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  • Ever Dreamed of Starting Your Own Business? Have You Considered Dropshipping?

    Ever Dreamed of Starting Your Own Business? Have You Considered Dropshipping?

    What is a Dropshipping Business?

    Drop shipping is proving to be an extremely popular business model to budding entrepreneurs, especially, millennials and gen Zers. This is because it relies largely on internet marketing skills and the idea of not handling stock or the items one is selling adds to its allure.

    If you have been looking for a business that you can start with limited funds, and grow as you continue with your regular job, then drop shipping is for you. Here’s a detailed guide on how to start a dropshipping business.

    In a dropshipping business, the store owner gets to sell directly to the customer without having any inventory. When a consumer buys a product in this store, the product is shipped to them by a third-party supplier.

    In terms of prices, the consumer pays the retail price the store owner has set, while the store owner pays the supplier the wholesale price. The rest is profit!!

    How to Start a Dropshipping Business in 2021

    Now that we’ve seen what dropshipping is all about, here’s what you need to do to set up such a business:

    Commit to setting up a dropshipping business

    Here’s what we mean by this: you’ll need to invest heavily either in time or money.

    Dropshipping is no different from other businesses. It will require significant commitment and that you have a long-term perspective. What do we mean by investing in each of these?

    Investing time into the business

    This is our preferred form of investment for various reasons:

    • You learn the ins and outs of how the business operates, which will come in handy when the business grows and you have to manage it.
    • You develop an intimate knowledge of your customers and market, and this informs your decision making.
    • You’ll steer clear of vanity projects that may eat up your capital to no success.
    • You’ll pick up some new skills that will help grow you as an entrepreneur.

    While not everyone might be able to quit their job and embark on growing their online store, it is still possible to start this business while holding a 9-to-5 position. All you need is to set the right expectations towards customer service and the appropriate fulfillment times for customers. As the business grows, you can move to working full time depending on the business’ cash flow and profitability.

    Investing money into the business

    In this approach, you invest a significant amount of money on programmers, developers, and marketers.

    However, this approach has proven to be too expensive in the long end compared to investing time. This is because success in the dropshipping business requires that you be deeply invested in its success as you grow it from the ground up. Additionally, having no knowledge of how the business works at different levels may expose you to manipulation from expensive ‘experts’.

    While you don’t have to do everything on your own, it’s advisable to be the primary driving force from the go.

    However, you still need a small amount of money in the range of $1,000 for your business to be launched and be operational. This will be used in operational expenses and any incorporation fees required. Once you are committed to the business, the next step is coming up with a business idea.

    Come up with a niche

    The niche that you come up with has to be laser-focused and one that you love. If the product range is not focused, you’ll have a hard time marketing it. And if you are not passionate about the niche you choose, you might end up getting discouraged, as it is a lot of work scaling a drop shipping business successfully. With all this in mind, here’s how you can settle on a niche:

    Settle for businesses with large profit margins. When in the drop shipping business, your focus is usually on marketing and customer acquisition. This means that the effort needed to sell a $20 item is almost the same as for a $1,500 item. As such, settle for a niche that has on demand higher-priced products.

    Low shipping costs are crucial. Your supplier may be handling the shipping, but if the cost is too steep, then it may drive customers away. For this reason, find items that are inexpensive to ship, as this may present you the option of free shipping to your customers, taking up the cost in a bid to attract additional sales.

    Ensure your products appeal to impulse buyers’ with lots of disposable income. When you are keen on getting traffic to your website, you want the highest conversion rate as most visitors might not come back. The products on sale should lead to impulse buys and appeal to those with disposable income.

    Ensure people are actively searching for the item. Leverage tools like Trends and Google’s Keyword Planner to check keywords related to your niche of interest. If no one is searching, that might not be a lucrative niche.

    Develop your brand. You earn bonus points if you can rebrand what you are selling and sell it as your own. Look for products that you can white label and make them your brand using custom branding and packaging.

    Niches that you can start from home

    Here are some of the most lucrative dropshipping niches:

    1. Power tools
    2. Tech supplies
    3. Lifestyle niche
    4. Beauty and Health
    5. Drones and Accessories

    Conduct Competition research

    You are probably aware that you will be operating in the same sphere as other drop shipping operations including retail giants like Amazon and Walmart. In spite of this, don’t make the mistake of going for a product that has little or no competition. This is actually a sign that there is no demand for the product.

    Some of the reasons why a product may face no competition include high shipping costs, lower profit margins, or manufacturing and supplier issues. Settle for products with competition, as this shows there’s high demand and the business model is sustainable.

    Some ways to conduct competitor research include:

    1. Leverage competitor spy tools like Alexa and Similar Web. These tools are good at tracking your competitors’ online activity. They’ll compile competitor online information, including their social media profiles, number of visitors, top traffic sources, and their competitors.
    2. Social media. Browse for Facebook ads related to your niche and note the top brands in the area. Look at how they communicate with their customers, how their feed is designed, and the amount of engagement they are getting.
    3. Subscribe to their email lists. By subscribing to your competitors’ email lists, you get their updates right into your inbox. You also get to see their marketing strategy. You also learn about the deals and promotions that they use to draw customers to buy from them.
    4. Google search. Search engines are a great place to start. Compile a list of your top five competitors. Search key search terms in your niche, like ‘phone covers.’ The top results are your top competitors and you will gather information on how they promote their products.

    Learn everything you can from your customers and keep the research in a spreadsheet for continuous reference.

    Settle for a supplier

    Settling for a dropshipping supplier is a crucial step if you are to create a successful business. Without a supplier, you won’t have products to ship to the consumer, and your business will never see light of day. Partnering with the wrong supplier is another step into the grave and therefore you need to exercise utmost caution.

    Ensure your conduct due diligence. As you will learn, many drop shipping suppliers are found overseas, thus communication is crucial, both in terms of their response speed and also being able to understand one another. If you are not fully confident with their communication abilities, then better ditch them for another supplier.

    Alibaba has grown to be one of the largest resources of finding and communicating with potential suppliers and manufacturers. Oberlo is also a marketplace that helps you find products to sell online. Ensure you ask lots of questions and identify their production capabilities if your business is to grow exponentially. You want a supplier that will be able to scale with you.

    You can learn from other entrepreneurs who have set up similar businesses in the past. You can find plenty of information online from business blogs to subreddits on drop shipping.

    Build an eCommerce site

    The next step to setting up a dropshipping business is to launch a website that supports this business model. You can leverage an ecommerce platform like Shopify for this. This site will be the home of your site- where you’ll be sending traffic, process payments, and sell products.

    Shopify is a complete commerce platform that enables you to sell in different places, in multiple currencies, and you can manage products and payments. Plus, you don’t need designer skills or to be a developer to use Shopify. There are tools that will help you with everything that you need to design your store.

    You might be tempted to get a web designer for a custom solution. However, it’s a wiser move to leverage plug-and-play alternatives, especially at the start. Once you are stable with a regular revenue stream, you can source for website customization.

    Choose a business structure

    If you are keen on setting up a long-term venture, then you want to start a legitimate business entity. Here is a rundown of the three commonly used structures:

    1. Sole proprietorship. This is the simplest structure to implement. However, it has no personal liability protection. In the event that your business gets sued, your personal assets are at risk. Its filing requirements are minimal and your business’ earnings are reported on your personal taxes.
    2. Limited liability company (LLC). This offers more protection of personal assets as your business is established as a separate legal entity. There are additional filing requirements and you’ll pay incorporation and ongoing fees.
    3. C corporation. Major corporations fall under this, as it offers the most liability protection. They are more expensive to set up as they are subjected to double taxation.

    ***Seek legal advice when deciding on the kind of business to choose***

    Devise a customer acquisition plan

    Despite having a killer product and website, you still need customers who want to buy. There are a number of ways to draw potential customers. The most effective way is to launch a Facebook ad campaign.

    • Facebook ads enable you to generate sales and revenue from the word go. This will allow you to scale quickly. The site also enables you to exhibit your offer directly to a highly targeted audience. This levels the playing field with larger brands and retailers.
    • Influencer marketing. If your budget is limited, influencer marketing is a sure way to experience higher return-on-investment while effeciently reaching your target audience. In fact, people nowadays tend to trust influencers more than conventional advertising. If you choose this route, settle on an affiliate fee as opposed to a flat rate. This way, you’ll both make money off each sale.
    • Content marketing. This method will give you a long-term traffic stream to your online store. Start a blog and produce content on your niche. Make the content educative and entertaining to your target audience. Additionally, you can opt to start a YouTube channel, start a podcast, or create infographics that help advertise your brand. For each strategy, ensure that you subtly include call to action tabs.
    • Communities. Involve yourself with cliques that are passionate about your niche. You can strike conversations with prospective customers on online forums such as Reddit, or even Facebook groups. Aim to help the potential customers while building relationships. This ensures they trust your brand and desire to buy from it.

    Analyze and improve

    You need to keep track of the results of your campaign and whether it is reaping benefits. With Shopify analytics, you can get information on:

    1. Sales. You can identify your best performing channels, where to pump more money, your best selling products, and your best customers.
    2. Shopper behavior. This includes the medium, that is, desktop or mobile and their conversion rates.
    3. Profit margins. You compare the sales and gross profits of every month.

    You can also leverage tools like Search Console and Google Analytics to gauge search traffic and improve on your SEO.

    In conclusion, with those steps, you should be on your way to setting up a stable drop shipping business with a revenue stream of over 1000 dollars a month. And with more consumers migrating from physical stores to online stores, the future couldn’t be brighter for drop shipping. What are you waiting for? Opportunity is knocking!


  • When to Buy and When to Sell: Stock Basics

    When to Buy and When to Sell: Stock Basics

    While everyone knows the tropes of some Wall Street banker screaming “Sell! Buy! No, sell!” into a telephone, not everyone understands the basics of the stock market. Essentially, the stock market is a way to invest in shares of a publicly traded company. Investing in the stock market can be quite lucrative, assuming you know how to buy and sell like a pro.

    Today we’re going over some basic rules of thumb to help guide your purchasing and selling. Remember, past performance is never a direct indicator of future changes. However, understanding historical patterns is a big step towards understanding what current trends could indicate. Let’s get into some tips and advice.

    Stock at Low Prices

    Investors are notoriously skittish. When stock prices start hitting lows, the average stock investor steers clear of it. The ample supply and low demand often means that the stock maintains its low price until confidence is restored. This often makes low stock prices ample times to buy in on the cheap. If the stock never bounces back, you’re not out much. If it does bounce back to its previous highs, you make out like a bandit.

    This might sound like a cliché, but it’s an old truth. You should always buy when the stocks are low, and sell when they’re high. Doing anything else is playing a scared, defeatist strategy in a world won by the boldest operators.

    Knowing When to Buy

    For each stock you’ve got your eye on, make sure you know what range you’d be comfortable buying it at. That’s not to say you mark down a hard dollar amount, above which you’d never buy it. Instead, look at a price range. If a stock has been high for years but then drops closer to your range, you might wait to see if it falls further. Once it shows signs of resurgence, though, you should go ahead and snap it up so you can ride that momentum.

    Do Your Research

    It’s important that you do your research. There are ample resources online that can help you learn more about how to value stocks. Notably, figuring out when stocks are under- or over-valued is important when you’re making your buying decisions. The main way to find out whether a stock is undervalued is by using valuation techniques. These can be somewhat complex and involved, but here are some of the basics.

    Essentially, valuation techniques are ways that financial advisors and stock managers look at given company’s stock prices and compares them to the company’s projected profits. These formulas are strictly speculative, of course, as no one can tell the future. However, these formulas tend to be time-tested and bear out over longer time periods and across wide sample sizes. When a stock is undervalued, that’s the time you should buy it.

    Patience in Selling

    It’s a rookie mistake to sell out of a stock right as it begins to shoot up in price. Maybe you bought stocks in a company that just posted three profitable quarters in a row and had its stock prices double. It can be tempting to go ahead and cash out, getting a return on your investment and a contented feeling of success. However, this is usually not the case.

    Typically, an undervalued stock could take years to begin trading at its true value. While analysts might project it will go up, that doesn’t mean it’s trading where you want it yet. As such, riding out the stock for a few years and waiting for it to grow naturally is your best bet before you sell out of it.


  • Is a Reverse Mortgage for You?

    Is a Reverse Mortgage for You?

    What is a Reverse Mortgage?

    If you are over the age of 62 and have most of your net worth tied up in your home, but you don’t feel like moving yet and want to stay put in your home, then a reverse mortgage may be the right option for you. It is a loan that allows you to borrow on the equity of your home, without having to sell the property or take out a risky home equity line of credit. Once you no longer live in the property, it can be sold to pay the loan balance off to the bank.

    A reverse mortgage is a great option to help you get money now without having to leave your home. But it isn’t the right choice for everyone. Let’s take a look at how a reverse mortgage works and why you may want to consider this for your needs.

    To keep it simple, a reverse mortgage is a line of credit. When a homeowner is 62 years old and has a lot of equity in their home, they can choose to borrow against the value of the home, receiving those funds either in a line of credit, a fixed monthly payment, or a lump sum. Unlike a forward mortgage, which is what you used to purchase the home to start with, the homeowner will never need to make loan payments for the loan.

    Instead of the homeowner making the payments, the entire loan balance becomes due and is payable when the borrower sells their home, moves away permanently, or when they die. When the home is sold, the amount of the reverse mortgage is paid over to the bank or financial institution that originally gave the money.

    There are some federal regulations assigned to a reverse mortgage. For example, all lenders must structure the transaction so that the amount of the loan will not exceed the value of the home. Also, the borrower and their estate will never be responsible for paying the difference if the balance of the loan becomes more than the value of the home. This requires banks to be careful about which homes they will do reverse mortgages are. If the market value goes down too much, then they may not get their money back from the loan.

    Reverse mortgages are nice because they will provide some cashflow to seniors who find most of their worth is tied up in their homes. They are complex and a little costly though so you may decide it is not worth your time. However, for those who qualify and decide to use this type of mortgage, they can get instant access to the equity of their home without the risks of a home equity loan and while still living in the home. Once they sell the home or pass on, the sale of the home will go to paying back the loan.

    The Benefits of Getting a Reverse Mortgage

    There are a lot of great benefits to working with a reverse mortgage, as long as you use it properly. Not everyone will choose to work with the option because it doesn’t work the best for them. But for others, it is a way to get rid of a traditional mortgage payment or get access to the equity of your home while you still live in and own the home. Some of the other benefits of working with a reverse mortgage include:

    Provides Flexibility

    This type of mortgage is flexible, allowing you several methods to choose from based on your home, the product you choose, and more. Households who have a specific financial need can choose the right product to help provide relief in their finances. You can use this type of mortgage even without financial issues because it can become a good financial planning tool for you.

    Stay In Your Home

    You could sell your home and tap into the equity that is there. But then you have to leave your home and find somewhere new to live. If you work with a reverse mortgage, you will be able to live in the home for as long as you want, without having mortgage payments. You can use the money, in most situations, for any purpose you want. This provides you a comfortable home without moving and with lots of additional financial resources.

    Low Risk of Default

    Unlike what happens when you work on a home equity loan, this reverse mortgage will not take your home away from you for non-payment. You do not need to put payments on the loan at all until you are ready to permanently ready to leave the home. Keep in mind that you will still be responsible for the insurance, taxes, and upkeep on the home. Outside of that, the lenders of these mortgages will never have a claim on your income or other assets.

    Tax-Free

    Since this type of mortgage is a loan, the money you receive from it is often tax-free. This is true whether you decide to turn this into a fixed-income that you earn a little bit each month or if you choose to take it as a lump sum all at once.

    No Restrictions

    It is possible to use the funds that you receive from the reverse mortgage in any way that you would like. You can choose to use it for a rainy day in case something happens later, to pay for your children’s education, to pay for insurance, to go traveling, or even for day to day cost of living. There are no restrictions on how you can use this money.

    Flexible Payment Options

    You get to choose the type of loan that the reverse mortgage turns into. You can either get all of the loan money from it in a lump sum, credit line, or an annuity. No matter which one you pick, all of the money comes to you at once. You can also choose to work with an option that sends you the money each month or every other month, so you receive another source of income for as long as you remain in the home.

    How Do I Qualify for a Reverse Mortgage?

    Before you apply for a reverse mortgage, it is important to learn whether you qualify for this type of mortgage or not. Each bank may add additional qualifications based on what they like to see before approving the mortgage. The basic requirements for qualifying on this type of mortgage include:

    1. The youngest borrower on the title needs to be a minimum of 62 years old.
    2. The owners must use the home as their primary residence. If you use the property for rental income, you will not qualify.
    3. There must be enough equity in the home. The exact amount of equity will vary from one bank to another. The bank wants to make sure they will get their money back. And you will need to pay off your mortgage plus have some to live off later. The more equity that you have in the home, the better for you.
    4. All borrowers must meet financial criteria. These rules are established through the HUD.

    If you do not meet all of these requirements, do not apply for the loan. Most banks will not work with you and this will just be a waste of your time. Instead, spend some time getting things in order and prepared so you can apply for a reverse mortgage later on.

    What to Expect When Applying for a Reverse Mortgage?

    When you are ready to apply for a reverse mortgage, there are a few steps that you need to undertake. First, you need to choose which financial company you would like to work with. Each one will have their special requirements you need to follow so take some time to do your research and pick out the right one for you.

    Once you have narrowed down your choices, it is time to apply. You will need to feel out an application that will provide the bank with your name, contact information, information on your finances, information on the home you would like to do the reverse mortgage on, and your credit history.

    Fill out the application completely, putting your best foot forward so the bank is more likely to offer you the reverse mortgage. You will likely need to provide proof and documentation of all statements you make about the property and your financial history. If the financial institution asks you for additional materials, submitting them promptly will help the process go smoothly.

    Hopefully, you looked to see what qualifications you needed to meet before you start. This will help the process go well and can prevent any heartache later on because you don’t meet the minimum requirements. While there are other reasons the bank may choose to deny your application, if you do not meet their minimum requirements, they will deny it before you get any further in the process.

    Which Banks and Institutions Specialize in Reverse Mortgages?

    When you are ready to apply for a reverse mortgage, it is best to choose a bank or other financial institution with the right experience to get this done. They can walk you through the process and ensure that you receive the care and attention necessary. Some of the best banks and institutions to consider for your reverse mortgage includes:

    • FirstBank
    • Quontic Bank
    • M&T Bank
    • The Federal Savings Bank
    • Townebank
    • Goldwater Bank
    • Resolute Bank

    In the past, Wells Fargo and Bank of America were two of the big names in reverse mortgages. In 2011, both of these banks announced that they would no longer offer reverse mortgages to potential customers in the future. You can also check with your local bank to see whether they offer some reverse mortgage options to help you.

    Are There Any Downfalls to Reverse Mortgages?

    There are a lot of benefits to choosing a reverse mortgage. However, there are times when you may want to hold off and not get this kind of mortgage at all. Some of the downfalls that come with a reverse mortgage include:

    1. High upfront costs: Lenders can make money on a reverse mortgage in the same way they do with a conventional mortgage. They do this by charging a lot of fees upfront for interest, points, origination, and more. You need to weigh the costs of doing this before jumping right in and see if it makes sense for your financial situation.
    2. Mortgage Insurance: Even though there is no worry about defaulting with a reverse mortgage, many banks will require mortgage insurance to help mitigate some of the risks the lender takes on, such as the home losing value.
    3. Other fees: The borrower of a reverse mortgage will still be responsible for all of the repair and maintenance costs on the home, the upkeep, the homeowner’s insurance, and taxes. These costs will not go away when you get a reverse mortgage.
    4. Need to have a high amount of equity: To even qualify for this mortgage, there needs to be a substantial amount of equity in your home. While applying, a lender will offer a percentage of the value of the home, based on your age and the program. When you do this mortgage, it needs to pay off any existing mortgage that is on the property. If your home doesn’t have enough equity, you may not qualify.
    5. Products are complex: A reverse mortgage may sound simple, but it is not always a suitable option for every homeowner. You need to look through the paperwork carefully to help make informed decisions. Learn how payments are made, how costs are charged, and all the other rules you will need to follow.

    There are a lot of benefits to getting a reverse mortgage and many homeowners decide that it is the right choice for them. It is important to understand how these reverse mortgages work and do your research to see if they work well for your needs or not. They can be wonderful financial tools for many, but this doesn’t make them the right choice for everyone. Talk with a lender and explore your options so you are well informed if a reverse mortgage will work for you.


  • Back to School Tips: What to Buy and How to Save

    Back to School Tips: What to Buy and How to Save

    When you’re shipping your little ones off to school, the last thing you want is for them to be underequipped. In the modern classroom, things are fast-paced, interconnected and competitive. Getting high marks is harder now than ever before, so making sure your kids are outfitted with the best gear is a must to help them stay competitive. Today we’re going over the must-have tech and best deals you can find on back-to-school gear.

    Back to School Tips

    Only Shop Deals

    Between buying back-to-school clothes, school supplies and new tech the kids might need for school, you might find yourself spending a lot of money on them. This is why we highly recommend you only shop for deals this time of year. If you just buy the first thing you see every time you walk into a store, you’re going to find yourself seriously strapped for cash in no time.

    Make sure you’re getting deals on all school supplies that start around at least 40% off. For clothes, buy either steep discounts, like 30% off or better, or buy secondhand clothes that are significantly cheaper than brand-new. When it comes to tech, it’s okay to buy laptops or tablets that are a few generations behind to save a few hundred bucks. Make sure you make that cash last!

    Don’t Get Distracted

    There are tons of gadgets and gizmos that you might think the kids could need for school. Things like e-readers might seem like sensible purchases until you realize that a tablet does the same thing, but can also double as a notepad and research aid. Don’t let marketing hype trick you into buying tons of stuff that your kid doesn’t actually need for school.

    Another example of this is stores selling back to school clothes in big “sales events” without actually offering significant discounts. Remember, there are tons of stores you can go to in order to find deals on clothes. If you go to a department store and see absurdly high “sale” prices on clothes, it’s best to leave and look for better deals elsewhere.

    Power vs Convenience

    If you plan to buy your kid a laptop for school or for college, it’s best to know what you’re looking at. A lot of high-end laptops might look like they’re great for students, but think critically. How much power does a student really need to write research papers and type notes? A super high-end processor and a 4K screen might be a bit of overkill on a device meant to help with studies.

    We recommend prioritizing a smaller laptop, something like a Chromebook or a netbook. These are less expensive than high-end gaming laptops, offer a smaller, more portable profile, and don’t guzzle battery charge as quickly. These things all make them ideal for putting in a school bag and carrying from class to class to take notes. Your tech-savvy youngster might be begging for a super-powered laptop with tons of RAM and great graphics, but they’ll appreciate not lugging that heavy beast all over campus.

    Fitness Tracker

    If you’re sending a kid off to college and they seem interested in fitness, it might be worth looking into getting them a fitness tracker. Examples like the FitBit and Apple Watch are great for keeping track of time spent exercising and calories burned. They can also serve as handy ways to keep from opening the smartphone and scrolling ad infinitum when it’s study time!

    Many people who use smart watches or fitness trackers that pair with their phones have noted their time saving functionality. Since you don’t have to open your phone to see the time or check an incoming message, you don’t have the same desire to start scrolling through your social media feeds. This frees up that much more time to study and do schoolwork!


  • Building a Website is Easy! Here’s How:

    Building a Website is Easy! Here’s How:

    Building a website is as simple as walking through the park. With the right tools and systems, nothing could be as simple to make. You don’t necessarily need any coding knowledge or need to hire a web developer because there are many self-serve platforms that are easy to use. The only tricky part is choosing one that is perfect for your needs.
    If you are a business owner, blogger, or an individual, you can create your own website with ease or hire a professional to do it for you. This post will guide you through the basics of building a website that represents your business and brand.

    Why You Should Create Your Own Website

    A website is one of the most powerful tools for communication. It helps you to connect to the world. It’s where you share your passion for music or business, inform people about your hustle,  sell products, or otherwise. There’s no limit to what you can do with your website and there are tons of possibilities available for you. Here are the most popular tools for website building.

    Best Tools to Help you Build Your Own Website:

    As you already know, you don’t have to worry about servers or physical space because site builders are cloud-built. All you need is a computer with access to a web browser like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari. All the tools have their pros and cons. We will help you identify tools that may work for you and respective possible shortcomings.

    1. GoDaddy
    Building a website on GoDaddy is easy and straightforward. GoDaddy is a name to reckon within the digital space. They provide domains and hosting, but they are best known for website building. Being one of the most established internet companies, the website builder has been in the market for about four years. The recently added editor comes with a completely new look with added features.

    One great thing about GoDaddy is that it offers a beginner-friendly website builder packed with mobile-optimized designs. They have four plans to choose from, the most affordable being $10 per month. One of the benefits you get is the 24/7 customer support. However, the name of the domain is not included in the $10 package. That means you will only benefit from it through their “Ecommerce” plan. Another advantage of using GoDaddy is that you can now test their website builder in the first month at no cost. This is an opportunity to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the website builder. GoDaddy uses ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) to make website building a lot easier. Whenever you enter the type of website you would like to have, it creates an example site that you can edit, saving you time and technical effort.
    This makes GoDaddy the fastest website builder in the world, especially for beginners. The end product is a website that is simple and speedy, but may not have the advanced features you require.

    Pros

    • Easy to use
    • Smartphone-optimized layouts
    • Free website builder test for the first month
    • Makes work easier by creating an example site

    Cons
    • Editor layouts are limited
    • Blog is too basic
    • Poor support quality

    2. Wix
    Just like GoDaddy, Wix has become pretty well known. Wix became popular due to its expensive marketing campaigns. I’m sure you have seen their ads on YouTube starring Jason Statham, Heidi Klum, and Gal Gadot. As we speak, the Wix website building is hosting more than 160 million websites. What makes Wix stand out? For starters, they offer a drag and drop feature, which makes it easier to create smaller websites. Wix has free and paid packages that provide web hosting as well as access to domain names. They also offer hundreds of templates which gives you many choices in design. Many people prefer Wix because it’s affordable, easy to use, and a hassle-free way of creating your website.

    Gone were the days when we had to pay whiz-kids to build our sites. Wix’s template editor allows you to explore and put your creativity to use without any coding knowledge. If you have gone through the websites created by Wix, they all look professional and beautiful. The reason why you should create a website with Wix is because of their impressive layouts, which are designed for every type of business, large and small. There are layouts for restaurants, businesses, online stores, artists and more. Websites created by Wix are optimized for mobile devices and can also be spiced up with any of the numerous tools in the Wix App Market.

    Wix is like a prefabricated house. It provides a fundamental structure that cannot be changed or altered in any way. However, you can choose a theme, just like you can paint the walls of the house, and add photo galleries, just like you would add furniture.

    Here is our view on the pros and cons of using Wix:

    Pros
    • Extremely flexible
    • Excellent templates
    • Easy to add animations
    • Artificial Design Intelligence (Available for projects like yoga, portfolio sites, etc.)
    • Hundreds of website app on App Market
    • Provides automatic site backup
    Cons
    • The cheapest ad-free plan is not actually cheap. Starts at $14 per month
    • Loading speed is slower, especially on mobile devices.
    • Templates cannot be changed easily. You can only change the design

    3. WordPress
    WordPress is the most popular website builder in the market at the moment. Unlike Wix and Godaddy, WordPress is completely free. It powers more than 33% of all the sites on the internet. Don’t confuse the WordPress.org content management system with WordPress.com, a hosting service. Though they are under the same umbrella or brand, they have different functions. WordPress.org gives you full access to all features of WordPress. You will, however, need some technical know-how to run a website with WordPress.org. The biggest advantage of WordPress is expandability. Once you manage to run your website on the platform, there’s no going back, and no limits.

    Here are some examples of scenario which make WordPress stand out:
    -You want to have a premium membership area within your website that supports online payments.
    -You work in real estate, and you want to provide a potential client with a database to search for property.
    -You need advanced SEO features to beat your competition.
    -You want an impressive design that supports all the latest technical features added on your website while leaving room to adjust the code.

    Long Story short, WordPress.org allows you to build a unique website. WordPress.com works like Wix and GoDaddy, offering a much lighter platform while allowing you to achieve similar results as drag and drop website builders.

    Pros
    • The software is free to install. Hosting and premium templates must be purchased, though.
    • Great flexibility allowing you to code anything you wish to change.
    • You can move from one hosting to another.
    • A CMS with the widest variety of templates.
    • A variety of plugins for e-commerce, multilingual websites, member pages, etc.
    • Many programmers specialize in WordPress.
    Cons
    • Requires updates regularly for your security.
    • Installation may require basic knowledge.
    • WordPress was made by volunteers, and they don’t offer assistance within their system.
    • You don’t get to see the end result immediately unless after publishing.

    4. Bluehost:
    While building a website, you’ll also need web hosting services. The best choice and most popular is Bluehost. They have been around for a while, offering the best hosting at a pocket-friendly price. They also provide excellent customer support. Bluehost offers basic shared hosting from as low as $2.95 monthly on a three-year contract. They offer you a variety of features for your website needs. For instance, they have a great SEO tool that tracks how your website is doing on the search rankings for specific keywords. This allows you to optimize your site for better search rankings.

    When choosing web hosting, you need to understand the purpose of your website, the amount of traffic and growth you expect, and your budget among other factors. Other vital things to consider are the types of servers available, load speed, uptime, and customer support. Using this criteria, Bluehost tops the list as the best hosting.
    Bluehost covers everything you need from a host. That includes installing WordPress, upgrading your WordPress to improve security, or getting more control by upgrading VPS. The hosting also has its share of disadvantages.

    Pros
    • Cheap on the first term
    • Solid uptime
    • Unmetered bandwidth (Doesn’t limit the traffic of your website)
    • Generous storage

    Cons
    • Speed is not that great
    • Bad support
    • Only US servers available
    • No free migration
    • Poor backup options

    The Basics of Running a Website

    To create your own website, you need to follow the following basic steps.

    1. Register your Domain Name
    The first step to owning your own website is registering a domain name. The name should reflect on the products you sell or the services you offer. Doing so will help customers to find your business quickly. Your customers also expect your domain to represent your brand and also be the same as your business name.
    The domain name will also be used for your business’s email address. While you may use your personal email, sending emails from your business address will look professional.
    To register a domain, find an established registrar like GoDaddy. Cheaper options may offer poor support. You may need to change contact information or hosting companies, and a registrar like GoDaddy will be more helpful.

    2. Choose a Web Designer/Developer
    Services like GoDaddy and Wix don’t require you to be a web designer to build a site. If you don’t intend to earn from your leads, you can use Wix to create a free website.
    However, if you need to generate leads, you will need to hire a web designer. Some designers work with developers and marketers who can help your business succeed.

    3. Prepare your Content
    Think about what you want to share with your customers via your website. It helps you to know what sections you want to include on the site.
    You might need to hire a professional writer to structure your content. A website that is well designed and informative will help your business stand out.

    4. Build Your Website
    You can do it by yourself or have a web developer do it on your behalf. It needs to be kept up to date.
    Also, set a free account with Search Console and connect to Google Analytics. This will unlock Google Analytics reports. It will also provide you with critical information about issues your site may be experiencing,

    If you decide to hire a professional, it may be useful to understand some of the basic terms related to building websites. The following are basic terms to know when hiring a web designer:

    1. 301 Redirect
    This is a permanent redirect for one URL to another, usually from an old website page to a new one.

    2. 404
    404 is an error message that is displayed when the user can’t find what they requested.

    3. Accessibility
    These are concerns about making a website accessible by people who experience disabilities. All websites should follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.

    4. Caching
    A cache acts as a temporary data storage and aids the site speed by storing important information on your computer after visiting a site for the first time. When you revisit a site, the computer will not reload the site information.

    5. Bandwidth
    This refers to the amount of data transmittable over a connection at a given time.

    6. API
    Application Program Interface, or API, is how computers and applications communicate with each other.

    7. Cookies
    Cookies are small text files that carry a unique anonymous identifier and visit information sent from a website to the browser and stored on the visitor’s hard drive.

    8. Call-to-Action (CTA)
    This is usually in the form of text, banner, image, and uses action-oriented language to make the user act and engage.

    9. Domain
    The name of the website. People type it into the browser to visit it.

    10. HTML
    Hypertext Markup Language is a markup language used to build web pages and show content like images, text, video, and links.

    11. HTTP & HTTPS
    Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a secure version of HTTP, which is a protocol in which data is sent from the browser over to the website and vice versa.

    12. Hosting
    Hosting is the web server where all the files and details of your website are stored.

    13. Page Speed
    A measurement of the time it takes for content to load on a specific web page.

    14. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
    SEO is creating or modifying content for the sake of better visibility on search engines.

    15. SERP
    Search Engine Results Pages are displayed to the users after searching for something on a search engine such as Google.

    16. SSL Certificate
    Secure Socket Layer is a security protocol with the purpose of establishing encrypted communication between a website and a web browser.

    17. User Experience (UX)
    UX is the interaction a user has with a website’s interface, from wireframing to copywriting, designing, and programming.

    18. User Interface (UI)
    UI is the interaction between user and computer.

    19. Javascript
    Javascript is a programming language used to create interaction within web browsers.

    20. Wireframe
    A visual guide that shows the structure of a web page that doesn’t have any design elements. It’s mostly used when redesigning a website or designing a page.

    Summary:
    Your website can be central to your personal or professional success. It can be a place where you connect with the world. Starting one for your business will not only establish credibility, but it will also connect you with your customers. All you need to do is keep it updated with fresh content, be quick to address technical issues, and keep your customers happy!  Once your website is active, be sure to check your analytics and webmaster tools. Always make changes to your site based on the results or reports you see from Google Analytics. This will help you to maintain the visibility of your site and generate more leads, sales, or interactions with your customers.

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  • Need a Divorce? Save BIG With These Tips

    Need a Divorce? Save BIG With These Tips

    The first decision is the hardest. You and your partner have decided to get a divorce. There are now a multitude of important life-defining decisions to be made. You don’t want to rely on a simple Google search and luck to find your lawyer. Your divorce attorney is going to handle multiple components of your divorce. They’re going to act as your advisor, spokesperson, negotiator and trusted confidant. They are going to be the person you rely on the most to advise you of your rights and the best course of action in your divorce.

    Start with research

    A simple google search is a great place to start. But nothing replaces a real face to face meeting. You want to be able to get a feel for the person and not rely on the opinions of others. Your gut instincts are more reliable than you might think. If the lawyer doesn’t advertise how long they’ve been practicing divorce law, that’s a good sign that they’re not very experienced.

    Find a good fit

    It’s nearly impossible to tell if a lawyer’s disposition matches what you’re looking for from a web search. Before deciding, you should think about what you want from them. Do you want a lawyer who’s empathetic to your plight? Do you want a lawyer who will be extremely aggressive in fighting for you? Do you want a lawyer who understands both sides and finds it important to have a cordial resolution? Do you want a law office with deep resources that can untangle a complicated situation?

    Talk to friends

    Some people prefer to keep their divorce a completely private matter. However, asking friends who’ve gone through a divorce for advice can be very beneficial. It’s important to remember that everyone’s experience and desired outcomes are different during a divorce.

    Knowing the right questions

    finally, when you sit down to interview lawyers to represent you, make sure to have in-depth questions ready. You should already have answers concerning their background. Typical questions like, “How many cases have you won,” aren’t particularly pertinent in a divorce case.

    Ask things like:

    How do you view the division of assets?

    What do you find the most challenging part of the divorce?

    What do you view as the best possible outcome for my specific situation?

    Communication is key

    You want a lawyer that makes you feel like you’re a priority. If your prospective lawyer is difficult to get ahold of early in the decision process that’s a strong indicator that you may want to look elsewhere. Your lawyer is not going to magically become more responsive once they have your money.

    Attention to detail

    Whenever you’ve made the decision to hire your lawyer make sure to pay special attention to your contract. Many lawyers will have minimum fees that’ll be charged for services even if you don’t take advantage of them. So, take out that red pen and come to an agreement about specific fees before you sign your name on the dotted line. Never be afraid to ask questions about certain parts of their contract.


  • Do’s and Don’ts When Using Shopping Apps

    Do’s and Don’ts When Using Shopping Apps

    Retailers such as Target and Amazon are embracing shopping apps to help consumers save money and time with features like digital wallets and augmented reality. When used strategically, apps can streamline in-store trips and online purchases, but shoppers could also find that convenience comes with a risk: impulsive decisions and overspending.

    “Now shopping can be anytime, anywhere, multiple times a day, which is great for customers who value convenience,” said Casey Taylor, a partner in the Atlanta office of Bain and Company, a management consulting firm. “But for customers on a budget, what I would share as the primary caution is that it makes it very easy — almost too easy.”

    Here’s how to get the most out of retail apps, while avoiding the downsides.

    Shopping App Amazon

    DON’T ENABLE NOTIFICATIONS

    Push notifications — alerts that pop up on your phone — and emails tend to “catch people at vulnerable moments,” enticing them to spend money on things they otherwise wouldn’t, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group, a market research company.

    Data show that 9.6 times more users make a purchase when an app sends a promotional push notification compared with those who didn’t receive one, according to Leanplum, a mobile marketing platform. Notifications also increase the amount an average shopper spends 16 percent.

    A quick fix: Turn off notifications in the app or your device’s settings and opt out of retailers’ emails if they’re too tempting to resist overspending.

    Shopping App Notification

    DO MAKE A SHOPPING LIST

    Take inventory and make a list of what you need. Shopping lists can deter impulse purchases by keeping specific merchandise top-of-mind. Most retailer apps make it easy to view and edit lists on your device.

    For example, the app for Kohl’s enables shoppers to set a budget , and then automatically deducts the price of each item on the list. Other merchants, like The Home Depot, include maps or aisle numbers to help customers track down products on their lists at local stores.

    shopping apps list

    DON’T KEEP PAYMENT INFORMATION ON FILE

    Although storing shipping and billing information speeds up the checkout process, it can also smooth the way for frivolous purchases. Researchers have found that compared with cash, behind-the-scenes payment methods make shoppers feel detached from their money — and more likely to spend.

    “Now with technologies where you can just use your fingerprint, or you just take a photo of your credit card, it makes payment incredibly simple,” Taylor said.

    Instead, enter payment information each time, rather than saving credit card numbers or linking to a PayPal account. The extra step makes the exchange of money feel more real.

    At the very least, “take a breath before tapping ‘checkout’ to make sure that your purchase is as much about you really needing that item versus the fact that the shopping experience has become more entertaining and has become very easy,” Taylor said.

    shopping apps payment

    DO USE YOUR CAMERA

    Use the camera feature within apps to read product details and customer reviews.

    “It allows you to have a greater usage of knowledge of what those products you’re purchasing can do,” Cohen said.

    Some apps surface product information when an item’s bar code is scanned with the camera. Beauty retailer Sephora’s app incorporates augmented reality, which allows shoppers to virtually try on makeup products and colors as they look into their device’s camera.

    As well, cameras can summon savings: Snap a picture of your receipt in Walmart’s app, and its Savings Catcher tool will match a competitor’s lower advertised price — even after your purchase. Walmart refunds the difference on an electronic gift card. Target’s app checks for manufacturer coupons and in-store deals on scanned items.

    DON’T FOCUS ON ONE RETAILER

    shopping app retailers

    Through exclusive offers and built-in loyalty programs, “individual retailers’ shopping apps intend to lock-in shoppers,” Jie Zhang, professor of marketing at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, said in an email. For example, the wallet feature on the J.C. Penney app lets shoppers see and redeem rewards, coupons and gift cards in one place.
    But using only one retailer’s app could mean missing out on opportunities to save money.

    “Yeah, there might be a 20 percent-off sale, but it could be really easy to go get 35 percent off somewhere else for the same exact product,” Cohen said.

    Use a price comparison tool, like ShopSavvy or Google Shopping, to locate the best price across multiple merchants.
    By LAUREN SCHWAHN, NerdWallet

     


  • Protect Your Identity Online With These Tools

    Protect Your Identity Online With These Tools

    Whether it’s another big data breach or someone trying to steal your passwords, there’s always something to watch out for online. However, there are a number of tools you can use to protect your identity and browse without worrying. Today we’re taking a closer look into some of these tools to help you understand what you need to surf the web worry-free.

    Protect Your Identity Online

    VPN

    A VPN, or a virtual private network, is a fancy-sounding name for a relatively simple service. Originally created to allow people to access their work intranet while working from home, a VPN allows you to “tunnel” your internet traffic to an external server. Essentially, a VPN hides who you are when you’re browsing online by making it look like traffic from your computer is coming from somewhere else. By tunneling your traffic to another server, your traffic can appear to be coming from a distant country, and your identity is hidden from websites you visit.

    This offers you some unique benefits. For instance, it allows you to access websites that might be blacked out in your area. You can sidestep local blackouts on sites like Netflix, on regional sports teams you want to watch and even on banned content in your area. While doing this is technically against the user agreement of the sites in question, the ethics of doing so are left for you to decide for yourself. In either case, a VPN is a great way to hide your identity online and protect your activity from prying eyes.

    Password Manager

    Everyone knows the first rule of making passwords for your online accounts is that you need to make each site have a different password. If you’ve got tons of logins for various websites, such as online banking, paying bills and social media, it can be hard to keep track of all your passwords, though. That’s where cloud password managers come in. These convenient and time-saving services are also incredibly good at securing your online information.

    A password manager service allows you to hide all of your passwords on a remote server that you access with one master password. This allows you to keep track of all of your passwords easily, while also hiding them from potential keystroke-monitoring programs or simply people watching your fingers while you input them. While it might sound risky to keep all of your platforms saved on one server, it’s actually much safer to keep them encrypted in this way than to store them in a text file on your computer, or on a physical piece of media that can be stolen.

    Careful Browsing

    Scammers and phishers are everywhere online. The illusion of anonymity emboldens con men and grifters to try to steal your information, your credit and your money. As such, you need to be careful when you’re browsing online. Even a strong VPN and encrypted passwords can’t keep your identity safe if you fall for a phishing scam. Make sure you’re vigilant about the sites you visit, and never input your personal information into a site you don’t trust.

    If you get an email or see an offer online that’s too good to be true, it is. Never give someone your password, you Social Security number or your credit card information online. The only exceptions to this are verified government websites, sites you pay your bills through and known online sellers like Amazon or eBay. A fishy site with a strange domain name and broken English in all of the item descriptions is probably not the site you should be shopping on. Remember: if it looks suspect online, don’t input any personal information.


  • Tips for Signing up for Life Insurance

    Tips for Signing up for Life Insurance

    If you’ve been looking into life insurance, it can be a complex and daunting field! Whether you’re worried about your spouse, children or even grandchildren, life insurance is a great thing to have. You never want it to come up, but someday your family will need it!

    Tips for Signing up for Life Insurance

    Visit Your Doctor

    The first thing you’ll want to do before signing up for life insurance is head by the doctor for a quick check-in. This is doubly true if you used to smoke but don’t anymore. Similarly, if you were overweight but have lost weight since your last check-up, you’ll want this reflected in your records.  That said, this is a good practice anyway: checking in with your doctor regularly is important, regardless of whether you’re looking to get life insurance soon!

    Buy Layered Coverage

    You probably don’t need one gigantic policy. You can save yourself some money by layering your coverage and buying coverage for different lengths of time and with different criteria. While this might sound complex, it’s not too hard to accomplish. You simply see what your life insurance needs are and figure out how much coverage you need. Then, take out individual policies that offer the coverage you need! That way, you’re getting more coverage for less! That’s the definition of a win-win.

    Volunteer No Unneeded Information

    While it can be tempting to simply offer up all of your info unbidden, it’s best not to. When it comes to life insurance, you should only tell the insurance company the information that they ask for. A lot of times, you’ll be penalized for information like whether either of your parents died of cancer. However, some applications will only ask about things like heart disease. It’s okay to simply answer the questions they ask, and not offer any elaboration unless they specifically request it.

    This might seem a bit counterintuitive: after all, no one wants to be dishonest. However, it’s not dishonesty if the insurance company doesn’t ask about it. Simply offer them the information they’ve asked for and you’ll make things much simpler for yourself!

    Whether to Have an Exam

    We highly recommended getting a policy that has an exam if you’re healthy. This is where that doctor’s visit from earlier comes in handy: if your doctor gave you a clean bill of health, you can save some serious money with an exam policy. The policies that don’t have exams can be anywhere from three to six times more expensive than those that do! Don’t spend money you don’t need to, if you’re healthy, go with the exam!

    If you’re not in terribly great health, however, it might be less expensive to get a no-exam policy. However, you should discuss with your doctor any health issues that you think are affecting you. We highly advise you talk to a knowledgeable independent insurance agent if you feel as though your application may be complicated by poor health.