Author: Alex

8 Surefire Ways You Can Save Money As Prices Soar

Posted on by Alex

Recent data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed prices climbing by 6.1% in the June quarter, driven primarily by the increasing cost of food and fuel.

Especially for those with kids, financial outgoings such as education, grocery, and days out can set you back.

Nick Drewe, money-saving expert at Australian discounts platform, WeThrift, shares his top tips on how you can cut your everyday costs. From energy bills to travel and grocery shopping, he shares his top tips below.

1. Keep checking your bills regularly: As some energy suppliers have been known to either make changes to tariffs or make mistakes when charging customers, it’s always a good idea to check your regular household bills.

With winter approaching, those who continue to work from home or have flexible conditions may opt to not return to the office Therefore, bills for water, energy and mobile data are likely to increase.

2. Reduce activities and classes: Whilst it is important for a child to have a routine, there seems to be pressure around keeping children busy with activities from a young age.

If you can’t quite afford every single activity, why not keep it simple and cost-free and encourage time to play in the backyard, playgrounds and explore the local creek. Children enjoy picnics, playdates and time at the beach, which will help reduce time spent in the car and spending money on petrol, entry fees, registration, tuition fees, uniforms or costumes.

3. Have a cap on present spending: Once your child starts school, they will begin to get more invitations to birthday parties. While this is lovely, this can also get expensive. Decide on a limit for presents early on and stick to it, unless it is a close friend where you may want to spend more.

Simple gift ideas that can work for both genders could be a pencil case filled with nice new stationery, a piece of sports equipment or a water pistol. 

Also, start collecting generic things throughout the year and put them in a gift collection cupboard. You never know, they may come in handy.

4. Choose inexpensive holidays: Once you have children, it is not as easy to travel interstate and overseas. Camping, particularly with young children, is fairly inexpensive to do once you are set up with some gear. 

Children love to ride their bikes around, meet other kids and roam the extra space, which is a great way for families to interact without spending too much money.

5. Share school trips with other parents: The cost of petrol adds up when taking the kids to school every day, and being able to do alternative trips with other parents nearby will definitely help cut your costs. 

If you can arrange to do alternative days or even alternate between the morning and afternoon drop off, this will cut your journeys in half. 

6. Look for discount codes before ordering takeaways: If you’re treating the family to a well-deserved takeaway at the weekend, before clicking ‘checkout’ on sites like Deliveroo or Menulog, it’s always worth a search on voucher sites for any discount codes or free delivery incentives that could knock your basket price down. 

Also, always check your emails for any promotional vouchers that may have been sent following your last order. Often delivery couriers will offer customers small incentives ahead of their next purchase, to retain their loyalty and avoid them being tempted to order elsewhere.

Deliveroo customers have the option to ‘Refer a friend, which will secure both of you $10 off your next order.

7. Time your grocery trips wisely: Try to time your grocery trips for when your local stores are likely to have just added yellow ‘reduced’ stickers to stock that needs to be sold that day. Making the most of these heavily discounted deals will help you to fill your freezer up with discounted meat, fish, and freezer meals for cheaper food options in the coming days and weeks.

Normally workers will start discounting products that are about to pass their sell-by-date later on in the afternoon or early evening, so a food shop after work is the perfect time to grab a  bargain.

Many supermarkets also have clearance sections where products that cannot be sold at their RRP or may have damaged packaging can be found. Just make sure to check you are happy with the item and that the goods aren’t compromised before heading to the checkout.

8. Cancel any unnecessary direct debits: Now is the perfect time to log on to your online banking and scour your direct debits and standing orders to see if you can cancel anything that’s become an unnecessary spend. 

Whether it be a gym membership you aren’t quite getting your money’s worth for, or a streaming service you signed up for during lockdown that you no longer make the most of, cutting these small outgoings will make a difference to your bank balance in the long run.

Also, make sure all of your monthly direct debits look correct, and if there are any questionable outgoings from your account to immediately address it.

Source: https://www.wethrift.com/tag/australia 

Swarovski Finally Unveils Its New Retail Landscape In Melbourne

Posted on by Alex

For over a year, Swarovski has been on a spellbinding journey with the reimagining of the brand and their retail stores. Commencing with the rollout of 27 Instant Wonder stores around the globe in 2021, the magical transformation has evolved into the culmination of an exciting new retail concept, with the first Australian store to be unveiled on Melbourne Collins Street this month.

“Our New Retail Landscape is an incredible ode to the creativity, and the result of Swarovski’s strong new vision, a realm where science and magic meet. Playful, aware, and always boldly chic our aim is to reflect desires and dreams in the physical space of our stores, and to underline our new age of crystal living,” says Giovanna Engelbert, Creative Director at Swarovski.

WELCOME TO A NEW RETAIL LANDSCAPE

Designed to ignite imaginations, each entrancing store pays homage to the shimmering beauty of crystal, reflecting the uniquely captivating charm of the city itself. Mesmerising metallic finishes and fluted glass combine with chrome and silk touches throughout.

To reflect the brand’s new visual identity, overseen by the beloved Swarovski Swan, guests will be welcomed into a sensorial retail space to discover an array of tempting and tantalising crystal treasures.

Encouraging exploration and self-expression, different areas in the stores are colour-blocked in Swarovski’s signature new brand hues. With myriad octagons adorning the walls in a breathtaking display of product and pattern, the entire concept is a tribute to the wonder of crystal itself.

Packages wrapped up with signature gross-grain silks and velvets for the final flourish add to the entire spellbinding experience.

Its sumptuous New Retail Landscape beckons you in an absolute feast for the senses, promising a world filled with magic and special moments.

STEP INTO BRILLIANCE AT MELBOURNE COLLINS STREET

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s premier luxury destination, the Collins Street store will be 125sqm and themed in the new Swarovski blue. The colour represents water as a life force, an integral element in the production of crystal and the inspiration behind Waterschool, Swarovski’s global water education program. Emotionally blue evokes a sense of calm, tranquility and power−qualities that are embodied within the store concept and customer experience.

ABOUT SWAROVSKI

Swarovski is a place where magic and science meet.

Swarovski unifies all parts of its organisation under one spellbinding idea and brings forward a wondrous new world of crystal craftsmanship. Founded in 1895 in Austria, the company designs, manufactures and sells the world’s highest quality crystal, gemstones, Swarovski Created Diamonds and zirconia, jewellery, and accessories, as well as crystal objects and home accessories. Together with its sister companies Swarovski Optik (optical devices) and Tyrolit (abrasives), Swarovski Crystal Business forms the Swarovski Group.

A responsible relationship with people and the planet has always been an integral part of Swarovski’s heritage. This manifests today in the company’s well-established sustainability agenda with youth-focused education programs and foundations to promote human empowerment and conserve natural resources to achieve positive social impact.

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The August 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Carl Runefelt

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With the crazy crypto boom around the world, there is a bit too much information to process, and hard to take your pick. But few special people have both the understanding as well as the belief. “Carl Runefelt” is one such individual. The billionaire has made his fortune with considerate assessment and belief in the law of attraction. The golden boy from the crypto industry shares an exclusive interview for the readers of MoneyCentral magazine.

Carl is very firm about his vision of crypto being the only currency we will use in the future. He has always believed that one bitcoin can be worth millions in the extended imminent stripe. He has invested in more than four hundred crypto startups, making him possibly the world’s largest crypto angel investor. With a following of over five million subscriptions across all social media platforms, Runefelt is prompting more and more people to share his journey, lifestyle, and reliance on the decree of magnetism. His youtube channel has been one of the most significant apparatuses in his accomplishment and distinction.

Runefelt, who hails from Sweden, dropped out of school early as he had a hard time focusing because of attention deficit disorder (ADD). He started working at a department store for a living, but within two years, he realized that he could never be successful or make his parents proud if he continued in that profession.

The founder of The Moon Group’s faith is in the law of attraction. He believes firm visions of your future can lead to possibilities of all your goals and dreams. The know-how of leveraging the internet to mint money and the ability to foresee the future of digital money have allowed him to climb up the success ladder.

Carl says, “I began to picture myself as a rich, cheerful and effective individual.” He even pretended that he was successful even though he was still working at the grocery store. He always took the train to his job, but he imagined driving a Ferrari in his head. He also started to look for yachts for sale online, envisaging that he was ready to purchase one. His life changed in just a couple of years more than he thought or most people would think could be possible.

Runefelt says, “There is no similarity between then and now.” He started probing for methods to get successful; he ran over a few speculations and meetings with fruitful individuals. What struck him more than anything else was the “law of attraction.”

Twenty-seven-year-old Runefelt mentally transformed himself into a successful person. From where he was, to where he is now, and where he’s headed. It’s been a shift of mindset and approach towards life. Self-belief and optimism about the future gave him the enthusiasm, courage, and strength required to overcome the barriers.

Carl did his research on cryptocurrency extensively a few years back, both online and by pouring through whatever literature was available at the time. He concluded that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins are designed to work as a medium of exchange. Educating people frequently about the traders and investors would be necessary and became his life’s purpose. Being a millennial, Runefelt realised the power of the digital world early on.

In no time, he created a YouTube channel, TheMoonCarl, to disseminate adequate and correct information about the control and value of cryptocurrencies, educating people on its nuances and how it’s competing against a broken system.

Runefelt says, “My life completely changed in just a couple of years, more than I thought or what most could even think possible. There’s no comparison between now and then. Being with people who share your ideals and goals is important; your company matters.”

He believes achieving success isn’t a matter of luck; it’s a decision. He says: “I thank myself every day. I decided to become the person I am today because I wasn’t happy with who I was before. The way to become whoever you want is to believe in your mind that you’re already that person. Act as if it’s already your reality, and you’ll attract it.”

The entrepreneur wants to be remembered for his extensive career. Wealth creation is no longer a motivating factor; he wants to contribute to society through philanthropic ventures. He says: “I want to be remembered as a great person who did great things. I already know that I’ll be one of the wealthiest people in the world, so it’s no longer a big motivator anymore. I want people to remember me as someone who did well for other people.”

In recent times, Carl announced his official partnership with Formula 2 & driver Ralph Boschung. An avid fan of racing, Runefelt’s multi-million-dollar sponsorship puts his name “The Moon” at the forefront of Formula 2. Runefelt says, “Bringing mass crypto adoption is my goal for 2022. Not only do I wish to bring more awareness to crypto but also to children with disabilities.” Carl himself is donating 30,000 USD every race to his charity for helping children in need and is motivating people to do so as well over a QR code printed on the car’s nose. “Formula 2 gives me a platform for both subjects that are near and dear to my heart. Crypto has built my wealth over the years, which has allowed me to make major donations to foundations that help children with major disabilities such as Down Syndrome, which my little brother has.”

Carl Runefelt, a serial entrepreneur and renowned crypto leader, is set to launch another exciting blockchain project, CryptoJobs.com. CryptoJobs.com aims to revolutionize the Web3 job space with an innovative employment platform for job seekers and employers. The platform will offer a sustainable solution to the existing job market problems and provide long-term benefits to its early supporters.

5 Things To Consider Before Investing In A New Business

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For any investor, the essential thing is to see a return on their investment. The primary reason why investors put their money into a business is to make more money. However, the company investing data demonstrate that this is not always the case. Many investors have lost money as a result of a company concept that appeared to be “infallible.”

Investment is a business facet that necessitates meticulousness and a broad basis of financial understanding. Anyone who enters this profession must be willing and prepared to learn many vital measures for successful investing. This post will go over “5 things you need to know before investing in a new business.

1.    Understand The Business Structure Completely

One of the essential things to know before investing is understanding business structure. A thorough grasp of the business structure is one of the things to know before investing in a new firm. This is significant because it will impact how the IRS and legal system evaluate liabilities and earnings.

When you begin to understand the company structure thoroughly, you will be able to predict the likelihood that the firm will fail. According to the Business Administration – about half of small enterprises fail within their first five years.

Understanding the business structure will assist you in determining if you will be personally liable for any unpaid debts or liabilities if the firm fails. As a result, we usually urge potential investors to consider carefully minimizing their responsibility.

2.    Recognize The Importance Of Patience

Before investing in a firm, you should know that you may not see any profits for several years. That’s why we refer to it as comprehending the essence of patience. Any prospective investor must realize that investments are similar to seeds planted in a firm.

They, like seeds, require a certain amount of time before they begin to produce excellent harvests. You should be aware that the longer your cultivation period, the greater your profits. When you invest as a new investor in a business, you should know that the startup will require all the funds it can receive. That’s why patience is something significant that an investor must do before investing in a new business.

3.    Conduct Your Research

Knowing the importance of all factors to consider before investing in a new business is essential. Before investment, do as much research as you can. This implies you must be familiar with the background of everyone involved in the business’s management. Before investing essential resources in a firm, you should research the industry and market competition.

In reality, you should request a thorough written business plan that includes the company description, market study, SWOT analysis, financial strategy, marketing methods, and so on. Making your study will assist you in determining whether the company has an actual plan to carry out its grandiose aspirations.

4.    Interacting With Customers

Besides financial factors to consider before investing, interaction with customers is also essential. It is also beneficial to converse with consumers or customers. Collect as much consumer information as possible. First, we recommend speaking with at least 3 to 5 people who use that business or product.

The explanation for this is straightforward. You’re attempting to gain personal knowledge of how that thing feels and how valuable it is. You would also receive pertinent information on any flaws in the product or service that should be addressed.

5.    Make A Diversification Strategy

It is essential to develop and implement a diversification strategy. As a private investor who only invests in two or three firms, your chances of success are small. According to Kauffman Foundation research, the standard technique is to have roughly 7 to 10 investments.

As a result, it is critical to determine how much you plan to devote to your asset class. The objective of diversifying your assets is to reduce risk while increasing your chances of success.

Last Thoughts

Follow the above five things you need to know before investing in a new business. The secret to successful business investment is avoiding investing money you cannot afford to lose. As a result, we recommend that you should not invest in a company where the only way out is through an initial public offering. Before investing, you should learn how to invest wisely.

5 Surefire Ways To Take Advantage Of A Falling Property Market

Posted on by Alex

Challenging economic circumstances, including rising inflation, steep interest rate hikes, and a looming recession ahead, have caused the property market to decline. The buying ‘frenzy’ of the pandemic property boom is over, and home buyers and investors alike are feeling wary about making the life-changing decision to purchase property in this economic climate.

Lloyd Edge, Founder and Managing Director of Aus Property Professionals, says, “Already property prices have fallen in major capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne, and we should expect to see the market slow by a further 10 percent to 15 percent in the next few months. For savvy property investors and home buyers, the declining market presents an opportunity to get better value for their money.”

Lloyd has recently launched his second best-selling property book Buy Now: The Ultimate Guide to Owning and Investing in Property, which includes practical tips for people looking to buy a house, whether in a boom or bust market and strategies for how to make the best of the economic circumstances that you’re in and use it your advantage.

Lloyd says, “I began my own property journey at the age of 28, buying a one-bedroom flat on a teacher’s salary of no more than $70,000 per year. At the time, I had no idea I was going to become a serious property investor. Fast-forward almost two decades later and I’ve grown my portfolio to 18 properties worth $15 million. I had to persevere and learn a lot of hard lessons along the way, and now I want to share my knowledge and help people find the same success in property as I have.”

For prospective buyers, particularly first home buyers or aspiring property investors, Lloyd shares his top advice from Buy Now that will help you to break into the market and get better value for your deposit:

  1. Look for below market value properties: A buyer who pays under the perceived market value of a property will have made instant equity on the property, meaning that they’ve made a profit from day one and can use this equity to keep building their property portfolio. To find a below market value property, one way is to use a buyer’s agent. A buyer’s agent can help you buy under market value because of their negotiation skills, contacts with local real estate agents in their areas of expertise, and their ability to uncover off market gems. However, you can also do it yourself by researching the recent sales of similar properties in the same area and seeing if you can negotiate a better deal with the real estate agent.
  1. Motivated sellers: So how do you find a below market value property and snap it up quickly for a bargain price? One way is to buy a property from someone in need of a quick sale. It could be because they’ve bought another house and need to close the sale on their current property quickly, or they could be a developer looking for a quick sale to pay off outstanding debts. However, this advice comes with a word of warning, as some sellers may want to sell fast because there is something wrong with the property, so it’s always advisable to do an in-person inspection and commission a full property report and pest inspection.
  1. Be willing to negotiate terms: In cases of motivated sellers, if you can be flexible on the settlement terms of your contract, this can put you a head above other potential buyers, as flexibility is a strong negotiations tool to bring to the table. If you are able to settle in as little as 21 days instead of the standard 35 or 42 days or offer an unconditional offer with no cooling off period at all, you could find yourself getting a much better deal on a property, and it will make your offer look far more attractive, even if you’re not necessarily the highest bidder.
  1. Be proactive with finances: Before you begin your property hunt, the first person you should speak to is a mortgage broker. A mortgage broker will be able to tell you what your borrowing capacity is, as well as help you secure pre-approval on your loan- this will ensure you don’t miss out on properties while submitting your paperwork and waiting for the banks or brokers to get back to you. If your finance is ready to go, you’ll have the option of making an unconditional offer. You’ll also be aware of any other conditions the seller has included in the contract, so where possible you can accommodate these for a greater chance of success.
  1. Be known to local agents: If you’re ready to go, reach out and get in touch with local real estate agents. Let them know your buying criteria and budget, ask to be contacted with off-market opportunities and when new properties are listed. Ask to be added to their mailing list, so you’re one of the first to know about new listings and to inspect a suitable property when it becomes available.

Lloyd says, “One of my favourite mantras is ‘No-one ever got ahead by waiting.’ Too often I’ll meet people who say they’re not quite ready to buy just yet, they’re waiting for property prices to drop or interest rates to go down. Meanwhile, while they’re waiting property prices start to rise again, and they’ve missed out on the opportunity to get better value for their money. My advice to people in this situation would be buy when you can afford to, when your finances are in order, and ultimately, you’ll be better off in the long run.” 

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Kathleen Quere @agent99pr.com

Five Strategies Businesses Can Implement To Adapt To The New Normal

Posted on by Alex

SKYBIZ, the business solutions arm of SKY Cable Corporation, partners with Microsoft’s Crayon Software Experts Philippines, Inc. to help entrepreneurs and enterprise owners shift and grow amid today’s digital age of doing business as it conducted a special webinar event, showcasing the features of the all-in-one business suite Microsoft 365.

Alongside the introduction and demonstration on how to use Microsoft 365 to help in aiding business operations in today’s times, the event, in line with SKYBIZ’s ongoing Grow Together campaign, shared business tips and factors to consider to sustain work progress and productivity.

Here are some key takeaways from the webinar hosted by SKYBIZ and Crayon Software Experts Philippines, Inc. that would help small, medium, and large enterprises grow their ventures to new heights in today’s age of digital transformation:

1) Business alteration and reset

Indeed the pandemic has changed our way of living, including how we do business.

According to Crayon Philippines’ solutions architect Danica Francisco, many businesses are finding ways to make their businesses thrive amid these uncertain times, ushering the new normal in how we communicate and transact with our clientele.

“We’ve seen how businesses changed and shifted focus on making their ventures thrive. I’m not only talking about the large enterprises, even the small businesses. Here, we could see the resiliency of these businesses, some didn’t make it, but others thrived in today’s times,” Francisco shared.

Shifting to digital could be beneficial for many business owners in order to cope with the ongoing new normal set-up and make operations accessible and run more smoothly.

2) People are the driving force behind progress

Despite the ongoing shift in today’s digital transformation, people are still pivotal in driving success for all businesses.

With this in mind, companies and smaller businesses alike should continue addressing the needs of their employees to establish trust and bolster rapport in boosting work productivity.

Plus, considering a more work-friendly set-up for workers, including the implementations of work-from-home or hybrid arrangements, would be beneficial in promoting work productivity and safety.

“It is important for organizations and companies to address their current needs. We know that it is difficult to go to work due to these uncertain times with COVID affecting the transport sector. We need to think of how we can help our people to stay motivated at work,” Francisco added.

3) Real-time collaboration

One of the worries of business owners is how flexible working set-ups would hamper real-time collaboration, with employees now working apart from one another to maintain their safety.

But with the help of modern technology, including the Microsoft 365 business suite, businesses can run smoothly as usual with real-time collaboration applications that would help them interact with one another and continue doing their work together virtually.

Another vital factor to note in virtual real-time collaboration is to introduce a user-friendly interface so all employees, whether tech-savvy or not, can seamlessly conduct business activities without the worry of being left behind.

4) Strengthening digital security

Going digital may also introduce new risks, including cyber threats that would potentially affect one’s business.

From stealing personal information to breaching bank funds, investing in additional digital security measures is key to protecting all crucial data from hackers and other digital perpetrators alike.

5) Taking note of costs

Shifting to digital may also be heavy on the pockets of most businesses.

With costs in the equation, it is apt to find an all-in-one solution to cut costs while enjoying the benefits of virtual real-time collaboration and digital security.

This is where Microsoft 365 enters, providing a business suite for collaborating through its Teams app with access to all of the essential Microsoft Office applications, which is helpful in documenting and presenting their day-to-day progress.

Plus, its security features also ensure companies and business ventures that their vital information is locked in within their system to avoid potential digital threats, whether on mobile or on their computers.

Together with SKYBIZ’ reliable internet connectivity, users can fully utilize Microsoft 365 and integrate it in their day-to-day activities at ease.

Upon subscribing to SKYBIZ’s BIZBB PRO Fiber, it comes with speeds of up to 200 Mbps and free access to Microsoft 365, plus gift vouchers from Grab or ABS-CBN Dash to help in sustaining business growth in today’s digital age.

Business owners can also subscribe to SKYBIZ’s BIZTastic Bundeals, which also come with fiber business internet connectivity, plus access to Microsoft 365 and a free ABS-CBN Dash voucher. Promo is extended until June 30, 2022.

To know more about SKYBIZ’s internet plans and promo updates, visit www.skybiz.com.ph.

Can You Really Use Netflix’s Global Smash Hit Series Squid Game To Teach Economics??

Posted on by Alex

First-year business and economics students all over the world may soon be using Netflix’s global smash hit series Squid Game to learn complex economic theories.

A new paper by the Monash Business School has revealed how integrating the strategies of the smash-hit dystopian series Squid Game can revolutionise the way students learn game theory, one of the most challenging concepts of introductory economics.

Researchers from the Monash Business School have developed a range of innovative and interactive teaching tools based on insights from Squid Game to provide educators and students with a fresh approach to teaching and learning one of the most demanding topics at the introductory economics level.

And from semester one, first-year microeconomics students at the Monash Business School will use the Squid Game insights.

“Game theory is important because it helps us understand decision making in strategic situations,” says Associate Professor Wayne Geerling from the Monash Business School and co-author of the paper “Using Squid Game to Teach Game Theory”.

“The players in Squid Game are a metaphor for companies, and we have examined the strategic interactions of Squid Game in comparison to real-life business. How do players, ie companies, interact. Game theory has a lot of real-world applications, analysing how actions influence others and the strategic implications of such.”

Associate Professor Geerling has identified a number of scenes from the immensely popular television series that can be used to teach game theory principles. He has developed a series of teaching guides that can be adopted or adapted by any instructor anywhere around the world.

The economics profession has been notorious for its continued reliance on ‘chalk and talk’ to deliver lectures. Still, a significant amount of research pioneered by Associate Professor Geerling and his colleagues has focussed on innovative ways to teach economics concepts.

“Many students struggle to think in a strategic manner when the material is taught through traditional methods alone. Pop culture, such as Squid Game, can be used as an effective medium to break down barriers to learning because it taps into everyday life and allows students to see connections between abstract theory and real-world applications,” he says.

Squid Game revolves around 456 players, all of whom are heavily indebted, risking their lives to play a series of six children’s games against each other – with a deadly twist. The reward for the winner is a sizeable bounty. For everyone else, the consolation prize is death.

In Squid Game the players are making decisions in real time without full information and to survive they must work out their optimal strategies to maximise their chances of winning.

Just like the cut-throat real world of business.

“The Netflix series focuses on six games, we’ve chosen three of those to represent the best practical applications of game theory for students,” says Associate Professor Wayne Geerling.

Using Squid Game to teach game theory reflects Associate Professor Geerling’s passion for revolutionising how we teach economics and promote active learning techniques in class using pop culture.

“Despite the growth in teaching resources and the ability for educators to integrate innovative teaching practices into their curriculum more easily, the vast majority of educators continue to teach using a traditional lecture.”

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Medianet

Editorial credit: DANIEL CONSTANTE / Shutterstock.com

Revealed: THIS decade Produced The Best Looking Cars

Posted on by Alex

A new study from Confused.com (Q4, 2021) has revealed that the 2010s produced the most beautiful cars, according to Fibonacci’s Golden Ratio – a mathematical symmetry ratio that influences perceived attractiveness. The golden ratio – which analyses the height and width dimensions of the ‘face on’ view of the car, was used to determine the scientific beauty of over 370 cars. Confused.com can now reveal all!

The results:

Decade

Decade’s average % match to the golden ratio

Most statistically beautiful car from the decade

Car’s percentage match to the golden ratio

2010s

90.18%

McLaren 720s 4.0 V8

99.73%

2000s

87.83%

Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe

99.20%

1970s

85.37%

Mercedes-Benz C111 – 11 D

99.33%

1990s

84.94%

Ferrari F355 GTS

95.61%

2020s

84.00%

McLaren GT

98.08%

1960s

79.49%

Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada

97.99%

1980s

79.36%

Lamborghini Jalpa P350

98.08%

1950s

76.34%

Chrysler Plymouth Fury (KP31)

95.30%

1940s

74.48%

Ferrari 166 MM Zagato Panoramica

88.27%

2010s produced the most statistically beautiful cars

Confused.com can reveal that the 2010s is the decade which produced the most statistically beautiful vehicles. Cars released in this decade averaged an incredible 90.18% match to the golden ratio. Of the cars released during this decade, the 2017 McLaren 720s 4.0 V8 is the most attractive. With an almost perfect 99.73% match to the golden ratio, it’s also making the most stunning of all cars analysed. The decade’s high average is also down to the 2017 McLaren 570s Coupe (99.24% match) and the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Coupe (99.20% match). These beautiful models finished second and third in the decade, respectively.

The 2000s comes in second place, with releases in this decade averaging an 87.83% match to the golden ratio. The 2003 Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe can be thanked for assisting with this high average, due to its 99.20% match to the golden ratio. The second best from this decade is the 2000 Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge Stradale F1 (99.07% match), followed by the 2008 Aston Martin One -77 in third (98.85% match). When it comes to the 17 Aston Martins analysed, the One -77 is the most beautiful, beating iconic models such as the 1963 Aston Martin DB5 (76.96% match).

It was the 1970s which produced the third most statistically beautiful cars, with an 85.37% match to golden ratio for the decade on average. Confused.com discovered that the 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111 – 11 D is the most mathematically stunning car released, with a 99.33% match to the golden ratio. This places the Mercedes as the third most beautiful car overall, and the oldest car to make it into the top 10.

In fourth place is the 1990s, with car releases averaging an 84.94% match to the golden ratio. With a 99.20% match, the 1994 Ferrari F355 GTS is the most stunning car to come out of the 90s, and the second most beautiful car overall. This is followed by the 1996 Lotus Esprit V8 32V Turbo as the second-best car of the decade (98.96% match), and the 1994 McLaren F1 in third (98.67% match). The F1 is also the second-best of all McLarens analysed.

40s and 50s: the least beautiful decades for cars

With a 74.48% match to the golden ratio on average for the decade, it’s the 1940s that produced the least statistically beautiful cars. The 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Zagato Panoramica came out as the most stunning, with an 88.27% match to the golden ratio. However, despite being the most statistically beautiful of the decade, the Ferrari falls short in the overall rankings. It places just 112 out of the 372 cars analysed, and 22 out of the 29 Ferrari models considered for the research.

The 1950s produced the second least statistically beautiful cars, with a 76.34% match to the golden ratio on average. With a percentage difference of 95.30%, the best car to come out of the 50s was the 1957 Chrysler Plymouth Fury (KP31). Of the five Chryslers analysed in the study, the Plymouth Fury takes first place. This beats younger models such as the 1997 Plymouth Prowler (92.11% match) by 3.19%, and the 1970 Plymouth Superbird (89.27% match) by 6.03%.

Alex Kindred, Car Insurance expert at Confused.com, comments:

“Although car design and technology have evolved throughout the decades, many classics from the 70s and the earlier years are clearly still popular today, with enthusiasts desperate to get their hands on them.

If you’re fortunate enough to own one of these classic beauties, keeping it secure should be a priority, as many classic cars don’t have the security systems more modern cars do. And it doesn’t have to be pricey. If you have a garage, keeping it stored away overnight might be a safer option than leaving it on the driveway.  Or you can invest in security devices, such as a steering wheel lock or a GPS tracker, which both help in keeping your car more secure. Our guide to car security highlights some of the most effective ways to keep your pride and joy safe.”

Please Note

  1. Confused.com sought to determine the most scientifically beautiful car from each decade according to the golden ratio (a mathematical symmetry ratio that influences perceived attractiveness) of the front view of the car.
  2. A list of a maximum of 50 iconic cars of each decade from the 1940s to 2020s was obtained from reputable sources using in-house metrics. Please access the full list of sources in this Google document.
  3. The width and height dimensions of each vehicle within the dataset was extracted from each vehicle’s manufacturer’s official website. Any model specifications not found on the sites were alternatively sourced from one of the following sources: Conceptcarz.com; carfolio.com; autoevolution.com;  auto-data.net/en/; supercars.net; fastestlaps.com/; dimensions.com ; allcarindex.com ; carsopedia.com; carsguide.com.au ; automobiledimension.com; ev-database.uk. Cars with no data available were omitted from the study.
  4. Following the collection of data, the ratio of width to height was used to calculate the difference against the golden ratio dimensions (1.61803398875). In total, 372 cars were analysed.
  5. Subsequently, percentages were calculated to express the difference from each car to the golden ratio.
  6. All vehicles were ranked in ascending order, deeming the most beautiful cars as the ones closest to the golden ratio proportions; therefore, determining the most statistically beautiful cars from each decade.
  7. All data was collated in November 2021 and is subject to change.

Source: https://www.confused.com/car-insurance  

Photo by Broderick Armbrister from Pexels

 

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The January 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Scott Hughes

Posted on by Alex

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A veteran entrepreneur, Scott Hughes is the founder of OnlineBookClub.org. He is also a highly sought-after author of four books; Justice: A Novella, 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book, Achieve Your Dreams, and The Banned Book about Love. He recently announced that he finally finished the first draft of his next book “#InItTogether: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All.”

Born and raised in Manchester, Connecticut, from 2006-2014, he worked at various modest jobs on the side, including being a server and bartender at various local restaurants. In late 2014, Scott eventually decided to give up his side jobs and focus working full-time on just one thing – OnlineBookClub.org. OnlineBookClub.org is a bibliophile’s heaven and one of the best websites around for booklovers. It has it all; free books, daily contests, book discussions, and so much more. OnlineBookClub.org will even pay people to read and review books plus; it’s free to use, hence why it grew at such a rapid pace.

Since 2014, OnlineBookClub grew from strength to strength, and, as of November 2021, OnlineBookClub has garnered over 2.7 million registered members. Its development team recently released an OnlineBookClub e-reading app which is supposedly meant to compete with Amazon Kindle, called OBC Reader – it’s now available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Scott to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Fundamentally, I grow the business exponentially with a simple formula: I delegate whatever and as much as I can, hiring new people as needed. Then I take the time of mine that’s been free to do extra work or new projects that I wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. I also push that pattern down the chain as much as possible so that the other people I have working for me delegate what they can to others, especially new hires, freeing up themselves to take on more work.

Essentially, when I hired my first full-time assistant, it doubled the output. Then I eventually hired two more people, one for me to delegate to and one for my assistant.

For me, it comes down to crucial ingredients: Delegation and leveraging the power of exponents and exponential growth.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

My Social Media Director, Beth Jackson, leads our social media team. To be properly active on multiple social media platforms requires an entire team of people. Off the top of my head, we currently primarily use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Minds.com, and MeWe.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

It depends on what you are advertising. PPC on search engines like Google can provide highly targeted leads at almost unlimited volume, fairly easily. But it only works if you have a way to monetize those targeted leads in a way that exceeds the cost of obtaining them at volume. For instance, I don’t feel that it’s a good strategy for advertising a single $3 book because the profit per book sale will not be enough to cover the cost of obtaining an initial lead and a $3 sale from the ads.

If the cost of your product or service is high enough and converts well enough with targeted leads, it can work. But another factor is whether you are using those leads to create long-term relationships. So, for instance, it could work great for a subscription service, such as one of those weekly subscription boxes for prepared food in the mail.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

My main tactic is making the best product I can or in other words, ensuring customer satisfaction. I follow this motto: Great advertising only makes a bad product fail faster. And, in a competitive commercial setting, anything less than great or amazing is a bad product. In a competitive commercial setting, merely good is not good enough.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Viral marketing is the only thing that has ever really worked for me. You make a great product or service, and then as needed, find a way to encourage your customers or users to spread the word. The more important part is the former, and depending on the business and product the latter may do itself.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

Personally speaking, my wife and I chose to get divorced in early August. That’s not really business-related, but it definitely comes to mind when you mention tough decisions.

But it speaks to this point: business decisions aren’t really ever tough for me. It’s the common cliché from movies and such that someone says usually before doing something seemingly mean “It’s not personal; it’s business.” Business is often just math. Which one makes more money? Which one costs less? Which one takes less time? What’s the bottom line?

What mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

When I first went full-time working on my business without any side jobs to pay my rent and put food on the table, I was working 70-80 hours a week. My profit—meaning what I paid myself—the first year doing that was $20,000. I worked 70-80 hours because I had to keep the business from going under and pay my rent and bills. I was scraping by the pennies some weeks—literally; I remember taking my jar of coins to the Coinstar machine on the 10th of the month because rent was due and I literally would have been short unable to pay it without cashing in the $5-$10 in coins I had.

I prefer the term learning experience to mistake, but what I would have done differently if I knew what I knew now is this: Once I got in that habit of working 70-80 hours a week, I kept going for years beyond what I had to. The company and business became very successful, I became very successful financially and professionally. About a year or two ago, I started cutting back and working a lot less per week. I could have afforded to do that much sooner.

And giving myself more free time personally made me more creative and thoughtful, so I think it’s actually been helping the company and business grow even more, ironically.

Sometimes the best ideas for the company come to me while I’m sitting in my hot tub looking up at the moon and stars.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to start some kind of business that helps people achieve their goals and dreams, particularly in a way that focuses on self-discipline. For me, I use the term self-disciple interchangeably with the term spiritual freedom.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I got started young. I created OnlineBookClub.org when I was still a teenager.

In one way, I made a ton of mistakes both professionally and personally. My values and priorities now as a 35-year-old man are so different. This 35-year-old Scott speaking to you now would do things much differently than teenager-Scott, but he did what was right for him. If he had done anything differently, the man speaking to you now wouldn’t exist. So I wouldn’t change anything. It’s the Butterfly Effect. I believe in the principle of Amor Fati, meaning love your fate, which in this context means seeing the past as being perfect just as it is. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Another way of saying the same is to say accept what you cannot change. I believe strongly in that, and the past is something I cannot change, so I believe in wholly accepting it and embracing it with inner peace, seeing it as perfect.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I wasn’t given it personally, but my best advice comes from Ram Dass, as paraphrased by Mike Posner, and it’s only three words: “Just Love Everything.”

I have that tattooed on my right forearm, where I can see it every day.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

You have to be driven by something other than money. In my anecdotal experience and just from watching the world around me, I’ve found that those who desperately chase money are the least likely to find it. In contrast, when you work hard on yourself and your real dreams, the money chases you. Money and even health and physical fitness are only really ever a means, not an end in themselves. Without some kind of vision or passion to be the real end, the real goal, the real dream, it’s like driving a car with no gas.

When someone overvalues money itself, that person often tends to end up getting paid to work on someone else’s dream in exchange for money.

Will The Omicron Strain Impact Property Trends??

Posted on by Alex

Pete Wargent, the co-founder of BuyersBuyers, Australia’s first national network of property buyer’s agents, says the Omicron strain of the coronavirus will have a negligible impact on the trajectory of the housing market.

Mr Wargent said, “to a certain extent, the last couple of years should have reminded us that making predictions is very hard, especially when they are about pandemics or the future. But, that said, there’s little to indicate that the latest strain of the virus will have any meaningful impact on housing market trends.”

“After an initial wobble, stock markets have been resurgent, and financial markets have been largely unperturbed, which is likely to be a better indicator than the latest alarmist headline.”

“Financial markets are possibly factoring in the various news about the lack of serious cases of the latest strain to date, with many reporting mild symptoms. However, case numbers seem to be increasing rapidly, which could delay the full reopening of the international borders into 2022”.

“Moreover, a look back at how the housing market fared through the past two years suggests that there are more crucial factors at play than the latest strain of the virus, such as the cost of mortgage debt and the supply of properties being made available for sale” Mr Wargent said.

Cooling naturally

BuyersBuyers co-founder Doron Peleg said that a cooling of the housing market was inevitable in 2022 after a storming year in 2021. Still, the latest virus strain wasn’t a key factor in his forecasts.

Mr Peleg said, “a range of factors combined will help to take the heat out of the housing market in 2022, such as gradually rising mortgage rates, more vendors looking to lock in gains, and more cautious buyers as affordability bites following the strong price gains of 2021”.

“The rate of immigration has not been a key factor in driving the market over the past couple of years, with the notable exception of CBD and some inner-city apartments, where the absence of international students has been felt particularly keenly.”

“Remember, though, that the closure of the borders didn’t lead the doomsday outcomes many commentators predicted, partly because corrective policy measures were taken” Mr Peleg said.

“All eight of the capital cities recorded double-digit price gains over the year to September, with most recording price rises of about 20 per cent or higher”.

Population growth to resume

Pete Wargent of BuyersBuyers said that buyer sentiment has been broadly unchanged by the latest virus developments.

Mr Wargent said “there is less fear of missing out in the housing market now. But the pattern of housing trends through the pandemic has taught more buyers to look through the short-term noise and to buy quality properties when they can while taking a medium-term outlook.”

“We wouldn’t be surprised to see employment surging towards a record high approaching 13½ million through 2022, with the economy likely to grow by about 5 per cent per annum for the next couple of years, in turn helping to push the unemployment rate down to 4 per cent for the first time since the mining boom go-go years”.

“There might be a delay in the rebooting of immigration due to Omicron. But looking through the noise, population growth should be back to over 300,000 per annum whenever travel does become easier, and potentially even nearer to 400,000” Mr Wargent said.

About BuyersBuyers

BuyersBuyers connects people looking to buy a property with some of the best buyer’s agents around Australia. We aim to level the real estate playing field to give first-time and experienced home buyers and property investors a personalised service with the advantage of having a property expert working for them, serving only the buyer’s interests. Our national network of top buyer’s agents is the largest in Australia and offers some of the most affordable buying solutions on the market.

All our buyer’s agents are licensed, experienced, and are committed to working in the best interest of our clients. We offer excellent value for money with very competitive and affordable fees and no commissions. What you see is what you get. Our bespoke property research and tools enable buyer’s agents and buyers to stay informed on market trends and our insightful property reports help determine the best places to buy. That’s why we are quite simply, ‘the better way to buy property.

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Medianet