How to Find the Best Exchange Rates

Published on: 12 December 2018 Last Updated on: 19 July 2019

Traveling or trading with foreign currencies require additional fees, which often include surcharges for credit cards, commissions, fees for ATM, and others. Whether you are travelling to a new country for a vacation or considering expanding your currency portfolio, it’s no surprise that financial institutions are looking for ways to increase their profit in the long run. After all, each of them is technically running a business.

If you are looking for a way to add more value to your money, there are ways on how you can find the best exchange rates almost effortlessly.

Here are some tips to remember:

1. Research the Exchange Rate Beforehand:

Exchange rates differ from country to country. There are countless online currency converters available, many of which come from reliable sources that are derived straight from the Forex market. If you are purchasing cash online via a mobile application, you may notice some additional charges that come with the conversion.

To get the most of your money, consider searching for various cash apps with affordable transaction fees and compare them with each other before ultimately deciding which works best for you.

2. Plan ahead:

For travelers who are visiting another foreign country, one of the best things you can do while preparing for the trip is to plan how much money you are going to need. After that, you can purchase your foreign currency ahead of time online instead of the last minute which usually requires costly delivery rates.

Purchasing ahead also gives you a chance to see whether or not your payment has come through and allows the business the chance to confirm your identity. Purchasing currency online also saves time spent standing in lines and can be done as quickly as possible.

3. Use Credit and ATM Cards:

ATMs abroad usually provide the best exchange rates when it comes to purchasing foreign currency which are usually 2-7% better compared to exchanging cash or traveler’s checks. During travel, it’s best to avoid using money exchange kiosks in public transportation areas and tourist spots.

4. Exchange Cash and Traveler’s Checks:

For people who may not want to use their cards for small purchases, exchanging cash and traveler’s checks is another way to find good exchange rates. However, be wary of exchanging them in tourist-filled areas like airports and train stations. Consider checking in banks and post offices. To get a proper exchange rate, read the postage rates very carefully and ask for the net rate that comes after commissions. It’s important to remember that commissions work in two ways:

The commission that takes per percentage.
The commission that is charged per item and transaction.

To lure tourists, certain money changes that are not at banks or post offices will post the sell rate for the currency rather than the buy rate, which means you might be buying more than what you intend to spend. These money changers may also offer great rates exclusively for traveler’s checks or very large sums of money which can be dangerous to hand carry around.

As an added precaution, be wary of exchanges in the black market which often include scams and counterfeit currency.

5. Watch out for hidden charges:

Some companies may offer deals that advertise how much money you can save if you choose a specific delivery option, which actually includes extra hidden charges. To be safe, find out how much you are paying in total and exactly how much currency you will receive, changes with great exchange rates can be negated by commissions and handling fees.

6. Read the fine print:

There are various apps and sites out there advertising the fact that they do not include transaction fees, delivery fees, and commissions. While this is very tempting, the last thing you want to do is to purchase a large sum of currencies only to realize that there are certain limitations and deductions. As much as possible read the fine print in the site’s terms of use. You can also call the company and ask some questions they may not address in their website.

Conclusion:

Dealing with foreign currency doesn’t have to be a hassle. As a currency trader or a traveller, one of the most important things you can do is actively research on a reliable business that stays close to the exchange rate without adding in extra hidden charges. While it may be time-consuming at first, learning to add value to your purchases is simply an investment you can’t avoid.

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Crypto Staking: Locking Up Crypto Holdings To Earn Interest

Staking cryptocurrency is a growing trend since it allows individuals to generate passive income from their existing cryptocurrency holdings. Making money in the crypto space can be done in several ways. You can join in DeFi and stake your cryptocurrencies, acquire and keep coins with the expectation of price appreciation, or trade on price speculation via crypto CFDs. In this post, we will define staking and walk you through the steps necessary to begin staking your own coins. What Is Crypto Staking? How Does Staking In Crypto Work? By "locking up" assets to maintain the integrity of a cryptocurrency network, "staking" allows users to receive a passive income from their cryptocurrency holdings without ever having to sell their coins. Investing in cryptocurrency through staking is equivalent to putting money into a high-interest savings account. Staking allows cryptocurrency networks to obtain consensus on the status of transactions via a proof of stake mechanism, with the tokens themselves acting as a kind of internal security rather than the computer power and electricity consumed by the network. This is demonstrated by the success of proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies like Cardano, Solana, and Polkadot in the cryptocurrency market. These networks are able to process a high volume of transactions with low transaction fees because of the various staking mechanisms they employ. Blockchain infrastructures benefit from this because they become more adaptable, affordable to users, and eco-friendly. Besides improving cryptocurrency's safety, scalability, and efficiency, staking lets its owners make passive revenue. To maximize their returns, many long-term holders are taking advantage of staking rewards. Staking, however, has some negatives, such as a reduced ability to sell assets swiftly in the event of a market downturn. The network chooses validators according to the number and age of tokens they have staked. Staking more tokens for a longer period of time increases the likelihood of getting chosen as a validator. Users that have a lesser portion of tokens have a decreased likelihood of contributing to the network's security and earning incentives as a result of their participation. Because of this, users with a lower stake make use of staking pools so that they can take part in the network. Staking Pool Definition To increase their chances of being chosen to validate blocks and receive block rewards, cryptocurrency network users can form staking pools by pooling their funds with other users. Those who have stakes in the pool receive a proportional share of the block reward based on the sum of stakes they own. Staking pools, therefore, often result in lower payouts than individual staking. In contrast to the reliable and predictable payouts from staking pools, solo staking involves a significant investment in the crypto network. Operators of staking pools, typically cryptocurrency exchanges, are in charge of maintaining the network's validator nodes. Participants in the pool are obligated to store their funds at a predetermined public blockchain address. The pool has a nominal price for this convenience. Other options enable users to stake money from their wallets directly into pools. Cold staking is one method that allows users to participate in pools while still using their hardware wallet. Users who don't feel comfortable managing and running their own node but still want to contribute to the security of the cryptocurrency network can do so through staking pools. Why Is Staking Limited To Some Cryptocurrencies? Whether or not a cryptocurrency network supports staking depends on the consensus process used. Many cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Litecoin, are not stackable because of the consensus method they employ. The double-spending issue that plagued early attempts with digital currency is resolved by crypto networks thanks to their consensus processes. These consensus procedures are resilient in the face of opposition because of the careful economics they employ. The economics of the first cryptocurrency networks relied on mining, the mechanism through which nodes competed to solve cryptographic challenges with computational power. Tokens and transaction fees are awarded to the node that verifies the right set of transactions and solves the cryptographic issue first. Bitcoin mining has come under fire due to concerns over its impact on the world's energy supply. Later, in 2012, Peercoin's developer presented the notion of staking as a solution to the problems with the proof of work consensus mechanism. By risking their tokens, nodes demonstrate their support for the right set of transactions without having to solve complicated cryptographic challenges. Staking is only possible in cryptocurrencies because only they use this particular consensus methodology. However, in order to attain consensus, several cryptocurrencies use a hybrid approach, combining proof of stake with proof of work. Bitcoin and Litecoin are examples of very straightforward cryptocurrency networks that can function adequately using proof of work. Moreover, proof of work is notoriously time-consuming and expensive, making it unsuitable for use in cryptocurrency networks like Ethereum. How Are Crypto Staking Rewards Calculated? Crypto staking calculators are utilized to determine the value of staking incentives. These calculators provide you with an estimate of the amount of interest you will get after the investment period has passed. Calculators work with the number of tokens invested, the annual percentage yield, and the length of time the tokens are held. Be sure to do the math on the potential winnings from your bets before you place them so that you can pick the solution that works best with your goals. What Are The Benefits Of Crypto Staking? As is the case with all different kinds of investments, there are potential downsides as well as potential upsides. Find out more about the benefits of staking cryptocurrency below: It validates financial transactions with a little amount of energy consumption. A cryptocurrency network can have its own internal security without having to rely on third-party hardware. Provides customers with the ability to generate passive income from their cryptocurrency holdings. It contributes to increasing the scalability of cryptocurrency networks. Provides an incentive for users to contribute to the safety of blockchains by reducing the required investment in their tokens. Is Staking Crypto Safe? There is some risk involved in staking, despite the fact that it is a revolutionary and relatively simple technique to generate passive income from your crypto holdings. Before staking their coins, investors need to be aware of certain risks, including the following: Low Liquidity When staking cryptocurrencies with a lesser market cap than Bitcoin or Ethereum, users frequently run the danger of being unable to sell their tokens once the staking time has ended. Choose a cryptocurrency that has a high level of liquid market activity and one that supports staking in order to reduce the impact of this risk. Lockup Periods Users will not be able to access their tokens while they are participating in the staking process since several staking protocols have lockup periods. You will not be able to sell the staked token in order to reduce your losses in the event of a personal financial crisis or if there is a significant reduction in the value of the staked token. Alternatively, you may have to pay a high price to get at your tokens, reducing the number of tokens you have staked. Staking tokens without lockup periods is one way to deal with this. Validator Limitation In order to enhance their likelihood of successfully validating blocks, certain protocols mandate that validators keep their nodes online and operational at all times. In addition, validators need to exercise extreme caution whenever they operate a node. If validators make a mistake and include invalid transactions by accident or if they default by going offline, they run the risk of having their staked tokens wiped out, which could include the tokens of individuals who are associated with that node. Protect yourself from this by either becoming a validator by learning how to host a node or by staking your tokens with a trusted staking pool. Conclusion If you have cryptocurrency that you may stake and you do not have any immediate plans to trade it, then you should consider staking it. You won't have to put in any effort at all, but your cryptocurrency holdings will grow as a result. What happens if you don't currently possess any cryptocurrency that you can stake? Researching cryptocurrencies that support staking is something you should do because of the potential returns. There are many platforms that provide this service; nonetheless, it is important to determine whether or not each cryptocurrency represents a sound financial investment. You should only buy a cryptocurrency with the intention of staking it if you are also convinced that it is a suitable long-term investment. The proof-of-stake system has proved useful, not just for cryptocurrencies but also for investors in crypto assets. Proof of stake is a method that can be utilized by cryptocurrencies to facilitate the processing of a high volume of transactions with a low associated cost. Since you now have a better understanding of staking, you can begin looking into cryptocurrencies that have this feature. Read Also: Why Entrepreneurs Should Pay Attention To Cryptocurrencies In 2021 Is 2021 The Most Critical Year For Bitcoin And Other Cryptocurrencies? The Future Of Digital Currencies: 7 Things We Can Expect In 2022

Key Advantages Of Investing In A Preschool Franchise: The Comprehensive Guide!

If you’re passionate about working with children in a diverse, energetic environment while securing a solid income, you’ve come to the right place! Preschool franchise opportunities offer investors the best chance at success in this competitive economic landscape. As a franchisee, you’ll be able to gain an established brand name, which will assist you in finding the best training materials you need to thrive. When you decide to invest in this type of business, you’ll gain a loyal following while receiving the tools to reach more supporters and showcase your services to the general public. This blog article will explore the main benefits of investing in preschool franchise establishments. Let’s embark on this journey together. All The Tools Needed To Flourish In This Space Kickstarting a preschool franchise from scratch is no walk in the park! You’ll need to focus on a million moving parts while also trying to ensure that the children are taken care of and that their parents are happy with your service delivery. This is where franchising comes into play! Buying a franchise gives you the tools, training, and mechanisms to flourish and thrive in this industry. Your employees will receive the best training to help them take excellent care of the children, understand primary emergency medical care, and find the best resources to inspire them to provide the best quality services. As an owner, you’ll also gain the best plans and strategies to lead your team and take the establishment to the next level. This is where you’ll be able to acquire specialized tools and information about this dynamic, nuanced industry. The childcare and preschool industries are challenging to navigate! You’ll need excellent tools and plans to understand the environment and industry. Help In Standing Out From Other Preschool Franchises To make it in this cut-throat industry, you’ll need to stand out from the competition in the sector. This is where advertising and marketing come into play. When you run a franchise business, you will need specialized, unique marketing and advertising strategies to help your business grow and develop! Franchisors offer these strategies to their owners. As a franchisee, you’ll acquire perfected digital marketing processes, SEO campaigns, and social media plans to increase engagement and find new clients. Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are excellent platforms to contact your audience members. This is where you’ll gain valuable information about your customers, find out what they like, and how they will make it in this unique field. You’ll also gain the best SEO principles and information to grow your brand online and expand your digital footprint! You’re Not Alone On This Journey! Another very important aspect of investing in this field is that you’re never alone. When you invest in a trademarked business, you can join a thriving community of like-minded individuals working towards the same goal. This means that as an owner, you will form part of a group you can rely on to receive advice and essential tips when operating this type of business. These other franchisees will provide you with expert knowledge and critical factors that you can use to advance your business. This means you’ll learn how to run your franchise effectively while gaining valuable insights into the sector. Another important aspect is that this community will always be there for you. They’re only a phone call away from you should you need help or assistance handling a particular situation. Clients Will Only Support A Brand That They Trust It’s essential to understand that consumers will only support and use businesses and brands they trust and are aware of. This is where you’re going to need to come up with creative ways to promote your business. Luckily, when you invest in a franchise company, you gain an established brand name. This means that the franchisor has taken the time and effort to grow the business and stand out from the competition in your field. This means the business already has a loyal following and supportive consumer, so you can focus on other elements and aspects of your business! It’s Less Of A Financial Risk! Another crucial reason you should invest in this type of franchise is that you’ll be assured that this business will survive and flourish. It’s well-known that most businesses fail within the first few years of opening their doors. Most owners don’t know how to run a business and are unsure about the skills needed to flourish. Regarding trademarked companies, the franchisor has taken the time and energy to set up the business in the market. 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It allows you to gain an established brand name and following. As a franchisee, you’re also gaining specialized training and education to ensure your leadership skills are current while figuring out what business moves need to be made. You’ll also learn the best marketing and advertising strategies to grow your company and stand out from competitors. If you want to ensure your mark is in the childcare preschool industry, franchising is the way to go! Read Also: Franchise Digital Marketing: 4 Effective Techniques 4 Considerations Before Investing in an Oil Change Franchise Under 100k Are Franchise Crossovers An Effective Way For Mobile Games To Grow Their User Base?

Your Simple Guide to GAP Insurance

When you buy a new or used car, dealerships will often bombard you with the optional extras you can pay extra for. Whether it’s an extended warranty or a deal on the annual service costs, you might not always be clued up on what these actually mean. GAP insurance is one of these additions you might be offered and we’re here to guide you through what it means and whether you need it… What Exactly is GAP Insurance? If you buy a new car, the value drops by a third as soon as you drive away in it, and then it can fall by 40% in the first year and on average, by about 60% in three years. If your car is stolen or written off before you’ve finished paying it off, your insurer will pay out for what it’s worth at the time rather than it’s ‘brand new’ price. This means there’s a ‘gap’ between what your insurer pays and what you originally paid and this is what ‘Guaranteed Asset Protection’, or GAP insurance, covers. What Else is My Car Covered For? When you buy a new car, it will be protected by a warranty supplied by the manufacturer, e.g. a BMW warranty. Usually, this covers you for three years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first) and means that any defects that might cause your car to malfunction will be replaced or repaired at no cost to you. However, the warranty is likely to be void if your car is written off, and as already discussed, your insurance may not cover the price you’ve paid or have agreed to pay, for the car. What are the Different Types of Policies? There are a few different types of policies available when it comes to GAP insurance, so it’s best to do your research to figure out which one would benefit you the most. Two of the main options are: GAP insurance to cover the difference between the value of the vehicle and your outstanding finance settlement To cover the difference between the cost of the vehicle and replacing it with an equivalent one Do I Need GAP Insurance? The big question is – do you need GAP insurance? It’s not compulsory when you buy a car, but it might be worthwhile as it could save you from being out-of-pocket if you should have an accident. One scenario where GAP insurance would be worth it is if it’s important to you to have a brand-new car and you wouldn’t want a replacement car worth a lower amount. Also, if you’ve taken out finance to buy the car, like a personal loan, for example, you’ll be paying off the full value it was when you first bought it, regardless of whether it's been stolen or written off. GAP insurance would help you pay off the loan earlier, so you’re not forking out for a car you no longer have or a car you're unable to drive. As with your car purchase, deciding on whether or not to buy GAP insurance should be something you have carefully considered and extensively researched. However, when you’ve found the right policy that benefits you, you could save a lot of money if your car is written off or stolen. Read Also : Small Business Guide To Private Health Insurance Exchanges How To Get Low-Cost Life Insurance For Seniors Tips To Lower Your Insurance Costs

How to Find the Best Exchange Rates