How Savings Accounts for Students Differ from Other Accounts
Life & Home

How Savings Accounts for Students Differ from Other Accounts

A savings account, as the name implies, is a place to save your funds for future use or emergency purposes. One can come across different variations of savings accounts, which makes it difficult to differentiate between them. Savings accounts for students are accounts that are meant especially for students. To understand how it differs from other variations, it is important to understand the different types of savings accounts and their features. 1. Basic savings account These are traditional savings accounts, where a person makes regular deposits to save money for later use. They earn interest on their savings and withdraw funds when they require it. Different banks might limit the number of withdrawals per month. 2. Online savings accounts These types of accounts are quite different from the basic savings accounts for students. They offer a higher rate of interest on the deposits made by account holders. There is almost nil or very low monthly fees. One does not require any minimum balance in these types of accounts. They are ideal for customers who are tech-savvy as most of the banking functions are conducted online. Various banks offer online checking accounts that help customers to make online bill payments and also write checks.
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The Common Mistakes made when Taking a Mortgage
Life & Home

The Common Mistakes made when Taking a Mortgage

In a mortgage, debtors transfer the interest in an immovable property to the creditor for the purpose of securing a loan. However, it is quite normal that they might commit certain mistakes while taking a mortgage. Instead of getting burdened by the fear of such mistakes, one should make themselves aware of the same so that they can avoid them. 1. Overlooking the expenses involved in owning a home Owning a home comes with various expenses including annual maintenance that increases as per the age of the house and the area it covers. Property taxes are also an important expense involved in homeownership that increases with each year. All these factors will help a debtor understand the true price of the home they own. Besides, if their home is situated in a flood hazard area, the lender might ask for the insurance as well. 2. Borrowing more than one can pay One of the common mistakes that the debtor commits while taking a mortgage is to borrow a higher amount of money than they can afford to pay. This means that a significant portion of their earning goes for the payment of debt every month. As a result, they can hardly make allowance for other important things in life such as savings for their kids’ education, their retirement or replacing a worn-out vehicle.
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Senior Tax Breaks Every Retiree Should Know
Life & Home

Senior Tax Breaks Every Retiree Should Know

The amount of money we need to save for our retirement is really important. Generally, people do not realise the importance of savings and don’t invest much in defined pension plans and retirement funds like 401k and IRAs. Old age is a phase that is neglected the most but it is then when you require the money. Some of it may be for luxurious purchases but majority of it would be for survival. Any form of tax deductions for seniors and retirees can be very useful. Here are five senior tax breaks that every retiree should know about: 1. Business expenses Your business expenses can be claimed as your senior tax break if you are planning to own a business during retirement. In case of any current business, the deduction can involve some or all the expenses as long as they are reasonable and necessary. The expenses usually involved in normal businesses include money spent on business equipment, travel, and the cost of office irrespective of the place. 2. Standard deductions In case you do not itemize your tax deductions, you get the opportunity to avail higher standard deductions. This is prevalent only when you or your spouse are 65 years of age or older.
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Things to Know About the Different Types of Liquid Assets
Life & Home

Things to Know About the Different Types of Liquid Assets

Anything you own that can be converted into cash easily is considered to be a liquid asset. Other than cash, some other items like savings and checking accounts or various kinds of other investments can also be considered as liquid assets. Liquid assets are one of the most common types of assets which are used by a large number of consumers as well as businesses. Some of the types of liquid assets are: 1. Marketable security Investments which can be bought and traded or sold on various public exchanges are called marketable securities. The buying and trading process of marketable securities is very simple and less time-consuming, which is why it is considered as a liquid asset. Shares in various private corporations are not considered liquid because they are difficult to sell. It takes a lot of time for shares to convert into cash compared to public stocks. 2. Treasury bonds Maturities in treasury bonds can range from a few weeks to 30 years. You can opt for short-term security rather than going for long-term security. Short-term securities can be considered as liquid assets as you will be getting your money back within a short period of time. However, the interest rate is higher on long-term holdings than the short-term securities.
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4 Benefits of Gardening for Kids
Life & Home

4 Benefits of Gardening for Kids

Getting close to nature has always proven to be beneficial for kids. Additionally, indulging in outdoor activities can promote the overall development of kids. So, gardening, which clubs the benefits of both outdoor activities and harmony with nature, proves to be highly valuable for the physical and mental development of a child. Whether the garden is in your backyard, the balcony, or spread over plush acres of land, children who spend more time in them are more likely to get a lot more benefits. Read on to know more about how gardening can benefit your child. 1. Gardening can make children eat healthier food According to a study, school-going children who indulged in gardening programs were more likely to be inclined towards snacking on fruits and vegetables. In addition to these studies, many other pieces of research have found that gardening can play a vital role in preventing obesity and other health problems. When parents joined their kids in these activities, the results got even better. Studies have shown a positive relationship between gardening and cooking at home. A 40% increase in the consumption of home-cooked meals has also been reported in adults. 2. Gardening helps in developing the analytical abilities of children One of the most important benefits of gardening in children is that it helps them develop reasoning, organization, and planning skills.
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Tips to Pick the Best Furniture
Life & Home

Tips to Pick the Best Furniture

Even after you have finally made up your mind to opt for rented furniture instead of buying it, the task is only half done. The items you pick, your rental duration, lease expiration, and your arrangements for delivery must be taken care of to eliminate the likelihood of any problems later. Here are some tips that will help you furnish your house in the best possible way. 1. Understand if renting is for you There are a lot of situations in life that make getting furniture on rent the best option for you. For example, for employees who have to travel a lot for work and do not spend much time in one place, renting furniture is the best option. When you choose renting furniture, you don’t have to worry about packing expensive and heavy items with you. It gives you the freedom to just pack up your stuff and leave for a new place. Also, when you get a new house, you don’t have to fret over buying new furniture. You can simply get it on rent and furnish your house as per your needs. So, analyze your situation and understand the benefits of renting furniture thoroughly. 2. Choose the furniture you want to rent The best part about renting furniture today is that everything can be done online.
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Unique Products that Home Appliance Brands Never Should have Made
Life & Home

Unique Products that Home Appliance Brands Never Should have Made

Evolving technology is a good thing; however, sometimes it makes us believe that we’re taking a step ahead way too soon. In the name of convenience, we end up wasting time – first in the development of a product, and then in operating such a product that is not worthy of any time. Several home appliance brands have focused their energies on such products, some of which have failed miserably soon after launch. This article discusses some of these hilarious appliances. 1. Quesadilla maker The only reason you will buy a quesadilla maker at home is if you’re dishing out quesadilla for dozens of people at the same time several times a day. Otherwise, there is absolutely no reason why a skillet and spatula won’t do the job. Yet, if you want to buy yourself this appliance, it’s best to think of better avenues to spend your money! 2. Electric martini maker There’s only one and a very simple way to make a martini, and it can be easily done by hand. A martini is not a combination of liquids of different consistencies that will need to be stirred by a machine or an appliance. Seriously, this was a completely unexpected product from home appliance brands.
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Home Décor Must-Haves for a Farmhouse Kitchen
Life & Home

Home Décor Must-Haves for a Farmhouse Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most important spaces in your home, which is why spending time deciding its décor is essential. So, if you decide to make your kitchen a chic, farmhouse kitchen that has a rustic as well as an elegant look, here are some home décor must-haves that you should know about. 1. White cabinets If you wish to give your kitchen an old, rustic farmhouse feel, go for white painted cabinets. White cabinets will not only give your kitchen the look and feel that you want, the calm color will fill you up with a lot of positive energy when you are cooking in the kitchen. 2. Barn doors Getting barn doors for your kitchen will be the ultimate way of giving it a farmhouse look. Although it may look like a very simple idea, the results will leave you speechless, making them top home decor must-haves. 3. Open shelves When you have a mix and match of closed white cabinets and open shelves, your kitchen will start having a farmhouse style décor. You can fill these open shelves with beautiful glasses, plates, and cake stand. Doing this is important since you cannot keep these open spaces empty.
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Interior Design Styles to Transform a Home Office
Life & Home

Interior Design Styles to Transform a Home Office

In the urbanized world that we live in, bringing the office home is gradually becoming routine. There are many non-office goers who choose to work from the comfort of their homes in the form of a virtual office. In both cases, people need a dedicated spot in their homes where they can work in peace. Whether it is a completely dedicated room or just a pull-out shelf, there are several interior design styles to make your home office stylish and chic. Here are some of them listed for you. 1. Large table If you need an elaborate home office setup, a large table is something that you need for your workstation. It will work as an office station for two users at any given point of time. In fact, using a large table can serve multiple purposes. When not used for work, you can always add more chairs to the table and transform it into a big eating space for the entire family, or even a meeting area for a conference call. 2. Shelves Depending on the nature of your work, your office space may or may not require a large storage area. But, if it does, you can always stock your office space with cabinets that can store your files and other documents.
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5 Tips to Save Money on Food While Grocery Shopping
Life & Home

5 Tips to Save Money on Food While Grocery Shopping

At the grocery store, you often end up spending more than you planned to and head home with a lot more stuff in your bag than you needed. It might be the colorful packaging of the product or its advertisement that grabbed your attention and urge you to buy things that you did not need. If you are looking to save money on food on your next grocery shopping trip, here are some handy tips: 1. Prepare a list before shopping When scanning through busy grocery aisles, it is easy to simply pick almost anything that looks attractive, thinking that you need it. This can lead to your grocery bill doubling up from a $150 bill to a $300 one, but you can prevent this from happening if you stick to your list. Remember that just because you are getting four packets of something for $12 does not mean you need them. If you can make do with just two packets for $7, it will prevent you from overshooting your entire grocery bill and also ensure that you are not left with excess food items that might expire soon. 2. Shop online with coupons Many grocery apps let you earn a cashback while you shop.
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