Showing posts with label Young Professionals. Show all posts

Land Banking Something Worth Looking Into - Passive Real Estate Investing

land·bank·ing

ˈlandˌbaNGkiNG/

noun

noun: land banking

the practice of buying land as an investment, holding it for future use, and making no specific plans for its development.

Land Banking A Passive Real Estate Strategy

Land banking is pretty simple. Like many things it boils down to buy low sell high. Buy cheap land in an area currently uninhabited, undesirable, or just plain cheap. If you think an area could grow and develope and get nicer over time there may be an opportunity to make some money as the property appreciates.

In some cases to further add value, someone who land banks, as a real estate strategy may bring in power, water, sewers, and develope and subdivide the land for larger profits. This however is over my head and over the heads of probably most new or small-time real estate investors like myself so personally I would prefer a buy and hold strategy, selling off at some point down the road for a profit.

Lnad banking as an investment is nothing new. Several self made billionaires began by purchasing large tracts of land in California where the development opportunities hadn't happenned yet. Two of these individuals are Bob Hope and Donald Trump who have both been rewarded greatly from buying large areasa and holding the property until the market commanded a substantial return and that is when they sold.

That said tread carefully as scams are a plenty in the sale of land and you run the risk of paying way over value for land if you're not a saavy investor.

Currently I'm just beginning the process of looking at buying raw land in Tulum, Mexico as it's a popular destination already, however as Playa Del Carmen and the Rivera Maya continue to develop further south, at some point probably all the way to Belize, I think it could be a good buy. I am hesitant buying property outside the country and from what I've heard to actually get good deals and quite honestly the way things are done down there, your not going to find much on sites like Realtor.com or online and the little you do find typically isn't deals.

You really need to have some feet on the ground scouting out land for you, or even better you need to be in the area developing contacts. I'm also somewhat turned off that I will not be able to hold the property in my own name. This is typical and has been safely done for years, however it just seems odd as it's not the way it's done here at home. In Mexico you have to be 32 miles out from the coast or border to own land as a non-Mexican citizen. Obviously everything that appeals to me for the most part is beach towns and not the interior of Mexico

I'm still at the very beginning states of investigating land banking. I will do a follow up post and share what further info and strategies I find and will report back if I wind up buying anything.

In the meantime, if you have experience having done this or have info to share or even questions to ask just leave a comment in the comments section below.

Betterment Robo-Investing Platform - Pretty Good Customer Service

I despise bad customer service and let it be known on my blog and social media when it happens. I think it's also important however to recognize when someone or a company does a good job of customer service and to acknowledge that as well. Many times with online banks and investing platforms customer service is poor to non-existant.

I had signed up for my Betterment investing account the other day as I told you in a previous blog post which you can read HERE. Once you sign-up as with many things they put a couple small micro deposits in your account of a few cents. Reason being it proves you have access to and own that bank account. I had noticed my micro deposits hadn't showed up for Betterment or Wealthfront so I started a chat instantly on the Betterment website. I was helped immediately. The gentlement told me sometimes savings accounts don't take in the micro deposits like checking accounts. I asked to make the change and he said he could not help me with that but call the 800 number and they would be happy to help me.

So Far Happy WIth Betterment Customer Support & Platform

I called the 800 number. Someone picked up within about a minute. I was asked a few security questions to verify I'm me and they deleted the old account so I could add a new one. I believe if you have a larger bank like a Wells Fargo or a Chase I believe you can login on their site and verify instnatly, however with smaller banks you have to go the route of entering info and waiting for micro deposits which isn't a huge deal, Paypal and many companies do this to verify you are you.

I also sent a message to Wealthfront. I have yet to hear back from them but it's only been a couple hours. So far however I'm very pleased with Betterments customer service and customer support which is important when your dealing with an online company without a brick and mortar location for you to visit. So far I'm impressed. Will report back on how the investments go as well as how easy the platform is to use.

Wealthfront Versus Betterment - Which Robo Investor Is Right For You?

Automated investment platforms seem to be all the rage these days with new ones popping up everyday. The two which seem to be leading the pack are Wealthfront and Betterment. Many young tech start-up entrepreneurs are using these two investor platforms and reporting great success.

I just recently signed up for accounts which both Wealthfront and Betterment the other day. I'm still waiting for them to do the verification deposits in my account so it will be a few more days before I'm active on both platforms and can truly compare and contrast these two investing platforms. I'll do a follow-up review after I use them, as well as do a follow-up every few months down the road reporting results and which platform works out better for me. Though these two platforms offer a few different types of investments, overall I'll be investing the same amount of money in each and setting the risk profile to the same on each account so will be interesting to see which one outperforms the other.

For now this is about all I have to say about these two platforms, I'll report back soon once my account is open and show you guys the dashboards and my initial impressions but for now I'll post another versus blog post from InvestorJunkie.

Betterment vs. Wealthfront – How Do These Robo Advisors Compare?

Automated investment platforms seem to be springing up all over the web. Some are gaining a reputation well ahead of the pack. Two examples of this are Betterment and Wealthfront. In so many ways, the platforms function in similar fashion. But there are differences between the two that could serve you and your investments better.

Blogger Blogspot Platform SEO Tricks & Tips 2015 - Beginner Guide To SEO Your Blogspot Blog

Are you a beginner blogger? You probably got the hang of blog posting, your comfortable monetizing your blog, but have you taken the time to SEO your blog? In the past in order to SEO a Blogspot blog you had to have coding knowledge to go into the code of your theme or template and optimize your website for search engines.

Somewhat recently Google has added some new features to the Blogger platform which allow you to easily SEO your Blogger blog. Blogspot blogs are somewhat SEO'd out of the box, however there are still some small tweaks and changes you can make such as adding a description to your blog, adding custom robot text, meta tags, submitting a sitemap and more.

I know as a beginner Blogger it can be overwhelming and daunting and even scary making these changes. I often would worry I would make a mistake and mess up my blog beyond repair. These tips and tricks to SEO your Blogger blog are very easy and are explained in a step by step video walk through which you can watch below.

Whether your already blogging on Blogger or plan to in the future this is a must watch video. We'll embed the video below. If for some reason the video is not visible you can also CLICK HERE to watch the video.

Oggi Moscow Mule Copper Mug & The Moscow Mule Recipe & History

I'm a big fan of the cocktail called a Moscow Mule, a combination of Vodka, Ginger Beer and Lime. I was introduced to this tasty drink by my folks who live in Charleston, SC where the drink is understandably popular seeing as how they have humid weather and this is a crisp refreshing drink.

After falling in love with this drink I asked for a set of Copper Moscow Mule Mugs for Christmas. I got the Oggi brand from Amazon as a gift from my parents so just wanted to do a quick review as well as share the recipe and history of the Moscow Mule

My Review of Oggi Moscow Mule Copper Mugs

Mix up a classic Moscow Mule in this Oggi Moscow Mule Mug. Handcrafted from stainless steel with a copper plated exterior and a brass handle, it's the authentic way to serve up this classic vodka cocktail. Hand wash only. Not for use in the microwave. Capacity 20 oz. Create your own Moscow Mule at home: Fill your Moscow Mule Mug with ice. Add 2 ounces of vodka, half an ounce of lime juice and top with ginger beer and a sprig of mint. This mug is also ideal for enjoying cool, refreshing drinks year round. The perfect drinking companion for hot summer afternoons, the traditional copper mug becomes chilly to the touch when filled with the iced beverage of your choice.

My Parents surprised me with this mug as a Christmas gift. I had always mentioned when we'd be out for drinks how I wanted one of these, but we could never seem to find them in stores. The mug is solid, heavy duty, and sharp looking. Makes for the perfect vessel for a Moscow Mule or Dark and Stormy.

Moscow Mule Recipe
Moscow Mule

Ingredients:
– 1 1/4 oz Smirnoff vodka
– 3 oz. ginger beer
– 1 tsp. sugar syrup
– 1/4 oz. lime juice
– 1 sprig mint
– 1 slice lime
In a copper mug, pour vodka over ice. Add sugar syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with mint sprig and lime slice.

* Personally I leave out the sugar syrup or simple syrup as I don't like overly sweet drinks and find the Ginger Beer itself adds plenty of sweetness. I also opt specifically for Crabbies Brand Ginger Beer as it's the only one I feel like adds the right taste.

The History Of The Moscow Mule

History of Moscow Mule:

The story of the Moscow Mule begins in 1939 when a nearly brokeRussian ex-pat, Rudolph Kunett, sold the Smirnoff brand to John Martin, head of G.F. Heublein & Bros. Eventually John Martin used the Moscow Mule to help promote vodka to bars across the US and this helped fuel the mainstream acceptance of vodka as the preferred white spirit, replacing gin.

John Martin long claimed that he invented the Moscow Mule along with his friend, Jack Morgan, owner of the olde-English style pub named the Cock’n’Bull, located on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. The Cock’n’Bull had a house brand of ginger beer bottled in stoneware crocks. Martin and Moran claimed that a fit of “inventive genius” led them to combine their respective products. More likely, is the story told by Morgan’s head bartender, Wes Price, who maintained that the drink was fashioned sometime in 1941 in an effort to offload otherwise unsellable goods.

They ordered specially engraved copper mugs and Martin set off to market it in the bars around the country. He bought one of the first Polaroid cameras and asked barmen to pose with a Moscow Mule copper mug and a bottle of Smirnoff vodka. Then he would leave one copy of the photo at the bar and take a second copy to the bar next door to show them that their competitors were selling their concoction. Between 1947 and 1950, thanks to their invention, Smirnoff vodka case columns more than tripled and nearly doubled in 1951.

In particular, the drink caught on with the Hollywood crowd until 1950 when not unlike a few Hollywood screenwriters, Smirnoff and its flagship drink, the Moscow Mule, took heat for the Russian association. Assuming that Smirnoff was a Russian import, unionized bartenders in New York announced a Moscow Mule boycott, refusing to “shove slave labor liquor across the wood in any American saloon.”

Smirnoff rushed to testify that its vodka was not, and never had been a member of the Communist Party. In support, Walter Winchell wrote in 1951, “The Moscow Mule is US made, so don’t be political when you’re thirsty. Three are enough, however, to make you wanna fight pro-Communists.”

Sadly, popularity of the beverage faded in the 1960s with the era of the groovy new disco scene and the intitaitive by the Smirnoff marketing department to re-name the drink the “Smirnoff Mule.” However, the Moscow Mule has recently enjoyed a resurgence, mostly at upscale establishments that have taken the trouble to acquire the copper mugs for proper presentation.

Cards Against Humanity FINALLY Back In Stock On Amazon - Great Christmas Gift

If you haven't been fortunate enough to play Cards Against Humanity you have at the very least probably heard about this popular party game. A bit clever and a bit vulgar this game is hilarious and awesome.

Some time ago I was introduced to this game at a party. I've been wanting to order it forever but for the longest time both Amazon and the manufacturer have been out of stock. Games on the secondary market have been selling for $75 to $100 even though this is really only a $25 game. Well I was pleasantly surprised to see it back on Amazon today for the original price of $25 YAY!!!

If you have a white elephant gift you have to get or something for a Holiday party this game makes a affordable present typically under most gift caps at $25.

Below is just kind of a quick review and my thoughts on this game...

This game, I love it, seriously, I LOVE IT!!! I played the origional with some friends and family at a party and was in tears through most of the game with the combination of hilarious and politically incorrect awful things people were saying. Many people were either rolling their eyes or crying through every single round.

I've heard some people say that once the initial shock value wears off this just becomes adult apples to apples, however I personally don't feel the game ever gets old. Poop and sexual humor, how could that get old?

But there is where the high octane hilarity ended.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the game but after the shock value has worn off it just becomes an adult Apples to Apples.

If you haven't checked this game out yet I highly recommend picking up a deck, will make for some great conversation at a New Years Eve Party!!!

Why Fincen Ruling Bitcoin Companies Money Transmitters Isn't The Big Deal People Are Making It Out To Be...

So recently Fincen has made an administrative ruling that Bitcoin exchanges and Bitcoin companies fall into the category of Money Transmitters and must Register with Fincen as a MSB or Money Services Business. I imagine if you're reading this article you already know about this, however if you don't, the best article I've read on the subject was featured on CoinDesk and can be found HERE. GIve this article a read as it lays out what this ruling means and the headaches this presents to Bitcoin companies.

Fincen Rules Bitcoin Exchanges Are Money Transmitters

Sure this adds a bit of Red Tape and extra reporting which is a hassle and will probably cost companies more money, however this isn't the death blow many people are talking about. Many of the articles talk of how regulation kills the soul of an entrepreneur, and though this is true, this ruling isn't the deathblow many articles are making it out to be.

Filing with Fincen as a Money Transmitter isn't a big deal. It can be done in less than 10 minutes, to my knowledge there is no approval process, it's simply filling out the form. By filling out the form you are agreeing to follow certain reporting requirements and agreeing to keep records for a specificed amont of time, typically 5 years.

The larger issue and the one this article is really getting at is the State regulation. Where as filing as a MSB-Money Transmitter with Fincen takes just minutes and costs you nothing, typically each state requires their own license. The Fincen regulation is about stoppoing money laundering where as the states registration is about "consumer protection" as the state would call it, but is essentially just a money grab.

For a Bitcoin business, they are most likely going to operate in all 50 states. I belive all but 2 or 3 states license or regulate Money Transmitters. This means you must get 46 or 47 different licenses for each state. The application fees alone can run anywhere from a few hundred Dollars to as much as $2500, and that's just to apply, no gurantee you will even get the license.

On top of the license; you typically also need to have an audit done on your financials, an audit done on your AML or anti-money laundering policy, as well as creating an anti-money laundering policy if you don't already have one. This will run you a few thousand Dollars.

Next you typically need a bond in each state to be a Money Transmitter, a bond in each state will typically run you a few grand per million the bond is for, again, that's if you can even get a company to give you a bond because you deal in Bitcoins. Many will flat turn you down.. Typically most states bonds will cost you 2k-5k.

Most states also require you show a certain amount of money in the bank, liquid cash. This could be something like $35,000 on the low end all the way up to hundreds of thousands of Dollars, another hurdle to keep upstarts and anyone but a large well funded company out.

And once you jump through all these hoops be prepared for the various states licensing departments and regulators to either loose your applications a few times, or tell you the supporting documents and audits you supplied are not sufficient, and require you to pay more money to get more done.

After jumping through all these hoops you may be lucky enough to be licensed as a money transmitter in a state. Good news, only 45 left to go.

So where is the bright side you may ask? The bright side is that the Federal License or Money Transmitter MSB filing with Fincen is the most important part. The states money transmitter licensing is for lack of a better word a $h!t show. Typically the regulators don't even know the laws of their own state. The laws are actually not even really relevant as regulators often choose to either ignore their own laws or require stuff above and beyond what the law calls for and there's not really anything you can do as they are the regulator and have the final say.

The good news is that in most states the department which issues money transmitter licenses also isues licenses for dentists, cosmotoligists, food service workers or sanitation licenses among others.

On top of that most of these states have literally one or two guys handling the licenses for all theses areas which is why the CoinDesk article was correct in stating it can take as much as 18 months or longer to get a license.

What does this mean for Bitcoin businesses? Many lawyers would probably urge Bitcoin businesses to go the route of asking for forgiveness rather than permission. What does this mean exactly? It basically means ignore the states laws and licensing and run your business until a state finds out about you and comes after you.

Because the states departentts are somewhat of a joke and understaffed; assuming you don't have any complaints against your business; they probably will never wind up comming after you. If they do, you deal with it when they come after you and work out a settlement with them, and work on getting your license from that point. Keeping in mind the process will probably drag out for months or even years before you actually have to pay a fine.

Although many Bitcoin businesses are startups without a lot of cash, even large companies struggle keeping up with these regulations and licensing. Square Payments up until recently and possibly even still to this day has Cease and Desist orders against them from various states, and somewhat recently had to pay a large fine in the state of Florida.

Though I havn't verified this story for myself and am having trouble finding documents to back this up, it's been rumored even Paypal who today is a giant company didn't even have all their licenses at the time of their IPO some years back.

Moral of the story is if large companies can't even keep up with licensing and regulation how can a small upstart? It's also unreasonable that a small business would need to have probably at a minimum a half million Dollars just to get everything in line and apply for a license to run an internet business which served every state, and after spending all that money there is no gurantee you will get all those licenses.

Hopefully the increased popularity of Bitcoin and Bitcoin businesses will force states to offer some type of streamlined licensing process or at the very least force states to offer receiprocity meaning if you get a license in your home state other states will honor that license and save you the time, money, and hassle of doing the same thing 45 more times. This would be the smart common sense way of doing things but seeing as how government avoids intelligent common sense decisions like the plague it probably won't happen so for the meantime Bitcoin operators pretty much have two choices, close up shop or ignore state registration and licensing and operate their business until states find them and seek them out.

In all honestly banking is going to be a much bigger problem for these Bitcoin companies than state registration or licensing is. If anyone doubts this I challenge you to pickup the phone and call a few banks and ask if they offer MSB or money service business accounts. They are all but non-existant these days which basically leaves Bitcoin Companies, Check Cashiers, and Currency exchanges among other businesses pretty much without any options for banking. That's the next bridge Bitcoin companies must face, however seeing as how Bitcoin is being accepted by more and more companies these days that may not present a problem for them.

FInal Thoughts...

- Fincen isn't the bad guy here. It's the states over burdensome regulation that is the issue. Fincen is simply trying to stop money laundering and terrorist financing.

- The states do this in the name of "consumer protection" however they didn't seem to worried about consumer protection when it came to the big banks, predatory lending and the housing crisis so why get in the way of entrepreneurs and innovation since they don't do their job anyway.

- Hopefully this will spur some discussion and get states to offer reciprocity in their money transmitter rules/laws.

- And lastly, hopefully this opens up banking to a huge sector of the economy which currently has few if any banking options.

Should I Pursue My Masters Degree or MBA?

It seems recent college grads and even young professionals who are unemployed or between jobs are often considering going back to get their masters or MBA. I often see this question asked on career and job boards and forums.

My advice is always the same, don't pursue it if you are going to pay for it on your own dime. These days many companies have tuition reimbursement programs where they will pay a large chunk if not your entire school costs. Why go into a huge amount of debt to get an MBA or Masters Degree when you can probably get someone else to pay for it for you?

This isn't always the case but oftentimes it seems young people pursuing a MBA or Masters Degree aren't really passionate about what they are pursuing nor do they really have any concrete plans about what they are going to do with their degree. I think to many young people it's a way to keep their parents and the world off their back for a few more years while they continue pursuing their education and delay entering the real world.

I think a lot of young people think a masters degree is some magic ticket that will lead to a job. Having been in the workforce for a while and having been an employee as well as a hiring manager, I can tell you that most hiring managers would much rather hire someone with a college degree and some workplace experience than someone who spent the last 6 years in school getting a college degree and a masters degree.

Masters Degrees don't specifically train you for a job. Where as someone who goes to school to work in a machine shop basically learned the job in school and can start day one with little to no training. Someone comming out of school with a masters has a skillset but nothing specifically geared towards a job so you will still need to be trained which means that Masters Degree isn't worth all that much to an employer.

Photographer Profiles Millenial "Boomerang Kids" Who Move Back Home After College

We here so much talk about todays generation graduating from college and entering the workforce. We are always hearing about how this generation is lazy, immature, not self reliant. Though there may be some truth to that today is a much different world than in the past.

Regardless of where you lean on this issue, the photography is well done and does a great job at illustrating these "kids" lives and situations in a snapshot.

Photographer Damon Casarez was sleeping on his parents couch after moving home after college due to struggling to keep up with student loan debt. Feeling sympathy and knowing what it's like he started a photo series called "Boomerang Kids" in which he profiles these kids lives.

The series shows a photo of a "Boomerang Kids" life along with a brief bio.

You can view the series HERE or in a photo spread on Mashable HERE

The Profit CNBC Show Featuring Marcus Lemonis Business / Entrepreneurship Show Review

Season One of The Profit came to an end a few weeks ago, finally getting around to writing a review and recommending you guys check this show out.

Anyone who owns a small business or considers themself an entrepreneur needs to watch this television show. Marcus is a businessman who's top objective is making money, but he's also willing to dive in and get his hands dirty as well, he's far from a hands off businessman.

I'm a big fan of the business based reality shows, however a big complaint of mine is many of these shows seem too fake or staged. I get that reality television is heavily edited and they have to create a story A show which is edited however is much different from a show which is completely staged. I used to be a big fan of Bar Rescue however that show these days seems fake and staged with fights and other things clearly setup for Drama. I don't find that to be the case with The Profit.

This show doesn't end with hugs and kisses like many of these business reality shows, sometimes he works with some very difficult people and in a few episodes they have walked away either without a deal or in at least one case with cutting a difficult partner out of the business.

First and foremost I find this show entertaining however it's also interesting to see business situations you may have faced in your personal life played out on a stage for you to view. It's easy as an outsider to see how people's stubborness can lead to their downfall. I feel there's definately lessons from the show which can be transitioned to daily life to your own business.

Overall I'm a big fan of this show. I've watched the entire first season and plan on watching season two if and when it comes out. I'd highly recommend any business owner or entrepreneur check this show out.

Ever Wondered How To Make Money Off Your Twitter Account?

Whether your a blogger, an affiliate marketer or just like to have fun on Twitter and have a decent following, were' all looking to make money right? You've built a pretty good Twitter following, and your Tweeting anyway so why not make money doing it?

Sponsored Tweets is a great way to monetize your Twitter platform by running ads for various advertisers. Did you know Kim Kardashian reportedly makes $12,000 per Tweet? Well sure you and I aren't Kim K but that doesn't mean we can't make some money by promoting certain advertisers.

Wanna find out more info? CLICK HERE!!!!

Bitcoins For Absolute Beginners, How To Buy Bitcoins

Bitcoins are all the rage in the media these days. You've probably been inundated with stories about Bitcoins used on Black Markets, the rise in the value of Bitcoins, articles about the theft of Bitcoins. Maybe you have an interest in Bitcoins or other Crypto currencies. It can be confusing knowing where to start or even just wrapping your head around the idea of Bitcoins, what are they, how do you hold them, how do you buy them, and how are they used. In this article we are going to explain Bitcoins to you in a way which is easy to understand. Tell you how to hold Bitcoins, how to send and receive Bitcoins, and how and where to purchase Bitcoins with US Dollars. I don't claim to be the foremost expert on Bitcoins but I have done a lot of research, have been using them for a while, and had a hard time understanding them myself so I feel I can explain them in a way which is easy to understand for absolute beginners.

What Are Bitcoins?

I won't get into the whole history of Bitcoins and who created them, there's plenty of places to research that if your interested. I just want to explain what Bitcoins are and how they work. Bitcoins are a virtual electronic currency. They are not a tangible or physical thing you can hold. You can't have a Bitcoin or a note in your pocket, it's strictly electronic and strictly online.

Bitcoins are what's referred to as a Crypto Currency. There are a number of competitors out there like Litecoins, Feather Coins, Crypt Coins, and many more. Bitcoins are by far the most valuable and also the most widely accepted and well known. If you have an interest in the other crypto currencies and want to diversify and hold a bit of each you generally have to buy Bitcoins first and then you can go to an exchange and swap those for Lite Coins or Feather Coins or Peer Coins or any other coins you want.

Some unique things about Bitcoins is it's not a currency of a country like we generally think of currency. It's basically the currency of the internet, though more and more brick and mortar stores, restaurants, and shops are now accepting them.

Bitcoin transactions cannot be reversed. If you send to the wrong address there is no calling them back. It's argued this is both good and bad. It's good in the sense people can't open a Paypal case or do a credit card chargeback and wind up keeping someone's product or service and getting their cash back. It can also be a downside in that if you send to the wrong address or put a decimal in the wrong place there's no reversing a transaction. Some people view this as a positive, others claim any legit banking system needs a way to reverse mistakes. Many sites which accept Bitcoins however use an escrow service so Bitcoins are held until both parties are satisfied with a transaction.

I know it can be hard to wrap your head around the idea of Bitcoins but it's really no different than sending money via Paypal or online banking, it's actually much simpler than you think. The confusing parts can be how do I hold Bitcoins if there's no physical coins. You can't put them in your pocket or a safe in your house for example. Also, how do I send and receive Bitcoins as well as how do I buy them. These things can be confusing to a newbie so we'll address those below.

How Do I Hold Bitcoins?

You can hold your Bitcoins either through a third party service like Coinbase, which just happens to be a place you can buy Bitcoins from your bank account as well as hold them. There's also other third party services out there which you can buy Bitcoins from and which can also serve as Bitcoin wallets. Another way to hold Bitcoins is in a paper wallet. A paper wallet is basically a program you download onto your computer which is on your computers hard drive, NOT online. This is a more secure way of holding your Bitcoins and you have more control of them.

CoinBase is a great place to buy and maybe keep a small amount of Bitcoins in, however I would not recommend keeping your holdings in a third party online wallet. If they are hacked or seized by the Government or anything you potentially lose your Bitcoins. In a Bitcoin wallet you have a wallet on your computers hard drive which is encrypted and password protected where you can hold Bitcoins.

One confusing thing is you don't really setup an account with a paper wallet like you do with a site like Bitcoin. I had a hard time understanding this. With most things you have to setup an account which is hard to change, your locked into a username and email, etc. With a paper Bitcoin wallet literally within one click you create a new wallet and can easily add or delete wallets. Technically you could use a different wallet for every single transaction you do. You add a name to your wallet, you have the option of adding a password, and you can also keep the details on a zip drive for safe keeping. The paper Bitcoin wallet may seem confusing at first but it's actually a very simple menu and very simple to use.

Each wallet has a unique address which is basically random letters and numbers. Your wallet also has a QR code which can be scanned to send you Bitcoins as well.

I would recommend having an account with Coinbase or a similar site as well as a paperwallet which you'll actually use to store your Bitcoins. Next we'll address how to send and receive Bitcoins.

How To Send & Receive Bitcoins?

It's actually surprisingly simple. Either from a paper wallet or an online wallet it's very easy to send Bitcoins. Most people use the actual address vs the QR Code but both are options for you. The nice thing because transactions aren't reversible wallets have a copy to clipboard feature and don't allow you to highlite, copy and paste as you could leave off a letter. They basically force you to be accurate in getting your Bitcoin address to give to someone else. If you want to receive money all you do is give them your address, they send to you and within a minute or a few minutes you receive the Bitcoins.

If you want to send Bitcoins all you need is that persons Bitcoin address, click send Bitcoins, and paste in their Bitcoin address. Whether through an online wallet or a paper wallet this is very easy and straight forward.

Where To Buy Bitcoins?

Many people wonder, where do I buy Bitcoins? It's actually somewhat difficult to buy Bitcoins. Nobody wants to accept Paypal or Credit Cards understandably because once you give away the Bitcoins you cannot get them back and some bad people could do credit card chargebacks or Paypal disputes, get their cash back and they have your Bitcoins.

There are a few sellers on eBay and some on other sites who will take Paypal but it's generally at a huge markup and in small amounts like $50 or less.

I'm going to share with you my favorite and easiest ways to buy Bitcoins. These methods are what I consider to be more reputable sites or people or more secure ways of buying them as well as the easiest.

CoinBase.Com
Coin Base is a known and trusted supplier of Bitcoins. It's one of the few if not the only place you can buy directly from your bank account. Some people don't like the idea of linking a bank account but the site is very secure and in addition to having a password by default it's setup to send you a text message at each login which you have to verify a code. It's a pretty secure system in my opinion.

You link a bank account and can transfer Bitcoins easily with a relatively small fee, the only downside it's about a week for the coins to clear to your wallet. This is probably the easiest and most straightforward way for a newbie to buy Bitcoins. Even if you'd prefer to buy on Bitlocal or Craigslist or something give these guys a try if even for a small amount just so you can get your feet wet and figure out how to transfer from CoinBase to your paper wallet. Also, though it doesn't have to be CoinBase you will need Coin Base or another site to convert your coins back to dollars unless you want to sell to an individual on Craigslist or something like that.

LocalBitCoins.Com
This site basically connects buyers and sellers. You can buy from and sell to people remotely and deposit money directly into their bank account. Some users accept bankwires or Moneygram or Western Union. It's basically setup on an escrow system so the Coins are held until the seller can provide you with a secret code. Once they provide this to you, you know they sent the Bitcoins.

You can also meetup with people locally and pay cash, they do allow their escrow system to be used for this as well. You'd basically meet someone at a Starbucks or McDonalds, and hand over cash once they provide you with the secret code.

This is a bit more complicated in that if you don't know what your doing and run into a bad seller being face to face they could offer to help you with your wallet or something like that and return the coins to them or screw you over. I think most people are good but don't do anything besides use the escrow system which is setup. I'd recommend having completed a few Bitcoin transactions sending and receiving before using this site.

I find this site to be somewhat overpriced. When Bitcoins were at $1,000 people were asking for upwards of $1200. You could do better on CoinBase.Com than those prices. That said you can find some good deals in person occasionally.

Craigslist
Yep, no special accounts, no codes, just regular sales like buying an X-Box or a couch on Craigslist. Look at your local Craigslist site, search for Bitcoins and you'll see a number of people selling them. You can work the transaction however you'd like but generally you'd meetup at a safe trusted place where you have access to internet. You'd give the person cash and they would transfer Bitcoins to your wallet at an agreed upon price or rate. Again, I'd recommend having a few transactions under your belt so you know what to expect before doing this.

Meetups
Bitcoin Meetups are kind of a cool concept. Just like people have meetups for people with pets or Bulldog owners or people who play chess or ride motorcycles. There are meetups for people into Bitcoins. It's basically a community, you can go network with people. Oftentimes there's a weekly or monthly meetup at a bar or coffee shop. You can buy from others and sell to others. I like this method as it's kind of a community with regulars. If someone rips you off they will probably see you or others in the group again making it less likely to happen. You can also ask advice and help from others.

BitInstant.Com
This is one of my favorites and a very easy way to buy Bitcoins. Unfortunately their site is currently down and it doesn't seem like a fix is comming anytime real soon. Basically how this site works, it finds a local store in your area which does Money Gram, basically a Walmart, 711, or CVS. You decide how many Bitcoins you want, they work out the conversion and then have you put in your zipcode where you can see stores in your area. You select one that you will go to, to pay, you then will print out a sheet of paper showing how many Bitcoins you get for the price and how much money you need to send via Money Gram. You bring that paper into the Walmart, 711, or CVS and pay the Money Gram bill. The coins are then sent to your wallet once you make payment. This is very easy and a good way for beginnners, fees aren't the best but it's not terrible and you get your coins in a timely fashion.

Wrapping Up

Well I hope that gives you a better idea of what Bitcoins are as well as helping you to wrap your head around the concept. We explained Bitcoins and what they are, how to send them and receive them, and the best places to buy as well as how to do so.

This isn't the most complete guide around but I wanted to give you something which wasn't too long, which was concise and gave you all the essentials you need. If you have any questions please ask in the comments section below.

Buying A Home Verse Renting In Your Twenties Good Or Bad? - Advice For Young Professionals

Okay, so you just got your first real job out of a college and are ready to move out of your parents house or move out of the place your currently living in roomates. Many people face the conundrum of whether to buy or rent?

Sure there's a million different articles on the internet as well as websites with calculators where you can enter figures in and see whether it makes more sense financially to buy or to rent but in this article I'm going to be talking about my experience as a Young Professional in my early twenties and buying a home. I'm going to tell you about what I liked about it as well as what I disliked about it as well as discuss other intangibles that you should consider if your wrestling with the decision of whether to buy or whether to rent.

I was a few years out of college in my mid twenties and was living with my parents. I had been holding off on renting or buying my old place as the job I was working out of college was a great job in my industry and I was paid well, however it was a contract position and I wasn't comfortable taking on the commitment of a 30 year mortgage when I had a secure job for only 3 months at a time. Well after the economy took a nosedive my contract wasn't renewed and I was out some time before finding a stable job. About a year and a half into my new job I had considered moving out and either renting an apartment or buying a condo, townhome, or single family home. After finally getting sick of living at home and not wanting to "throw rent money away" I decided to look into buying a place.

I had first considered condos due to a lower price point as well as less maintenance. What turned me off however was the high association fees. At least mortgage interest is tax deductable, however association fees or dues are not so though you often do get things for that money such as a gym and property maintenance essentially that is money that is completely lost.

Now part of my problem was I was looking at poorly run buildings where there were a lot of shortsales and foreclosures and due to this fees had increased as less people were paying into them. Don't get me wrong some condo communities give many ameneties for the price. One for example in my area has a free daily breakfast, free shuttle to the train station, boat rentals, free skiing, all types of events for young people and singles. All this for about $300. Other condos however were charging upwards of $400 for a dated mediocre property with no amendities aside from a tennis court with chipped concrete, certainly not worth that $400.

Eventually I shied away from condos in favor or either a Single Family Home or a Townhome. One other thing that tilted my decision, though I believe real estate should be looked at as a place to live and not an investment, especially following the housing crisis, I still think future value should play some role in deciding on a property and condos tend to appreciate at a lower rate than single family homes and townhomes. I also liked the idea of having my own yard for my dogs, to have people over for BBQ's, things like that.

Then I wrestled with the option of Single Family Home versus a Townhome or Duplex. I was finding single family homes out of my price range so I opted for a Duplex or Townhome.

After finally narrowing it down to a Townhome or Duplex I was faced with another question. Do I buy one with an association or no association? I decided I wanted no association as A. I didn't want to pay someone to cut my postage stamp size yard and shovel my one car driveway, something I could easily do myself. I also didn't want my hands tied by crazy rules as we have all heard so many horror stories about no satellite dishes allowed, fines for all types of things. Not being able to park your own car in your own driveway, etc.

I opted to go with no association. I looked in a neighborhood of Duplexes with no association and eventually bought one. Let me briefly digress to tell you I really wish I would have opted for an association for several reasons. Sure some associations have very high fees with very little you get for your money, however oftentimes duplexes and townhomes association dues are only about $100-$150 each month. Depending on the assocation what's covered can vary but generally they do your landscaping and lawncare as well as snow removal in the winter if you live in an area with snow. This may not seem like much and it may even seem a lot to pay to mow a small yard for example but I really wish I had opted to have this covered.

Though my lawn is small and doesn't take that long to cut, you don't think about all the tools and expenses that go along with having a lawn. You have to have a lawnmower which costs a few hundred dollars, you need gas and oil for that lawnmower as well as Spring and Fall maintenance on it. You have to buy mulch, paving stones, fertilizer, shovels, sprinklers, hoses, etc. All this stuff begins to add up. Also, though you may think you can handle the work on this relatively small yard just fine, keep in mind your a young person, you probably like to be out with friends on the weekend, having fun, traveling, and probably don't want to spend your time in your yard doing yardwork, even if it is a relatively small amount of yardwork.

The biggest factor in my opinion however in terms of why to choose an association is exterior maintenance. With most associations in townhome or duplex communities part of the dues go to a fund to pay for exterior maintenance on all the properties. If for example you need a new roof over time, or new siding, with an association generally that's covered with no fees to you,however without an association that stuff ads up to big money. Also, even something like damage to a roof or siding in a storm without an association that's on you to repair, with an association not only is the money covered by them but they hire the workers and take care of the whole shebang leaving nothing for you to do which is also a bonus.

Looking back I wish I would have opted for a place with an association because although it may feel to you as if your throwing away money, if you find a place with reasonable association dues or fees and you actually get a good amount of maintenance and insurance for that fee, it will save you time and money in the long run.

Well, I just wanted to briefly touch on my experience in choosing between a Condo, Duplex/Townhome, and Single Family home as well as my thoughts looking back on that decision as well as the decision to go with an assocaition versus without an association another thing I wanted to touch on was just the experience of being a young person owning a home.

There are definately positives to it. I enjoy having a home, it's something I take pride in, I enjoy having people over to my home and entertaining friends which as a young person can save money over going to the bars. It's fun having your buddies over on a Sunday for some beers and food and to watch a game. It's fun having a place to invite a lady over for dinner. It's nice owning your own place and not having landlords check up on you.

There are also downsides to owning a home though. It's a big responsibility. You essentially have a large bill you owe for the next 30 years. As a young person you may want the flexibility to move to a new city for a job. Not that you can't do that with a home but it complicates things as you now have to sell your home or rent your home before you move.

Owning a home also somewhat locks you into a job. They say now days people change not just jobs but entire careers something like 6-8 times over their grownup working life. When you have a mortgage your are somewhat tied down to your job as you need a steady paycheck. Without a home if you want to explore a new career or even just find a new job your pretty much free to hop around. You probably have the ability to either move back in with family temporarily or crash on a friends couch for cheap rent. When you have a home however you really need a steady paycheck so switching jobs or careers is more difficult as well.

Back to some of the plus sides. As a young person you tend to have a lot of friends and associate with a lot of people. It's still socially acceptable to have roomates in your twenties and even early thirties and maybe you have friends looking for a place to live. This happenned to me and I wound up having two buddies move in with me. This was fun as not only was I able to have my friends as roomates but I was able to offer them rent cheaper than they could find elsewhere all the while they were paying my entire mortgage for me leaving only utitlies and insurance for me to pay.

I wound up having two buddies live with my for about 3 years and over the course of that time had my mortgage paid by them my entire time allowing me to either overpay on my mortgage and knock down the principal, or put money away into savings.

Currently I'm renting the home out and looking to purchase another property to live in while keeping that property as a rental property.

Though there are downsides to owning a home, especially to owning a home at such a young age, there are definately positives as well and overall I am happy with my decision. Were I faced with this decision to rent or own again I would choose to rent again. A few changes I would make I may have opted for a Condo over a Duplex. Sure it's great to have a yard but it's also a lot of work and oftentimes if you find a good one condos can come with some fun amenedies such as pools, workout centers, business centers, etc. Were I to choose between an association or no association I would definately opt for an association providing I found one that covered lawncare, exterior maintenance and insurance for a decent price.

If your considering purchasing your first place and are wresting with the decision to rent vs. own as well as what type of place to buy leave a comment below.

What Is Entrepreneurship In Todays Modern Business World?

Everywhere you turn these days you hear about entrepreneurship be it magazine covers, business confrences, hotel lobbies, all over the internet and even the White House is constantly talking about entrepreneurs, even though the current President sitting in the White House isn't too friendly to them...remember the whole "you didn't build that" fiasco.

The French word entrepreneur first appeared in a French dictionary in 1723 and it described a person who organizes or operates a business and takes a financial risk. Though that was a long time ago the same idea still holds true today. Today however the entrepreneur is celebrated like never before, although today entrepreneurs are defined in much different ways than the past.

I have been practicing entrepreneurship since I was a child. I remember walking around my neighborhood selling salt crystals meant for use with hard water but if I remember correctly I was calling them diamonds of some type of gems. All of us at some point in our lives have probably practiced entrepreneurship.

Some in the past have compared entrepreneurship to a warriors mentality.

So You Wanna Be An Entrepreneur...

Most entrepreneurial ventures fail. Most entrepreneurs make alot less money than if they were working for someone else. The life of an entrepreneur and the road to a successful business is often long and lonely. Long hours, lots and lots of stress, and a huge amount of personal sacrafice. Keep in mind at your current job when there's a problem with a computer you call the IT Dept, when there's something you don't understand you ask your supervisor. When your an entrepreneur you are the IT dept, you are your supervisor, you are the maintenance dept, you are the customer service department. You have nobody to turn to but yourself. So why would anyone want to become an entrepreneur?

To Live: Many people become entrepreneurs simply to survive. If you look at most third world countries there's no social safety nets, you do what you have to do to survive. If you've ever visited even someplace like Mexico or an island in the Caribbean everyone is an entrepreneur.Around the globe people become entrepreneurs in order to survive. They have no job prospects and no social safety nets so they become an entreprenuer to squeek out a living and some wind up becomming very successful while others merely get by. Though I have always had an entrepreurial spirit my first serious business venture was when I was in college and it was because I needed more money than a part time job could pay me and it was tough working work hours around school hours so I decided to strike off on my own and become an entrepreneur.

To Chase A Dream: Many entrepreneurs start a business around something which is a passion of theirs. I have a few friends who had a passion for skydiving. After years of paying hundreds of dollars doing this for fun they got financing, found someone crazy enough to insure them, and started their own business. Now they skydive as much as they want and they get paid for it. Many people have some activity or area of interest they are passionate about and pursue their dream to do it for a living. Many others though maybe not something they are passionate about already have a skill or do something at their current job and realize a demand is not being met and start their own business. Yeah maybe it's not something they are passionate about but at least are knowledgeable about and they can be their own boss. People love to follow their dreams but only a small percentage of people are brave enogh...or maybe crazy enough...to actually follow that dream.

To Make The World A Better Place: Many people become entrepreneurs to make the world a better place. This could be anything from using profits to help the less fortunate or to help their favorite charity. It could they find a way to make a business who's business helps people. And it can even be something as simple as just being an entrepreneur and creating a business because that creates jobs for people which helps people out.

Entrepreneur Like A Warrior?

The United States Armys Ethos Or Slogan Is...

1. I will always place the mission first.
2. I will never accept defeat
3. I will never quit
4. I will never leave a fallen comrade.

This ethos applies to entrepreneurs as well as warriors. It defines an entrepreneurs personal and professional life. An entrepreneur has to make self sacrafice with their time and often has to put their personal lives aside for the sake of their business. This relates to always putting the mission first.

An entrepreneur cannot accept defeat. Being an entrepreneur is about perseverence as much as it is about luck or skill. An entrepreneur has to wear many hats and there's no IT dept to turn to, no manager to ask a quesiton to. You are every position and you cannot just rollover and accept defeat when faced with challenges. This relates to boht never accepting defeat and never quitting.

So What Makes An Entrepreneur?

When we actually look at what an entrepreneur is we have to look at the warrior ethos. We can also look at things such as their personality, atttitude, skills they possess, as well as what motivates them.

Personality: entrepreneurs must be resilient, tenacious, have the ability to spot opportunities and also be willing to take risks

Attitude: entrepreneurs must have awareness in all areas of their busieness. They must focus on their customers or clients. They must apply creativity to business problems. They must have an imagination and creativity to think outside the box because generally when your an entrepreneur there is no blueprint, you are a pioneer and a trailblazer.

Skills: every entrepreneur brings certain skills to the table. Oftentimes partnerships are nice in that generally one partner has one set of skillls but lacks another where as the second partner may lack a skill the certain partner has but be strong in another area. Some skills all entrepreneurs generally posess are strategic thinking, access to resources, knowledge of business, people skills, and management skills help as well.

Motivation: personal drive and ambition is critical to being an entrepreneur. There's nobody there to give you a peptalk, there's no boss to threaten you, you dictate your succes or failure and with long hours and challenging problems an entrepreneur has to be able to motivate themselves because there's nobody else there to do it. Entrepreneurs have a drive for achievement or self satisfaction, they desire status, they like wealth and social responsibility.

What it really boils down to however is that there is no blueprint for entrepreneurship. Every business is unique and every person running each business is unique and has a unique set of attributes and skills. Entrepreneurship is a jouney, though most of those on this road who are successful share a few common traits. The journey of entrepreneurshi is uniquely yours and yours only.

Good luck...