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Fraud-Busting Ways to Protect Your Business

Being the victim of fraud can be devastating for individuals and companies alike, which is why you will want to do everything you can to stop this from happening to your business. Threats are evolving all the time as scam artists find new ways to gather personal information and deprive your company of its hard-earned cash. So, you should be doing everything that you can to ensure that your company is not swindled. Here are just a few of the best ways that you can achieve this goal.

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Understand the Different Types of Fraud

Before you do anything else, you need to understand what the different types of fraud that can affect your business are. Some of the most common include identity theft, mail fraud, employment fraud, wire fraud, and bankruptcy fraud. There is plenty of information online which details many of the different methods that hackers use to get access to your vital business files, as well as some common prevention methods.

Prevent Employee Fraud Losses to Your Business

Once you understand the threats you are facing, you can start to take steps to prevent the fraud losses to your business. To start off with, you can implement a system of background checks for new employees, and particularly those who have financial responsibilities of any kind. You could look at getting an ID verification service to help out in your mission. Next up, you could separate financial duties so that no one is responsible for everything.

Review Your Invoices

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You should get into a habit of reviewing your invoices, accounts payable, and purchase orders on a regular basis to make sure that they are all from real vendors. You should also check the items that you are receiving against the invoices to make sure that your suppliers are fulfilling their end of the bargain. If you handle all your accounts alone, it is very easy for something to get missed and you could end up missing out.

Deal with Cybercrime

Many of the biggest fraudulent threats facing businesses today exist in the world of the internet. First of all, you need to have your antivirus software and firewalls kept updated. You should also be wary of the details that you give out online – particularly if you have not dealt with the individual or company in the past. If anything does happen to go wrong, it is essential that all your files are backed up in a secure location.

Prevent Cash and Inventory Losses

If you run a shop or business of any kind that isn’t online, you should take extra steps to prevent cash and inventory losses. Train your employees on the art of spotting counterfeit money and stolen credit cards. Set up inventory control policies which help you to keep track of all your supplies.

Fraud is one of the most frustrating and potentially devastating negative events which can impact your business. Use these methods as a way of reducing the risks that you face. http://credit-n.ru/blog-single-tg.html

New study: the best & worst states at managing debt

In the process of reaching your life goals, you might accumulate debt along the way. Millions of Americans carry student loans, credit card debt, and mortgages. One important factor many don’t consider is how geographic location impacts your overall debt burden.

A recent study released by Credible looked at 540,000 borrowers from all 50 U.S. states analyzing the average monthly debt payment (credit card, student loan and housing). The information about debt-to-income ratios gives us an idea about which states might provide you a financial advantage.

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Low Debt-to-Income States

According to the report, Michigan, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri had the lowest debt-to-income ratios. For example, Michigan residents spent just 25.3% of their monthly income on credit card, student loan, and housing payments. Michigan had the best score of all in the study.

High Debt-to-Income States

On the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Montana had the highest average debt-to-income ratios. If you live in Hawaii, you spend an average of 36.2% of your monthly income on debt payments. That means for the average annual income of $56,889 in Hawaii, $20,593 goes towards loan payments. Hawaiians pay more debt per dollar earned than any other state in the country.

What Causes the Difference?

Are Hawaiians spend happy and residents of Michigan frugal by nature? Maybe, but the full explanation for the differences probably has more to do with macroeconomic factors in each state. In Michigan, the lower cost of living shows up as lower housing, credit card, and student loan payments. Needless to say, housing costs in the Hawaiian islands are very high.

Where You Live Affects Your Debt Load

Where you live affects your debt burden, and the data proves this point. All other things being equal, the state you live in can have a significant impact on your financial health.

Read the Credible report: Burdened by Debt: The Best and Worst States at Managing Debt. http://credit-n.ru/zaymi-online-blog-single.html

What Is Insolvency And How Can You Help Yourself?

Insolvency is a term see when you are unable to pay off any debts you have and therefore fall into a void where you are trapped without means of getting out. It can be a life changing thing for many people and makes things incredibly difficult for many.

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When you end up in this rut it can be difficult to think of finding a way back out; but it is important to remember that absolutely anything is possible if you simply start creating better habits in your life. If you feel as if you need help with insolvency this year, here are some of the ways you can prevent it from happening again and also dig yourself out of the rut.

Stop Borrowing

The most important thing you need to remember is that borrowing money will  only lead you to have to pay it back. It means that if you are already in debt and to borrow more money, you land yourself deeper in debt. The trick to staying financially stable and digging yourself out of this hole is to stop borrowing money and instead focus on getting rid of your current debt. It might sound very obvious to you, however it is something many people don’t think about. It is often all too easy to keep on borrowing when you are used to borrowing money.

Budget

Budgeting is something which you need to do if you want to stay afloat and keep your finances stable throughout the year. It is important to set yourself a budget for every aspect of your life because it will enable you to spend money while also not worrying about getting into debt. For example for your food shopping each week let’s say you set yourself a budget of $100. This will be a goal to stick to and will mean you have extra money left over for savings or to use in your lifestyle. Understanding how to budget and making a conscious effort is crucial for better financial health.

Focus on Needs

When you are trying to get yourself out of debt, make sure you always focus on the things you actually need rather than what you want. Sure, it’s great getting a takeaway when you don’t want to cook or popping out to the cinema, but when you are in debt these are things you need to cut down on a lot, if not completely. Save the money you would have spent on these activities and use it to pay off your existing debts.

Talk to your Creditors

If you keep quiet as you begin to have problems with laying off your debts each month, you won’t get the help that you need to get back on track and be able to pay them off. The best thing you can do if you find yourself in trouble is talk to your creditors and ask them for advice on what to do. They will be able to set up a meeting with you to discuss how much you are able to pay every month, and this will mean that you pay off less each month for a longer period.

Check Interest Rates

If you have multiple debts to your name at the moment you will want to prioritise which debts you focus on paying back first. Always focus on the highest interest rates first because this is where a lump sum will build up much quicker for you to pay off. If you can pay off these debts first, it means that you have more time to focus on the lower interest rates because they won’t build up as quickly for you, therefore they will be easier to handle.

Consolidation

Debt consolidation isn’t necessarily the best option for everyone out there, but it might be just the thing you need to make paying off your debts and getting back on track with your finances easier. Debt consolidation involves you taking all of your existing debts and merging them into one large lump sum with monthly payments which are higher. It will usually mean that your payment term is longer than the single debt, but it will make things less complicated for you and will mean you only have one interest rate to worry about. It should make paying off your debts easier in the long term and get you back on track with your money. http://credit-n.ru/zaymi-nalichnymi-blog-single.html

Savvy Studenthood Doesn’t Mean Skimping

Becoming a student is an exciting time for any young person, with a lot of changes coming their way. You will have loads of newfound freedom, a chance to learn about something you love, and, most importantly, your first opportunity to manage your own money. Finance is probably the scariest part of getting into this part of life. Having never managed it before, you will have a lot of learning to do, and not much time to do it. Of course, though, if you’re savvy enough, you might not have to have a hard time at all.

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What You Spend: In reality, most students have little reason to spend money on anything other than rent, food, and the other essentials which come with life. Of course, you will probably want to spend something on yourself, too, but this shouldn’t cut too far into the money you have. Companies like Urbanest can help you to find student accommodation in luxury locations and with beautiful interiors, and they don’t have to cost more than what you would get with the university itself. Often having bills included, this can save huge amounts of money, and you won’t have to compromise on your living situation to achieve it.

Books, Books, Books: One of the most expensive parts of studying is the paperwork which you have to buy to go along with it. With some books costing as much as a new smartphone, it’s easy to see how it can be hard for people studying to afford these materials. In most cases, though, you can find very similar content in the form of e-books. Digital books like this are best read using a tablet computer, but this will only cost the same as a couple of your core texts, and may be able to save you money.

Something On The Side: While the life of student can be a very stressful one, it often isn’t very busy. For a couple of months each year, everything will be full steam ahead with your work. But, for the rest of it, you will either be slowly learning or away on long breaks. During these times, you have a great chance to make some money, and it will only take finding a job or starting small business to do it. With some extra finance in your pocket, it will be a lot easier to get through the year with a good amount of money saved up. Of course, it can be worth dropping this once you have gotten back into your studies.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder than ever before on your studenthood spending. By finding ways to make things cheaper, make some extra money, or even get things completely free, you will make it easier to avoid compromise in your living. When everything is new and life is getting overwhelming, being comfortable will be very important, and a lot of people will find it hard to learn how to look after their money when they aren’t earning anything.

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Financing Home Renovations For A Better Retirement

Couples nearing retirement may be considering upping sticks and relocating to be closer to family or to explore a new country. According to a Merrill Lynch study, 64% of retirees move home during retirement. Therefore, increasing your property’s value in the years leading up to your retirement is the perfect way to ensure a good return when the time comes to sell. Everyone knows that preparing for your retirement is essential, so if you’re one of the ones looking to move home, what are your finance options?

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Remortgage your home

One of the easiest and quickest ways to free up some cash in order to get a kitchen installation, undertake a loft conversion or add an additional bedroom to your home is to remortgage your property. This means borrowing a sum larger than your existing mortgage so that you can use the additional funds to complete your renovations. Once you’ve retired and have bought a new home, you might be wanting to complete home improvements on that too. Taking out a reverse mortgage can be an ideal solution for those aged 62 or over who are looking to free up some spare cash.

 Take in a lodger

As a couple nearing retirement age it’s likely that your children have moved on and in their place are large empty bedrooms, gathering dust. Taking in a lodger is the ideal way of increasing your bank balance each month. Most lodgers are very little hassle and choose to spend most of their time in their rooms, so you’ll barely notice the additional body in your home. The extra income will be a welcome bonus, too. Just remember to make any potential lodger aware of the renovations you’re planning.

Turn your home into a business

If you’re after something a little more lucrative than a lodger, consider transforming your home into a bed and breakfast. American B&Bs can be very profitable businesses with the average daily rate being $150 and average revenue per room hitting $58. When you decide it’s time to retire, you’ll have two valuable products to sell; your home and your business, which can result in a nice return for you to rely on during your retirement.

Invest your savings

You’re probably keeping your savings back to use once you retire. However, investing them to boost the value of your home is a great way of seeing a larger profit when you decide to sell up and retire. It’s not advisable to splurge all your savings on your project, but, taking a chunk of them to cover the cost of the work and to, ultimately, increase the value of your home is a practical way of financing your home renovations.

Finding suitable ways to finance home renovations when you plan on moving home during your retirement is the perfect way to ensure it’s a prosperous and healthy one.

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