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The cost of owning a dog

Owning a dog can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Dogs offer companionship, protection, and loyalty to their owners. However, owning a dog is not just a matter of fun and games; it also comes with a significant financial commitment. There are several costs involved in owning a dog, from initial expenses to ongoing maintenance costs. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the cost of owning a dog.

Initial Expenses

The initial costs of owning a dog can be quite significant. These include the cost of purchasing or adopting a dog, which can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the breed and where you buy the dog from. Some breeds, such as purebred dogs, can be more expensive than others. Adopting a dog from a shelter can be a more affordable option, as the fees are usually lower.

In addition to the cost of the dog itself, there are also other initial expenses to consider. These include things like:

  • A collar and leash
  • Food and water bowls
  • A bed
  • Toys and treats
  • Training classes
  • Veterinarian checkup and initial vaccinations
  • Spaying or neutering

All of these expenses can add up quickly and can easily cost several hundred dollars.

Ongoing Expenses

Once you have your dog, there are ongoing expenses to consider. These include:

  • Food: Depending on the size and breed of your dog, food costs can range from $20 to $60 per month.
  • Veterinary care: Annual checkups, vaccinations, and preventative care can cost $200 to $500 per year. If your dog gets sick or injured, veterinary bills can quickly add up.
  • Grooming: Depending on the breed of your dog, you may need to take them to a groomer for regular haircuts and maintenance. Grooming costs can range from $30 to $100 per visit.
  • Training and obedience classes: If you want to train your dog, you may need to take them to obedience classes or hire a trainer. These costs can range from $50 to $150 per session.
  • Boarding and daycare: If you travel frequently or work long hours, you may need to board or hire a dog sitter to take care of your dog. These costs can range from $20 to $75 per day.

Other Considerations

In addition to the direct costs of owning a dog, there are other considerations to keep in mind. These include:

  • Time commitment: Dogs require a lot of time and attention, including regular walks, playtime, and training sessions.
  • Housing: If you rent your home, you may need to pay an additional pet deposit or pet rent.
  • Home and yard maintenance: Dogs can be hard on your home and yard. You may need to replace carpets, repair damage, or invest in a fence to keep your dog safe.
  • Travel: If you plan to travel with your dog, you may need to pay for additional accommodations, such as pet-friendly hotels or airline fees.

Tips for Saving Money

While owning a dog can be expensive, there are ways to save money. Here are some tips to help you keep costs down:

  • Buy in bulk: Buying dog food, treats, and other supplies in bulk can save you money in the long run.
  • Shop sales: Look for sales and discounts on dog supplies and toys.
  • Take care of your dog’s health: Regular exercise and preventative care can help keep your dog healthy and reduce the need for expensive veterinary visits.
  • DIY grooming: If you’re handy with a pair of clippers, you can save money by grooming your dog at home.
  • Plan ahead: If you know you’ll need to board your dog or hire a pet sitter, plan ahead and book early to save money

Here is something which may be of interest to you; Obedience training for puppies. Check it out here:

https://affiliates.trainpetdog.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=10551

www.robertastewart.com

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Network marketing

The success of network marketing companies such as Amway, Herbalife, and Kleeneze has proved that the Multi Level Marketing concept can work if you choose to join the right company and if you approach these schemes with the right attitude and are prepared to spend a lot of money, in some cases 1000s in order to progress up to the highest level in the company.

Almost any product or service can be marketed through network marketing but the main players in the MLM industry seem to be those which focus on nutrition and personal care products.

Any company which promises high returns by recruiting others into the scheme with the absence of tangible products is likely to be a pyramid scheme which is illegal in many countries including New Zealand, Australia, Canada, The UK, and Ireland. The promoters of these schemes describe them as MLM or network marketing companies in an attempt to legitimize them.

If a proposition seems too good to be true then it most probably is, there is no such thing as a free lunch, if in doubt then seek legal advice.

The money to be made in network marketing is in the recruiting and training of others. The object is for your team members (the persons you recruit or sponsor) to duplicate your efforts.

Does this sound like pyramid selling.? Well you be the judge because there are some very well-known companies who sell products in this manner.

Amway which was established in 1959 was the frontrunner in the network marketing field. Herbalife (established 1980) which sponsors the football club in the USA which David Beckham plays for is another. Then there is Melaleuca which sells products using tea tree oil. Melaleuca which is the botanical name for tea tree has tried to distance itself from the network marketing image by using the term referral instead.

All these companies would almost certainly scoff at suggestions that they are all pyramid schemes. 

Many people who have reached the top of the tree in network marketing have done so only after investing a great deal of money (1000s) and in some cases going into debt but whether they have made any real money is another matter altogether.

The British company Kleeneze (established 1923), is different from other MLM companies in that agents drop off catalogues at people’s homes, collect them a few days later, and if there is an order deliver the goods to them perhaps a week to 10 days later. This method of selling is similar to Homecare direct shopping in NZ and Australia except that with Kleeneze, you can increase your income potential by sponsoring others into the business.

However as with other companies, finding other people who share your vision and that of the company is a problem. 

Before you commit yourself to one company, do an internet search to find out how others have feared. You will find a lot of feedback in this way however please also bear in mind that the opinions of others may not be a reflection of the company but merely their attitude, the company they joined may not have been right for them and who is to say that is not the right one for you?.

Kleeneze is one company I had success with. By dropping off catalogues at houses then collecting them 2 or 3 days later hopefully with an order much the same as Homecare direct shopping do in New Zealand and Australia but the difference between Kleeneze and Homecare  is that Kleeneze is a network marketing company.

Every Kleeneze agent gets 21% commission of all orders collected irrespective of their status in the company. These are orders obtained by dropping off catalogues at people’s homes, picking them up a few days later hopefully with an order and delivering the goods, collecting the money and paying the company minus your commission.

It is in the bonus structure where you can really make the money.

By introducing others into the business, their sales figures are combined with yours to form what is described as volume total.

You earn a bonus on your total volume orders for the month as follows.

Monthly total Bonus

650-1299 10%

1300-2249 13%

2250-3399 15%

3400-5000 18%

5100-7499 21%

7500+ 24%

There are other bonus payments available.

Kleeneze proved very lucrative just by dropping off the catalogues and developing a regular round of customers, I did have three people under me but they gave up after a week or so, one after owing me more than 300 pounds. That is not going to occur now as everyone who joins Kleeneze now has their own account 

The main quality for success with any of these network marketing is passion for what you are doing. Without it you have not a chance of succeeding. Of course agents of the companies concerned will present the companies to you wearing rose tinted glasses, because everyone they sponsor into the business is helping to build theirs.

Melaleuca was a referral company I joined some time ago however I parted company with them when I lost my job.

Each person who joins Melaleuca agrees to purchase 35 points worth of product per month which equates to about $120. This is irrespective of whether you need any product or not. Agents can earn bonuses by referring others into the business. Agents require at least 8 referrals just to pay for their monthly order. A tall order indeed since the products are rather expensive, for example toothpaste around $9 and shampoo $19.95. 

This business would suit people who have contact with others in high paying jobs where money is no object to them

Herbalife is the same but as with all of the other MLM companies, though agents may claim to have received cheques from them for xxx , the amount they have poured into the business is quite a bit more.

To sum up, don’t go into network marketing as a means to get rich quick with little effort, you will be disappointed. Go in with an open mind. Check the credentials of the company and whether it is the right one for you and most of all ask yourself this question “what motivates me”.? If you know the answer then it’s a start.

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Diversification in the share market

Written by Robert A. Stewart

Diversification is a term we often come across in the investment industry but what does this really mean for the Mum and Dad investor and how can the ordinary investor profit from diversification? Here is an article written in simple language which everyday investors can understand.

Diversification in the share market

What it is and how you can make it work for you

Diversify, diversify, diversify are terms you will come across in the world of investments so what does it mean and how can you make it work to grow your wealth?

When someone says you should diversify your investments what is meant is that your investments are spread out among different companies and sectors in order to reduce your risk.

An investor may have shares in a phone company, a power company, a bank, an insurance company and so on.

This kind of diversification was once beyond the means of the average investor because one had to purchase at least $3,000 worth of each share just to make it viable because of the broker’s commission on each buy and sell transaction.

Not any more!

Online share market trading platforms such as Sharesies in New Zealand and Robinhood in the US have opened the way for anyone of any means to get involved in the markets. These platforms enable anyone to build up their financial literacy on a shoestring. There are lots of other online investment platforms similar to Sharesies and Robinhood which gives you a wide choice. 

With sharesies the minimum investment you can make is $5 but with Kernel Wealth, another online investment platform in New Zealand the minimum investment is $100. This is just an example of different rules for different companies.

Mum and Dad investors can buy into a range of diverse companies on a shoestring with sharesies and robin hood which in the long term is good for those astute enough to participate.

Investing in individual companies is not the only way to build up a diverse portfolio; the other way is investing in managed funds or as it is referred to in the States, Mutual Funds. 

When buying into these funds you are combining your money with other investors to purchase units  in the funds. Fund managers will purchase shares in a range of companies on your behalf.

The level of risk can vary depending on the industry in which the fund manager invests your money.

These investments are generally referred to as Growth Funds which have the potential to grow your savings but at a higher risk. 

Those investors who want a mixture of high risk and low risk funds will invest in what is called Balanced funds. This is a combination of growth and balanced funds. Investors may have the option of choosing which percentage of their investment they would like in growth or conservative funds..

Diversification is an excellent wealth building strategy for the average investors who wants to create a nest egg for the future. It is a matter knowing what you want to achieve with your investments and investing accordingly.

About this article

This article is based on the writer’s experience and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances therefore discretion is advised. You are welcome to use this article as content for your ebook or website. Feel free to share this article. 

www.robertastewart.com

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Share consolidation

Share consolidation-what is it?

One term you do not hear very often is share consolidation. It is a term seldom used because not many companies have used this as an option. This article sheds more light on the term. Hopefully I have explained it well enough in terms that even the novice investor will understand.

Share market price increase may be misleading

If you are a casual share market follower and notice a particular company’s share price has jumped up in price suddenly and you are thinking, “What have I missed out on,” then it all may not be as it seems.

Let me explain.

Years ago around 2001 I think, I owned some shares in Air New Zealand. The company almost went broke. The company almost went bust. It was the government who bailed them out. The share price went from about $1.95 per share down to 14 cents per share. The share price increased a little but still only a fraction of what I bought them for.

What the company then did was increase the share price but you owned fewer shares.

This is how it works:

For the sake of simple mathematics, let’s assume company xyz’s share price is 20 cents per share.  xyz then decides to increase the price of the share to $1. 

If an investor owned 1000 shares at 20 cents, they will now own 200 shares worth $1 each.

Unless you are a follower of the share market you may be unaware of this actually happening. 

I don’t know how often this situation occurs but it may pay to do your homework if a particular share increases dramatically for no apparent reason.

What I have just tried to explain is known as reverse stock split or share consolidation.

This makes the company more attractive to investors. They may hold fewer shares but the real value of the total shares in that particular company is the same. It is just that now they hold proportionately fewer shares.

Share consolidation can be viewed negatively by investors as a company in trouble and this could impact the share price.

One reason why a company may choose share consolidation is that if it’s shares fall below $0.50 for 30 consecutive days then it will be delisted. This is applicable to the New York Stock Exchange and there may be different rules for other countries. 

Another benefit of share consolidation is that it will mean fewer share certificates will need to be printed which will reduce costs.

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

You may use this article as content for your ebook or website/blog. The information may not be applicable to your personal circumstances therefore discretion is advised.

 

www.robertastewart.com

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The odds of winning the lottery

INTRODUCTION

Is it possible to use a system to beat the odds and live a life of luxury? The lottery or lotto as it is called in New Zealand first began in 1987 and I have never heard of any lotto winner claiming to have found a system to beat the odds. Most have won using lucky dips or lucky numbers, others have just selected their own numbers. 

The odds of winning the lottery

Written by R. A. Stewart

Lotto is played by millions of people worldwide in the hope of one day becoming lucky but for the vast majority of people that lucky lotto day never arrives. The huge odds against winning lotto ensures that millions contribute to the pool but only a few hit the jackpot.

In New Zealand a lotto player is required to select six drawn numbers out of forty. It is called division one. The odds of any one set of six numbers being the successful six are in in three million+

Power ball is when you have selected division one + the power ball number which is 1-10. The odds of winning a power ball are so remote that one is more likely to be struck by lightning. It is not surprising that the power ball often jackpots to huge amounts.

Some mathematicians have described the lottery as a tax on stupidity.

At least 66% of New Zealanders play lotto at least once a year. I do not know how many of them play every single week.

People who would otherwise consider themselves intelligent fall for the enticing advertising in order to participate in a gamble that is unlikely to succeed. Rationality simply goes out of the window.

A song and dance is made about the fact that 20% of all lotto sales is donated to various charities.

What I have to say about that is the lottery sucks out more money from communities than it returns. 

If one was simply donating to charities directly the person making the donation is able to claim 33% back in tax. (New Zealand). The advantage of donating to charity directly is one can choose who to give money to.

Lotto players will completely ignore all of the mathematical statistics with the argument, “You have got to be in to win.”

Problem with that kind of thinking is that few people ever do and often when they do win something, the payoff is usually one of the smaller prizes which is often spent on buying more lottery tickets or quickly frittered away in the blink of an eye.

ANNUAL LOTTERY SPENDING

If a lotto player spends $10 per week on the lottery that equates to $520 per annum. Think of what else that could have been invested in or put to better use.

There are so many share market trading platforms around today that the $10-$20 per week spent on lottery tickets could easily be used to start an investment portfolio.

LOTTERY SYSTEMS

Many people will swear by systems; whatever you are told the statistical odds of any set of six numbers being drawn are the same, however, if you choose numbers or a combination of numbers that are not chosen by other players then you will share the prize pool with fewer players if it is your lucky day. This is the type of strategy used by some system promoters.

Do not be deceived into thinking that any system will increase your chances of winning. This is not true!

As far as finances are concerned, I am saying that the money spent on lottery tickets is better directed at investments where you at least have something to show for it.

 

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

You are welcome to use this article to post on your site, as content for your ebook, or share it on social media. Visit my site www.robertastewart.com for other articles on finance.

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How to handle the share market crash

How to handle the share market crash

Written by R. A. Stewart

Cool heads are needed during a time when the value of your kiwisaver or managed funds have dropped in value. It is time to consider what your options are so here are some dos and don’ts to think about.

The dos

Do keep a cool head and weather the storm. Investing in the markets is a long term game.

Do keep reading the financial pages to keep up to date with the financial world.

Do ensure you still deposit at least $1040 into kiwisaver per annum in order to get the $520 tax credit.

Do remember that when the market has lost value, you will get more shares for your money when you buy.

Do keep adding other strings to your bow

Do keep saving a portion of your income.

The don’ts

Don’t change to conservative funds if you are in balanced funds

Don’t keep looking at your kiwisaver balance every day

Don’t lose perspective on life

Don’t listen to prophets of doom 

Don’t ignore your career/job objectives

Don’t stop saving

Always remember

Your greatest asset is your ability to earn an income. Become more valuable to employers and no one can take that away from you, not even inflation.

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE: This article is of the opinion of the writer and may not be applicable to your circumstances so discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your ebook or website.

www.robertastewart.com

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The Art of Averaging 

INTRODUCTION

Investors must realize that investing in the markets has its ups and downs (literally) that it is important to keep it all into the right perspective if investments do not go your way. There is a method of playing the markets in a way that you can take advantage of the market drops. 

The Art of Averaging 

Averaging is a term one may come across in the markets now and again; what this refers to is the average price paid for a particular share if you had bought shares in that particular company.

To calculate the average price paid for a particular share you add up the total amount you have paid for the shares and divide that by the number of shares you have bought in that company. 

The answer is the average amount that you have paid per share.

Try this mathematical question:

There are five numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50

What is the average number?

The calculation: 

Add up the five numbers:  10 + 20 + 30 + 40 + 50 = 150

Divide the total of the five numbers (150) by 5

150 divided by 5 = 30 (answer)

You can do this easily with a calculator.

There are so many share trading platforms available these days that investing directly into the sharemarket has never been easier for the ordinary man and women.

So how does averaging work?

If you purchase stock at regular intervals you will pay different prices for each stock because share prices go up and down. Imagine if you bought something at the supermarket last week at the full price then bought the same item this week on special. The average price you paid for the item will be somewhere between the higher price and the lower price.

The sharemarket works like that. By purchasing a particular stock at regular intervals you will manage to pick up some shares in it when the price is lower. This is the advantage of saving regularly. 

In fact I think there is a case for purchasing more shares when the price is low. The average price paid per share is determined by calculations as explained earlier. 

The averaging strategy can also be used in cryptocurrency investing. 

Bitcoin is more volatile than the sharemarket so an astute investor who has an eye for a bargain can invest when the price has dropped.

There are so many share trading platforms available that playing the markets is accessible to everyone. I have joined two of them in New Zealand. Most countries have share trading platforms available. Signing up for them is easy; you require some form of identification. Just follow the directions and you are all set up.

TO SUMMARISE

Playing the markets requires a positive mindset and a cool head. If you have these you can profit from falling markets. Averaging is a method that takes advantage of falling markets. 

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

Robert Stewart has a blog with other articles of a finance nature. Visit www.robertastewart.com Feel free to post this article on to your site, use it as part of your ebook, share it, print it, even sell it.

 

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Prioritising your spending

Prioritising your spending

Written by R. A. Stewart

Life is all about making prioritise and it is not all about money and how you prioritise your spending but about what you do with your time. We have different financial commitments and different levels of income but when it comes to time, we all have an allotted 24 hours in the day, no more and no less but our income and how we earn our income will have an effect on how much time we have to devote to the important things in our life.

Many people sacrifice their time for money by spending all of their time working leaving little time for anything else. They are out of balance.

If you have a specific goal in mind such as saving for a house deposit then the sacrifices may be worth it in the long term. Maybe because only you will know whether the long days were truly worth it. It al depends on what your priorities are.

What factors should you consider when setting priorities?

Here are several to consider:

Your commitments

Your commitments will have an effect on what you are able to spend your money on. Most people have commitments of some kind and these will having a bearing on your financial spending. 

Your debt levels

Any debts you may have will have a bearing on your spending. If you have a mortgage or other debt then saving up for an overseas holiday will not be on the radar nor will spending money on things which are considered to be wants rather than needs.

Your age

Your birthday will make a difference to how you spend your money. If you are in your 60s then you are not going to plan 30 years ahead. The young ones have tat luxury. Retired people are at the spending phase of their life. That does not mean to go out and blow your retirement fund all at once but rather enjoy life to the max by ticking off those items on your bucket list.

Your family circumstances

Your family situation will determine your priorities. A single person without any kids will have different priorities than someone who is married with kids. A married person is not going to make decisions based on themselves but has to consider their spouse and plan their journey together.

Your health

Your health is another factor to consider. If you have issues concerning your health then that will be a factor in how you prioritise your spending because you may not be able to work the hours you previously did which means that less money is coming in.

Your career

Another factor. Every career has its own unique set of challenges which have to be dealt with. 

Your pets

If you own pets then you have a responsibility to take care of their needs. However, it is important to think things through before deciding to get a pet because they can be a drain on your time, not to mention finances.

What now?

Who am I to tell you what you should do with your money but if your priorities in life always involves spending money and not investing it then somewhere down the road it will all catch up with you with that medical or dentistry bill and you do not have the funds to pay for it.

Hopefully this will at least serve as some kind of guide to setting goals for managing your money.

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

The information contained in this article is of the personal opinion of the writer and may not necessarily be applicable to your personal circumstances. Please feel free to share this article. You may use this article as content for your blog/website/ or ebook.

www.robertastewart.com

 

Start investing on a shoestring

Sharesies makes it possible for anyone to get into buying and selling shares. It is an online share market platform where you have the option of purchasing shares in individual companies or in various funds (managed/mutual funds). You can even start with $5. This is a no brainer because it gives investors young and not so young the chance to improve their financial literacy. There is certainly no substitute for experience when it comes to learning and this is applicable to everything else, not just investing.

Join sharesies here: https://sharesies.nz/r/377DFM

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Bank scam warning

Bank customer scammed out of 40k 

A BNZ bank customer was scammed out of $40,000. His experience is a timely reminder to all not to share passwords. 

The man who had received a sum of money from the sale of a house received what he thought was an email from his bank and gave away his log in details.

$40,000 went missing from his account as a result but it wasn’t all in one lump sum. Instead it was $5,000 here, $2,000 there to different names and email accounts.

$15,000 of the money did bounce back but about $18,000 of the money is still missing.

The bank customer complained that the bank did not contact him in more than a month.

The BNZ said that because the customer gave away the code to the scammers which gave him access to his bank account they were unable to return most of the missing money to his account.

The bank also said, “They would never ask their customers to click on link in an email or ask for their password.”

Sending a hyperlink was something scammers tend to do.

There are steps which people can take to protect themselves against cyber crooks: Making use of strong passwords, not sharing passwords with anyone and setting up a two-factor authentication system.

As for this particular customer. It was too late for him and he is still trying to get the bank to take responsibility for his loss.

MY PERSONAL ADVICE

Don’t leave all of your money in just one account but invest some in an account which cannot be assessed online.

www.robertastewart.com

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4 Rules for betting on Bitcoin

4 Rules for betting on Bitcoin

It is no secret that bitcoin has proved to be a very popular form of speculation, albeit a very risky one. Its volatility certainly has not turned it’s core supporters off though some it may said are looking to diversify into other crypto coins hoping to get on the ground floor of a get rich quick opportunity. Punters who are looking to get rich in this way must realise and most do that there is the possibility that they could lose their money.

1 Buy Bitcoin with money you can fully afford to lose

Only discretionary spending money should be invested in Bitcoin or other investments which are high risk. There is the chance of your Bitcoin increasing sharply in value but there is also the chance that your Bitcoin will lose it’s value. That is the nature of such investments. Whenever there is the chance of a capital gain there is also the chance of a capital loss.

2 Buy Bitcoin only if you are prepared to lose

If you are not prepared to lose your money then investing in Bitcoin is not for you. It is no secret that Bitcoin’s volatility makes it a speculative investment.

3 Bitcoin is not a substitute for your retirement fund

Investing in Bitcoin should not be done with your retirement savings and neither should you treat your Bitcoin holdings as your retirement fund but rather as an added extra. Call it an extra string to your financial bow.

4 Don’t be greedy

Greed is the downfall of some investors. They see a so-called opportunity offering a good return and place all of their eggs in the one basket by investing most or all of their money in this good thing. Doing this with Bitcoin is only an inviting financial disaster. You need to be sensible and only invest whatever you can afford to lose.

Taking calculated risks with your money is fine just so long as the loss of your money is not going to break you. 

 

If you have some cash to spare which you can afford to lose and are prepared to risk it on Bitcoin then read my article “How to buy Bitcoin” by clicking on the link below:

 

https://robertastewart.com/how-to-buy-bitcoin/

 

www.robertastewart.com