Passive Investing Strategy The passive investing strategy calls for buying long-term holdings balanced across many industries, sectors, ​market capitalization sizes, and even countries. Never sell these holdings, no matter how distressed they might appear to become. Regularly buy more by depositing fresh cash into your brokerage account. Reinvest your dividends, keeping your costs low. This strategy protects you from acting on emotion. It needs almost no time commitment, and it’s cheap....

Pro Bono Services Pro bono means “for the public good” in Latin, and you may come across the term when you’re dealing with the legal profession. Services are offered for free, or sometimes at a cost, to benefit a cause or the general public. The American Bar Association suggests that attorneys should commit themselves to do 50 hours of pro bono legal work annually, and some state bar associations require that lawyers report their pro bono hours and activities regularly in order to maintain their licenses to practice....

Let’s say you sell computers for XYZ Worldwide. Each computer has a cost, often referred to as the “floor.” This means that you cannot sell the computer for less than the floor or you will be losing the money. You sell ABC a computer that has a floor of $1,000 for $1,400. The profit in the deal would be the difference between the selling price of $1,400 and the floor of $1,000, or $400....

Once you understand the difference in the types of funds, you still need to look carefully at the particular fund you choose. You should compare long-term growth, the rate of return, and the fees associated with each fund. It’s important to realize that mutual fund is not the same thing as a 401(k). A mutual fund is an investment tool that may be part of your overall investment portfolio, and many 401(k)s invest in mutual funds....

Shorter loans will come with less interest over the term and have higher payments. Longer-term loans will have lower monthly payments, but more interest over the term. One key element to keep in mind is that the longer you make payments, the more you are paying for the car; this can lead to you paying more for the car than you negotiated or that it is worth. A 36-month car loan, as a term in the middle of the pack, is attractive to buyers that can afford mid-range monthly payments and mid-range interest rates....

Pros and Cons of Taking a 401(k) Loan Pros of Borrowing From Your 401(k) Explained There are several reasons why tapping your 401(k) for needed cash makes sense. No Loan Application Because you’re taking your own money out of your own account, you don’t have to apply for a loan to borrow against your 401(k), and you may not have to give an explanation for why you need the money. You still have to provide some information to your plan’s administrator, but it’s not as complex a process as applying for a loan from a bank or credit union....

However, volatility and risk create opportunities for profits. The masses often misunderstand the risks inherent in the commodities markets. A Risky Proposition The main reason why commodities are a risky proposition is that they trade on futures markets that offer a high degree of leverage. A commodity trader normally only has to post 5% to 15% of the contract value in futures margin value to control investment in the total contract value....

Common Purposes Because personal loans can be used for just about anything, there’s no single reason why consumers might seek them. Typically, personal loans are an option for purchases or other expenses that are too much to put on a credit card. Some common reasons include: Unexpected expenses: A major home repair or a need to replace expensive appliances—such as a furnace—could be too much for your credit card, and you might look into a personal loan to cover the cost....

Before you get all excited over the prospect of buying that short sale house, pick up the phone and call your real estate agent. Your agent needs to research that short sale listing first. In some real estate markets, fewer than one in 10 short sales close. Just because a home is listed as a short sale doesn’t mean it’s really for sale (because it’s subject to lender approval), nor does it mean it will sell at the advertised price....

Although a networking meeting isn’t a formal interview, it’s important to be prepared for these sessions. After all, a successful networking meeting can go a long way in leading to professional endorsements and job interviews. Keep in mind that even in a casual setting, it’s likely your networking contact will be appraising your communications skills, interpersonal style, and credentials during an informational interview. They will also be deciding whether you would represent them well if they advance your candidacy or refer you to any of their contacts....

You can still take some steps to make the home-showing pleasant, however. Let in the light, create a warm ambiance—both literally and figuratively—and consider serving refreshments. Some other tips can help entice buyers to come in out of the cold as well. Clear a Path Shovel a path through any snow, even if flakes are still falling. Keep at it periodically if they are still coming down. Snowdrifts can hide visual cues that one must step down to the next walkway, inviting disaster....

The average rate offered to homebuyers using a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 3.96% from 3.85% the previous business day, reaching a new high since 2020. (Our daily mortgage rate data only goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows dates back to 2020, so we know it was higher in March 2020, when it hit 4.71%.) The average for a 15-year fixed mortgage increased to 3....

1. What are the general types of group employee benefits I may be eligible for? The types of employee benefits that are available for working people are virtually limitless, but most employers are required to provide the minimum coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This generally includes health insurance, prescription coverage, and dental benefits for minors. All other group benefits are offered by employers who want to encourage well-being for their workers, so they are worth looking into....

When you haven’t had much practice interviewing, it can be hard to know what you’ll need to do ahead of time in order to ace your interview. It will be much less stressful than trying to get ready just before the interview, especially if you need to line up appropriate interview attire and juggle your schedule to get to the interview. 15 Job Interview Tips for College Students Here are some tips for interviewing when you’re in college....

The compensation is usually good—and sometimes, it can be excellent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the top 10% of real estate brokers earned more than $176,080 in May 2021. However, it’s worth noting the bottom 10% of brokers made less than $30,470. Real Estate Career Options The real estate industry offers professional opportunities for workers other than agents and brokers. Many other real estate positions are available, and several paths exist into real estate work....

How To Compare Savings Accounts When comparing different types of savings accounts, look at two major factors: the interest you’ll earn and the fees you’ll pay. Earning Interest All savings accounts pay interest, which helps you grow your funds. However, the average interest rate on typical savings accounts is less than 1%, so growth will be slow. As you compare options, look at the interest rate, which is often quoted as an annual percentage yield (APY), to decide which account is best....

Volume analysis is a technique used to determine the trades you will make by discovering the relationships between volume and prices. The two key concepts behind volume analysis are buying volume and selling volume. Buying Volume When trading volume is higher, you’ll have an easier time buying and selling large or small quantities of stock, because other traders are in the market, waiting to fulfill the other side of your trade....

Read on to learn more about how variable interest rates work, types of variable interest rates, and alternatives to loans with variable rates. What Is a Variable Interest Rate? A variable interest rate is one that can fluctuate over time, causing your loan payments to change. Variable rates are common on credit cards and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). You may also find variable-rate private student loans. Mortgage loans can offer a variable rate as well, but these are special home loans called adjustable-rate mortgages....

Alternate definition: In statistics, variance represents the spread of a set of numbers and is calculated as the average squared deviation from the mean. How Variance Works At the end of the budgeting or accounting period, an individual or business may calculate the variance between their actual and expected income and expenses to determine whether they went over or fell under budget. By assessing variance, a person or business can take the corrective steps needed to bring actual and budgeted amounts into alignment during the next accounting period and thereby more efficiently allocate dollars (as well as staff and other resources at a business) and negotiate better financial arrangements....

This sector is also referred to as consumer discretionary. Industries in the consumer discretionary sector include automobiles; apparel; consumer services such as hotels, entertainment, and restaurants; retailing; and residential construction. Because the goods are non-essential, consumer cyclical stocks generally move in tandem with the market. How Do Consumer Cyclicals Work Buying consumer cyclicals is an aggressive strategy. While market timing isn’t the only part of consumer cyclical analysis, buying cyclical stocks means the investor is betting that the market will trend upward indefinitely....