Strategies For College Savings

 

The Best Future for Your Child College Savings Strategies NerdWallet

Why College Savings is Important

Planning for your child’s education is crucial in today’s world where college expenses continue to rise. By starting early and implementing effective strategies, you can ensure that your child has the financial means to pursue higher education without being burdened by student loans.

1. Start Early

The earlier you start saving for college, the better. Compound interest works in your favor, allowing your investments to grow over time. By starting early, you can take advantage of long-term investment growth and potentially accumulate a significant amount by the time your child is ready for college.

2. Set a Realistic Goal

It’s important to have a clear idea of how much you need to save for your child’s college education. Consider factors like tuition fees, accommodation, books, and other expenses. Setting a realistic goal will help you determine how much you need to save each month or year to reach that target.

3. Open a 529 Plan

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed specifically for education expenses. It allows your investments to grow tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified education expenses are also tax-free. Research different 529 plans available in your state and choose one that best suits your needs.

4. Automate Your Savings

Set up automatic contributions to your college savings account. This way, you won’t have to manually transfer money each month, and you’ll be less likely to skip or forget a contribution. Automating your savings ensures consistency and makes it easier to reach your savings goals.

5. Take Advantage of Tax Benefits

Explore tax-advantaged college savings options such as Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) or the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). These options can help reduce your tax liability and increase your savings for college expenses.

6. Encourage Family Contributions

Instead of traditional gifts for birthdays or holidays, suggest that family members contribute to your child’s college savings fund. This can help boost your savings and involve loved ones in your child’s educational journey.

7. Consider Scholarships and Grants

Encourage your child to work hard academically and apply for scholarships and grants. These can significantly reduce the amount you need to save and provide financial assistance for their college education.

8. Explore Part-Time Work

Encourage your child to take on part-time work during their college years. This can help cover some expenses and reduce the need for additional loans. However, ensure that the job does not interfere with their studies.

9. Monitor and Adjust

Regularly review your college savings plan to ensure you are on track to meet your goals. Adjust your contributions if necessary, considering changes in your financial situation or your child’s educational plans. Stay informed about investment performance and make changes when needed.

10. Educate Your Child about Finances

Teach your child about the importance of financial responsibility and the value of money. Help them understand the benefits of saving for college and involve them in the process. This will instill good financial habits and empower them to make informed decisions about their education and future.

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Best Penny Stocks To Watch

What Are The Best Penny Stocks To Buy Now HOYUAH

 

Introduction

Penny stocks are low-priced stocks that trade for less than $5 per share. While they can be highly volatile and risky, they also have the potential to offer significant returns for investors. In this article, we will explore some of the best penny stocks to watch in 2023.

1. Company A

Company A is a technology startup that has recently developed a groundbreaking product. The company has been attracting attention from investors due to its innovative technology and potential for growth. With a low stock price, it presents an opportunity for investors to get in early and potentially profit from its success.

2. Company B

Company B is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in developing drugs for rare diseases. The company has several promising drug candidates in its pipeline and has been receiving positive feedback from the medical community. As the company continues to progress in its clinical trials, its stock price may see significant growth.

3. Company C

Company C is an energy company that focuses on renewable energy sources. As the world becomes increasingly environmentally conscious, the demand for renewable energy is expected to rise. Company C is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend and may see its stock price surge in the coming years.

4. Company D

Company D is a retail company that has recently implemented a new business model. The company’s innovative approach to online shopping has gained traction among consumers, leading to increased sales and positive reviews. If the company continues to execute its strategy effectively, its stock price could soar.

5. Company E

Company E is a biotechnology company that focuses on developing treatments for common diseases. The company’s research and development efforts have shown promising results, and it has several drugs in advanced stages of clinical trials. If these drugs receive regulatory approval, the company’s stock price could experience significant growth.

6. Company F

Company F is a mining company that specializes in extracting rare minerals. With the increasing demand for these minerals in various industries, the company stands to benefit from rising prices. If the company can secure lucrative contracts and expand its operations, its stock price may see substantial gains.

Conclusion

Investing in penny stocks can be risky, but it can also offer significant rewards for those willing to take the chance. The companies mentioned in this article are just a few examples of penny stocks to watch in 2023. It is important to conduct thorough research and consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions. With careful consideration and a well-informed approach, investors may find opportunities for substantial returns in the penny stock market.

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Should You Add Videos to Your Business Blog?

A picture, the old saw relates, is worth a thousand words. Well, then where do videos rank? Back when this cliché was originally coined in 1911, still pictures were the primary medium; video had not come into common use. It was in its infancy. But now, video is everywhere and is easily accessible to the most inexperienced and novice user of the camera.

Per Business 2 Community, “In a Forrester study, Dr. James McQuivey said, ‘A video is worth 1.8 million words,’ and he wasn’t just being cheeky. If a picture is worth a thousand words, and video shoots at 30 frames per second, then a 60-second video really does contain the equivalent of 1.8 million words.”

How does this help your blog, though?

A video can add immense amounts of credibility to your business blog while adding page rank and viewership. Why? People love video. It’s like being there. You invite an individual into an intimate conversation with you that provides insight they would not otherwise gave gained.

Even if the video is a stock depiction of a kitty doing something cute (and who can resist those), it gives the viewer an idea that you are their type of person because they thought the little kitten was cute, also.

The idea of a blog is to create a community of people who like the same things you do. For business blogging, it is extremely important to forge relationships and establish credibility. You can use video to this end much better than pictures or words.

The following are some ways you can using video for your blog posts:

  • To demonstrate expertise. You have something to sell because you have both an interest in the service and you have more knowledge than the average bear. Don’t sell yourself short (this post is full of clichés), you are the expert.
  • What are you selling? No, I don’t mean what service are you selling, but truly what are you selling? The correct answer is yourself. Sales is all about you being able to convince someone to buy your service, not because you are that much better than the competition (though this is a good selling point, too), but because the customer can relate to you better. A video shows YOU to the customer.
  • What’s the service? It is easier to demonstrate the benefits of what you have for sale if you can create videos about topics related to your services. Explain to your audience how your services can provide them with the solutions to their problems. Video provides this ability better than any still picture ever could.

But, you may ask (we do take questions here), how difficult is it to create a video? Not difficult at all. Do you have a phone that’s video capable (most smart phones have both picture and video capability)? If the answer is yes, then you can post a video from your phone to your blog post.

Once you record the video, you just upload it to your computer and then post it to your blog platform (this may sound somewhat complicated, but it really isn’t). You can also host your videos to YouTube (or other video hosting sites), upload the video there and then post the video to your blog post.

So, now you know how a video can expand your presence and how simple it is to upload one to your blog, but you still may be fuzzy about how this one little piece of media can be a boon to your blog, and thus, your business. Let’s discuss that for a minute or two.

Search Engines Love Videos

Say you type in a search about your service. What comes up? Is your blog in there somewhere (hopefully on the front page if you have effectively used SEO search terms)? If not, why?

Scroll down the page and see what other people with similar businesses are doing that gives them an upper hand in the search list over you. Is the wording tighter (meaning do they understand the use of SEO)? Is there something unique about their presentation that Google (Yahoo!, Bing) seems to love? Did they include video?

When you enter a search command into Bing, the first thing that pops up is a double row of videos related to the subject. Both Google and Yahoo have an images montage that includes still photos and videos. Search engines love video and your services are much more likely to make the first page if you have a subject video.

YouTube Traffic

The goal is to put “butts in the seats” (I know, I know another cliché). The more people that view your blog post, the more they will review other pages on your site (including those that list your services). In turn, the more sales you will make. There are myriad formulas out there that show how many more sales a person receives if they get one more set of eyes on their service. Add those eyes to several thousand others and you have a few more sales.

You can put you video on your blog and you will likely see an increase in traffic, but you will have stifled the flow. When someone searches for a business and the videos pop up in the search engine stream, it is mostly YouTube videos that are generated. So, what does this mean to you?

It means that if you put your video on YouTube (another simple process), you can expect those views to mount exponentially. You may get lucky and have the video go viral. Then you will have a problem that every business would like to have… you will have to hire more people to meet the demand.

To help with increasing the traffic to your website when you do host your videos on YouTube, make sure your site is listed in your profile and everything is up-to-date. You can even add a message to the video description when you upload it asking the viewers to visit your blog post to read the article that you used to create your video in (for now, you should always include content in the blog post along with your video, but getting into that would be a whole different article).

Why is video one of the most important marketing tools you have at your disposal and why should you add videos to your business blog? Because it increases how many people will see you and your services. Isn’t that what everyone wants? The goal is to make sales after all.