Planning to invest? Consider these

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In today’s world, we all are moving towards the process of making money. Those innumerable efforts and that constant struggle seem worth it when we get that salary check. May be it’s not the money we work for, but nothing works without money. While earning money is a need, putting that money into use is a priority. We all have certain goals, responsibilities, future plans, things we don’t see coming. One may be financially stable and can fulfil one purpose but what about other goals and dreams. One such method that takes care of our present as well as ensures a better future is an investment.

What is an investment?

Well, an investment is nothing but a way to increase your financial growth. When we put the money into something to get more money, it becomes an investment. If one just earns money and doesn’t think about managing it, it’s futile. Investment means managing money and is associated with different sources of money.

Factors to consider before investing:

With a number of investment schemes in India, it is important to understand the factors one should consider before choosing an investment option. Here are some of them:

  • The right time to invest:When should you start investing?
  • Why do you want to invest:What are you expecting from the investment?
  • Risk:How much are you comfortable with the risk associated with your investment?
  • Investment capital: How much are you planning to invest?

While these were things one should consider before investing, some of the most common investment instruments (investment options) are:

Types of investment:

Owning to the importance of investment and its diverse nature, there are a number of investment options offered by financial companies:

  1. Bonds: Bonds are fixed-income instruments. A bond is a certificate issued by the company which promises to pay a certified amount of money and holds a fixed interest rate. The term of a bond can vary from few months to years. Being under a debt category, it is a safe investment. However, it is associated with low returns due to low risk.
  2. Stocks: Stocks are shares issued by companies and can be purchased by the general public. Buying a stock means owning a part of the company’s asset. It is also referred as equities or shares. These offer a higher rate of returns than other investments but carry a high risk as well.
  3. Mutual funds: A mutual fund is nothing but a pool of money governed by a group of investors. By investing in mutual funds, you ultimately invest in a combination of investment schemes including bonds, shares, etc. Such type of investment offers diversification, but one has no control regarding the investment decisions. It is comparatively a high-risk investment.
  4. Fixed Deposit (FD): A fixed deposit investment is a form of investment where the investor deposits some amount of money for certain period. It is a way by which companies borrow money from the investor at fixed interest rates FD is one of the safest ways to invest, and it is associated with low-risk levels and guaranteed returns.
  5. Investment schemes: A number of investment schemes in India are provided as investment options for investors. Some of these include – Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme, Employees Provident Fund, National Pension Schemes etc.
  6. Real Estate: Investing in property is a good tool for investment attributed to the rising rates of properties.
  7. Commodities: This type of investment includes investing in gold, silver or other commodities. Such a type of investment proves to be beneficial especially when markets are unstable.

These were some of the major investment options available in the Indian market for the investors. Before investing get clarity about your plans and goals and the risk you can tolerate. Remember that the whole purpose of the investment is to reduce your financial burden while catering to your present and future needs. So make a Safe, Secure and Smart investment.

Guidelines for Saving on Car Insurance

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If you own a vehicle, having car insurance is a must. However, choosing between the numerous insurance companies out there can be a very frustrating affair. If you are not prepared, you might find yourself paying more than you have to and wasting your money.

Here are some tips for saving on your car insurance:

  1. Bundle auto and homeowners insurance

Most insurance companies will give a discount if you bundle auto and homeowners insurance. You might also save if you insure more than car with the same company. When shopping around, be sure to ask companies about the offers they have for bundling two or more insurance policies.

  1. Compare insurance costs before purchasing a car

Before purchasing a used or new car, find out how much it will cost you to insure. The insurance premium required will be determined by factors such as the price of the car, the possibility of theft, its safety record and the expected cost of repair. If the car comes with features that lower the risk of theft of injuries, the insurer could offer a discount.

  1. Don’t take unnecessary insurance

Before renewing car insurance, take time to review your needs. For example, it would not make sense to take comprehensive insurance or collision insurance if your car is old. If the amount you are paying in annual premiums exceeds the value of the car, then you don’t need the insurance. The money saved can then be used to cater for car maintenance or saved for a newer car. There are several free sites out there that can help you determine the value of your car.

  1. Keep a good credit history

Having a good credit record can be very beneficial when it comes to reducing your insurance costs. Research has shown that people who have a good credit history are less likely to make claims. Therefore, the better you manage your credit, the more savings you are likely to enjoy in car insurance.

  1. Shop around

Car insurance rates vary from one company to another. Therefore, take time to shop around and get several quotes. You could research on companies online or call them directly for information. Alternatively, visit independent agents who can advice you on insurance policies offered by different companies. However, don’t make the mistake of shopping based solely on price. Read reviews and get recommendations from family and friends.

  1. Pursue other discount options

Insurance companies are likely to offer discounts to people who drive less miles per year and have not had any booking or accidents within a given period. People who have taken defense driving classes might also enjoy lower rates.

Google Home Vs. Amazon Echo: Which Is the Best Hands-Free TV Experience?

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Who doesn’t like to have the TV do anything they say, like flipping channels, or rewinding a scene, without them having to lift a finger? I bet the answer is no one. Having a long day at work, even for the most energetic people, could mean one might want just a few idle hours of winding down without any effort or even finding the TV remote hiding underneath your cushion. This serves as perhaps one of the needs of home automation in this tech-ridden world.

Google and Amazon, to that extent, offer TV controls through speakers, which are hands free. Amazon offers Alexa devices, such as Fire TV and Echo speaker voice controls as its version of hands free TV controls. On the other end, Google provides an almost identical method for voice control for its Chromecast, by use of its right Google Home speaker. These combinations give one the freedom of launching videos, playing, pausing, rewinding, or even fast-forwarding without the need of touching TV remote controls.

 

Supported Devices

Limitations on the devices is a question lingering in many’s minds. The restrictions begin with the number of devices any of these control systems can support and with which to work. It’s a no-brainer that devices from Amazon only help Alexa. Such Alexa devices as Amazon Echo, all Fire TV products are supported and work with the prompt voice system. All generations including the first and second-generation Fire TV box, the second and first Fire TV Stick as well as Fire TV edition are all supported. On the other hand, Google Home is built to control any Chromecast models. These all include 4K Chromecast Ultra. Televisions featuring Chromecast built into them also support this model of TV control. As you would have guessed, Android TV also enjoys the compatibility with the Google devices.

 

Setup

A single Google Home can control any Chromecast found within a user’s house. One could link Multiple Chromecast devices directly to the Home speaker, using The Google Home App on both Android and iOS. A user also has the ability to setup custom names for each device, like Basement Chromecast, or Living Room TV for use in commands of voice.

Conversely, Amazon Alexa devices require assignment each to a single Fire TV, which chooses quickly from their Alexa app on both iOS and Android. These operations allow shorter voice commands, which are quicker to say, as one does not have to specify the TV or device they wish to control. However, for a setup with multiple TVs, commands can fail to work.

 

Playing Videos

As of today, Alexa only clicks off videos from the very Amazon’s Prime Video service on Fire TV. Requesting for media or movie not possibly found on the Leading goes to a universal search engine results page, which the user cannot navigate without the use of a remote controller. However, there is one exception to this, if the search brings up only one single result, one might be capable of launching it by expressing “Alexa, watch that.” You can also tell Alexa to start specific programs like HBO nowadays and Hulu, but you desire a remote to move forward any further inside the app.

Chromecast and Google Home are not much better at the moment; they support primarily just Netflix and YouTube videos. Google announced the expansion of tones of controls to HBO. Today, YouTube TV, Hulu, Google play movies and TV set, CBS all access, Foodstuff Network, HGTV, CW, red bull TV, DIY Network, Cooking Channel, Travel, and Crackle. It is still unclear when this support is fully available though.

 

Summing it All up

Although Google was the first of the two companies by nine months to launch its voice TV controls in an attempt to achieve hands-free TV experience, Amazon is quick up to pace. Google already works on adding more streaming services, while Amazon improves customization of the device. In the future wireless TV, control will only get smoother with unlimited varieties.