Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event is next week: Oct. 10-11. Call it “Prime Day 2.0” if you agree the name doesn’t roll off the tongue. The event promises another round of lowered prices on all sorts of products and an opportunity to cross-shop competing retailers.
October sales at a glance
Black Friday in October may be Amazon’s idea, but other retailers aren’t to be out-dollared. Here’s a rundown of the deal dates and some need-to-knows.
Target Circle Week is already on, running Oct. 1-7.
Deals are exclusive to Target Circle members, but Circle is free to join and use.
Get discounts online or in-store on items ranging from toys and kitchen supplies to everyday essentials like diapers and wipes.
Walmart’s Deals Holiday Kickoff begins at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 9 and runs through Oct. 12.
This sale isn’t exclusive to Walmart+ members, so all shoppers can access the deals.
Expect discounts on giftable items like electronics, apparel, home decor and more.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days begins at 3 a.m. ET on Oct. 10 and runs through Oct. 11.
Deals are exclusive to Amazon Prime members; Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year. (There’s a 30-day free trial option for newbies.)
Expect deal drops throughout the event, and Prime members can request special invites ahead of time to doorbusters that may sell out.
Oh, and Best Buy has a 48-Hour Flash Sale on Oct. 10-11.
It’s like “shopping Armageddon,” says Charles Lindsey, associate professor of marketing at the University at Buffalo School of Management. “Retailers are going earlier and earlier every year in the hopes of locking in a certain percentage of consumers’ ‘holiday wallets’ before other retailers can,” he says.
Similar sales at the same time last year gave people a good reason to jump into Black Friday shopping early. Prices on popular products monitored by NerdWallet hit or matched year lows.
But the extended season of sales creates more opportunities for shoppers to bust their gift-buying budgets, says Lindsey.
Try these methods to shop the onslaught of early sales in a way that preserves your holiday wallet.
1. Make a game plan
Approach internet sales with a plan, says Lars Perner, assistant professor of clinical marketing at the University of Southern California. “If you go online and look at all of these great deals, you’re going to be tempted, and you may end up buying things that you otherwise wouldn’t have bought,” he adds.
Amazon shoppers can likely relate. You go online for a specific item, say a wireless mouse for your laptop, and you check out with the mouse, plus a massage gun and a DIY home security system because of the in-your-face markdowns.
Make a list of what you need and know your gift-buying and fun money budget before you browse.
“We only have a limited amount of money to spend,” says Perner. So be ready to be enticed and understand the implications of overspending, he adds.
2. Shop intentionally and set a time limit
Maybe you’ve heard of timeboxing work tasks. It’s a strategy where you schedule time for a task, stay with it for a short burst, then move on. The concept promotes focus and clarity of objective, according to the Project Management Institute. You can use this method for a more focused and budget-conscious online shopping experience.
If you plan to peruse, resist the urge to check Amazon like a social media app, and pick a finite time of day to do it. Maybe you end your day with a half-hour online to browse the deals when your mind is clear and guard is up against overbuying.
3. Get a good price and know it
With deals happening all the time, it’s no longer enough to take the sale price at face value. Perner points out how markdowns can be misleading.
“The deal might say 45% off, but that’s not going to be 45% off the regular price,” he says. Instead, it’s more likely to be a percentage off the item’s list or suggested retail price, which might not reflect what the retailer typically charges.
“It may still be a nice deal, you know, 15% off, say, the regular price. But again, some of the discounts are going to seem bigger than they really are,” says Perner.
You can easily get a feel for the going rate before you buy. Lindsey encourages shoppers to use a site like Camelcamelcamel, which tracks the price history of products sold on Amazon, or other browser-based coupon finders to confirm the quality of deals. The Honey extension, a software add-on for browsers like Chrome, also displays the price of products over time.
4. Wait for Black Friday if you want
Of course, you can roll the dice and wait for the day after Thanksgiving. NerdWallet’s data shows Prime Day and early October sales like Prime Big Deal Days present prices competitive with Black Friday, but there’s no substitute for the real thing. Actual Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) sales events still rock, and there’s less threat of disruption this year.
“The last few years [of] Black Friday sales might have been more limited during the pandemic,” says Perner. He recalls the supply chain challenges and backlog of ships coming into ports.
“But we’re past that now, and the Chinese economy is slowing down,” he adds.
Perner says those factors could lower the cost to produce imported goods. That could lead retailers to offer even better deals.
5. Skip the deal days altogether
Perner says sometimes he’ll check out Amazon’s deal of the day when he needs a break, but he has become better able to resist buying things over time. One tactic he suggests: Let the delivery boxes accumulate in the hall or garage as “visual evidence of how much you might be buying.”
Maybe you don’t need all that stuff.
It certainly is hard to put down the phone or close the laptop when holiday sales kickoff days have a regular place on the calendar and in the culture. But if you can resist the temptation, you could save the most money by skipping the deal days altogether.
Feeling guilty shouldn’t stop you from taking care of yourself and your career. In today’s economy, switching jobs is often the surest way to get a significant pay raise, and it’s common to do so every few years.
“We all kind of grow out of things, and that’s a really normal process,” says Emily Frank, a Denver-based career counselor and coach who helps clients through her private practice called the Career Catalyst.
If you’re feeling guilty about leaving a job, experts recommend keeping the following points in mind.
Quitting may be better than staying
Think of it this way: Once you know you’re ready to move on, you probably notice a change in your attitude that makes work feel more like a drag. Is that a good thing for your coworkers and your employer?
When you’re feeling bored or unchallenged, it’s time to start looking for your next job move, Frank says. “Boredom isn’t good, and we don’t do our best work when we’re feeling unengaged.”
It’s normal to feel a sense of loss
The guilt you’re feeling about leaving your job may indicate that you care. You’ve invested time and energy into your work, as well as into your work relationships, says Jackie Cuevas, an Orange County, California-based human resources professional known on TikTok for giving career advice from “your friend in HR.”
“Obviously there’s a sense of guilt, because you’re like, ‘man, I’m leaving a lot behind,’ or ‘I have a lot of projects that I haven’t finished and they have to hire my replacement,’” Cuevas says.
“You have developed a bond with people that you work closely with. So it’s only natural and human to feel this feeling of guilt whenever you leave anyone behind.”
You can help with the transition
Channel your feelings of guilt into helping your coworkers and boss prepare for your departure. While it’s common to give two weeks’ notice that you’ll be leaving, standards vary depending on your industry and role. Give enough notice so that you have time to hand off projects, record any important notes or procedures and delegate responsibilities.
Bear in mind that you probably won’t answer every conceivable question before you leave. While it’s kind to offer to stay in touch if the team you’re leaving behind has questions after you’re gone, it’s not required. And you shouldn’t leave that door open just because you feel bad.
Focus on doing your best to help with the transition and then let the rest go, Cuevas says. “It’s up to management and the team to be able to really be solutions-focused and essentially figure it out.”
Your next chapter needs your attention, too
Wrapping up at an old job can be stressful. But your next phase needs your energy, too. Perhaps you’re moving to a new city or taking on a new level of responsibility.
If you can, take some time between ending one job and beginning another so you can decompress from the stress of your exit and shift your attention to what’s ahead of you.
It doesn’t have to be a lot of time — it could be a few days or a week. If, in order to get a bit of that transition time, you must give little notice at your old job, that’s a valid choice to make.
“You want to be able to close the door and get your mindset ready for this new, exciting position,” Cuevas says.
Should you feel guilty for quitting your job without notice?
Sometimes, circumstances require you to quit a job without notice, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about that.
It’s true that giving some notice before quitting your job would be the preferred route. It could help you maintain a professional relationship with your boss or coworkers. You never know when you might need help from people in your network.
But giving notice is not required and, in some instances, it may not be advisable, says Frank of the Career Catalyst.
You may decide to leave your job immediately because your new job starts right away or you are facing some kind of personal emergency. In those events, you may not be capable of doing your best work at your old job, and it’s probably better for everyone that you resign without notice.
If the fault is not on your end but lies with a harmful work culture, leaving immediately could be a way to protect yourself.
“If a workplace has gotten really bad, if there are bullying behaviors or sort of abusive treatment going on, then those are the times when you should throw professionalism out the window,” Frank says. “You just need to get out of there.”
The recently completed $300 million-plus acquisition of Home Point Capital by Mr. Cooper provided an attractive opportunity to bolster the company’s existing mortgage servicing rights (MSR) portfolio, and it’s expected to boost the company’s bottom line within the next couple of quarters.
This is according to Jay Bray, CEO of Mr. Cooper, in an interview on HousingWire’s Housing News podcast hosted by HW Media CEO Clayton Collins.
“We’ve known the management team [at HomePoint] well, [and] we’ve talked to them over the years about different strategic options,” Bray said. “As we entered the year, we felt like there was going to be an opportunity to buy some MSRs, and HomePoint presented a wonderful opportunity.”
Part of that stems from its large portfolio predominantly composed of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-backed loans, and aligned with Mr. Cooper’s own strengths, Bray explained.
“We just felt like that made a ton of sense,” he said. “We can add [them] to our platform without a lot of incremental costs, and continue to grow the platform that we’ve discussed over the years. And so, it just made a lot of sense for us.”
Bray said incorporating the company and its $84 billion in MSR assets has proven to be a smooth process so far, adding that it made a lot of sense for Mr. Cooper to explore strategically.
When asked about the differences in complexity between acquiring a company and an MSR portfolio, Bray explained that this particular acquisition was not very complex since Home Point Capital had spent much of the last year “simplifying their operation,” he said. That actually created more commonality with an asset purchase, he explained.
“Once we got to the stage where we were able to execute on a transaction, really, all that was left was predominantly the servicing asset,” Bray said. “And the servicing asset was being subserviced, so they just didn’t have a ton of operations [or] people that were supporting that asset. So, it was almost like buying an MSR asset.”
Prior transactions Mr. Cooper has been involved in were comparatively more complicated since they involved bringing over people and associated platforms in addition to the companies themselves, Bray said.
“We’ve done more, I would say, asset transactions than really true company or platform transactions in the past,” he said. “We can certainly do either, but the complexity of HomePoint was pretty simple because they had really simplified their operation. So, that’s really the way to think about it.”
When asked about any added complexity existing subservicing relationships may add to an acquisition, Bray explained that Mr. Cooper typically pulls any related subservicing into its own platform.
“We view our platform as, if not the most efficient, one of the most efficient platforms out there,” Bray said. “And so with our scale, size [and] profitability, it always makes sense to move it onto our platform. Now, there may be a period of time that we keep it at the subservicer just from a logistics [or] approval standpoint, but we generally always move it to our platform.”
There were no real surprises to be found in the transaction process that were not previously identified by prior due diligence conducted by Mr. Cooper, Bray added.
Listen to the full discussion with Jay Bray on the recent episode of Housing News.
Working from home has emerged as a common option for some employees as many companies have adopted the hybrid model and new work from home trends have evolved.
A dedicated workplace is becoming more of a priority for employees, especially those who live with roommates or other family members in an apartment. An extra bedroom or a nook is now an essential feature when people consider moving to or renting a new apartment.
While some employees have returned to the office, other people work for companies that allow a hybrid schedule and only require going to the office two to three days a week. Creating an office atmosphere is critical, especially for people who work with teams or spend many hours of the day on phone calls or video meetings. Sitting at the dining table or in a corner of the living room is no longer a conducive work situation for some people who want a dedicated space.
Here are six work-from-home trends that renters are seeking for 2022.
1. Extra bedroom-nook
“Renters will continue to prioritize functional remote workspaces,” said Ericka Rios, co-founder and director of leasing for Downtown Apartment Company, a Chicago-based brokerage that matches renters with approximately 16,000 apartments in more than 200 properties across the Windy City.
Rios also expects renters to seek work from home-friendly floor plans offering bonus rooms or pocket office nooks.
“Working from home has become a permanent part of the landscape with Chicago renters and they are changing their living situations to accommodate it,” she said. “While some workers have gone back to the office, many are still working from home some or all of the time and need a more functional space for their home office. Many have upgraded to a larger living space with an additional room dedicated to a home office, while others are moving to buildings that offer a more traditional co-working space. The common thread is that nearly everyone has prioritized finding a functional WFH situation within their apartment community.”
Maria Abbe, a public relations executive who lives in Florida, said she recently moved into a two-bedroom apartment to have additional space.
“I wanted extra space, ample lighting and an open kitchen/living room so I don’t feel like I’m holed up in one room all day,” she said. “The palm trees help, too.”
2. Storage areas
Having enough storage in an apartment or in another part of the building is important to many people who prefer to spend their time outside and want to safely stash their sports or exercise equipment, such as a bicycle.
“Storage space in the common areas is critical these days,” said Teresa DeVos, executive vice president of operations at RKW Residential, a Charlotte, NC-based, third-party, multifamily management firm that oversees more than 30,000 apartments throughout the southeast region.
“How that space is designed and delivered depends on the demographics and geographic area the community is located in,” she said.
Secure storage located in a nearby location is a consideration
A community in a walkable, urban neighborhood requires significant space for bike storage. Renters working from home want to get their bikes out of the apartment and in a secure space.
“One of our communities located on the water has many kayaking enthusiasts as residents, so we had to allocate space for kayak storage,” DeVos said. Working from inside an apartment all day makes getting fresh air and exercise that much more important.”
3. Adequate natural light/more windows
When you spend all day working from home, having enough natural light emerges as a priority. Some people thrive in work environments with a lot of sunlight and are more productive.
“Natural light or a big window to place your workstation is vital for the workday when you live in New York City,” said Raj Nijjer, CMO of Refersion, a company that helps online shops track sales driven by promoters, influencers and affiliates. He prefers anything green or trees outside and likes having the ability to take a short walk on quiet streets for breaks or phone calls.
“Natural light is very beneficial to wellness, especially for those who work from home,” said Linda Kozloski, creative design director at Lendlease, an Australian-based integrated real estate and investment group.
The broad windows at Cascade, a 503-unit luxury apartment tower that recently opened in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood, and Porte, a 586-unit development in Chicago’s West Loop that opened during the pandemic, not only let in the “ample daylight that residents desire, they offer views of the skyline and nearby parks, allowing residents to take mini breaks as they work, moving their eyes from their screen to the view,” she said.
“The most common request we are getting from renters about working from home is having the ability to carve out a little area of the apartment as a space to work comfortably and with plenty of natural light or LED lighting,” DeVos said.
“We have taken the step of staging our model apartments to incorporate such spaces so prospective renters can visualize what working from home would look like,” she said.
Large windows help with productivity
Freda Moon, a travel editor at SFGate, said having a view like a big window overlooking a park and a location with restaurants and bars nearby with a lot of activity becomes more important. “I don’t want to feel cooped up,” she said.
Large windows with natural light and “a view of the city to feel like I was in a real office which helps with productivity,” said Justine D’Addio, a publicist for startups, who works from home in downtown San Francisco. “Having a larger than average balcony is great for work breaks and overlooking whatever ‘hustle & bustle’ is left here,” she said.
4. Noise control
Being able to manage the amount of noise from inside the apartment and from within the building is critical for people who need less noise to complete projects. WFH employees find this to be a necessity, especially if they’re living with a partner, children or roommates.
“There has always been high demand for sturdy, well-built communities, but now that more of our residents are working from home, they appreciate that our projects are designed to high acoustical standards,” Kozloski said. “The double-glazed glass in the façades of Porte and Cascade act as a noise-mitigation measure, ensuring that most external sounds are not detectable.”
Other people want a quiet respite from street noise or have no desire to hear their neighbors walking around their apartments. Michael Dehls, an IT professional living in Rutherford, NJ, said, “I think the ability to manage noise is extremely important, especially for couples. ”
His previous apartment had no doors between rooms, which made it tough when both he and his wife had to take conference calls simultaneously. Their new apartment has doors in most of the rooms.
“Being able to limit the amount of noise she heard from her neighbors was essential,” said Liz Froment, a Boston resident, who moved during the pandemic.
“A huge one for me was limiting neighbor noise,” she said. “I went from being surrounded on all sides to a top floor corner unit sharing only one small wall.”
5. Meeting or co-working room
Being able to work in a meeting room in the apartment’s lobby or having a silent booth for taking phone calls is a necessity. Others need a break from their roommates or family members.
“Building amenities like co-working areas with meeting rooms, private booths or dedicated Zoom rooms will be in high demand during the year ahead,” Rios said.
“Renters also want the ability to create such environments throughout the community, whether it is individual ‘phone booth’ private spaces to make calls and have virtual meetings or co-working areas for small groups to get projects done,” DeVos said. “If we can incorporate small workspaces into rooftops, especially in cities with great views, we make sure to do so.”
Change of scenery needed for WFH employees
“The amenity arms race has always included meeting spaces that allow residents a change of scenery so they can get work done outside of their unit,” Kozloski said. “Since the start of the pandemic, some buildings also offer work pods that are designed for one person to do head-down work.”
“At Cascade (which is 50 percent occupied) there have been nearly 600 reservations for the two reservable conference rooms since launching reservations on Oct. 1,” she said. “These spaces are open 24 hours a day and the most popular reservation time is between 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Cascade also added Stockwell vending machines, coffee service and a Print with Me printer in this same space as the reservable study areas as a convenience for those that work from home.”
“A top consideration for renters is how an apartment building provides working from home options,” said Jon Schneider, senior vice president for Fifield Cos., a Chicago-based boutique real estate developer that owns multifamily buildings in multiple markets, including two properties that opened during the pandemic in Chicago.
Their buildings are primarily located in or near city centers, which offers easy access for those who have returned to the office, but “estimates show about 50 to 60 percent of its residents are still working from home,” he said.
“We anticipate the flexibility to work from both an office and from home will continue to be a factor for the long term,” Schneider said. “Data suggests eight out of 10 renters expect to be working from home at least part of the time now and in the future,” he said.
Demand for co-working suites is rising
“Residents at their building in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago like having access to a full co-working suite with individual booths providing separation with a sense of openness, small offices offering a less distracting, more private space for phone calls and focused work and a more traditional conference room with a large table and wall-mounted monitor for group meetings or space to spread out,” Schneider said.
“Having this common space allows residents the flexibility to lease whatever floor plan best fits their budget and lifestyle because they know work-from-home space is covered,” he said. “The co-working spaces in our buildings like Logan Apartments and Westerly are consistently utilized and some residents even bring an entire computer set-up with monitors and PCs down to the co-working space on a daily basis. In terms of COVID protocols, we follow whatever the local government guidelines are for masks and social distancing.”
6. Outdoor space
Having access to outdoor space at the apartment complex, such as a balcony with adequate room for a table and chairs, a small garden and/or a dog park, is what some renters prefer.
Some renters find that having a dog park is just as important as having enough light or an extra room.
A dog park is what made the difference in choosing the last apartment for Angela Tague, a marketing writer and journalist who lives in Sioux City, IA.
“It was great for my dog to exercise and meet other dogs and got me outside more,” she said. “Win. Win.”
Access to outdoor areas is a priority
The Downtown Apartment Company in Chicago said 75 percent of its rental clients now want access to private outdoor space and they’re willing to pay a premium for it. Units with balconies tend to rent at 30 cents to 40 cents more per square foot. Rios also said that the No. 1 location for a balcony is off the bedroom, which can be hard to find as most units feature a balcony off of the living area.
“Another interesting insight is that balconies are leveling the playing field a bit between older Class A buildings and newer Class A+ buildings with tons of high-end amenity space, but no private balconies, ” Rios said.
“Balconies allow renters to work outside in temperate weather,” she said. “I’ve heard from the Porte leasing team that balcony units were the first to go because people wanted that second location to work from home.”
“Both Cascade and Porte have generous outdoor amenity decks that include, among other things, plenty of lounge furniture where renters can sit with a laptop to get work done. In addition, Cascade has a 32nd-floor lounge space overlooking Navy Pier that includes an adjacent study room for those who want great views and a quiet space.”
Work from home trends will continue
Many work-from-home trends will continue in 2022 as renters seek new living quarters. Some will continue their hybrid work models, while others will spend more time in the office.
Employees prefer to have a defined workspace, whether it’s another room or areas dedicated to relaxation or exercise, such as a balcony, small green space or a dog park. They want to spend time outdoors and away from their screens.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) looks to have found a way forward for the portfolio of affordable-housing assets it took over from failed lender Signature Bank.
In its announcement that it has begun the process to sell the $33 billion of commercial real estate loans from Signature, FDIC said it will create joint ventures with potential buyers of the approximately $15 billion in loans for multifamily residences that are rent- stabilized or rent-controlled.
The regulator said the move is part of its obligation to ensure that it helps preserve affordable housing “for low- and moderate-income individuals.” The majority of these loans are for properties in New York City.
FDIC said that it will retain “a majority equity interest” in the venture while the winning bidders will be tasked with the “management, servicing and ultimate disposition of the loans.”
“Operating agreement will provide certain requirements that facilitate the financial and physical preservation of these loans and underlying collateral,” it said.
A spokesperson at FDIC told Newsweek that the “joint venture transactions enable the FDIC to retain a majority interest while transferring day-to-day management responsibilities to private sector professionals who also have a financial interest in the assets and an obligation to share in the costs and risks associated with ownership.”
The decision by FDIC to want to preserve affordable housing for low-income residents comes at a time when rent in New York City has skyrocketed. Median rent in September in New York is a little over $3,700, which is 77 percent higher than the national median, according to real estate site Zillow, and has gone up by more than $200 from the same time last year.
There were fears by some New Yorkers that the assets could be sold to new owners that were more interested in squeezing profits out of the properties rather than maintaining their rent-controlled or rent-stabilized status, as reported by The City earlier this year.
In March, the New York Department of Financial Services shut Signature Bank down after its collapse in one of the largest bank failures in U.S. history and appointed FDIC as the receiver of the failed lender’s assets. Flagstar Bank, a subsidiary of New York Community Bank, took over the deposits and some assets of the former Signature Bank in a deal struck in March by the regulator.
The shift could help FDIC find buyers who might have been reluctant due to rent stabilization or rent control, according to The Real Deal, a real estate-focused news outlet.
But some analysts say the properties remain attractive, despite the high interest rates.
“Even in this environment, there are buyers of rent-stabilized buildings and lenders who make loans on them, because if the underlying properties are valued at cap rates near today’s interest rates, they would be very safe investments to own as a loan or as real estate in the case the loans are not performing,” Matt Pestronk, president and co-founder of Post Brothers, a real estate developer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, told Reuters.
FDIC said the marketing for Signature Bank’s portfolio will occur over the next three months and the deals are expected to conclude by year’s end. The New York City-headquartered Newmark & Company Real Estate is advising on the sale.
Leverage ratios are a collection of formulas commonly used to compare how much debt, or leverage, a company has relative to its assets and equity. It shows whether a company is using more equity or more debt to finance its operations. Understanding a company’s debt situation is a key part of fundamental analysis during stock research. Calculating its financial leverage ratio helps potential investors understand a company’s ability to pay off its debt.
A high leverage ratio could indicate that a company has taken on more debt than it can pay off with its current cash flows, potentially making the company a riskier investment.
How to Calculate Leverage
A company increases its leverage by taking on more debt, acquiring an asset through a lease, buying back its own stock using borrowed funds, or by acquiring another company using borrowed funds.
There are several types of leverage ratios, which compare a company’s or an individual’s debt levels to other financial indicators. Some commonly used ones are:
Debt-to-Assets Ratio
This ratio compares a company’s debt to its assets. It is calculated by dividing total debt by total assets. A higher ratio could indicate that the company has purchased the majority of its assets with debt. That could be a warning sign that the company doesn’t have enough cash or profits to pay off these debts.
Formula: Total debt / total assets
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (D/E)
The debt-to-equity ratio compares a company’s debt to its equity. It is calculated by dividing total debt by total equity. If this ratio is high, it could indicate that the company has been financing its growth using debt.
The appropriate D/E ratio will vary by company. Some industries require more capital and some companies may need to take on more debt. Comparing ratios of companies in the same industry can give you a sense of what the typical ranges are.
Formula: Total debt / total equity
Asset-to-Equity Ratio
This is similar to the D/E ratio, but uses assets instead of debt. Assets include debt, so debt is still included in the overall ratio. If this ratio is high, it means the company is funding its operations mostly with assets and debt rather than equity.
Formula: Total assets / total equity
Debt-to-Capital Ratio
Another popular ratio, this one looks at a company’s debt liabilities and its total capital. It includes both short- and long-term debt, as well as shareholder equity. If this ratio is high, this may be a sign that the company is a risky investment.
Formula: Debt-to-capital ratio: Total debt / (total debt + total shareholder equity)
Degree of Financial Leverage
This calculation shows how a company’s operating income or earnings before interest (EBIT) and taxes will impact its earnings per share (EPS). If a company takes on more debt, it may have less stable earnings. This can be a good thing if the debt helps the company earn more money, but if the company goes through a less profitable period it could have a harder time paying off the debt.
Formula: % change in earnings per share / % change in earnings before interest and taxes
Consumer Leverage Ratio
This ratio compares the average American consumer’s debt to their disposable income. If consumers go into more debt, their spending can help fuel the economy, but it can also lead to larger economic problems.
Formula: Total household debt / disposable personal income
💡 Quick Tip: Investment fees are assessed in different ways, including trading costs, account management fees, and possibly broker commissions. When you set up an investment account, be sure to get the exact breakdown of your “all-in costs” so you know what you’re paying.
Ways to Use Leverage Ratio Calculations
Understanding the definition of leverage ratio and the formulas for various types, is the first step toward using the measurement to make investing decisions. Investors use leverage ratios as a tool to measure the risk of investing in a company.
Simply put, they show how much borrowed money a company is using. Each industry is different, and the amount of debt a company has may differ depending on who its competitors are and other factors, such as its historical profits. In a very competitive industry or one that requires significant capital investment, it may be riskier to invest in or lend to a company with a high leverage ratio.
The interest rates companies are paying matters also, since debt at a lower rate has a smaller impact on the bottom line.
Regardless of industry, If a company can not pay back its debts, it may end up going bankrupt, and the investor could lose their money. On the other hand, if a company is using some leverage to fuel growth, this can be a good sign for investors. This means shareholders can see a greater return on equity when the company profits off of that growth. If a company can’t or chooses not to borrow any money, that could signal that they have tight margins, which may also be a warning sign for investors.
Investors can also use leverage ratios to understand how a potential change in expenses or income might affect the company.
Recommended: How Interest Rates Impact the Stock Market
How Lenders Use Leverage Ratios
In addition to investors, potential lenders calculate leverage ratios to figure out how much they are willing to lend to a company. These calculations are completed in addition to other calculations to provide a comprehensive picture of the company’s financial situation.
Overall, leverage ratio is one calculation amongst many that are used to evaluate a company for potential investment or lending.
Recommended: What EBIT and EBITDA Tell You About a Company
How Leverage is Created
There are several different ways companies or individuals create leverage These include:
• A company may borrow money to fund the acquisition of another business by issuing bonds
• Large companies can take out “cash flow loans” based on their credit status
• A company may purchase assets such as equipment or property using “asset-backed lending”
• A company or private equity firm may do a leveraged buyout
• Individuals take out a mortgage to purchase a house
• Individual investors who trade options, futures, and margins may use leverage to increase their position
• Investors may borrow money against their investment portfolio
The Takeaway
All leverage ratios are a measure of a company’s risk. Understanding basic formulas for fundamental analysis is an important strategy when starting to invest in stocks. Such formulas can help investors weigh the risks of a particular asset investment and compare assets to one another.
There are numerous ways to use leverage ratios, and lenders can use them as well. In all, knowing the basics about them can help broaden your knowledge and understanding of the financial industry.
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As the cradle of American history and a hotbed for innovation, Boston offers renters with a wide range of incomes a lifestyle teeming with opportunities and experiences. From ample job opportunities in technology, healthcare and finance to a lively culture that embraces the arts and sports, there’s something for everyone. Fortunately, the average salary in Boston is also above the national average, providing a financial counterbalance for those looking to dive into all that this vibrant city has to offer.
Yet, it’s essential to consider that the cost of living in Boston is higher than in many other U.S. cities, particularly when it comes to rent and utilities. We’ll dive into both aspects of Boston living below to examine how much the average salary feels like when bills and entertainment costs are accounted for.
Overall average salary in Boston: $80,507
Average salary in Boston as an hourly rate: $38.71
Boston job market at a glance
Boston’s job market is rife with opportunities across a multitude of industries. Often referred to as the “hub of innovation,” the city is home to a burgeoning tech scene that rivals Silicon Valley, particularly in biotech, cybersecurity and software development.
It’s not just tech companies that are hiring, though. Boston’s status as a world-class city for education, boasting institutions like Harvard and MIT, has created a ripple effect of opportunities in academia, research and educational technology. Finance and consulting are also well-represented, with many major firms settling down in the city.
But it’s not all white-collar jobs and six-figure salaries. Boston’s thriving tourism industry provides a host of opportunities in hospitality, from hotel management to culinary arts.
The city’s extensive healthcare network, with renowned facilities like Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, offers a range of jobs from clinical to administrative. Construction and skilled trades are also in demand, as Boston’s growth shows no signs of slowing down. Retail and service jobs abound, especially in tourist-heavy areas like Faneuil Hall Marketplace or the historic North End.
In essence, whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional or someone looking for a career change, Boston’s job market is likely to have something that aligns with your skills and aspirations while netting you the average salary in Boston or above.
Renting in Boston
The rental market in Boston reflects an increasingly costly environment for tenants, with average rents ranging between $3,421 for a studio apartment to $5,330 for a two-bedroom. While studios and two-bedroom apartments have both seen an annual rent increase of 7%, one-bedroom apartments have had a more moderate increase of 2%, averaging $4,002.
Notable areas like Kenmore and Back Bay have seen astronomical rent increases of 40% and 59% respectively, for studio apartments. Conversely, the Seaport District experienced a 4% decrease in average rent for studio apartments, suggesting that not all areas in Boston are subject to the same upward pressure on rent.
When compared to nearby cities, Boston’s rents are generally higher. For example, the average studio rent in Cambridge is $2,910, a decrease of 5% compared to the previous year, while in more affordable areas like Roxbury and Manchester, the average rents for a studio are $1,900 and $1,627 respectively.
Among the most affordable neighborhoods in Boston for a one-bedroom apartment are Brook Farm, Forest Hills – Woodbourne and Jeffries Point, where average rents range from $1,950 to $2,200. In stark contrast, the most expensive neighborhoods include Kenmore, Fenway and Audubon Circle – Longwood, where one-bedroom apartments go for an average of around $4,779 to $4,843.
The Boston rental market thus reveals a significant range in pricing, depending on location and apartment size, with a predominant trend towards high rental costs. This could be a deterrent for lower-income families and individuals, effectively creating economic barriers to living in many areas of the city if you make below the average salary.
That said, if you’re raking in an average salary in Boston, while homeownership may not be on the table, you’ll have a deep pool of apartments within your price range to choose from.
Transportation
Navigating Boston is a breeze thanks to the city’s robust public transit system, affectionately known as the “T.” Managed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the T includes subway lines, buses and even scenic ferry routes across Boston Harbor. Major subway lines connect key hubs, while buses serve the city’s nooks and crannies. The standard fare for a subway ride is $2.40 with a CharlieCard, and bus rides start at $1.70. Monthly passes are available for frequent commuters.
While the T is a staple for many, having a car in Boston comes with its challenges, including congested roads and expensive parking. The city’s historic layout makes for narrow streets that aren’t always car-friendly. Parking costs can add up quickly, with rates in downtown garages often exceeding $30 a day. Many residents opt for resident parking permits but even then, finding a street spot can feel like hitting the jackpot.
In summary, the T offers a cost-effective and generally safe way to traverse the city, while owning a car demands a higher financial and logistical commitment.
Food
From the narrow alleys of the North End, teeming with Italian eateries, to the modern fusion restaurants of the Seaport District, Boston’s food scene is a culinary expedition waiting to happen. The city’s storied history has given rise to iconic eats like Boston Cream Pie and the iconic bowl of clam chowder, but don’t let tradition fool you. Boston is no slouch when it comes to trendy gastronomy; think vegan bakeries, gourmet food halls and artisanal coffee shops that dot the landscape from Fenway to Southie.
But that’s not all. Bostonians also have a soft spot for casual fare. The city boasts an impressive selection of food trucks serving everything from Korean barbecue to vegan tacos and more. The local bar scene contributes with its own genre of comfort food: Think loaded nachos, buffalo wings and overstuffed burgers best enjoyed while bellied up to the bar watching a Red Sox game. And let’s not forget the strong international cuisine scene; in neighborhoods like Allston, you can chow down on Thai curries, Japanese ramen and Middle Eastern kebabs all in a single street.
Entertainment
Often referred to as the “Athens of America” for its intellectual vitality, Boston has an entertainment scene that caters to every taste and sensibility. For the highbrow crowd, the city’s Symphony Hall, home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, offers an unmatched acoustic experience, while the Museum of Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art serve as sources of inspiration for art aficionados.
Those enamored by the stage will find solace in Boston’s flourishing theater district, which hosts a mix of Broadway hits, avant-garde performances and everything in between. There’s even a vibrant indie film scene, with theaters like the Coolidge Corner Theatre offering a sanctuary for lovers of the silver screen outside the mainstream.
Yet, for all its refinement, Boston is also a city that pulsates with the energy of its passionate sports fans. The words Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins are spoken here with a kind of religious reverence, and catching a game at historic Fenway Park or the state-of-the-art TD Garden is an experience that pulses with excitement and local pride.
For a more casual night out, the city is home to a ton of bars, from the clubs in the South End to raucous rock venues in Allston. Beer gardens, rooftop bars and dance clubs pepper the city, ensuring that when the sun goes down, Bostonians have no shortage of places to let loose. From the upper crust to the down-to-earth, Boston’s entertainment scene is as varied as it is abundant.
Other expenses
Living in Boston comes with its share of additional recurring expenses that go beyond the basics of rent, food and entertainment. One significant outlay is utilities, which can run higher than the national average, especially during the city’s harsh winters and hot summers.
Expect to shell out for heating costs in the form of gas or electricity, which can range between $150 to $300 a month depending on the size and efficiency of your home. Don’t forget the cost of water, internet and cable, which can collectively add another $100 to $200 to your monthly budget.
Healthcare is another major recurring expense, with Massachusetts having some of the highest healthcare costs in the country. Even with insurance, co-pays and premiums can add up. Monthly premiums for a standard plan can range from $200 to $400, while specialized treatments or medications can be substantially higher.
Similarly, fitness-conscious Bostonians might find themselves paying for gym memberships or yoga classes, which usually cost around $50 to $100 per month. Pet owners aren’t exempt from recurring costs either, with pet insurance, vet visits and grooming services contributing to the monthly bills.
Make your move to Boston
Life in Boston is a rich collection of experiences, from its dynamic job market and world-class educational institutions to its diverse food and entertainment scenes. While the cost of living can be steep, particularly when it comes to rent and utilities, the thriving job market often compensates with competitive salaries.
According to various reports, the average salary in Boston ($80,507) is higher than the national average, making it possible for renters to enjoy the city’s amenities and culture while also planning for a financially secure future. If you’re lucky enough to be bringing in $100,000 a year, you should have no problem finding the perfect place to call home in Boston.
This article is part of a series put together by the Total Mortgage marketing team that provides loan officers and other sales professionals with a crash course in marketing and self-promotion. To read other articles in this series, click here.
This article is designed to teach loan officers and other sales professionals how to properly maintain and boost their social media presence. It will hit all the key points such as connecting, managing multiple profiles, engaging with influencers, and what to post.
Want to jump ahead?
LinkedIn
Connecting & Following
Managing Multiple Profiles
Properly Engaging with Influencers
How and What to Post
Facebook
Connecting & Following
Managing Multiple Profiles
Properly Engaging with Influencers
How and What to Post
Twitter
Connecting & Following
Managing Multiple Profiles
Properly Engaging with Influencer
How and What to Post
Google +
Connecting & following
Managing Multiple Profiles
Properly Engaging with Influencers
How and What to Post
LinkedIn
How to Gain/Find Connections
When you first started setting up your LinkedIn account, you were prompted to import your contacts from your email address book. If you clicked yes, you probably already have a few dozen connections. However, once your profile is completed, you will need to search for those connections you didn’t have on your contact list, like loan officers you met at a conference or realtors you haven’t had a chance to work with yet. There are many different ways to go about finding and linking with connections on LinkedIn.
The first way is arguably the easiest way: using the Search box. It can be found on the top of any tab of the LinkedIn interface. There are also many “Advanced Search” options available if you click the “Advanced” text link right next to the search button.
You could also find connections from clicking onto your Profile, scrolling down to your experience and hovering over your business place icon and then clicking onto the icon or your company title, highlighted by the red arrow.
After clicking on your company’s icon, scroll down until you see the “How You’re Connected” on the right side of the screen. Click “See all.”
Now you have the opportunity to see coworkers and contacts who you’re not connected to.
Managing Multiple Profiles
LinkedIn is generally a place where you focus on one personal profile. However, if you run your own business, you will want to create a company page for it. If you need help creating a company page, check out my Social Media Basics post. If you only manage one page, then this section may not be that useful.
If you are on your profile page and you want to switch to your company page, you simply click on the small icon on the top right hand corner of your screen (where the arrow is shown) then on “Company Page.”
This will lead you to this screen.
You’ll now be able manage, change, analyze, and update your company page. If you want to switch back to your profile page, just click on the home tab or profile tab.
Engaging with Influencers
Connecting with influencers—that is, the people who are active, established, and popular in your industry—is a great way to widen your reach. Of course, engaging with influencers on LinkedIn is not something you should do blindly. It takes strategy and time to do correctly.
Do Not:
Do not connect with an influencer without ever interacting with them
Do not like, comment, or share everything they post
Do not post more than 3 times per day
Do:
Do connect if you had previous relations
Do connect if you are connected on other networks
Do connect if you have exchanged emails or contact info
How and What to Post on LinkedIn
Posting on LinkedIn is very straight forward. LinkedIn allows you to share updates, publish a post, upload a photo, share in groups, and post job opportunities. You can access these options in the home tab, except for sharing in groups and posting job opportunities.
Sharing in a Group
Sharing in a group could be a great way to get your content to a broader audience. Joining groups on LinkedIn is very easy. First, click on the “Interests” tab and then click on “Groups” If you are already a member of a group it will appear under the “My Groups” section. If you aren’t a member of any groups, just click on the “Discover” tab and LinkedIn will provide recommendations for groups to join. You have the option to select “not interested,” “ask to join,” or you can ignore and continue to scroll.
Once you ask to join a group, your request must get approved by an admin, which can take a day or two depending on how busy they are. After you’re accepted, you can view what the others in the group are posting. To get started, click on “Start a conversation with your group.” The box will expand and you get the options listed below. At this screen, type in your title and a brief description with a link to the real content. Follow the same process for posting a job opportunity in a group.
If you run a LinkedIn business page, then you have the option of posting a job ad through the “Business Services” tab. Once you hover over “Business Services,” click on “Post a Job” to get to this screen.
After you fill out the appropriate information and click “Start job post,” LinkedIn will walk you through a series of prompts, where you will fill out information like job function, company industry, and job description. Once that’s done, review everything and click submit.
What to Post:
Career status updates
News and events
Articles shared by your connections
Your own articles
What not to Post:
Quotes
Updates trying to sell services/items
Material you deem not appropriate for the workplace
Facebook:
How to Gain Followers:
With more than 1.65 billion monthly active users, Facebook has the potential to connect you to people across the globe. If you’re using Facebook for business purposes, you need to understand how to properly navigate it to connect with others.
There are multiple strategies to take. For example, you can create a personal account, a business page, or both. If you’re in an industry where you need to keep things professional (like, for instance, the mortgage and financial industry), then I recommend creating a business page so you can separate your professional life from your personal life. You have to mindful of whom you invite to like your page, but we’ll touch on that topic a little later.
If you’re completely new to Facebook, prepare to spend some time connecting with people you know. You can manually add friends by clicking in the search box at the top of the screen and typing the name of the person you are trying to find. Eventually Facebook will tailor a carousel of “People You May Know,” which will allow you to click “Add Friend.” Thankfully, Facebook has implemented a few tricks to make it easier to add friends in bulk.
Go to the Friends Request page then to the “Add Personal Contacts,” enter your email and click find friends.
After you enter your email it will take you through to a similar screen. Click “Agree,” then follow the on-screen instructions.
On the Go
You can also import contacts from your mobile device.
Tap
Hit “Find Friends” in the Apps section
Tap “Contacts,” then follow the on-screen instructions
Connecting to Others Via Your Business Page
Click on the triangle in the top right corner of your home page.
Click on the drop down menu and select your business page.
Click on the […] on your cover photo and then click on “Invite Friends.”
Search all friends: click the invite box next to your friends’ names to invite them to like your page—or type their names in the search box.
Managing Multiple Profiles
Facebook does a fantastic job of making it easy to manage as many pages as you want. Their interface organizes your pages so you can easily switch through and manage every single of one of them. Every time you create a new page, Facebook allows you to add that page into your “Favorites” section. I highly recommend doing this, because it keeps all of your pages in easy reach, which you can see in the image below.
You can also switch between pages by clicking the drop-down triangle on the upper right corner of your home page. In that menu, you’ll find a list of three of your pages. Shown below:
If you manage more than 3 pages—like we do here at Total Mortgage—you can just click on “See More…” and it will give you a list of all the Facebook pages that you manage. To switch back to your personal page, you simply just need to hit the “Home” button and it will take you back to your feed.
Properly Engaging with Influencers
Recently, Facebook has changed how you interact with other people or businesses when you’re on your business page. Once, you were able to be on your business profile, click on “Home” and interact with people and businesses that follow your business page. However, that is essentially nonexistent today. Now you really need to be creative if you want to engage with influencers in your community.
To Like a Different Page as Your Business Profile
Go to the page you want to like and click on the […]
Click “Like As Your Page.” Then this screen will pop up and you choose the business account that you want your like to come from. Click “Save.”
Tagging other influencers in your Facebook posts is simple if you know the name of their business page. A lot of influencers have both personal and professional profiles, however, so make sure you know which one you’d like to connect with.
Unfortunately, you can’t tag a personal account from your business profile. If you want to tag a professional account from your business page, you craft your post, then add the appropriate tag at the end. You always want to convey that you got the content from a source and you are using it credibly.
In the picture below, you see that I have crafted a draft of my message and tagged the source I got it from with the tag “via @[name].” Instead of via you could use from, by, thanks to, etc. When possible, try to use a link shortener such as Buffer or Hootsuite to keep things looking tidy.
Once you get the proper etiquette down for interacting with influencers, now it’s time to engage with them. Like I mentioned above, you can like other pages as your page. You are able to do the same for posts. You do that by going to the page you want to like something on and scrolling to the post that you want to interact with. Before you like the post or comment, make sure you switch from your profile to your business profile. You do this by:
1. Clicking on the downwards arrow next to your small Facebook default icon
2. Click on the account you want to like and comment as.
You are now liking and commenting as your business account. This is the best way you can engage with your influencers. There are 3 important things you must always remember to do and don’t do before you start engaging with influencers.
Do Not:
Do not like/comment on everything that they post
Do not ask for a favor like sharing a post right away
Do not reach out to them right away
Do:
Gradually interact with them by liking their page and commenting on a few posts/pictures 1-3 times a week
Share some of their posts 1-2 times a week
Always remember to thank them for sharing information that you find important
Here’s where you use your gut. Once you think you’ve earned yourself a spot on the influencer’s radar, the next step is to reach out personally. This can be done in an open forum through commenting, or it can be done through private message. The eventual goal is to take the conversation “offline” through either phone or email so you can begin building an even more personal relationship.
How and What to Post on Facebook
Posting and sharing on Facebook is very easy. If you have a personal Facebook, you already know the drill. If this is your first time on Facebook or you don’t know how to post to your business page, then keep reading.
Posting on Your Personal Page
Bring your mouse to the top tab and click on your name
Click on the box where it says:
3. Click on the kind of post you want to craft: status, photo/video, or life event. Finish typing it with the appropriate tags (if needed) and click post.
Posting on your Business Page
Make your way over to your business page
Click on the box where it says “status, photo/video, or life event” and create the post you want to send out
When you are finished, click “Publish”
What to Post on Facebook
There are two types of content that you should post on Facebook. The difference depends on what account you plan to post with. For both profiles, you should post content that really resonates with your audience and makes people see you as a credible source (i.e. if you’re a loan officer, try content based around changes in the industry or tips on how to make the mortgage process easier).
Content like this positions you as an authority and encourages your audience to consider using your services if they are shopping for a home or refinancing. Every once in a while, it’s okay to throw in a shameless plug, whether you’re asking for referrals or encouraging people to use your services. Your personal page can have all the other updates—photos of your family, your dog, things you’re passionate about, etc. It is ok to post some business topics on your personal page, but make sure to do so sparingly. Your personal page is meant for personal things.
Twitter:
How to Gain Followers
Twitter is a great place to gain followers based on things that you find interesting. You can use the search box to find other professionals and people in your industry by looking for relevant hashtags, like #realestate.
Top Tips for Gaining Followers
Try finding your connections from other places like Facebook and LinkedIn on Twitter
Follow users who follow your followers
Follow the accounts recommended by Twitter
Join a Twitter chat
Managing Multiple Profiles
Unfortunately, Twitter doesn’t have an interface within itself to switch profiles easily—unless you are on your mobile device or want to use multiple web browsers. However, there are certain tricks, tips and hacks you can use to make managing multiple profiles easier.
Toggling Profiles in the Twitter App for iOS
From the “Me“ tab, tap the people icon
Tap “More options.”
From here you can “Create new account” or “Add an existing account.”
Once you’ve added your additional account, you can toggle between accounts by tapping the people icon.
Toggling Profiles in the Twitter App for Android:
Tap the overflow icon
Tap “Accounts.”
From here you can “Create new account” or “Add existing account.”
Once you’ve added your additional account, you can toggle between accounts by tapping the overflow icon, then tapping “Accounts.”
If you’re uninterested in downloading the Twitter app for your mobile device, there are other options. If you manage more than one profile you can easily manage multiple accounts if you use a tool like Tweetdeck, Buffer, or Hootsuite. All of these applications have free versions, so you don’t have to worry about spending money.
These apps make it easy to manage countless amounts of accounts. My personal favorite of the three is Buffer, because the interface is very easy to use and it provides multiple tabs to check out how your account is doing in terms of analytics. It also has a built-in link shortener that automatically shrinks your links when you are adding them to a post. Shown below is a screenshot of my Buffer interface.
Engaging with Influencers
Engaging with influencers on Twitter is a great way to kick-start your influencer marketing strategy. This is where Twitter search comes in handy; you can use it to find the people who tweet regularly in your industry regularly. If you want to stay organized, I recommend creating a spreadsheet that has a list of your influencers, their names, follower count, and what stage of your relationship you’re in. Once you’ve found a handful of them, it’s time to start engaging.
Do not:
Tweet, retweet, or like everything that they tweet
Try to directly reach out to them—it comes off creepy
Follow them on other networks without establishing a relationship with them
Do:
Occasionally tweet, retweet, or like their posts to get on their radar
Appreciate their content by tweeting it out to your audience (and making sure your attribute the author)
Once you established a relationship, make it easy for them to tweet about your service by crafting an email with a few sample tweets that they could send out about your services. Make sure you convey the message that you are willing to reciprocate the favor
How and What to Post:
Posting on Twitter is very simple. If you are on the web browser version of Twitter the tweet box is one of the first things that you see. You can find it by looking for the “What’s happening?” text.
To compose a tweet you just click on this box and type the content you want to share.
Posting a Tweet on a Mobile Device
Tap the compose Tweet icon accessible from your Home timeline, the Notifications tab, or your profile (usually located on the upper right hand of your screen.)
Start typing where it says “What’s happening?”
If you’d like to Tweet an image, tap the camera icon
Tap “Tweet” to post.
What to Post
Just like any other platform, choosing what to post comes down to a few key factors.
Who your audience is
What kind of message are you trying to portray
What kind of content will resonate with that audience
Make sure you don’t forget to utilize the power of hashtags on Twitter. To see how a hashtag is performing simply search the hashtag in the search box before you post the tweet or check it out on Tagboard.
You want to have the appropriate amount of hashtags to text ratio. Most marketers recommend using no more than 3 hashtags per tweet. However, if your tweet only contains 3 words, don’t hashtag them all. Finding the perfect mix of creativity and content is surely a challenge but once you find your niche you will be good to go.
Google Plus
Google+ is one of the most underrated social media platforms, but it could be a great asset to your strategy if used properly.
How to Gain Followers
Make Your Profile Look Good
I know, it sounds obvious, but a lot of people just use the default graphics that Google supplies. Make sure your profile looks good and is customized so you reach people in your niche.
Follow other Google Plus People
Just like other social platforms, you’ll need to work for your followers. You do this by following as many people as possible. There are multiple ways of doing this. If you are looking for people to connect with , search for something relevant to your industry like, for example, “Real Estate.” A list like below will pop up and you will be able to decide who what you want to follow, whether it be collections, communities, people & pages, or if you just want to view posts.
You can also follow people manually:
Click the People Icon on the left side of the screen
You should see a “Find People” option. Click on that
Go through the list of people and see who you want to add
You can add them to just your follower base or you can add them to relevant circles, such as “Realtors”
Join Communities
If you’re looking for the fast track way of getting your name in front of dozens, even hundreds of people at once, then you’re looking for communities. When you join a community, you are part of a much larger group of people who are interested in a certain topic. This is how you engage the right kind of followers.
Utilize Hashtags
With Google Plus know you can search content by words, phrases, and hashtags. Even though hashtags are more popular on Twitter, they work the same way on Google+.
Let’s say you hashtag a word or phrase in your post, i.e. #RealEstate. Thanks to that hashtag, your post enters a stream with hundreds of other posts with that same hashtag. Meaning, anyone watching that stream or looking for specific information centered on that topic will easily find your post.
Add a Google+ Badge to Your Website
If you have your own website, it’s a sin in 2016 to not have visible social widgets. These are clickable icons that take you right to your social media pages. They take the hassle out of finding your social pages, making it easier to gain followers.
Managing Multiple Profiles
Managing multiple profiles on Google+ is very simple if you add all your accounts to one email address. Once you associate all your different profiles to that one email address it becomes very easy to switch back and forth between the different profiles from the Google+ interface. Don’t forget—you can always use a social media management tool like Buffer to switch profiles simultaneously.
Switching Profiles:
Click the icon on the upper right hand corner (Note: Your icon will be different from ours)
Once you click on that icon it will release a drop down menu of all the other profiles you have connected to your account
Now you are free to switch through whichever profile you deem necessary
Properly Engaging with Influencers
Engaging with influencers is a lot like engaging with influencers on any other platform—you need a strategy and you need to find the right influencers.
Do not:
Plus one (+1) everything they share
Try to directly reach out to them–it comes off creepy
Follow them on other networks without establishing a relationship with them
Do:
Occasionally +1, comment, and share their posts
Appreciate their content by sharing it in your communities
Share some of their posts 1-2 times a week
Thank them for sharing information that you find important
How and What to Post
Posting on Google+ seems a lot more complicated than it really is. Just keep in mind that you can post publicly, in a community, or in a group. To post you simply go to the page, community or group you want to post to.
Click on the pencil icon on the bottom right hand corner
Which will bring you to this screen
Here you type in the text of the message you want to draft in the ‘What’s new with you?’ section. If you are adding a link, click on the. If you want to add a picture (recommended) click on the camera icon. You can also add your location by clicking on the location pin.
What to Post
Just like any other network, you need to find your niche before posting blindly. Finding content that really resonates with your audience is half the battle. Like I said previously, try testing a few types of content to see what works best.
Don’t be afraid to use content with a lot of pictures like infographics. The more pictures the better. A very good post is a combination of clever content, great pictures and captive CTA’s (call to actions.) Once you find this balance roll with it and optimize your Google+ account to its full potential.
Thinking About Your Next Steps?
All of these social media platforms are great for connecting and getting your content out there. Each platform is a little different from the next, so don’t try to implement the same strategy throughout all of them. Finding your groove might take some time, but keep working towards it and tweaking your strategy to see what gives you the best results. Once you hit that sweet spot, roll with it.
You can learn more about what the Total Mortgage marketing team does for our loan officers by checking out other articles in this series, or by visiting our career portal.
Carter Wessman
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Inside: Are you looking for an affordable budgeting app that offers a range of features? YNAB may be the perfect choice for you! This guide will compare YNAB vs Mint, highlight their key features, and help you decide which is best for your needs.
Are you trying to make a choice between Mint and YNAB for managing your financials?
Here’s a comprehensive overview that would definitely point you in the right direction.
Both Mint and YNAB have proven to be efficient and reliable online budgeting tools, but their offering varies in some aspects.
While Mint shines with its free budgeting tools and comprehensive credit score and report management capabilities, YNAB stands distinguished with its robust features and specialist credit management options, making it worth its fee for some users.
Herein, we dive into the similarities, differences, and unique functionalities of both platforms to help you decide which one best aligns with your financial management needs and lifestyle.
As a finance expert, I’ve seen both YNAB and Mint apps work wonders for different people.
In my opinion, both have unique value. Novices may find Mint’s overview helpful, while more determined budgeters might prefer YNAB.
Remember, it’s perfectly fine to use both if it aids your long-term money management.
This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.
What is YNAB?
YNAB is a budgeting software I’ve utilized that provides detailed financial tracking and education for effective money management. Also, known as you need a budget app.
Adhering to its unique Four Simple Rules for Successful Budgeting, every dollar is assigned a specific task. YNAB operates via an online account or a mobile app, involving color codes and features like ‘The Inspector’ for efficient budget overview. However, it’s important to note that YNAB caters only to the zero budgeting style and charges a monthly subscription fee.
This is a great budgeting method as it gives you a cash flow budget plan for your money.
Overall, YNAB helped me gain control over my finances by setting realistic goals, getting one month ahead on bills, and focusing on each dollar’s purpose.
What is Mint?
Mint is a free, all-in-one finance platform owned by Intuit that can be used to easily manage my money.
It links all accounts in one place for easy tracking and includes features such as budgeting, credit score monitoring, and bill tracking.
For instance, Mint categorizes transactions, monitors changes in my credit score, and sets up budgetary limits.
With over 30 million users, Mint is a leading free tool in personal finance management.
A step up from Mint would be Intuit’s Quicken platform or Simplifi budget app.
Comparison of YNAB and Mint Apps
Mint is a comprehensive, free budgeting app, that provides an overall view of your finances. It links to your accounts, tracking and categorizing spending, while also offering savings tips. Conversely, YNAB, a paid app, focuses on giving users control over budgeting. It will link to your accounts and encourage a proactive role in handling finances.
These are two of the budget apps available on the market.
1. YNAB vs Mint: Features
YNAB and Mint are both renowned budgeting apps, but they possess some notable differences.
While both support account linking, goal setting, and spending tracking, Mint pulls ahead with its investment and credit score tracking features.
YNAB distinguishes itself with a forward-thinking, zero-based budgeting strategy and benefits like manually adding transactions. Think budget by paycheck style.
From the ease of use standpoint, both are equally user-friendly.
2. YNAB vs Mint: Budgeting Snapshot
YNAB offers a rigorous, manually updated budgeting snapshot that employs a zero-based budgeting philosophy. This feature provides a detailed outlook, encouraging users to assign every dollar a job.
On the other hand, Mint has an automated tracking system that offers an all-in-one snapshot of all financial accounts and spending categories.
Mint integrates your accounts, offering useful tips and an overview of your finances. Conversely, YNAB requires a manual categorization of income and expenses but affords more budgeting control. Similar to using the ideal household budget percentages.
The budgeting snapshot in Mint is best suitable for individuals seeking a hands-off approach, while YNAB is ideal for those who prefer an in-depth, hands-on budget strategy.
A great way to move digital from your budget binder with envelopes.
3. YNAB vs Mint: Goal Setting
The Goal Tracking feature in YNAB allows users to set various budgeting goals such as saving targeted amounts of money or conversely working towards getting out of credit card debt. This in-built functionality provides a structured pathway for users to stick to and pursue their financial objectives effectively.
Your interaction with your YNAB account through the goal-tracking tool ties back to YNAB’s four Simple Rules for Successful Budgeting, aiding in fiscal responsibility.
This innovative feature assists individuals in staying focused on their planned budgets, ensuring they are empowered to make strides toward their unique financial goals.
Mint however doesn’t offer this feature.
4. YNAB vs Mint: Interface
While YNAB is ideal for meticulous budgeters prioritizing forward planning, Mint is perfect for those seeking an easy-to-use, comprehensive glimpse of their financial standing.
YNAB’s interface is focused on budgeting, featuring tools for expense tracking, goal setting, and manual transaction input.
In contrast, Mint offers a comprehensive overview of your financial health, automatically categorizing expenses, tracking investments, and offering set-up alerts.
5. YNAB vs Mint: Categorization
Mint offers automated categorization of transactions, which eases the process of budgeting for the user. However, it doesn’t allow the removal of default categories, and the addition of new ones might take time due to server communication.
On the other hand, YNAB allows a deeper level of categorization, with an option to visually nest categories, and more effortless editing of these categories.
In my opinion, Mint’s categorization feature suits a casual budgeter looking for automation, while YNAB would be ideal for those desiring granular control over their personal budget categories.
6. YNAB vs Mint: Mobile App & Cross Platforms
Both YNAB and Mint offer comprehensive personal finance management via mobile apps, compatible with iOS, Android, and desktops.
YNAB stands out with its Apple Watch integrations and a slightly better syncing experience based on user reviews on Trustpilot1.
YNAB also syncs across a desktop app as well.
7. YNAB vs Mint: Alerts
Mint provides a wide selection of alerts, including low balances, upcoming bill payments, over-budget warnings, ATM fees, and unusual expenditure notifications.
These comprehensive alerts from Mint give a more thorough financial pulse check but can be overwhelming for some.
On the other hand, YNAB recently added live push notifications based on your preferences.
8. YNAB vs Mint: Syncing
YNAB leads the game when it comes to synchronization, outshining Mint. While Mint supports numerous banks, issues with synchronization often lead to grievances among its users. YNAB, on the other hand, offers smoother syncing and fewer complaints, proving its superiority.
Many users find YNAB’s syncing consistent and reliable.
Personally, I believe that if you prioritize seamless syncing and don’t mind spending $14.99 a month, YNAB becomes a clear choice.
However, if you’re okay with potential sync issues and prefer free usage, Mint could be more suitable.
It’s crucial to pick according to your priorities and needs.
9. YNAB vs Mint: Savings Accounts
Mint offers automatic expenditure tracking and classifies my spending into categories, providing a comprehensive view of where my money is going.
YNAB, on the other hand, empowers me to manually budget my net income each month, ensuring I don’t overspend and promoting a proactive approach to saving.
10. YNAB vs Mint: Investment Tracker
Mint offers investment tracking features, allowing users to view their investment portfolio and monitor performance.
In contrast, YNAB lacks this feature, not providing any investment tracking at all.
As a user, if you highly prioritize tracking investments in one place, you may lean towards using Mint. Conversely, if investment tracking is less important to you than budgeting, YNAB’s strong budgeting emphasis, despite its lack of investment tracking, makes it a considerable option.
11. YNAB vs Mint: Learning Curve with your Finances
YNAB has a steeper learning curve, necessitating a proactive approach to money management by assigning every dollar a purpose. Thus, YNAB gives you a free 34-day free trial to understand how to use the app.
Mint, however, requires minimal user input post-account linkage and auto-categorizes your spending. For sheer ease of use, Mint might appeal to novices looking for automated budget tracking.
On the other hand, users wishing to take charge of their finances might appreciate YNAB’s proactive, behavior-altering approach. Despite having a steeper learning curve, YNAB offers an abundance of online tutorials and customer support, making the learning process manageable and rewarding.
The same is true when you are learning to use the biweekly budget template.
12. YNAB vs. Mint: Data Security
Data security is a paramount concern when utilizing online budgeting apps as they deal with sensitive financial information.
Apps like YNAB and Mint incorporate stringent security measures to protect user data.
For instance, YNAB uses a one-way salted and hashed password system and data encryption.
Mint, on the other hand, employs two-factor authentication and a Touch ID sensor for iOS for enhanced security.
Nonetheless, it’s important to note that while these apps provide bank-level security, Mint does anonymize and sell user data to advertisers.
13. YNAB vs Mint: Advertising
YNAB derives income primarily from subscription fees offering an ad-free experience, holding a straightforward revenue model. In contrast, Mint generates income through affiliate commissions by advertising financial products to users and selling anonymized user data!
Mint, contrastingly, is a free app reliant on ads and sells anonymized user data for third-party advertisements.
From my perspective, if avoiding ads and preserving data privacy matters to you, YNAB’s approach might be more appealing. However, if you prefer a free service and don’t mind the ads, Mint would be suitable.
14. YNAB vs Mint: Customer Support
When evaluating the customer support of Mint and YNAB, it’s evident that YNAB takes a more well-rounded approach.
With a commitment to respond to email queries within 24 hours, YNAB also provides educational resources such as the “get started” class, their blog, and user forums. This is in contrast to Mint, which, despite offering live chat support, has had reports of slow response times.
Both platforms offer online training materials, but YNAB seems more comprehensive and responsive in its support-providing role. Overall, YNAB appears to be the preferred choice when customer support is a primary consideration.
15. YNAB vs Mint: Cost
Mint is a free, ad-supported budgeting app while YNAB is a subscription-based model of $14.99 monthly or $99 annually.
However, for individuals seeking in-depth surgical budgeting capabilities without concerns for associated costs, YNAB’s price might represent a great investment.
Given the claimed average user saves $600 in two months and $6,000 in the first year.2
For those budgeting with minimal funds, the free price tag of Mint might be more attractive, but you are giving away your privacy.
Pros and Cons of YNAB vs Mint
Our Favorite
Key Features:
YNAB offers a comprehensive approach to budgeting, helping you plan monthly budgets based on your income. It also offers expert advice, making it suitable for those who require an in-depth, forward-thinking budgeting strategy.
YNAB’s superior synchronization skills make it the winner in this area. YNAB has extra features like goal setting for budgeting, shared budgeting tools for partners
YNAB provides an option to manually add and upload transactions from accounts each month, a feature that Mint does not offer.
YNAB prioritizes user privacy, requires an opt-in to access budgeting data, and doesn’t sell user data.
Key Features:
Mint offers a centralized platform for monitoring all your financial accounts, including credit cards and bank accounts.
It provides a complete financial overview at a glance through the auto-population of data from linked accounts.
Mint’s features include detailed reporting in multiple categories, free credit score access, and exceptional compatibility with financial institutions.
The service is free, funded by ads and offers, and it best serves those who wish to categorize spending, budget their monthly expenses, and access all financial details from one place.
Lack of investment tracking feature
Customer service is only accessible via email, which might not be ideal for urgent queries
Steep learning curve which requires time and effort to navigate through.
Mint, which belongs to Intuit, automatically accesses all data and sells the data. Thus, an intrusion of privacy.
Budgeting feature doesn’t enable effective planning of future expenses.
Mint suffers from more technical glitches and synchronization issues.
Ads included in the free version of Mint can be obtrusive and may deter users.
$14.99 monthly or $99 annually
Free to Use, But Served Ads and They Sell your Data.
Offers a 100% money-back guarantee at any point of use.
Does not require credit card information to signup, a departure from the usual free trial model)
Our Favorite
Key Features:
YNAB offers a comprehensive approach to budgeting, helping you plan monthly budgets based on your income. It also offers expert advice, making it suitable for those who require an in-depth, forward-thinking budgeting strategy.
YNAB’s superior synchronization skills make it the winner in this area. YNAB has extra features like goal setting for budgeting, shared budgeting tools for partners
YNAB provides an option to manually add and upload transactions from accounts each month, a feature that Mint does not offer.
YNAB prioritizes user privacy, requires an opt-in to access budgeting data, and doesn’t sell user data.
Lack of investment tracking feature
Customer service is only accessible via email, which might not be ideal for urgent queries
Steep learning curve which requires time and effort to navigate through.
$14.99 monthly or $99 annually
Offers a 100% money-back guarantee at any point of use.
Does not require credit card information to signup, a departure from the usual free trial model)
Key Features:
Mint offers a centralized platform for monitoring all your financial accounts, including credit cards and bank accounts.
It provides a complete financial overview at a glance through the auto-population of data from linked accounts.
Mint’s features include detailed reporting in multiple categories, free credit score access, and exceptional compatibility with financial institutions.
The service is free, funded by ads and offers, and it best serves those who wish to categorize spending, budget their monthly expenses, and access all financial details from one place.
Mint, which belongs to Intuit, automatically accesses all data and sells the data. Thus, an intrusion of privacy.
Budgeting feature doesn’t enable effective planning of future expenses.
Mint suffers from more technical glitches and synchronization issues.
Ads included in the free version of Mint can be obtrusive and may deter users.
Free to Use, But Served Ads and They Sell your Data.
Who should use YNAB?
From my experience, YNAB works best for those who are ready to seriously manage their money and spend some time learning a new budgeting approach. Its use of the zero-based budgeting system not only makes you more intentional with your money but also demands active participation in decision-making.
YNAB’s ability to link to your accounts and its multitude of educational resources available are admirable features I’ve used.
YNAB offers detailed financial tracking and built-in education, but its monthly subscription fee and suitability for a specific budgeting style may be limiting for some.
However, it comes with a monthly or annual cost – a worthy investment for those searching for a robust, hands-on, and future-focused budgeting tool. Most YNAB budgets agree they save multiples of the subscription cost.
However, it can be less suitable for those not ready for a hands-on approach or those sensitive to subscription pricing.
Who should use Mint?
On the other hand, Mint is an all-in-one app that automatically tracks and categorizes your spending.
Based on my experience, Mint is an excellent tool for novice-level budgeters seeking to track their expenses, set budgets, and manage their finances with ease. This budgeting app allows a comprehensive view of all your financial accounts, which differentiates it from YNAB.
If you’re comfortable seeing ads and not needing investing features, Mint could be a perfect fit. However, if you require the ability to assign multiple savings goals to one account or a bill pay feature, YNAB may be more suitable for you.
Therefore, Mint is most applicable for beginners seeking a free and user-friendly budgeting platform.
YNAB vs. Mint: Which is better for you?
As a content writer and budgeting app user, I find Mint and YNAB are unique in their offerings.
Mint automatically tracks and categorizes your spending, providing an intuitive picture of where your money goes, ideal for beginners in budgeting.
In contrast, YNAB promotes a proactive approach, helping to set and monitor budgets, hence perfect for those with specific financial goals. To sum up, Mint offers a simplified, passive overview, while YNAB is excellent for a detailed, forward-thinking approach to managing finances.
Personal preferences and needs really influence the choice here. Do you need intricate control and don’t mind paying a fee? YNAB might be your fit. Prefer automation and want a free option? Mint could work for you.
YNAB vs Mint: Verdict
As an expert in personal finance tools, I’ve explored both YNAB and Mint.
In my experience, there are distinct differences between YNAB and Mint. For my readers, I recommend YNAB.
YNAB, with its laser-focused approach towards budgeting, is a boon for individuals needing extensive assistance in the budgeting arena. You learn to assign every dollar with intention, thereby gaining a higher degree of control over your finances.
This proactive approach will help you to be financially independent faster.
To sum up, if detailed budgeting is your priority, choose YNAB.
YNAB
Enjoy guilt-free spending and effortless saving with a friendly, flexible method for managing your finances.
Pros:
Comprehensive approach to budgeting, helping you plan monthly budgets based on your income.
Offers expert advice, making it suitable for those who require an in-depth, forward-thinking budgeting strategy.
Superior synchronization skills make it the winner in this area.
YNAB has extra features like goal setting for budgeting, shared budgeting tools for partners.
Option to manually add and upload transactions from accounts each month.
YNAB prioritizes user privacy.
Start 34 Day Free Trial
However, for a more holistic financial insight with less emphasis on budgeting, Mint might be the better choice.
Now, make sure to check out our Quicken Review.
Source
TrustPilot. “YNAB Review.” https://www.trustpilot.com/review/ynab.com. Accessed on September 27, 2023.
YNAB. “YNAB Pricing.” https://www.ynab.com/pricing/. Accessed on September 27, 2023.
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