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Ayesha Saeed

Top 5 Strategies for Car-Buying Success

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The important things to remember when buying a car are 1. Do your research, 2. Be smart at the dealership, 3. Get pre-approved with your loan, 4. Shop for the best car loan, 5. Look at both new and used cars.

So, you have decided to buy a new car. That is always an exciting time. Whether this is your first time or you are an experienced car owner, there is always something you can learn to make the process a lot easier for you and your wallet.

Do not end up with a car you regret by following these tips on finding the best auto loan rates.  

Do your Research before Buying a Car

When you get to the auto lot, you will be distracted by all the bells and whistles a salesperson would put in front of you. They are trained to make you feel you need to buy more than you need. Don’t fall for that common mistake.

Instead, why not go into an auto dealership with an idea of what you want? You can find most details about car models online. You can visit consumer reports or manufacturer websites to get a good idea of what they offer. 

When doing your research, make it a goal to find the features you would consider non-negotiable. That could be very subjective and dependent on your situation. Some examples of features that others deem important are:

  1. Car seating capacity
  2. Miles per liter
  3. Complete safety features
  4. Blind-spot monitoring
  5. Cargo space

There are so many aspects of a car, from performance to aesthetics. The idea is to find a vehicle with the right features that fit your needs. If you have a large family, a wagon could be a good idea. If you frequently carry plenty of things, an SUV or pickup truck are great options.

Everything boils down to what you need and what car can provide those needs. Armed with that knowledge, you will not get distracted by shiny things a dealership would offer you. Instead, you are focused on finding the right car.

Be Smart at the Dealership

Dealing with a salesperson is like playing chess. You have to play it smart and be patient. That way, you do not seem overeager and make mistakes. If you do, they can play you like a fiddle and you end up with an overpriced car that does not fit your needs.

They would tend to ask you questions like if you are looking to get a loan or trade in a car. Do not give too much information right off the bat. That gives them leverage to work with. It creates a complicated dynamic that they can navigate easily while you get overwhelmed with information.

What you want to do instead is ask for the price of a vehicle you are looking at. Then keep things simple. Discuss things one at a time. If the price they give is too much, move on to a different model. 

Once you are settled on a price and car model, discuss the terms one thing at a time. Be vigilant as well with everything they offer you. Ensure that you need it before you tick the box. Add-ons can contribute up to a 300% increase in the total price.

Get a Pre-approved Loan

You would not want to go into a car dealership, fall in love with a model, then find out you cannot afford it or there is a problem with your credit. Before you shop for a car, go and get a pre-approved loan first.

There are many advantages to this. First of all, you unveil any problem with your credit even before committing to a new loan. Another advantage is it gives you a hard ceiling on what you can afford to buy. That also helps in your decision-making on which car to choose.

A pre-approved loan also gives you the advantage of not using dealership financing, which is usually more expensive.

Getting pre-approved allows you to focus most of your energy on finding the right car for you and your family. But that does not mean you should go with just any lender you encounter.

Shop for the Best Car Loan

There is no shortage of lenders in the market. So much so that you can surely find a better deal than the first one you see. Use the internet to look for different lenders and contact them to see what they have to offer.

Get an estimate from several lenders. You can call them, send an email, or visit their office. No matter your approach, do not commit right away. Just let them know you are interested and see what they can do for you.

Once you have a couple of estimates, you can compare them side-by-side. Which gives you the best overall deal? What lender can provide you with terms fit for your financial situation?

The next step is to do your research about the lender. Read testimonials and user reviews to determine how well the company works with its customers. You also do not want to end up with a shady lender. It is best to work with known banks and financial institutions.

Consider Both New and Used Cars

When a car rolls off the lot, the value instantly decreases, even if it is a brand-new car. The depreciation rate on vehicles is very high. With that, you may want to consider used cars.

Price is the biggest advantage of a used car. You can get something almost as good as a brand new one in terms of condition for a fraction of the price.

The challenge is choosing. You need to know what signs to look for to determine if a used car is still good. You can bring a mechanic to check the car before buying it. You will never know if the vehicle has underlying issues, like leaks or engine problems, without doing a thorough inspection.

Buying brand-new is still better in ensuring the quality and longevity of the vehicle. But it does not hurt to widen your options by looking at and researching used cars. 

Conclusion

It is easy to get overeager when buying a new car. That could lead you to make all the wrong decisions. You will make mistakes if you do not prepare.

Remember to do your research, know what you want, and stick to the plan to end up with a car you will not regret.

Things to Consider Before You Refinance Your Student Loans

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A lot of people are conversant with loans and their operations in their various locations. Student loan, as one of the types of loans available, has numerous advantages. And of course, some disadvantages are linked to its application and qualification.

Refinancing student loans is often considered a difficult task by most people. But they also fail to understand that with the combination of the use of a good refinance company and other factors, the once-thought hard process is made easier. Meanwhile, you can do a student loan refinance if you meet the requirements.

Qualifications for Student Loan Refinance

The refinancing process is the same as replacing your old debt with a new one. This can be done plenty of times either through some banks approved to do so or a private lender. Usually, the terms provided by a particular lender may differ from that of another lender.

Even though there are certain documents needed for the process of refinancing, there are other criteria necessary for your qualification. Criteria to be qualified for the process include the following:

Income

Lenders may only permit you to do a refinance if you have money coming in monthly from a regular income or a stable job. Some lenders may allow you to start up the process if you do not have a degree. Sometimes, your savings are used to determine the kind of interest rate to use. But in most cases, there is a minimum rate of income required of applicants.  Your income determines if you would get a higher or lower interest rate.

Credit Score

Lenders carry out investigations and do inquiries about your credit score. They determine if you are worthy of a particular loan. That is why most lenders have a fixed credit score for their borrowers. If your credit score is higher than the minimum credit score, then they will proceed to check other requirements. But if it is lower than the disclosed credit, you might not be qualified to get a loan.

Lenders may be lenient enough to ask for a cosigner if your credit score is lower than expected. Click here to see what a cosigner does. The cosigner’s credit score is also checked to confirm liability for the risk. Moreover, the presence of a cosigner increases your chances of getting qualified.

Amount

This is a major criterion for trading your existing debts for a new one. Your student loan can only be refinanced if you have a certain amount in an existing loan. If your old loan has crossed that amount, lenders may find it hard to refinance your debt.

Things to Consider Before You Refinance Student Loan

Refinancing your student loan helps you to meet up with financial targets and goals at the end of each month. Before your application for a refinances of your debt, it is better to contemplate some factors so as to enable you to get a suitable refinance. The following are things to consider before you refinance your student loans:

Rate

Most borrowers often rush into taking loans and agreeing to the terms and conditions involved without considering the interest rate. There are several companies that you could make the best choice. Check this link: https://www.cnbc.com/ to see a list of companies that offer refinancing services.

As earlier stated, your income and credit score qualifies you to get a good interest rate on your debt. Check out all lenders you can and stick to the company that provides either variable or fixed rates. Never forget to pick the best suitable for you after a proper comparison of rates from different companies.

Time

There are certain periods that are deemed the best time for debt refinancing. The fluctuation of the market combined with your employment status is a good time for you to get a better interest rate. You could also get new loans on already existing ones if there is a low-interest rate in your area.

Repayment

Choosing a repayment method is another thing to ponder before you start the process. The method you may end up using to repay your debts might weigh you down and hinder you from paying fast. Endeavor to choose the right repayment method and plan that works for you.

If you decide to pick a long-term for your repayment, it would result in reduced payment and increased interest. But if you pick a shorter term to repay your debts, it means your payment of debts for each month will increase. You could easily pay off your debts with reduced interest if you use the short repayment plan. Choose the plan that is suitable for you.

It is always advisable to select a method that would not be an obstacle to settling your loan. If the method corresponds with your personal finance, go with it!

Conclusion

People often encounter difficulty in making the right decision in refinancing their loans. Hopefully, with the gainful insights this article has provided, you can refinance your student loan with ease.

Is Your Contract Binding? This is how you can Tell

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Contracts are the foundation of any business – no matter how big or small that business may be or which industry it is in. Contracts can help avoid major risks that can affect your business and will outline the terms of doing business with you.

While contracts can be both verbal and written, as experienced contract lawyers, we believe the best form of a contract is a written one. It ensures there is documentation of the agreement that can be referred to, whether you need to clarify details or if you encounter an issue in your business dealings.

But, just because you have a written agreement in place, it might not actually be legally binding. So, today, we want to ensure you know whether your business contracts are valid.

Here’s what you need to know to ensure your contract is legally binding.

What does a Legally Binding Contract actually mean?

A legally binding contract means that it is a contract that will be upheld in court and the terms and conditions of the contract can be legally enforced.

This means that if either party that has signed the contract doesn’t obey their obligations, the other party could file a case against the party that doesn’t fulfill their obligation. 

What makes a Contract Legally Binding?

In order for a contract document to be legally binding, there are certain criteria that must be met. This criterion includes:

1. Offer

The contract must clearly state what is being offered from one party to the other party, and the terms of that must be met by either party for that offer to occur. The offer is something of value, like a job, a product, or a service for example.

2. Acceptance

The terms of the contractual offer must be accepted by both parties for the contract to go ahead. Before these terms are accepted, negotiation of these details may occur.

3. Consideration

The consideration of a contract is essentially the value or benefit that each party of the contract receives. This value can be monetary, it can be an item or object, or it can be a service.

4. Intention

This means that every party to the contract has the same intention to create this legally binding contract.

5. Legality

For this, it means that the contract cannot actually include unlawful elements, as in benefits of the contract cannot be achieved through crime, nor can the benefits be illegal.

6. Capacity

Capacity refers to the actual ability of the person to enter into the contract in the first place. They must be legally able to, for example, if they are minors, they will likely be unable to enter into the contractual agreement. The legal age of when you can enter into a contract will be somewhat dependent on what the contract is for and the legal age in the particular state, region, or country.

When is a Contract not Legally Binding?

A contract that is considered to be a non-binding contract is one that fails to meet any of the above criteria we listed.

A contract can also be non-binding when the terms of the contract are not actually able to be lawfully enforced.

So, you’re probably wondering why anyone would use a non-binding contract. Well, sometimes those involved may not be aware that the contract is not legally binding. However, most commonly, a non-binding contract is used when parties are discussing what will potentially become a legally binding contract. It can include preliminary discussions and help get everyone up to speed with expectations and ideas before creating anything legally binding.

A Letter of Intent is an example of a non-binding contract. If you’re about to enter into a contract or need to create one for your business, why not talk to a contract lawyer beforehand. Early advice can lead to fewer headaches in the future.

How to Answer These 5 Interview Questions

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Do you want to secure your dream job easily? Then it’s worth knowing what to expect from your job interview. The interview is your opportunity to sell yourself to your prospective employer. Furthermore, asides from your qualification, your performance at the job interview is a major determinant of whether you’re getting the job or not.

So many questions will be thrown at you, which might get you befuddled. Imagine being asked: do you want to tell us anything else about you? That’s a simple question, but one that can make you lose balance. In this article, we will be considering 5 common questions that you should expect at an interview and how to answer them well.

5 interview questions and how to answer them

1.    What makes you want to work for us?

When an employer or an interviewer throws this question at you, they want to know what your motivations for the job are. They use this question to fish out candidates with bogus motives who are just looking to experiment with the job. The best way to answer this question is by shifting your focus from what you want to what your employer needs.

When answering this question, mention something unique about them that caught your interest. It makes your interviewer believe that you have an idea of what you want to do – a bonus point for you. Don’t talk about your last employer, last job, or your salary benefits. Lastly, never sound like you’re desperate for the job, no matter what.

2.    Tell me more about yourself?

This isn’t just any question to ramble about your childhood, parents, family, or educational background. You should expect this question as one of the first questions from your interviewer. Discuss some fun facts and advertise some good sides of your personality. It makes the interviewer more interested in you and the interview more interesting.

When asked this question, the experiences you should share should relate directly to the job. Share some key things, such as what motivates you; you can talk about a favorite hobby, some experiences that have shaped your career preference, and the likes. Make sure you sound as simple as possible, don’t talk too much.

3.    Why did you leave your last job?

This is one of the points where many people blow it at an interview and may end up losing the job. The interviewer wants to know why you left your past job and want to work with them. Try to sound as honest as possible. Share the circumstances and the shortcomings that led to your quitting your last job.

Whatever you share, sound positive. Don’t paint your last employer in dark colors. Give direct responses and keep your responses as factual as they can be. Make them believe that you got over your experience and your enthusiasm about the future.

4.    How do you respond to stress and pressure?

The interviewer wants to know how you respond to workplace stress. How do you handle difficult situations and occasions when things don’t go as planned? How do you cope in high-stress situations? Be honest with your response, and make sure you don’t sell yourself short while being honest.

Don’t claim to have never experienced stress or that you hardly encounter stressful situations. Instead, make your answer show that you acknowledge the stress that can come with jobs and some past experiences. You can share how you have used stressful conditions to your advantage.

5.    What are your views about your salary?

This has been a pitfall for many. You don’t want to sell yourself too cheap, and you don’t want to make yourself overpriced for the job. Such questions like this can be very difficult to come up with a good answer to. They might not ask you how much you got paid in your last job, but you’re most likely to be asked your salary expectations.

You can help yourself through this by researching before going for the interview. It will help you to use some salary calculators online. They’ll suggest reasonable salary ranges that best fit your job title, skills, experience, employer, and location.

Conclusion

Job interviews are not all about just going to explain the content of your CV as most people think. It gives you a chance to speak better than your CV. Make sure you give direct and honest answers. Don’t talk too much or too little.

More importantly, always keep a smile. It makes the interview more fun and may earn you your interviewer’s fondness. Make your interviewer believe you don’t want just any job but theirs, but don’t sound too desperate for the job.

How to Create a Holiday Budget and Stick to It

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It’s no secret that people love to buy gifts for their loved ones. Every year, the holiday fewer takes over, and people are eager to spread joy. However, it is important not to go overboard. If you accidentally splurge, consumers typically end up regretting their shopping sprees.

Thus, it’s critical to keep a budget in mind since it enables you to stay true to your financial objectives and use your money wisely.

Here are some good tips for you to manage your spending during the holidays.

Set a Spending Limit During the Holidays

Setting a spending cap is crucial when it comes to maintaining your holiday budget. By setting a strict limit for yourself, you will feel more inclined to stick with your budget and won’t overspend unnecessarily.

It is also a good idea to suggest a price limit between family or friends. Then, none of you will overspend on gifts. It will also help you ensure that you are sticking to your budget while still getting what you want for everyone. Setting a price range stops you from buying something too extravagant for one person while not getting enough for someone else.

However, try setting a flexible spending cap that allows for some flexibility within certain parameters. In that way, you won’t feel as restricted.

Prioritize and Make a List

We often find ourselves buying things just because they’re on sale or we saw a great deal for something that we don’t even need. During the holidays, buying too much is quite common as retailers push us to spend more than what we want or need, especially if it’s a store you don’t usually shop at. According to Fox Business, 70% of Americans fail to stay in line with their budget during the holiday season.

It is a good idea to make a list of the things you plan to buy. If possible, order them online to avoid accidental splurges once you are in the physical store. After all, it is easy to get overwhelmed and start purchasing random gifts for yourself.

Start Saving in Advance

If possible, try to start saving up in advance during the summer for holiday spending. Having some of your own money saved up makes it easier to stick with the plan without sacrificing too many items or breaking the bank account.

You can start saving today by setting up a savings account specifically for holiday spending. Once you have that set-up, put some money away weekly or monthly to slowly build up your holiday spending pot. This way, it’s easier to stick to your budget since you know exactly how much you have available. Also, don’t forget about unused funds from last year – try bringing those leftover dollars into play as well.

Keep Track of Your Expenses

One of the biggest reasons for overspending during the holidays is simply forgetting how much you’ve spent. It happens to everyone, especially when there are many things to buy and places to go. So, keeping track of your spending throughout the season will help you from going too overboard on holiday purchases.

To help build awareness of what you’re buying, try using a notebook or smartphone app that keeps a log of your daily spending. This way, every time you purchase something, it will be recorded so that next time, check if it’s still within your budget or not.

Look For Affordable Alternatives

One of the best ways to make sure your money doesn’t go anywhere is to look for affordable alternatives. Many other options can be as good or even better than what’s being advertised in most cases.

If you’re preparing to go out for a nice dinner, then don’t rule out looking into cheaper restaurants in the area – they most likely have great deals and special offers too! Also, during shopping, keep an eye out for promotions or discounts from stores around you.

Sometimes it pays off to shop online as you can find discount codes or coupons online. Additionally, Virtual Private Networks are great for avoiding price discrimination, a practice when certain clients will pay more than others for the same products. Tools like Atlas VPN can help you change your IP address and, in turn, your location so that you can avoid location-based discrimination.

Use Credit Cards to Track Expenses

For most, credit cards are a helpful way to keep track of spending. In fact, by linking different expenses, it’s easier to see where you’re at financially and determine whether you have enough for that next purchase.

In addition to linking expenses together, it is also possible with many banks/cards to set up free text alerts that will notify you every time your account reaches a specific limit (such as when maxing out the card).

Conclusion

Most of the time, overspending is just a result of not being organized enough during the holidays. So, if you can figure out your holiday budget beforehand, it will be much easier to stick with your spending plan without going overboard.

Undue Influence: How It Happens And What You Can Do

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Undue influence is about power tripping, where a person in an advantageous position can manipulate a vulnerable victim. In the probate courts, many undue influence cases involve contention over wills and trusts, petition for guardianship, and conservatorship. It is also present in domestic violence, hostage situations, white-collar crimes, scams, and cults. All these situations jeopardize the financial state of the victim.

What is unfortunate is that undue influence generally happens behind a closed door. There is no witness because the perpetrator makes sure that they and the victim are alone. The most common culprits are family members, caregivers, and other interested parties like telemarketers. However, there are ways to spot undue influence and save your loved one from being manipulated.

These include:

  • massive cash withdrawal, fund transfer, or purchase of expensive items that reflect in the bank account
  • newly signed documents that show a slightly different signature of the person
  • an unrelated individual who is acting on behalf of your loved one
  • your loved one is being kept in isolation from family and friends
  • suddenly the elderly person looks disheveled and unkempt

What to do to stop or prevent undue influence

What to do to stop or prevent undue influence

Be transparent

Undue influence usually thrives behind the shadows. As a family, you should all know what is going on with the elderly that needs caregiving, including his financial situation. Whether you decide to keep him in a health facility or at home, being transparent about the decisions would prevent someone from exerting undue influence.

Keep a paper trail

It’s best to keep all the receipts of all the expenses and written documentation of issued checks. If you see substantial cash withdrawals, fund transfers, or purchases of items that they do not usually buy, it would be easy to find out who manipulated your loved one. It can be someone close to him, like a caregiver or a family member is, pulling some tricks to make him do it.

Make a written agreement

If you are the primary caregiver or a sibling, it helps to have a written agreement to avoid family conflict in the future. It may come in handy when your parents or siblings pool money for health care. Also, if your loved one decides to leave a large chunk of his properties to you, the other family members may accuse you of exerting undue influence. It will become a messy issue if one of the family members is left out of the will.

When your parent needs to discuss plans for his assets with his estate executor or family lawyer, set up the appointment but don’t sit with them. It can make others suspicious and sue you. Telling everyone about the plan is the best option and ensuring that no one is pressuring your parents.

Say no to joint bank accounts

Whether it is you or any of your siblings, say no to the suggestion of your loved one to open a joint account so it will be easy to do transactions on his behalf. The law presumes that when the principal owner dies, the surviving owner owns it 100% and cannot be compelled to share the balance with the family. This can lead to a lawsuit in the future if a family member accuses you of influencing your parents.

Document gifts from your loved one

If your loved one wants to give you cash or a valuable item like a piece of jewelry, it is best to document it. Ask your parent to make a written statement about why they give it to you and let them sign it. A third party (non-family member) can be a great witness to why they give the gift. This would prevent a lot of explaining when a family member accuses you of manipulating your parents to give it to you or, worse, stealing it.

Takeaway

If you suspect that someone is unduly influencing your loved one who is elderly or under a health care program due to degenerative diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s, seeking the help of a lawyer is a top priority. It’s also your best option if your family suspects you of manipulation that leads to excluding someone out of the will. An experienced attorney in probate litigation can help you on whichever case.

Top NFT Marketplaces

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NFTs are becoming increasingly popular. In response, there are more and more NFT marketplaces as people explore how to invest in NFTs and NFT stocks (companies central to the NFT ecosystem). NFT marketplaces offer an easy-to-use forum for trading.

What is an NFT?

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are units of value whose worth is not stable or set. A fungible token, like a 10$ bill, is made up of units that can be exchanged – $10 can readily be swapped for 10 $1 bills, or two $5 bills, without losing any value in the transaction. In contrast, NFTs are unique assets that must be traded as single units. They are usually image or audio files that can be mined and traded on NFT marketplaces.

Unlike easily accessible digital images, NFTs have a unique ownership certificate that is registered in the blockchain. The record of ownership is part of a public and decentralized ledger. Because this blockchain ledger is stored on many computers separately and simultaneously, it cannot be forged. This secures the ownership of NFTs so that, even if the image is reproduced, the ownership of the digital image cannot be contested. 

Top NFT Marketplaces

There are different sorts of NFT marketplaces. Some are general marketplaces that allow users to purchase a wide range of NFTs, while others specialize in a particular sort of NFTs.

The biggest NFT marketplace is OpenSea, which accepts over 150 tokens (cryptocurrencies) as payment for NFTs, and enables the trading of visual and audio files as well as domain names. Raible, a smaller platform than OpenSea, is a widely trusted and easy-to-use NFT marketplace.

Other NFT marketplaces have different specializations. Axie Infinity is an NFT marketplace dedicated to the gaming space, allowing gamers to mint and trade game-related NFTs. The Axie Infinity platform allows NFT creators to make “Axis”, end game products for use in a game.

Other specialized NFT marketplaces include NBA Top Shot, which provides a platform for trading basketball-related NFTs, but does not allow for NFT minting. Draftkings Marketplace is also a sports-themed NFT marketplace that builds on Draftkings existing sports betting franchise. These recent developments may indicate a future proliferation of specialized NFT marketplaces.

New, nonspecialized NFT marketplaces are springing up to meet the increasing demand for minting and trading NFTs, including a new marketplace run by Burnt Finance. Other NFT marketplaces foster exclusivity such as SuperRare, which seeks the feel of a high-end art gallery. 

Using NFTs

NFTs can be displayed as artworks in both physical and digital spaces.

The metaverse has created many new possibilities for using NFTs in the meeting, working, and socializing spaces. In the metaverse –virtual immersive interactive spaces for work and social gatherings-, people interact through avatars and can display and use their NFTs to decorate their virtual spaces like people decorate their homes.

How to access the Growth in NFTs

There are two main ways to invest in NFTs. First, you can directly buy and sell NFTs. To do this, you open a digital crypto wallet and purchase cryptocurrency. There are many different crypto wallets, some of the biggest are Electrum, Coinbase, and MetaMask. The three cryptocurrencies that have the largest market cap at the moment are Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, but volatility in cryptocurrency markets and global uncertainty means that this is subject to change.

You might want to consider both the value and volatility of the cryptocurrency you want to use, as well as the technology that enables transactions through that currency. While Bitcoin uses a Proof of Work approach, Ethereum uses a Proof of Stake approach, which may result in more efficiencies and less environmental cost per transaction. 

Second, you can invest in companies involved in different stages of NFT minting and trading, including the companies making crypto wallets and trading platforms, or an ETF that holds those stocks. This would give an indirect exposure to the NFT marketplace without having to purchase or trade individual NFTs directly and may result in less volatility or exposure to particular artistic trends.

NFTs: Volatility and Climate

Though some people think the current craze for NFT investing is a bubble waiting to burst, this assumes that NFTs have no fundamental value. However, the use of NFTs in virtual spaces may indicate otherwise.

A further substantial concern about NFT trading is the environmental impact. Each transaction on the blockchain requires a substantial amount of energy, which means that trading NFTs can be detrimental to sustainability targets, though the full extent of this is not yet known.

The increasing number of NFT marketplaces, companies doing research into NFTs and blockchain, and the expansion of the market indicate that NFT stocks may not be going anywhere. Nevertheless, investing in NFTs and the aforementioned NFT exposed company stocks does involve financial risk and exposure.

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security.

5 Ways to Create an Instagram Content Calendar

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Instagram is among the world’s fastest-growing social platforms with over 800 million monthly active users worldwide.

If you’ve been wondering what an Instagram Content Calendar is, and how it can help your business as well as your personal life, then this blog post will be right up your alley. We’ll share with you 5 ways to create an Instagram content calendar that will help boost your instagram followers and engagement. 

Whether you already have a following or are just trying to get started with Instagram, these ideas will give you some great ways of getting things done while still having fun along the way.

Ways to create Instagram Calendar

1. Set Instagram goals

Set Instagram goals for the year, which means taking an inventory of what you want to accomplish with your content. In the first step, write down what your first three Instagram goals for the year are. Next, create a checklist of 10 things you can do to reach those goals and attach it to a wall or other place where you will see it each day. Then keep track of every day that goes by and check off each task completed from the list.

It’s difficult to come up with Instagram content on the fly. Before you upload anything, set a goal for what you want from your account and prepare the posts with a scheduled content calendar. You can gain Instagram followers this way!

Plan out days for posting: Mondays for portrait photography, Wednesdays for travel photography, etc. Pin down how many posts per week and when they will be going live. Know what you want before setting goals so that they can be met effectively.

2. Decide on Content Themes for Instagram

Content themes help you get the most out of your Instagram page by giving it purpose and structure. When you start a new Instagram account, it’s difficult to know what content will be required for your overall audience even if you already have an idea in mind as to what type of images are required.

You may have a theme that says “food” but then find out that people love taking screenshots and selfies of their favorite meals due to their sentimental value. By deciding on the content themes beforehand, that won’t happen because with every theme comes specific questions which will facilitate conversation and engagement among your Instagram followers, leading naturally into other themes or topics.

3. Get to know your Audience on Instagram

Get to know your audience on Instagram, whether your Instagram account is personal or business-related. This will help you stay consistent with your content, and thus get more engagement, likes, and followers.

Additionally, this will allow for some strategic planning around posting times to maximize engagement. Finally, if by knowing your audience you realize that a certain type of content works better for one market than another, this can help keep things more organized as well as profitable in the long run.

4. Clarify your Brand’s Visual Style on Instagram

Many brands struggle to find the perfect visual style for their aesthetic and can end up with a half-measure design that doesn’t match the personality of their brand.

You likely don’t want the same boring shots of employees or products on Instagram as you do on Twitter or Facebook. By optimizing your branding and making sure your Instagram feed has brand guidelines, you’ll have better control over what’s posted and promote an overall consistent corporate presence in all of your Instagram photos.

5. Schedule Instagram Content in Advance

Schedule Instagram Content in Advance because it saves your time, is easy to do, and the benefits are many. If you’re like most entrepreneurs or business owners with an Instagram account, you realize that it’s hard to come up with high-quality content regularly. The good news is that once you schedule your content regularly, it becomes much simpler to come up with ideas and images for Instagram.

This is especially true if you begin by scheduling out two months at a time. This will force you to think ahead of time and put in the effort required to write a meaningful photo essay. You’ll also be able to create unique images and get tons of engagement with your posts because by engaging with their Instagram followers, they’ll enjoy your content as well. This can lead to organic traffic as well as exposure for your business or blog.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having a plan in place will make it much easier to get creative with photos and content while also increasing your engagement. In this post, we have covered five steps that will help you create an Instagram content calendar. These steps will guide you through the process of coming up with ideas for posts and finding time for these posts in between work or school commitments as well as any other personal obligations such as spending time with family or friends.

5 Ways to Get Most Out of Instagram Creator Accounts

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Instagram has a huge contribution to the latest content creation revolution. Thousands of young content creators have emerged and are producing amazing content. These influencers have a huge number of Instagram followers and have now become public figures. Instagram has launched creator accounts, which are a great way to grow on Instagram. These accounts have a lot of benefits that will help you take your content creation to the next level.

These accounts have tools that will help you manage content and will help you grow your community. It also provides you with advanced analytics and insights, which will make you understand your target audience better.

So, if you wish to have a better engagement with your audience and want to gain followers on Instagram, then here is the list of 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Instagram Creator Accounts.

  • Analytics and Insights

The real advantage of switching to a creator account is that you can have the access to detailed analytics and advanced insights options. These tools are very efficient when it comes to providing details about pages as well as post information. They provide detailed audience demographics, which will help you study your followers. This will give you a better idea about their usage patterns and active usage hours. Insights give you a direct look into the type of content that the audience loves to consume.

Analytics also shows a count of people that follow and unfollow you on a daily basis. You can also manage your posts and archive the unwanted content to make your feed look better. Other than these tools there are other parameters that will indicate engagement rates, post reach, interaction levels, as well as post response.

  • Instagram Shopping

The creator account has an additional feature to sell products on Instagram. You can easily collaborate with any brand and launch a new product in partnership. Instagram shopping requires basic details like shipping address, product details, and a specified mode of payment.

Also, if you are posting a fashion influencer photo, you can simply tag the brand as well as their product. This will redirect traffic from your feed to the product buying option. Instagram accepts all modes of payments including MasterCard, PayPal, Visa, and other debit card options. This is a great way to increase your brand sales and convert your followers into customers.

  • Advanced Messaging

It is very important to respond to brand collaboration or partnership messages. Also, replying to a few followers helps you keep good relations with your community. It also increases audience interaction levels. Creator accounts have the option to prioritize messages and reply to important messages faster. Now you can select specific chats to be in your primary chat box and the rest will be displayed in the general chat-box section. This has made sorting messages simple and you can avoid spam or fake user chats.

  • Contact Visibility

Creators have the choice to showcase their contact details on their page or to hide them. This option is very helpful if you do not wish to share your contact information with spam users. If you already have collaborated with many brands and wish to stop receiving sponsorship messages, you can turn off this option. So, if you wish to avoid spam calls and messages from Instagram followers, then this is a great option to use.

  • Content Category

It is necessary for any content creator to know his category of work. This makes the content creation process simpler and helps a person categorize his account. There are many categories such as fashion, food, blog, fitness, and many more.

A specified creator account is a great way to show your audience that you are focused. It will help you by getting your account showcased in the top search engine results. This way your account will look more professional and people are more likely to approach you for work collaborations. By using this simple tip, you will be able to achieve higher engagement rates and gain more Instagram followers.

Conclusion

This was the list of 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Instagram Creator Accounts. These tips will help you gain more Instagram followers and will make you a successful content creator. We hope this list was helpful for you. Save it for future reference. Also, make sure you visit our space for similar articles on different interesting topics.

6 Game changing Instagram Trends you should follow

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The popularity of Instagram has been rocketing upwards and it’s looking all set to become the most popular social network in the world soon. Facebook is the only platform that is currently ahead of Instagram in the number of users. Instagram is no longer just a social media platform for teenagers to post cool selfies. It has also become a marketing tool for organizations, businesses, influencers, and celebrities. Whether you’re a business or an individual trying to build your following, it’s important to have an understanding of the giant world of Instagram. Here are some Instagram trends that are setting the social media world on fire.

Instagram Trends to Follow

1. Instagram Reels

Instagram reels are an amazing way to the most out of your existing audience while also growing your list of followers. The people get off Instagram knew what they were doing with the introduction of Reels. They capitalized on the success of TikTok and presented their own brand of short-form videos in the form of Instagram Reels.

The popularity and usage of reels keep rising with every passing day which you can leverage for your benefit. Like TikTok, the videos you upload through reels are for the entire world to see. With the right content and the right hashtags, you can reach thousands of people you never have before. There is no surprise that influencers, celebrities, and even global brands are actively publishing reels today.

2. Memes

The modern generation’s humor can be defined by just one word and that is “memes”. We might have moved away from the rage comics and troll faces of the 2010s but the idea still remains here. Memes are more mainstream than ever today. It has become extremely common to see an international company sharing funny and relatable memes, unlike back in the day. From promoting a new product to simply interacting with their followers, memes are becoming the way to go on Instagram.

3. Paid Promotions

Ever since Instagram’s influence and importance have gone up, and so has the tendency of an average user to spend money on paid promotions. From boosting posts to full-blown advertisement campaigns, the investment in Instagram marketing keeps increasing. Another trend seen recently is the increase in the number of users who buy Instagram followers.

The reason behind this might be the websites that sell followers turning mainstream. For a long time, there was a stigma around buying followers as people considered it to be illegal, despite that not being the case. There are lots of websites from where you can buy Instagram followers safely and securely.

4. Stories & Stickers

Instagram Stories have been a thing for a long while now and the hype is not dying out anytime soon. Stories remain among the favorite tools of Instagram users who are regularly active on the platform. Instagram keeps making them better with more and more additions of stickers that are extremely helpful in terms of boosting engagement and more importantly, driving traffic out.

Instagram’s decision to make posting external links available for everyone has been a welcome addition as well. Earlier, the option to include an external link was only available for those with at least 10K followers but not anymore.

5. More Videos than ever

Having a consistent and coherent visual style is one of the most important aspects of successful Instagram marketing. With that being said, video content continues to be the most engaging type on Instagram. Photos are still doing well, but videos are even better.

6. Challenges and Hashtags

Taking part in a trending challenge has become the favorite pastime of every Instagram influencer. Be it a dance step or some specific instructions, the people of Instagram are always quick to jump the ship. These challenges are often paired with specific hashtags which makes it easy for the target audience to find them. If you want some quick results, keeping an eye on such challenges and hashtags is a good solution.

Conclusion

Many influencers and content creators have gained fame by simply following the trends and there is nothing wrong with it. Brands and celebrities to are always on the lookout for topics and trends that bring engagement and attention.

Instagram trends have been changing with the seasons, and the platform itself seems to be growing only more popular. Keeping up with these changes makes you feel a little better equipped to deal with whatever Instagram throws at you. These were 6 such trends that are relevant today and can make a big difference in your Instagram journey.