Small Business Ideas After Retirement

People often say that when you’re lucky when you’re retired. All you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of your life as it comes. Lazing around during the first few weeks after quitting your job is the life! No more worrying about deadlines or dealing with problematic clients or bosses. You must remember, however, that it takes time to adjust to life after retirement. 

As the month of doing nothing winds to an end, you realize that you’re itching to do something again, to be productive once more. Although man is hedonistic by nature, if you’ve been working all your life, then the tendency is you’ll keep working as long as you’re still able to. 

Since you can no longer do heavy duty, stressful stuff--too much is bad for your health and your age--the next best choice you have is to start your own business. If you have no clue what that business is going to be, here are some ideas to tide you over. 

Blogging 

If you enjoy writing and are good at expressing yourself through words, one of the most logical choices you have is to blog. If there is a certain niche you are passionate about, then that’s a good place to start for your blog. Blogging is a very lucrative business where you can earn from adsense and you can also start selling stuff on your blog once it has gained an online presence. 

A word of caution though, earning from blogging is going to take some time especially when there are so many blogs out there covering different niches. If you want your blog to stand out, choose a unique angle that you think will appeal to your target audience. 

Consultancy 

Choosing what business to start can be a challenge. To help you decide, why don’t you go back to the basics and start with what you know. If you have been around a particular industry for most of your life, then you know the nitty-gritty of that business. It would be practical for you to start a small consultancy firm and reach out to those who want to start their own business. This is what the father of a colleague did when he resigned as Chief of Operations of the company he was working for. He started his own consultancy firm and has served as a consultant to other companies and clients that he met during his previous work. He also helped rebrand old business to refresh their image and improve their online presence by being active on several social media networks. If you are looking for potential clients you can use the area codes at MyLife to help you search. It can also help you get in touch with old friends who just might want to join you in your new venture. 

Online Business 

Nowadays, the number of online consumers has increased and you can take advantage of this number by starting an online business. You can either sell merchandise or offer certain services that has not been offered elsewhere. The best part about online business is that you can operate from your home and don’t need to rent out office space. You can also work anytime and anywhere in your home. 

Keep in mind that competition is tough in the online market and you have to find a way to make your business stand out. You should also provide regular updates through facebook, twitter and other social media. You have to provide both online and offline promotional If you keep working steadily, your efforts are sure to pay off and your online business will take off. 

About the Author 

Based in San Diego California, Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of professional writing experience. She believes in the importance of saving up for retirement, even if it’s still a long way off. Tiffany also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read fantasy books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.

Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You?

As a senior, you may be living on a limited income, which can make things challenging if you suffer health problems or if your home needs major repairs. Perhaps you simply want to enjoy your retirement, but you don't have the funds to travel or to do the other things that you would like. 

A reverse mortgage might offer the solution you need. A reverse mortgage occurs when the bank buys back your home, giving you a monthly payment based on the estimated value of your home. You don't pay back the money until you sell the house (or until you die). Though there are many benefits to a reverse mortgage, there are also many drawbacks. Here are a few things to think about to help you determine if a reverse mortgage is right for you: 

Your Age

You must be at least 62 to qualify for a reverse mortgage. However, the older you are, the more beneficial a reverse mortgage might be for you. Your home is likely to have more equity in it, which means that you will receive more money. In addition, the bank bases its monthly payment based on how long it expects you to live. The older you are, the fewer years the bank thinks it will have to pay, meaning that it will make bigger monthly payments to you. 

The Equity in Your Home

How much equity you have in your home may be one of the biggest factors determining if a reverse mortgage is right for you. The more equity you have, the more you are likely to get from a reverse mortgage. The equity also has to be enough to overcome the fees and interest you will pay back when you are ready to sell your home. If you don't expect your house to maintain its value or to continue to appreciate, a reverse mortgage may not be the best idea. 

Future Plans for Your Home

If you are planning to move very soon, a reverse mortgage may not be the best idea. The fees and interest will make it difficult to recoup the amount you owe, especially if you took a lump sum instead of a monthly payment. However, if you are planning to stay in your home for awhile, then a reverse mortgage might help you.

Also, if you are planning to leave behind your home to your children, you will need to think carefully about a reverse mortgage. Your family will become responsible for paying off your reverse mortgage when you die, whether they want to stay in the home or not. If they stay, it would be like buying the home all over again. Even if you just want to leave a financial legacy for your family, a reverse mortgage often eats up the equity left in the home, leaving nothing behind.

Depending on your circumstances, a reverse mortgage can be a great idea or it can ruin the financial investment you have made in your home. Consider your age, how much equity you have in your home, and what your future plans are for your home to determine if a reverse mortgage is the right choice for you.

Did you get a reverse mortgage on your home? Tell us how you decided it was the right decision for you.

About the Author:

Alexis Bonari writes for one of the largest open databases of college funding opportunities. Specific topics like free college grants are described in detail to provide multiple resources for students.

Are Coupons Really the Only Way to Improve Your Shopping Budget?

There are very few people round these days who are not in need of a few tricks to make their monthly food budget stretch a little further. Money is tight for most people and the cost of food seems to be on a never ending increase. This has led to the explosion of 'couponing' – the art of clipping discount coupons and special offers in order to reduce your spend – which has given rise to books, websites and even television shows explaining how best to approach couponing, but are coupons really the only way that you can improve your shopping budget? Let's compare a few of the alternatives. 

The Basic Problem With Couponing 

Couponing involves collecting discount coupons and offers in order to save money, but it is a time consuming process. While clipping coupons can be a great way to save money, it also comes with the danger of creating an obsession. A large number of coupon clippers report having feelings of anxiety when they miss out on a deal because the store has sold out or because the relevant coupon has expired. It can be a vicious cycle if you become trapped in it, so it makes sense to look for alternatives to couponing. I'm not saying give it up, just that you could supplement it with alternative options. 

Changing The Way You Shop 

One easy way to stretch that shopping budget without coupons is to adjust your shopping habits. If you switch to generic brands you can trim up to an average of up to 25% off of your shopping budget. There will always be some things that just don't taste good, but you can switch to generic brands on lots of things like pasta, sugar and so on. You can also save a great deal by making a grocery list and sticking to it rigidly. 

Saving Money With A Reward Card 

Another great alternative to couponing is to use reward cards. So long as you use your credit card with care it can be a great way to save some money. Look out for a reward card that offers cash back on grocery purchases, or anything that you will purchase regularly, like fuel. With these rewards you can earn back a small percentage of whatever you spend and if you pay of the bill in full at the end of the month you will not even have to pay interest. Just be sure to keep the money aside in your bank account to cover whatever you spend. 

Other reward cards will allow you to earn points rather than cash back. This allows you to save points up over time and trade them in for vouchers, gifts and other items. Vouchers can be used to cover grocery shopping, or you could trade your rewards in to get gifts for family birthdays thus saving some additional cash. 

Couponing is a good way to stretch your shopping budget, but as I have shown it is not the only way. These are just a few of the many alternatives that you could use instead of or alongside clipping coupons. 

Tim Baker is a writer who loves travelling around the world spending as little as possible using his avios credit card and by taking advantage of shopping and travel rewards.

Life Insurance Helps Take Care of Your Family

Universal Life Insurance Company (Photo credit: Thomas Hawk)

You take pride in caring for your family. You have provided them with all they need to live and prosper. How would they manage if anything happened to you? If you provided the right insurance, they would me able to be financially secure if you should die. 

There are many types of insurance and picking the right one for you is solely determined by your age. The insurance market place has so many companies that getting a good deal is easier then ever. So you should shop around to get the best price. If you want to pay the cheapest rate for life insurance you need to acquire while your still in good health. When we are in good health and young, death is the last thing on our mind. Coming down with a terrible disease may never happen to you but people die everyday from unforeseen accidents. It's unfortunate but it does happen.

If you do pass the first thing that happens to your family is figuring out how to pay for your funeral costs. After you pass,the last thing you want your family to worry about is the cost of a funeral. Most family's barely survive on their income, having a major financial event like a funeral would bankrupt most families. The enormous costs of funeral expenses are something a family doesn't need to worry about at such a stressful time. Making sure you have life insurance policy is the best way you can provide for your loved ones after your gone. 

At one time people paid off their mortgages by the time they were 50 but today most people are still paying their mortgage well into their 50s and 60s. This is one more reason that you need life insurance. Would your surviving spouse be able to make the mortgage payments if you were gone? Over 50s life insurance can help make the mortgage payment or even pay the house off completely if you should pass away. 

You may think that life insurance for the over 50 person is not affordable, this is not true. There are still great deals available, many even guarantee acceptance. The life insurance industry has many providers all competing for your business. With so much competition the cost for life insurance is more affordable. Click here for term life insurance quotes

Adjusting to Life After Retirement

Retirement (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

You reach over to turn off your alarm and reluctantly drag yourself out of bed, only to realize that you didn’t need to wake up at an ungodly hour anymore just to get to work. Retired. Maybe the word hasn’t sunk in yet. Maybe you need time to adjust to the changes that come with retirement, like turning off your alarm clock on a permanent basis. While the alarm clock is just a trivial matter, there are other more important things you need to remember during the transition into retirement. 

Money isn’t Limitless

People often think that when they retire, they can do whatever and that includes throwing money around and splurging on a brand new sports car. Living life to the fullest doesn’t mean living it recklessly. Just because you’re retired, doesn’t mean you have an endless supply of money to burn. Yes, you may have money saved up for retirement, but if you spend it like there is no tomorrow, you just might find yourself living on a hand-to-mouth existence, worse off than when you had a job. Make sure you spend your money wisely so you can live comfortably till then end of your days. 

Investment is a Good Idea

Since you are no longer employed, you will have to rely on your pension to get by. Live life fully but remember to live within your budget. If you need a little extra, you can supplement your funds by investing in ventures that will help you earn passive income. You can look at some common options for investments and choose from them. If you are looking for something else, there is a wide variety of choices available if you search through the internet. You can also purchase a franchise if you like but it can be costly so the better option would be starting your own business and start small.

It’s Never Too Late to Start a Hobby

If you were once a workaholic, facing retirement is going to be a challenge. With little or nothing to do but relax, you might find yourself dying of boredom in no time at all. To keep busy, why don’t you get a new hobby? Plant an organic garden or learn to play golf. If you used to love writing but eschewed it in favor of corporate success, now would be a good time to pick up a pen and start writing that novel you have been dreaming about since forever. If you’re good enough, you just might find a way to turn this hobby into a money-making venture. 

Life is Unpredictable

You never know what tomorrow brings. That is why you need to make sure you are prepared for whatever circumstances that may come your way. This includes preparing legal documents like living wills, health proxies and powers of attorney. Dying is something we don’t like to think about but it is inevitable and most times, it comes when you least expect it, too. It’s better to be prepared than to leave your heirs battling over who will inherit all because a will was never made. You will need to consult an attorney for this but if you’re worried about high fees, there are prepaid legal plans available that have an affordable monthly fee, where you can still enjoy a wide range of benefits. Make sure your finances are protected and that your family’s future will be ensured even when you are no longer around.

About the Author: 

Based in San Diego California, Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of professional writing experience.. She believes in the importance of saving up for retirement, even if it’s still a long way off. Tiffany also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read fantasy books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.

Five reasons you should use a mortgage broker

Loans (Photo credit: zingbot)

When it comes time to shop for a home loan, individuals and families are not always sure where to start. Should they start looking for a home first and then worry about financing? When should they start looking into a home loan? In order to make the process a little easier, many potential homeowners are looking to mortgage brokers for advice and assistance. They want guidance from someone experienced in the industry. There are five major reasons to consider mortgage brokers when searching for the perfect home loan.

Saving Time Searching for a Home Loan

There are so many different lenders to choose from and shopping around can take days or even weeks. Once a consumer has all of the different information from the lender, it isn't always easy to make comparisons to determine which one is offering the best deal. One might require less closing costs but provide a higher interest rate.

Mortgage brokers save individuals time. The brokers know about all of the available loans, lenders and programs available. These professionals can do all the legwork and research in order to provide the client with a few of the best options available. There is no need for the customer to make multiple phone calls or visit several different locations. 

Specialization

Mortgage brokers focus on one type of loan. They don't research car loans or debt consolidation loans. Because of this, they keep up with the latest information revolving around a mortgage. Banks work with a variety of different loans and a variety of different customers. Instead of specializing, banks attempt to offer many different products to help the most customers. Customers benefit from the focus that mortgage brokers have and the time they invest in researching home loans only.

Large Network of Lenders

With so many lenders working with mortgage brokers, there is a lot of competition to get a person's home loan. It is possible for a broker to get multiple offers for the same loan with different lenders attempting to provide the best deal. The more lenders a mortgage broker works with, the better options their client will have when it comes to a home loan.

One on One Attention for Customers

Getting financial advice from mortgage brokers tends to be easy because of the one on one attention that customers receive. A broker takes the time to research the best option for each potential homeowner. There is less of a chance that a person will get lost in the shuffle when it comes to a mortgage broker when compared to working directly with a lender or banker. 

Motivated to Find the Best Deal

Finally, one of the most important reasons to use a mortgage broker centers on the fact that they are motivated to provide customers with the best deal. If they can't provide a loan that a family can live with, they don't get paid. In order to help the customer and ensure that the loan works out, a broker keeps an eye on the process.

Dane Smith has been presenting financial solutions to readers for the past 10 years. He strives to take financial advice from mortgage brokers and turn it into clear and understandable steps that any potential homeowner can use.