Not taking time to ask yourself a vital question like; what is investment, could be a very costly mistake that no one ever want to make. Many small businesses struggle with their investments because the managers in charge or the business owners confuse all sorts of financial commitments to be investment. Committing your hard earned money is not a rocket science, it is as simple as understanding the basic rudiments of investing and living by it. In this article are simple golden rules that when followed will ensure that you are not just wasting your money but actually investing them in a worthwhile venture.I will start by providing a non-technical meaning of what an investment is before going further into exploring other condiments that makes an outstanding investment.WHAT IS THE MEANING OF INVESTMENT?In a simple everyday language, investment is a calculated and well articulated move that we make in order to grow our money, Simple!!! For you to grow your money, it has to still remain alive. After all, dead items do not grow. This simple definition of investment will now smoothly translate our discussion into exploring those characteristics that must be possessed by any form of investment.SIX (6) FEATURES AND QUALITIES OF GOOD INVESTMENTSThe aim of this section of the article is to allow you ask vital questions about your investment strategy. If you find your investing strategy wanting in any of these points discussed below, it then could mean that you are taking an investment risk that could be very costly.1. SAFETY: For the money that you commit to any venture to qualify as an investment, the safety of the capital must be assured. You cannot make any sensible investment economic wise if your initial capital is not safe. You need to be sure that you are not throwing away your cash.2. ABILITY TO GROW: After you must have guaranteed the safety of your proposed investment, the next thing that you must look out for is the presence of potential growth. The rate of this growth must be greater than the prevailing and possibly foreseeable inflation rate.3. TRANSFERABLE: A lot of people might find it difficult agreeing on this point but, think of it. How can you divest from the financial commitment involved in investment if there is no way you can transfer your stake in the venture? Is a simple fact, there must be a way of transferring ownership; else, that is not a potential investment.4. CAN RUN ON AUTO PILOT: Real investments do not necessarily need your presence to meet other characteristics of quality investment. So, be sure that what you are about committing your money to will not require you to constantly be there.5. EXISTENCE OF AN EXIT ROUTE: Yes, you must clearly see the exit route before you enter. Do not worry if you lack the skill to do this, you investment adviser will surely be vast in this.6. NOT BASED ON LUCK OR INTUITION: As obvious as this point may be, people still overlook it at their detriment. Investment is too important to be based on mere luck or guesswork.My experience over the years as both an accountant, investment analyst, and an auditor has shown me that any investment that a business makes based on the key principles identified above goes on to flourish and multiply. It does not matter whether you make these investments as a small business or as an already established business.And the good news is that everyone can follow these simple investment golden rules as stated in this article and still get the same result.If however you are too busy to do your due diligence before committing your money to investment, I would suggest that you contact an accountant who has experience in investment analysis or any other professional investment adviser or a qualified financial planner. Your business is too precious to be allowed to die at an early stage.

Decades ago, only the rich could afford to travel. But with improvements in transportation and technology, visiting places can also be done by someone who earns a meager salary. Saving for your next travel is easier when you have good motivation. Have a specific place and a date in mind and start saving for your next destination.Many people love traveling because of many reasons. Some of the reasons may include the following:1. To get relaxation.Often, the reason to travel is to take a vacation. You might want to go to the beach, visit a shopping center or just go sight-seeing someplace you haven’t been to. You want to forget about work and to unwind, so you travel. Traveling can give you the relaxation you need when you see new sights and meet new faces. Sometimes stress can be caused by monotony and your daily routine. You can break it by traveling.2. To bond with family and friends.You can just visit the mall together or eat at a nearby restaurant to bond with your family and friends but traveling can make it a lot more memorable. You can go abroad or just visit the nearby city.3. To experience a new culture.For some people, traveling means learning. They learn the language and the culture and even try to fit in. You will have your own discoveries about a certain place. It’s a lot different when you experience it firsthand than just see the place from a picture or feel it through a description from someone else who has been there. You can always do it too.4. To learn new things you can share with others.Learning is a lot better when you experience it than just read it from a book. You might learn a new greeting, weird stuff or tradition that is only unique to that place you visit. Travel with an open mind and thirst for learning.5. To be active.Admit it, when you’re on vacation you get energized and ready for adventure. Traveling comes with that feeling. Your travel plans might also include zip-lining, kayaking or mountain climbing. You can’t do these things when you’re indoors.Given the benefits of traveling, it is time you plan for your next trip or start one. You can do a yearly travel abroad and a small trip to nearby cities and local destinations twice a year. It is not that expensive to travel. There are always other options that you can consider. You can buy tickets ahead of time when fares are cheaper. Start traveling and creating new experiences in life.

If you are going to build your own home, you should be pretty excited. Since this is a huge project, make sure you hire the best builder to get it right. In other words, hiring the best builder is vital if you want to turn your dream into reality. In this guide, we have presented a list of essential factors that will help you choose the best professional to cover your needs. Read on to find out more.

1. Check the Past Projects of your Desired Builder

First of all, you should take a look at the portfolio of the builder. You will find a lot of designs and images on their portfolio. If you take a closer look at their past projects, you will get a pretty good idea of their style and experience.

2. Insurance and Registration

Secondly, we suggest that you look for a builder that is registered with an authority. Similarly, your desired builder must be insured. In case of damage to your property, you will be able to recover compensation from the insurance provider of your builder.

3. Services

Generally, professional builders use a wide range of industry terms. You should be familiar with these terms. Besides, you must understand the contract and the points it talks about, such as power points, light fittings, insulation, and driveway, just to name a few.

If you don’t understand something, you should discuss it with your builder. You should sign the contract only after you understand everything.

4. Get References

After you have made a list of some professional Builders, we suggest that you check their references. You should then go to some of their previous clients and discuss their experience working with the builder. If they are happy with the builder, you can go ahead and sign the contract with that builder.

5. Do your homework

If your desired builder has built some homes in your neighborhood, you can visit those homes and ask the homeowners if they were happy with the services they received. This type of honest feedback can help you get a better idea of the skills, experience, and service quality of the builder.

6. Communication

During the interview process, you should ask questions and notice how they answer your questions. If they are not good at communication, we suggest that you look around for a better service provider.

7. Cost

Once you have considered all of the factors described above, we suggest that you talk about the service charges. You should get at least one cost estimate from each provider. After you have received all of the quotes, you can compare them to get the best deal.

Long story short, we suggest that you consider these important factors before hiring a builder to construct your home. Some homeowners make the mistake of hiring a builder without taking their time. We suggest that you don’t make this mistake and take your time to look for the best builder.