Savings Vs Investment - 8 Concepts: Savings and Investments are two commonly used terms in our daily lives because they are both related to money, which is ultimately responsible for making our future secure and comfortable. We often use them interchangeably, but each represents different actions and ideas. What do they really mean? Savings —In simple language, savings is setting aside funds to meet certain expenses that are usually immediate or short-term and small in amount.  Investment - This refers to the act of putting money in some kind of financial instrument that will lead to its growth within a certain period, which can be used later on for productive purposes.  Differences between investing and saving: Basic act - The basic act of savings is putting or storing aside funds, usually piggy banks, personal lockers at home, or savings accounts or banks. The money lies idle until it is used to buy something or for some emergency. But the essential act of invest...

Importance of savings!! By now, you have reached that part of your life when you have started to understand the importance of saving a part of your income and investing it into profitable and reliable sources to ensure a stable future. However, money-saving tips do not only mean long-term future savings involving heavy lump-sum amounts. Quite a substantial amount can also be saved if you take care of your daily expenses and plan accordingly.  Unique money saving tips: Here are some unique ways to do so.  Stick to your budget - Do not get carried away by seasonal discounts and free items if you do not need them. Quite often, we end up buying things that just catch our eye, but later, we realize how useless the purchase was. So, before you click on the "BUY" button, think twice. Therefore, maintain your budget plans.  Weekend plans - Planning to have a weekend party with your family and friends at home? Planning for a picnic? Why not cook something special for everyone and...

Why Credit Cards?? Credit cards have become a very useful part of our daily lives, allowing us to make purchases, pay bills, take loans, and so on. However, all these will add value to our lives only when we know how to use credit cards wisely and responsibly. This also means that with knowing the uses of a credit card, be it an Amazon credit card or an American Express credit card, it is equally essential to be well informed about the downsides of the same so as not to fall into unnecessary problems but be able to derive the maximum utility of this facility that banks and financial institutions provide to us.  Tips and tricks: Here are some tips and tricks that will help you to manage it well: Pay on time - It is essential to keep track of the payment schedule and pay back the pending amount within the due date. For this purpose, set up reminders or auto debit from your bank account to meet the requirement. Why is this essential? The use of credit cards will generate a ...

Investment In Falling Stocks There are many ideas surrounding whether investing in stocks that consistently show a downfall is a good idea or not.  The dilemma!!! On one hand, falling stocks will enable the investor to purchase it at a much lower price, allowing greater profitability when the price actually rises. On the other hand, a stock consistently falling in value is also a sign of weak performance, loss of consumer trust in the product , fall in profitability, and overall downfall of the business. In other words, the business is facing challenges that may last for a long term.  Now, the question is, which side of the balance is heavier? How can we evaluate whether it is fair to invest in or stay away from a stock that has been losing its value for some time?  Let us understand some simple facts: Let us understand the fact that a fall in stock prices can be considered an investment option, which are basically speculative. You should always keep in mind that the pric...

Books vs other information sources!! Consuming content from various sources is the new normal in today's world. The internet is flooded with interesting videos, podcasts, social media posts, blogs, articles, and so on, which not only give us valuable information but also keep us engaged for long hours. But can it replace books?  Books, be they paper books or e-books, are man's best friends in the sense that not only do they provide us with loads of information, but the process of reading also contributes to our physical and mental well-being in innumerable ways, which perhaps watching videos cannot meet.  Why Books?? Reading books has long been considered a mental exercise. It is actually a form of meditation because when you read, you totally immerse yourself in the topic, often imagining yourself in place of the characters and doing a sort of role-play in your mind. This contributes to reducing stress levels, blood pressure and heart rate, as you get cut off from a...

Investment: 7 Key-Pointers A few days back, my 22-year-old niece, who had just got her first job, expressed interest in learning more about investing in stock markets. She wanted some serious advice from me regarding how to go about the process. Of course, I gave her a detailed idea of fundamental and technical analysis. I suggested some online courses that would give all the details regarding how to read charts, analyze them, and make decisions.  Think out-of-the-box!! However, I could not end the training there. The question that stuck to my mind was, shouldn't I also educate her about investment-related issues that are not taught in books or courses and come only with experience? So, given below are seven key pointers that we all should keep in mind while putting our hard-earned money in the stock markets.  7 Key-pointers: Understand the trend - As an investor, you should understand the trend of the financial instrument in which you are putting your money. For instance, yo...