Some Tips on Investing

A common mistake people make is assuming that investing is for only the ‘rich’ class, so they postpone wealth management and fail to optimize their resources. Rather than waiting till you are rich, start investing now and join the rich.

TIP 1: Have a Plan
An investment plan is a road map on how you intend to achieve your wealth target. This plan must address both short term and long term investment objectives. It is usually best to develop a long term investment strategy highlighting the nature of investments you are willing to utilise. When doing this you must be mindful of the peculiarities of your financial situation, this would determine the kind of investments you can pursue. For instance, for someone with little income it may be difficult to invest in real estate using equity. Another key issue is ability to accept possible loss; this will determine your risk appetite. Individuals with low financial strength, high existing liability or high spending needs would typically have less risk appetite and may be better off with less risky but more liquid assets. But remember the higher the risk, the higher the return.

TIP 2: Seek Advice
Before pouring your hard earned cash into a bottomless pit, seek advice! Don’t ever invest in an asset without gaining understanding of the asset. For investors with low financial literacy it is always best to consult a financial expert before taking that plunge. If an investment seems too good to be true, it probably is; rather than being greedy probe the possible source of your return on investment. Finally, read financial literature to improve your understanding of investment products and you may be the one giving free investment advice in the future.

TIP 3: Diversify
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
One of the cardinal rules of investing is diversification. This promotes risk reduction and ultimately maximisation of returns. For the average investor, an easy way to diversify your risk is by investing in a fund. This allows you own a stake of various asset classes at a much lower cost. It is always advisable to do proper research before selecting a fund manager. This can be done by searching the internet or simply asking more informed investors.

In summary, having good investments can be a source of financial security and should be the goal of every ambitious individual. The key is to start small, have a plan and stick to it.

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Simple HtAccess Rewrite Code for Hosting CodeIgniter on Shared Hosting and avoid 404 error

Incase you are experiencing 404 error after uploading your codeigniter files on your shared host like Namecheap, GoDaddy, GreenGeeks e.t.c, add the code below in your Htaccess file and you should be good to go.

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>

RewriteEngine On

# !IMPORTANT! Set your RewriteBase here and don't forget trailing and leading

# slashes.

# If your page resides at

# http://www.example.com/mypage/test1

# then use

# RewriteBase /mypage/test1/

RewriteBase /

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php?/$1 [L]

</IfModule>

<IfModule !mod_rewrite.c>

# If we don't have mod_rewrite installed, all 404's

# can be sent to index.php, and everything works as normal.

# Submitted by: ElliotHaughin

ErrorDocument 404 /index.php

</IfModule>

If above code doesn't work for you, you can see source here: https://gist.github.com/philipptempel/4226750

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List of Nigerian Banks with Hidden Charges on USD Card Transactions

I will be listing Nigerian Banks that charge hidden/fraudulent charges on FCY Transactions that you might find hard to detect until you cross-check your Bank statements.
All listed Banks has been tested by me with Evidence at time of writing, so if you have any questions or counter claim, you can use the contact form or comment box below.

1. GTBank: 0.2% of the transaction value.
   i.e If you're doing $1,000 transaction, you would need $1,002 in your account, otherwise the transactions won't go through.
    GTbank charges an hidden charge of 0.2% on all FCY transactions, however they seem to refund this charge after the merchant finally deduct the real value.

2. UBA (Mastercard): 1% of the transaction value or minimum of $0.22 with 5% VAT.
    i.e If you're doing $1,000 transaction, you would need $1,010 in your account, otherwise the transactions won't go through.
    UBA charges an hidden charge of 1% or Minimum of $0.22 with 5% VAT on all FCY transactions on their Mastercard and they DO NOT refund the money.

3.  Diamond Bank PLC: $5 on some specific FCY Transactions.
    i.e If you're doing $1,000 transaction, you would need $1,005 in your account, otherwise the transactions won't go through.
     Diamond Bank charges an hidden charge of $5 on some specific FCY transactions and they DO NOT refund the money.

More banks will be added as they become available. I advice you trade with caution with the above banks when it comes to FCY transactions.



NB: None of this charges are stated on the card issuance Terms and Conditions or on their website, hence the need to bring this up to the public and a call for CBN to address the issue.

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Differences Between Kerosene & Aviation/Jet Fuel

Kerosene is the main ingredient in jet fuel, so it works; just not quite as nicely as the blended products, perhaps.

Jet fuel is basically kerosene on steroids. There are several proprietary jet fuel formulas, but most of them contain chemicals intended to help jet engines burn the fuel more cleanly and more efficiently, and to help prolong engine life as well. In fact, kerosene and jet fuel are nearly identical in every way except for a few additives in modern jet fuel.

Jet Fuel Chemistry

Kerosene is sometimes used synonymously with jet fuel in some conversations. However, jet fuel chemistry does some serious "tweaking" of the basic kerosene it is made from, by adding chemical ingredients. U.S. Oil & Refining uses Cyclohexane, 1,2,4 Trimethylbenzene, Benzene and Toluene.

Jet fuel producers use different formulas and ingredients in their refinement and production. Tesoro Corporation uses Napthalene, Ethyl Benzene and Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether.

These additives and ingredients are intended to help minimize fuel gumming, static charges, corrosion and icing. Most jet fuels are considered to be hazardous products.

Kerosene

Kerosene itself is simply a distillation product of petroleum. It is the basis for jet fuel, as well. Kerosene is used in many applications, and even in some jet engines, although steady use of raw kerosene in jet engines (without the typical additives in jet fuel) might not always be prudent.

Kerosene is known by a variety of names around the world, including "parrafin oil" in the United Kingdom and "Stove Oil" in Canada. Kerosene is primarily used for heating homes and other buildings, as fuel for some vehicles and equipment, and as a source of emergency lighting during power outages. Kerosene is considered to be a hazardous product.

Considerations: Kerosene vs. Jet Fuel

It is not recommended that jet fuel be used in place of kerosene in any appliances or equipment that is not designed to operate with the chemical additives found in some jet fuel products. Many of those components are toxic and may create dangerous conditions when burned.

That said, kerosene, can, of course, be used in jet engines, as already discussed. Kerosene is the main ingredient in jet fuel, so it works; just not quite as nicely as the blended products, perhaps.

Curled from: Hunker

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