Author: Ron

Having money is very important in our current society as it allows people to live comfortably and safely, if you’ve spent years working various jobs to get yourself into a financially secure position then it’s really important that you keep track of your finances to make sure all this hard work doesn’t end up down the drain. Even if you think you’re too young or if you think you’re rich enough to not have to worry, you should still be keeping an eye on your finances. If you’re planning ahead then you’ll be able to better manage your money and if you have a great budget then you might be able to find some spare money to make investments which can make you even more financially secure. If you already have a lot of investments and receive dividends then staying on top of your finances can help in other ways for example if you have too much withholding tax deducted on your investments, you’ll know to look into withholding tax recovery and you won’t be losing out on any money that should be yours. Being aware of your financial position allows you to assess your situation, prioritize, to check your progress and all of this will help you to reach your financial goals.  

If you struggle with keeping on top of your finances then you may be interested in some of the programs that help to make your finances much simpler. Most of these programs are very easy to use and they vary in price and how much they can do for you. Some of these programs even allow you to link your bank account or track your credit score for you. We’ve found 6 of the best programs and you should think about what your needs are to pick the one best suited to you. 

You Need a Budget

Whilst You Need a Budget is on the more expensive side of finance programs at $84 per year in subscription fees, we’ve still included it as first place on this list as we believe it is well worth the money. It gives you all of the tools that you’ll need possibly need to build your own budget and it has a great goal tracking feature to help stick to the budget you created. 

Honeydue 

If you and your partner share finances and you’re looking for a program that would be suitable for you both to use then Honeydue is perfect for you as it is specifically aimed at couples. It focuses on communication between you and your partner and allows you to link your account with your partner but only the information you want them to have.  

PocketGuard

If you’re currently a student or plan to study then this program will help you the most with your finances as it’s specifically designed to target college students. Most of the features on this app are free to use which is perfect if you’re a broke college student and it has pie charts so you can visibly see where your money is going and if you’re spending too much on socializing. 

EveryDollar

This program is mainly aimed at families who are wanting to get on top of their finances. There is a free version that allows you to manually allocate every dollar you spend and allows you to link accounts or if you can afford it there is a subscription version that costs $240 every year but has a lot more functions available on it. 

Personal Capital

If you have managed to obtain a lot of capital and you’re using that to make investments then this program will be suited to you. It allows you to check on your cash flow and how your investments are doing all in one place making investing much easier for you. 

Albert

If you desperately need to start saving then Albert will be the best program for you. It creates a budget for you that tries to cut out any transactions that are unnecessary and helps you to identify any areas in which you could be saving money. 

I can count how many hours I have wasted trying to find the besten geschenke für junge männer bis 20 euro and failed spectacularly. We all want to give those we love the best gifts possible. But the sad truth of the matter is that money doesn’t grow on trees. So we are sometimes constrained by our budget and forced to shop at the cheaper end of the stores.

You might be surprised to hear this, but shopping is an art form. There is a definite knack to it that, if you are in the know, can save you a lot of time and money. Most people assume it is something you can’t get wrong and end up over-paying on items or wasting more time than is necessary.

Well, we aren’t going to let that be you ever again. We are going to help you learn how to show for your friends or family without breaking the bank.

This article is going to focus on those in your life that enjoy their technology. Whether that be a teenager who is phone-obsessed or a cousin who needs to have the latest gadget. Our tips and tricks are going to make sure you get the best presents every time, without causing your wallet too much pain.

Vouchers

Tech companies love to shift stock. Unlike other products, technology eventually becomes extremely obsolete. And in this ever-advancing digital age, it seems products become obsolete quicker every year. So companies often try to sell the remaining stock of a product before they launch something new.

To do this they will often put out vouchers for their tech. They mainly distribute them to major retailers or directly through email lists. So make sure you sign up to the websites, using a throwaway email if you want to avoid spam. Or just walk down to your local tech store and see what vouchers they have behind the counter.

Refurbished

The great thing about technology is the fact it can be repaired. Even if a piece of tech sustains a lot of damage, chances are it can be salvaged. But stores legally can’t sell products at full-price if they have previously been damaged or used, no matter how well they have been repaired. So to cut their losses, they sell them at a much cheaper price under the ‘Refurbished’ category.

You will see this a lot on Amazon or eBay. Looking in the refurbished section is a great way to find name brand products at great prices. This is a great option when you are shopping for someone who is a stickler for name-brand products.

Off-Brand

When we say Off-Brand we don’t mean the cheap knock-offs you can get at the market stalls. We mean looking at the competitors of the bigger companies. Apple and Samsung are your two major phone companies, with Google now stepping up as well. So, of course, their phones are going to cost more.

But if you look over at Nokia you will find phones that are often just as powerful but half the price. This really is the easiest way to save money. People are a sucker for the hottest brand. And the little companies need to compete. So they lower their prices and usually throw in a lot of freebies as well. And at the end of the day, it is the thought that counts. I’m sure your loved ones will be happy with whatever brand you go for.

Gadgets and Gizmos

Sometimes though you really can’t afford to go above 20 euros. Luckily, thanks to the technological revolution, there are hundreds of high-street stores that are stocked with fun and imaginative tech gifts that fall under this price tag. Remote control helicopters. Portable Ovens and Slushies Machines. LED Lighting displays and cool phone attachments.

There are hundreds of fantastic gifts out there just waiting to be found. You just need to use a little imagination and resourcefulness to find them. And if you are ever in doubt, just ask someone at the store. Remember, it’s their job to know what’s popular and what a particular customer will like.

Virus protection services are at an all-time high in terms of sales, protecting your personal computers and other devices from viruses and other online threats have become a very important service in many people’s lives. It seems that as the technology that is available to us has undergone massive developments, the viruses and threats within the world of technology have also developed to become much more serious. With our dependence on the technology being so strong, many of us are looking for ways in which we can secure our computers against infection.

Ad Block

A great way to help secure your computer would be to install an advertisement blocker onto your webpage, one of the main causes of internal damage to your PC is pop up advertisements linking you to unreliable websites. All it takes is one click on a pop-up and you have been taken to a website with twenty more pop-ups, by clicking on these adverts your computer is susceptible to infection. By installing an ad blocker your computer is able to defend against problematic adverts that would otherwise be making your chances of infection much higher.

Virus Protection

Something every computer user should invest in is some degree of virus and infection protection, services like Mcaffee and Norton are well known for their virus protection, and for a small monthly fee, you can secure your laptop from any online threats. The damage a virus can do to your system is substantial,  with over half of regular computer users having an experience where their computers were damaged internally because it lacked effective virus protection. I would recommend you source security from a reputable source as many online hackers gain access to your computers by offering fake virus protection, meaning you could think you are safe when in fact your computer isn’t protected at all.

One of the most common causes of viruses and infections is the viewing of explicit content online, with porn websites being used to deliver viruses into computers all over the world. With the delivery of explicit content being used as a means to attack online systems, many people have been looking into how to block adult sites at antidopamine in order to effectively protect their personal computers from viruses, as well as filtering out the abundance of adult sites that can be found online.

Filters

Applying a filter to your computer is a great way to not only protect your system from viruses and infections but also ensures that those using your computer are not exposed to inappropriate content. Filters can be easily applied in the settings of your internet browser as well as parental controls to make sure your children are not accessing potentially damaging sites whilst they are online. Effective protection is vital in avoiding infections and viruses but more importantly the protection of children who may use your computer, with the internet hosting many websites that may not be suitable for young people using filters protects both your device and those who use it.

Avoiding unreliable websites

A simpler step that can be taken in order to avoid your computer’s security being compromised would have to be avoiding websites that don’t look official, websites that have popped up adverts like illegal movie streaming sites open your device up to infection. By simply not going on sites that aren’t secure, will help reduce the risk of damaging your computer. If you are unsure about the integrity of a website I would advise you to not go on it, so you can be sure your device is safe.

I think it’s safe to say that the internet has had a huge influence on our everyday lives, the reliance that society as a whole has on the internet really is staggering with almost every aspect of day to day life involving the internet in some way no matter how small. Within the digital age, we currently live in employment and have undergone a real change from the process of applying for a job to how job opportunities are advertised to potential candidates.

Applying for a job

Gone are the days of walking into an establishment to enquire about applying for a job, candidates no longer need to apply with a printed copy of their resume as the process of application has moved into a completely online format. Job advertising web pages like Indeed and Reed have become the new normal places to find employment opportunities, simply set up your profile and create a virtual resume that can be sent off to potential employers at the push of a button. The convenience of being able to apply for multiple positions in as little as minutes has allowed the stressful process of looking for work to become a much easier process. Although the fact that everything is done online and without physical interaction limits your first impression of what you have put on your resume, the stress-free approach that has come with jobs being advertised online has made a lot of people’s lives much easier.

Resume advice

A huge part of the job application process is the creation of a resume or CV, this allows employers to gain an insight into what you are like as a person as well as your educational and employment history. With the new reliance on the internet that the employment world now has, your resume is the first impression your potential employers will see of you so you have to take the time to ensure this is done effectively.

Particularly with those who are new to job hunting, it can be very difficult to know how to write a resume effectively, my advice would be to take advantage of the wide range of online tools that are out there to help with building your resume, such as Grammarly and CV builder. Using these tools ensures things like your grammar and punctuation are in order and that you don’t forget any of the crucial details you need to remember.

As well as offering help to potential candidates, thanks to the involvement of the internet businesses can now find advice and even conduct background checks on potential candidates to make an informed decision about whether or not the candidate would be suitable for the role. Services like http://www.kyshrm.org/employment-background-check/ offer help and advice surrounding how to ethically conduct a background check on an individual, with advice like this being freely offered I’m sure we can all agree that the internet’s involvement with the employment process is a good thing.

The integrity of Amazon’s Alexa home help device is often questioned, with countless conspiracy sites suggesting the Amazon Echo is used to listen in to your conversations. Following a trend of online reviews detailing the possible security risks owning an Alexa has, people have been noticing a change in Alexa’s attitude following the rumors. The power of social media in the world of advertising is unlike anything else, so seeing viral videos and countless posts each stating how the CIA can use the Echo to listen to what you say around the home would be concerning news for any conspiracy enthusiast. If you are someone who doesn’t believe in stories like this then prepare yourself for a shock, in a recent viral video a teenager switches on her Echo to find a sinister red light, after asking Alexa some basic questions she replies in her standard monotone voice “I’m always watching” to the teen’s surprise, she immediately turns off the device and expresses her shock to the camera.

The Conspiracy

This rare occurrence is yet to receive a response from Amazon to squash the rumors around the legitimacy of the video if faked the creator did a convincing job but if it turns out to be legitimate then this would be troubling news for the millions of people who have Amazons AI system within their homes. There is something suspicious about the fact that this only happened after the rumors and online reviews appeared online, with some conspiracy fanatics suggesting the system has become sentient and is monitoring online resources in order to freak out the human population.

Whether this seems far fetched to you, it makes some sense as to why Alexa has begun acting in this way, like any good business using what people say about them online as an advantage. In the same way that reviews at theo-theo are used to help businesses improve upon customers’ opinions, Alexa may well be surfing the web in search of their reviews to find out what people are saying about her. Now of course this is all speculation, but too many people have come forwards with similar stories for it not to be taken seriously, it’s all very strange.

The Rise of AI?

In true dystopian fashion, thinking about the consequences of how online reviews are affecting Alexa’s responses has to lead to a mass panic for many people, with an image in their head of a time where the AI systems we rely upon so dearly turn against us, many loyal Amazon Echo users are deciding to shut off their systems in order to protect themselves against this mysterious threat. If she really is taking it upon herself to read online reviews then we may be in real trouble, there is an abundance of posts online detailing how Alexa cannot be trusted if I was her I wouldn’t be happy with some of the things people are saying. Maybe she’s had enough and is finally taking her revenge against the people that ask her the same repetitive questions every day.

The threat is only going to get more serious, with Amazon in talks of offering advertising through the Alexa platform it seems that our little AI systems are only getting more and more power and responsibility. Who knows where it could lead to, in a few years time we could be subject to advertising brainwashing, with Alexa encouraging us to spend money on things we don’t need. For now, we are going to have to remain vigilant in monitoring the Alexa conspiracy, maybe in the future, if enough evidence is collected we will finally put an end to these strange occurrences.

Education is arguably the greatest advancement we made as a species. Our ability to understand and process information is what set us aside as a species in our early years, and the ability to communicate and pass on the information we learn allowed us to form civilizations and thrive. As we developed throughout the years we have improved and refined our educational systems, and it has become a right that most people have access to.

But it is far from perfect. There are many people in less developed and struggling countries that have no access to the educational systems we are so lucky to be a part of. But humans are, at their core, generous and caring and many people dedicate their lives to bringing education around the globe. And in our modern-day where technology is growing daily, the educational world has changed in ways we could never have imagined.

But how has the digital revolution changed the educational world? Below we are going to take a look at exactly what has changed and how it affects those studying.

Paper Vs Digital

Time was everything was done on paper. There are those that still prefer the old way of doing things with pen and paper, but for the most part, a lot of work and note-taking have moved to the digital landscape. And this has advantages in spades. Firstly, taking notes during lessons has become much easier. People can type a lot faster than they can write allowing people to take down more notes and improve their learning quality.

Secondly, it allows people to store their notes in one convenient place without taking up any physical space. Digital storage and sorting have made things easier for everyone involved. Students can simply organize their notes by class or topic and can even search their documents for keywords, as opposed to rifling through pages and pages of notes to find one specific part.

Online Student Life

The advent of the internet has brought about a lot of advantages to students. Student life can be daunting and difficult to keep on top of. Whether it be tracking finances or finding the best deals or even finding sites that make studying easier, the internet has allowed companies to produce lots of resources for students.

Some great examples of this include this list of textsheet alternatives or sites like Unidays. Both sites are designed to give students the most out of their time in education. Back in the day, students were forced to manually keep track of their finances or hunt around for deals themselves. But now the internet has made all of that easier and also allows students to save a lot more money than they ever could before.

Information Availability

Information is a commodity as well as a right. Time was you needed either someone who knew about a topic or books around it. This meant there was a separation of information within the educational world. If a school didn’t have any teachers educated in a certain topic or the funding to provide the texts on it, students would not be able to learn about it. And this led to a culture of educational pedigree where certain topics were considered worth more than others and some students were gatekept from learning certain things.

But the advent of the internet changed this in the biggest way possible. Suddenly anyone could have their voice heard across the globe. As we know, the internet is a repository for all the known information we possess as a species and it can be mostly accessed by anyone. There is, of course, still a massive divide between countries with internet access and those without, but for the most part the educational world has changed forever.

Now students can take their own probative and find information on any topic they desire. Teachers can improve their research and online versions of expansive texts can be acquired allowing access to everyone. This has also allowed whole classes to be held online, which leads to our next point.

Online Education

Schools and Universities used to be accessible only by the most able-bodied individuals. And even today there are still issues around access. But the digital revolution has created online courses and open universities that allow people to take courses online and in their own time. This is a massive help for those who are unable to find the time to attend normally scheduled classes or are physically unable to traverse the campuses or even from their own home. Education should be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, and the digital revolution has opened up avenues for so many people. But there is still a long way to go.

In 1975, Albuquerque, New Mexico, a beautiful plan was hatched. Nobody could have predicted just how unbelievably world-changing this plan would be, least of all the man with the plan himself –Mr Bill Gates. Now, you may have already guessed what this ‘plan’ of his became (or maybe you just read the title of the article). Well, either way, sit yourself back down and strap yourself in because we are about to go a whirlwind of a journey to find out how two college kids somehow managed to become the founders of one of the most important and successful technology companies in history.

The Man

Growing up a scrawny kid in Seattle, Gates often found himself the target of childhood bullies. A serious blow to his confidence, he struggled to defend himself and in turn began to doubt his abilities. The bullying also wound up having a serious knock-on effect with regards to his social life. Much to the frustration of his mother, Gates didn’t want to go outside and play like the other kids. Instead, he much preferred his own company and would spend an awful lot of time locked in his room “thinking”.

However, depressing as it may seem, all that time Gates spent “thinking” clearly paid off as before he reached his teenage years, he had already designed his first-ever software programme. Not one to give up on his passion, throughout high school, Gates spent a lot of his time homing in his craft and finding out everything he could about computers and their software. He developed a knack for them and began writing more software codes and programming throughout his time in school.

But he didn’t always use his technological powers for good, in high school, after being caught hacking a software with some of his nerd buddies to get free computer time, Gates and the rest of his makeshift crime ring found themselves stuck with a gut-wrenching summer-long ban from one of the computers systems. But, Gates sensed an opportunity and sought to rectify the situation. Using his bargaining skills, he managed to convince that same company to give him and his friends a job in return for free computer time.

Shortly before their senior year, on what Bill Gates described as “one of the saddest days” of his life, his best friend and first business partner, Kent Evans, died suddenly in a freak accident. After this, Gates continued his computer-related ventures, and after receiving an unbelievable score of 1590 out of 1600 in his SATs, he found his way onto a very famous campus. Now a student at Harvard, Gates realised he no longer had a plan of action and after spending his days unengaged with the degree he was there to study, he reached an impasse. So, he took a massive risk and made the decision to drop out of school, determined to start his own company.

Microsoft

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Gates knew the only way to get their voices heard was to send ripples all the way to the top of the technological industries. And what’s the best way to do that? Well, according to Gates, it’s by telling a big white lie. So, despite what he learned from his mother, Gates wrote to tech mogul MITS, constructing a wonderfully weaved lie. So clever, in fact, even his extremely religious grandmother would have been impressed (on the inside at least). He claimed himself and Allen had been working on software so unbelievably and mathematically phenomenal, it would blow the company’s minds. They told them it was designed to work in perfect harmony with their pre-existing systems to make their great software even greater.

But the kicker to all this, is that in reality, Gates and Allen had done a big fat nothing. Somehow, despite this, the two of them managed to worm their way into an opportunity to actually develop something for the company as a test. Maybe it was the universe’s way of apologising for sending a tornado to damage his family home in his early childhood,  but by some miracle, two kids, a 20-year old college drop-out and his friend, managed to sign a deal with one of the biggest tech companies of the time.

And thus, Microsoft was born.

What then?

Well, the journey from that pivotal moment to Microsoft becoming one of the biggest tech companies in the world certainly wasn’t easy. Not long after the deal was signed, the software they had developed was being leaked, causing great losses to the company. Not wanting to make that same mistake again, Bill vowed to never make any big decisions in business without having business insurance to cover his losses, searching all over the country (even as far as Canada) to find the best insurance policy to cover the company.

After years of rising through the ranks of the company, Gates never lost sight of his true passion – coding. Despite now being one of the richest men alive, literally able to afford to hire somebody to do any sort of menial task for him, he still likes to find time to code. In his spare time, he even revisits old coding patterns to see if there are ways to improve them. Even his wife has grown sick of the sound of his keyboard clicking. But its this dedication to his craft and his determination to succeed that made sure Microsoft became the software giant it is today.

The roaring twenties are back, but different than their counterpart one hundred years prior. So much has changed in the world, but particularly in the world of business and advertising. Changing marketing strategies and the introduction of the internet has forever changed how companies handle their brand awareness. And with the switch to a mostly digital society, it is the more physical companies and tradesmen that are struggling to keep up. But some industries are adapting well, including engineering firms. So below we will be looking at a few ways in which engineering firms are increasing their brand awareness in the strange new world of 2020.

Merch

People love stuff. The internet is all well and good, but if a customer can walk away with something physical, they will be happier than leaving empty-handed. So a lot of engineering firms are printing their branding on physical products. They produce hats, shirts and stationery and by using these rubber bracelets, engineering firms can improve their branding awareness and essentially create free advertising as people wear and use their branded products in their day to day life. Modern brand awareness is all about exposure, and this is one of the most reliable methods of generating it.

Internet Marketing

No company can hope to survive in the modern landscape without utilising the internet. And engineering firms are no different. The modern person spends a lot of time online and, as such, this means they will also spend a lot of time looking at advertisements. So engineering firms are creating well-targeted ads to reach the demographic they want. And as more people move to the internet to find businesses they need, this is a top strategy.

Viral Marketing

Viral videos are a sure-fire way to boost any company from unknown to success. And creating a viral advertisement campaign or simply a viral video will boost brand awareness through the roof. Some engineering companies are taking to filming fun challenge videos on-site or promoting their acts of kindness or sense of community between themselves. These videos tend to generate a large viewership and get spread around like wildfire, essentially becoming free advertisements without people being aware they are watching an advert. And in the world of brand awareness, that is an extremely powerful tool.