Author: James Paul

The era of the online world has changed how people communicate, how we find and receive information, and how we live our lives. Specifically, the internet and technology have changed how people shop and manage their finances. You can look at just about any personal finance blog to see how technology has changed our relationship with money. If we look back at how money was managed ten, twenty, and surprisingly fifty years ago and look at it in comparison to the way that people manage their finances today, there are some clear conclusions. For one, people today have substantially more…

What Is a 401(k) Plan? A 401(k) plan stands as a retirement savings scheme, commonly provided by numerous American employers, offering valuable tax benefits for individuals. Its nomenclature is derived from a specific section within the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Under this arrangement, the participating employee consents to allocating a portion of their earnings directly into an investment account, with the potential for the employer to match some or all of this contribution. Within this framework, the employee enjoys the flexibility of selecting from an array of investment choices, typically revolving around mutual funds. Key Points to Remember: A…

As mortgage costs have increased in recent years – and the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many to lose their income – more Canadians are finding it difficult to keep up with their bill payments. But if you are falling behind in your mortgage payments, you may find yourself facing a Power of Sale. What this essentially means is, that if you cannot pay your mortgage lender what you owe them – plus any additional legal and admin fees that they may have incurred – the courts could give your lender the authority to evict you and sell your home. What…

An account sent to collections can be stressful and for most, it is mortifying! Especially if the debt simply got out of control due to unforeseen circumstances (COVID19) — it can happen to the best of us. After receiving several annoying phone calls or opening the dreaded collection letter, your life seems out of control and the worst-case scenarios run rampant. Take a deep breath and know that help is available. Understanding what a debt collector is and how the process works is the first step in resolving your debt. Typically, unpaid debts get assigned to a collection agency. These…

People invest a lot of effort in managing their finances, but they seldom keep track of the financial documents. It’s hard to get hold of documentation when you have bank and credit card statements, checks, tax bills, and more to manage. But failing to organize them can land you in a fix at the end of the year when you have to close your financial statements and file taxes. Missing documents can also bring trouble if you need to apply for a home mortgage or personal loan. It makes sense to keep your financial documentation well-organized at all times. Luckily,…

I’m sure most of you are wondering the best way to get started investing with a small amount of money. Well, I have some great tips for you! It is possible to trade shares with a small budget as long as you use leverage and keep your margin under control. Furthermore, we should mention the compounding effect by making a small investment every month. The traditional way of investing in stocks is to commit large sums of money upfront, but this method can be difficult for those who have limited funds. By using strategies such as leveraging or trading on…

The accompanying infographic, The Psychology of Consumer Spending, provides a brief overview of consumer spending, highlighting compulsive purchasing. The graphic also offers sections about the reasons for compulsive shopping and how our brains respond to it. Psychologists think that compulsive buying results from a void in an individual’s life. This could be stemming from childhood, or the need for approval or excitement or, the simplest explanation yet, a real lack of impulse control. Regardless of why people shop — when we shop, we feel good. The reward part of our brain lights up, dopamine floods our system, and we are…

Montenegro is a small country in the center of Europe with mild climate, amiable social environment and an average European standard of living. House prices is relatively low — around 300–400 thousand euros on average in large cities. However, a cheaper option for 30–40 thousand euros can be found in villages. The most appealing waterfront property in Montenegro is located in the Bay of Kotor, also known as the Boka, with its charming resort towns and rich cultural heritage protected by UNESCO. One more popular location is the Budva Riviera. People come here to purchase property in Montenegro despite the…

Who does not want to earn? We all do. Some of us do a job for a living while others try their hands at business. There are also people who make a living by not doing any of the above – at least not in the sense others do.  Such people resort to unfair means to earn money by floating schemes others would fall into. As an example, one could cite Ashfaq Siddique. Ashfaq Siddique was responsible for an alleged fraud he started in 2017. The scheme he floated targeted a majority of Muslims over a period of two years…

Internet users would like to keep their privacy unscathed. Mobile devices, namely phone numbers, and email are individual properties that everyone wants to keep for themselves only. These two things are used to register on social media, messaging apps, and other online services. Some users are afraid to share their personal phone numbers with online companies that ask them for registration. And sharing email addresses might result in tons of promotion emails that spam folders would not handle. Usually, email verification takes more time compared to phone number verification. Sending a code in SMS and copying it to the registration…