Enriched Academy founders Kevin Cochran and Jay Seabrook have always been passionate about teaching children and young adults the basics of personal finance. Jay and Kevin originally visited schools to work on their public speaking skills, but they soon found there was a real need and interest for teaching kids about money. This became the basis for starting Enriched Academy and while we now focus on Canadian financial literacy for all ages, our passion for teaching kids has never waned. We recently had our financial education services selected for use in the Alberta Public School system, and we also work with various school boards and colleges across the country. Over the years, we have continuously refined our school programs and have compiled a great list of tips below to help all of you at-home financial educators teach your kids about money matters. 1. Don’t call it an allowance A weekly allowance starting around age seven is a good idea but be careful; it’s not something that’s received, it’s earned, and children need to know the difference. A checklist of weekly tasks and some “pay” for doing each one is a great way to instill this idea. Reinforce the concept by designating a regular “payday” each week. 2. Don’t assume it’s too difficult Should you buy stock for a 10-year-old – absolutely! There are plenty of kids whose parents took the time and effort to explain shareholding and how it works. Kids are very familiar with many publicly traded companies like Disney, Roblox, Mattel and McDonalds. Holding a few shares may not return enough to put them through college, but it will teach them the basics of investing, risk, and return for managing their finances in the future. 3. Don’t stop your kids from occasionally buying junk Rather than prohibiting younger kids from buying something that doesn’t meet your threshold for play value or quality, let them buy it once in a while and learn a lesson about value (see #5). A mood ring is usually interesting for about a day-and-a-half, and $5 won’t break the bank. If someone learns to better evaluate their purchases in the future, it was money well-spent. 4. Don’t give an advance on their allowance The number one financial problem from young adults to retirees is spending money they don’t have – usually with a high-interest credit card. The need for instant gratification is a never-ending struggle but building up resistance while still young will help keep it in check during later life. For big-ticket items, write down your savings goal and create a tracking chart together with your kids to help them visualize their progress. 5. Don’t talk about cost, talk about value and need “How much better is an iPhone 12 than an iPhone 10… well, 2 of course!” If your tween wants that latest and greatest must-have item, challenge them to explain the value beyond being new, trendy, or fashionable. A 30-speed MTB may impress his friends, but does your 12-year-old really need thirty gears to get around the neighbourhood? There is a reason lots of millionaires (and billionaires like Warren Buffett) drive plain cars – it’s all they really need! Financial habits start young and last a lifetime so it’s important to get your kids off on the right foot. After all, you don’t want to be the one paying for their household expenses after they leave home or bailing them out of credit card debt when a lack of financial education catches up with them as a young adult. There is no reason to not have frank and open discussions with your kids about money and getting started early will just make it more comfortable and natural as they grow older. Thank you!
The Secret Recipe to Make Mobile Apps Popular
With the recent boom in the number of mobile app development companies in Dubai, it is somewhat clear that mobile apps can offer more value to business as compared to a mobile website. The Smartphone market is flooded with advanced devices offering remarkable features for downloading and running mobile apps seamlessly.
On an average, a Smartphone owner uses around 23 apps in a day. Going with this fact, where mobile phone companies are investing in new and innovative hardware and software technology, business owners are looking towards app developers who can bring some new ideas to make great apps. These days, apps are considered as a selling object, so we compiled a list of ingredients that makes apps popular, great and fail-safe.
1. The good first impression: The burgeoning app market is full of apps designed with the best user interface. Make sure yours stand out of the rest. Mobile apps should be designed by keeping in mind the small touch screen. Moreover, the logical path of any app should be easy. If your app lacks obvious navigation, the chances are high that users will delete it right away.
Each mobile app should be designed with the context of what users care about. From design and navigation to content, everything which loads instantly on their mobile screen should be exactly what the users want or expect. To enjoy a large user base, make sure your app not only looks good but also performs smooth.
2. Figure out why your rival’s app is lucky: Not necessarily every business owner is leveraging the skilled expertise of Internet Marketing Company in Dubai to make the apps popular. Some apps are getting a considerable amount of praise because of the publicity behind its successful launch, whereas others really have the spark to fulfill the users’ needs. Either way, you should know your market to have a strategy to make your mobile app popular. Consider the price of the app, its performance capabilities on different platforms and new menu structures and style of buttons that make one app more appraisable than the other.
3. Decipher the user’s need: As discussed above, mobile app development companies in Dubai belong to a burgeoning sector where each mobile app is considered as a saleable object. But for the sake of your mobile app, rather than thinking about the business point anticipate the users’ expectations. Developing a mobile app is easy, but maintaining its quality to be on top is a tough game. Regardless of the development platform and technology you have, your mobile app won’t belong to the category of successful apps until it defines the user’s needs.
When you have designed a fantastic app just the ways your users want it to be. The next step is to work tirelessly to ensure the app is streamlined with the current market trends. With evolving technology, the customer preferences will be changed, so be prepared to adapt the changing user needs by providing constant updates that fix errors and provide new features to please the users.
The mobile app market is facing a cut-throat competition, from games, shopping to business and motivational, you will find apps in every category. Gone are the days, when mobile phone owners used to spend their time on the same photo editing app or mobile game app for ages. In this competitive marketplace, your rivals are sneaking out every chance to maintain good relationships with the users. On the other hand, mobile users are also inclined to the thought to delete and move to the rival’s app when an app is not smooth to their expectations. So be aware of the market and bring what people care about in an app.
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What is the process of USDA Loans Fort Worth?
The mortgages are open to rural areas of the country, in places deemed accepted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The mortgages issued by the USDA require zero down payment, which can help the lesser earning population to get their own home.
Now that you have a better understanding of what a USDA Mortgage is, it’s time that you know about what the USDA loans Fort Worth application process is.
Finding USDA Home Lenders Near Me
The first step of the process is choosing a USDA home lender near me that is trustworthy and informative. To find a good lender, you must learn to know the qualities of one. Here are some qualities of a good USDA Lender.
USDA Loan Expert – Nothings beats experience. One way of knowing a good USDA lender is to take a look at their USDA lending experience. They know their way in and out and they would be able to help you no matter your experience in house loaning.
Customer Service and Satisfaction – A good lender would be able to show that they are willing to help. The best way to show their willingness is to give the best services to their clients. Reading customer reviews about their company can give you an idea of how good their services are.
Structure of Loan Process – Companies can either be focused on company-client connection or on efficiency. Some companies would have dedicated team structures while others would require passing from person to person at each step of the loan process. Choosing which would ultimately depend on personal preference.
Compare Rates – Get a sense of market interest rates by researching online, and talk to the lender about it. Good lenders can easily help you with locking in your interest rate.
Ask the Right Questions – When in doubt, never hesitate to ask your lender questions that are important to you. Lenders for USDA loans Fort Worth that are of good quality will be informative and straightforward with answering your inquiries. They should be able help you to better understand the status of the application and the stage of the process you are in.
The USDA Home Loan Requirements
After choosing a trustworthy lender, moving forward with owning a rural home would easier. Lenders can give asses you if you and the property you with to buy are qualified for the home loan. Here are some of the requirements lenders would need to check from you.
Credit Requirements – USDA home lenders near me require you to have a credit score of 640 or higher in order to qualify.
Loan Income Requirements – Your household’s income must not exceed the 115% limit of the average adjusted income in your area or state.
Loan Location – Properties to buy must be in accepted rural areas of the USDA to be eligible for the program.
Loan Property Guidelines – The property to be bought should only be used as primary residence. Second houses or investment properties will not be financed by the USDA.