Tips for Hotel Reception Upselling

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Are you a Hotelier? Hospitality just lends itself to upselling, doesn’t it? After all, who doesn’t want exclusive access to your stunning penthouse or dreamy honeymoon suite and pampering in your resident Health Spa? So let’s see how it’s done.

Tips for Hotel Reception Upselling

Upselling is the art of persuading the customer to upgrade and this is a very powerful tool in the hospitality industry, where the client has choices.

This ability can certainly increase profits and simply by making guests aware of specific benefits that come with particular packages, it is often possible to upsell.

Many hotel chains have specific training sessions that focus on upselling, as they recognise the potential that these techniques offer, and with that in mind, here are a few tips to help the reception staff switch guests to more expensive room packages.

As the hotel receptionist has the necessary customer information, it is easy to personalise the greeting and if they are on holiday, ask how things are going and appear genuinely interested in their response.

People warm to a personal greeting and this is often the icebreaker that soon leads to an upgrade, so make sure your staff tries to personalise the greetings whenever possible.

Free Up Human Resources

Hotel reception staff have a-million-and-one things to do and by outsourcing call handling, you are giving your reception staff more time to focus on taking care of the guests.

There are specialist companies that offer an affordable virtual answering service and with a cloud-based room register, everyone will be on the same page.

A large part of the hotel reception employees’ time is taken up with answering the phone, and by outsourcing this, you are empowering your reception staff to focus more on providing the guests with everything they need.

Asking the Right Questions

This is a tried and tested way to upsell and by asking relevant questions, the guest will possibly become aware of additional services and special room packages that best meet their needs.

“Would you prefer a room with a view, Sir?” is often the best way to introduce upgrade packages and should the guest have booked through a third party, they might not be aware of the possible options that are available.

Determining a guest’s needs is always a precursor to upsell and if your staff does a little research on new guests, that extra information can be put to good use when they check in. For more information on upselling techniques, you can find articles about them online.

Know Your Product

Hotel reception staff should have extensive knowledge of all the room and suite packages, as well as additional services the hotel might offer.

This allows the staff to accurately explain the benefits of an upgrade and rather than focusing on the extra cost, the emphasis should be firmly on the benefits of an upgrade.

This is something that should be included in every training manual as knowing your products is the key to successful upselling.

Upselling can be a very profitable sales technique when employed correctly and with regular staff training that includes upselling techniques, your hotel booking will reflect the positive impact that upselling offers.

With all incoming calls being handled by a third party, your reception staff can focus on providing the very best service for your hotel guests.

This Post was Published in Partnership with MediaBuzzer.

Image Source: Unsplash Image Source: Unsplash Image Source: Unsplash

Asset and Wealth Management Advice for Expats

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Wealth Management Advice Expats

I joined a Moms group of 20 Mothers shortly after my son was born, most of them first-time Moms. By the time our children were 2-years-old, a quarter of the group (5 out of 20) had emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and Europe. There were so many financial implications and considerations. And many tough decisions to make. So Expat Moms or those of you who are still considering a move to another country, this one is for you. #WealthManagementAdviceExpats

Asset And Wealth Management Advice For Expats

Asset management can be a tricky task if you are an expat. Transferring your personal possessions from one country to the next is never easy. But this difficulty is mirrored, if not enhanced, when moving your wealth management plans as well.

The approach you take needs to be a thorough one. It is not enough to simply move abroad and make sure you have enough money in your bank account or to merely sort out your position in relation to taxation.

You need to see the full picture. This encompasses everything from insurance, to structuring your tax affairs, to investment.

So let’s take a look at some of these main elements, as well as some others, which you will need to contemplate when moving abroad.

Investment

Investing is a significant factor in all financial management plans. Investing wisely can be the key to a successful and secure financial future. A lot of people argue that this is even more important when moving abroad, especially if you do not have an immediate job lined up.

You need to look for investment opportunities whilst taking into account your current financial status. From properties to shares; the options are vast. Be open-minded. There are plenty of opportunities. Take a look at the Midas Letter cannabis stock news to see a good example of this.

No matter what path you go down, one thing you want to look out for is risk minimisation. This is why a diverse portfolio tends to be recommended.

Tax Affairs

One of the perks of being an expat is the fact that you often get to benefit from an improved tax status once you move abroad. Obviously, this depends on where you are moving to and your position, nevertheless it is a real possibility.

Currency

This is another important consideration when it comes to financial planning. This is particularly crucial for expats who are only moving away for a limited period of time.

If you are planning to move back to your home country after a year, you can actually use a forward to guarantee that when you repatriate your assets in a year’s time you will be able to do so at today’s current exchange rate.

Insurance

Insurance is pivotal, yet many see it as a waste of money. In a sense, this is understandable considering the wealth of different companies trying to force us into an array of diverse policies nowadays.

However, don’t let this corner you into a position whereby you overlook all insurance types. There are some that are essential, such as; life insurance, health insurance, and liability insurance. These ensure you are protected.

If you are feeling confused about your financial matters in relation to moving abroad, taking the help of professionals is advised. You will need to find an excellent wealth manager to assist you. Make sure they are experienced and have a credible reputation. They should be qualified and certified. Extensive knowledge regarding your country of relocation is imperative, as well as your home country too.

Image Credit – Pixabay

Are you an Expat? What was the hardest financial decision you had to make when you made your big move?

6 Smart Ways to Shake Up Your Career Path Today

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Everyone wants to have a successful career filled with opportunities and exciting prospects. If you are a job-driven individual then you are probably always looking for ways to shake up your career path. You might get bored easily or you want to explore new industries that fascinate you. You could make all of this happen for yourself and feel full-filled every time you wake up in the morning. Explore these six smart ways to improve and enhance your career prospects right now.

1. Try Something New

Dipping your toe into a new realm of work such as the emini trade might just broaden your horizons a little and give you extra knowledge on the industry. As long as you are consistent and disciplined, there is no reason why you can’t be successful in this line of work.

2. Start Your Own Business

Becoming a successful entrepreneur is easier said than done; you have to have a solid idea to build upon as well as a lot of patience and persistence. Starting your own business might set you up for life in terms of your finances, so explore your options and see if you could create a successful company out of your personal interests.

3. Teach Others

There is no better way to test your own knowledge, than by teaching others. Whether you want to become a business advisor or you fancy lecturing in a university, you could start up a whole new career path for yourself by honing in on your expertise and teaching others.

4. Take a Course

Learning about a new topic and expanding your horizons will do you the world of good in terms of your career. Not only can you start to explore new and exciting realms, but you can also discover a new passion along the way. Taking a course doesn’t have to be as time consuming as you think; you can learn online and stick to your regular routine as closely as you like.

5. Learn a New Language

You will truly be opening up a whole new world of options if you can immerse yourself into another language. Your job opportunities will double, as you will have the skills to communicate in another language. It takes time and dedication to be able to speak and understand fluently, so make sure you are always patient with yourself.

6. Become a Manager

Perhaps you love the line of work you are currently in at the moment. If so, you might want to move straight up the ranks and become the manager of your department. Take a management course and apply for the next role that comes up in your workplace.

It is always a good idea to step out of your comfort zone once in a while, so try out some of these options right now. You could be waking up to bigger and better things every day if you just try something new for a change. If you love the idea of having a varied career full of bright prospects, then give these ideas a try and you will have a much happier and healthier relationship with your work life.

Featured Image Credit

Could You Be Doing More With Your Career?

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

How to Find a Meaningful Career

Are you in search of meaningful work? Would you like to feel a sense of fulfilment at the end of each day, knowing that you’ve made a difference? I’ve found that being clear about this intention has led me to the most amazing careers in my life and given me incredible job satisfaction.

As an Aerobics Instructor, I’ve seen ladies I taught get slim, fit, toned, energetic and confident
As an Aromatherapist and Reflexologist, I’ve seen clients relax, unwind and release tension and stress
When I sold Nutritional Supplements, I saw customers overcoming health challenges, becoming radiantly healthy, happy and well.
As Head of Network Marketing, I saw lives completely transformed through our products and our opportunity
As I’m building my blogs I’m able to touch lives with my posts and interviews with inspirational Moms
And now, as Business Development Consultant for The Kids Gym and Public Officer for the Non-Profit, Physical Literacy for Children, I’m able to see children’s lives impacted by our fabulous program.

There’s no doubt that when you’re involved in something that gives back to the community, something that helps or heals the world in some way, you feel more connected and more fulfilled.

Being in contribution reminds you that you matter, it’s your chance to leave a legacy, it’s your chance to make an impact on the world around you. It gives your life meaning and purpose.

Have a look at the fulfilling careers detailed in the contributed post below.

Could You Be Doing More With Your Career?

Finding the right career can be a genuine challenge. After all, not only is the modern job market more competitive now than it has ever been before but there are also all of the difficult and complicated things that have always come with looking for a job.

One of the of the biggest issues that a lot of people come up against when it comes to finding a career that they really want is the fact that it can be incredibly difficult to find something that you really enjoy.

After all, not everyone is going to want to hire you for what you’re passionate about. This can be made even more difficult if you want more from a career than just a paycheck.

Trying to do something good with your time while earning a living is something that a lot of people would love to do but they might feel that there are no options out there. However, that’s simply not the case. Here are some career options for anyone who’s hoping to do some real good with their career.

Education

Education is one of those career paths that sadly can go underappreciated a lot of the time.

However, the truth is that it’s one of the most important parts of any society. After all, being able to help young people learn and achieve their goals is one of the very best things that you can do with your time.

Not only that but you don’t even have to be a teacher to work in education. Doing something like an online masters in school counselling can give you the skills and qualifications that you need to help kids outside of the classroom. Whatever role you’d want to take on, there are few things more fulfilling than working as an educator.

Medicine

Let’s face it, there are few things better than being able to spend your time literally saving people’s lives. Of course, a lot of people assume that to work in medicine then you’ve got to spend decades studying. And sure, if you want to become a doctor that is definitely true.

However, there are plenty of roles in medicine outside of being a doctor that is just as important. From nurses to care workers to hospital administrators. After all, doctors couldn’t do the things they do on their own.

Nonprofit

It can sometimes feel as though there are so many issues all over the world that it’s impossible to know where to even start. It’s fortunate then that there are so many organisations all over the world that are dedicated to doing just that.

Not only are a lot of nonprofit organisations out there looking for volunteers but many of them need people to come on board full time. There are few better feelings than being able to say you earn your crust by making the world just a little bit better.

Of course, these are just a few examples.

The reality is that there are plenty of ways that you can earn a living while also being able to both find something that you really enjoy as well as giving something back to the world around you.

Hear, hear. I know first hand the deep fulfilment that comes with being part of something greater than yourself.

What is the most meaningful career you’ve ever been involved in? Or is it time for a career change?

4 Ways to Prepare for Job Loss Before it Happens

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

How to Prepare Job Loss laurenkinghorn.com

How to Prepare for Job Loss

Have you ever found yourself unexpectedly jobless? I’ve been there. The company I was working for closed down just when I was on the highest salary I’d ever earned. It took me way longer than I expected to find another job so I started living on my credit cards. Soon I was using one card to pay another every month. Emotionally I was a mess. Take it from me, it’s worth being prepared for this eventuality. Some great advice in the contributed post below. #HowtoPrepareJobLoss

4 Ways To Prepare For Job Loss Before It Happens

Losing your job is always a scary experience. You don’t know how long it will be until you work again and you’ve only got a finite amount of money to get by on until you can find another job.

If you’re not careful, you can easily land yourself in a lot of financial trouble. But the thing is, it usually doesn’t come without warning. When the company isn’t doing great and a few other people have already been laid off, there’s a chance that you’ll get made redundant as well.

When the threat of job loss is looming, that’s the time to start making preparations. That way, you can be ready if the worst does happen and it’ll be a lot easier to survive until you can find work again. These are the best ways to prepare for redundancy.

1. Get Your Finances In Order

If your finances are a mess and then you lose your job, they’re only going to get worse. The first thing you need to do is clear any debts that you’ve got. You don’t want hefty repayments eating into your safety net if you do end up losing your job.

Cut back on spending where you can and put all of that money back into clearing your debts. Once you’re debt free, resist the urge to resume spending as normal.

Instead, continue with your new budget and start putting the extra money into a savings account. The more you can build up now, the easier things will be if you are made redundant.

2. Improve Your Credit Score

This one is tied into clearing your debts. Your score should improve as you pay off your debts but even after that, you need to take steps to build it up again.

You might need to borrow money when you’re out of work and the better your credit score is, the better the interest rate on that loan will be.

Take out an interest-free credit card and use it to make small purchases, and then pay it off right away. That’s the easiest way to start building good credit again.

3. Look At Your Loan Options

Regardless of how much money you’ve saved up, there’s always the chance that you’ll run out before you can find another job and you’ll need to borrow money to make ends meet.

Redundancy is one of the most common reasons for short term cash advance so don’t be surprised if you have to take one out.

But don’t wait until you’re out of money before you start sorting it out. Look into your options now and see who will lend to you. That way, you’ll be prepared when it does happen.

4. Look For Other Funding Sources

Getting a loan is the most obvious way to get extra money when you aren’t working but there are plenty of other options.

You might have some back pay (from a holiday that you didn’t take, for example) that wasn’t included in your redundancy package so always make inquiries about that.

You might also be eligible for some government assistance while you’re out of a job so look into that as well.

If you make these preparations before you lose your job, you’ll find it a lot easier to get by without ending up in financial trouble.

Do you feel prepared should you ever find yourself out of work?

Making the Most of Space: Business Promotion Ideas

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Business Promotion Ideas laurenkinghorn.com

Do you own a small business? Perhaps you’re a Mom Inventor? Or into Arts and Crafts? Or maybe you’re working from home as a Tour Operator, like the example below. If you’ve decided to show off your wonderful creations, inventions or destinations at Exhibitions, then this is the post for you. Here are some excellent points to consider regarding exhibition stands hire. #businesspromotionideas

Making the Most of Space: Business Promotion Ideas

Image by free-photos via Pixabay

Whatever kind of business we are involved with, making sure we do not go over budget when implementing our latest marketing strategy is not only essential but could also mean the difference between success and failure.

Smart owners of small business start-up ventures looking to stretch their promotion budget that little bit further would be well-advised to find less ambitious solutions to their big business ideas.

Exhibition Stands Hire

By taking the time to scour the internet for experts in exhibition stands that can be self-built or assembled by a team of professionals as part of the package, small businesses should be able to easily stay afloat. But even if we are forced to opt for a small exhibition stand in order to stay within our marketing budget, there is no reason why we cannot make the most of such an investment. Therefore, reading articles is advisable, so we can get a better idea of what we can do to optimise our product display units at an exhibition.

Of course, it is not only entrepreneurs just starting out in their chosen business niche that will be looking for ideas in small exhibition displays. Indeed, some providers of services with little or no goods to display will decide on small exhibition stands that suffice their business needs.

Tour Operators

Companies specialising in providing travel packages to some of the less travelled places in the world are not likely to need a huge space for business events complete with cumbersome exhibition stands to deliver their promotional objectives.

With this in mind, there is no wonder that most tour operators planning their next marketing strategy at the latest travel and tourism expo will search online for suppliers of small and compact units for promoting their tours.

If we consider that there are many exhibition stand builder services with years of experience working with travel companies, tour operators should feel confident they can source a company capable of meeting their firm’s exhibition stand needs.

Of course, there are numerous kinds of businesses that can benefit from using small exhibition stands in order to get ahead in their line of work.

Some of the more common pros for selecting compact exhibition stands include:

The use of mounted plasma TVs
Bright and bold graphics that allow you to stand out more
High-level branding
A more personalised potential customer experience
An increased focus on what we have to offer

Stay Focused

There will not be too many successful businesspeople who are not aware of the need to stay focused on their brand, no matter how tempting it may be to diversify the products or services we have on offer.

By employing the services of companies supplying small exhibition stands with a huge impact, company bosses with big ideas should be able to refrain from going off track when trying to increase their current market presence.

By being prepared to get in touch with a reputable expert in the smaller designs in exhibition stands, businesses trying to stay focused should be able to attain their business goals.

Of course, in order to get the most of what we spend on hiring well-designed exhibition stands that do not take up too much room, we need to contact one of the leaders in this industry.

What many of the better suppliers of small exhibition stands for hire are able to do is offer a consultation service that will help all potential clients choose the most appropriate type of stand for their particular business needs.

This article is published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.

What Makes Virtual Reception Services Compatible With Any Business?

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Virtual Reception Services

Do you run a business that requires virtual reception services? Or is this a field that interests you perhaps? Either way, you’ll find this post really useful. In today’s world, virtual business is a fantastic option for anyone wanting to work from home or work from anywhere.

What Makes Virtual Reception Services Compatible With Any Business?

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Communication is something that every business demands and a high level of connectivity in this digital world is an absolute must if you want to be successful that is.

Virtual receptionists are professional receptionists that are remotely located and they are fully briefed on their clients’ businesses, ensuring that all calls are handled courteously and professionally.

Every single business needs someone at the end of a phone, should a potential customer call and such is the diversity of the provider’s services, there’s something to suit every business, regardless of size or industry.

Unanswered Business Calls

This is every company’s nightmare and the best way to avoid this occurring is to enlist the help of a call handling provider who can tailor their service to suit.

You might, for example, already have a great receptionist, but what about the times when she is absent, or what about after-hours calls? The virtual receptionist can cover for those times, ensuring that you never have the situation where calls go unanswered.

Tailored to Suit

Whatever your communication needs, a virtual receptionist provider such as www.officehq.com.au has you covered.

If, for example, you have an emergency support number that customers can call when they have a problem with a product, the virtual receptionist is on call 24/7 and can handle any volume of calls on your behalf.

Some businesses have special promotions and their phone lines become very busy at this time, and all it takes is a quick call to your virtual receptionist provider and they will handle any volume of calls for an agreed period.

Cost Effective

Directly employing staff to answer the phone is an expensive business and using a call handling service is far more cost-effective and as the virtual receptionist is a trained professional, you can be sure of a prompt and courteous response. There are many services on offer, which include the following:

Message Taking
Call Handling
Overflow Call Handling
Emergency Response Numbers

They also offer call forwarding, where your calls can be forwarded to any landline or mobile number and this service is available at all hours and for as long as is necessary.

Service Industries

If your company provides a service of any kind, a virtual receptionist service can handle all or just some of your customer calls, depending on how much, or little you need covered. If you have special out of hours number for customers to call, this can be manned around the clock by a virtual receptionist who will forward the necessary information to the relevant parties.

Sales Enquiries

These are simply calls you cannot afford to miss and with a virtual receptionist provider in your team, every call will be professionally handled and forwarded if necessary to the sales team. More sales enquiries mean more conversions and with so much competition out there, you simply cannot afford to miss even a single call.

Whether you own a small diner or run a domestic repair service, a virtual receptionist provider can really help and with tailored services, you only pay for what you use.

If you would like to know more about this cost-effective call handling service, most reputable providers will give you a free trial and you can see for yourself exactly what they can do for your business.

This article is published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.

Are you ready to employ Virtual Reception Services? Or become a Virtual Receptionist yourself?

4 Home Business Ideas For Women

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Successful Business Ideas – Women

Have you ever thought of starting your own business at home? Katrina D. Keller highlights some excellent options for you in her guest post below. I can vouch for the very first idea on Katrina’s list as that was the route I took- blogging. Come to think of it, I can vouch for all 4 of these ideas as I have close friends running successful businesses in line with Katrina’s other 3 ideas. Which idea appeals to you? #SuccessfulBusinessIdeasWomen

4 Home Business Ideas For Women

Guest Post – Katrina D. Keller

Women have been engaged in trade in some form or otherwise since time immemorial. Back in those days, women were predominantly involved in cooking, sewing, kneading, tapestry, and what have you.

In present times, nothing has changed dramatically and by that, we aren’t saying women aren’t productive anymore or have gotten lazier. Instead, they’ve been advancing with more force than any time in history.

Furthermore, women have ventured into businesses or jobs that are reputable as well as generate more income. What’s more important is that women have made their mark on ventures that used to be male-dominated, and in some cases, they’re outperforming their male counterparts in those areas.

If you are looking to start a business or looking for a new way to make more money and if you’re a Stay at Home Mom or currently employed, there are a whole lot of business ideas to choose that you can start relatively quickly and easily.

The good thing is that most of these businesses require little investment to get your feet wet. All you need is motivation, willingness to work hard and an immense desire to be financially successful.

Below are four businesses that we think are ideal because they are practical for Work at Home Moms and Home-based Women Entrepreneurs. Let’s get started:

1. Freelance Writing

This is one of the easier and more profitable options for women who prefer working from the comfort of their homes.

In the last few years, the number of blogs increased significantly with many women publishing and posting to blogs. Just to give you a context, according to a 2009 study by BlogHer.com, there are over 8 million women publishing blogs.

The demand for freelance writing has increased in recent times due to the fact that many companies have realized the strategic importance of quality written contents for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and content marketing.

Freelance writers can write articles on a variety of topics ranging from relationship advice to buying a car. The most common way to earn revenue from blogs is through advertising programs such as Google AdSense. Start by writing about subjects in which you’re already an expert.

2. Home Tutoring Services

Providing freelance tuition services (sign up here to be a tutor) is another great and profitable way to earn for women.

You can provide tutoring services to high school grad students for their upcoming SAT exams; give guitar or cello to young children, teach people how to make chocolate soufflé, or even teach moms on how to make nice handcrafted gift baskets at home.

However, if you’re thinking to set up this kind of services, make sure you’ve solid knowledge in a subject or field of study you’ll be tutoring. All you need to land your first gig is to place a sign out in front of your house and let everyone in your neighbourhood know about your business.

3. Virtual Assistant Services

In the age of the Internet, providing virtual assistant services is one of trendiest home-based businesses today. Virtual assistants combine the services provided by secretarial and administrative departments of an organization.

As a virtual assistant, you’ll be performing administrative support services such as emails, word processing, event planning, researching, rescheduling meetings, and other typical office chores. The only difference here is that you’re doing all of these things online in the comfort of your home, instead of in an office cubicle.

Your boss may be working hundreds of miles away from you or in a different country, and you may never have the chance to meet him or her. In this day age, this is not an issue as all the required tasks and communication is done through phone calls, email, secured websites, or instant messaging services.

4. Daycare Centres

Generally, most Childcare or Daycare Centres are run by Women Entrepreneurs from home.

As more and more women are entering the workforce, the demand for reliable and reputable Daycare Centres for their kids has been growing more than ever.

However, before you hop on to the daycare business bandwagon, you need to comply with the licensing regulations in state or area you’re living or willing to set up the business.

Also, consult with your neighbours and make them aware that you’ll be running a Childcare Centre You don’t want your neighbours to file complaints against your business, which may compel the authorities to shut your business down.

There you have it, four profit-making home businesses you can start you’re a full-time working Mum or Stay at Home Mom.

About the Author

Katrina D. Keller is a well-known blogger who has a wide variety of interests. She is a Writer, Editor & Blogger. She is currently a blogger for https://smiletutor.sg/blog in a genuine effort to provide the best quality content to her readers. She loves reading books. When she is not working you can find her travelling or hanging out.

Which of these business ideas inspires you the most? Or are you already running a business from home?

We invite you to share your experiences in the comments below.

The Difference Between Coins, Ingots and Bars

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

Gold Coins vs Gold Bars

Have you ever thought of investing in Gold? Then you’re probably weighing up (excuse the pun) all the pros and cons. Here’s the perfect post to give you the clarification you need.

The Difference Between Coins, Ingots and Bars

If you are planning on expanding your portfolio and investing in gold, you need to understand all the different options you have, as well as the different types of physical gold investment forms you may be able to buy and sell.

It should be noted that the three different kinds of gold you will find on the market include gold coins, bars and ingots. But, just what is the difference? Investing in gold means knowing the facts so you can pick the type of gold that will work best for you and your investment goals.

Gold Coins

Typically, gold coins come in two different types: those rare coins with historical value (referred to as numismatic coins) and those valued for the bullion amount. Numismatic coins tend to have a greater value than the precious metals within those coins, whereas bullion coins are valued based only on the precious metals within them and the demand for the metal.

There are those investors who prefer bullion coins owing to their ease of transportability, smaller size, concealment and storage. There are some bullion products that do carry a significantly higher dealer mark up, though, and that’s due to their popularity and a great deal of investor interest.

On the other hand, numismatic coins are not ideal for investment as there are several additional costs embedded into their price, including grade, rarity and demand. To put it simply: bullion is for investors where as rare coins are more appealing to numismatists.

Gold Ingots

Gold ingots are better known as gold bars; however, they are formed differently to the traditional minted bars that are very popular. When it comes to ingots, the weight contained tends to vary. The bars also poured as opposed to stamped. This means they are thicker than stamped bars.

When you purchase gold bullion bars, you will mostly get the stamped version. But, when you buy gold ingots, you will get bars that were poured into a cast.

Gold Bars

If you have a large amount of capital to invest, you may want to consider bullion bars. They tend to be sold with a one to three percent mark-up, so you can get more gold for your investment. Coins, or bullion, can also be bought and kept at the facility that deals with securing gold bars.

Which is Right for You?

When it comes to deciding between different options for your investments, finances and budget will play a big part in your decision. Just take a look at the different kinds of gold and silver bullion you can buy from City Gold Bullion.

If you would prefer gold that is easy to store and you can enjoy looking at, coins are probably the best option for you.

If you want bigger sizes and lower premiums for an optimum investment, gold bars and ingots are the way to go.

Just remember to look ahead to where the value of your investment may end up. When selling your gold, coins usually sell easier due to their recognition and global popularity, whereas bars may incur additional expenses.

This article is published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.

What Parents Shouldn’t Be Doing That They May Consider Normal

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Lauren Kinghorn

What Parents Shouldn’t Be Doing?

Well if we go by what our children tell us, what our parents tell us and what the experts tell us, there’s quite a long list. Here’s a shortlist of mistakes we may be making inadvertently. I’ve added my commentary on each one. I’m clearly not the model parent I strive to be. Are you breaking any of these parenting rules?

What Parents Shouldn’t Be Doing That They May Consider Normal

When it comes to views on parenting, there are a number of philosophies and ways of doing it. Teachers have a bird’s eye view and whilst they should never overlap the parenting role, they are a crucial part of children’s development.

There are some generally agreed tips that teachers give that parents can go by, however. These tips will help iron out grey areas and things maybe some people don’t feel too sure about.

One thing parents can do to set their children up for success is to enrol them in a top quality international school. If you check out https://www.panyaden.ac.th/, you will see one of the top international schools in Thailand. Children learn through a practical, value-based approach providing a solid foundation for successful academic study.

In terms of things parents shouldn’t be doing that they perhaps thought were okay, here are some tips.

THINGS PARENTS SHOULDN’T DO

Make your child the centre of everything

Your child may well be the most important thing in your world but you don’t want to act that way day in day out. In doing so, you inhibit their growth and make the comfortable to stay glued to you and the home environment.

When they see you have a life outside of them, they will continue to flourish and become their own person. This is an imperative part of maturing and becoming a responsible, successful adult.

Oops, guilty! Am working on this one.

Not picking up on good behaviour

If your kids are acting in positive ways, it’s definitely great to acknowledge it. There is a balanced way of praising your children without boosting up their ego. Instead, you can encourage them and commend them so they know to keep doing what they are doing.

Okay, let’s give credit where credit is due…this is where I excel as a parent. I’m always looking for the positives in my children (and in everyone around me) and I affirm their positives as often as possible.

Avoid yelling when they do something bad

Negative behaviour can often be met with anger and frustration by parents. As they become more and more exasperated, kids become the target of yells, screams and shouts. This is an unproductive way to deal with children’s negative behaviour and will not do a great deal to help their progress.

Staying as calm as possible yet being stern and assertive, you want to state what was done wrong and take away anything that could help trigger the action. Being rational and remaining tranquil is a good way for most kids to learn from their mistakes or negative actions.

Oops, sometimes I yell. And worse, sometimes my hubby and I yell at each other, another golden rule we should not be breaking as parents. Definitely working on this one too.

Bend the rules

Once you set rules, it’s important to stick to them and avoid bending them. Children need to know there are costs to acting out and if you let them off, you are doing them no favours in the long run.

Have to admit, I’m terrible at this. Who would have thought that I’d be a bit of a pushover? I thought I would be so much stricter before I was a parent.

This is an important one as many parents love their children so much they feel harsh giving punishments. However, being consistent across the board will benefit the child and prepare them for later life.

You heard it here first! These are some things parents find themselves doing that they would do well to stay away from.

This article is published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.