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5 Steps to Kick Start Your Mortgage Journey

Sam Allcock
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5 Steps to Kick Start Your Mortgage Journey
  1. Speak to a broker

“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail” the oft quoted phrase is true in many aspects of life and especially in the mortgage process. Getting a mortgage can be a daunting and lengthy process – whether you are a first time buyer or a trader upper.

You should obtain as much expert advice on the process as you can, as early as possible. We recommend speaking to a mortgage advisor as soon as you are thinking about buying a property. One if the biggest mistakes buyers today make is that they wait until they find a property they want to buy before they even consider the mortgage.

Given that you need at least 6 months account information, you should logically begin planning a mortgage application more than 6 months before you find a property. This way you can ensure your finances are in the best shape they can be. By contacting Pangea Mortgages, you will be able to speak with a highly qualified mortgage advisor who can walk you through what’s required at each step of the journey.

  • Have a permanent job

Whilst this may seem obvious, lots of people who work in contract roles or who are still on probation in their current role are surprised when their applications are rejected by Banks. Banks will want you to be in a permanent role and out of your probationary period before they will consider your income for an application.

Even if you are certain to be offered the role or have been verbally told you will get a permanent role, the Banks require EVERYTHING in writing. When making or planning to make a job switch you should consider how this will impact on any application you will be making. For example, some Banks will take in 100% of variable income once you are in the role 3 years – but if you have just started and have a high variable component of your salary – this may impact the amount you can borrow Vs being in a long term role with the same pay.

  • Proven Repayment Capacity

Along with the more well known metrics the Bank use such as Loan to Value and lending 3.5x income, the Banks will examine, in great detail, your ability to repay any proposed mortgage. For this they will look at your after tax or nett income. A first time buyer, say on €80k per year, with savings of €30k – would qualify to buy a property for €270k. They meet the Loan to Value and 3.5x income criteria.

But once you go into their nett pay you see it fails the Banks test. The key things that will cause this are 1. Other debts, 2. Children/dependents, 3. High spending

If you have a car loan and a personal loan the Bank will deduct them for your monthly nett pay, so say €3,500 a month nett, the 2 loans are €650 a month – the Bank will assess you as having €2,850 repayment capacity. The next step they will consider is how many people does this income have to provide for day to day? If you have €2,850 a month as a single person this should be more than enough to meet your living expenses, but if you have a partner that’s not working and two children – the Banks will see this a €2,850 needing to cover 4 peoples living expenses! This amount may not be deemed sufficient and you may fall at this hurdle. Many applicants with high incomes are hugely surprised when they fail this test. This is why you should speak to a mortgage advisor as soon as possible and get an understand of how the banks work.

The last hurdle the Banks will look at is over the last 6 months, how much money is left in the current account at the end of each month. Just because you have a high income, and no dependents doesn’t mean you have proven repayment capacity. The Bank will examine your spending habits and if you are consistently living beyond your means and using your overdraft – this may also result in your application being rejected.

  • Documentation

The mortgage process is very document heavy. The Banks will not take your word for anything ! Everything has to be shown on paper. First time buyers especially will underestimate exactly how much time this all takes to prepare. In addition to your current and personal accounts, you will need Salary Certs, payslips, ID, Employment summary forms, and many more docs if you are self-employed. It usually takes most people a couple of weeks to pull all this info together. Additionally, any accounts with your name on it, no matter how little money is in it, will need to be provided to the Bank. The main documents that customer fail to provide initially will be Revolut or N26 statements – yes, the Banks need these too!!

  • Realistic expectations

In the current housing market, the length of time its taking a first time buyer to go from beginning the mortgage journey to actually moving into the property can be over one year.

You should also consider that the market is very competitive at the minute and there is a huge number of buyers chasing a very small stock of property. So asking prices unfortunately may not be the price the house is sold for. Be prepared for this. Be prepared to miss out on properties – it’s all part of the process unfortunately.

Even once you are Sale Agreed on a property it still takes an average of 4 months to complete all the legal paperwork – this is due to the paper based process of both the legal and Banking industries. It is slow, so please allow time for this. 

Storing and trading cryptocurrencies: The current security risks

Sam Allcock
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Storing and trading cryptocurrencies: The current security risks

Security is often touted as the primary advantage of cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized and transactions require significantly less sensitive information from investors than banks do. Data is stored on blockchains, in which information is recorded in hash functions and timestamped. Blockchain systems, combined with a lack of a centralized server, pose a set of near-insurmountable challenges to prospective hackers.

Nonetheless, trading in bitcoin does not automatically guarantee immunity from fraud. Cryptocurrency has grown more commonplace as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more businesses accepting it as payment. Naturally, cybercriminals have adapted to this shift by altering traditional financial crimes and coming up with new ones to suit the budding cryptocurrency era.

COVID-19 cryptocurrency scams abound

The current global climate of uncertainty and fear allows optimal opportunities for malefactors to exploit. A devious twist on the tried-and-true blackmail campaign involves threatening to infect the recipient and their relatives with coronavirus. Unless the victim either sends money to a Bitcoin wallet or shares the password to their account, the hacker will send an infected individual to the victim’s home. In order to heighten chances of success, the scammer may also claim to have personally identifying or compromising information. That can range from a home address to intimate activity conducted online, e.g. visiting a pornographic website.

Ransomware has also undergone a COVID-themed transformation. The malware built for Android devices, known as COVIDLock, is distributed through websites offering free resources. The app is allegedly a free coronavirus tracking app. Once downloaded, the recipient’s phone is locked and a message appears demanding a sum of money payable in bitcoins to return access. If the target does not comply, their phone will be wiped of all data, private information will be shared online, or both. Note that phones that do not have a password lock are susceptible to this form of attack.

Understandably, panic, and a desire to comply to avoid the consequences is a natural response to malicious extortion. Despite this, the communications must be reported to the relevant authorities and ignored. Bear in mind that, for many people, there is a wealth of information available online for cybercriminals to create the illusion that they know everything. Monitoring social media accounts and other publicly-visible profiles enable hackers to mention personal details to make the threat sound more legitimate. Restricting your online presence is a worthwhile initiative to reduce your exposure to this sort of fraud. The less personal data hackers have access to, the easier it is to see through blackmail attempts.

Download apps pertaining to the coronavirus (monitoring news, tracking infections, etc.) from trustworthy sources only, such as Google Play or Apple’s App Store. Remember that authority website domain names can be spoofed or mimicked. A website claiming to belong to a governmental or medical agency isn’t automatically free from suspicion.

Other attempts at fraud are more insidious, such as requests for virtual donations to renowned organizations to fight COVID-19 and support relief efforts. Following the World Health Organization’s establishment of the COVID-19 Solidarity Relief Fund, individuals began reporting solicitations of cryptocurrency supposedly on behalf of the WHO. Messages directed recipients to donate via a Bitcoin address rather than through the non-profit’s official website. WHO confirmed that it does not accept cryptocurrency contributions. Solicitation of cryptocurrency donations from charities, online stores, or exchanges must be verified directly from the source rather than third-party emails or trending posts.

Fraudsters are also happy to seize upon the sheer desperation for new commodity items to protect against the virus. These products — masks, face shields, and similar equipment — can only be bought with cryptocurrency. Some miscreants go so far as to offer “cures” and “guaranteed” preventative solutions. There may also be a disclaimer that the item is in limited stock to encourage a quick purchase. These false advertisements are usually easy to disprove, but fear or hope can elicit hasty decisions. Of course, the promised items never arrive.

Knowledge is a vital defense strategy against such scams, especially considering the prolific spread of misinformation about the pandemic. Adopt a skeptical approach toward advertisements or messages offering coronavirus treatments or protective gadgets purchasable only via bitcoin. If products come with a certification of approval from authority organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), check the official website to confirm. Usually, a standard search will confirm a specific type of scam.

The fourth common COVID-19 scam is inspired by the quarantine-instigated boom in remote employment: work-from-home schemes. Considering the worldwide spike in unemployment rates as a result of coronavirus, the demographic exists. Cybercriminals pose as employers, offering jobseekers the chance at full time work — with the bonus of an initial “donation” to get started. This donation typically consists of stolen money that the predators are attempting to launder. Scammers then request that these funds then be transferred to a cryptocurrency kiosk. The unsuspecting victim could then be held liable for illegal transmission of stolen currency.

Alternatively, the message might be a variation of the get-rich-quick scheme. Targets are tempted with the promise of swift rewards or sizable profits with little work required. The caveat is that the future employee has to transfer a set sum in cryptocurrency over to the “business” to begin.

It’s important not to take employment prospects at face value, especially if you never applied for a job in the first place. Convenient jobs with exorbitant salaries are enticing lures used by digital delinquents capitalizing on struggling economies. Verified businesses are unlikely to request financial deposits or transactions as a hiring stipulation, particularly not in cryptocurrency. Always research a company before you respond to communications.

The perils of improper cryptocurrency storage

Improper storage is another significant vulnerability all digital investors must address. Cryptocurrency should not be stored on exchanges long-term: in the event of a breach or an unexpected technical error, the investment is lost. In 2019 alone, 12 virtual currency exchanges were hacked, costing users millions in damages. The lack of jurisdiction and anonymity that many digital investors consider benefits turn to drawbacks in the event of an attack. Tracking down bitcoin thieves tends to be a more complex endeavor for law enforcement agencies.

Rather, crypto holders should transfer their funds to a bitcoin wallet. These wallets can either be physical devices that allow for offline storage, or online wallets that are separate from the exchange.

The best wallet for securing your bitcoins will depend on your transaction volume and transaction value. The value is the number of transactions you conduct on average, and the volume refers to the size of each transaction. In general, hard wallets are more appropriate for higher value transactions, whereas online wallets are suitable for lower value transactions. However, you can use multiple types of wallets to balance accessibility with security.

Staying proactive against cybercriminals

In light of these situations, vigilance at all stages of the process is critical to avoid falling victim to fraud. Awareness of the tactics criminals employ to play upon emotions provoked by the pandemic is essential to be prepared. Safeguarding your investments in a bitcoin wallet versus letting bitcoins sit on the exchange is non-negotiable regardless of your average transaction volume and value.

It can be tricky to separate legitimate opportunities to pay using cryptocurrency from deceitful ploys. The fact that many malefactors hijack the clout of genuine organizations makes things murkier. A trademark red flag to watch for is an insistence on virtual currency as the sole method of payment and pressure to fork up payment quickly.

In terms of conducting cryptocurrency transactions online, there are several provisions to take to boost security. Firstly, select a reputable cryptocurrency exchange. Since these companies are not government-backed, thoroughly research your options — particularly where it concerns the exchange’s security policies. Investigate better-known cryptocurrency exchange platforms within your country.

Next, set up a secure, decentralized email and add multi-factor authentication. Combined with two-step verification, the innate encryption that these email providers include makes it more challenging for hackers to compromise. Similarly, multi-signature (or MultiSig) addresses are safer than using a single key to authorize a transaction.

Basic precautions like antivirus software and firewalls are a necessity for all personal devices. Since public networks provide rife opportunities for digital miscreants to attack connected devices, install a VPN to shield sensitive online activities from prying eyes.

As with traditional currency, physical assaults or attacks from dangerous thieves are not unheard of. Bitcoins are typically more appealing to steal than traditional money due to the anonymous, decentralized nature of the currency. For this reason, details about holdings and investments must not be shared with other individuals, whether online on forums or offline.

Because transactions are conducted digitally, trading and storing cryptocurrency will always have inherent security risks in the form of fraud. Since traditional hacking techniques are challenging to implement with this form of tender, attempts to manipulate and swindle holders directly should be anticipated. Awareness of current threats combined with best-practice protocols to shield your investments is imperative for a long-term defense strategy.

Everything You Need to Know about selecting Laptop Rental

Sam Allcock
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Everything You Need to Know about selecting Laptop Rental

You may have enough reasons to choose laptop rental. but have you ever though how to select the laptop that works perfectly for your need? You have probably seen a few websites that offer cheap laptop rental services and decided that this is the laptop that you want to go with. The problem is that you still don’t know how to make a proper selection. As with selecting any other product, it is always best to spend some time researching and thinking through your decision before you make it. So, let’s take a closer look at how to select a laptop for rent before we look at how to get one for less. There are a few key things to keep in mind.

First, when you are shopping around for a laptop for rent, you will want to figure out how much you are going to be spending on the laptop. This includes the rent as well as any other costs associated with owning the laptop. Now, there is an important rule of thumb that you should keep in mind: don’t overspend on a laptop rental just because you want to own one. You are going to want to spend your money on peripherals and accessories that are going to enhance your experience, not make it easier. If you are just renting the laptop for a few weeks, then don’t go out and spend more than $500. By saving that much, you will be able to buy the things you really want.

Next, once you know how much you can afford to spend, you will need to know what kind of laptop you want to rent. If you are going to be traveling a lot, you will want to consider whether you will need a portable laptop. If you are going on vacation, then you may want to select a larger, more powerful laptop. Once you have an idea in mind of what type of laptop you want to rent, you are ready to start your search.

The first place you should look to see how to select a laptop for rent is the official website of the rental company. Many times, these websites will have a list of available laptops. If the site does not list a laptop that meets your criteria, then you may need to contact customer service to ask for one. They may also be able to give you a discount if you are a returning customer.

Another thing that you will want to consider is whether or not the website offers any kind of special deals. Often, companies that offer laptop hire will offer a coupon code that can save you money. This can be a great way to save money when you are looking for a new laptop. Another thing you will want to do is check out online reviews to see if the company has a reputation for helping customers select the best laptop for rent that they can find.

If you want to know how to select a laptop for rent, you will likely have many options. Whether you need a basic laptop or one with everything that you could ever want, you will likely be able to find it on the Internet. You just have to remember to compare prices and to check out customer testimonials. It may take some time to find the right laptop for you, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Should I buy a Lab Diamond or an Earth Diamond?

Sam Allcock
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Should I buy a Lab Diamond or an Earth Diamond?

In 2020, more lab diamonds were purchased by consumers than in any year before. Lab diamonds are becoming more and more popular to jewelry shoppers and that is a trend that looks like it will continue in 2021.

This has many people wondering, if I’m in the market for a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry or an engagement ring, should I buy a lab grown diamonds or an earth diamond? Let’s look at the pros and cons.

How are Lab Diamonds and Earth Diamonds Similar?

Let’s start with what is the same about both of these types of stones. First and foremost, they are both real diamonds. Some people may try to convince you that since lab diamonds aren’t mined from the earth, they are not real, but that is not the case. In 2018 the FTC changed it’s definition of a diamond to remove the word natural. This is because the chemical makeup of a lab diamond and an earth diamond are identical.

Additionally, to the eye no one would ever be able to tell the difference between a lab diamond and an earth diamond. They sparkle the same, the have the same types of color and clarity, they are cut the same and come in the same sizes.

If you’re wondering if this is true for other common diamond replacements like cubic zirconia or moissanite, it is not. CZ and moissanite are diamond simulants, which means that while they may look similar, they have a different chemical makeup. Lab diamonds are made by replicating the process that earth diamonds are made – subjecting carbon to intense pressures and heats for a significant amount of time. That’s why they product the same chemical output. CZ and moissanite are completely different materials, down to the atom.

How are Lab Diamonds and Earth Diamonds Different?

While appearing identical, there are still. A few differences between earth and lab diamonds. They typically fall into three categories: Rarity, sustainability and cost.

Earth diamonds are rarer than lab diamonds

Realistically speaking, lab diamonds aren’t as rare as earth diamonds because they can be made in a lab. Right now, there are more earth diamonds than lab diamonds in the world, but that’s just because diamonds have been mined from the earth for hundreds of years, and they’ve only been grown in labs more recently. Furthermore, lab diamonds have only become commercialized to consumers in the past decade. If you’re looking for rarity, you might want to buy an earth diamond.

Lab diamonds are more sustainable than earth diamonds

Along the same lines of the rarity – think about how earth diamonds are mined. It takes thousands of people to dig into holes and caves deep into the earth, often without a guarantee of finding anything. That take a significant amount of time, money and energy. Eventually, all of the diamonds will run out of these mines and it will only become tougher to produce earth diamonds.

Lab diamonds on the other hand are significantly more sustainable than earth diamonds. They are created in labs using commonly found elements on earth like carbon and natural gases.

It usually takes weeks to months to grow and can be replicated time and time again without running out. If you’re exploring ethical and elegant options, you might want to try Whiteflash.com for designer engagement rings that feature stunning lab-created diamonds.

Earth Diamonds are more expensive than lab diamonds

Simply put, the costs of producing gem-worthy earth diamonds is significantly higher than the cost of producing gem-worthy diamonds from a lab. These costs are passed onto the consumer, making lab diamond much 30% cheaper than earth diamonds. Let’s look at a comparison of similar diamonds from online diamond retailer, Ritani.

1.12 Carat Lab Diamond – $2,311

  • Cut – Ideal
  • Color – F
  • Clarity – VVS1

1.12 Carat Earth Diamond – $8,470

  • Cut – Ideal
  • Color – F
  • Clarity – VVS1

Identical diamonds in each area of the Four Cs, but the lab diamond is $6,000 cheaper.

Should you buy a lab diamonds or earth diamond?

Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you want a stone that is rarer and potentially worth more in the long term, an earth diamond is the choice for you. If you are looking for a less expensive option while maintaining the quality of a traditional diamond, than yes, you should.

Apply these 3 tips to increase your Twitter followers

Sam Allcock
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Apply these 3 tips to increase your Twitter followers

Twitter is a microblogging platform where you have many opportunities to market your content and products.

More followers mean more leads and hence more conversions.

Hence, If you’re looking for ways to increase Twitter followers, you’re at the right place because in this article you’ll learn 3 tips that will help you achieve that.

Let’s get started…

Craft quality tweets

The entire platform of Twitter thrives on tweets. But Twitter has put a limit of 280 characters per tweet. This’s a bummer compared to Facebook and Instagram where you can create long posts.

But it’s not entirely a setback.

In fact, according to a survey, tweets written with 110-120 characters perform better than the longer ones.

Now, let’s understand the concept of quality tweets.

Tweets are your bread and butter on Twitter. If you tweet ordinary stuff that people already know, they won’t engage. That’s why you should craft quality tweets.

Suppose you come across a tweet that’s hilarious and at the same time addresses an important topic around your area of interest, or you find someone who shares informative content in an easy-to-digestible manner through tweets.

You would definitely check their profile.

That’s how Generation Z users are becoming famous nowadays.

Before tweeting you need to ask yourself: Does this tweet provide value to my followers?

Obviously, it’s not always about what others want from your tweets. You’re free to tweet as you like it, but if you want people to follow you, you have to give them value.

Here’s how you can craft quality tweets:

  • Analyse what’s working for your competitors or accounts that share the same niche with you.
  • As discussed earlier keep your tweets short.
  • Include a link in your tweets. Suppose you’re sharing information about a current event or talking about your new products. You can make your tweet more engaging by sharing a link to a helpful article that covers the entire news story or a link to your product’s page. People will appreciate it and engage with your tweet.
  • Include a Call-to-action in your tweets to urge people to like, comment and share.
  • Use relevant hashtags to your content. But don’t overuse them. A maximum of three hashtags work best.
  • Finally, maintain a good amount of time interval between your tweets else people might take you as a spammer.

Bottom-line: Give people something to follow you by crafting quality tweets for them.

Share videos

Repeatedly videos have proved to be the best content on social platforms.

It’s not to say image and text posts don’t work, but videos generate engagement on a whole new level.

So, how do videos help you gain more Twitter followers?

The entire concept of gaining followers depends on the way you grab the attention of people.

If someone scrolling through the feed stops at your content and takes the time to engage with it. Then, that person is a potential follower who liked your content.

This’s where videos shine.

Here’re some ways videos help:

  • Given the character limit of tweets a video can do wonders if you want to share content that couldn’t fit in 280 characters.
  • Videos provide a quick way of consuming content.
  • When people take the time to watch a video, they’re more likely to share it.

By sharing videos, you can grab attention of potential followers and hence add new people to your list.

Promote your tweets

One simple way to invite people to follow you is to let them realise of your presence.

Maybe I don’t know about your Twitter profile, but your tweeting style exactly matches my interests. In this case, If I would come across your tweet: I would be happy to follow you. That’s why you should promote your tweets.

There’re could be potential fans out there searching for profiles like you. All you need is to make sure they know you exist.

How can you promote your tweets?

  • Screenshot your best tweets and share them on other social handles like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
  • Embed your tweets in blog posts. This’ll introduce your profile to the blog traffic.
  • Add a clickable Twitter button to your website.
  • Include your Twitter “@” in relevant online discussions, presentations, and E-Publications.

Conclusion

There have it. Apply these 3 tips to increase your Twitter followers. While these tips are great, always remember to provide value through your work. This works on other social platforms and Twitter is no exception.

Task Ant Review – Is It Safe and Effective?

Sam Allcock
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Task Ant Review – Is It Safe and Effective?

Task Ant is a helpful resource designed to build up and grow your Instagram account. It is okay to feel like you need some help with your Instagram growth.

The issue is not in knowing you need help as much as what help you get. Since there are so many available online, it takes some research and guidance to find the ideal services for your Instagram needs.

One of the biggest things people tend to get wrong on Instagram is hashtag usage. Task Ant was developed with this issue in mind. They help you find the perfect hashtags for your business or brand. That will help you rank higher in search results and make you easier to find my followers and potential followers on Instagram.

What is Task Ant?

Task Ant is a service generally used by content creators, social media managers and agencies, and small business owners. The service is known as a hashtag generator among its clients.

In other words, instead of you doing the tedious research into keywords for your niche, Task Ant uses hashtag analytics to get that done for you. This company also helps your Instagram be more organized so it can grow better and faster.

You can enjoy in depth hashtag results using their hashtag generation tool. Even more related hashtags will be generated that might not think of yourself. The “extra” hashtags can be used alongside of yours and the other relevant hashtags.

How does Task Ant benefit you?

The features of this service include the following:

  • Finding relevant hashtags
  • Organizing hashtags
  • Sharing made smoother and easier
  • Competitor analyses
  • Performance measuring
  • Affordable pricing

These factors alone would ordinarily take you hours, days, weeks, or even months to perfect without help.

The Pros & Cons of Task Ant

All service-centric businesses have pros and cons. Nothing is perfect. It is ultimately up to you to choose the right hashtag and Instagram growth service that will fit your needs. That said, let us look at the pros and cons of Task Ant.

Pros

  • The website is secure, which means they had the dedication and care to spend the extra money to offer that to their clients.
  • Transparency in pricing is a rare occurrence nowadays, so to have a company that is transparent about their offerings and pricing upfront is impressive. Also, their prices are reasonable and affordable.
  • Phone and email form are both present on the website, which adds that level of accountability making them at least appear more credible and trustworthy over those who do not take the time to provide this on their sites. It means they care about keeping you informed an updated.
  • Help and FAQ page is included on the website. Even though the site does not have a dedicated FAQ page, which is better, they use their “about me” page as their FAQ page. That is a great use of webspace.
  • They use a secure payment system so that your payment information is safe and secure when you make a purchase.  

Cons

  • Lack of review: Unfortunately, this service does not offer onsite reviews, which while not a deal breaker, something we would like to see. However, since this is a relatively new company, we can give them some slack and time to build their reputation and have reviews. That is much better than putting up fake reviews.

Is Task Ant Safe or a Scam?

Now that you have the same information we do, what do you think about this company for hashtag generation that leads to Instagram growth? We think this company provides   a legitimate service for Instagrammers who are serious about their presence and growth.

The importance of hashtags on your Instagram posts cannot be stressed enough. The more help you can get with generating the right hashtags, the better you can compete or even gain the edge over your competitors.

Task Ant makes organizing and finding the right hashtags super easy. You will not find yourself getting lost amongst all the hashtags in your industry with the mix you will get from this tool.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we feel the Task Ant hashtag generator tool is an effective, simple, legit, and efficient method of ensuring that your Instagram post hashtags are suitable and within the guidelines of the platform.

This tool saves you time and effort, which allows you to focus on creating amazing content that will attract your audience. The only difference is that you will have the right hashtags to boost your engagement and growth on Instagram.

Ford Lost $ 1.276 Million In 2020 To Covid-19

ABC Staff
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Ford Lost $ 1.276 Million In 2020 To Covid-19

Ford , the automaker , lost $ 2.791 billion in the final quarter of 2020, plunging losses in the past year to $ 1.276 billion, for the first time since 2008, closing in numbers. Reds after making a net profit of $ 84 million in 2019.

The effects of the pandemic were visible in the results presented this Thursday by Ford: the company’s car sales fell 22 percent in 2020, to 4 million 187 thousand vehicles, which reduced its revenue by 18.4 percent, to 127 thousand 144 million dollars.

Ford also noted that its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes stood at $ 2.8 billion in 2020, 56.25 percent less than in 2019. Even so, it ended the year with $ 47 billion in liquid, which the company’s top officials said will allow investment in the manufacturer’s transformation.

Despite the losses, Ford said it ended 2020 “strong, improving its auto and financing businesses in the fourth quarter,” with earnings before interest and taxes of $ 1.7 billion, a 250 percent increase over the previous year. same period of 2019. By region, Ford said its North American revenue in 2020 totaled $ 80 billion (18 percent less than in 2019) with earnings before interest and taxes of $ 3.625 billion.

In South America, Ford’s revenue fell 37 percent to $ 2.5 billion, with losses of $ 491 million. In Europe , Ford’s revenue stood at $ 22.6 billion (20 percent less) with losses of $ 834 million. In China , revenue totaled $ 3.2 billion (a drop of 11 percent) with profits of $ 270 million.

In the rest of the world, Ford’s revenue was $ 7.5 billion, 24 percent less than in 2019, and a loss of $ 165 million. During a conference call with financial analysts and the media, Jim Farley , Ford’s president and CEO, referred to the company’s situation in South America, which he described as “unacceptable,” and the decision to stop producing vehicles in Brazil.

“Over the past decade we lost more than $ 4.5 billion in South America. It is unacceptable. In 2020 we exited the nonessential heavy truck business, discontinued the focus on Fiesta, and further reduced our workforce by more than 40 percent by the end. last year, “Farley explained.

We recommend: Mexico’s automotive future is in the design: Ford According to Ford’s top executive, these decisions allowed the company to have its lowest losses in the region in 2020 since 2013. For his part, Ford CFO John Lawler indicated that the measures adopted in Brazil were “a milestone in the redesign” of the firm at a global level.

Ford also announced that it will increase its investments for the development and production of electric vehicles to $ 29 billion . Of this figure, 22 billion dollars will be invested between now and 2025, almost double what was initially planned.

“Ford’s transformation is happening, as is our leadership in the electric vehicle revolution and the development of automatic driving,” said Farley. “Now we are going to put 29 billion dollars in capital and great talent in these two areas and we are going to produce for our customers all-road, SUV, commercial vans and electric pickups, connected and in high volumes,” he added.

Lowler also noted that in 2021 Ford expects adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of between $ 8 billion and $ 9 billion, which includes a non-cash gain of $ 900 million on its investment in electric vehicle maker Rivian.

In addition, Ford will generate between $ 3.5 billion and $ 4.5 billion of free cash flow, although the company added that problems with the supply of chips “are creating uncertainty in multiple industries and will influence Ford’s operating results in 2021 “.

5 Reasons to Get iPads for Your Business

Sam Allcock
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5 Reasons to Get iPads for Your Business

Good tech equipment has become essential for every business. Although the standard process is to set up your employees with desktop computers and laptops, you should also consider other devices. For instance, iPads can have a very positive impact on your business. Many business owners think that nothing can fully replace a computer, but that’s actually not the case. In fact, iPads can do much more than a computer.

Convenience

Smartphones have become incredibly powerful over the last few years, but they’re too small to use them for work efficiently. On the other hand, laptops are portable but are often too heavy and bulky. They also require frequent battery charging and take time to power on. That’s why iPads are the perfect device to use when you’re on the go.

It’s a good idea to find iPads for rent so that your employees can use them to stay productive even when they’re traveling to another city or country. This is by far the most affordable option to provide good tech equipment for your staff. Even if your employees don’t travel outside of the city, you can still give iPads to those who spend a lot of time outside the office.

Perfect for events

Do you plan on promoting your brand at a business event soon? If so, iPads can help you provide a better marketing experience for attendees and increase your sales. You can use iPads to encourage attendees to provide their contact information and sign up for your newsletter in exchange for a discount on your products.

This is a sure-fire way to get people interested in your company. You can also use iPads to make presentations or even create an experiential marketing campaign with interesting videos or an app.

Conduct market research

In case you’re planning on launching a new product soon, you’ll need to conduct proper market research to ensure people would want to buy it. The great idea about using iPads for market research is that they allow you to display great visual content no matter where you are. They also allow you to easily get people to complete surveys, which will help you get to know more about what they think about your idea.

Go paperless

One way to increase productivity within your company is to go paperless. This is not a hard transition to make, but iPads can make it easier. You will find countless apps that you can use to eliminate paper at the workplace. Some of the most essential applications you need to go paperless should be for scanning documents, providing e-signatures, file syncing, and cloud storage.

Professional grade apps

The awesome thing about iPads is that they have powerful hardware that is able to support professional grade apps. You can install the Microsoft Office suite or even use apps like Photoshop and Lightroom. Employees from every department within your company could find professional grade apps that they could use to get work done quickly.

Pandemic Has Caused A Creativity Crisis In Companies

ABC Staff
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Pandemic Has Caused A Creativity Crisis In Companies

Fatality. That was the mood at Color, a 50-person creative agency, when the pandemic closed its offices in Seattle and Los Angeles. “Among the many business fears that COVID brought,” says Elie Goral, executive creative director, “the concept of needing to isolate our creative energy was one of the most terrifying.

The creative idea is that frenzied spark that happens when a group of people are together ”. A “tight knit culture” traditionally helped colleagues share abstract ideas and feedback. He was concerned about the impact of telecommuting “without the ability to socialize.”

The coronavirus (covid-19) forced organizations to innovate, from LVMH redistributing production lines to make hand sanitizers, to musicians performing for online audiences and restaurants turning into grocery stores. However, with much of Europe and North America now facing new lockdowns, there is a growing fear that months of virtual work will start to take a toll on employee creativity.

Nicholas Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University, says that among CEOs who came to discuss their research on the home office and productivity, “creativity is the biggest problem.” In a recent survey of 145,000 workers worldwide by Leesman, it was revealed that 28% of people who work from home said they were unable to collaborate on creative work while at home.

And with the possibility that the office will only be a center of occasional activity rather than a full-time location for the foreseeable future, managers face a growing problem. These concerns were expressed by Andy Haldane, chief economist at the Bank of England, in a speech last year. “Exposure to new and different experiences is a critical source of the creative spark,” he said.

“The home office can deprive us of many of these creative basic ingredients.” Missing ingredients Creativity is important not only for the results of a company, but also for the workers. As technology takes over repetitive tasks, it is the human capacity for creativity that will be in demand in the future.

Aspects of work such as medical development and scientific research provide clear benchmarks for measuring creativity. However, creativity in the workplace is more difficult to measure. Stephen Garrett, founder of Character 7, an independent UK production house, sums up one of the challenges of measuring creativity in a pandemic.

“I don’t remember last year and I think that the collaborations in which I participated are less creative than before. But I don’t know what I have missed ”. The move from the office to the home made it more difficult to hold creative discussions at a distance, says Chris Hirst, global CEO of the French advertising and communications group Havas Creative.

“Problem solving requires an element of friction, it requires disagreements without fights. Much of how we deal with a conflict with someone is about how they say things, their body language. We are able to moderate our words through a combination of our actions and our words.

That doesn’t happen on a screen ”. Some technological tools can interfere with brainstorming. Abigail Sellen, deputy lab director at Microsoft Research Cambridge UK, says that digital technologies can make us think about the tools we are using rather than the ideas we are generating.

We recommend: Do you do home office? They launch digital card to pay for electricity, water, telephone and internet Domestic distractions Workers who also deal with homeschooling will be well aware of the impact of disruptions on their concentration. Alf Rehn, professor of innovation, design and management at the University of Southern Denmark, describes children as “terrorists of creativity.”

One glimmer of hope that she suggests to parents is that dealing with issues outside of their routine work could inspire new ideas. Organizations and workers found positive aspects in the experience of working from home. Melanie Collins, chief people officer for cloud storage and collaborative platform Dropbox, says the experience reinforced the value of working from home.

“Loneliness could be one of the biggest advantages of a distributed model.” In recent years, office design has focused on creating collaborative spaces where people can come together to discuss ideas and have casual conversations. Managers can recall lucky discoveries from the office with pink glasses, says Lynda Gratton, a professor at London Business School.

“A young man would never run into a CEO in an office, let’s not pretend.” However, she sees merit in creating an environment for weak ties from casual acquaintances to connect online. “The nature of weak links is that you can have a lot more of them.” His consultancy recently oversaw a massive virtual debate on behalf of Ericsson, the telecommunications group.

An estimated 17,000 employees participated over 72 hours, making 28,000 comments. Supervisors distilled the conversation in real time, then analyzed the data, mapped out topics, and made recommendations. Professor Gratton says the facilitators were key in giving employees “a lot of confidence”.

Last year, Dropbox brought its annual global Hack Week event online for the first time. Employees were encouraged to take a week out of their daily jobs to design projects. Virtual sessions resulted in greater collaboration across departments and on more projects than ever. Dropbox employees created 29% more demos than in previous years, including some that the company is rolling out.

Collins says that “the dissolution of the location-based collaboration allowed more diverse ideas to emerge.” We recommend: For home office, 34% of companies in Mexico will reduce physical space Technological advantage In the end, it was the virtual tools that transformed Color’s mood from doom to optimism.

With Microsoft Teams, Goral says, they soon realized that proximity wasn’t as important as they thought. “The ability for multiple people to interact with the same screen using Share Content was huge for our creative teams.” In the long term, technology will adapt to foster creativity, says Sean Rintel, principal investigator at Microsoft.

Through the use of augmented or virtual reality headsets, “the physical-digital gap will be closed and both remote meetings and future hybrid meetings will improve”. As companies plan for a post-covid future, most envision a hybrid work pattern – a mix of office and home work.

Ashley Goldsmith, chief people officer at Workday, a software company, sees the office of the future “more like a ‘hub’ where employees can meet with colleagues to collaborate.” Creativity will be something to consider in determining how employees spend their days: group problem solving at the office versus the seamless focus at home.

It is very easy to blame the home office for work problems and the office has become a talisman. Rehn says, “We love it when we don’t have it anymore. For years we complained about coming to the office every day, now that we get rid of it, we complain. There is room for creativity in any job, there is innovation, but we must not fool ourselves.

Modern corporations are built on routines, processes that do not lead to creativity ”. Nikil Saval, author of Cubed: The Secret Story of the Workplace , suspects that managers complain about declining creativity as “a way to hide control: people think offices are needed to make sure people are online. “

In the same way, that open offices are “justified as an exercise in creativity. But it is mainly because they are cheaper ”. Forging the conditions for creativity to flourish has long been debated by managers and academics. Rehn says: “Creativity is a delicate balance between generating an idea and working on it, a balance of working together and alone.”

If creativity suffers in the home office experiment, presenting the office as a solution may be too simplistic. Stress from job losses, heavy workloads, and social constraints amid a global pandemic will also hamper creativity. “Nobody says this was easy,” says the professor.

Migrants Will Access Accounts At Banco Del Bienestar

ABC Staff
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Migrants Will Access Accounts At Banco Del Bienestar

In support of migrants and their families to purchase dollars at the exchange rate competitive, as well as increased financial infrastructure and opening bank accounts to Mexicans abroad through consulates, l to Ministry of Finance , Banco de México , Banco del Bienestar , in alliance with the Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM), presented a series of actions.

In a joint conference, it was announced that the Banco del Bienestar will be in charge of collecting the dollars in cash from the migrants and their families, for this, they will need to open accounts in the institution that can be remotely and using the card consular as a means of identification.

It is a response to the reform initiative to the Banxico Law on foreign currency collection that is in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies and has caused different discussions. We recommend you… Remittances from Mexican migrants living in 29 US states fall due to covid-19.

From New York to Puebla … remittances keep millions of Mexicans in a pandemic The Secretary of the Treasury, Arturo Herrera, indicated that these actions respond to the fundamental concern of ensuring safe access to the appropriate exchange rate.

“Legislators should be proud, this problem existed, but they were the ones who triggered the reflection on this exit and it is also something that we plan to continue working with them,” he said.

The general director of the Banco del Bienestar, Diana Álvarez, added that the sending of resources from the United States may through remittance companies and liquidated by the institution in bank branches, the People’s Network and Telecomm offices in the country.

He added there are 2,393 service points, and additionally 2,452 payment centers for social programs. “The Banco del Bienestar product is ready, we could start using it today immediately and we will. What we are going to wait a few weeks is to re-scale it, this will require being able to receive in a much more intense way at the consulates, “said Herrera.

“It seems to us that at a time when the United States authorities are very focused on trying to increase the number of vaccinated people … that will allow activities to be reestablished, including those that have to do with the consulate being able to receive to the nationals ”, he added.

From the Bank of Mexico , actions will focus on improving financial services at points of entry and first contact for the exchange of migrants and tourists; expand the range of financial services and adapt them to the needs of migrants and the population that receives foreign currency; and finally, strengthen and expand the relationships of Mexican bank correspondents with correspondent banks to repatriate dollars. Alejandro Díaz de León, governor of the central bank, said that the institution will be able to make available to banks a technological platform that allows verifying the information of migrants to mitigate risks in operations with dollars in cash, as well as a mobile application that allows them to The migrants know financial products according to their needs and the search for exchange centers.

The governor indicated that work is already underway on this initiative and it will be implemented in the coming months, when the first provisions on the matter are in place, which are addressed through circulars and consultations, while some others need technological development that takes more time to settle.

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