Month: April 2020

Optimize Your eCommerce Conversion Rate

If your eCommerce website has a poor or less than satisfactory conversion rate, it may be time to stop and assess things. Your website should not just attract visitors. It should also convert them into customers who purchase the products or services you are offering. However, getting customers to convert is no easy task. A Shopify plus agency can help you with the process or you can apply several methods to improve your conversion rate. But ultimately, offering a great customer experience is what gets you conversions. That means your entire website should have a focus on making conversions as easy as possible. This blog explores a few methods you can try.

Basic Tips Optimizing Your eCommerce Conversion Rate

Offering good customer experience means understanding what your customers want. In the eCommerce world, this translates into an intuitive interface that makes locating products and navigating the website easier. It should also make purchasing these products a simple process. Here are a few tips to follow that can help you with eCommerce CRO or conversion rate optimization:

  1. Profile Your Audience
  2. Simplify Navigation
  3. Use High-Res Images
  4. Write Better Product Copies
  5. Make The Shopping Cart Visible
  6. Display Product Videos
  7. Offer Free Shipping
  8. Invest in Digital Marketing

Let’s take a closer look at these below.

Profile Your Audience

Knowing your target audience is as important for a recruiter in manufacturing staffing as it is for an e-retailer. Create a profile on the customers you expect to visit your website and make purchases. Remember, a purchasing decision is often emotional, so understanding these underlying emotions is important. Research on online shopping behavioral patterns is also necessary. This will help you understand specific qualities that online shoppers look for in an eCommerce website. It all boils down to offering your customers what they need.

Simplify Navigation

How easy your website is to navigate has a direct impact on your website conversions. Online shoppers expect an understandable and simple navigation layout. This allows them to reach their objective without any unnecessary clicks. Having a good navigation layout on your website will also allow them to quickly go through your catalog.

Use High-Res Images

Visual elements on any website are critical. Product images are even more so on an eCommerce website. These images should be in high resolution since they showcase your products and services to your visitors. You can either choose to go with a professional product photographer or experiment yourself with a decent camera. High-resolution images also add a crisp and professional feel to your product lineup. This can encourage even more conversions.

Write Better Product Copies

Visuals are indeed a compelling element of eCommerce, but so are product copies. Ideally, your product copy should contain more information than you would give in a newspaper ad. At the same time, it needs to be engaging and capture the attention of a visitor.

Make The Shopping Cart Visible

Customers should have access to their shopping cart at all times, regardless of what page they are on. A good practice to follow is to place the shopping cart icon at the top right of the screen. Consumers like to keep checking on the items they have in their cart, so it helps to give them convenient access.

Display Product Videos

Product explainer videos are as close as a digital consumer can get to touch your product. That is why you should try to make use of them on your website. Videos also allow you to explain the benefits and features of your product more persuasively. This simple change can help you increase conversions substantially.

Offer Free Shipping

Offering free shipping can be just the catalyst you need to encourage buying decisions. Many shoppers abandon their shopping carts if they think the shipping costs are too high. Free shipping can be a key differentiating factor between you and your competition.

Invest In Digital Marketing

Investing in digital marketing is an important part of doing business online. You will need to work on search engine optimization as well as search engine marketing. These are technical skills, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a marketing recruitment agency if you have the budget to hire a professional. In any case, you will need to educate yourself on ad spend, how to optimize it, and so forth.

Family Therapy: An Addiction Treatment – Business Magazine

Family therapy is just like behavioral counseling. It will increase the relationship bonding because a family is the only part that knows much about the victim’s attitudes, characteristics, and their personal needs. Such treatment has better results because of the involvement of the family.

Few counselors recommend having family therapy on prior. This treatment can also be known as a conventional treatment because it has involved the family. Self-help programs and 12-step programs can also be treated for drug recovery. If families get involved, then it will hinder the alcohol and drug usage by enabling and activating their behaviors. Close associates know and can provide them with proper care and treatment process. The incorporation of the family is also useful for the addiction treatment process. Family’s strength and resources can help in recovery. Close emotional connections can better know their mood swings and sentiments.

Families can become aware of them well as they spend much time with them. Victims experience stress, loneliness, shame, frustration, anxiety, and hopelessness. Strong feeling and desires can enhance their attitudes more towards drugs. Family of drug addicts knows their needs more than the medical experts. Family therapy can last for a few days, several months, or years. It can be a short-term treatment or long-term treatment, depending on the victim’s situation. The family will enable them to develop more skills in them to get rid of drugs and recover them soon. Moving from one generation to another is difficult. Those women who are expecting will badly suffer during delivery times. Medications are also essential but family therapy can lessen the recovery period soon. Due to this specific program offered by Drug Rehab in San Antonio facilitates the victims properly on family therapy.

Substance abuse and drug usage affect families. The following are the points of how these get affected by substance abuse and drugs.

  • If a victim lives alone or with a partner, then both need help. Likewise, if one is dependent on drugs and others not, then in such a situation, they may face many challenges and adverse outcomes. It will increase the amount of separation. Children will be affected severely.
  • People who live with their spouse and children also finds a problem mainly for children. They suffer a lot just because of their parents. The situation is worse if both are involved in drug or substance abuse. It will increase the gap in partners.
  • Victims who are a part of a blended family faces many problems. Stepfamilies present many barriers for them. Stability is very tough in this situation. Stepchildren get poorly affected because they need proper care. In this situation, there a lack of care, love, and happiness.
  • Victims with their mature children face a lot many tough challenges. It is challenging to treat older patients with substance abuse or drug usage. Adult children will prefer to have such community and friends who are also drug-addicts, and in this way, they will ruin their career and future.
  • It is challenging to tackle the situation when parents and children are all badly affected by drugs and are entirely addicted to such things. It will ruin complete peace, mental health, emotional gaps, physical disorders, and home peace.
  • If victims live in a joint family system, then it can be complicated for others to control victims as there is a lot much pressure on them. The relatives feel reluctant to control the victims. Victims also get involved because there is a higher risk of drugs due to stress and control. It can be beneficial for victims as there are many control-drivers for victims in such systems.

Top 10 HP Printing Problems And How To Fix Them – Business Magazine

Having a printer for all your printing needs has countless benefits such as if you have a printer, you further don’t have to go to print shops and pay for print documents and photos. This way, Printers allow users the convenience and ease of use. But like any other technological gadgets, printers also face technical issues from time to time, which leave you in a frustrating state of mind. And, there is no denying the fact that there could be several factors responsible for the occurrence of such printing problems. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t fix those printing problems. 

We’re here to present in front of you the top-most printing problems/errors and their most effective solutions. But, before moving forward it is necessary for all of you to understand that every printer is different from each other based on the model to their brand; therefore, they might have the same problem but their solutions differ from each other. 

Having that in mind, today we’ll consider the Top 1- errors/problems of HP brand printer and the most effective solutions to fix those errors. So, let’s get started:

Problem 1: Paper Jams-Error:

The most common problem with HP Printers is Paper jams error. Reasons behind the paper jam error could be many such as printer might be dirty, the print paper is not properly aligned in the paper tray, paper rollers are damaged or the wrong type of paper is used for printing, etc. 

Solution:

To fix this error, Turn off the printer > open your printer > take out the drum and toner > pull the paper out gently from the output tray to remove any jammed paper. Other than this, cleaning the printer periodically and using the correct paper type are easy fixes. 

Printer shows Offline error because Your HP printer can’t able to communicate with your computer. This can happen due to reasons like poor configurations, faulty drivers, or pending print jobs in the print queue, etc.

Solution:

First of all, ensure that the USB cable is connected properly. If not, try to fix the problem by changing the USB cable; you can also use another USB port if available. Still, if the problem persists, then the reasons could possibly the corrupted printer driver; for this, update the printer driver or download and install the new printer driver. 

Problem 3: Printer Won’t Print Error: 

This error also is very commonly heard among HP printer users. Printer won’t print error can be resulted from various reasons but most commonly due to missing or out-of-date drivers.

Solution:

To get your printer back to printing work, uninstall the previous driver, and replace it with an updated version of drivers. A Printer driver acts as the translator between your computer and your printer, but, remember that you have to download the built-in HP printer driver manually.

Problem 4: Memory Overflow Error:

This error in HP Printers occurs when your print job exceeds the current memory capacity of the printer.

Solution:

You have to take just a couple of steps to fix this error such as reducing the DPI or making the image or document (which you want to print) simpler, works wonder in this case. Along with that, you can also install additional memory if available.

Problem 5: Warming Up Error:

This warming up error generally appears in HP laser printers. The error is linked to printer cable or driver problems.

Solution:

This is easy to fix, all you have to do is turn off the printer and remove the printer cable whether USB or I/O cable and then turn it back on. Doing this will surely solve this error. However, if the problem continues then it means there is some hardware issue and for that, the last option is to contact the HP tech support team. 

Problem 6: Loaded Queue Error:

The error occurred when due to data connection issues, some of your print runs are stopped or put on hold. Due to this a stuck print job can logjam your queue, which prevents jobs from being received by your printer. Therefore, this error appears.

Solution:

To solve this, you can download free software called HP Print and Scan Doctor. And, if you are still having trouble, then you have to uninstall and update your printer driver because corrupts or the incompatible printer driver will lead to loaded queue problems.

Problem 7: Cooling Fan Error:

This problem appears when your printer is open or has a defective cooling fan.

Solution:

To fix this, check whether the cartridge is properly installed in the printer or not. Still, if the problem continues, then it means it is a hardware issue and you have to contact the HP tech support team to fix this.

Problem 8: Paper Out Error:

This error shows that your HP printer paper is out. But if your printer is not out of paper then it can also occur due to faulty paper sensors or paper tray.

Solution:

This error can be solved if you re-adjust and clean the paper tray & paper sensor. Also make sure that your printer is on a completely flat surface, as this will help you to resolve this error.

Problem 9: Wi-Fi Printing Error:

This error means that your Wi-Fi printing command takes too long to print a document.

Solution:

To fix this, try placing your printer as close as possible to your router. Along with that, it might be worth checking that the firmware is up to date and the router is also adequate.

Problem 10: Print Text Quality Error:

This error depicts that your print text quality has been gradually decreasing.

Solution:

To solve this error, check that your print settings of both inkjet and laser are correct. Other than that, you can even solve this by switching off draft mode and making sure that the paper type on screen is the same as the type which you are using.

To more troubleshooting blogs for Printer issues, visit Printer Align.

Top reasons why you shouldn’t delay the shift to cloud computing solutions

There are some of the basic rules that you need to follow in order to make your business successful. There is no denial in the fact the things that you do in your business depends on your industry as well as different industries have different needs and demands but then there are some basic things that applied to each and every industry. For example, giving an ample amount on time to all your departments as a business owner is very necessary for each and every industry. It doesn’t matter whether you are in the automobile industry or in the furniture industry, you will have to dedicate proper amount of time and effort in all your departments and only then you will be able to get expected results from your efforts. And one such thing that is applicable to each and every industry and each and every size of business is acting instantly.

You should know that if you will not act instantly and within the right time period then you will not be able to survive in the business. For example, if you are facing difficulties in managing your IT infrastructure on your own and if you are not switching to the services provided by Managed NOC service providers before things get worse for you then management of your IT infrastructure will become the root cause of your failure. Well, there are many examples of businesses failing because they were not able to make the switch at the right time. One such delay that can become a disaster for your business is not switching to cloud computing solutions by choosing cloud vendors like QuickBooks cloud hosting companies within the right time.

You should know that cloud has become a new normal for most of the businesses and if you are not making the switch to the cloud then you are slowly pushing yourself on the reverse gear of growth track. There have been many cases where businesses have been able to streamline their whole workflow by using different kinds of cloud computing solutions like cloud hosting, cloud storage, cloud app development, cloud backup and much more. It doesn’t matter whether you are not switching to cloud computing solution because of your misconception or because of your resistance to change, you are surely making one of the biggest mistakes of your life.

This is why, in this blog post, we will look at some reasons why you shouldn’t delay the switch to cloud computing solutions.

Your inaccuracy will increase

There are surely many things that you need to take care of in your business but among all those things, accuracy is the most important one. Whether you are analyzing your current marketing campaign or filing taxes, if you will not be accurate then it can surely turn out to be a big disaster for your company. Well, one of the main reasons why businesses are not able to stay accurate is because they use traditional business solutions. Well, traditional business solutions are prone to errors since it is not based on any type of automation. A couple of errors will not hamper your company but if you will keep using the traditional solution for a long period of time then your business will reach to that point where the errors will start acting as an obstacle in the growth of your business.

But you can get rid of such obstacles by using cloud computing solutions as most of the cloud computing solutions promote automation and with the help of automation, you will be able to become more accurate with your data, tax filing, analysis, prediction, and research.

Your competitors will move ahead

There is no denial in the fact that your competitors will always be on the look for things that you are adopting in your business but that is applicable only when you will be using something unique, whether it is about your strategy or business solution. But if you will keep using the outdated solution instead of switching to cloud computing solutions then your competitors are not going to do the same. While you will be feeling comfortable with your traditional solution, your competitors will be thriving on the cloud computing solutions QuickBooks cloud hosting and they will move ahead in the race of competition.

If your competitors will move ahead in the race of competition then they will start trimming your customer base since all the customers will prefer to go with a company that is technologically advanced. So, if you don’t want to be left behind in your industry then you shouldn’t delay the process of shifting to the cloud computing solution.

Your employees will get demotivated

It is true that you will always have to take care of your customers since they are the ones giving you business but you will also need to focus on your employees as they are the ones generating the business for you. Well, if you will keep using traditional business solutions for a very long period of time then your employees will have to deal with interruptions on a regular basis and even after being under one roof, they will not be able to collaborate with each other. You should know that if your employees will not be satisfied and if they will not be able to collaborate efficiently then they will not be willing to give their 100% to your business.

And if this will continue for a long period of time then the situation will reach that point in your business where employees will start leaving your organization. But if you will make the move to the cloud computing platform at the right time then you will be able to keep your employees motivated and they will always be willing to work in your company.

Well, if you are still using traditional business solution then you are doing the biggest mistake of your life. Don’t waste time and shift to cloud within minimum possible time.

 

Best Education Software’s Suitable For Students – Business Magazine

Best Education Software’s Suitable For Students – Business Magazine – Ideas and News for Entrepreneurs

Short Term Loan Definition, Characteristics, and Types – Business Magazine

Every business requires to borrow some finances at a crucial phase of its operation to survive difficult circumstances. The loans are acquired for expansion to another region or to smoothen the functionality of an organization. Small ventures, especially those that don’t have a consistent cash-flow, require access to quick cash to adhere to the deals and agreements.

Not every business has the financial and professional capacity to sign long-term loan agreements with strict repayment terms. Therefore, they look for shorter and feasible solutions to fund themselves and achieve their milestones. The situation can be gauged by the fact that governments around the world have announced special concessions to the organizations to help them avoid layoffs due to the current lockdown.

In such situations, any business, regardless of its standing, will be compelled to borrow some funds sooner or later. Such a scenario requires that we equip ourselves with the basic knowledge of short-term loans, their characteristics, and types. So, let’s review these three areas in chronological order.

Understanding the Short-Term Loan

As its name suggests, a short-term loan is designed to cater to the needs of small businesses. It has flexible terms and shorter duration of repayment, coupled with some concessions. Also, it takes a short amount of time to apply for one of these loans. The availability of online lenders has made it quite easy to get in touch with a lender and expedite the process.

A short-term loan may be generated through a bank as well as other lenders. Since it is designed as a convenient solution, it requires rather simple criteria for qualification. It is beneficial to check out several best short term loan lenders, and then decide which one to go for.

Characteristics

Going further into the depth of understanding the loan type, let’s have a look at some of its salient features, as follows.

  1. Timespan

As mentioned above, the short-term loan has a very small repayment duration, usually from six months to around 18 months. Any loan that exceeds this duration may rather be called a medium or long-term loan. Such a short framework of repayment poses both an opportunity and a challenge. On the one hand, a small business can make use of the finance expeditiously, while on the other, they need to ensure they return the amount within the decided period.

  1. Criteria

Any company that has been operating for a few years can borrow the loan. Also, your organization may need to furnish a clean payment history to qualify for it. If you don’t have a certain default on your record, you should be able to acquire the finances in no time.

  1. Collateral

Since it is designed to facilitate the small business owners and those who require speedy cash, it does not require collateralizing of the assets. It is typically due to the relatively shorter amount and duration of the loan.

Let us now look at the different types of short-term financing options to enable you to make an informed decision.

  1. Merchant Cash Advance

A Merchant Cash Advance is a fast way to borrow the much necessary funds. It works by your lender, providing you with the required amount of cash. In terms of the repayment, they deduct the amount from your future credit card sales. It is different from the conventional methods in the sense that you don’t have to repay the amount on a weekly or monthly basis. Secondly, you need to remain savvy of interest as it can accumulate within a short period.

  1. Invoicing Financing

Another quick way to gain some cash fast is to make use of any of your unpaid invoices. This option is truly feasible because it won’t require that you set up a repayment schedule. Whether it is for dealing with a troubling financial situation, or buying some equipment, signing up for this agreement can prove to be beneficial for you.

  1. Payday Financing

These are a relatively lesser-known but authentic means of financing your business. Known as the emergency loan option, this option can help you have cash in your hands in no time. However, a downside is that you have to repay the entire amount, including the interest on a specific, mutually decided day. Another drawback is that due to its demand, this loan has a very high interest rate.

Conclusion

Financing your venture becomes increasingly important in an environment of uncertainty. The situation that has emerged following the COVID-19 outbreak calls for urgent measures to safeguard businesses and avoid layoffs or shutdowns. The points mentioned above are some of the fastest ways to borrow funds, and one of them should be chosen based on specific business needs. Last but not least, remember to check for any concessions or packages before you opt for any of these options.

How Forex Brokers Fit In the Forex Trading Market and How to Find the Right Broker – Business Magazine

People usually traded with currencies only when they were traveling so that they can easily purchase goods and services abroad. Nowadays, due to the advancement of technology, and fintech, in particular, as well as, trading markets, forex trading is used for a variety of other purposes, among which can be making profits.

This activity, which very much like buying and selling stocks or bonds or futures, can sound complicated for some users. That’s why stock research tools play vital roles in it. In fact, we’ll explore their role in the forex trading market. But, first, let’s discuss forex trading! So, sit back and take some notes.

How the Forex Market Operates

The forex market is the one place where different currencies are traded – euros for dollars, pounds for yens, and so on. Whether it’s for commerce, trading or just a part of the tourism industry, it’s present in almost all major cities.

What’s characteristic of this market is that you can’t find it in one place, as we mentioned. A central meeting place doesn’t exist. Instead, traders get together thanks to a network of computers and they make all the transactions online. This type of trading in financial theory is known as over-the-counter trading. Further, the market works 5.5 days a week and is open all day long.

Forex’s Origins

Speaking in the most elementary function, the forex market as a place where people exchanged one currency with another has been around since countries started using coins and practicing international trade.

On the other hand, if you’re looking at the contemporary idea of the forex market as a means of financially benefitting, among other things, it’s a very modern idea. That’s why people’s interest in the topic has peaked recently. Simply put, it’s a new type of market unlike the stock market, which has been present a while.

In the 1970s, the biggest currencies in the world began to intensively rise and go down against each other. And as the value of each currency followed its own path, people started exchanging more and more.

Benefits and Challenges of the Forex Trading Market

The positive sides of the FX trading market are very easy to understand even from afar. To begin with, they work twenty-four hours following time zones. Plus, the market is fully functional in all the major financial cities where the stock market is well-established.

Another pro aspect is liquidity. If you raised your eyebrows at this word, don’t worry, we’ll get to it in a bit. Moreover, the forex market is among the top markets in the world regarding a large volume of transactions. That makes the market very liquid. To be more precise, you (or your broker or another institution working on your behalf) can sell a currency in a couple of seconds. That’s because it’s easy to find another party that’s willing to buy from you. The same is applicable if you want to buy a currency.

Since it’s a modern invention, the forex market isn’t exactly standardized in all countries in the world. That can mean that transactions can be pretty complex and loaded with risk.

So, the challenge for someone who wants to participate in the FX trading market may be the fact that they need extensive knowledge of finances and economics. They should grasp the bigger picture of the whole topic. On top of that, they should be familiar with the different regulations of different countries, too. For that reason, many traders don’t operate on their own but hire brokers or other intermediaries, which we’ll move onto shortly.

Finding Reputable FX Trading Brokers

After the basics of the market, we believe that it’s time to show you a few tips for finding the right broker for you if you prefer someone else to do all the job for you. Finding reputable FX trading brokers for Americans, and pretty much in any other country, individuals have to look deeply in the profile of the broker to understand what and how they do what they do. The truth is that you can’t always tell a reputable broker from a broker you can’t trust.

  • Check if they comply with the current and relevant regulation – Don’t let the fancy-looking website persuade you in the capabilities, security, and the legal status of the broker. With that being said, you should see if the broker in question is a member of the National Futures Association (in America) or the complementary body in other countries. Being a member of this association means its members are subject to the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (in the State) or the relevant body in other countries. This information is often found in the ‘About’ section on the broker’s website.
  • Get information regarding the customer service – If you have in mind that the market is open all day long, you may need to consult with your broker at all times of the day. If the broker doesn’t have a customer service you can rely on, all of that goes down the drain.
  • Find out the details – Many things go into the making of a successful and professional broker. And individuals should understand even the tiniest details regarding their work. That may include but isn’t limited to the leverage they operate with, as well as the margin, size of the original deposit, their trading platform, the process of withdrawing and depositing, how much they charge as a commission and other potential costs, and similar.

Some Final Words

Whether you think you can handle the forex trading market all on your own or you’d like to do it with a broker, the bottom line is that the market is going to expand even more. And more and more people will use it to increase their profits.

So, what do you make of it? Have you participated in the forex trading market or do you plan to? Feel free to tell us your opinion!

Financial Planning in the Midst of a Crisis

In the midst of the crisis brought by Coronavirus, it’s understandable that people all over the world are worried about their financial outlooks and economic viability. While you’re at home, here are seven things you can do right now to manage your finances:

This is a really good time to look into your bills, organize them, and identify which are critical and need to be paid immediately. It’s also helpful to check with your service providers if they are offering any assistance, such as suspension of bills or the possibility of skipping payments temporarily until the virus pandemic is over.

This is the time to reduce spending on discretionary and non-essential products and services. Things like entertainment, vacations, and other items deemed luxury should be limited. Save as much as you can into your emergency fund in the event you lose your income in the next few months.

  • Get a hardship program from credit cards.

Credit card providers offer you hardship programs in the event you lose your income, and you have difficulty paying your debts. Some providers even offer a small period of non-payment. Check out this site on the assistance provided by banks for people wanting a little bit of flexibility.

  • Change how you pay for loans.

If you have a loan you’re paying for, check if there are any existing options such as temporary suspension of payments like forbearance and deferment. If you defer, you can avoid any interest accrual, while with forbearance, you can’t avoid the interest, causing your debt to grow. Best practice when it comes to forbearance is to pay your interest portion, so that your debt doesn’t grow.

  • Remove auto-debit payments.

You should also consider removing auto-debit payments for existing utilities and bills in the event you feel like you may be low on cash. This gives you flexibility in paying bills and expenditures that are more important. However, make sure that you do stay up-to-date with these payments as soon as you can, or check to see if there are options of paying in increments as opposed to the full sum.

  • Be wary of scams and price inflations.

There are scams and price gouging related to Coronavirus. Many governments around the world have taken measures and steps to ensure that businesses don’t take unfair advantage of consumers by increasing prices for essential items. If you do see businesses raking up the price for specific items, immediately file a complaint.

If you’re worried and in need of some perspective of how things will be in terms of the economy and your financial situation, you can also speak to a financial advisor who can help you create a financial management plan for the next coming months. You can speak with a proactive consultant online on this link to help you get connected to over 1,600 tax and financial professionals.

Starting Over: 5 Facts You Need to Know About Bankruptcy

While it offers you a fresh start financially, there are several other issues for you to take into account.

These five bankruptcy-related facts will help you decide if filing for bankruptcy is the right move for you.

There are different types of bankruptcy

Of the six types of bankruptcy, the two which apply to individuals are the ones we hear about most often: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

In Chapter 7 or liquidation bankruptcy, you can have most of your debts discharged but you may have to sell most of your assets to cover as much of the debt as you can.

If you have sufficient income, a Chapter 13 or reorganization bankruptcy gives you the chance to reorganize your debts with a longer period to repay them, usually three to five years.

Not all responsibilities can be discharged

Bankruptcy cannot make ALL your debts go away. You will still be required to pay child support; alimony; and certain taxes. Also, criminal fines, most student loans, and some court restitution orders still stand after you declare bankruptcy.

Secured loans, such as a mortgage and car loans, cannot be discharged by bankruptcy. You may choose to relinquish the property to the financial institution and walk away from the debt owed.

A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for up to ten years

A bankruptcy can devastate your credit score, which might not be such a big deal for you.  Chances are that if you are considering bankruptcy, then your credit score is already in pretty bad shape.

Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcies stay on your credit report for 10 and 7 years, respectively. Bankruptcy makes it difficult for you to get new credit and to rent an apartment or house. You will also face increased insurance premiums and higher interest rates.

There will be attorney and administrative fees to pay

While you can file for bankruptcy on your own, it is never advisable to do so. The process is far too complicated with too many options and procedures. An experienced bankruptcy attorney can help and will charge fees according to the type of bankruptcy you file for – Chapter 13 bankruptcy typically draws higher amounts.

There will also be administrative court fees which are based on the type of bankruptcy, amendment requests and documents being filed. The charges are usually nominal but they add up over time.

There are alternatives to bankruptcy

Bankruptcy may not be the best option for you at this time. Other possibilities include debt consolidation, working with a credit counselling agency and negotiating with your creditors to create a debt repayment plan.

Most law firms which specialize in handling bankruptcy filings like John A. Steinberger & Associates, P.C. will counsel you on the bankruptcy alternatives you can consider.

Bankruptcy may be the opportunity you need to start afresh. The process and its results are not as cut and dried, however, as most persons think. Give your options careful thought and discuss how bankruptcy will affect you with an attorney who specializes in the field.

Time To Monitor Bitcoin As An Investment

The idea of Bitcoin as an investment asset, or even as any kind of asset, is still foreign to a lot of us.

This is a tech-based alternative currency that, for a few years at least, seemed like a fad. It appeared to be destined to fade away and become little more than a collector’s item, and that’s not just one man’s opinion. Plenty of financial analysts felt the same (though it’s true than plenty also saw Bitcoin going places, or even potentially replacing cash).

As it turns out, Bitcoin is something to be taken seriously.

This doesn’t mean that we’re all going to be transitioning to it away from regular money (as its strongest advocates have long predicted). But it does mean that it’s likely going to maintain significance, and that it could be useful.

So, in case you’re starting from scratch in this department, I wanted to provide a basic overview for how to think of Bitcoin with regard to investment.

What Is It?

It seems only proper to start with the most basic question: what really is Bitcoin?

It’s still a fair question, even if you have a general knowledge that it’s a “digital” or “electronic” currency.

The strictest definition of Bitcoin is that it’s an intangible store of wealth that exists exclusively in the digital space. Some have even compared Bitcoins to coupons for purposes of understanding.

Owning Bitcoin simply means having access to proof that you have acquired a given amount of digital wealth.

There are 21 million Bitcoins that make up a finite supply slowly but surely being “mined” via complex mathematical processes. Once a Bitcoin is mined, it essentially joins the market where it (or fractions of it) can be bought and traded.

How Do You Get It?

If you’re going to be considering Bitcoin for investment purposes, you of course need to know how to acquire and store it.

I mentioned the mining process, but frankly that’s something most of us don’t need to worry about.

The focus instead, if you decide to invest (and I’m not saying that’s necessarily a good idea), should be on buying Bitcoin that’s already on the market.

This can be done in a few different ways. Through online and mobile exchanges (where it’s a fairly straightforward digital transaction) or at a BTM (which is a Bitcoin ATM, essentially).

In order to buy and store Bitcoin, however, you need to have a Bitcoin wallet set up. And for this it’s important to understand a bit more about how Bitcoin storage works in general.

When you own Bitcoin, you technically own access to the code that represents it – the “coupon,” if you will. But that actual code is stored on the secure digital leger known as the Blockchain.

A wallet stores the “address” to that code on the Blockchain, but also stores your private key. This is vital, because only with both can you access and use your Bitcoin.

So for all intents and purposes your wallet is a digital record-keeping device. There are different kinds of wallets including hardware, software, and mobile options, each with different pros and cons.

Do People Invest?

In a word, yes. Bitcoin first emerged as a cryptocurrency, and that’s still technically what it is.

It can be used to purchase goods and services at participating vendors both in person and online, and it can be exchanged for real money.

If you really want to use Bitcoin as money, there are opportunities to do so. But increasingly, people appear to be viewing it as a commodity or long-term asset.

Some have compared it to oil or gold, in that it’s a sort of “precious” commodity existing largely beyond the terms of ordinary stock markets and financial systems.

So yes, people are absolutely purchasing Bitcoin as a means of investment. And for what it’s worth, they’re doing the same with several prominent “Altcoins,” which are alternative cryptocurrencies worth far less than Bitcoin. People are also using trading bots such as https://www.bitcoinlifestyle.io/  to control their investments and make great profits in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Should You Buy In?

Far be it from me to give a definitive answer to this question. Every investment is a personal decision, and Bitcoin is trickier than most.

On the one hand, its value has quite literally quadrupled in 2017, which can make it look very appealing.

Had you invested years ago, or even in January of this year, you would likely be very happy with how Bitcoin performed. However, many experts remain skeptical of continued growth.

Bitcoin has always been volatile, so it’s a very difficult investment prospect to monitor.

But at the very least, this is worth thinking about for a diverse investment portfolio.