There is always a good time to learn how to make passive income. Your earnings have a significant influence on your life and level of comfort. If you’ve just realized that your salary is no longer satisfactory to meet your needs, or if you just intend to gain extra money, you have to develop a passive income strategy. 

Passive income guarantees financial security in any case of an emergency with no need to work hard for it. Creating the right passive income strategy allows you to set up passive income flows that enable you more flexibility and freedom of choice. Some exciting passive income schemes and opportunities have emerged over the last ten years, making it easier even for young adults to make additional money. First, let’s define passive income and then outline some popular strategies you can follow in the sections below.

What Is Passive Income?

Passive income is money that people usually receive regularly without actively working for it. In other words, passive income doesn’t require active work after a certain point. On the contrary, active income is money earned in exchange for carrying out a service.​ Everyone tends to generate a passive income so that they may retire wealthy and live a full life. There are a few types and stages of passive income. By creating various passive income sources, you can regularly get a significant amount of money from work that is already completed.

However, in the beginning, you either have to dedicate much of your time, effort, and creative thinking to set up your passive income streams or regularly invest a bit of your energy in maintaining the process.

Ready to start earning a passive income? Here is the list of the eight best passive income ideas that can significantly increase your revenue:

1. Dropshipping
2. Blogging
3. Digital Guides
4. E-Books
5. Digital Downloads
6. Affiliate Marketing
7. Real Estate Investing
8. Investing in the Stock Market

A significant number of passive income ideas are linked to your laptop, so if you want the money that is not tied to the specific location, opt for the projects that can be done online. So, all you need is a computer and a proper internet connection.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping means you manage an online retail store and use the services of a third-party supplier to fulfill the order. With dropshipping, you don’t need to deal with the product directly. The main difference between dropshipping and the standard retail store is that the seller doesn’t own inventory. Instead, the seller buys it as needed from a wholesaler or manufacturer to fulfill orders. 

With the dropshipping model, you don’t need much contribution to launch the business since you don’t purchase the requested product until the sale takes place. With no necessity for stocking inventory, you have a great chance to start a profitable dropshipping business by investing little money. By the way, you don’t have to know how to code or create a website to get started. Platforms like Shopify, Bigcommerce, and Wix allow you to start your dropshipping business without specific skills.

Blogging

Blogs are an exciting passive income opportunity for writers or leisure activities enthusiasts. A blog is an online information source where writers share their views on various topics.

Your blog becomes a passive income stream via display ads, affiliate marketing, or digital product sales. Earning passive income through display ads requires SEO skills (search engine optimization) to generate traffic to your website. Once your blog is sustainably getting traffic, different brands may reach out to offer collaboration. 

To start blogging, you have to:

1. Select the suitable niche for your blog
2. Choose the most convenient blogging platform (Ex.: WordPress)
3. Create a domain name (Ex.: www.myblog.com)
4. Buy a web hosting account 
5. Style your blog, create content, and promote it via social media

Digital Guides

We all have excellent skills in something that someone is ready to pay for. You can turn your expertise on any subject into benefit through a digital guide or course. 

A digital guide continues to sell itself without you having to do much work after the initial creation. However, it may require a lot of work upfront, but once an online guide is created and launched, it can provide you with a passive revenue stream for years. 

You may already be sharing quality content on-demand and not even realizing it. It can be an Instagram post, YouTube channel, or blog sharing advice on a particular topic. Instead of sharing your knowledge for free, turn it into passive earnings by monetizing it. 

E-Books

Like a digital guide, an e-book is another outstanding opportunity to convert a particular skill into a yield in the form of royalties. The main distinction is the way this information is wrapped. 

An e-book requires a laptop, tablet, or e-book reader to view long-form texts. E-books are not necessarily the length of huge novels, though they can be. 

Keep in mind that the more time and effort you spend promoting your books, the more cash you’ll make online and offline.

Digital Downloads

Instead of making a complete e-book, try producing a single downloadable product. Downloadables usually exist on their own and bring value to your customers. Printable checklists, worksheets and spreadsheets, guides, and social media templates are all viable options for digital downloads. 

In the beginning, you’d better do market research to define your potential customer base. The first point to start is to check your competitors. Google all related keywords and see the result. That will be your competitors. Study what they offer and how they promote their products and think of unique ways to present your product. 

Affiliate Marketing

If you run a successful blog and get enough traffic, you can integrate ads into your website and get paid per click or view on the ads. This is a good form of passive income because you are simply involved in promoting someone else’s products and get a cut of sales. 

The best ways to promote your affiliate links are via social media, emails, a YouTube channel, blog, or podcast. The most well-known affiliate marketing platforms are Amazon Associates & ShareASale. But there are some other platforms to choose from.  

The key here is quality and content authenticity. If you offer bad-quality products, your will soon lose your audience. Make sure you promote high-quality products you are entirely confident in.

Passive Income Through Real Estate

Real estate investing is among the most expensive ways of getting passive income. It requires a substantial initial investment and additional expenses from time to time. 

But before you plunge into the real estate business, take your time to decide on what type of real estate investor you’d like to become. 

Depending on your finances and the amount of time you want to dedicate, you have multiple options for real estate investments to choose from. However, the most popular options are short-term rentals (like Airbnb) or long-term rentals, where you become a landlord.

Yield from the Stock Market

Becoming a stock market investor is perhaps the most obvious way to get passive income built from capital gains or dividends.

Once the value of your stocks grows, you may reinvest your dividends and see how your investments multiply through the system of compound interest. 

Investing in stocks of a company means you become one of its “owners.” When the prices are down, it is the perfect time to purchase stocks. If you aggressively save money and seek good-value, dividend-paying stocks, you may be able to achieve a solid passive income before the traditional retirement age. Diversify your investments to diminish the risk of losing everything if a company fails.

How Many Sources of Passive Income to Have?

Everything depends on your ambitions and financial goals.

Do you have growing career opportunities? Perhaps there will be enough one or two income streams, such as profit from affiliate marketing or royalties from your precious book. 

If your current position is shaky, you may want to increase your income streams to ensure financial security in case of an emergency. 

Taxes and Passive Income

Remember that, like income from a full-time job, revenue gained from passive streams is taxable. 

The amount of taxes differs, depending on various factors, such as the type of passive income source and how much money you get. Income earned from real estate is taxed differently from dividends earned on stocks. 

Since this part may seem confusing, you’d better discuss it with a professional tax consultant to learn all the nuances about your particular situation. They can also provide more details on accounting and documents required by your legislation.

Summary

Passive income sources can boost your investments, multiply your savings, or protect you from unexpected events.

The good news is that there are numerous options to generate your revenue, and there is no limit. A passive income can be very beneficial because you become a boss. However, this requires you to do your best to maximize your performance.  

Take your time while exploring the ideas above. Some streams are more rewarding, but they can be high risk. If you are a newcomer or not confident enough in your decisions, you can reduce such risks by investing in passive income ideas that have been tested and proven to be successful. Don’t hesitate. Just start increasing your wealth.

The post 8 Proven Passive Income Streams for 2021 appeared first on Financeritual.

The following article will help you find the right strategy, minimize the risks and get much profit, so continue reading.

What is on the Agenda?

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin have conquered the world over the past few years, and some investors are plunging into the crypto business, hoping to make a fortune.

With perpetual forecasts and market analysis, there is still a great chance to fail. The future is unclear right now because things are rapidly changing. Under the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s equally possible that cryptocurrency could become worthless one day. Nevertheless, nowadays, it’s hard to ignore the temptation of cryptocurrency as it is on the rise. 

Let’s consider three main ways investors can follow to invest in cryptocurrencies without actually owning them.

Invest in Cryptocurrency-Holding Companies

When most people decide to buy cryptocurrency, they usually mean getting the currencies directly, such as Bitcoin tokens. But actually, there is no need to purchase the tokens themselves as it’s better to invest in crypto stocks.

A crypto stock is an organization that is somehow linked to the cryptocurrency movement. An investor gets indirect access to Bitcoin, for example, by investing in companies that have them on their balance sheets or operate digital currency-related services. People can pick up from a significant number of publicly traded enterprises that meet this criterion. MicroStrategy and Tesla are two widely-known giants that have invested a lot in this field.

Tesla 

Tesla spent $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and initially agreed to accept it as a payment for its products. However, the company recently gave up the idea of accepting Bitcoin and even sold the majority of its Bitcoin supply. Later, Elon Musk also implied that Tesla might have sold its entire Bitcoin holdings. He explained his decision not to back Bitcoin anymore because Bitcoin mining is not eco-friendly. Musk has endorsed Dogecoin, and people suppose that Dogecoin could be his currency of choice as he constantly welcomes it in his Tweeter. 

MicroStrategy 

Virginia-based business intelligence company MicroStrategy is renowned for its significant investment in Bitcoin. In August 2020, MicroStrategy invested $250 million in Bitcoin, explaining this decision with declining returns from cash, a weakening dollar, and other significant economic factors. In total, the company has invested more than $2 billion in Bitcoin ($24,311 per unit), and its stock price now highly depends on the bounces in Bitcoin’s price. 

Coinbase 

Coinbase is the first US company to operate a cryptocurrency exchange platform listed on the US Nasdaq exchange. In April, the company announced an increase to $1.8 billion, up from $190.6 million the previous year. The jump was provoked due to the price rise of Bitcoin over that time. 

By the way, Nasdaq set a reference price of $250.00 per share, giving the company an estimated value of $47 billion. At the end of its first day of trading, Coinbase closed at $328.28 per share.

In early June 2021, Coinbase also began dealing with Dogecoin available for Coinbase Pro users.

Square 

The digital payments company has also put approximately 1% of their total assets ($50 million) in Bitcoin in October 2020, now worth around $220 million. In February 2021, the company bought an additional $170 million worth of Bitcoin, making Square’s total holdings almost $500 million in cryptocurrency. Besides, Square allows its sellers to accept various types of cryptocurrency as a form of payment.

Although none of these companies focus entirely on cryptocurrency, it is a significant part of their business. If cryptocurrency takes off one day and becomes far and widely accepted as a form of payment, these enterprises will tremendously yield from it. By putting money into these types of stocks, you may also enjoy cryptocurrency’s success without facing the risks of buying crypto tokens directly.

What Else to Expect from Crypto Stocks?

While this kind of investment can be a great way to minimize your risks, there are a few things you need to consider before getting it.

First, it’s crucial to avoid buying a stock just because it’s connected with cryptocurrency. If a company has weak potential and crypto does not succeed over a long time span, that stock will experience a hard time recovering. On the other hand, strong companies are more likely to overcome the crisis despite any movements in the crypto market.

While considering stocks, be sure to do thorough research. Is the company financially healthy? Does it have an authoritative team of professionals? Does it have a competitive advantage in its field? With all these parameters, it will be easier to have a big picture. For any company, it’s essential to see long-term potential. If a business ends up failing, it won’t make any difference whether it was linked to the cryptocurrency or not.

Also, don’t forget the old saying: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” It means if you intend to invest in crypto stocks, make sure to have a broad mix of investments, not focusing on a single one. Creating your diversified portfolio can further limit your risk in case your crypto investments don’t succeed.

Cryptocurrency is definitely among the most popular trends in the investing world, but it can be risky. Even within the crypto field, there are several options to choose from. You may opt to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, or all together – these various assets work together to reduce an investor’s risk in case of unexpected losses.

Invest In Companies That Deal With Cryptocurrency-Related Sectors

An investor can also yield from cryptocurrencies by investing in companies that deal with blockchain technology. 

PayPal is perhaps the most renowned company (200 million users) that lets investors have indirect exposure to Bitcoin. Moreover, Galaxy Digital and Riot Blockchain represent a diversified financial service and investment management innovator in the digital asset, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology sectors.

Besides, such giants as Microsoft, Google, IBM, Amazon, and SAP are all involved to some extent or are trying to use blockchain technology in multiple sides of their business.

Another way is to put your money into companies that design the specialty hardware used by cryptocurrency miners, such as those that produce GPUs (graphic processing units) installed in computers for blockchain technology.

Nvidia

This company produces computer GPUs that are widely involved in cryptocurrency mining. They can’t power a computer monitor, but they can generate valuable digital coins. In February, as cryptocurrency prices went up, Nvidia released new processors specifically for mining crypto.

By the way, Nvidia offers a pro-level cryptocurrency mining GPU that allows miners to get maximum performance.

Invest In Cryptocurrency-Linked Investment Funds

Grayscale Bitcoin Trust 

Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, a fund created by Grayscale Investments, enables investors to gain indirect exposure to the price movement of Bitcoin through a traditional investment vehicle. Moreover, the trust allows investors to buy cryptocurrencies with no need for digital wallets. The fund charges a 2% management fee, which investors would not pay if they purchased it directly.

The growing interest in cryptocurrencies has prompted exchange-traded funds (ETF) issuers to promote the creation of funds that keep an eye on the performance of Bitcoin. It is believed that ETFs can simplify trading and diminish the difficulties of portfolio merging and storage. Following the creation of cryptocurrency ETFs in Canada, several US companies have also filed applications to establish Bitcoin ETFs. Grayscale Investments intends to turn its trust into an exchange-traded fund as soon as the US government approves it.

Osprey Funds

The Osprey Funds’ approach focuses on secure, low-cost, and easy access to digital assets. It also provides a safe and effortless way to gain exposure to Bitcoin in an investment portfolio. The trust carries the lowest management fee of 0.49% among any publicly listed Bitcoin fund in the US.

The trust can be held in an individual retirement account or other tax-advantaged accounts. In addition, the Osprey Bitcoin Trust allows you to interact with Bitcoin with no worries about wallets, keys, or storage.

Conclusion

There are many ways you can expose your portfolio to cryptocurrency without actually buying coins, but approach investing with caution and use all of your diligence as you would deal with any other risky investment. 

None of these stocks or specialized ETFs are guaranteed to succeed. Anytime they may actually start experiencing unpredicted stress because of market volatility and rapidly changing processes in global economics. Just like any crypto and non-crypto investment, be ready to accept the risks associated with it.

The post How to Invest in Cryptocurrency Without Actually Investing in It appeared first on Financeritual.

A lot of investors like dealing with low-priced stocks. A stock trading for $5 per unit or less inherently seems cheaper than higher-priced rivals. For the cost of one share of Tesla stock, for example, an investor could purchase several hundreds of shares in cheaper stocks. It’s clear that initially, investors need to look at the total market capitalization and only then at the rated share price when considering a possible buy. 

Frankly speaking, many traders prefer cheap stocks, and thus it’s necessary to mention the best options available. Generally, when stocks begin trading for less than $5, it means that the business is experiencing hard times. If this company succeeds in overcoming the troubles, they can get back many multiples of their entry price. Here is the list of seven cheap stocks to buy for less than $5 that have everything to multiply shareholders’ returns.

Waitr Holdings

Founded in 2013 and based in Louisiana, Waitr Holdings manages food delivery services across the U.S. Compared to its rivals, Waitr focuses on small cities, where it is easier to gain a significant market share and reduce marketing costs. The company benefited tremendously due to last year’s delivery overload. Indeed, Waitr actually turned a profit, which is not a typical phenomenon in the home delivery industry. 

Investors are interested in whether Waitr will be able to keep up with its more robust competitors. However, that’s the reason why the stock is trading around $2. Currently, Waitr is still increasing revenues even though their permanently stay-at-home customers leave. Waitr has an excellent opportunity to become a decent market participant in the delivery industry or be a target for an acquisition by a more authoritative competitor.

Grupo Supervielle

Grupo Supervielle S.A. renders banking and financial services focusing on retail banking, consumer finance, insurance products, credit cards, and others.

In 2018 its shares were trading for $30 per unit. Unfortunately, several dramatic bounces of the economic state and the COVID-19 pandemic caused the stock to fall as low as $1.53 per share last year. The stock has returned to around $2.20 and now has enough space to improve. 

Today Supervielle is among the cheapest stocks traders both in terms of price and valuation. There is an upside from a fundamental viewpoint as well. Argentina is a prominent exporter of base metals such as copper. The cost of these metals has risen this year, thanks to the current inflationary wave. Furthermore, this autumn, the upcoming Argentina elections could weaken the country’s ruling left-wing party, offering a more favorable business climate for Argentina’s bank development.

Dogness International

Dogness Corporation is engaged in designing, producing, and distributing pet-related products to major retail stores and wholesalers worldwide. The company provides leashes, collars, handles, and other specialty products for pets, while its flagship line represents high-quality goods for intelligent care for cats and dogs. Dogness’ feeding accessories have cameras to look after pets remotely, monitor how often they eat, keep an eye on the amount of food remaining, and so on. Dogness released an app so users can follow their pets’ habits and make sure everything is under control. A smart drinking water dispenser provides fresh water every time a pet needs it. 

Despite its promising innovations, it’s still unclear if Dogness’ product line will be a big enough business to make Dogness outstanding. Last year, for example, Dogness lost $7 million out of $20 million of revenue.

Nonetheless, Dogness has recently signed distribution agreements with large retailers, including Costco Wholesale Corp. That could be the turning point to get Dogness to success. By and large, talking about the potential, Dogness is moving in the right direction. The time is near when Dogness can become appealing to Reddit traders.

Trivago

Most stocks connected with travelling, going out, and lodging have already been returning their positions. Online travel service Trivago hasn’t joined the fun yet. Recently the stock has risen a bit, but it’s still turning around $3.50 per share. The price dropped to more than 80% from its peak point in 2017. Besides, because of the pandemic, Trivago had to cut down many jobs. In March 2020, sales fell by 95% compared to the previous year. Trivago spent a lot of its efforts on online marketing, public relations, and brand marketing. It also tried to expand internationally at an incredible pace and may have lost the focus on its primary targets. 

In general, investors doubted if Trivago would ever become profitable.

Nevertheless, the pandemic gave Trivago the temporary opportunity to reduce costs. With the suspended demand for traveling, Trivago can use last year’s crisis as a ground to get back to the game. In 2017 Trivago launched its initial public offering at $12, and after some time, the stock grew up to $20, so there’s much space ahead from the current modest share price if the company can profit from the travel boom.

Ambev

Ambev is a publicly traded subsidiary of worldwide brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev. It is one of the biggest companies by market capitalization in Brazil and the overall Southern hemisphere. Ambev mainly targets the South American and Canadian markets. Ambev has given in to other brewing producers in recent years, primarily because its main markets – such as Brazil – have plunged due to dropping prices for oil and other natural resources. Nevertheless, the prices for oil and metals are all going up this year. This should encourage the economic prospects for core Ambev markets like Brazil and Argentina.

Meanwhile, Ambev has a sustainable net cash position on its balance sheet, letting it overcome current shakes. Besides, it has more than 50% market share for beer in multiple markets, including Brazil. ABEV stock has dropped from $7 per share to less than $4 in recent years, but it could get back rapidly when South American economies renew. The World Cup 2022 could also give a considerable push to elevate the share prices.

National CineMedia 

National CineMedia is an American cinema advertising company. NCM presents cinema advertising across a digital in-theater network and is primarily known for displaying the ads that appear at cinemas before films begin. Nowadays, NCM is trying to penetrate other fields, such as ads for interactive tablets and menus at catering. Needless to say, this business suffered dramatically in 2020. Nevertheless, things are looking better as cinema enthusiasts return to the cinemas. 

And talking about those cheap stocks of NCM, it’s necessary to mention theater chain AMC Entertainment (that after acquiring Odeon Cinemas, UCI Cinemas, and Carmike Cinemas in 2016, became the world’s largest movie theater chain). AMC shares were offered for just $2 about a year ago, and they’re now up hundreds of percent since then. AMC’s revival is likely to increase interest in cinema, as shareholders support their precious business. Furthermore, traders that enjoyed considerable profits in AMC may also be prone to AMC’s core advertising partner NCM as the next reasonable stock to get.

Invesco Mortgage Capital

Invesco Mortgage Capital operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Trust acquires, finances, and manages residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans. This is a profitable business in normal circumstances, and REITs can usually make 8%, 10%, or even higher dividend yields for shareholders. Unfortunately, COVID-19 became a disaster for the industry, and Invesco Mortgage Capital had a near-death experience. Mortgage payment restraint caused REITs not to get paid promptly, which provoked operating losses and dividend reductions. As a result, Invesco Mortgage Capital stock dropped from $17 to $2.50 per share. 

Now, however, IVR is recovering. The share price is up noticeably, and the company managed to increase its dividend this year. However, Invesco Mortgage Capital is a much more prudent company than previously, and as a general rule, such business models prefer increased safety to faster growth. Consider buying Invesco Mortgage Capital based on its current 8.8% dividend yield, not on hopes that it will soon become a $16-per-share stock again. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we would like to emphasize that many of the stocks trading under $5 today are there for a good reason and shouldn’t be avoided at all. It is forecasted that the stocks trading under $5 per share have significant valuation upside. Undoubtedly, investing money in any cheap stock requires a crucial study of a stock’s valuation, the company’s financial recovery, business model, and long-term potential.

The post 7 Best Cheap Stocks to Buy Now appeared first on Financeritual.

Recently investors have witnessed an event that will hardly happen again. Since touching its bottom on March 23, 2020, the benchmark S&P 500 has doubled in value. It’s the most incredible back-and-forth bounce Wall Street has ever seen.

Patience is the evident key to making wealth in the market. Although the broader market is constantly aiming at new unconquerable tops, value can still be found. If you’re buying stakes in giant companies and intending to occupy those positions for a great while, things that might look pricey today could turn out to be a fantastic deal in two, three, or five years.

You also don’t need a suitcase full of money to start your journey toward financial independence. If you have about $500 in the beginning, which is not saved for any cases of emergency, the following five stocks are the best to invest in right now.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

The first buy that could make long-term investors wealthier is specialty biotech stock Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Vertex has lost its broad market position after they discontinued two clinical treatments for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. But these sad failures pale in comparison to the company’s noticeable achievements in treating people suffering from cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is still incurable, but Vertex has elaborated four generations of therapies that improve lung function for those having CF.

The key point here is that Vertex’s innovation in cystic fibrosis managed to protect its cash flow for a long time to come. The company’s latest introduced combination therapy, Trikafta (which lets struggle with the most common CF modification), was approved five months earlier than its expected assessment date and yielded nearly $4 billion during its first year on the pharmacy market. Trikafta’s sales reached $1.25 billion in the June-ended quarter, implying a $5 billion annual run-rate.

Vertex also has in stock around one dozen other attainments in clinical development valued at more than $6 billion in total. In other words, dealing with Vertex, investors get innovation, steadily increasing profit, and a big cash buffer.

Ping Identity

One of the win-win opportunities for investors can offer the cybersecurity industry. It doesn’t matter what results in the US and the global stock market show, hackers and scammers are always ready to attack profitable businesses. Cybersecurity has transformed into a must-have service for any company caring for its well-being, which is good news for Ping Identity.

As it’s clear from its name, Ping focuses on identity verification. Their cloud-based Ping Intelligent Identity Platform consolidates with legacy security solutions to improve cyber protection for companies. Based on artificial intelligence, Ping’s platform is supposed to become more skillful over time at detecting and responding to attacks. By and large, it’s designed to exceed the basic settings of local security software also permanently to monitor and allow the user access to vital company data.

The primary reason why Ping Identity surpasses its high-flying competitors is that some of its customers had the opportunity to get short-term renewals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, with the focus on promoting its higher-margin SaaS platform, which has grown sales at a compound annual rate of 44% since the first quarter of 2020, it’s only a matter of time before sales increase reaches its top. 

As a cybersecurity enterprise that’s profitable on a recurring basis, Ping looks like a bargain at less than eight times this year’s forecasted sales.

Square

Financial technology stock Square might look a bit expensive now, but there’s a great chance you will regret missing it at this price in the near future.

Square lets sellers start, run, and expand their businesses by using software, hardware, and financial services to produce services or products that are prompt, fast, and appealing. Sellers use Square to contact buyers online and tet-a-tet, manage their business, and access financing. The seller ecosystem is made up of over 30 different software, hardware, and financial services units that are monetized due to a combination of transaction, subscription, and service fees. 

During the seven years before the pandemic, gross payment volume (GPV) going through Square’s platform grew by an annual average of almost 50%. As a result of the Q2 seller ecosystem, GPV hit a new top of $38.8 billion. What’s particularly impressive about the seller ecosystem is that larger businesses (described by Square as those with $125,000 or more of annual GPV) accounted for 65% of GPV at the end of the second quarter, compared to 55% during the same period in 2019. More powerful merchants bring more gross profit to the company.

Nevertheless, Square’s future is fixedly glued to the success of its peer-to-peer payments platform Cash App, which allows customers to transfer their money to one another via a mobile phone. Cash App is available in the UK and US and has become the most downloaded payments app in the US for the past two years, with a recorded 36 million active users. Besides, gross profit per Cash App user amounted to $55 in 2021, about 2.5 times more than in 2019. 

To top it off, in August 2021, Square announced they had entered into arrangements for Australian “buy now, pay later” Afterpay to acquire the latter for $29 billion. Though this deal might seem colossal, it’ll perfectly fit Square’s seller ecosystem and Cash App.

Cresco Labs

US marijuana stocks could also be considered as one of the most attractive long-term investments. With 36 states having legalized cannabis in some amount, there are almost endless opportunities for the multistate operator (MSO) Cresco Labs.

Like almost all multistate operators, Cresco has a promising retail development. The recent acquisition (valued at $213 million) of Bluma Wellness, a Florida licensee, along with organic expansion, has increased its operating dispensary up to 33 units (although the company holds nearly fifty retail licenses in total). Cresco is expanding its retail net, targeting high-dollar and limited-license markets. The latter is significant here because states that limit retail and cultivation license issuance create the game rules where every licensed participant has an opportunity to engross a considerable share of the market.

Additionally, what’s far more interesting about Cresco Labs is its industry-leading wholesale brunch. Cresco Labs keeps on dominating the wholesale branded cannabis space, with revenues reaching $109 million at the end of the second quarter. Being a leader in the wholesale environment wouldn’t matter if Cresco Labs hadn’t already turned the business into a very profitable one. 

The most important investor conclusion is that Cresco Labs is one of the better positioned MSOs for the likely changing rules of the cannabis market. The stock is extremely cheap, similar to other cannabis stocks. Investors should consider that Cresco Labs will likely be one of the fastest-developing stocks of the decade.

Ford Motor Company

A final stock we suggest you invest $500 in as soon as possible is Ford Motor Company. Chip shortage troubles in the near-term, which have restrained the capacity of auto stocks and weighed the top manufacturers down, gives an excellent opportunity to purchase Ford for less money.

The tremendous push for carmakers is the electrification of vehicles. 

In early August, Ford stock rose after the Biden administration announced new national targets for EV sales. The plan sets a voluntary target for 2030 to make roughly half of all cars and light truck sales in the US electric or hybrid vehicles. 

A few months earlier, Ford confirmed that the company would increase its expenses on electric vehicles to more than $30 billion by 2025. The plan is to spread 30 new EV models worldwide by mid-decade and reach 40% of its car sales from electric vehicles by 2030. Considering the intention of developed countries to support care for the environment, EVs represent a profitable car replacement opportunity at the commercial level that could significantly improve Ford’s yet modest growth rate.

While Ford’s position in the US will remain steady, China may become an opportunity for the manufacturer to bring more profit. China has the world’s leading car market, and it’s been estimated that half of all vehicles sales could use alternative energy by 2035. Based on the fact that China’s EV market is growing and Ford has the auspicious infrastructure to meet its production needs, it could quickly engross EV share.

To sum it up, Ford Motor started the new decade with optimism as it was accompanied by a total corporate redesign to compete successfully in the era of smart vehicles and alternative energy. The manufacturer is investing significantly in new technologies to keep pace with competitors in the markets for autonomous and electric cars. Additionally, Ford’s F-Series pickups have been the best-selling vehicle in the US for 39 years. Are you still hesitating whether Ford stock is worth a buy now? Doubts aside, grab it.

The post 5 Hot Stocks to Invest in Right Now With Your $500 appeared first on Financeritual.

So, how can you avoid that?

You have to know exactly where to look for these opportunities to get some extra cash and remember that there are no legit ways to make a lot of money fast. Yes, just like with the other methods of earning money, you must work hard. Also, a proper check is necessary before you start working. 

In this article, you’ll find legitimate and straightforward ways to make money on the Internet that suits everybody. And the cool thing is – you don’t have to spend any money upfront; you just need a computer and Internet connection!

1. Find gigs on Fiverr

Fiverr is probably one of the best places to start earning cash online without paying anything first. You can offer any services you are skilled at on the website. It’s also effortless to begin working on Fiverr: basically, it was made for people willing to earn money while sitting at home.

If you don’t know where to start, look for the ideas on their marketplace, you are sure to find something interesting!

2. Try yourself as a Virtual Assistant.

With the growing number of small businesses that want to outsource daily tasks, the need for virtual assistants is on the increase, too. At its core, it’s similar to working as a personal assistant but online. If you’ve ever wondered what that’s like, it’s a good opportunity for you!

The work can include:

• Moderating comments
• Researching
• Writing emails, creating content, etc.

A virtual assistant’s salary is somewhere between $2-30 per hour, depending on your experience, education, and skills.

3. Write articles.

All sorts of blogs, sites, and publishers need new content all the time. To start writing articles, you’ll need excellent writing skills, obviously, as well as the ability to search for necessary information on the internet.

Here are a few sites where you can search for such a job:

• Upwork
• Freelancer
• Outsourcely
• Constant-Content

One article can cost from $2 and up to $100; it depends on the size, difficulty, and quality.

4. Create a YouTube channel.

If you are one of those people who spend lots of time watching youtube videos (personally, I’m so guilty of that), you know how often you encounter ads on this site. Each of them brings money to the creators, so why not join the lucky people who benefit from the system?

Your Youtube channel can be about anything, really. It depends on your background and personality. You can upload serious videos about different things you know a lot about or funny sketches if you feel like you could be a comedian. The most important thing is originality.

Once you have started, all you have to do is upload your videos on the site and monetize them with Adsense’s help.

There’s no need to splurge out and buy an expensive camera and other stuff; your smartphone will probably be enough for a start. As you gain more subscribers and make more money, you’ll be able to invest in video quality.

The opportunities are endless here; just think about what you’re good at, for example, it can be cooking or computer games, etc.

5. Get paid for taking online surveys.

That’s a rather popular way to earn some quick bucks. Let’s discuss how online surveys operate.

Survey companies typically pay users to get their views on a particular product. The most significant advantage of this method is that you don’t have to have any special skills to do this because it’s easy, but some people might even find surveys entertaining.

However, it’s crucial to find a legit company you can trust. These two are worth checking out: Prizerebel and Swagbucks.

Before you sign in with a survey website, read about the conditions. This will not only help you understand how trustworthy the service is, but also you’ll make sure that you qualify. Sometimes, such sites only work with people from particular countries.

I put this way of earning money online last because most survey sites don’t offer adequate compensation. And if they do, there’s a high chance that it’s a scam, and you’re simply wasting your time answering questions there.

The post 5 Legit Ways to Make Money Online (No Initial Investment Required) appeared first on Financeritual.

The 5G networks are still being currently deployed, and the process is in the initial stage. It takes many resources to develop this most modern wireless technology in different parts of the world. So, it comes as no surprise that experts believe the investments in 5G infrastructure, which were almost $10 billion in 2019, will soon (by 2026) increase to become a whopping $58 billion. This means that the compound annual growth rate in case the expectations meet reality will be 29%.

Such companies as NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) are definitely worth checking out since the potential advantage of the enormous infrastructure spending will be very profitable for investors. Both NVIDIA and Ciena produce essential technologies that are necessary for the proper work of 5G networks. In this article, you are going to learn exactly why these companies are expected to become the best 5G-related stocks in the coming years.

Ciena will probably profit by providing the spine of 5G networks

Establishing 5G isn’t possible without deploying optical fiber networks. They are necessary to maintain an extensive rise in bandwidth, as well as to decrease latency and the consumption of energy.  While making the transfer to 4G, the telecom operators are already claimed to have spent more than $144 billion to improve the existing network infrastructure in 2014-19, and 5G will require even more.

Such optical fiber networks are a must when it comes to 5G, as they can give limitless bandwidth. Apparently, the most advanced systems’ speed will be up to 20GB/second, while the fastest result of 4G is about 1GB/second. Thus, according to some estimates, the companies working with fiber optic cable are going to increase their profit two times by 2025. Ciena, too, is expected to increase sales dramatically.

It has a whole spectrum of 5G solutions, for example, special routers that are made for 5G, automation software, etc. Ciena has the experience of working with big operators from different countries, including, for instance, top-3 Indian telecom operators.

The company has assisted Verizon to increase four times the fiber capacity necessary for 5G networks in the US. Another company that used Ciena’s services was Telefónica U.K., which clearly tells us that it’s in the center of the 5G rollout.

Another crucial thing is that the company dominates approximately one-fourth of the whole market of optical network hardware. Also, the share has only been growing over the past years.

All in all, investing in Ciena is an excellent decision if you want to profit from the market’s secular growth in 5 G-related spheres.

NVIDIA is working around a central problem

NVIDIA focuses on graphics cards used in computers and data centers. They are also essential for making 5G networks faster. In October 2019, the company announced the partnership with telecom titan Ericsson to increase 5G networks’ efficiency using GPUs (graphics processing units). NVIDIA is planning to fill in the gaps in the network infrastructure we have now, in which carriers can’t use bandwidth in accordance with the requirements.

The bandwidth wastage of 5G might be higher than 4G, and that’s why the networks must be improved to become more intelligent. NVIDIA’s GPUs are made for precisely this purpose. The company’s innovations let telecom operators shift bandwidth from place to place, decreasing costs considerably.

Besides, it is thought that 5G will require smaller data centers, which will be necessary for lowering the latency and making the processing quicker. As a result, this will heighten the need for data center GPUs.

The data center business accounted for 37% of NVIDIA’s revenue during the last quarter, which is about 80% more than a year ago. And with the development of 5G, the gain in this sector will only be growing.

The post 2 Great 5G-related Stocks to Buy Right Now appeared first on Financeritual.

Before you’ll be able to start working online, prepare a decent workspace in your home to be effective. Choose a corner where you can focus on the work without being distracted by anything or anyone. Make sure that the furniture is convenient for long hours of work. It’s also important to keep your work area clutter-free – this will give you more mental space for work.

Now you can explore various ways to earn money online. First, you should decide if you want a part-time or full-time job. You don’t necessarily have to quit your office job. Instead, can work part-time online to make some extra money.

And if you want to work full-time as a freelancer, focus the search around your primary skill or specialization. In case you have experience in working in a specific field, it will surely help you find a lucrative job.

For example, if you are an artistic person, join Designhill, or UpWork for creating all sorts of projects. Options are endless; just decide what you can do best.

Here are other ways to earn money from home:

1. Sell Merch

Selling merchandise online is one of the best online jobs for freelancers. Right now the most selling items are clothing products like T-shirts and hoodies. It’s a chance for you to use your creativity and design ideas, and make some money along the way.

Besides clothing, you can also try selling other things. For example, phone cases, mugs, hats, etc.

To start selling merch, you’ll need to open an online store. There are different platforms that enable you to open a store for free with a good profit margin. So, you get to set the price and profit margin to control the earnings.

2. Start a YouTube channel

YouTube is a great resource to work from home. Millions of people watch videos on this platform not only for entertainment, but in order to learn something new from experts, and these experts make money off of the ad revenue and sponsorships. To earn money this way, you’ll have to first develop your channel for it to gather a good amount of viewers and subscribers.

You can also earn money by promoting the products or services you sell on your own channel.

3. Graphic Design

If you’re a graphic designer, you do not need to depend on a regular job in an office and suffer from COVID-19 stress. There are limitless opportunities for designers when it comes to working from home.

For example, graphic designers usually have lots of unused files. They contain those designs that weren’t approved. You can sell unused logos, icons, and other designs.

Another way for designers to make money is to win in design contests. Such contests hold prize money for the best designers as well as the opportunity to score a good long-term contract.

Finally, you can share your skills and knowledge with others and be paid to teach on different online platforms.

4. Create a blog

If you can write well on the hot issues that are interesting to people, start a blog, which is completely free. But if your blog grows and more and more people are reading it, it will bring you money.

So, for example, if you’re going to write on issues related to, let’s say, graphic design, it’ll bring you closer to the design community. Your colleagues might start to advise their clients to consider using your design services, which will also bring you more money.

In order to increase traffic, you can promote your blog on social media. When the blog has a good number of followers, sell banner advertising space to earn extra money when the readers click on the ads on your site.

Conclusion

Coronavirus has become the reason for a big crisis. It forced people to sit at home and caused some of them to lose their jobs. However, like other crises, it is a possibility to try something new, in this case, it might be working from home. Who knows, maybe it’ll become the new trend, and in the future working in an office will be strange while freelancing from home will be the new norm. Anyway, the things we’ve mentioned in this article are definitely worth trying out!

The post Quarantine Guide 2021: 4 Great Ways To Make Money Remotely appeared first on Financeritual.

This might be starting a business or taking a part-time job while you’re looking for full-time employment. To get inspired, read this list of ideas, maybe you’ll find something suitable here.

Assess the situation

Think about the stuff that you are good at. Maybe people have complimented something you’ve done? You can also ask people directly about what they think about your skills or try taking an online skills test. It’s crucial to find something you really enjoy doing.

Find the opportunities for remote work

Obviously, during the lockdown, remote jobs have become much more common. Now you can find both part-time jobs online, as well as permanent gigs.

One of the biggest advantages of remote part-time jobs is that the hiring process is usually much quicker. With a part-time job, you can work for a few hours a week and up to 30. In case you are on unemployment, look into the state policy on getting partial benefits while working part-time.

When it comes to part-time work in general, the demand for it has increased in data entry, customer services and sales, health-care and medical support, and some other spheres. There are creative jobs available, too, like writers, graphic designers, digital stylists, copy editors, photographers, etc. To find a job, type in keywords instead of job titles; this way you’re more likely to find something good. Also, beware of scams.

Time for independence

Making money on your own doesn’t necessarily mean starting a business.

If you have a special skill or hobby you can use, consider making money with its help. First, do research on what people are charging for the same thing (per item or per hour). For instance, how much do people pay for a batch of cookies in bakeries? 

Then think about how you will reach your customers. A good idea is to start out small – talk to your family members and friends, use social media to show samples of your work.

A good example of this is the story of comedian Matt Levy. When he was fired from his job (he worked at a New York comedy club), at first he didn’t know what to do. So, he tweeted offering to write profiles about people’s careers, comedy or “whatever you want”. As of now, he has written about 20 profiles and has increased the price for his services significantly. Now he’s thinking about developing in this sphere, maybe starting his own company in the future.

Starting a business

With the difficulties the small business owners are facing at the moment, starting your own company may seem crazy. However, there are lots of successful businesses that started during times of economic downturn.

Start with the information you have about your skills and hobbies, and then form a solid brand identity, which you’ll use when working with clients and social networks.

Finally, create a thorough plan. Remember that business empires aren’t built overnight. It will take you some time, but giving time something you love shouldn’t be a problem. If you have nothing to lose, it’s definitely worth trying.

The post The Best Way to Make Money During and After the COVID-19 (Remotely) appeared first on Financeritual.

There are so many money-making opportunities, but if you actually want to raise some cash, you shouldn’t do low-skill tasks and get minimum wage. Instead, you should learn a new skill and spend some money to start getting money.

1. Try to pay less for your bills

Not everyone thinks about it, but you can negotiate the price for pretty much every service. Including the fixed monthly costs. And saving money is the same as earning money.

The examples of fees you can pay less for include:

• Gym fee
• Credit card rates and fees
• Cell phone fee
• Cable fee
• Car insurance

Make a phone call, and ask if these costs can be lowered, it’s that simple.

Pro-tip: remember two great phrases:

• “Times are difficult.”
• “Is there anything you can do?”

Always be nice. If something goes wrong, don’t panic. Just hang up and call back later. Chances are that you’ll be talking to a different person, maybe they’ll be able to help you.

2. Do the same with rent

Probably, rent is your biggest expense. So if you lower it even a little, it will quickly add up.

So how can you do it?

You should figure out what your landlord needs.

These are a few things you can offer in exchange for lowering the price:

• Prepay in advance
• Sign a long-term lease
• Suggest extending the termination notice from 1 month to 2 or 3
• You can give up a parking space if you don’t need it
• Promise things that will save them money once you move out like not smoking inside the apartment not having cats at home (if those things are allowed for you now), etc.

3. Sell something on the Internet

If you have a pair of great shoes you never wear or a collection of old baseball cards or an outdated device, sell them on an online marketplace like eBay, Craigslist, etc.

4. Negotiate your salary

With just a small conversation you can earn thousands more and the best part is that the gains only add up year after year. So, a great deal all around.

You can read more on that in another article right here, but here’s a small recap:

1. Find out how much you should earn. To do so, you can use different sites, for example, PayScale.com, Glassdoor.com, or Salary.com, to see the salary range for your position and area.
2. Prepare your boss for the talk. Tell your boss that you’d like to discuss your salary with them.
3. Use the information about your achievements at work during the negotiations; also, think about the problems your company faces and how you can solve them.

Just make sure that you actually do a great job, so that you had the arguments in favor of the raise.

Such negotiating takes some upfront work, practice, and lots of courage. However, what you get out of just 1 conversation is definitely worth the effort.

5. Find another job

If you’re wondering whether you should find a different job or even change industries, you can use the so-called Bezos Regret Minimization Framework.

It’s quite simple. The question you need to answer is: what will I regret more in 20 years: changing nothing or trying out something new (and maybe failing)?

6. Become a freelancer

Both finding a new job and preparation for negotiating a more competitive salary take time. But starting a side hustle on the Internet is much faster.

Remember that freelance is a skill, and you have to learn to become better at it.

To choose a side gig that suits you, answer the following questions:

• What do I like doing?
• How much free time do I have?
• What am I good at?
• How can it be helpful for my potential clients?

Some people don’t have enough time to organize their closets. Others need a website designer, there are lots of examples.

Analyze these things

• Your skills (like coding, languages, copywriting, etc.).
• Your hobbies, things you like to do in your free time.
• Next, what makes you knowledgeable enough to be paid for what you do?
• Maybe you have a degree at this, or you’ve finished some online-courses? That’s very helpful, but probably the most important thing at this stage is to have a good portfolio, showcasing your best works.
• Finally, start looking for clients.

You can just print out some business cards or create a website. But first, make sure to understand what people want.

– Know your clients, their needs, and wants.

– Talk to them directly. Don’t just sit around and wait for someone to find you. As soon as you’ve found a potential client, send them an email directly.

Hopefully, these ideas will help you with earning more money. After all, financial freedom is worth working towards!

The post 6 Ways to Make Money Fast from Home appeared first on Financeritual.

The number of tools and techniques that are promising instant success is truly overwhelming. On the Internet, you’re constantly surrounded by such ‘how-tos and quick-fix’, as well as courses, articles, videos, books…

However, this isn’t that complicated in reality. Read on to learn about seven millionaire success habits that are sure to help you succeed. Maybe not overnight, after all, these are habits, so they should stick around for a long time to work.

1. Read, read, read!

A habit that millionaires seem to have in common is reading. For example, in order to be a good entrepreneur, you have to read a lot and learn how to be a leader and an efficient business owner. Books enable you to grow, and if you read enough, they might even replace a business school.

Thomas Crowley’s research shows that about 85% of self-made millionaires finish no less than two books every month.  Warren Buffett is no exception: he spends most of his day reading. According to the interviews, in the early stages of his career, he used to read 600 to 1000 pages in just one day.

While it’s a great idea to read for pleasure if you want to improve yourself and your business, prioritize business literature and topics like leadership, how-tos, biographies, and so on.

2. Have several sources of income

Successful people don’t depend on just one income source. Multiple sources of income help them to cope with economic challenges and earn more money.

Millionaires are passive income enthusiasts. They get money from interests from loans, real estate, dividends from investments, and royalties from intellectual properties, and so on. They usually have more than one business, too.

3. Budget

Self-made millionaires don’t rely on luck. They make sure to understand their exact cash flow-income and expenses. Using this information, they then decide on a budget and stick to it.

The main reason why you need a budget is to reduce unnecessary spending. This will enable you to take control of your financial life and achieve your financial goals.

4. Manage your money properly

The most important knowledge a millionaire can have is financial education. It’s impossible to achieve financial freedom if you don’t gain financial intelligence. This is the reason why millionaires, no matter what their income is, always learn something new, especially if it helps them to decrease their tax bills.

By the way, as many as 60 companies paid nothing legally in the 2018 tax year? The list of such companies includes Amazon, Halliburton, Chevron, General Motors, and Delta.

5. Avoid being in debt

One more habit that divides the millionaires from others is the way they manage debt.

Millionaires don’t live an over-the-top lifestyle; rather, they buy only what they really need and, what is even more important, can pay for. They don’t just think that their credit cards will solve all the problems; they don’t buy something now and think about how to pay for it later.

And when they do take a loan, they thoroughly study the interest rates and conditions.

6. Have daily goals

Short term goals are essential in all spheres. They set daily and weekly goals that help them achieve long-term goals.

Make sure you prioritize the most important stuff when planning for the day. Otherwise, procrastination will make you waste time doing everything other that you actually should be doing.

Setting priorities will help you to focus on highly rewarding activities. If you desire financial freedom, it is wise to pursue activities that earn you thousands of dollars rather than hundreds of dollars.

7. Don’t act like you’re very rich

The goal here is not to show off but instead to spend money in a smart way. Interestingly enough, Thomas Stanley mentions in his book that about 86% percent of prestigious cars belong to non-millionaires. And of course, buying an exotic car you can’t afford is a huge financial mistake.

The Experian Automotive Researchers found that about 61% of individuals who make $250,000 or more buy products of luxury brands very rarely. The reason is why they don’t do it is quite simple: expensive cars tend to decrease in value with time. And rich people invest in things that appreciate well.

The post 7 Millionaire Habits That Will Help You Succeed appeared first on Financeritual.