It is human nature to try to make the most of our assets, including our financial assets. Apart from those people who have no ambition and throw away their money, the majority look for ways to increase the amount they have. They look to the future, and try to build enough resources to let them see out their retirement in a financially stable way.One of the most common ways to try to build up cash reserves is to use existing cash to put into some kind of investment scheme. There are many different investment vehicles available, and one of the most popular ones in recent times has been binary options.Like all investment schemes, there is an element of risk involved, but one of the reasons binary trading has become so popular is it provides an opportunity to make substantial profits over a relatively short time period.Bad investmentsThere was a time when people were quite happy to leave their spare cash in a bank. They felt it was secure there, and that gave them such confidence that they did not worry too much about the poor rates of interest they were receiving.Today, unless you have a very large sum of money to invest, putting your money in a savings account is like throwing it away, albeit over a long time period. Interest rates on standard savings accounts are now almost always lower than the rate of inflation.That means that even though the dollar amount in your savings account may be growing year on year, its real value is actually falling. In other words, you can buy less with the amount in your savings account now than you could with the amount you originally invested. In the present financial situation, putting your money in a bank savings account has to be regarded as a bad investment. This is especially the case for long term goals, such as a comfortable retirement.Why binary options trading is a viable alternative?As already stated, binary trading provides a way to make decent profits over relatively short time spans. One of the key aspects of this type of trading is that results are known quickly, giving investors the option to take corrective action before large losses are incurred.Later, we will look at how this type of trading compares to other forms of investment. First, it is important for the potential trader to understand what this type of trading involves, and how it is different from other more standard types of investing. The best way to do this is to compare this type of trading with stock market investments.To make our explanation clearer, we are going to create a fictitious company called Ace Products Inc. whose stocks are traded on the NASDAQ. The company is doing well, and its share price has risen by more than a dollar in the last year to $7.95 today.StocksStocks or shares are issued by companies that have floated on one or more of the world’s stock exchanges, such as the NASDAQ or the London Stock Exchange. Companies issue shares at a given price, and anybody can then buy some of these shares. Shares are bought and sold through the stock exchanges. The price of shares is dictated by supply and demand. The more demand for a given the share, the higher the price will be.When you buy shares in a company, you become a part owner in that company, no matter how small your share allocation is. That means you have a say, albeit a tiny one, in how the business is run.Shareholders are entitled to vote at the company’s AGM, where they can take part in votes to appoint people to the board, and to approve the company’s annual accounts. Most people who have small shareholdings do not bother to attend the AGM to do this. They can appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. If they do not attend and do not appoint a proxy, they assign the right to vote on their behalf to one of the board members.If the company they have invested in makes a profit, the board may decide to issue a dividend. The company decides it has a surplus of cash that will be divided amongst the shareholders. Each share will have some monetary value, and the total payable to a shareholder is the share dividend value multiplied by the total number of shares he or she owns. When the dividend is paid out, most companies permit shareholders to reinvest the money by purchasing new shares, or they can opt to receive a cash amount.For the purposes of our illustration, we will assume you own 1,000 shares in Ace Products Inc., which you bought 6 months ago at $7.25 each. The company has announced that it will pay a dividend of 2c per share. That means you are entitled to a $20 payout from the company. For simplicity’s sake, we will ignore brokerage fees and bid/offer spread (of which more later), but if you decide to sell the shares, you can now make a profit in your investment. Here’s how:Sale price: 1,000 x 7.95 = 7,950Dividend: 20Gross worth: 7,970Amount invested: 1,000 x 7.25 = 7,250Gross profit: 720The key factors here are:1. As a part owner of the company you got a dividend of $20 from profit distribution.2. When the company is doing well, the price of shares tends to rise.3. If the company did not do well, there almost certainly would have been no dividend, and the price of shares is likely to have fallen.4. If the price of shares falls below the price at which you bought, your holding will be worth less than what you paid for it. You will have just two choices. You either sell at a loss, or hold on to your shares in the hope that the share price will go up again.5. When you bought your shares, you did so because you expected the share price to rise.6. You own your shares, and you can hold on to them for as long as you like.Binary options tradingThe term “binary options” harks back to the early days of this type of trading, when there were only two possible outcomes. You either made a profit or make a loss – there was no other scenario. Today, there are many more complex ways in which you can take part in this type of trading, but beginners should stick to the most basic.Binary trades always have an underlying asset. This could be a stock, a currency, a commodity, a stock market index, and so on. We will use Ace Products Inc. as our underlying asset.A key element of this type of trading is that you must specify an expiry time in the future. This could be just a few minutes, an hour, a month etc. Another key element is the strike price. When you make a trade, you take a position that says the strike price will be at or above a certain level at some time in the future.If you think that Ace Products Inc.’s share price will have risen to $8 in 30 days’ time, you can make a call option. You back your belief with an investment amount. On the trading platform, another trader will have the opinion that your prediction is wrong. He or she will make an offer that will be a percentage of your investment amount.You both enter into an irrevocable options contract. When the contract expires or closes, the Ace Products Inc. will either be at or above the $8 you predicted. Is so, you get your investment amount back, plus the additional percentage you were offered. If the share price is below $8, you lose your entire investment amount.When you make a call option in a binary options trade, you are not buying anything physical. If you take a call option on the share price of Ace Products Inc., you do not own any shares in the company. Taking a call option means you think the price of the share is going to increase to at least the specified price at the specified time.For the sake of completeness, it is worth pointing out that even if the share price of Ace Products Inc. had exceeded $8 during the lifetime of the contract, which is irrelevant. It is the price at the exact expiry time that counts.With this type of trading, you are not restricted to making contracts based on rising prices. You could also make contracts based on the value of the underlying asset falling. This is termed a “put” option. This works in exactly the same way. For example, you can take a put option that Ace Products Inc. price will have fallen to $7.90 in 30 days’ time. You will be shown an offer amount that you will get if you are right. If you are wrong, you lose your investment.Why is binary options trading better than investing in the stock market?Hopefully, it should be fairly clear from the example above that this type of trading provides you with a vehicle for making quick profits. This is almost impossible with share investments.If you buy or sell stocks, there are other factors you must take into account. We mentioned the bid/offer spread above. This is often referred to as the bid/ask price. When you see a quoted price for Ace Products Inc. share price, which is an average of the selling price and the buying price, because these two prices are different. The amount that you can buy a given share for is always higher than the amount you could sell it for at that particular time. The difference between the two is the bid/offer spread.The bid/offer spread can be quite substantial, and it is not unusual to see spreads of 1 – 2%. That means if you buy some shares in Ace Products Inc., the share price has to rise by at least the bid/offer spread percentage before you could possibly make a profit on selling the shares. In addition, you will almost always have to pay brokerage fees on both your purchase and on your sale.This means your investment is going to be tied up for some time before there is any chance of making a profit on it. Another vital aspect of investing in stocks is that there is no way to make a profit or even break even if the stock price goes down.If the stock price starts falling, you are faced with the agonizing decision of whether you should sell at a loss, or wait in the hope that the price will rise again. There is nothing you can do to improve your position. Another important factor is that you will have to make quite large investments in stocks to gain a reasonable profit.With binary options trading, you can make a good profit from a series of small investments. You will know the results very soon, and you have the opportunity to offset negative results relatively quickly. In other words, you have much more control over your investments.Is binary options trading better than investing in property?As with stocks, when you invest in property you own the asset. You will have to make a large investment in buying property, and that can be tied up for quite some time. The costs of buying property are high and there are many associated fees for owning/buying a property. You can expect to pay about 10% above the purchase price in fees, duties and taxes. You will also have to pay legal fees when you sell property.All this means that you cannot possibly make a profit from property investments until the price of your asset has risen by at least 10%. That means your investment has to be considered a long term one, and your capital is completely tied up. As with stocks, if property prices go down instead of up, there is no way for you to regain your investment.So in conclusion, there are always risks involved in all kinds of investments. When you invest in stocks, property or other standard investment vehicles, you have no way to offset falling prices. Investments in these vehicles tend to be long term.Investing in binary options trading gives you much more control over your capital. You are dealing in a short-term marketplace, so you get the opportunity to take corrective action if trades go against you. You can invest small amounts of money and still have the chance to make good profits. Binary options trading is certainly something to which the savvy investor should give some thought.
5 Tips for Buying an Office Chair for the First Time
Since office chairs come in a lot of styles, shapes, and materials, making a choice can be quite overwhelming. For instance, some of them are made for accessional use, while others are more suitable for routine use. Aside from this, there are other factors to consider, such as price, finish, color, and style. Given below are some tips to help you make a better choice.
1. Consider your usage
These units are designed for a variety of purposes. For instance, if you get an executive chair, it will allow you to talk to your senior employees comfortably. On the other, if you are suffering from back issues, it is better that you opt for a chair designed to make your back feel comfortable. Basically, these units are designed in order to provide more support for your back and body. The good thing is that you can adjust these chairs based on your sitting posture.
If you are a heavy computer user and spend a lot of time working on your computer, we suggest that you consider an ergonomic chair.
2. Consider your desired parts
The majority of office chairs have some common major components such as armrests, the seat, and the backrest. For backrest, it all boils down to the lumbar support. Ideally, it should match the natural curve of your back so that you can relax your lower back. It is even better if the chair allows you to recline without any problem.
Another important component is the seat. Make sure that the edge of the seat is rounded and downward-sloping. This will help improve blood circulation to your legs. If you are a heavy, tall person, it is better that you go for a chair that features higher backs and wider seats.
While typing, armrests allow you to place your hands comfortably. Apart from this, an adjustable armrest is another great feature to have in your desired unit.
3. Consider the adjustment features
You should adjust the chair to perform your desired task without suffering an injury. It is easy to adjust the mentioned components using levers and knobs while you are sitting in the chair. For example, the chairs of today feature a lot of mechanisms, such as tilt angle control, adjustable lumbar support, and adjustable height control. Make sure that the unit you are looking for allows these adjustments.
4. Consider the material
If you go for an upholstered unit, you can enjoy a cushioned seat and a lot of color and style options. Apart from this, synthetic fabrics with stain resistance offer a higher level of durability. On the other hand, leather is known for comfort and durability. If you are looking for something easy to clean, faux leather is your best bet.
5. Consider the environment
Based on the type of floors you have in your workspace, you should decide on the dimensions, colors, and styles of the chair. For example, you should get a survival type if you have to move around your workspace to get access to different equipment.
If you have a small office, it is better that you opt for a chair that comes with a lower back. Lastly, you can go for a traditional or modern office chair based on your personal interest.
5 Tips to Choose the Right Conference Table
According to statistics, managers spend a lot of their time in business meetings. If you have a properly designed conference room, you can come up with great ideas and have great meetings and discussions. Apart from this, conference rooms may help create a business environment. Since no conference meeting can be complete without a conference table, make sure you invest in a good table. In this article, we are going to talk about 5 things that will help you make the best choice.
1. Room size
First of all, you may want to consider your room size. There should be plenty of room around the table. The idea is to allow everyone to walk about the room. Besides, make sure that doors and windows are also easily accessible. Similarly, if you have an audio-visual station in your office, make sure the room has enough space for it.
2. Seating
Another thing to consider is the seating capacity of the room. After all, you don’t want to end up with a conference table that won’t leave any space for chairs you need in the office. There should be enough elbow room for all of your clients and employees during a conference.
3. Power outlets
In a conference room, some common items include projectors, laptops, and mobile phones. Therefore, make sure that the power outlets in the room are in the right places. After all, you don’t want to end up with a lot of entangled wires and cords during a conference.
4. Design Aesthetic
You may want to consider the design aesthetic of your conference room before buying a conference table. Don’t forget to consider your current furniture articles as well. You can choose from a variety of table shapes, such as racetrack, boat-shape, rectangle, and circle, just to name a few.
Besides, you can ask yourself if you prefer classic or modern furniture. Color choices also matter. Therefore, you should either go for dark or bright colors.
5. Budget
Last but not least, make sure you stick to your budget limit when it comes to buying a conference table. You can choose from a variety of options based on your price range. Based on the size, material, and design of the table, you should make the right choice. Another way to make a choice is to check out review websites. These sites will allow you to check out a huge collection of furniture articles.
Long story short, if you are going to make a great conference room, we suggest that you follow the 5 things given in this article. This will help you choose something that will serve your needs and look great. Hope this helps.
You Can Start A Home Business Today
A successful home business takes careful planning. The information here will give you basic ideas that will help you get your home business off to a good start.
You need to be able to listen to your internal time clock if you work at home or own your own business. It’s true that there is very little that you can do about when your employer wants you to get up, but when you are in charge, try listening to your own body to determine when you should start your day.
Keep home and work communication separate. Don’t send work e-mails from your personal account. Consider getting a separate work phone line. If that is not an option, get caller ID. Don’t take personal calls while at work. Don’t take business calls after work hours. Politely ask friends and neighbors to call before coming to your door.
Before you venture into a home-based business, ask yourself why you want to start a business. Your reasons might include: you want to be your own boss; you want to express your own creativity; you want to supplement your income; or, it might be others. Your reasons for wanting to start a business will influence your decision on what type of business you start.
If you want to run a home business, you need the space to do it in. Make sure you have a quiet office, away from the noises of the rest of the house and family. Make sure your space includes a comfortable desk and chair, as well as adequate storage for your needs. Setting your office up right will make you a more effective worker.
Don’t walk into a home business blind! There are many online discussion forums designed for small business owners to discuss the unique obstacles in this field. Look locally for other small business and home business organizations that meet in person. Either way you go, networking with other business owners gives you an excellent support system.
If you want make some of the products you sell in your home business, take careful account of how much it costs to product it. Two times the cost of the raw material is typically the wholesale price of a product. Two times the cost of wholesale pricing is the cost of retail in many cases. If the final retail price is prohibitive you will struggle to shift the product.
While conducting business in your sleepwear can seem enjoyable at first, you may begin to miss the interaction that you had with coworkers and clients everyday at your previous job. Make plans to meet people at other places besides your home during the week to stay in touch, reinforce your personal connections and meet the need for interaction with others.
Learning from the valuable information above, you will increase your chances of achieving success in whatever home business you choose. Nowhere is it written that this will be easy, especially in the beginning, but hopefully, this article has given you a good jump-start toward success!
Kurt Tasche is an internet entrepreneur who writes articles on internet marketing tips, ways to make money online and personal development. You can read more articles like this on his blog: here