Online financial news
Land Registry reports small rise in UK house prices
The Land Registry has today issued a report suggesting that UK house prices increased by 0.3% in August which was around half of the rise seen in July. According to the report the average home in England and Wales is now valued at £167,423 with annual growth falling from 6.8% in July to 6.7% in August. These figures on the surface appear to be very much at odds with recent property reports suggesting UK prices have fallen but there is a reason for this.
The Land Registry figures are based upon completed transactions and therefore in effect lag the real-time market which pays no attention to whether deals have been completed and signed off. So in theory the figures from the Land Registry could be anything up to 6 months or more behind the current house price data.
It was also revealed today that HM Revenue and Customs has seen a 6% drop in the number of property sales completed in the UK during the month of August.
Three Big Lies About Networking
Think about the most successful people you know. What’s one thing they have in common? Probably this: They’ve built a network of contacts that provides support, information and business referrals. They have mastered the art and science of networking, and business flows to them almost as a matter of course.
It took those successful networkers years of hard work to build their networks. But many people don’t understand networking basics.
Misconceptions about networking are widespread, even among business professionals. Before you can commit yourself to the task of building a healthy network, you probably need to overcome at least one of these three major networking misconceptions.
1. “I can’t network if I’m not an outgoing person.” Go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief — you don’t have to become “Mr. Public Speaker” to be a successful networker. Mos
Is Financial Peace University Worth It?
This is a topic I hear come up every now and again, so let’s discuss it to help those contemplating FPU.
In case you are unfamiliar, Dave Ramsey is the host of the nationally syndicated personal finance radio show The Dave Ramsey Show. He is the New York Times best selling author of Total Money Makeover, Financial Peace Revisited, and The Money Answer Book, and among other things has developed the incredibly popular debt relief system Financial Peace University.
Today let’s focus on FPU and whether or not it’s worth the initial investment of $100, or whatever the going rates are these days.
Is FPU worth the money?
Some people argue that they wouldn’t, or couldn’t, attend Ramsey’s Financial Peace University if they wanted to because it costs too much money; and since they can’t afford their bills, they’re not about to shell out $100+ for some stupid debt book. Others say FPU i
My Two Dollars Interview Over At Thrift Culture Now
An article containing an interview I did a few weeks ago is now published for your enjoyment over at Thrift Culture Now. The article is titled “Learn How to Get Rid of the Debt & Get Back to a More Sensible Way of Living” and is available here. A teaser:
When David totalled up his credit card bills and realized that he owed $20,000, he knew it was time to seriously re-evaluate his lifestyle.
“I had nothing to show for all that debt! It was years of just living high on the hog and spending money as if I were wealthy, when I was anything but.”
Go check it out if you have a few minutes!
Some UK carers on less than £2 an hour
A report by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers has highlighted the heartbreaking lifestyle which many people in the UK are suffering when looking after sick relatives at home. It is believed that when taking into account the benefits available for home carers some people are working for as little as £1.54 an hour while saving the state around £87 billion a year.
The plight of home carers is something which has been swept under the carpet for many years although thankfully the coalition government and the former Labour government have finally put the subject on the agenda. When you consider the massive savings, estimated to be around £87 billion a year, which home carers contribute to the UK state and the UK economy perhaps now is payback time?
It was also revealed that a number of home carers are now falling into the trap of lending money from loan sharks at preposterous interest rates. It
How to Do Market Research–The Basics
Related articles
- Researching Your Market
- Primary Market Research
- Market Surveys
- Conducting Surveys and Focus Groups
- Market and Price
Marketing research can give a business a picture of what kinds of new products and services may bring a profit. For products and services already available, marketing research can tell companies whether they are meeting their customers’ needs and expectations. By researching the answers to specific questions, small-business owners can learn whether they need to change their package design or tweak their delivery methods–and even whether they should consider offering additional services.
“Failure to do market research before you begin a business venture or during its operation is like driving a car from Texas to New York without a map or street signs,” says William Bill of Wealth Design Group LLC in Houston. “You have know which direction to travel and how fast to go.