5 Possible Investments for a Better Retirement

The best type of investment for your future will depend on your age, disposable income and the amount of money that you have managed to save so far. Generally speaking, the older you are the less risks you should take. For example, investing in equities may be a good idea for those in their 20s, 30s and 40s but if you are planning to retire in ten years or less, it is probably best to minimize the percentage of your portfolio that is invested in stocks and shares. This is because stock markets can be quite volatile and if you are likely to need your money sooner rather than later, you may be forced to liquidate your holdings when the market is at a low point, historically speaking. 

Below are five areas in which you might like to invest, with some comments on their suitability for people of different ages: 

1. The equity market – as mentioned above, investing in the stock market, whether via exchange traded funds or directly in individual shares, can provide healthy returns over a reasonable period of time but is not advisable for those that are hoping to retire in the near future. Free online advice such as that offered by moneyvista financial planning and other similar organisations can be very useful when trying to work out which equity funds are the most suitable for your needs. 

2. Government bonds – known in the UK as gilts and elsewhere as treasuries, they are considered to be very low risk investments and because they pay a fixed amount, known as the coupon, it is easy to work out exactly how much income you will receive over time from the government bonds in which you invest. The value at which they can be sold does change but if you are going to hold them until maturity this is not an issue that will concern you. 

3. High interest savings accounts – sadly, these are largely a thing of the past. The low rates set by central banks in developed countries across the globe mean that it is very hard to find a safe home for your cash where you will receive interest payments that exceed the level of inflation in your home country. However, if you are prepared to accept the higher exchange rate risk associated with holding deposits with banks in developing nations, it is still possible to get a good return on your savings in certain parts of the world. 

4. Property – if you had asked a hundred people for investment advice 5 years ago, the chances are that nearly every single one of them would have recommended investing in property for those that could afford it. Recent events may have changed some people’s opinions with regard to the safety of bricks and mortar as a home for retirement funds but residential properties still offer a high potential for capital growth when compared to other investment opportunities. As with stocks and shares, it is inadvisable to put your money into property unless you have plenty of time to ride out any possible downtrends and wait for a recovery. 

5. Antiques and art – although not many financial advisors are likely to suggest investing a sizeable proportion of your retirement funds in Queen Anne chairs or paintings by Old Masters, such objects not only offer the chance of making a big profit over time but they also come with the added advantage of providing their owners with many years of pleasure in the meantime. If you appreciate beautiful things and you don’t mind taking a risk, antiques and works of art could be worth further investigation. 

About the Author: 

The MoneyVista financial planning site is a service that aims to provide users with helpful information on personal finances, covering topics on borrowing, saving, and budgeting.

How to Select a Coin Dealer for Your Coin Collection

An American Gold Eagle. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you want to build a collection of rare coins as a hobby or investment, it is always better to purchase your coins from a reputable coin dealer. If you are building a great coin collection as an investment you are probably looking to enjoy some capital appreciation somewhere down the line. The best way to build your collection is by using a coin dealer. 

A reputable coin dealer is in the business to make a profit but they also want to continue selling you more coins. Building a relationship is in the best interest of the coin dealer and the collector. The coin dealer doesn't make his income from appreciation of the coin asset, he makes his money by turning over inventory. Establishing a relationship with the customer establishes trust and leads to more sales for the coin dealer. 

A reputable coin dealer who has established a trust relationship is almost like your partner in build a collectible coin portfolio. Coin dealers can be found who specifically deal in the types of coins you may be interested, like 1 oz Gold American Eagles. If your on the coin dealers list of good customers you will not only get first access to the best possible stock but you will also enjoy the best prices. 

Without a good relationship with your coin dealer you are subject to a higher prices when you start to build your collection. If you build a long term relationship the margins the coin dealer charges won't be as high because they want you to return and buy more product.

Another benefit to a relationship with your coin dealer is that they become your expert on other points of interest in the collectible coin world. If you want to buy American gold eagle coins your dealer may not have that type of coin you are looking for but they often have connections in the collectible coin business. They can direct you to other dealers who will provide the coins or services you may need. 

If you are thinking about starting a collectible coin collection, don't go it alone. To often new collectors try to buy coins without the guidance and professional help. They end up being scammed or just paying to much.

Tips for New Investors on Saving Money Effectively

saving and spending (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

“A penny saved is a penny earned” ~ Ben Franklin 

Learning to save money is the best thing for you to get started as an investor. It is good to keep your investment strategy cinch as a beginner in this field. Here are some tips which would help you out in saving more money. 

Investment:

You can take advantage of the investment programs offered by your employer especially the ones which permit you to invest pre-tax money. Pre-tax money means that you are able to invest in 100 percent of the money you earned. Pre-tax dollars are a part of accounts like 401k plans, IRA’s, retirement plans etc. This investment plan will work out for you as a strong foundation for the other investment plans. If you trust the company you are working for then you can hold benefit from the stocks that your company owns and you can always look for opportunities to acquire stocks in your company.

Investing by yourself:

For instance, if you’re running a PPI Claims firm or an interior designing firm or any other financial services, you should know when to invest and where to invest. With the online brokerage investment firms like TDAmeritrade, E*Trade, Charles Schwab Scottrade, etc. help you in investing on your own. You can invest in mutual funds to gain a broader spectrum of investment base. Some of the mutual funds providers are Pimco, Vanguard, Franklin Templeton, etc. They invest in various stocks like Mid-Cap Growth or International Growth Stocks and then would offer fund shares to the investors.

10% rule:

You should aim to at least save 10 percent from your tax earnings before investing. Many millionaires adapt themselves to living with minimum means as they are focused on attaining their financial goals.

Budget:

Budget is the key to any saving strategy. It helps you to identify for what purpose you are spending money. It could help you minimise your spending on unnecessary things.

Investment Pyramid:

You could design your investment plan like a pyramid. You could start with low risk investments at the bottom. Low risk investments include money market account, personal savings account or Treasury bills, etc. Most people would include real estate in this category. Bonds, stocks, certificates of deposits (CD’s), mutual funds would constitute the middle part of the pyramid. The investments with high risk could be a part of the top of your pyramid. Riskier investments could be the ones which would offer high returns compared to the others. Stock options, high growth stocks, collectibles, and so on d fall in this category.

About the Author: This guest post is written by Amy Lawson who is a specialist in financial blogging from Manchester. Apart from blogging, she does research on tax credit phone number.

3 Common Options to Spend Retirement Money And Gain Profit

retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

A lot of people are looking forward to retirement. There is so much freedom when you reach your retirement years. No more worries about performing responsibilities in the office, going home late, waking up early, and the list goes on. And probably, the best part of retiring is getting hold of your retirement money. Yes! It means you will have a budget to finance your needs and wants. But, retirees should be careful in spending their hard-earned money. In an instant, it can disappear. 

For those who want to secure their future, investing your money is a clever option. However, you cannot just jump into any decision and put your money in any investment opportunity. Investment requires you to analyze, study and foresee the possible outcome. If you have not decided yet where to invest your retirement money, here are three options you can take into account. 

Stock Market

Taking part in the stock market offers remarkable return of investment (ROI). In other words, it involves great profit generating opportunity. If you are interested in this kind of investment option, you need to fully understand the risk associated to it. Being a stock investor is not easy. It is either you can gain big bucks or lose big amount of money. However, it does not mean that it is impossible to become a good stock investor. Seek out the help of stock consultants to educate and guide you all the way. Make sure you work with a reliable consultant to truly learn the ins and outs investing in the stock market. 

Start a Small Business

After spending half of your life working in a company, retirement is a perfect time to start your very own business. Are you into handicrafts and home decoration pieces? You can open up a handicraft store in your local area. If your interest revolves around car and automobile, a mechanical store is suitable for you. You can sell spare parts of the vehicles and even, mechanical services. For those who enjoy cooking, you can start a small restaurant (which you can grow bigger later on). There are so many types of business you can consider. All you have to do is think of your interest to help you decide. 

Buy Properties

Real estate is a booming industry these days. Might as well take advantage of this trend. Look for properties with remarkable opportunity to make money. There are real estate companies out there that can help you find a suitable property. Buy a vacation house in an area close to the nature or beach. You can offer this property for rent during summer holiday break or anytime of the year. Make sure the location is promising to attract vacationers. During off-season, you can spend your vacation in your property to relax.


If you have an eye for city-based properties, there are many land developers constructing apartments in Atlanta GA, Houston TX, Boston MA and other major cities in different states. Of course, you need to take into account your location. Check out property developments in your area. Later on, you can venture into nearby areas for another profit opportunity. Remember, properties are good investment as their value goes up as year passes by.


Retirees can double or even triple their retirement money if they spend it wisely. All it takes is great determination (strong will to succeed) and a lot of patience.

Prepaid Cards Can Help You Manage Your Money Better

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When customers need access to reliable credit cards for recurring payments or security purposes, the Kaiku Visa prepaid card will help them through. These prepaid cards are accepted anywhere that Visa is accepted so making payments is quick and simple. 

By using the Kaiku Visa prepaid card, customers will have complete control over their accounts and payments. All that anyone who purchases prepaid cards needs to do is make sure they load the card with sufficient funds to make any payments. 

This method of managing payments will work well for those who sometimes struggle to make payments with their regular debit card. With the Kaiku Visa prepaid card, they will know exactly how much they have on the card at any given time. 

The Kaiku Visa prepaid card offers users so many exciting and practical uses that include making daily purchases, whether online, on the phone or in the store. Customers can get cash from a Allpoint ATM network machine, or they can request cash back during a grocery visit when using it as a debit card. 

Parents can use the Kaiku Visa prepaid card to help teach their children about managing money at an early age since cards are a common means of payment today. Children will learn to keep track of their available balance daily. 

Kaiku monitors each card's usage to try to detect fraud attempts and stop them in their before escalating, and each customer's personal information is safely encrypted to avoid the possibility of identity theft.

Educational Grants for Over 50s

Because of the economic downturn during the past decade, many seniors are beginning to panic that their retirement savings may not be enough to sustain them or that the Social Security Program may be completely gutted. This has caused some to look toward working longer or re-entering the workforce; however, one glance at the tuition and fees associated with going back to college to better their skills or get a degree has caused many people over the age of 50 to turn back from this course of action. What few of these seniors know is that just as they save money by using coupons at the grocery store or buying their clothing at thrift shops, they can also get a discount on education by applying for grants.

Money obtained in the form of a grant never has to be repaid, so this is the perfect way for those living on a small income to return to college. Some grants cover the entire cost of tuition, but obtaining several smaller grants can add up and make a big difference. The following opportunities are just a few of the ones available for seniors who need to get more job training:

• Federal Government Pell Grants: Most people think Pell Grants are only given to young people right out of high school, but this is not true. This government funding is available to people of any age who have an income low enough to qualify for assistance.

• State Funding: Unfortunately, every state does not have a grant program to aid seniors in returning to college, but several do. These include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, and Maryland. Other states may offer some type of college funding for people over fifty through the State Community Service Block Grant Act 676. Ask about applications at the financial aid office of a local college.

• AARP Grants: The American Association of Retired People is well known for supporting the educational efforts of its members. Funding from this organization is designed to help those over the age of 55 to obtain the skills that they will need to stay in the workforce or return to it.

• Foundational Grants: Several special foundations offer grant money for seniors to use for educational purposes. Some of these include The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Donald W. Reynold’s Foundation, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Check online for specifics about each of these opportunities and to find application forms.

Because of the large number of applications received and the limited amount of money available, competition for college funding for seniors is fierce. However, seniors willing to search for the best sources of money and those who fill out the forms necessary for a grant will find that their patience and hard work will ultimately be rewarded. By using grant money to upgrade their skills and education, they will be able to keep their nest eggs intact and complete their training without having to pay back huge loans. In the process, they may just keep their minds sharp and healthy as well.

Guest author Michelle Williams writes for www.CollegeGrant.net, a site that has more details about applying for grants.