appears.
In this article, we’ll show you a few simple tips to stay ahead of volatile price movements which can be easily applied to your everyday trading.
Include Cross-Pairs and Exotics in Your Trading
If you follow the online Forex trading community, you may have noticed that a lot of attention is placed on the major pairs, which include the US dollar as either the base or counter-currency. Cross-pairs (which consist of two major currencies but exclude the US dollar) are relatively less discussed, and you won’t be able to find a lot of reference to exotic currencies.
The problem with this approach is that majors are usually significantly less volatile than cross-pairs and exotics. The reason for this lies in their liquidity – the more liquid a pair is, the more buyers and sellers are waiting to jump into the market at any given price-level, which in turn turns volatility down. Let’s take EUR/USD for example. Theworld’s most liquid currency pair hadan average daily volatility of only 75 pips in the beginning of 2018. Compare this to the average volatility of GBP/JPY (a cross-pair) of 218 pips, or that of USD/TRY (Turkish lira) which reached 377 pips, and you’ll see the difference.
By including cross-pairs and even exotic currencies in your trading, you’ll find that their volatility increases your profit potential significantly. However, pay attention to your risk tolerance – volatility may easily go against you as well.
Make Sure to Have Access to the Markets
How many times did you open a chart and missed a spike in the price? This is especially true in times of major news releases when the price can easily jump dozens or even hundreds of pips up or down. If you find a possible trading opportunity based on volatility, you need to act fast and enter the market as soon as possible. In case you’re not in front of your trading desk, you can use a web-trader such as the MetaTrader 5 Web Trading Platform. A web trading platform can be fired up on any computer with a web-browser, so you won’t miss any trades even when on the go.
Follow Major Calendar Events
By following Forex economic calendar events, you’ll be able to stay up-to-date on all major developments and reports in the market. And as we said above, those reports can generate many trading opportunities of which you otherwise wouldn’t be aware of. Each morning, scan the economic calendar for upcoming events that may impact your open positions. And if the actual release unleashes enough volatility to break major technical levels, fire up your trading desk and be prepared for the upcoming price-action.
What Types of Loans Should You Consider?
There are many different types of loans available to you, with everything from low-interest, long-term loans for large purchases to high-interest, short-term loans designed to get you by for a week or two. Knowing which loans to take out at what time is part of being a savvy financial planner.
Some loans can actually be very helpful, especially if you’re trying to make a large purchase like a home or car. Still, it’s important to sort through these loans carefully because you want to find the loan with the best APR and other terms for your needs. Here is some helpful advice.
Payday Loans
If there is one type of loan you should stay away from, it’s the dreaded payday loan. These loans come with a high interest rate and must be paid back in a short period of time. They can be helpful if you absolutely need money right now but won’t be getting paid for another week or two, but they can also leave you in a vicious cycle of borrowing more than you have and downsizing each paycheck.
As an alternative to taking out a payday loan, consider borrowing money from friends or family or talking to a local bank or credit union. If you absolutely must have money for bills before your next paycheck and a payday loan is your only option for getting it, make sure you pay it back as soon as possible to avoid additional interest charges.
Auto Loans
The best loans to take out are those which allow you to purchase something you couldn’t otherwise purchase. Larger loans like this often come with a long term and a low interest rate, and auto loans are a prime example. While purchasing an older used car for a few thousand is a good option for many drivers, taking out a good auto loan is the only way to go if you’re buying something a bit more expensive—especially if you’re considering purchasing a brand new car.
Auto loans generally have low interest rates and allow you to pay off your car over a period of several years. This gives you the flexibility to shop for the car you want without feeling too guilty about spending a fortune on interest or not quite being able to afford it. To make things even easier on yourself, you can even use an auto loan calculator to simulate various loans and determine how much you would owe in interest.
Home Loans
As is the case with auto loans, home loans offer comparatively low interest rates over a long term period. In fact, you can take out a loan to buy a home and pay it off over the next 20 or 30 years. This gives you tons of flexibility financially, and it’s generally the preferred method for buying a home. Keep in mind that you will have to satisfy certain requirements to take out a loan, including proving that you have a certain amount of income and making a down payment on the loan.
The biggest thing to worry about when it comes to buying a home is the changing market. As various parts of the US economy change, so does the market for real estate. Sometimes houses are selling for more than they should, sometimes less. The trick is to try to buy your home when prices are relatively low, that way you can resell your home without losing tons of money.
Student Loans
Student loans are one of the most common types of loans available. These are very special loans with extremely low interest rates, plus they can be paid back over a number of years. For most college students today, student loans are the only way to afford school until a better career is on the horizon.
There is no problem with taking out student loans to pursue a career you’re interested in. As long as you’re going to have steady income which you can use to pay the loan back, a student loan is a good investment in yourself.
Loans aren’t the most complicated thing in the world, but they can be a bit tricky. As long as you follow this basic guide, you should be a successful borrower.
4 Ways for Investing in Commercial Property Without Spending Millions
Why would you want to make a million dollar investment in commercial properties if you can make a less expensive investment? Real estate investors who are ignoring commercial properties for making an investment are actually missing a lot of opportunities, such as higher rental yields than can be earned in comparison to yields from residential properties.
Such opportunities are attractive for people who live off investment income, like retirees. But the problem is that most of the people believe that investing in commercial property is too much of hard work and also very expensive. But the truth is that there are ways to get into the commercial real estate investment without making an expensive investment. Let’s see how that can be done.
1- Australian Real Estate Investment Trust
One of the easiest ways to invest in commercial property in Australia without having to spend millions is to buy an Australian real estate investment trust, also known as A-REIT, or you can buy a real estate exchange traded fund (ETF) on the ASX. This way you only have to spend $500. But the problem is that the property investments that are listed on the ASX are always affected by the volatility of the share market because they are not direct real estate investments. However, you can get a direct exposure if you invest in unlisted funds. Doing so might not be as easy as it was with A-REITs and you will also have to outlay a larger sum of money, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.
2- You Can Co-Invest with the Other Professionals
This is an option available for investors seeking out opportunities for making a passive investment in commercial property. You can seek out other professional investors and groups that have proven track records of sound dealings. This is one of the best ways of investing in commercial property because it gives the investors an ability to reduce the risk because you team up with some of the tested veterans.
3- Professional Advice
The chairman of Property Investment Professionals of Australia, Ben Kingsley, said commercial property investment is the domain of more sophisticated real estate investors. But he also said that small investors can also still benefit from the same commercial property investing if they really know what they’re doing. It means that small investors also have a chance of investing in commercial property if they seek the counsel of expert professionals. For further details, you can visit stamfordcapital.com.au.
4- Finding the Right Property
You can always buy a shop or an office directly often at a cost far less than the cost of a private or residential property. For that, you would have to hire an experienced lawyer who’s familiar with commercial real estate investment and commercial property leases.
If you invest in a commercial property through one of these ways, the chances are you will earn great profits. It’s because, with commercial leases, tenants have to make the property fit for their use and for that they have to add value to the property which benefits the landlord financially. Also, with commercial properties, the rental yields are high and the leases are longer.
Top Factors That Influence the Prices of Silver in the Market
Silver metal has always been in demand due to its unique characteristics. Investing in this precious metal also provides the investors with the opportunity to earn good profits. But the market value of silver tends to fluctuate quite often. Which means you may end up losing your investment if you don’t make smart decisions.
In order to secure your investment, you should know about the factors that influence its prices. By considering these factors, you can determine whether or not it’s in your interest to buy silver at any given time.
Let’s take a look at the factors that are responsible for the changing prices of silver in the market:
Economic Conditions
The economic conditions of any country impact the price of silver and other precious metals. Silver is commonly used in making jewellery and many other products.
When the economic conditions are good, people are more likely to show an interest in buying these products. On the other hand, during inflation, the demand of these luxury products tends to decrease. Therefore, the better the economic trends, the higher will be the value of the precious metals.
Demand and Supply
The ratio between demand and supply affects the value of silver metal like nothing else. The demand of silver has significantly increased during the past few years, whereas its supply has almost remained constant. Due to the increasing costs of mining, its supply has even reduced after 2011.
The more the difference between the demand and supply of silver, the higher is its value. So, you should look out for the information about the demand and supply of silver before making a buying decision.
Value of the Dollar
The value of dollar in the international market influences the value of silver. The stronger the currency, the lower the prices of silver will be.
If the dollar is strong, you can buy silver at low costs. But when the dollar loses its value, you can sell off the silver metal at a higher value. http://www.goldstackers.com.au is the right platform to buy silver metal.
Gold Prices
Gold is the primary factor that affects the value of all other precious metals, including silver, in the market. Although silver has a relatively smaller market, an increase or decrease in the value of gold affects the demand of silver.
For instance, if the environment is bearish, people are likely to lose their interest in investing in gold as well as silver. The prices of silver follow the trend of gold prices. So, if you keep an eye on the stock market, you can make profitable decisions.
Interest Rates
Not many people know that interest rates also affect the value of silver. Many investors buy silver as a long-term investment option. They prefer interest payments over their assets. But if the interest rates decrease, they are likely to sell off their shares. This practice tends to lower the value of silver.
Now that you know the factors due to which the prices of silver are so volatile, you should consider these factors when you want to invest in the precious metal.