I am sure you have heard this axiom: If you don’t know where you are going, you will get there. Many folks investing today are on that path: they are investing without proper knowledge of the stock market, of investment basics, and lacking simple, concise, written goals. Later, these folks will experience great challenges.Among other things, the Federal Reserve’s Quantitative Easing program, a euphemism for pumping money into the economy, is fueling rising stock markets. This could entice even more folks to invest in stocks because they might see opportunities to ‘make money.’ Beware; before investing, at least, ensure you dispel three popular investment myths, and understand the potential investment’s opportunity cost.
Investing in the stock market is gambling
Low priced stocks, especially those at 52-week lows are worth buying
Investment analysts and advisors know how investments will perform
Investing In The Stock Market Is GamblingSimplistically, investing is just another spending form. You buy a book, a car, a house, and you buy stocks, bonds, or other investment instruments. The key is to develop a solid process to follow instinctively before spending: a spending decision process. Your attitude will decide how you behave, and so, you could choose to spend on stocks and bonds – invest – with a gambling motive. That’s why I advise folks never to invest unless they fulfill specific prerequisites, such as being debt free with an established process to replace major assets for cash, and having clear, concise, written investment goals.Then again, even with clear goals, individuals need to know that consistent, solid earnings is the key sustainer of a business’ value, and ultimately, its stock market price.Low Priced Stocks, Especially Those At 52-week Lows, Are Worth BuyingHere is a trap to avoid. A stock is trading at its 52-week low, falling over 50%, and you think it presents a buying opportunity. Maybe; on the other hand, maybe not! Likely, that business’ products and services no longer have the capability to produce previously perceived earnings. Alternatively, investment analysts and others may have promoted this business because of some fad or other irrelevant reason. Yahoo! and Nortel are examples of companies whose stock prices traded at unsustainable levels; after the expected collapse, their stock prices did not recover. Many other examples exist, particularly on the Japanese stock exchange.As I mentioned above, as with all spending, we need to follow a spending decision process before investing. This will allow us to use a fall in stock price as a trigger to identify business’ fundamentals and potential investment opportunities.Investment Analysts And Advisors Know How Investments Will Perform When you listen to these folks, you might forget that they, like you and I, have no clue about the future. Some are in conflicts of interest, blinded, and pushing particular products. Others might be sincere but are relying on the past. And we know, the past might not be a good predictor of the future.Can these folks help? Certainly, but each client must try to understand whom his or her advisor represents, and accept that advisors do not know the future. Accordingly, folks receiving investment advice must be fully aware that they, not their advisors, need to decide when and how to act from advice they get.Before you start investing, dispel the above three myths, learn key investment basics, and learn and make sure you fulfill specific investing preconditions.This final point is obvious but often folks overlook it. Investing in the stock market has an opportunity cost; it reduces, by amounts invested, funds available for other purposes. Ten thousand dollars invested in the market could buy a car, pay a portion of a college semester’s fees, or be donated to charity. Therefore, as part of your spending decision process, ask these three questions before deciding to invest:
What other alternatives exists to use funds you are about to invest?
Given your present and expected situation, is this the best use of funds today?
Will you need to replenish these funds to carry out other specific goals in the next three to five years?
© Copyright 2013, Michel A. Bell
Three Investing Myths To Unlearn Before Investing
Online Business Inspiration – Are You Still Searching For It?
The tactics and strategies used in running a business have always been passing through different kinds of changes at different times. Every business person needs to change his methodologies according to these varied demands. And the current need of time for doing business is nothing but to go online. No matter whether you are into an offline business or online business, internet is undoubtedly the most productive tool to be used in the current scenario.In the present time, if your business is not backed up by an online support, then it is nowhere in the global competition. No matter whether you are running your own business or about to start a new one, a productive online business strategy should be an essential part of your business.It is very much essential to find out an innovative and promising business idea to give your business career a decent start. And if your exposure is not that vast and you don’t want to put a high initial investment, then the most promising business idea is nothing but to start an online business.Here are some of the fundamental reasons:
The total number of Internet users all across the globe is around 30% of the total population. This is surely an influencing business inspiration for any person, isn’t it? Once started, your business is sure to gain a platform among this huge population.
Earlier one had to invest a huge sum of capital to start a new business. It required an office room, warehouses, materials etc. to set up the new construction. But, this may not be the case for an online business. In another terms, this can be said that you don’t require a huge capital to be successful in an online business.
To start an internet related business, the major investment is nothing but your efforts towards it. Even, you may not require a separate office room to conduct your business.Can it be considered as a business inspiration? Of course yes.One more business inspiration factor is the risk associated with these kinds of businesses. If you can keep your efforts on track, then success is sure to come in your way.The possibility of going viral is very much high in an online business. It takes very less time to draw the required exposure, which eventually diminishes the risk of going unnoticed.
The technologies used in online businesses are changing very rapidly. Every day, a new kind of innovative theme comes into existence. Among these, social networking, social bookmarking etc. are the concepts which have got some immense responses from the global audience.
Gone are the days, when one had to depend on its neighbors and relatives to get leads and sell the products. In this online world, you are not confined to a geographical area. Anybody from any part of the globe may become your client and raise your business to the peak level. And who knows, someday Google may fetch you some aliens to become your customers, everything is possible in this virtual world.Are these enough reasons to go for an internet related business? Or, are you still searching for some more business inspiration? If this is the case then just give your business a trial, you will automatically find out the possibilities. Good Luck!
Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy technicians are one of the leading professionals in the health care division. They usually undergo complicated tasks than the pharmacy aides. Their job is to provide information regarding medicines to patients, regarding the dosages, effects, and after effects. They not only give instructions to patients, but also look after almost every function in the pharmacy store. Pharmacy technicians should not give medicines without proper consultation with the pharmacists.A licensed pharmacy technician is the one who advises his patients. There are pharmacy technicians who get trained only on the job, but many pharmacists entertain only licensed technicians. Licensed pharmacy technicians are helpful as they are aware of the medicines and their side effects. The responsibility of pharmacy technicians varies according to the location. They take care of the shop on a whole like attending telephones, preparing bills, book keeping, handling cash and stock maintenance. Invariably, they are allowed to do all the routine works of the shops. In some places, he takes charge of the prescriptions and gives guidelines on the medications.Pharmacy technicians are certified as Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT) by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. They should pass out the National Pharmacy Technician Examination. Candidates with high school diploma and GED (General Equivalent Diploma) are eligible for this examination. Pharmacy technicians are also given training in some hospitals, technical schools and colleges.Pharmacy technician should be strong in mathematics, spelling and reading. They should be able to read and assess the prescribed medicines immediately. They should be very active and alert to attend the needs of the patients and also in instructing the dosages specified in the prescription. Their communication skills and the quality of interacting with people should be good. This quality of interacting and communicating effectively with patients will help them in their profession. Pharmacy technicians are expected to handle all types of people skillfully.Pharmacy technicians will be the most sought for people in the future. They can work in hospitals, private clinics, health centers, pharmaceutical stores, groceries, departmental stores and so many other places. The job opportunities are bright for them. The salary ranges from around $8 to $18 per hour. They will be in much demand as the population is increasing. The more the increase in population, more will be the requirement of medicines. Simultaneously, the requirement of medicines will promote the necessity of more pharmacy technicians.