Traditional publishing can take a lot of time, and also includes a myriad of changes, additions, and edits. If you want to publish a book in a less traditional way, here’s a guide to self-publishing.

Decide How You Want to Publish

Even when you self-publish, you can choose between publishing your new book as an ebook, printed copy, or even both.

Deciding how you want to self-publish your book will help you narrow the tools and systems you need to use. While there is no wrong way to self-publish, this is typically the first step to take once you’ve created your book.

Hire a Freelance Editor & Freelance Designer

If you were to hire anyone to help you self-publish your book, your best bets would be a freelance editor and designer. While you don’t have to spend a small fortune, hiring a great freelance editor and designer can take your book to the next level when self-publishing.

Not only will a freelance editor check for mistakes, but they can also help make sure that your book flows well. Because first impressions are so important, especially when it comes to gaining the eyes of avid readers, a freelance designer is also a great choice.

While traditional publishing houses will have this price built into the price of selling a book, self-publishing is a different field. You can always find someone that is affordable, while also delivering great results. Asking for referrals, offering bartering services, and even a quick Google search can help you find the right freelancers.

Beta-Test Before Self-Publishing

When you are self-publishing your own book, you won’t have a lot of eyes skimming through it to make sure that it flows well and doesn’t have any grammatical errors. This is where beta-testing comes in.

You can find beta readers in places like Facebook groups, book clubs, or even by posting on social media that you’re looking. These readers will then go through your book, let you know what they think, and give you the opportunity to make it better.

Use a Self-Publishing Platform

While you are free to self-publish on your own website, a self-publishing platform can help you take your book to the next level. Not only do they help with formatting your book, but they also help market your book on multiple websites, including websites like Amazon.

Some of these platforms will charge monthly, and some charge when you actually sell a copy of your book. It’s important to choose the platform that works best for you and what you can afford. For example, if you plan on selling your book casually, a monthly payment service may not be the best option.

However, if you plan on marketing your book and selling quite a few copies, or if you plan on selling physical copies, a monthly service with lower book sale fees may be your best bet.

Use Social Media to Your Advantage

If you have a website and social media channels, now is the time to use them to your advantage. Post about your process, progress, and when your book is actually released. Build a hype around it. Network and have your friends, family, and colleagues mention your book too (if they’re comfortable with it).

Using social media to your advantage can mean your self-published book is a success, and also brings you more in sales over time. Social media can be your best friend, and it’s free marketing for your book, so be sure to use it.

Self-publishing doesn’t have to be a daunting and hard process. With technology, it’s now easier than ever to publish your first, or multiple, books.

The Smart Entrepreneur’s Guide to Self-Publishing is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Such businesses are difficult to find, so my iPhone is inside a small case that opens to hold only three cards: my driver’s license, a debit card and a credit card. No, it’s not a man purse. It’s the size of my phone, but about twice as thick. For me, it beats carrying around both a phone and a wallet.

But even with just one credit card on me, it’s tempting to leave it at home and only carry my phone with me.

When I go to a business with a mobile card reader, I’m looking for one that uses Bluetooth technology to connect my mobile phone to its credit card reader so that the credit card stored on my phone can be seamlessly and securely used.

I’m looking for Bluetooth for two reasons: So I don’t have to carry a physical credit card with me, and so I don’t have to use the chip in the card and spend an inordinate amount of time at the cashier.

There’s also a third reason, which I really did’t think about much until I went to Europe last summer for vacation: High merchant fees for using a credit card.

The mobile card reader from SumUp seems to solve all of these problems. Here’s how:

Low fees

Credit card fees usually aren’t passed directly to consumers, but any shopper knows that the fees merchants pay to accept credit cards are included in the cost of doing business and are ultimately included in the prices of its products and services.

I try not to use credit cards for small transactions, knowing that the business will pay a small fee for the convenience of letting me use a credit card there. It seems silly to use a credit card for a $5 purchase.

A low-cost swipe machine can cost a business from 3-4% per transaction. Some charge termination and paperwork fees. SumUp’s EMV card reader charges a 2.75% credit card processing fee on each transaction, and doesn’t have monthly costs or delivery fees.

While I don’t pay such fees directly as a consumer, they’re in the back of my mind when I visit a store, especially an independent one that may be a family’s sole income. This was especially apparent last summer when I went to Europe on vacation and found that I needed to use my credit card a lot more than I planned because getting cash from an ATM was more difficult than I thought it would be.

Whenever I’d pull out my credit card, especially at small businesses, I’d sometimes get a roll of the eyes from the business owner, who either didn’t accept credit cards or accepted them reluctantly. The credit card fees were a headache, I assumed. Instead, they preferred cash.

I want to earn credit card awards as much as the next guy, but inconveniencing small business owners shouldn’t be part of that computation.

No physical card needed

Whether on vacation or in my daily life, I like to travel light. A phone is almost a necessity throughout the day, but a wallet and credit cards aren’t because my phone can securely hold a digital version of my credit cards.

The mobile card readers from SumUp allows customers to swipe, use a chip or pay with their phone. Just tapping your phone to the SumUp card reader gets a transaction going.

Mobile payments are only increasing, so this seems like a natural fit for any business that wants to grow.

Security

The SumUp EMV card reader is also secure. It uses computer chip technology on Europay, Mastercard and Visa cards — called EMV cards for short — to protect against fraud.

Each card insertion generates a one-time code that’s then used to approve payment. U.S. merchants that use EMV card readers are in compliance with recent rules on credit card payment security, and aren’t subject to liability costs if they’re defrauded while using an EMV card reader.

Keep the line moving

This is a minor complaint, but many EMV card readers can clog up a line at the cashier. If you’ve used a chip in your credit card instead of swiping the card, then you’ve probably experienced this slowdown.

A good EMV terminal should be faster than using cash. SumUp’s EMV card reader is fast, and it’s also easy for a mobile business to use anywhere they can get a mobile phone signal. The reader fits into a pocket and is about half the size of a mobile phone.

A Mobile Card Reader That Makes Life Easier for Consumers is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Studies have shown that around 25% of American households no longer have cable, and instead use online streaming services to watch their favorite shows and movies. So what are the best streaming services that will help you replace your cable?

Start streaming services with Netflix

Netflix is the “holy grail” streaming service that many people already have, whether they’re using it in conjunction with their cable or using it with other streaming services. At $7.99 for the cheapest plan (for use on one screen at a time), Netflix is an affordable option for those looking to venture into online streaming services.

Pros with Netflix include the release of new movies fairly quickly, many popular shows and Netflix originals (some being critically acclaimed), and many shows having all of their seasons all in one place.

A few cons to note are that Netflix typically releases seasons all at once.So, You may not be able to watch your favorite show right away. Also, Netflix is known for raises its prices every few years or so. In fact, they just announced they would be raising prices again (with the middle plan starting at $11 instead of $10).

Hulu

Looking to keep up with the latest shows and episodes? Hulu has you covered. They are also lowering the prices. Right now the cheapest plan is $7.99, but Hulu is dropping that to $5.99. Other notable pros are that Hulu has shows that have been canceled or discontinued, and they even have the option to skip commercials (if you want) for $11.99 a month.

However, there are a few cons with Hulu as well. For one, good movies are almost non-existent with this streaming service. Many users have also complained about user experience. But, if you’re willing to overlook the negatives, you can get a steal with this streaming service.

Amazon TV

The best thing about Amazon TV ? It automatically comes with Amazon Prime. This online streaming service is one of the best if you have children because it comes with both newer and older kids shows (think Dora, Bubble Guppies, etc.).

If you aren’t looking for the benefits of Amazon Prime, you could skip it and just pay the $8.99 a month for Amazon TV. Although, you’ll lose money in the long run.

So are there any cons to Amazon TV? Well for one, you can’t have more than one user. So for larger families, this may be an issue. Amazon also doesn’t customize your experience, so you won’t get recommended shows based on your preferences. However, you can’t really beat FREE as an Amazon Prime member.

HBO Now

While this is one of those streaming services that’s not a one-stop shop, HBO Now is great for those not looking to give HBO up. While it’s one of the more expensive options on the list (at $15 a month), you’ll get HBO original shows as well as the latest movie releases. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you’ll need this service.

You can also add on HBO Now to Hulu as part of a package, so if you only need it when you’re favorite shows are airing, you can add and remove it as you please.

Sling TV

Sling TV is slowly becoming a popular online streaming service. If you just aren’t ready to take the leap and get rid of cable, Sling TV may be able to change your mind.

It has everything. Into sports? It has that option. Into HGTV? It has that option. Want to watch cartoons? It has that too.

Sling TV starts at $20/month, and while that may seem steep, it includes over 20 of cables most popular channels, including AMC and Food Network. So, if you can’t fathom to give up your cable just yet, Sling TV is the best option for you to ease into for online streaming services.

YouTube Red

While YouTube Red isn’t my personal favorite, it still deserves to be included on the list. At $9.99 a month, not only does YouTube Red allow you to skip ads and commercials, but it also gives you access to many of YouTube’s original TV shows and movies. While this may not appeal to some, for those diehard YouTube fans, this is a great add-on. Plus, you’re able to play music and movies in the background and watch online if you wanted.

Biggest cons for YouTube Red? You still have to pay for premium shows and movies that aren’t original to Youtube. It also isn’t available worldwide, so certain features may become unavailable if you travel out of the country.

While there are other online streaming services, these top six should be a great starting point for anyone looking to ditch their cable.

Best Online Streaming Services to Replace Cable is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Technology is an integral part of daily life. People use social media sites, online networking, and technology for everything from staying connected with family and friends to career advancement.

The benefits are extending to the classroom with innovative technology used in the classroom and for schools and teachers to connect with students, parents, and communities. Living Tree is an innovate private social network for schools that leverages technology to enhance communication, collaboration, and partnerships in the context of K-12 education.

Creating a private social network offers advantages for family communication with each other, teachers, schools, and community organizations. Teachers, schools, and school districts have implemented technology in various ways to increase family engagement in education technology for the benefit of students. Check livingtree.com to learn how easy it is to create your own private social network.

Backed by Research

Research has been conducted by the Harvard Family Research Project on how technology is being used to engage families in the education of their children. The research shows several positive results of implementing technology to engage families. The researchers found that using technology to engage families helps them become more involved in education, which offers advantages for student achievement, such as better grades in elementary and high school, higher graduation rates, better attendance, and a higher rate of students going on to higher education.

The United Way has implemented projects that are designed to support communities in improving education and reducing dropout rates using technology. Their projects utilize technologies that include text messaging and online data systems to facilitate communication between families, students, and schools.

Technology has been used in high school classrooms for several years with great success. In recent years, the use of technology has expanded, with teachers, schools, and entire school districts now using this idea to support academic performance and family involvement from Pre-Kindergarten through high school graduation.

How Technology is Used in Schools

Online data systems have been used for a number of years by school districts across the country. A username and password are supplied to parents to log in to the online data system. This enables parents to keep track of how their students are doing in school, check upcoming assignments and tests, attendance, and other details.

Parent groups, sports teams, and organizations have created their own pages and groups on social media sites for the purpose of communication and collaboration. However, privacy issues prevent many from making this leap. A private social network offers enhanced security that social media cannot guarantee. Private social networks are used by families to stay organized and communicate with teachers, schools, and sports teams. Schools and community organizations can use the network for event planning, volunteer signups, and communication. Teachers are able to engage more effectively with their students and families. 

Increasingly, people are using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets to access the internet, send emails, and keep track of schedules and activities. A family engagement app allows parents to receive notifications and communicate with the network using a smartphone or tablet, so notifications are received and everyone gets where they need to be on time.

Creating a Safe Social Network for K-12 Schools is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Clients keep looking for changes in their customer service experience and management keeps searching for better financial control and eventually both converge at a technology solution that completely alters the customer experience and the way financial data is controlled and presented.

Samuel Edwards identified “5 Trends Driving Disruption in the Accounting Industry” a few months ago and rightly pointed out that technology has revolutionized operations across industries and while these advances are strengthening some businesses, accounting departments are about to be disrupted.

Edwards identified the reasons for disruption being stagnation, lack of automation and time-consuming manual processes. While most industries have been upgrading their legacy systems, the accounting industry has been slow to adopt new technologies. This has led to a great inequality as businesses that jumped on the technology bandwagon at the right time are thriving while many accounting firms are struggling.

Avoiding Disruption

Modernizing ERP accounting software is one way these businesses can avoid disruption. Accounting firms should take the advantage of the cloud ERP software that offer strong financial management features coupled with specialized add-ons such as advanced bank reconciliation. This has led to enormous gains in time which was earlier spent on manual processes and understanding complex spreadsheets.

Accounting firms that have adopted ERP software are able to focus on business operations and strategy. They are also able to better focus on client needs because of the gains in technology. Automation has led to great growths in productivity and has increased efficiency.

Firms that have also been using ERP accounting software are also able to become more customer centric since most of the tedious tasks are being handled by the ERP. Cloud-based ERPs have also led to a reduction in costs as most of the Cloud ERP vendors pay for the infrastructure such as the servers themselves.

The capital expenditure for accounting firms is less and with the pay-per-user subscription they can scale up and down according to their needs.

Features to keep in mind before selecting an ERP

Security is a major concern for many accounting firms as most of the information in the industry is generally confidential. Cloud ERP vendors have increasingly been offering top notch security and many firms have found it easier to switch to the cloud because of the great security features.

Compliance, however, is another factor that accounting firms need to bear in mind when it comes to technology. An important consideration is whether the ERP accounting software is capable of providing features that can encompass all the regulatory compliances that are being enforced by the various financial agencies.

Benefits of ERP accounting software on cloud-based system

1. Accessibility: With a cloud-based system, the ERP accounting software can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

2. Pick and Choose: Many companies provide a basic suite of integrated programs like inventory control, accounting and point of sale. Beyond these core modules accounting firms can opt for add-ons like payroll functionality or e-commerce components when the need arises.

3. Accuracy: Once data is input into the cloud-based system it rarely requires duplication. The instances of human error are reduced and the cloud ERP’s automated systems ensure you don’t have to input the same information twice.

It is an interesting time for the accounting industry as it tries to accommodate these changes into its business model. The winners and losers from these changes will emerge based on how well they adapt to these technologies.

How Cloud-Based ERPs are Revolutionizing Companies’ Financials is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Internet marketers extended the “teaser” concept into “clickbait,” which promises new or exciting information for a user who clicks a link in an email or on a social media site. The success of clickbait attracted hackers and cybercriminals, who are now using it to terrorize corporate information systems networks.

A 2016 analysis of the “Kovter” malware campaign reveals the risks that corporate networks face from clickbait and adware. The analysis suggested that corporate cybersecurity teams downplay clickbait and adware risks because of perceived greater threats from ransomware and other network cyberattacks.

Yet once a clickbait link passes a corporate network firewall, it can propagate to other network users and remain installed within the network. Cybercriminals are then able to remotely upgrade the link to give themselves greater control and access to other information on the network. Rather than crippling the network, the cybercriminals leach information from it that they are then able to sell to other hackers.

Network security personnel who try to block clickbait links from their networks are likely attempting to hold back the tide. Those links are prevalent throughout Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms, and hackers are increasingly proficient in convincing their targets to click on them. They frame clickbait links as enticing human interest stories, or they analyze a target’s social media habits and frame clickbait links to match the target’s interests. An employee who briefly lets his guard down or who is looking for a diversion from the routine of daily tasks might click on a malicious link without giving it a second thought. That one click can create a crack that later compromises an entire network.

Social media sites are one of the greatest threats to corporate networks because they are rife with ads and postings that include clickbait. Network cybersecurity experts recommend that corporations implement a number of steps to maintain their network security and to minimize the social media clickbait threat:

• Audit your own company’s social media presence. Understand who has authority to post information and how information is secured and monitored.
• Monitor different social media platforms to confirm that the company has no unauthorized social media presence.
• Establish a baseline for traffic on the company’s website and social media presence, and use that baseline to detect unusual amounts of traffic.
• Maintain strong policies that keep employees informed of what they can and cannot do online while they are signed into a corporate network.
• Watch social media platforms for unexplained changes and deviations not just in average traffic, but also with respect to the nature and quality of information that is disseminated about a company.

Employee compliance with policies may be the most difficult step to implement and enforce. Companies should emphasize, for example, the employees should never take online quizzes or surveys that are posted on social media, that they should not provide personal information or email addresses in order to access a social media posting, and that they should stay away from sites that entice them with information about popular culture.

Even the most stringent corporate policies, however, will not provide an absolute guarantee that an employee will refrain from clicking on an infected clickbait link. When that happens and a corporate network is compromised, the company’s direct and third-party costs can exceed hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. In that case, network security insurance can be a critical tool to reduce the company’s exposure and losses. Cybersecurity insurance carriers can also work with a company to upgrade its network security and to reduce the risks of clickbait-associated malware attacks.

How Clickbait Can Wreak Havoc on Your Network is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Part of their appeal is the lowered price tag in a small, convenient setup, which not only saves money initially but can allow for multiple huddle rooms in the same office, lowering the need to reserve or book a massive and expensive staging area weeks in advance.

How that translates to benefiting you is that there are more options available for creating your own. Whether it’s a private or professional building, here is a startup guide to help you shop for all the tools you need.

Location

First of all, you need to decide in what part of your house you are going to hold most of your conference calls. The two biggest factors you need to consider are the lighting and the sound, which can be a very tricky pair of factors to balance.

You want a well-lit room that won’t cast strange or unflattering shadows on your face, and that is bright without washing you out or enveloping you in eerie darkness.  While this can be accomplished with one good overhead light and a window to your front or side, not from the back as to avoid harsh backlighting, being close to a window can run the risk of disruptive street noise. Auditory distractions can also include noisy heaters, strange echoes, or noise pollution from other members of the house.

Wander around your house with a smartphone or laptop with webcam recording you to find the best balance of light and silence. When you’ve decided on a room, it’s a good idea to keep it as clean and straightforward as possible, with just a table and chairs and a very basic, neutral paint job in the background. Bookshelves or artwork in the background is okay if that’s your preference, but make sure nothing is too distracting in the background like a band poster or a particularly candid photo. You should always be the most interesting thing in frame.

Software and the Internet

While these two things are rather different issues, they are just as important at letting you run your video conference as smoothly as possible. Your internet should be steady and as fast as possible. Generally speaking, this can be achieved or at least improved upon with the use of Ethernet or any internet that plugs directly into your computer system.

While Wi-Fi and other wireless equipment are extremely convenient, if you have the option and the nearby plugs using Ethernet can boost the reliability. It comes down to the rate and quality of your provider, of course, so consider upgrading or exploring alternate options for your internet if you find yourself having lots of dropped calls.

Another feature to help a video conference run smoothly is by using a program such as BlueJeans that’s designed for large-scale huddle meetings and calls to streamline the sometimes tricky process of connecting different devices. Good software can help improve the overall experience, so don’t overlook this aspect.

Hardware and Equipment

The equipment involved in making a private conferencing space is usually limited to three pieces of tech. A screen or monitor to view the people involved, a webcam and a microphone are the standard parts needed, and what you should invest in even if your laptop or notebook comes with the latter two built in. If you want to go professional, it’s best to upgrade to get the best quality.

For webcams, high quality usually means higher resolution, which means that more pixels are used to fill an image. Think of it as though you want to make a jar look as blue as possible, so you fill it with blue items. Filling a jar full of blue sand as opposed to blue gumballs will give you a much smoother and more edge-to-edge appearance of blue. This is roughly how a higher resolution will help send a smoother picture, but that can also be affected by your internet connection so watch out for that.

On the audio side, a free standing microphone is preferred over bulky, distracting headsets. Both of these accessories also offer you the ability to move more freely around your space as needed and set up the camera at a much more flattering eye level. If your primary computer is a laptop, or if you want the flexibility of working between two different sizes of screens, you can also consider getting a second monitor.

How to Make and Use a Huddle Room at Home is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

But when is the best time of the year to buy them?

If you want to take advantage of lower prices, there are specific times of the year when it could make more sense to shop.

Good Times of Year to Find Discounts

In general, there are a few times of the year when you may be able to find more bargains for your electronic goods.

The start of the year is a good option because you can often take advantage of the sales. It’s also the time of year that the Consumer Electronics Show is held in Las Vegas, where the latest digital technology is revealed.

This can mean older products see price drops as they become dated, and the discounts often continue into February.

The run-up to Christmas is also a good time go pick up bargains. Black Friday and Cyber Monday started out as American discount shopping days, but they have quickly caught on in other countries.

This is the perfect time to shop for electronics because there are some serious discounts to be found.

Sometimes new models of the latest gadgets are released in time for Christmas, so if you want to pick up the very latest tech, now is the time.

But while these times of the year are good general times to buy electronics, what about specific items?

If you are in Europe in September, try the IFA Exhibition in Berlin touted as the “world’s leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances”.  Many products make their world debut at this show, making this a show not to miss.

Best Time to Buy Smartphones

If you want the latest and greatest smartphones, there is no exact time of year for this. The latest iPhone tends to be released in September each year, but the best Android phones are released at other times.

Big events include the CES in January, and the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in February.

The latest handsets are often announced here, but not always. These include handsets with all the best features, including phones like Sony’s dual-SIM smartphones (learn more about these here).

Best Time to Buy Televisions & Laptops

Again, the CES is the time when the latest TV models are released. But during the year, look out for deals before special sporting events like the World Cup or the African Cup of Nations when stores know that many consumers will be looking for a better TV.

TVs get upgraded all the time, and you might want to go for slightly dated technology to get a bargain. For example, a TV that is not a smart TV may be less expensive.

As for laptops, special offers may come around in the lead up to the academic year. But also look out for new technology such as new processors because once these are released, the old technology becomes cheaper.

Look Out for Bargains

Although there are some times of year when electronics are usually less expensive, the best thing to do is constantly keep an eye out for bargains. Sign up to newsletters, follow social media accounts, and keep hunting out bargains. You may find that you can make a serious saving at any time of the year if you keep your eyes open and spot a good deal quickly.

Henry Goddard has experience working in the electronics retail industry. His informative articles offer up some very useful advice to consumer seeking to buy high-end items.

Mark Your Calendar: The Best Times to Buy New Electronics is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Risks of CFD Trading

Risk is a given, just as with any trading within financial markets. If the market makes a move against the investor, their position’s value will decline. However, this is the risk that any trader takes when they participate in any traditional form of trading. An added risk comes from the fact that a CFD is a leveraged product, which increases the chance of incurring large losses significantly.

As CFDs are traded on a margin, the investor is able to access the entire contract value for just a small percentage of the cost, however when they make a loss or a profit, these are based on the entire contract value and not only the amount that has been paid in the initial margin. The result of this is that trading CFDs may result in a loss that far exceeds the initial deposit amount. CFD trading therefore requires the investor to have a strong “game plan” on CFD trading. By accessing tools such as XTrade Europe’s Academy, you can easily learn how to manage your CFD trading strategies.

Advantages of CFD Trading on Xtrade Europe

XTrade Europe and many other professional trading platforms should offer you (through their online tutorials and tips) a solid and clear advantage on how to conduct your trades.

Trading on a margin: As trading CFDs enables the trader to hold a greater value than they actually contribute, the investor is able to earn a greater return on their investment.

No need to buy the actual stock: The trader never actually purchases the underlying asset. As CFDs are just a contract between the broker and the trader which relates to the underlying asset’s value, the trader never needs to have access to the exchange on which they are trading.

No Stamp Duty: CFDs never require the trader to purchase any shares and so therefore stamp duty is never charged on trades.

Dividends are paid: If an investor holds a long CFD position on their chosen company when the time comes for the dividend to pay out, their account is credited to the amount of the dividend. CFDs mirror the underlying asset’s value and therefore the investor holding the CFD position receives the benefit of owning the actual stock itself.

Interest is paid: If the investor holds a short position CFD, interest is paid by the broker on that money. Had the trader sold the stock rather than purchasing a short CFD, they would have been able to make a profit from interest on the sale proceeds. However as that interest is not being earned, the broker credits the investors account to the value of the interest that they would have earned.

Traders can profit in a falling market: When trading CFDs an investor is able to make money even on shares which lose their value when they make a correct prediction about the movement of the market prices. While this can also be done with other financial instruments, it is especially simple with CFDs as the client has no need to purchase the actual shares before selling them.

Guaranteed Stop Loss Function: CFD trading is risky and the investor is susceptible to making a large loss should they fail to cover their options adequately. To limit and reduce the risk, CFD brokers offer a Guaranteed Stop Loss function which offers a guarantee to the trader that should their CFD reach a given amount of loss, they will close it automatically in order to ensure that no further loss is incurred.

After Hours Trading: Many brokers permit investors to buy CFDs after market closing hours which is very beneficial to those who prefer to trade after returning home from their full time job.

Range of assets: There are plenty of different assets to choose from when trading CFDs. All of the major stocks are listed, as are foreign currencies, sectors, commodities and major indexes. This allows the trader to create a diverse portfolio of CFD investments.

No exercise date: In contrast to options, CFDs have no exercise date. While options generally have a lifespan of just one month, CFDs can last infinitely until the investor chooses to close the contract out.

Before you begin, take all of what I have written into context and remember that you can always check the viability of the CFD you are interested in, by researching online news.  When trading within the CFD markets, you can easily look back on your history, available to you from your profile. Just like traders that work through XTrade Europe, you should always keep an eye on your history to ensure safer decisions in the future.

CFD Trading Pros and Cons on Platforms Such as XTrade Europe is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Vacations can be expensive — there’s the cost of travel itself, as well as lodging expenses and all the money you drop once you get where you’re going. When it’s all said and done, you could potentially spend thousands of dollars on a getaway.

But aside from emptying our wallets, vacations can help us decompress and cut back on stress. But there’s a way to enjoy the same result without having to overspend on a vacation. Here’s how you can save money by achieving epic relaxation without ever leaving your hometown.

1. Disconnect From Technology

Modern technology keeps us continuously plugged in, something many people tie to causing high stress levels. Think about it: Your boss can now email you when you’re home, and social media can constantly bombard us with information.

It can be beneficial to step away from digital communications once in a while. To help you relax, consider turning off the TV, smartphones and computer at least a few evenings a week, if you can. At the very least, you can try to remove tech from your bedroom so that you can wind down before going to sleep, as research has shown that the light from screens throws off our sleep cycles and melatonin production.

2. Establish a Zen Place

There’s a reason we go on vacations to relax. Perhaps we find it easier to unwind in a place we don’t associate with work or home responsibilities. But you can establish a place at home that’s used just for relaxing and in time your mind can start to associate that place with a calm, tranquil mindset.

The exact nature of your relaxation space depends on your resources and preferences. You may have a backyard or room to devote to relaxing, or you may only have extra floor space. But whether it’s a garden patio, relaxation room or beanbag chair next to your bookshelf, you can designate a certain space at home for relaxation.

To help boost the relaxation vibe in that space, consider repainting calming colors on the walls, listening to tranquil sounds (relaxing music) or adding accessories such as plants or Zen sand gardens. You can also try to remove anything from that space that stresses you out – like phones, mail and other stressors.

3. Hire a Pro

Massages, spa days and yoga classes are just a few examples of services that can help you relax. Sure, a trip to the spa may be a seen as an unnecessary extravagance, but it is likely less expensive than a vacation and could be worth the investment. After all, relaxation professionals can help you recharge and refresh. If this is outside of your budget, there are less expensive alternatives you could consider, too, like finding free yoga instruction videos online or soaking in your tub at home instead of at the spa.

4. Revisit Your Own City

Relaxation doesn’t all have to take place within your home. In fact, you can reacquaint yourself with your own neighborhood. Whether you’re in the city, country or somewhere in between, your region should have some great attractions you may not have checked out before (or perhaps it’s just been a while). Try approaching your area from the perspective of a tourist: What would you recommend they try if they were visiting your area?

Whether it’s hiking, museums or fine dining, you can get a vacation-level experience by discovering (or rediscovering) the best your town has to offer. You could develop a new appreciation for your region and find new places to explore and enjoy to boot.

No matter how you decide to relax, whether through yoga, a zen garden or something else, it’s a good idea you don’t overspend — after all, you don’t want to find a good relaxation tool just to find out it’s landed you in credit card debt.

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This article originally appeared on Credit.com.

4 Ways to Relax Without Going on Vacation is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.