The boss of one of the world’s biggest independent financial giants is urging investors to explore the value of less traditional investments as the global macro environment gets shaky.
The assessment from deVere Group’s Nigel Green comes as global stocks continue to experience turbulence.
He says: “The three major equity indexes on Wall Street are experiencing their worst stretch of losses in decades, and this is being echoed globally.
“It comes amid investors’ concerns over inflation, which is forcing central banks to slam the breaks on their economies, the ongoing war in Ukraine, Covid lockdowns in China’s manufacturing heartlands known as the ‘factory of the world’, and some household name companies posting weak results.
“This backdrop is creating a yield-starved environment for investors.”
He continues: “As such, for those looking for both capital appreciation and capital preservation, now is the time to consider diversifying into less traditional, return-enhancing asset classes.
“These could include venture capital, structured products, cryptocurrencies, high dividend stock, hedge funds and managed futures, and direct real estate, amongst others.”
“Such investments could also be useful tools to improve the risk-return characteristics of your investment portfolio. This is because they increase diversification and reduce volatility, due to their low correlations to more traditional investments such as stocks and bonds; and they can hedge some portfolio exposures.”
However, says the deVere CEO, considering that these investments are often more complex than their traditional counterparts, working alongside a good fund manager will likely be critical to ensuring return-boosting results.
He goes on to say that whilst less conventional asset classes should also be considered, investors should remain invested in the traditional markets too “because financial history teaches us that stock markets go up over time.”
Nigel Green concludes: “Yield-starved investors should explore less traditional opportunities not only for potentially higher returns, but also as they provide diversification and downside protection for their portfolios.”
Consumer confidence has plummeted below levels recorded following the 2008 financial crash – to their lowest point since records began almost half a century ago, according to the GfK Consumer Confidence Index.
This comes soon after inflation rose to a 40-year high of 9%, due to soaring energy prices, as the cost of living crisis continues to wreak havoc on household finances in the UK.
With finances stretched like never before for millions, it’s important not to let today’s troubles turn into potentially even worse problems later by sacrificing long term savings for short term needs. That’s why the experts at money.co.uk have put together a handy guide with all the need-to-know information when it comes to pensions.
James Andrews, Senior Personal Finance Editor at money.co.uk, said: “With the cost of living crisis affecting millions, and consumer confidence plummeting, it’s tempting to focus entirely on short term plans to get you through the current situation.
“But now could also be the perfect time to think about your long-term finances and ensure you have enough money put away to ensure a comfortable life after you retire.
“There are three main types of pension. The workplace pension is what most people who are in work voluntarily contribute to with money from their monthly pay packet, or what your employer guarantees you based on your salary and service.
“The good thing about this option is that you don’t have to lift a finger. Your contributions are managed by an investment firm, ready for you to access when you finally put your feet up. At that point you can take the cash out as and when you need it or receive a monthly payout based on your old salary.
“Most workers will also be entitled to the State Pension, which is provided by the government and eligible to anyone with a minimum number of qualifying years of National Insurance contributions.
“If you’re in work now or retired after April 6, 2016, you will get the new State Pension, as long as you’ve paid National Insurance for 10 years. Find out what age you will qualify for the State Pension through the government website. People with at least 35 qualifying years currently receive the maximum payout of £175.20 a week.
“If you’re financially savvy and have the motivation to dedicate your own time to pension planning, then a Self Invested Personal Pension is another option. You can invest in one of these in addition to a workplace pension and offers the opportunity to take control of where your money goes. Think of a Self Invested Personal Pension as a ‘DIY pension’, as you are responsible for managing it until you retire.
“When opting for a Self Invested Personal Pension, you must pick a provider to invest through, choose which funds or assets you want to buy and how much you put into each one, and then manage the pension online.
“All pensions carry an element of risk, due to them being investments, but a Self Invested Personal Pension could be considered a greater risk due to the fact the decisions are all up to you, as opposed to a fund manager or similar professional.
“Another option is to save money over the course of your working life in an ISA, which allows you to put away £20,000 a year without paying tax on the interest you receive. The pros of this are that you can access the money whenever you want and you have control over the amount of risk you take as you’ll decide the investments that you want to make.
“If you’re between the ages of 18 and 40, you can open a Lifetime ISA – this adds 25% to the first £4,000 you save each year provided you don’t access your cash before you turn 60. Money in a Lifetime ISA can be held in cash like a regular savings account or invested in the markets like a SIPP or stocks and shares account. Growth in your cash is tax free, like with a pension, too.
“Pensions for many of us are a daunting prospect, especially in the midst of a cost of living crisis, but regardless of your situation there are experts who can assess your situation and advise you.
“To compare the best pension plans from all the top providers, use money.co.uk’s handy comparison tool.”
Turbo Growth, the first book from author Travis Ray Chaney, started the discussion about how financial advisors could build and grow their businesses. Now, in his newly released follow-up The 3 CEOs: The Three Most Important Roles Entrepreneurial Financial Advisors Play, Chaney raises the stakes by challenging financial professionals to assume the three essential roles of entrepreneurial leadership as they take their businesses to new heights:
– Chief Executive Officer
– Cultural Excellence Officer
– Client Experience Officer
According to Chaney, the three CEOs model yields exponential results in the face of continual change and disruption, aiming to help readers:
– Build a framework of personal principles and beliefs
– Translate those beliefs into a company culture based on those values
– Position their businesses to provide a client experience that can’t be matched
The 3 CEOs provides practical tools, proven strategies and real-life examples to help position readers for success and put them well on their way to becoming better people, spouses, parents and friends.
“Taking your business to the next level begins in your head,” Chaney said. “You must know who you are and what you stand for. An extraordinary life is something you get by looking inward first. For many who have gone through this process, it’s been the greatest adventure imaginable.”
About the Author
Travis Ray Chaney is the CEO of Dynamic Directions (D2), a coaching and consulting firm focused on building an extraordinary life and practice for financial advisors. A Certified Master Coach, he has coached clients to places on the Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors list, the Barron’s Top 100 Female Advisors list and the Forbes list of Best-in-State Wealth Advisors. As an entrepreneur, he also owns multiple other businesses in different industries.
He is a former award-winning financial advisor who consistently ranked in the top 1.5 percent of financial advisors at his broker dealer. Chaney is also the author of Turbo Growth: Proven Strategies to Create an Extraordinary Life and Financial Planning Practice.
He lives in Owensboro, Kentucky, with his wife, Christy; son, Ryland; and daughters, Lucy Jagoe and Stone. He is a bourbon enthusiast and a country music songwriter.
For more information, please visit the3ceos.com, or follow the author on Facebook.
The loan market has grown bigger and has changed throughout the years. This is largely impacted by the internet because most of the loan market has moved there. This has opened many new doors that were closed before. Opportunities that people couldn’t even imagine, have now been made possible.
Before the internet, one of the only safe ways to borrow money was to apply for a loan with a bank. Obviously now people can do this directly from their home, by using the bank’s website. This is not the only option that has been made possible by the internet. Nowadays, there are plenty of other loans that can be applied for. This way the borrower can find loans with better interest rates. But to be able to do so, you need to know how it’s done.
Fixed income is a common way to loan money
It’s not only true that there are a plethora of different institutions that can be chosen when looking for a suitable loan for your needs, but there are also many different types of loans. The most important difference between different types of loans is how the loan you received would be paid back when the time is due.
Because there are many different ways to choose to pay back a loan, anyone can find a way that fits their budget. For instance, some people prefer paying back in bigger sums, whereas others wish to carry out the payments over longer periods, but in smaller installments. Even though there are many different options to choose from, fixed income loans are some of the most common ones.
Fixed income means that the borrower will pay back on a fixed schedule, and the size of payments is also fixed. Because this way of paying the loan back can be altered to fit the borrower’s needs, it is a very common option. Also, nowadays it can be automated. The borrower can choose that the loan will automatically be taken from their bank account on a monthly basis, so the payment is as seamless as possible. They don’t even have to log back into their bank account each time they want to transfer money; they can simply choose this to be an automatic process.
Use online tools to find all the best options
The internet is a great tool to find different loan offers. As we mentioned before, the borrower can obviously look for different bank offers online, but this is not the only option. The borrower can look for other safe institutions that will loan money. This way they can find an offer that will have the best rates for them.
If you are not sure about how you can find other loan offers, you can use special websites for your help. There are plenty of sites that are created for this purpose. They list these offers, and the borrower can easily compare the loans with each other.
How to compare loan offers to find one with the best interest rates?
As we mentioned above, these sites can help the borrower to compare the offers that are available. Still, there are also some extra steps the borrower could take that would ensure better interest rates. This is by making the banks and institutions ‘compete’ with each other.
The borrower can find plenty of different tools to do so online. One of the easiest ways to make the different institutions compete is by contacting them directly. Sometimes they might be able to offer the borrower something better than what can be found on their website. This will help the borrower to find the best interest rate for them, according to their needs.
Different types of loans have different requirements
As you might know, the way of paying back the loan is not the only way to differentiate loans. The purpose of applying for the loan has a big impact on what type of loan the borrower is looking for. For example loans for small firms require different needs than individual loans or loans for bigger companies.
This is why it is crucial to know exactly what type of loan you are looking for before you start the process. That way, you can ensure that the options you are looking for will fit your needs and give you the best interest rate.
Learn the commonly used terminologies
Another aspect that will make a big impact on the whole process is how familiar you are with the terminologies. Knowing terms such as ‘loan period’ or ‘loan time’ and ‘realistic annual interest rate’ will help you tremendously when you are looking for a loan with the best interest rate.
This is why it’s recommended to learn at least the most common terms before you even start applying for a loan. Then you can find better interest rates for the loan easily.
More and more purchases and sales of luxury goods are being traded for digital coins – cryptocurrencies in this segment have been adopted as a means of payment. Boat sales site https://boatsector.com/ has discovered that a $10 million yacht is up for sale, which can be paid for with the Dogecoin meme-cryptocurrency, an asset developed on the basis of Litecoin.
The owners of the 52-meter Italian luxury yacht Benetti Vianne announced in a press release that potential buyers can buy the ship with cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Solana, Binance Coin and Fantom.
Motor yacht Benetti Vianne (ex. Tommy) with a length of 52 meters left the slipways of the Benetti shipyard in 1995 and was refitted in 2021. The studio Stefano Natucci was responsible for her appearance. The interior designer was Terence Disdale Design.
According to their own statements, holders will also accept non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
However, if you want to purchase a yacht equipped with a helipad and a hot tub, you must pay at least 10% upfront of the total amount in conventional currency.
Bitcoin and Ethereum have often been used as payment options for luxury goods in the recent past, for example, in various art auctions at Sotheby’s. Dogecoin has not yet established itself in the luxury goods segment and still has a reputation as a fun currency or meme-crypto asset.
Recall that Dogecoin is a digital currency. Created in 2013 to make the cryptocurrency more attractive to the mainstream users. The coin is named after a popular meme depicting a Shiba Inu dog breed, which was nicknamed Doge by the audience of the largest international forum Reddit. The same dog became the logo of the currency.
The process of recognizing a player is known as verification. You are normally not limited from inputting any info when you register. You must send an email, but it can be anonymous if you make up a first and last name. However, if certain limitations are surpassed and you want to withdraw your wins, you’ll need to verify your account by submitting documentation, and if the facts on the paperwork and the account don’t match, the account may be blocked. The support service may request verification for a variety of reasons, including selecting a random account to verify. According to some casino players in UK no verification casinos are also an option because they are legit and check your age in the electoral register.
What kind of documents are required?
A passport or a driver’s license could be used as proof that you are who you say you are. So you may double-check the name and birthdate. Your physical address is confirmed by a scanned copy of your utility bill. If you finance your casino account with a credit card, be aware that you may be required to produce a scanned copy or a photo of your credit card. Although the card’s numbers and signature should be accessible, the CVV/CVC code should be closed.
If you’re funding your casino account with a wire transfer, you’ll need to email a scanned copy of the statement from the bank that processed the transaction to your online casino’s technical support, even though this is an antiquated practice today. Your first and last names, as well as your account number, should be distinct. Sending a screenshot from the online banking system is quite convenient. No more confirmation is required if the casino ensures that your account is authentic, as banks must identify their customers.
Any prior transactions between you and the casino are also raised during verification. Verification for players who use electronic payment systems like Skrill or Neteller entails submitting screenshots of their accounts as well as information on individual transactions.
Is it safe to send documents to online operator?
In general, the casino assures the player’s personal information will be protected from third parties, as mentioned in the privacy policy, which is the casino’s public offer (proposal).
How long does it take to review the documents?
The verification procedure may take longer than expected, depending on the volume of requests. However, the casino crew makes every effort to analyze entries within two to three days, if not less. If you have not received a response to your email address within 7 business days, you should contact the site’s support. The staff is quite helpful and will respond to your inquiry quickly and thoroughly.
Final words
When you verify an account, you must give the casino with the required documentation and personal information. After that, you’ll be able to establish your own account on the platform and start placing bets. As players give their personal information to Interent, this verification process may cause anxiety and distrust in them. And, because the online world can be dangerous at times, it’s critical to choose your casino carefully.
Freelance tax and many other ordinary taxes associated with your foreign company reduce the amount of profit earned in one way or the other. The tax-paying responsibilities and bundle of tax liabilities seem to reduce the money in your money pot. The capital gains tax on the specific property, rental income tax associated with the space, VAT on the goods purchased for manufacturing the final product, and some additional freelance tax might be a shear pressure on the overall budget of your business.
“Freelance tax and many other ordinary taxes associated with your foreign company reduce the amount of profit earned in one way or the other.”
You might be looking for loans or shaking hands with some investors to allow some pounds to be available when tax submission approaches. Apart from all the management has done the over puzzles when joined together clearly indicate that pounds are moving from your pocket to the HMRC.
Controlling the charges by monitoring them from time to time
Reductions Wrapped In Tax
Tax is a clear indication of reduction, but people don’t hate all drops. A decrease in tax liability is, in fact, loved by people. That is the main reason the business persons are closing deals with the professionals having expertise in banking and finance to look for the legal ways to reduce all types of tax. Whenever a person tries to open up a business and take it from the initial level either in his state or in another, there are a number of taxes attached with a single business type.
“A decrease in tax liability is loved by people, which is the main reason the business persons are closing deals with the professionals having expertise in banking and finance to look for the legal ways to reduce all types of tax.”
You have to fulfill the duties and submit them on time; otherwise, penalties open up a great well to dig you further into the ground. The significant penalties not only reduce the money pot but diverts your attention in paying the charges. In the case of a sole trader, you are the one running to fill in penalties, and that is how the quality control gets disturbed because your main focus is to come on the ground rather than fly in the sky.
Avail The Reduction of Your Desire
While building up a brand, you come across the versatile type of deprecations and reductions. On the whole, there are two types of cuts. One kind of reduction is when you are looking for legal ways to avail yourself of the opportunity, while the other causes you to repel like two similar poles of the magnet. The latter one is the penalties or, in simpler words, the fine. Whenever a business person becomes more focused on one side, the other side is affected, and that is how a way to VAT fraud and other loopholes gets opened.
However, as an overseas business person, you must know VAT fraud; what is it? What are the penalties, and How to report them? Only then have you might have the instinct to do everything on time. Monitoring is the key. Monitor every tax on time so that only you run after the reduction that you need to grow your money pot.
Freelance Tax Deduction
As a self-employed person, you might come across freelance tax. The most important thing is to look for the allowable expenses list. The UK’s tax system supports the right of business holders by giving them the advantage of allowable expense. It means that tax liability is not dependent on the actual income; instead, it applies only to the profits.
“The UK’s tax system supports the right of business holders by giving them the advantage of allowable expense and it means that tax liability is not dependent on the actual income; instead, it applies only to the profits.”
Let’s suppose a person opens up a business where some computers and other devices are required. He purchased the machines from his packet and earned a handsome amount after running the company in a month. First, the devices should be used entirely for business purposes only. According to the deduction rate, the allowable expense includes the machines, and then the person has the right to deduct the amount of the laptop first and return it to his pocket from where he took the money out first. The remaining money left will be taxed. If the profit left is less than a smaller tax bracket will grab the business person, and if still, the gain produced is significant, the tax person will be charged accordingly.
List Of Allowable Expenses
Some of the allowable expense lists can be shared over here. The major allowable expenses include stationery items, devices, phone bills, fuel for official trips, fares, clothing and staff uniform expenses, promotion fee, training fee provided earlier to your employees, rent of the office, financial cost on bank charges, raw material, salaries, and other few sinks. These things fall in the category of legally avoiding tax percentage and paying a little as compared to the general tax percentage.
Office Items Should Be Clearly Separated From Personal Items
If you are using a particular item for a personal cause, it must be reported to HMRC. In case when the rent of the office is discussed, if even one of the rooms is being used for a personal cause, then the overall reduction of tax liability is disturbed. Because the rent of that one room does not fall into the category mentioned above, likewise, if stationary or other things are used for some other purpose rather than the office, it shall not be included in the list of deprecations or reductions.
Deprecations
Certain items are fixed, and you can’t demand a depreciation on them. Capital allowances and other benefits can be claimed only if HMRC allows you to do so. The items are fixed and so can list as cars, machinery, plant to run the batch, renovating services provided. Capital allowances are claimed only on those items that are specified for business only. The conditions enable you to deduct some or all of the service or product cost from the income before you actually calculate the profit.
“The conditions enable you to deduct some or all of the service or product cost from the income before you actually calculate the profit.”
You can use a marketing strategy to increase the overall cost of the service or the product so that even if you deduct some of the amounts, the profit available to you might be large enough to fulfill the needs. The larger profit values and the larger deprecations help you gain more money in the end.
Deductions associated with self-employed work at home
Sole Trader Working From Home
The incredible feature of this deduction concept is that even your work from home as a sole overseas trader for a self-employed company, you have the right to demand the depreciation. The rent you are paying for the apartment you live in can be claimed from the HMRC. Imagine you are running an online business, not manufacturing the product but providing online services to the people.
You are sitting in your home with a fully charged laptop and in an apartment that you have used for a personal cause.
“The incredible feature of this deduction concept is that even your work from home as a sole overseas trader for a self-employed company, you have the right to demand the depreciation.”
As a freelancer, you can ask the HMRC to pay a particular portion of rental income as it falls in the domain of allowable expense. So instead of giving tax to HMRC, you can actually file a capital allowance for things which was purchased for personal use in the very first place. That’s how the magic of depreciation works.
The above advantage is not only confined to the rental income only rather than the telephone bills, but electricity is also used to charge your device, to light up the room, and the primary device charge all fall into this category. So instead of investing physically, you can quickly start your journey as an overseas online platform that wants to serve the United Kingdom.
Cash basis
You can also entertain your company on a cash basis. The companies earning more than the extraordinary amount can file up for this particular type. It is primarily the best match for the sole traders or partners running a small business. This specific tax is launched because the income tax is taxed on the amount you have specified in your bank account at one particular time, and in processed deals are not considered at that moment.
“The cash basis launched because the income tax is taxed on the amount you have specified in your bank account at one particular time, and in processed deals are not considered at that moment.”
This particular type is associated with small businesses only because you can consider yourself eligible for the cash basis opportunity if you have a considerable amount of stock. A specific set of rules must be followed to run your company smoothly and entertain the options provided. The particular value for this category is 150,000 or less than that.
Ask The Experts
If you’re confused about a specific issue or don’t want to take the risk, you can simply ask professionals for help. Look for certified tax experts in the UK and help your company grow with in the UK’s environment. No matter what the service or the product in the United Kingdom’s government supports the profit-making concept. By demanding the tax from the profit amount only, you can run a successful business both online and offline.
Although online platforms might seem to have less expenditure, it’s not the truth. The expanded online world enraptures many software purchasing, which you might consider essential to run your company. So, the depreciation and the reductions will help your company in terms of such purchase.
1. The depreciation can help the business persons by constricting their tax brackets and allowing them to pay less amount as a tax.
2. The allowable expenses must be considered before evaluating the profit value.
3. There are exceptional opportunities for small industries which earn less, and therefore their tax requirement is made accordingly.
The world of fashion is celebrated for its bold choices and has become one of the biggest ways for people to express themselves. Fashion has the power to convey someone’s personality or mood without them ever having to communicate.
It’s because of this that fashion is unavoidable in everyday life and is a powerful tool for many. Members of the public often see the latest designer trends and are confused by the abstractness of the fashion industry without realising that it’s a way of making a bold statement.
However, it’s fair to say that many designers and artists within fashion push the boundaries too far into the bizarre category. Whilst many of these can be seen as strange and pretentious, there are a small handful of these choices that are weird and wonderful.
The same can be said for collaborations with the fashion industry as this can either be brilliant or an absolute mess. This is a risky move and often expected when two different worlds collide together but can lead to fashion gold if it’s done well. From fast-food giants to a Korean noodle brand, here are some of the weirdest but most wonderful collaborations within the world of fashion.
Vetements and DHL
When people think of fashion, DHL does not often come to mind. For starters, the company is a delivery service and not at all associated with fashion. Secondly, the outfits are often known as quite gaudy and tacky with bright red and yellow colours. Despite this, luxury fashion brand Vetements decided that DHL was the perfect subject for their Spring Collection show at Paris Fashion Week in 2015.
The crowd went crazy and flooded social media with pictures of a model wearing a DHL shirt with Dr Martens and shiny black trousers. Ultimately, this led to the shirt going on sale and even selling out, resulting in people trying to purchase actual DHL shirts from the company’s website in desperation. The DHL and Vetements collaboration is more than a fad and even came back on the runway in 2018. Whilst the shirt choice may seem quite vulgar, it also showed that fashion comes in many forms and sometimes the most simplistic designs have the most longevity.
Crocs and KFC
KFC is one of the biggest brands that constantly tries way too hard to be cool with its marketing from the short film A Recipe for Seduction to the dating simulator called I Love You, Colonel Sanders. However, the company found strange success with its collaboration with Crocs as both companies are notorious for bizarre design choices.
In 2020, Crocs and KFC teamed up to create a one of a kind Croc design that’s so ugly that it happened to be popular. Crocs are already divisive amongst fashionistas but continue to sell and remain on shelves. This collaboration took that to the next level with Crocs which features the finger-licking good chicken as well as a chicken drumstick on the front of the shoe to add insult to injury. The collaboration may seem crazy but it’s so bad that it’s actually brilliant and remains one of the most popular fashion campaigns from Crocs.
Fashion TV and Spearhead Studios
As one of the biggest international fashion and lifestyle channels, FashionTV is essentially a household name within the industry. It was established in 1997 but catapulted to fame when one of its stars released a track called ‘I Want to be a Trillionaire’ back in the summer of 2014. This led to the first online slot from the company called Trillionaire but sadly the game failed to take off and has since been forgotten.
Evidentially, this is why it was such a surprise that the company announced a new collaboration with Spearhead Studios in the form of a brand-new game called FashionTV Highlife. Not only was this game better than the original in every way, but it managed to showcase the high standard that FashionTV wanted. FashionTV Highlife focuses on the glamorous side of fashion whilst allowing players the chance to win huge amounts. It even looks to be one of the stand-out iGaming titles of 2022.
Tonymoly and Samyang
There’s tough competition within Korean beauty trends, but Tonymoly managed to make a name for itself and has taken the cosmetics industry by storm with high-quality ingredients combined with innovative technology to create truly unique products. The brand is one of the leading companies for creating and producing Korean beauty products which is why the collaboration with Samyang Foods raised many eyebrows.
Samyang launched in 2012 and quickly grew as one of the spiciest packets of ramen noodles on the market. As both brands were in high demand at the time, this made it the perfect product to collaborate with Tonymoly for the Hot Edition Makeup Collection which includes a cushion-company foundation that comes with a refill and looks like a little sauce packet as well as other makeup items such as blusher and lip balm. This is obviously a ridiculous collaboration but one that’s brilliant and took the beauty community by storm.
Nike and Ben & Jerry’s
When it comes to footwear, Nike is the absolute king and one of the biggest in the market. As the company is so popular, it’s no surprise as to why Nike partners with so many different creators such as Supreme, Sacai and even Dior. No one could’ve predicted that one of the best collaborations would be one with Ben & Jerry’s.
Aptly titled Chunky Dunky, the collaboration saw an unusual type of shoe that is completely over the top in style. All of the colours from the packaging of the ice cream are featured on the shoe as well as cow prints and a dripping Nike logo. It may be outrageous but was one of the biggest shoe releases in 2020. Whilst this shoe wasn’t for everyone, there’s no denying that it’s incredibly creative and a memorable fashion choice that will be remembered for generations to come.
Primark and Greggs
This is the fashion collaboration that no one really saw coming but was absolutely genius. Greggs is the UK’s beloved pastry goods outlet known for steak bakes and sausage rolls, whilst Primark is the biggest fashion retailer in the UK. The two combined for a match made in heaven for Greggs’ first ever clothing collaboration.
The full collection included bucket hats, sliders, trainers, hoodies, joggers, socks, shoes and shirts celebrating the bakery chain. Despite verging on being tacky at times, this was the ultimate drop for fans of the fashion retailer and the pastry chain. Primark found the right combination with a minimalistic style that celebrated Greggs without just plastering sausage rolls all over. With so many items in the collection, this collaboration became the biggest must-have item from Primark in 2022.
After the purchase of a home, your car is the second most expensive investment you’ll ever make. Whether you choose to purchase a new or a used vehicle, it’s important to do plenty of research before committing yourself to monthly payments. The guide below will help you work through what your options are and how they can benefit you.
What Are Your Options For Buying A Car?
From the initial planning phases of deciding whether to purchase or lease to the actual financing available to you, this guide can serve as a great starting point!
The best way to purchase any car is to use cash, for some or all of the asking price. Of course, very few people have the adequate funds to outright purchase a vehicle, which is why financing is so crucial. Regardless of your needs, there are many financing options available for you to choose from, there is even poor credit car finance and it can feel daunting at times having to make a decision.
Before committing to purchase a new or a used vehicle, consider what your financing options are by checking them out below!
*PCP Or Personal Contract Purchase
With this option, you have the ability to replace your old vehicle for a new one every couple of years. When opting for this kind of financing, you will need to make an initial deposit of anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of the car’s perceived value. You pay off your debt through monthly installments and make one last balloon or lump sum payment in order to own the vehicle.
If you prefer not to make the last balloon payment, you can actually trade in your vehicle for a new one at the dealership. You also have the option of privately selling your car through another marketplace in order to eliminate your last balloon payment. These options are ideal if you can’t make your last payment to outright own the car.
There are quite a few advantages to opting to purchase a car with this method, including:
-A low initial deposit.
-Lower monthly payments.
-Flexible repayment plans.
-End of financing options you can control.
*Hire Purchase
A hire purchase contract will require an initial down payment of anywhere from 10 to 20 percent. You pay off your debt in monthly installments that also include interest rates until your payment terms are completely cleared. After your final payment, you will outright own the vehicle.
The downside with this option is that your financing company has the option of repossessing your car if you miss any payments. Though you do have to account for monthly interest rates, you also eliminate the final balloon payment when your contract terms expire.
There are a number of possible advantages to opting for this method of financing, including:
-A low initial deposit.
-Easier to get approved for than other options.
-Flexible repayment terms.
-Competitive interest rates offered based on the dealership.
-You outright own the vehicle after making the last payment.
*Personal Contract Hire Leasing
When you sign a lease agreement, you only lease the car and never end up owning it. That means after your terms are up, you will need to hand the car back to the dealer. Usually, leasing requires no initial deposit, but you still make monthly payment installments that also include the servicing and maintenance of the car.
Whether this option is worth it for you to explore ultimately depends on the dealership and what the offered terms are. In some instances, leasing is significantly more expensive than opting to own a car. On the other hand, you have more flexibility and options when it comes to providers due to the maintenance and upkeep of your vehicle.
There are a number of benefits of choosing to go with this option, including:
-Fixed monthly installments.
-Maintenance and service costs are included.
-No need to concern yourself with the Kelley Blue Book value of the vehicle.
-Flexible payment term options.
-You can change providers as needed.
*Personal Loans
You can choose to use a personal loan regardless of opting for a new or a used car. Usually, personal loans are offered by banks, lending services or private lenders.
Before even considering this option, it’s important to do your homework well. Take into consideration the length of time and the amount you will need to borrow. Then, you will need to calculate how much you can afford to pay back in installments comfortably while also accounting for interest rates.
Personal loans carry a number of advantages including:
-You are likely to get approved if you have good credit.
-You select how much money you need to borrow.
-Shopping around will get you better interest rates.
-You can find your ideal lending company by doing your homework.
*Bad Credit Financing Options
There are a great number of ways that you can get financed in order to purchase a vehicle for your household. However, you may find your options are slightly more limited if you have bad or no credit. Though having a lower credit score doesn’t necessarily mean not getting financed, it does mean less desirable financing terms and fewer lenders to strike a deal with.
Fortunately, here are a few ways you can work to improve your situation:
-Make your bill payments on time.
-Check your credit report for discrepancies and pay off smaller debts.
-Avoid getting too many loans or credit cards at once.
84% of staff worry they are not getting their fair share of credit/debit card tips and service charges
66% of staff say they have knowingly had tips held back or had deductions taken from their tips
92% of staff believe there needs to be more transparency surrounding tips and how they are shared
Almost 90% of staff say that the tip process/fairness influences where they work and how long they stay in a role for
Despite, the government’s initial promises to overhaul unfair tipping practices Boris Johnson is now binning plans to let workers keep 100% of tips. With many hospitality employees relying on tipping to top up their income and the cost of living increasing change needs to occur or the already pressured industry could face further shortages.
According to new research of more than 700 Brits from KAM media commissioned by TiPJAR, a leading UK hospitality fintech platform transforming the cashless tipping process, over two-thirds of the UK’s hospitality staff have questioned tips on their payslip because they did not trust it was accurate. The research clearly flags issues with lack of confidence in tipping processes with 92% of staff believing there needs to be more transparency surrounding tips and how they are shared.
The survey demonstrates the concerning views of contactless tipping in the hospitality industry. Only a mere 16% of staff don’t fret about tips, whereas the majority (84%) worry they are not getting their fair share of credit/debit card tips and service charges. In addition, their concerns are likely exacerbated through experiencing malpractice with findings revealing an alarming two thirds (66%) of staff say they have knowingly had tips held back or had deductions taken from their tips, with almost three quarters (74%) of them claiming that they were never told the reasons for this.
James Brown Founder of TiPJAR says: “I am deeply disappointed legislation designed to protect workers’ tips is reportedly being shelved. I believe most UK hospitality operators aim to do their best in this area however there are still too many unfairly administered tip/tronc schemes in existence where large portions of tips do not go to the staff. As tipping becomes increasingly digital improved legal protection for workers is becoming a necessity. TiPJAR is about transparency and fairness for staff tips, we won’t shy away from continuing to fight for this in the years to come.”
The industry is already facing huge labour shortages so they should be doing everything they can to retain and attract staff. Therefore, you’d think looking after staff should be top of mind especially as tipping fairness plays a significant role in influencing job retention, with 88% of staff saying that the fairness of the tip process influences where they work and how long they stay in a role.
Ben Thomas CEO of TiPJAR says: “In today’s cashless society, although more convenient, tips fall into a ‘black hole’ where staff simply have to trust that it has been fairly calculated by the time it appears on their pay slips at the end of the month. Both staff and customers really have no transparency or understanding of how tips are handled.”
“Our research has shown strong sentiments that a fairer, more transparent tipping process will not only alleviate feelings of mistrust but improve satisfaction and retention for staff. TiPJAR was built to enable workers to have total ownership of their tips, so that when a customer decides to leave a tip – 100% goes directly to staff and doesn’t touch the business.”
Staff aren’t the only ones concerned about cashless tips, customers are too. In fact, 2 in 3 consumers don’t understand where tips go despite a large majority (87%) expressing concerns for where their card tips or service charges end up. Providing this transparency could increase tips as 43% of consumers say that knowing their tip goes directly to the staff would prompt them to leave one. Providing fairer tips could also improve footfall for businesses with 1 in 2 customers being more likely to visit a venue if they knew ‘non-cash’ tips were being shared fairly.
