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  • Mutual Fund A Complete Guideline – All You should Know

    Mutual Fund A Complete Guideline – All You should Know

    Here we will discuss all about mutual fund including basically what is a mutual fund and the different types of mutual funds. Also we will focus on how to analyse the performance of the mutual fund investment , mutual fund table . By knowing all this you will yourself have an idea about it but still we have given what you should know to choose the best mutual fund.

    So now lets start with the basics of our topic.

    What is a Mutual Fund?

    Mutual fund is basically a type of investment fund which is formed by combining various stocks and shares. It is generally safer than shares and provides good returns as many of the funds have a locking period of three years. i.e Like a Fixed deposit. Mutual funds provide a higher interest than traditional fixed or recurring deposits.

    In India, mutual Funds are becoming more popular as they are used for tax saving purposes in. They provide quick returns compared to the Life Insurance Policies which were used mainly for tax purposes before.

    Read Also : Investment on Stocks and Shares -Pros and Cons

    Different types of Mutual Fund

    There are basically four types of mutual funds available in the market and they are given below.

    1. Fixed Income funds
    2. Money market funds
    3. Hybrid funds
    4. Equity funds

    Fixed Income fundsThese funds are also called bonds or bond funds. As the name indicates, the money is invested in such a way to provide the investor a fixed income. Mostly the money are invested in government based organizations as they are more stable.

    Money market fundsIn these funds, money is invested for a short period of time but can yield a decent amount of return compared to the traditional fixed deposits in banks. Your money is very secure in this type of fund and you don’t have to worry about losing it.

    Hybrid fundsAs the name indicates, here the money is invested both in bond funds and equity funds. We can call this fund as “Funds of Funds” .

    Equity FundsSee the below section , we have detailed it.

    What is Equity Fund?

    Equity Fund is the most popular type of mutual fund where the money is invested in stocks and hence it is also known as Stock Funds.  It can be open end or close end fund. Money is invested in the stocks of various types of companies.

    Different types of Equity Funds

    There are many types of equity funds available in the market and the most popular ones are below.

    International / Global Equity Funds – As the name indicates, these funds invest in stocks of companies outside your country.

    Sector Equity Funds – These funds invest in different sectors like telecommunication, banking, IT etc.

    Index Equity Fund – This type of fund follows a predefined set of criteria and tracks specified investments. E.g. S&P 500 Index Fund.

    Read Also : Short term Investment Plans – Pros & Cons

    How to choose a mutual fund?

    There are thousands of mutual fund schemes available in the market and you should be careful in choosing the right fund according to your needs.

    Low Expense ratio

    Find out the expense ratio of the mutual fund you are planning to buy.  Expense ratios include the administrative fee, annual fee, management fee and other expenses. It varies from 0.25% to 1% of the assets. It is advisable to choose a fund that has expense ratio less than 1% as it will perform well when compared with funds having higher expense ratio.

    Low or No fees

    Usually mutual funds will have two major fees namely front load fee and back load fee. Front load fee is the amount deducted when you buy the mutual fund whereas Back load fee is the amount deducted when you sell the fund. The value of this fee may vary from 3% to 8% of the total invested amount. To avoid this, you can buy mutual funds with no load fees called no-load funds as this will save some money.

    Analyze the past results

    Before finalizing the mutual fund, make a complete analysis of the results of the fund over the past few years. In this way, you can find out whether the fund is performing constantly and making profit.

    Know your objective

    Why you are investing in mutual funds? Are you expecting a short term gain or you have a long term goal? Definitely you should have a concrete answer for this question for choosing the right fund. If you have a long term goal, you can invest in volatile funds with some risks but can yield a high profit in the long run. If you are expecting a quick return, then it is better to invest in stable funds like government companies.

    Read Also : Gold purity and hallmark -Buyer’s Guide to choose the Pure Gold Jewellery

    What is a Mutual Fund Table?

    You can find the mutual fund table in financial related websites or newspapers. Understanding the mutual fund table helps in knowing more about the performance of the mutual fund. A sample mutual fund table is given below.

    52W high & 52W low – This represents the highest and lowest value of the mutual fund over the past 52 weeks or one year.

    Fund – Name of the mutual fund

    Spec. – It explains the various characteristics of the mutual fund. For eg. N means No-load, FR means front end load.

    $chg – Subtracts the current price with the price of the previous day. If it is -, then price has decreased, else it has increased. (Currency denoted in dollars).

    %chg – Same as $chg. The difference is expressed in percentage.

    high & low – These two fields represent the highest and the lowest prices of the mutual fund in the past week.

    cls – Closing price. i.e final price of the fund at the end of the day.

    $chg – Change in the price of the fund from the past week. (Currency denoted in dollars).

    %chg – Change in the price of the fund from the past week.

    How to know the performance of a mutual fund?

    • Find out the returns the mutual fund can offer in 1 year, 3 year and 5 year time period. It can give a good idea about how much returns we can expect. Also find out the record of the mutual fund for the past 5 to 10 years.
    • Try to understand the investment strategy of the particular fund. i.e where the fund is going to invest the money.
    • Find out the history of the mutual fund. i.e how long it is in the market. If it is old, then it should be a safer mutual fund as it has survived for long time.

    Mutual funds is a very good option of investment with high returns compared to the conventional fixed deposits provided we choose the right type of funds.

  • Tax clearance in Malaysia – A detailed overview of Malaysian Tax

    Tax clearance in Malaysia – A detailed overview of Malaysian Tax

    Tax payers always will have one or other questions that will be with unclear answer for them. So here we will focus on our best to help you with Tax clearance in Malaysia . Hopefully this will give you a better idea.As we would discuss the important aspects you should know about the Malaysian Tax system and the procedures .

    Malaysian Tax – What is tax clearance in Malaysia 

    Tax clearance is nothing but a letter or certificate issued by the Malaysian Inland Revenue (LHDN – Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri Malaysia) which says that if have any dues with the income tax department of Malaysia. This letter is issued for local people as well as expatriates in Malaysia.

    Tax clearance letter will also indicate if you have paid any taxes in extra or any pending amount is there. If you have paid in excess, you can contact your employer to get a borne letter from them. Once you give the borne letter to the LHDN office, you will receive the refund to your bank account in few weeks of time.

    Tax clearance letter is needed to get any sort of final settlement from the company. Legally any company can hold up to 3 months of your salary till you get the tax clearance certificate.  So it is very difficult to think of changing jobs without a tax clearance letter.

    Tax clearance is not needed if you are residing in Malaysia and working in a job. This is a brief of Malaysian Tax system.

    Who has to pay tax in Malaysia?

    Income tax is available in all countries throughout the world and Malaysia is not an exception. So according to Malaysian Tax system ,if you are an expatriate (An expatriate or expat is a person who is living temporarily or permanently in a country other than his home country) working in Malaysia for less than 2 months or 60 days, then you will not be taxable.

    If your stay is more than 182 days, then you will be considered as a resident. Otherwise you will be considered as a resident. The tax percentage varies between residents and non-residents.

    What an expatriate should do for getting tax clearance-certificate in Malaysia?

    According to Malaysian Tax system , if you are an expatriate working in Malaysia, then you need to inform the Malaysian Inland Revenue (LHDN) within two months after your arrival and register with them for paying income tax. The financial year in Malaysia is from 1st January to 31st December and the income tax returns have to be submitted before 30th April every year.So being an expatriate in Malaysia your tax clearance happens in this way.

    Read More – Gold purity and hallmark -Buyer’s Guide to choose the Pure Gold Jewellery

    When tax clearance is needed in Malaysia?

    You need to apply for tax clearance certificate under any of the circumstances below.

    • Leaving Malaysia for a period of more than three months.
    • You have resigned from your job.
    • You are terminated from your job.
    • Your contract period has come to an end.
    • You have retired from your job.
    • Leaving Malaysia permanently.
    • If a person dies while he is working, his immediate blood relation or kin should apply for tax clearance within 30 days from the date of death.

    If you satisfy any of the criteria above, you can get your last month salary only after getting the tax clearance letter. Also you will not get your settlement money like overtime pay, gratuity, leave salary, provident fund or any other compensation till you get the tax clearance letter from LHDN and your employer will retain the money.

    For resignation, retirement, ending of contract or leaving Malaysia you have to apply for the tax clearance letter at least one month before your final day of work.

    How to apply for a tax clearance in Malaysia?

    For applying tax clearance letter, you have to contact your employer and they will give you appropriate forms depending on the criteria.

    • Form CP21 : This form also called ‘Leaver form’ is applicable for expatriates leaving the country for a period of more than three months. The form should be sent to LHDN at least a month prior to your departure date.
    • Form CP22A : This form is applicable for expatriates or locals working in the private sector and needed when they resigned, retired or terminated from their job.
    • Form CP23A : This form is applicable for expatriates or locals working in the public sector and needed when they resigned, retired or terminated from their job.
    • In case of death of the tax payer, then the employer should be immediately informed and they in turn should inform the LHDN.

    After filling the appropriate form, you can submit it online or in person to the LHDN office where your income tax information is registered along with the necessary documents. Online facility can only be done through your employer by using e-SPC.

    Late submission of tax clearance in Malaysia

    The Malaysian law is very strict on tax clearances. So please make sure that the tax clearance form is submitted on time as there is penalty fee depending on the time of delay.  The fees may vary from 200 to 2,00,000 Malaysian ringgit (MYR). There is also a chance of imprisonment for the individual if the tax clearance form is not submitted on time and it may be from 1 month to 6 months. For companies who did not submit tax clearance on time, LHDN will take legal measures against them.

    Read Also – Improve Credit Score For Getting Loan Approval – CIBIL Score Detailed

    Processing time of tax clearance in Malaysia

    The processing time for your tax clearance letter is 10 working days from the date the application was received by LHDN. You may receive the letter within a week also.

    Documents needed for tax clearance

    To apply for the tax clearance certificate according to Malaysian Tax system, you need the following documents.

    • Original Passport ( This will be returned back immediately after the copy of the passport is verified)
    • Copy of all pages of your current passport
    • Form CP21/22A/23A: The form appropriate for your need with all the information completely filled and duly signed.
    • EA form – Company will give this form every year .Keep form for all the years you have worked in Malaysia.
    • BE form for current year
    • NR 51: List of stampings made in Malaysia in your passport.
    • Pay slip (Not mandatory)
    • PCB II Letter

    Before submitting the documents you need to find out the LHDN office that is processing your income tax returns. You cannot submit the documents to any other LHDN office as they won’t process your application.

    Make sure you follow all the above points and apply for the tax clearance on time without fail. So as you can get your tax clearance in Malaysia easily .

  • Reduce stress & anxiety with these amazing essential oils

    Reduce stress & anxiety with these amazing essential oils

    In today’s fast moving world, almost everybody is facing stress and anxiety at some point in their life and only the level of stress varies between person to person. Because of stress, people are facing many problems both in their personal and work life as stress in once place automatically affects them in other place also. Many health disorders arise because of stress and people are getting old soon. For example, experts say that the main reason of infertility in men and women is due to stress. So it is very important to manage , control and Reduce stress & anxiety .

    Excellent ways to Reduce stress & anxiety

    We cannot analyze why people get stressed as there are various reasons and it differs from person to person. In personal life, stress and anxiety reduces happiness whereas in work life it will affect the performance. So it is very important to reduce stress and anxiety to lead a healthy and happy life.

    Before going on to the exact title of excellent essential oils to Reduce stress & anxiety, lets get acquainted about some facts related to stress and anxiety.

    What is the difference between stress and anxiety?

    Are stress and anxiety the same? No they are not. Stress comes first before anxiety and it is nothing but a reaction to something which is not good or cannot be handled by us. For eg, we can say people working in night time jobs have more stress because their sleep cycle is changed from the normal one and it will take time for the body to adjust. Anxiety is the after effect or reaction of stress.

    Read More – Reduce Stress in Busy lifestyle with this Excellent Lifestyle Hacks

    How to reduce stress and anxiety?

    Although there are many techniques like yoga to reduce stress anxiety is very popular, meditation, music therapy, laughing therapy for reducing stress and anxiety, using essential oils in herbs reduce stress anxiety tension is becoming very popular to reduce stress as it is simple and very effective. Aromatherapy is nothing but using the aroma or smell of the oil to cure problems.

    5 ESSENTIAL OILS for reducing stress and anxiety

    Below are the five essential oils commonly used for reducing stress and anxiety. It is known as aromatherapy to reduce stress.

    1. Lavender oil

    Lavender oil is the top selling and widely used oil for reducing stress and anxiety. Lavender is basically a medicinal herb that has not only a good fragrance but also has got a mild sedative in it which helps to relax our muscles thus reducing pain and gives a good sleep. It is mainly used for reducing anxiety as well as depression and improves the overall nervous system in our body. It is also used for calming our heart thereby improving the heart beat rate.It is really ideal to Reduce stress & anxiety .

    How to use lavender oil?

             You can use the lavender oil in many ways.

    • Mix few drops of lavender oil in the water before taking bath. This helps to glow your skin and keeps you fresh throughout the day.
    • Spray few drops of lavender oil in to the air either in your office or at home to rejuvenate your body and mind
    • Pour few drops of lavender oil in to your right or left palm. Gently rub it with the other hand smell it. You will feel energetic.
    • Apply few drops of lavender oil in your feet before sleeping. You will feel fresh when you wake up in the morning.
    1. Rose Oil

    Who will not love roses? Rose is the most beautiful and popular flower in the world. So it is not surprising to know that essential rose oil is the most widely used oil next to lavender oil. Similar to lavender oil, it also helps in relieving stress and anxiety to a great extent. It is used by women for reducing the health problems due to menstruation like cramps, pain etc. It is also used by pregnant women as a good relaxation for their muscles. Rose oil is very good antidepressant as it is very effective for reducing depression. It is also used for treating wounds and infections.

    How to use rose oil?

    • Pour few drops of rose oil in to your right or left palm. Gently rub it with the other hand smell it. You will feel fresh. Instead of pouring it in your palm, you can also pour few drops in a cloth and inhale it.
    • Rose oil can be applied in any part of the skin like hands, legs, stomach etc. It can also be applied on the hair.
    • Mix few drops of rose oil in the water before taking bath.
    1. Jasmine Oil

             Jasmine oil is a very good reliever of anxiety and stress. It is the best oil for all ‘first time’ events like going out with you partner, attending an interview, hosting a party etc. It is not only helpful to Reduce stress & anxiety ,it  helps to gain more confidence and relieves your anxiety. It is also used for healing depression, insomnia, hormonal imbalance etc. We can say jasmine oil is the best booster to quickly change a dull mood. Jasmine oil is very popular in Asian countries as the flower is more grown there.

     How to use Jasmine oil?

    • Jasmine oil can be inhaled easily by applying few drops on your palm or a tissue.
    • It can also be applied on any part of the skin as well as hair.
    • You can also mix jasmine oil with other oils like coconut oil.
    1. CedarWood Oil

    Though the name is not attractive like other essential oils, Cedarwood essential oil is also a very good reliever of anxiety and stress. It helps in healing headaches and other migraine problems that arises because of stress and anxiety. It also helps in strengthening the muscles and improves the overall health of our body. It can also be used to prevent bugs and other insects entering our home.

    How to use CedarWood oil?

    • Apply few drops cedarwood oil on your pillow to get a peaceful and calm sleep without any insect bites.
    • You can apply cedwarwood oil along with your body or skin lotion. 
    1. Sandalwood Oil

    In India, Sandalwood is considered very precious and divine. In some temples, they offer sandal powder to the devotees and they keep it on their forehead. It helps them to relieve their stress and remain calm.  It is a very good booster for our memory and improves our thinking and concentration.
    Sandalwood oil is a very good antiseptic and can be treated for wounds and bites. It also helps to cool our body temperature and is very handy to face the hot summer.

    How to use Sandalwood oil?

    • Apply sandalwood oil on any part of the skin as it has a pleasant aroma and don’t have any side effects.
    • You can pour few drops of sandalwood oil in your fragrance bulb so that you will get a pleasant aroma throughout your house.
    • Apply few drops to the water before your bath. Your body will smell great and fresh.

    Stress , anxiety , depression one of the worst things to deal with in life . So here we detailed a natural way to Reduce stress & anxiety with some of the most essential oils.

     

  • Purchase without credit card top hacks

    Purchase without credit card top hacks

    In a world of online transactions many people fall short of the payment options they have to their disposal. Online transaction when thought of the first thing that pops out of our pocket is our credit cards, isn’t it ? Well good news people, out there we have got a plenty of options to get debited from and credited by the product or services we ordered.For some making purchase without credit card is “Taboo” involving a lot of risk and complication. As a matter of fact paying through any option other than credit card is as easy as to pay it through credit card, Confused huh? Here are quite a few options and facts to go through and enhance the shopping experience without a credit card yes you heard it right.

    Excellent hacks to Purchase without credit card 

    Here we are discussing about the 10 excellent ways to make payment without credit card. So this will expand your world of online transactions really. For masters in internet and cash dealings online this is not going to be a great deal but still have a look ,what if you could found something new here . And for newbies to online transaction world just go through it as you can find it quite relaxing and helpful i guess.

    So here is the top 10 ways to Purchase without credit card :- 

    1. Debit card

    Debit card can be considered as primitive mode of transaction and feels like it is with us since ages easy, involves less risk and identical twin of credit card is widely acceptable. Debit card hold a whopping 45.7% of total online transactions made globally since 2010, technically speaking if 1000 transactions are made 457 will be accounted by debit cards. Huge!

    Debit cards are easy to use payment options and almost every online platform supportive, user should know the Card Number, Expiry Date, CVV code and Card Holder Name to initiate a debit card transaction and guess what all the details are very well printed on the card you are using.

    1. Cash On Delivery

    “Cash on Delivery” is very hassle free way to get the payment done. Order the product in the stipulated time delivery men swoops in gets the product and demands cash, in no time transaction is complete, provided if you pay the cash. Also referred as COD is a secured mode of payment as it is much of a hand-to-hand cash transfer. COD is also supported by most of the platforms out there.It is a method of not just Purchase without credit card but its like no need to know about card purchases at all. Just like you buy and you pay the paper cash .

    Read Also – Pros and cons of credit cards – All the Hidden Facts on Credit cards

    3. Bank transfers (EFT)

    EFTs otherwise known as Electronic Fund Transfer is yet another mode of payment which takes place using a internet account provided by the respective banks. For example XYZ bank will provide username and password which can be used for internet banking to login, it is a virtual account through which user can make payment to specific website, seller or individual. As far as security is concerned the transactions are encrypted from bank’s end hence provides trustworthy security.

    4.Virtual wallets

    A range of wallets are available online to cater the need. Virtual wallet works in a way similar to a physical world wallet, user needs to en-cash the wallet post which it can be used for online transactions. Virtual wallet can be used without the bank account being involved while the transaction which is a bright side, most of this wallets also back you up with mobile application. In terms of security virtual wallets are pretty tight, virtual wallets are a good way to pay because user need not input data and fill up forms which makes it easy to pay option.One of the excellent and risk free way to Purchase without credit card.

    Companies like Google, Apple, PNC, Samsung, PayPal are few of the companies which provides virtual wallet, in a need to be the best in the market companies shell out a lot of offers which in a way can help users save a few bucks.

    1. Virtual Credit Cards

    Virtual credit card can be used rather than a physical credit card as it involves risk and fraud, virtual credit cards can’t be stolen, lost or cloned as they are issues for a period of two and twelve months. Virtual credit cards have a limit of transactions and the credit card numbers generated are either by a web application or client software making it more secure. It is a best alternative to credit card .

    Virtual credit cards are also famous by the names : “Substitute credit Card Number” , “One-Time Use Credit Card” , “Disposable Credit card”.

    1. Bitcoin

    Cryptocurrency are a new and innovative way to make online payments. Bitcoin is one of those currency option which is in use. Invented by Satoshi Nakamoto on 31st October 2008, bitcoins; since then many platforms do not provide support for the same however they are constantly developing methods to get the currency in implementation. Bitcoin are a peer-to-peer transfer technology where in there is no regulation of bank in between.Its one of the effective way to choose to Purchase without credit card system.Bitcoin have a equivalent value to the real currency. Bitcoin can be stored in a virtual wallet provided by the bitcoin organisation and can be paid to any particular or organisation. Bitcoin is currency of future.

    Read Also – Safe Online transactions Tips & top 12 safe online transactions methods

    1. Gift Cards

    Gift card can serve two purpose at a time one being the method to pay for a product or service and the  later being gift to someone special. The user can use the gift card  in the specific website that has issued the card or they can use it across the platforms. Gift cards have a specific value attached to it, gift cards come with a expiry date so be cautious with the time they will be valid.

    Many platforms namely Amazon, E bay and many other companies provide these gift cards.

    1. Redeem Points or Rewards

    Who wouldn’t like rewards or points to redeem? This payment mode is personally my favourite because it is the reward that one gets against purchase made. Points or rewards are loyalty programs initiated by companies in a way to retain customers and making an effort to reward customer as a result of continual purchase.

    These points can be redeemed as and when they reach specific value fixed by the companies providing the points.

    1. Pay near me

    As the name suggests user can order the product or service online and can choose a spot nearby and go and make the payment. Pay near me is beneficial when the user is in a place where pay near me location is near by. User can get the product and then make the payment in fixed time at the location.This is like just safe on hand and one most loved way to Purchase without credit card.

    Read More – How to secure bank account from hackers

    1. Cheques or Money Orders

    Last but not the least, some might call this methods old school however they are still alive and robust mode of payment. User can buy product online and send a cheque of the amount and once the cheque is cleared and amount is received by the seller the items are shipped. Money orders works in a similar fashion once you get them issued by the banks or post office they should reach seller and post cash is drawn from them items are shipped. These methods are on average of extinction as they involve a lot of time to complete. But still just to remember something which was popular old school trick i thought to add it .

    Hope i have discussed about something worth related to methods to Purchase without credit card . If i have missed out any of the important methods i really apologize for the same as well , may be sure i will post on those i miss in this shot.

  • Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen : Choosing the right bulb guide

    Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen : Choosing the right bulb guide

    There are various types of lighting technology to get choose from. It is vital to know the difference between the Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen can help you to make the best decision which you can choose according to its and budget.

    So before we go for a in-depth comparison of Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen we will have a look about features of each kind separately.

    Incandescent:

    Today this is one of the most well-known lighting which is least efficient. Much like in a space heater, the electric current is passed through the filament wire, which just heats up the filament until it glows. The heat from this bulb usually radiates outward from the space heater and only small portion of the energy created is converted into the usable light. This bulb can last eight-to-ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.

    Features of Incandescent light:

    • Uses 10% energy so as to make the light visible and the rest 90% heat is wasted.
    • Produces the huge amount of the infrared as well as ultraviolet radiation that can cause damage to fabrics and artwork.
    • Design of this bulb lasts just 1200 hours
    • The bulb has the glass envelope and brittle filament wire
    • The bulb creates warm yellow light

    Read Also : Go green idea-10 Simple Ways to Go Green in Your Home

    Halogen:

    These bulbs are almost similar from the incandescent bulbs with some of the minor differences. These bulbs have tungsten filament but different from the incandescent bulb, also the small amount of the halogen gas is been mixed up with the tungsten vapor and deposits back, into the filament on the inside of bulb filament.

    Features of Halogen:

    • This bulb is 10-20 % energy efficient than the incandescent bulb
    • Start up instantly and do not experience any type of delay in the warm up associated
    • These bulbs are fully dimmable
    • They can easily produce bright and crisp light.
    • Many are 10-20 percent more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs
    • Instant start (halogens do not experience the delayed warm-up associated with CFLs)
    • Fully dimmable
    • Produces a bright, crisp light

    Read Also : Best Apple Watch Alternatives-Affordable Gadgets

    LED Bulbs:

    LED bulbs are one of the bulbs that produce long lasting and energy efficient lighting is available today.For creating a Smart LED bulb, a semiconductor rich in electrons as well a semiconductor rich in the holes are used. For passing up the current through the junction electrons with the holes are combined and produced photons.This bulb has endless applications possibilities such as the under-cabinet, landscape, vehicle, home. and commercial lighting.

    Key Features of LED Bulbs:

    • This bulb uses the 75% less energy than the incandescent bulb
    • The bulb last last up to 25 times longer than the incandescent as well as halogen
    • The bulb can start up instantly
    • These bulbs are robust  and small chips of LED allows for more compact, design forward fixtures.
    • The bulb emits the light in some specific direction.

    So far we have see about the key features and a rough idea about each kind of bulb , now we will move to our main section to know a cross comparison of Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen .So that you choose the right kind of bulb that is really efficient , long lasting and energy efficient and good for eyes.

    Read Also : Roku Tricks-Must Try for streaming success (Roku user manual FAQ)

    Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen

    Well nowadays, incandescent bulbs are used thing of past, nowadays most of the consumers choose LED bulbs also known as Light Emitting Diode, CFL (Compact Fluorescent) and halogen bulbs to light up their homes. But, the best option just depends on your needs. Through this article, you can easily know up to about various kinds of lighting.

    Incandescent Vs LED

    The tradition incandescent bulbs just measured up the brightness in walls., But, if you wanted up to a higher bulb you need to bring a higher wattage. Moreover, with the advancement of the LEDs and other types of the lighting, the brightness of the bulb is now listed as the lumens which are the more accurate measurement of how bright it is rather than that of the energy it consumes.

    Why is LED Bulb Ideal?

    Currently, the LEDs are one of the renowned bulbs in the market and have more potential. But the CFL and Halogen bulbs don’t appear overnight hence as results more customers are choosing a LED than any other bulb.

    The small LED bulbs and fixtures are enabling up the intelligent environment all over the world. Thus, the lightning forms up the ubiquitous network for just deploying the digital infrastructure, The LED bulbs have built in sensors as well as transmitters which can capture data in the world which helps businesses and cities to run more effectively.

    Features of LED, Incandescent and Halogen Bulb:

    There are five components which are suggested and taking into the considerations that choose the right bulb. Below are the detailed features which are considered while choosing up the bulb.Here we will see the features of Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen.

    Energy efficient bulb:

    From the less efficient to most efficient, it goes to LED, Halogen and then CFL. From which the CFL used up less than 90% energy less than the incandescent and Halogen used up about the 75% less energy than the incandescent. LED bulbs are the highly recommended to be used up over the incandescent bulbs to reduce up the energy usage.

    High Lifespan bulb or long lasting bulb:

    On an average span the incandescent bulbs mostly last up 1200 hours, Halogen lasts up to the 8,000 hours but the LED bulbs last up more than 15000 hours mostly. This means for the usage up to the 15,000 hours, you need up 14 incandescent bulbs, 2 Halogen bulbs but only 1 LED bulb is needed for the usage. This not only saves up the cost of spending little more up front into the LED bulb.

    Environment-Friendly bulb or Eco friendly light:

    It is a fact that in the US, the individuals can eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions equal to the 800,000 cars if each household in the country just replace one incandescent bulb with the Halogen., Moreover, the halogen is not much environmental friendly as the LED bulbs. So just imagine the amount of the greenhouse gas emissions we can eliminate if everyone just switch to the LED bulbs!

    Doing the other comparison, LED bulbs are much superior to the LED bulbs used up less energy and produces fewer toxic and are usually made from the non-toxic material that is recyclable. They are easily considered as the Earth Friendly which can give happiness.

    The Fluorescent lighting in the houses used up the mercury which is highly dangerous for the environment.

    Cost Saving light:

    There are three basic elements which individuals considered while determining which light bulb are the most cost effective, price per bulb and the electricity used and lifespan.

    Options of LED Light Bulbs:

    The traditional bulbs nowadays for the table as well as for highly known for their lighting industry. LED technology is one of the best energy efficient long term alternative used. The LED is equivalent to the 60 watt that only consumes only between 9 and 12 watts. Not only this also the LED bulb has infinite lifespan

    Usually, the manufacturers estimate the bulb lifespan on three hours uses per day Basically, the LED bulb are much good for a decade. Under the same conditions, the old fashioned works about a year before burning out. LED bulbs will continue to light up even after their rated lifetimes expire; although its brightness may drop or the color cast of the light may change.

    Initially, the cost of LED bulbs is a lot more than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs, but now there is a drop in price.Hope this served the best in knowing about Incandescent Vs LED Vs CFL Vs Halogen.

  • Weight loss booster Foods you should take before & after exercise

    Weight loss booster Foods you should take before & after exercise

    Hey guys,  today we will talk about some healthy eating habits .This will boost the efforts you are putting in to get rid of those extra kilos along with the workout. Who doesn’t want to be in shape today? When talking about shape we never consider round as a shape when it comes to the physique. A good knowledge on diet is must while you are doing any workout. Else you will end up saying ” Nothing works for me “. So here is the list of amazing Weight loss booster Foods you should take to maximize your weight loss with workout .

    Amazing Weight loss booster Foods before and after workout 

    For ease in understanding we will be dividing the article in two sub types: food before work out and food after workout.

    Weight loss booster Foods before workout
    • Banana
    • Oats before 45 to 50 minutes of workout
    • Whole wheat Bread with peanut butter
    • Fruit with Yogurt
    • Veggie Omelet
    • ¼ cup grape slice mixed with ½ cup cottage cheese
    • Berries mixed with yogut
    • Fruit smoothie made of soy milk
    • Raisins
    • Applesauce
    • Few crackers

    Here let’s see some of the most preferred weight loss booster foods before workout in detail and get to know why they are so important and effective.

    1. Banana

    Never go on a workout empty stomach as it might have reverse effect. To start with banana is a good option to start your workout with, also considered as a happy fruit banana is rich in vitamin B6 which helps in metabolism and converts food into energy which will come on handy while workout.So banana is a best known metabolism boosters for weight loss. Banana not only will help as a pre workout snack but also relieve stress, helps quit smoking and of course helps in weight reduction as it is rich in fiber. Banana can also be consumed in form of liquid by jazzing it up a little with nuts or fruits one can enjoy a smoothie as well.

    When talking about banana i want to tell you guys something very important . So i am just making it in points for your easy reading .

    • Whenever you see the banana with dark brown spots in its outer cover it means it is the best one , so avoid throwing it to your bin . Such a healthy natural food which is good for plenty of things should be loved .
    • Banana accelerates weight loss as it has very low level of glycemic index.

    Read More – Amazing Fitness Apps To Track Calories & Keep You Motivated

    Myths on Banana 

    Banana is an amazing food for health , skin , hair  and so on . But when coming to the topic of weight loss there is a buzz . Here you must pay attention for the right information to help to be in shape .

    1 ) Is it Banana a weight loss food ?

    Yes , Banana has the glycemic index in very low level so banana is a weight loss food.

    2 ) Is it Banana a weight gain food also ?

    Yes you heard it absolutely right banana is both a weight gain and weight loss food . It depend on the quantity you eat and how you eat.

    3 ) How to eat banana to lose weight ?

    Banana is a weight loss food but you should consume less . Eat one or two banana per day if you are including banana as a food to lose weight . Eating more will make you fat without any doubt .

    4) Which type of banana you should eat to lose weight ?

    There are numerous varieties of banana but all is not going to help you with weight loss. So the right banana varieties to lose weight faster

    • Baby bananas (US )
    • Burro bananas
    • Cavendish bananas(Chiquita)
    • Red bananas, and
    • Plantain bananas.
    1. Oats

      Rich in nutrition again oats not only serve as excellent pre workout food but also good for blood sugar, blood pressure, digestion, maintains cholesterol and much more. Oats enhance the performance during workout make sure the consumption of oats should be at least 45 minutes to 1 hour before workout.

    1. Whole wheat Bread with peanut butter

    Next to hit the list is whole wheat bread and peanut butter the whole idea behind the combination is one will amplify the goodness of other, well also tastes good. Whole wheat will give you the essence of completeness and peanut butter with its nutritional excellence boost your regime in shedding those extra kilos by keeping you intact during workout.You can try out a lot of recipes just by adding banana, jam or berries to the combo and make it more appropriate to your taste buds.

    1. Fruit with Yogurt

    The next food which falls under the list to shed those extra kilos is Fruit with Yogurt. Best thing about this food choice is it is open to experiment, one can try out a variety of fruits and mix it with yogurt as a pre workout food. Yogurt needs no introducing when it comes to nutritious facts. A number of companies after noticing the high consumption of Yogurt have started offering a variety of yogurt with different forms and flavors.Yogurt is a product of milk. Merely 100g of yoghurt provides 97 kcal of dietary energy, it contains protein, fat and carbohydrates which makes it a good option as a health fruit plus there is a lot of good taste in that food people. Grab one!

    When saying about yoghurt then the best suggestion is greek yoghurt when it comes to the matter of reducing weight quickly .

    1. Veggie Omelet

    Name says it all. Veggie Omelet a perfect pre workout food. Prepared with an amalgamation of veggies and eggs this dish is a delight for foodies and a boon to workout enthusiasts. Veggies provide the essential nutrients, dietary fiber and vitamins, vegetables naturally contains low fat and calories. Omelet helps you in muscle building and has the highest available protein considering whole foods. Again the food not only suffice the pre workout meal but also is rich in taste.

    So we have discussed about the important Weight loss booster Foods to consider before workout .When pre workout foods are that much good who wouldn’t do it, I want one ASAP.

    Read Also – Hidden Poisonous Food In Our Kitchen

    Weight loss booster Foods after workout
    • Mashed potato and salad
    • Tuna, Salmon
    • Dry fruits and nuts
    • Cereal and skim milk
    • Chocolate milk with protein powder
    • Chicken
    • Protein shake ( ½ banana with 1 spoon protein powder mixed with almond milk and hemp seed.
    • Roasted chickpea and salad
    • Steamed veggies
    • Quinoa bowl and  blak berries one cup each and pecans for ¼ cup
    • 2 Slices of multi grain bread and agave nectar , you can have bread with raw peanut butter too.
    • ½ cup of Burrito and beans +1/2 cup brown rice +sals  and 2 tsp guacamole.

    Here let’s see some of the most preferred weight loss booster foods after workout in detail and get to know why they are so important and effective.

    1. Chicken

    Chicken easy to cook food and has there is plenty of recipes that you can try out as it is open to experiment since the question who came first Chicken or Egg. Well we don’t have answer for that but chicken is the answer for your post workout needs.

    It is such as excellent post workout food .Can be tried with salad, other meat, fish, and veggies or wrapped in a sandwich; chicken says no to nothing it all starts with your creativity and ends in your stomach.

    1. Mashed potato and salad

    Mashed potato with salad contains all of it Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat and other nutrient which will be needed by the body post work out to cut those extra kilos from its roots. Mashed potato with salad is easy to make food, which will not engage much preparations as well. What you need is some potatoes and salad mix it up and you are there. Try out the recipes on the web there a plenty of them choose according to the preference.

    1. Tuna, Salmon

    Who doesn’t know about all the health benefits these fish have under those shinny skins? Tuna is a salt water fish in every 100g of Tuna there is 200kcal worth energy on top of that tuna is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and appreciated all over the world for its good taste so a win-win situation. One advantage of tuna is it can be mixed with salad or eggs and there are a lot of options to jazz it up a little and come up with something healthy of course and tasty.

    Salmon is also a popular food, it is an oily fish. Technically salmon is rich in omega 3 fatty acid which helps in metabolism. What you waiting for people get those fish on your plate.

    1. Dry fruits and nuts

    Needs no address Dry fruits and nuts, high on nutrition. I would consider dry fruit and nuts to be a food of individuals who are on go as they might not find the time to cook or make something for them, dry fruits and nuts will come to their rescue. Dry fruits and nuts can also mixed with milk or any other liquid and can be consumed as they will amplify the effect of the liquid as well.

    Read Also – Reduce Stress in Busy lifestyle with this Excellent Lifestyle Hacks

    5. Cereal and skim milk

    Sounds a lot easier isn’t it? Indeed it is! Providing all the necessary post work out elements to shed those extra kilos. Skim milk because the whole milk have a lot of fat which might hamper the effort on a smaller scale however it will hence as they say precaution is better than care and well said opt for skimmed milk. Cereal of your choice again you can jazz it up by adding a little honey and fruits. Again the taste is all that has to be brought up by you. It is one of the best Weight loss booster Foods . High on nutrients will suffice your need to have something post workout.

    6. Chocolate milk with protein powder

    Waiting for something yummy to appear here it is then. Chocolate milk with protein powder the name is enough to get the mouth all watery. Chocolate milk rich in nutrients will help you in recovery post a workout because recovery is essential to get you going. Chocolate milk high in protein helps muscles recover which are rough after lifting those weights. Protein powder addition will satiate the demand for protein powder which any way you might take.

    So here we have covered some of the best pre and post workout foods that can help you lose weight quickly and listed out more food list as well.Hope this will help you out to be slim and fit .Weight loss booster Foods on workout can really help you because only workout alone can give you the dream body you are longing for .

    So Eat to lose weight this time 🙂

  • Amazing Fitness Apps To Track Calories & Keep You Motivated

    Amazing Fitness Apps To Track Calories & Keep You Motivated

    Do you want to be slim and fit? The only way you can achieve that is by doing regular exercises as they helps to shred the extra fat and makes our body look slim and fit. But how many of us do exercise regularly? The answer is ‘No’. Though many of us want to do exercise daily, we are not able to set and maintain a time schedule for that.Currently the only part which is getting fitness through mobile phones is our fingers as we keep on swiping it. Why not use it to keeping our whole body fit? This is where fitness apps come in to picture.

    It helps us in various ways from teaching various kinds of exercises to tracking our weight and motivates us a lot. Let us see the top 15 fitness apps that helps to keep our body fit.

    Amazing fitness apps To Track your calories & stay motivated

    top-15-fitness-apps

    1. MyFitnessPal

     MyFitnessPal is one of the popular fitness apps that has been rated as excellent by many websites and magazines. It not only keeps tracks of the calories of the daily food we eat but also has a database of more than million food recipes which helps to plan your diet and shred the extra calories easily.

    myfitnesspal

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. 7-Minute Workout

     Can you believe you can lose weight easily and keep your body fit by only spending 7 minutes every day? Yes. It can be achieved by the 7-minute workout app developed by Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions, Inc. 7-minute-workoutIt is very simple and motivating for the beginners as they have to spend only few minutes every day to keep their body fit. It teaches workouts for various parts of the body and keeps track of the results achieved. It is one of the best fitness apps for android and iPhone.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    Read Also : Hidden Poisonous Food In Our Kitchen

    NoomCoach

    noomcoach

     NoomCoach  helps to set the health goals for keeping our body fit and also makes a daily food or diet plan to achieve that very easily. To get motivated, you can join or discuss with other people or Noomers and check out what’s happening.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Charity Miles

     charity-miles

    Do you want to help someone and losing weight at the same time? Then Charity Miles is the best app for you to do that as it donates the money obtained when you walk or run and the app tracks your step count and running.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. MotionTraxx

     motiontraxx

    Mostly we will hear some music using headphones when we jog or walk. It is very important to choose the right music which will help or motivate the workout. MotionTraxx app will help you to create a perfect playlist depending on the speed of your workout.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Stronglifts 5×5

     stronglifts-5x5

    Stronglifts 5×5 is a perfect app to use when you do workouts in the gym as it helps you to count the number of reps you are taking. It is very useful for keeping track of any weight lifting exercise. It is thus one of the best workout apps.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Fitocracy

     fitocracy

    Most of us can easily understand anything expressed in terms of images rather than text. Fitocracy gives a graphical representation of the improvements achieved by doing various exercises like walking, running, weight lifting, gardening etc. and motivates us to improve more.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Spotify Running

    Spotify Running is a part of the popular digital music app named Spotify. It measures the speed at which you walk or run or do any sort of physical activity and selects a song that matches your speed. For example, if a fast track is played when you are running, it will increase your speed more and makes you feel more energetic.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Runkeeper

     

    As the name indicates, this app helps to keep track you runs very efficiently. Runkeeper also analyses your performance and suggests for improvisations. You can get more motivation by inviting your friends or creating a group and comparing your figures.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Lift Session

     

    This app helps you to connect with fitness trainers all over the world and get support or feedback from them easily. The trainers can also conduct classes online and it saves a lot of time as you don’t have to travel anywhere for learning exercises.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. Human

     

    If you would like to customize your workouts and don’t wish to follow any program, then Human is the right app for you. It is very simple and you can add all the exercises you do for 30 minutes of time. It also helps you to set your goals and keep track of it.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. EveryMove

     

    Will it be really motivating for you if somebody gives a gift for doing exercise? EveryMove app does that. You can earn points for doing any physical activity using this app. Once it reaches the defined level, you can get rewards from the app which will motivate you a lot.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    13. Endomondo

    Endomondo is the best app for tracking walking, cycling or running outside your home for a few miles or kilometers. It helps to track the distance covered, time taken to cover the distance, speed and the calories burnt.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android    

    Read Also : Disinfect Baby Toys Naturally With these Top 3 Methods

    1. GAIN Fitness Personal Training

     If you need a professional and certified fitness trainer for doing workouts, then GAIN Fitness Personal Training  is the right app for you. It helps you to choose the fitness trainer based on your geographic location. You can get personalized workout techniques and advice from the trainers through this app. You can meet the trainer in person once a month or so according to your convenience.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    1. DailyYoga

     

    Are you interested in doing yoga and you don’t have time to attend classes? Then DailyYoga is the best fitness app for learning and practicing different yoga postures. It has a detailed explanation of more than 500 yoga postures. You can choose postures that suits your needs.

    Platforms Supported: iOS, Android

    It is good for every human being to keep their body fit to lead a healthy life and free from diseases. It is not necessary to go to gym every day for keeping our body fit.  You can do workouts or exercises from your home itself regularly at your own pace and time and keep track of it using any of the apps above and stay healthy.

  • Safeguard Facebook Pictures-Prevent profile picture downloading

    Safeguard Facebook Pictures-Prevent profile picture downloading

    Safeguard Facebook Pictures-Prevent profile picture downloading

    Lucky for you that Facebook has introduced brand new protections for profile pictures for users especially in India. All this in a bid to stop people from downloading, sharing or illegally misusing their personal profile pictures. There is an option for users to Safeguard Facebook Pictures through the new system. It will ensure that others can not copy, share or download their personal profile images. This will prevent strangers from tagging themselves in the image.

    Notifications for Safeguard Facebook Pictures

    Those individuals who will opt in will get a special blue shield border around their image. On android phones(which are most popular and widely used in majority of the Indian market) Facebook says it will prevent users from taking screenshots of individual’s profile images wherever and whenever possible.
    Facebook Safety on themselves posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 saying

    They say that it was inspired to offer this special tools after hearing from various different Indian social and safety organizations that some women especially in the country particularly elected not to upload personal pictures including their faces on the internet. These tools were developed with a joint effort with a range of those organizations and different tests indicating the kinds of things that would cut down on the misuse of profile images. For instance Facebook says that something as simple(mind you simple by Facebook standards) as adding a special design overlay to a picture means that others are almost 75% less possible to copy it.

    Read Also : WhatsApp Data Sharing Disable Methods to Protect WhatsApp Data

    So exactly how can design of overlays increase security

    Users have now power to add those layers quickly using Facebook’s system. The tools are less likely to cut out the copying of profile pictures overnight. While Facebook claims it is doing everything in it’s power to stop people from screenshot the profile pictures via Android. Users could still take screenshots on laptop or desktop and the new blue shielded border is a visual cue of protection rather than any other difficult barrier.

    Even though tests have shown that uniquely simple additions can deter opportunists. The tools are a potentially useful option for specific Indian users. As of now Facebook has not yet indicated whether similar measures will come to other countries.

    Read Also : Android boot Fix – Steps to Try When Your Android Won’t Boot

    Keeping your profile pic safe

    Soon after Facebook launched the profile picture guard in India. It would give users more control over who can download and share their personal images several women users have started protecting their display photos.

    Steps for safeguarding your profile

    On the Facebook mobile app you will see a new notification on the top of your News Feed asking to secure your profile picture. Refresh your news feed if it does not show when you log in.

    Once you accept the terms a box will pop up saying “The Profile picture guard would help keep your current photo more secure on Facebook in three ways.”

    1. Keep off creeps
    2. Keep off creeps
    3. Keep off creeps

    So now unknown stalkers would no longer be able to download or send your profile picture in a message anywhere on Facebook. Facebook also claims that it would virtually stop strangers from taking a screenshot of your profile image on Facebook wherever and whenever possible. Though the feature is currently only available for Android devices.

    Conclusion: Shield protection effectiveness

    So how trust worthy these tools are?
    You have to note that there is no 100% effective way as of now to hide your profile picture currently.It is always public by default(what’s the point of uploading if you don’t want to share). These latest methods by Facebook can surely discourage the misuse of the profile picture but would not weed out the problem from it’s root. So for undoubted safety add options to restrict the viewing of profile pictures just to friends and friends of friends only.

  • 10+ Best Alternatives to Whatsapp you will love this year

    10+ Best Alternatives to Whatsapp you will love this year

    Today WhatsApp has become a heartbeat for mobile users all over the world. If you say “I don’t have WhatsApp”, then people will think of you as someone from another planet. Whatsapp has eventually replaced all kind of messaging options like SMS, Email, Messengers like Yahoo, MSN etc.  After the recent introduction of video calling feature, WhatsApp started competing with other video calling apps like Skype.

    You may wonder what makes WhatsApp so special. The app can be downloaded and used without any cost. It has all the features of communication like audio calls, video calls, sharing audio/video/text. WhatsApp group is the most popular these days as it helps to create different groups for friends, family, work related etc.

    Is WhatsApp is the only app available for messaging? Of course, not. There are many alternatives to WhatsApp with similar functionality.

    10+ Best Alternatives to Whatsapp you will love this year

    10-best-alternatives-to-whatsapp

    1. Telegram

     Telegram was developed by Nikolai and Pavel Durov and released in the year 2013. It can be used as a good alternative for WhatsApp as you can send unlimited messages and media files using it.telegram

    The messages and media files in telegram are stored in cloud space. So you don’t have to worry about the memory space and you will not run out of storage. Another feature to watch out is ‘Secret Chats’. In this, the communication is encrypted between the two persons so that the message is secure and can be seen only by the recipient. Telegram does not support calls. Group chat feature is also available in Telegram.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows

    Read Also : Improve The World With Smartphone -Top 10 Hacks

    1. Viber

     Viber is very similar to and has almost all the features available in WhatsApp. Like WhatsApp, you need the mobile number to activate Viber and it imports the contacts from your address book and shows you the contacts having Viber. Viber supports audio/video calls, group messaging and sharing photos/videos.viber

    It has a feature named Viber Out which helps to call other non Viber mobiles or landline phones at low rates.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows

    1. WeChat

     WeChat is developed by Tencent, China in the year 2011. It supports audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos, broadcast messaging and group chat. WeChat has a special feature named ‘Moments’ where you can create, like or share posts like in Facebook. But it will be only visible to the contacts in your friends list.wechat

    Apart from messaging, WeChat also has a payment system and the users can link their bank accounts/credit cards and send money to the contacts easily. Like Viber, WeChat Out helps to call other non-WeChat mobiles or landline phones at low rates.

     Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows 

    Read Also : WhatsApp Data Sharing Disable Methods to Protect WhatsApp Data

    1. LINE

     Line app is developed by Line Corporation in Japan in the year 2011. It supports messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. It has a good handy feature named ‘Keep’ where you can add all your favorite messages and media files so that you can see it whenever you want and share it easily. Line also has video conferencing facility.

    wechat

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows 

    1. Facebook Messenger

     Almost every internet user knows Facebook or in short FB but might not have explored its messenger fully. Facebook messenger is a very good alternative for WhatsApp as it has messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. Group video calling has also been added to the Facebook messenger recently.facebook-messenger

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows

    1. Skype

    Skype is the most popular messenger and video calling app for computers using windows. It can also be used in mobiles and can be used as an alternative for WhatsApp. It has messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. Skype also offers low rates for calling international mobiles and landlines.skype

    It does not need any phone number for creating the account.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows

    1. Kik

    Kik messenger is developed by a company named Kik Interactive in Canada. It does not need any phone number for registering with it. It does not support calling feature but it has messaging, sharing photos/videos and group chats.kik The salient feature in Kik is its anonymous nature as there is no verification of the user name or date of birth.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows 

    1. Hangouts

     Hangouts is nothing but the Google Hangouts used in computers for making audio/video calls. It can be used as a good alternative for WhatsApp as it has messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. hangoutsHangouts offer very low rates for calling international mobiles and landlines.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows

    1. Groupme

    Groupme is a popular messaging app that can be used as an alternative to WhatsApp. It supports messaging, sharing photos/videos and group chats. The salient feature in Groupme is its Group SMS feature. It is very handy in case of a network failure or remote places where internet network is not available.

    groupme

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows 

    1. Tango

    Tango is developed by a US based company named TangoME Inc. It is a very good alternative to WhatsApp as it has almost all features like messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. tangoIt does not need any phone number for registration. Tango can also be used in Tablets.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS 

    1. BBM

    BBM stands for Black Berry Messenger and was developed by Blackberry Ltd in the year 2005. It not only works with Blackberry but also with other platform smartphones. Though it has lost popularity these days, BBM is a good alternative for WhatsApp as it supports messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chat. The salient feature in BBM is ‘Retract’.

    bbm-appYou can delete the already sent message before it is read so that user doesn’t even know that they received a message like that. It has other features like Private chat and BBM Pin (You can block certain contacts from messaging).

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry

    Read Also : 38 Best iPhone games you should play

    1. Kakao Talk

    Kakao Talk is developed by a company named Kakao Inc in South Korea. It supports messaging, voice calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. Like WhatsApp it needs a phone number to get connected and use it.kakaotalk

    It shows the contacts who are having Kakao Talk. It can be a good alternative for WhatsApp.

    Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry

    WhatsApp is not the only way for messaging and calls. Check out any of the apps above when you find some time and communicate with the world without WhatsApp.

  • Safe Online transactions Tips & top 12 safe online transactions methods

    Safe Online transactions Tips & top 12 safe online transactions methods

    Doing a safe online transactions is the ultimate need of today’s society. Our lifestyle and economy demands for an online transaction while how safe your transaction is the primary question in most of the people.

    Safe Online transactions – Detailed overview 

    Before heading towards the exact title you should know a brief about online transaction to get a clear idea . I am not going to say something which you don’t know , its all many of you will be knowing but i write this for those who are really newly to online transaction . They will surely have so much confusion along with fear of how to do safe online transactions.

    What is online transaction?

    Online transaction is nothing but a simple way to avoid longer queues, travel, transportation etc for doing our regular activities which includes sending money to someone, purchasing groceries, booking train/bus/air tickets etc. Online transaction can be accomplished by using our credit/debit card or payment support systems like PayPal.

    safe-online-transactions-tips

    Time saving is the major advantage of doing online transaction and it really helps working people as they don’t have much time for going in person. Even though online transaction is easy and comfortable, we have to take all the necessary steps so that our transaction is 100% safe and no information is stolen.

    Different kinds of online transaction

    The most common varieties of online transaction are –

    • Online Shopping
    • Paying Utility Bills (Electricity/Insurance)
    • Making reservations for travel (Air/Train/Bus)
    • Sending money (Local / Overseas)
    • Receiving money (Local / Overseas)
    • Net Banking ( Checking transactions with your bank account)

    How to do safe online transaction –Safety tips to online transaction

    Even though online transaction has many advantages, the major drawback is security as there is a chance that your information can be stolen and misused. To avoid that, please keep the following these points / safety measures in mind while doing online transactions to have a smooth and safe online transactions.

    • Say ‘No’ to public and shared computers

    tips-to-stay-online-on-free-wifi-and-public-networks

     This is the most important safety measure that you have to take while you want to have safe online transactions . Don’t do any online transaction using computers in internet browsing centers as the cookies, passwords etc. are stored in them. It is better to avoid doing online transactions using computers that are shared with your friends / relatives unless you trust them completely.

    Read Also : How to secure bank account from hackers

    • Review certificates –  

    If you are doing any online transaction in your bank or other financial websites, check the certificate of the website. You can find a small lock symbol on the address tab. Check it and make sure that the certificate has a valid expiry date and it is the original one as there are many false websites with same domain name and appearance are available.

    review-certificates If the certificate is valid, you can see a green color text which means extended validation. Red means the certificate has expired or invalid. Yellow means the certificate cannot be verified. White indicates that the certificate has normal validity.

    • Difficult Passwords

    difficult-passwords

    Keep your passwords a little bit difficult and complicated and not easily identifiable. Don’t use your name, age, date of birth etc… in your passwords. It is better to avoid any information about you which are known to others while creating passwords. Keep changing your passwords often. Many banks are offering 3D codes for doing safe online transactions. Subscribe for that.

    • Use Virtual keyboard

    use-virtual-keyboard

    Many banks offer virtual keywords for logging in to their website. You can make use of that as it is safer than normal keyboard even though it takes a little long to type with it.

    • Third party payment / VCC

    It is advisable to use third party payment systems like PayPal, AlertPay or Virtual Credit Card (VCC) for doing online shopping as there is no need to share your personal bank information with the merchants. VCC stands for Virtual Credit Card that can be created for any amount and can be used only once. Check with your bank whether they are offering VCC feature.

    Read Also : Best Low Cost Fund Transfer Methods An Overview

    • Use renowned websites

    If you want to shop anything online, make sure that the merchant site is popular and can be really trusted. Read customer reviews about the website and make sure they are genuine and delivers the goods as promised. Popular online shopping sites are Amazon.com, Ebay.com, Flipkart.com, Snapdeal.com etc.

    Watch this Useful Video for Safe Online Transactions Published by Axis Bank : –

     

    Top 12 ways to do safe online transactions

    Here are the Top 12 ways or payment gateways for doing safe online transactions.

    1. PayPal

    PayPal is the most popular and reliable way of safe online transactions for Money transfer / Shopping. It is accepted by majority of the merchants worldwide who sell their goods online.

    paypal-safe-fund-transfer-method

    PayPal is very good for shopping goods online and small money transfers. PayPal is not good for sending huge money because of its high transaction fees and wire or direct transfer is the best way for sending large amount.

    2. Google Walletgoogle-wallet

    Google Wallet is becoming popular these days and competing with PayPal in safe online transaction. But currently Google Wallet is used and accepted mostly in USA. There is no fee for sending money to someone else using Google Wallet. You can keep any amount of money in your google wallet by transferring from your bank account and use it for online transactions.

    1. Skrillskrill

    Skrill is previously known as Moneybookers and is being used worldwide for safe online transactions. It can be used to send money as well as for shopping online. The transaction fees of Skrill is very low when compared with other payment systems and is highly secured.

    1. Payoneerpayoneer

    Payoneer is also a good payment gateway for safe online transactions and is accepted globally. It is used to send / withdraw money but the transaction fees for withdrawal is little high. You can create an imaginary US based account with the help of Payoneer which helps users to do transactions with US based merchants or companies.

    5. Stripestripe

    Stripe is a good payment gateway for receiving money and it is really useful for freelancers or people who work online. But currently the sender should be only from the designated countries like USA, UK, and Canada etc. The receiver can be located anywhere in the world.

    6. Payzapayza

    Payza is nothing but the new name of the popular payment gateway AlertPay. It is widely accepted in many countries next to PayPal. It can be used to Send / receive money and has low transaction fees.

    7. Dwolladwolla

    Can you send money to someone using their Facebook or Twitter account? Yes. Dwolla is the best choice for doing such online transactions. The best part of Dwolla is zero transaction fee for small amounts. It is accepted worldwide in many countries.

    8. WePaywepay

    WePay is a popular payment gateway for receiving money and is very useful for anyone who sells their goods online. But it is currently available only in USA.

    1. Authorize. Netauthorize

    Authorize.Net is one of the oldest payment gateways available since the 90s. It is accepted worldwide for safe online transactions. It is widely used for payments with credit card.

    1. 2CheckOut2checkout

    2CheckOut is a very good option for receiving money and is most suited for the merchants or anyone who sell the goods online. It is accepted worldwide in many countries and has reasonable transaction fees.

    1. Amazon Paymentsamazon-payments

    From the name itself, we can trust this payment gateway as it is owned by the popular online giant Amazon.com. It offers different types of accounts for money transfer or shopping and a secure environment for safe online transactions.

    1. ACH Paymentsach-payments

    ACH Payments is a trusted and popular payment gateway for safe online transactions and is accepted worldwide in many countries. It can used for sending as well as receiving money.

    So that’s all on the brief section of safe online transaction methods and tips .