Investing is a pursuit that suits many. An ideal means of increasing your income and boosting your bank balance, it also offers excitement, challenge, and complexity to those seeking a new and compelling pastime.
It’s common for those thinking of investing to struggle at the start of their venture. Many people simply don’t know where to begin, and with so many instruments and options to consider, this is hardly surprising.
So, to help you gain a head-start, here are three of the best investment options to add to your portfolio…
#1: Precious Metals
Precious metals are always a good starting point for those who choose to invest, and this is largely down to their ‘safe haven’ properties. Gold, in particular, tends to hold its value during periods of economic turmoil, and indeed often sees an increase in its price tag when times are tough. Silver acts in a similar way, but has the added advantage of enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to its growing usage in industry. With products as diverse as cars, cameras, and even industrial machinery utilising it, it’s worth looks set to continue booming throughout 2016, making it an ideal addition to your portfolio.
#2: Forex
For those looking for a more high-risk venture than precious metals can offer, the foreign exchange might be worth considering. Trading around the clock, the currency markets are flexible, accessible, and have the potential to be highly profitable. Indeed, with a reputable broker like OANDA to aid them, many investors enjoy significant successes. Although the risks can be just as great as the potential rewards, forex trading remains an ideal challenge for those looking for excitement, exhilaration, and the chance to make big money.
#3: Shares
Thirdly and finally, look at investing in shares. The stock markets are filled with a wide variety of different businesses, all offering you the opportunity for part ownership. A lot of inexperienced investors, in particular, gravitate towards these, thanks to the familiarity of the names that you’ll be trading. Offering a unique chance to play a role in the future of your favourite companies, as well as the possibility of making some tidy profits, the stock markets can be an ideal addition to any investor’s portfolio.
Choosing the assets that you add to your portfolio is essential to your success on the financial markets: choose well, and profits are there for the taking; choose poorly, and you could scupper your opportunities. Do your research, make your selection with care, and secure the future you’ve been dreaming of.
Some useful tips for you not to fall prey to jewellers’sales tactics
Shopping for diamonds is an art. Diamond shopping is a test of meticulousness. All diamonds may look equally impressive in jewellery stores, but only when viewed under natural daylight will it reveal its true brilliance. In a bid to make your diamond shopping a wiser one, JannPaul highlights 5 of the most common marketing tactics.
There can be GIA triple Excellent diamonds that are poor performers.
When a diamond is said to have a triple excellent rating, it refers to the rating of the diamond’s cut grade, polish and symmetry. Often, this is how a salesperson would benchmark their diamond, by saying a “triple Excellent diamond is the best.”
However, there is much more to this. A more reliable way to determine the quality and performance of a diamond, is by measuring the light performance (measured with an Ideal Scope or ASET Scope) and symmetry of the diamond (measured with a Hearts and Arrow Scope).
The Ideal Scope reveals the amount of light return and light leakage in a diamond. Through the scope, the greater the red areas, the more intense the light return. What this means is a lot of light is coming into the diamond and reflected out, giving the diamond a brighter look. The white areas you see on the Ideal Scope represents the amount of light leakage, which you want to minimize.
A more advanced version of the Ideal Scope is the ASET Scope. The ASET Scope determines the strength of a diamond’s light return. Red areas are indicative of strong light, while green areas represent weak light return. White areas show full light leakage, which is regarded as poor light performance in a diamond. The blue areas are a diamond’s contrast, which gives an idea of where the colourful sparkles you see on the diamond are. It should ideally have sharp and crisp arrows.
Both the Ideal Scope and ASET Scope are not commonly found in local jewellery stores, but it can be easily found online.
Although these two diamonds have different light performances, they can cost the same! This is because diamonds are sold based on what is shown on the GIA certificate, and GIA does not grade the light performance of a diamond.
“The diamond is GIA-certified.”
Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the world’s oldest, largest, and one of the most respected independent laboratories. Their laboratories are regarded as one of the most respected laboratories in the diamond industry, simply because of their consistency and unbiased diamond grading systems. As such, most of the diamonds manufactured now are graded according to the GIA standards, making it one of the most popular diamond certification in the industry.
GIA grades a diamond on according to the 4 “C”s – Carat, Colour, Cut and Clarity. That being said, there are other facets of a diamond that determine the quality of the diamond, which the GIA certificate does not take into consideration. For instance, two diamonds with the same GIA certification grades may differ greatly in terms of their light performances.
“The diamond is a ‘’Super Ideal Cut’’.”
The term Super Ideal Cut is used to label a diamond that is cut to the maximum light performance. The Super Ideal Cut standard was introduced into Singapore by Paul Hung from JannPaul in 2010.
In order to prove that a diamond has high light performance, various tools are needed, such as the HCA tool, Ideal Scope, ASET Scope and Hearts & Arrows scope. Without these analytical tools, a jeweller cannot label their diamond as a Super Ideal Cut.
Unfortunately, there is no regulation for this type of grading in the industry. That is to say, any jeweller can brand their diamonds as a “Super Ideal Cut” according to their own parameters. Hence, it is important not to fall into these marketing labels, and to learn how to check if the diamond you’re purchasing is truly a Super Ideal Cut.
In other words, no scopes, no talk.
The Hearts & Arrows scope does not measure a diamond’s brilliance
The Hearts and Arrow Scope reveals the symmetry of a diamond. A good diamond appears symmetrical and crisp under the scope, with no clefts or visible flaws. This scope is most commonly found in most jewellery stores, but is by no means the most representative way of determining the cut of a diamond.
What this scope does not reveal is the amount of light leakages in a diamond. Light leakage is indicative of poor light performance in a diamond, as the light leaks out instead of being reflected out. A diamond with poor light performance can still look good under the Hearts & Arrows scope, as all it means is that the diamond is symmetrically cut or it has symmetrical light leakages.
“The greater the carat size, the bigger the diamond.”
Carat size is the weight of a diamond, but it does not tell you anything about a diamond’s brightness or how well it sparkles, much less its cut and size.
For the same carat weight, a diamond can be cut deeper, making it look smaller. A deeply cut diamond can affect its light performance as well, causing it to appear darker and duller. Hence, a well cut diamond will appear larger, brighter and more brilliant compared to a poorly cut diamond of the same carat weight.
The next time you shop for diamonds, equip yourself with this common language to defend yourself and your pockets from harm. With the appropriate tools for accessing a diamond’s quality, it is not as difficult as one might imagine to pick out one that’s worth the price tag attached to it.
Special thanks to Casey Lai from JANNPAUL for these useful tips.
Before its release, people have been clamoring over the great possibilities that the Samsung Galaxy Note7 can bring. Its innovative design focuses on offering better usage with the dual-curved screen and shaping a comfortable grip with the 5.7-inch unit. Continuing the legacy of the preceding Galaxy phones, the latest Note7 along with the S Pen is waterproof. The privacy features went up a notch with the “iris scanning”. The improvements did not stop there!
Samsung came up with a larger battery that minimizes the charging speed and expands the longevity of the phone. However, this turn out to bring more problems than solutions. The battery of several Note7 units all over the world either bloated or exploded. In UAE alone, the Consumer Protection Depart at the Ministry of Economy has removed about 19,000 faulty Note7 off the market.
To control the damage and to address the gravity of the situation, Samsung has taken the full responsibility by issuing prompt recall of these units. All the local telecoms adhered and they ceased the sales of the device. This is followed by the introduction of an exchange program.
As the name suggests, customers who can exchange their defective units from September 16 to October 2. Given that these said customers purchased their Note7 from any local telecom operators, authorized mobile retailers, Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung’s Lazada Singapore online store, and major electronic shops. Self-collection of the new devices in the same color is done by visiting the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre or by having it shipped in your home.
If you are eager to get your defective unit exchanged, follow these simple steps:
1. Go to samsung.com/sg/note7exchange and enter a preferred collection time slot. This link will only be live on Friday (September 9, 2016).
2. Booking period begins from September 9 and extends until September 25. Register yourself if you are eligible for the replacement.
3. You shall return your Note7 afterwards. Worry not about having no means of communication as courtesy devices will be available for loan while you wait for a better unit of Note7.
4. If deemed to be qualified, your warranty period will be extended to commence from the date of the exchange.
May these information ease your worries about your newly purchased Note7!
Hiking up successfully to a mountain of debts is a difficult task to anyone but, it is doable. All you need to get started is the application of money management skills.
The first step is to take a hard look at your cash flow. It is important to track where your money is going through observing the previous months’ bank statements and receipts. If an expense category is not necessary then, reduce or eliminate it from your budget. This includes magazine or newspaper subscriptions, cable television bundles, postpaid plans, gym memberships, and so on. Doing so will force you to come out of your comfort zone and live by your needs.
Instead of frequenting the gym, you can visit the nearby parks freely to have a recharging jog. You may also view the publications and reading materials available at the library at no cost. Read more books about personal finance to supplement your journey.
Its pervasive nature gave rise to the importance of controlling our credit card habits. Begin by collating all your credit card statements. List down your current balances and corresponding interest rates. Put these in order by starting with the greatest interest rate and down with the least interest rate. Pay of the debts with the highest interest rates first as it will be the most beneficial move in the long run.
Create a realistic budget that incorporates what you discovered about your cash flow and your debts. Stick with this budget! When all these are said and done, it is important to maintain healthy financial habits. Keep yourself motivated by setting financial goals. Sharing your progress to the significant people in your life can encourage you even more. You may also make an illustrated board (e.g., filled with pictures of your dream house or vacation) to visualize your goals.
Image Credits: pixabay.com
The road ahead may seem impossible at the moment. So, you better hang in there!
Here are five ways to save money as the head of the household:
SHOP ONLINE FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES
There are many retailers that offer promotions and clearance sales on their own websites. You will not save money on the supplies but you will also save a lot on gas or transportation costs. If you have the time, purchase online.
If you have the option to leave your children behind with a family member or a babysitter then, do so. Children play a huge role on what goes inside your basket. This is why marketers and store strategists put their items on a child’s eye-level.
You do not have to give in to what your playful kids wants if you go to the store alone. This will help you to save a lot more money!
Image Credits: pixabay.com
MAKE A LIST AND STICK TO IT
Say you have no choice but to bring your precious little ones along. Turn grocery shopping into a fun task by making a game out of it. Start by planning your menu throughout the week. Then, list down the ingredients and other products you need to purchase. Save more money by opting for the generic or store brands.
Have your children find each item on the list (much like a treasure hunt). The person who finds the most items at the end of the shopping trip will win a prize. It is up to you to choose which prize will entice your children.
SAVEON KIDDIE PARTIES
You are not forced to send invites to everyone in your kid’s entire class. If your budget does not allow you to invite your kid’s entire class, employ the “age plus one rule”. For example, you are planning to throw a party for your 6-year-old son then, invite 7 guests. Keep the numbers down by making it clear that the guests’ siblings are not invited.
Aside from that, you can forgo printing services by sending out electronic invitations through Facebook or email. This gets the job done – fast.
STOCK UP DURING GSS
An easy way to save money in Singapore is to take advantage of the “Great Singapore Sale”. This event which happens once a year includes numerous retailers from all over the nation. Bargain hunters like you can get good deals on baby clothing, child’s school supplies, toddler’s toys, and so much more. Stock up on these items to cover your annual needs but, do not go beyond your budget!
You may also buy several gifts to be prepared for the upcoming festivities (e.g., Christmas or Chinese New Year).
MoneyDigest
Isabel Leong
Anna Agoncillo
