Almost everyone wants to retire young and rich. That's why most people want to start investing so that they get a high return on the money that they have. This lets the money to continue to flow in. You can choose banks or financial institutions for this purpose. Here are some of the pros and cons of investing in conventional methods like Bank fixed deposits, versus financial institute mutual funds.

Fixed Deposits
Fixed deposit is an investment plan where you invest a sum of money in a bank for a set period (tenure) with a specific rate of interest. This is one of the most common investment approaches with banks.
Pros:
Low risk
The safest investment with a bank is a fixed deposit. It gives steady growth and provides maximum security to your principal amount.
Assurance
When you open a fixed deposit, the interest rate is predetermined and remains the same throughout the term. This means that the growth of your principal isn't subject to any other influencing factors.
Tax benefits
You can get tax benefits when you start a fixed deposit. Your taxable amount will be deducted according to the deposit you've made.

Cons:
Lower earnings
When compared to other investment plans, these have a very low rate of return. Although it's risk-free, the earnings are mediocre at best.
The effect of inflation
When compared to inflation, FDs don't offer returns good enough to beat the inflation. They're just a decent investment that offers security at most.
Taxable
In spite of having tax benefits, FDs don't entirely save tax. The returns you get after maturity are taxable. This means you won't get the full benefit of your investment. That's a major drawback.
Low liquidity
FDs come with a lock-in period. This takes away flexibility in your investments.
A premature withdrawal has two side effects. First, you'll be charged a fee for pre-closure. Second, the interest rate reduces. Both are losses that should be avoided.

Mutual Funds
Stock or equity is the ownership of shares in a company or business.
Pros :
Highest returns
From all investments option, equity/stocks are the best when it comes to returns. If invested properly, the average returns ranges from 12-15%. Some good investors can even reach numbers of up to 20%.
Liquidity
Another advantage with stock investment is that you can withdraw your money anytime you want.
This flexibility works better in the long run since it lets you keep control of your money.
Tax-free Dividend
Many companies give regular dividends on stocks. That's a great way to generate an alternate income. The best part is that is that it's not taxable.

Defeat Inflation
With returns being high, stocks are a great option to beat inflation significantly.
Cons:
Highest Risk
Equity is the least secure investment you can make. With some strategic planning and proper management, this can be avoided to an extent.
Reallocation
Equity funds don't perform all that well when you leave them to mature like FDs and PFs. They need to be monitored regularly.
According to market fluctuation, certain funds might not perform well. In those times, you should reallocate these funds to a more profitable organisation. This isn't easy and needs you to monitor the market regularly.

Whether you're investing with banks or financial institution, both have their own merits and demerits. You should take a call based on your current status and financial goals that you've set.

Rainer Maria Rilke once said, “if, when you wake up in the morning, you can think of nothing but writing . . . then you are a writer.” But once you are done putting your thoughts on the paper, the next important step is to publish your work. When we think about publishing a book, we can get stuck between self and traditional publishing. Going with the traditional, big publishing houses such as Random House, HarperCollins, and Penguin might look like an easy bet, but making the cut is fairly difficult. According to Forbes, around a million new books get published every year in the United States alone, which makes the task of getting your book published in the traditional manner even more daunting. Most publishers will also tell that they receive 1,000 to 2,000 query letters every month. This shows that only a small percentage of the submissions make it to the publishing stage. Also, only because you’ve been contacted by a publishing house does not mean that your book would garner maximum revenue. So, unless you're destined to become the best-selling book of the year, you should be either content with selling a handful of your book copies or start marketing your book on your own. So, if you are an author and want to have your book published and get noticed, why not have it self-published? Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing Self-publishing allows the author to be in control of the literary content as well as the book selling process. As a self-publishing author, you are on your own and responsible for marketing and distribution, as well as for the capital investment required; however, the best part is that the maximum amount of your profit is yours. On the contrary, traditional publishing is where the publishing house prints, and sells the books through various retailers and booksellers. Here, the publishing house bags the maximum amount of the revenue generated from the sale of the book, also because the entire invested capital comes from the publishers in traditional publishing. With more and more writers choosing their own ways of marketing and promoting their work, the concept of self-publishing is becoming the buzzword in the book’s world. Here are the top 7 self-publishing companies in the world for you to choose from:

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Amazon accounts for 80% of the eBook sales in English-speaking countries. Without a doubt, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) remains one of the top self-publishing platforms among authors for eBooks. The platform allows authors in converting and selling their books to a wide range of reader base. A striking feature of KDP is the 90-day exclusive deal on digital distribution wherein the books are available in the Kindle Lending Library. This lets the Amazon Prime members in checking out the books free of cost and with no due dates. Also, the author receives the royalties for every borrowed book.
• Draft2Digital Comparatively a new kid on the block, Draft2Digital is an aggregator that has already been making news with its services and market reach. Draft2Digital helps in converting your book and distributing it across various retailers such as Nook, iBooks, and Kobo. If you are looking to publish your book and make it available on a wider scale within a short time period, then this is a great choice. The easy-to-use interface of Draft2Digital has made it a preferred choice among authors.
• Lulu One of the most popular sites known for self-publishing books, Lulu is best known for its attention to detail. The company comes up with more than 1000 book titles every day, which speaks for the volume they work with and the market reach. With a wide range of services offered at Lulu, you can simply consider them for everything – right from proofreading to marketing.
• Kobo Although Kobo only has 2% of the current eBook market, one of the reasons why it made to the list of top self-publishing companies is its international sales. Once you upload your book to Boko, the platform makes your book available in 190 countries. They have a wider reach in Asia as compared to the United States and the United Kingdom. The royalty rates at Kobo are at 70% if the selling price of the book is anywhere between $1.99 to 12.99, and 45% if the price is outside this range.
• Book Baby If you’re looking for value for money, then Book Baby is the self-publishing company for you. The simple process helps those who are not quite familiar with the digital self-publishing platforms. The packages start from as low as $99 and the site takes 0% commission from the book sales, which is an absolute treat. Moreover, if you are looking for an all-inclusive package – from proofreading and design services to eBook conversion and distribution, you can make the most of it, Book Baby helps you find it all.
• Smashwords Initiated in 2008, Smashwords is the oldest aggregator website and lets you distribute your book title to library networks such as Gardeners and numerous small-scale eBook retailers such as Baker and Taylor. As far as the pricing goes, Smashwords charges you 15% of the book sales you receive. Fairly speaking, some of the authors are loyal to this self-publishing company, whereas other authors prefer a more modern site such as Draft2Digital.
• Apple’s iBook’s Author Accounting for 10% of the eBook market sales, Apple’s iBook’s Author is particularly an enticing self-publishing platform due to the popularity of the Apple products. iBooks offers a royalty rate of flat 70% across all territories and selling prices. The platform requires iTunes Producer program to run, which is exclusively available for a Mac. To get your book published on this platform, you either need to have a software to run Mac programs on your PC, borrow a Mac to publish your book or visit a third-party publisher such as Smashwords, Kobo, and Draft2Digital to help get through the publishing process.

Why is self-publishing gaining momentum? As it becomes difficult to get your book published through traditional, popular publishing houses, authors across the globe have found self-publishing as something to look up to. Moreover, the penetration of the Internet in all walks of life, including book publishing, has helped authors explore opportunities with self-publishing. From Kindle Direct Publishing to online retailers and aggregators, self-publishing or “indie publishing” is becoming the talk of the town.

• A silver lining for aspiring authors Due to the rising popularity of self-publishing and e-commerce platforms, authors need not wait for half a year to get their manuscript read by a publishing house. Online self-publishing platforms have made self-publishing a reliable and lucrative medium. With Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, authors can upload their books, send it across to readers, and even make money out of it. The site that took the e-commerce world by a storm has also paved the way for reshaping how books are published and read. It is due to these mediums that aspiring and new authors can find self-publishing a great way to kickstart their writing careers.
• A boon for specific genres Some of the genres work great through self-publishing. For instance, if you are a fiction writer, self-publishing is the way to go. This is because you can keep the maximum share of your profits with you as opposed to the 20% share under traditional publishing. Moreover, a cookbook would need aggressive marketing tactics to garner maximum sales, which is the specialty of traditional publishers and therefore would not be a great choice for self-publishing.
• Great prospects for author-preneurship The present and future of self-publishing look bright thanks to the changing role of authors. In today’s hypercompetitive market, writers are constantly taking up the skills and responsibilities of a traditional publisher. This helps the writers to understand various stages of publishing along with learning different ways to use their books as a building block for multiple ways of income. Moreover, it is also due to the fragmentation of the media that led to the changing role of authors from being just the writers of the book to marketing and promoting it through various social media platforms. As authors now can meet and interact with their readers at literary fests and fairs, run their social media pages, and write blogs, they know their target audience well and no longer depend on the publishing houses alone to build the author-reader relationship. So, the prospects of authors in becoming entrepreneurs are continuing to grow.
• International sales have become a possibility Initially, selling a book internationally would only be a dream for most of the authors as they wouldn’t find the way to get through the publishers to make this dream a reality. But today, due to the strong foothold and reach of international sales platforms such as Amazon that international sales through digital platforms have become possible. Moreover, the territorial rights of publishers are no longer seen as an important factor for authors. On the contrary, the traditional rights of the publishers such as not distributing a book in certain countries, are seen as a hindrance in the current marketplace.

What makes self-publishing a hit among authors?

• Quicker exposure One of the notable advantages of self-publishing is the faster exposure that a book receives as opposed to traditional publishing that takes anywhere between 6 to 18 months to publish a book. Self-published books can enter the market in several months or less, whereas traditional publishing of books can take up to 1 to 2 years. Interestingly, with the Internet and various eBook platforms, you can publish your digital book within a few days, including all the completed processes. This means faster market reach and faster cash in your bank account.
• Higher creative control Wouldn’t you like to have the creative control over your book’s content and appearance? Self-publishing is all about higher creative control over your book, which also means you need to spend extra hours making your book a must pick. Publishing houses need you the writers to comply with the requirements set by multiple parties involved in the book publishing, editors, promoters, as well as designers. This hampers the creative control of the writer over the content of the book. On the other hand, self-publishing lets the writer have complete control over the book throughout the stages of publishing. So, when you decide to self-publish, you can write the book, design the cover, and decide the marketing strategy.
• Greater networking opportunities During the self-publishing process, a book goes through a number of stages. It is during this time that you would meet various people from research advertising and marketing fields, consider meeting up a few people for writing a press release or discuss your book with others. This entire journey would help you discover new avenues, which will offer you great networking opportunities. Not to forget, social media does come handy here, but your rigorous marketing and promotional activities would play a key role to network with the best.
• A longer shelf life As compared to traditional publishing, self-published books have a longer shelf life. It is one of the biggest advantages of self-published books as they will find a longer period for its audience to find about the book’s release and market presence. Thanks to the online publishing platform that allows digital books to remain on the platform indefinitely, helping respective target audiences to find the books at the click of a mouse. On the contrary, when you have your book published through a popular publishing company, the book will only have a couple of months of shelf life. This is because the bookstores are constantly revamping their book inventory and bringing in newly published books. Moreover, the longer shelf life of self-publishing books helps newer writers who are yet to find their right target audience.
• Better royalties One of the pros of having your book published is the royalty that you receive. Did you know that when a book gets published through a publishing house, maximum profit of the book sale goes to the publishing house? This leaves the author with a maximum of 10% to 15% of the selling price of the book sold, whereas an author can receive a maximum of 70% of the list price when it comes to self-publishing mediums. An interesting highlight – self-publishing through digital forums helps in retaining the rights for adaptations such as TV shows or films. Also, if at any point, the writer needs to revise the digital book, he or she can freely do so without any constraints by the platform where the book is published. When it comes to publishing houses and print-on-demand services, a writer may face constraints set by the publishing house, making revisions or other adaptation rights difficult.

The very terminology of compact SUV vs. a regular full sized SUV is confusing to a lot of people as they do not see any major differences in the face of the two types. Understanding the difference is essential to choose out the right fit according to a buyer’s taste and budget. The essential difference between the two is much uncomplicated as it lies in their platform. Compact SUVs, or “crossovers” as they are infamously termed, have a single-body frame. This means that the crossovers are based on simple car platforms wherein the body and the frame are integrated into a single unit. On the contrast, SUV’s are built on the chassis of a truck as a result of which the body is mounted on a frame. This would mean that the body and the frame are two distinct pieces that are built differently and then put into a single unit for further construction. Although this definition is standard for any car manufacturer, there is a gray area to the whole construction of an SUV and a crossover. This is because there are unibody SUVs in the market and it is distinctly hard to tell based on a body always. A typical example would be that the Ford Explorer, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, or the Toyota Highlander are not usually called an SUV in the market in layman’s terms because they all have a single body unit. This is the major reason for the two distinct terms being used interchangeably in the market arena. Buyers have the misconception that SUVs were just large vehicles that were ugly and sturdy but not fuel efficient. This negative endorsement led the auto-manufacturers to revive the SUVs by terming the new fuel efficient cars with elegant designs being called crossovers, thereby promoting the truth of how their typical SUV has had an extensive makeover for customer satisfaction. The result of this process led to the birth of crossovers had power-packed performance, a rugged and chiseled elegant look, and functioned to some degree like the pickup trucks or full-sized SUVs.

Do you often get up with cramps or pain in your back? Do not feel refreshed even after sleeping the whole night? Well, this can be a problem of your mattress. Many people fail to select the right type of mattress and complaint of back pain or body ache when they wake up in the morning. If you are also among them, it is time to change your mattress and purchase the best mattress for back pain. Nowadays, you can easily find some of the best mattresses for back pain by following a few tips mentioned below: Get doctor’s recommendation- Consulting your doctor about the back pain and discomfort can help you know the mattress that is best suited for you. Though they are not mattress specialist, they can guide you through the features that can help you cure the condition. Check a few stores- Whether you shop the best mattress for back pain online or you are making the purchase from a traditional store, you need to check a few options available. Different brands are now offering back pain mattresses. All do not provide similar benefits. So, checking out the specifications is extremely important before making the purchase. When you are making the selection of mattress, you should give importance to the springs or coils used in it. You should also ensure whether it has the required back support or not. Know your bed size- Checking out the features and manufacturing details of the mattress is important, yet you should not undermine the bed size. When looking for the best mattress for back pain, you should mention the measurements of your bed properly and get the right one. Price is important- Quality should be the priority when you are selecting the best mattress for back pain. However, comparing the price is also important. This will help you find the right mattress at the right price. Also look out for the guarantee or warranty on your purchase as these mattresses are expensive compared to the ordinary ones. When selecting the best mattress for back pain, you need to dedicate some time for your purchase. This will help you in finding the best one for your purpose.

Technology has given the world a lot of useful things. One of them sure is tablet PC. The size of the device is the reason behind such popularity. It is neither too small nor too big which makes it perfect for both personal and official use. A number of companies manufacture tablets, and the prices vary as per the brands and specifications. If you are considering buying one, you must take care of some important factors. These are discussed below: Requirement The first and foremost thing to consider is the reason you need a tablet. You may want it for personal use, study purpose and business use. Based on the requirements you need to look for features in the tablets available in the market since there are so many varieties of it that you can find. Choice of brand As already told, many companies are involved in the manufacturing of this device. You need to decide on the brand you want. A person likes to buy a thing from a certain brand because he trusts that brand. The same is applicable for everything including tablets. Thus, you must have confidence in the brand you are choosing. Price and budget The prices of tablets vary with brands and their features. If you want certain features on your tablet and want to buy the same from a certain brand, you need to pay up accordingly. If you have a certain budget which is making you compromise either on the brand or the features, it would be your decision to take the call. You would need to decide whether you can let go of the features or the brand. How and where to buy? Once you have made the final decision on which one you would buy, you need to find out where to buy it from. It is always advisable to buy anything from genuine stores. To find a reliable store, you can do your research online. Read reviews and feedback about the products offered in different stores and according to choose the one with a good reputation so that your purchase is authentic.

Surveillance cameras are an essential investment for businesses, whether you are a small business or a big one this investment can be very beneficial. Not only will you be able to prevent losses from burglaries or break-ins but also you will be making the work place safer for your employees. Surveillance cameras come in several ranges and models. Wireless security cameras that can stream visuals to a wireless receiver are a huge step forward for the security industry. How will you benefit? Theft: As a business owner, one of the main concerns is theft, and this could be by people on the premises or from outside. Both can be prevented by installing wireless security cameras at vantage points. Installation of such cameras is a deterrent for theft. Insurance: Business owners know the importance of lower insurance premiums and many insurance companies will be satisfied if they know that you are taking adequate steps to keep your premises safe from thefts. Any loss of property on the premises can lead to claims which the insurance companies will want to avoid. By installing wireless security cameras, you will be assuring the insurance company that you are taking necessary measures to keep the place safe. This will also result in lower insurance premiums and lesser claims as well. Workforce: If you are the type of business where time is precious and you have employees that work in shifts, monitoring their time is essential. This can be managed very well by using systems such as the wireless security cameras at various vantage points. Not only can you monitor them, but you can save money on lawsuits that may be filed by employees claiming that they had an accident. The existence of such technology around the premises will discourage people from filing such frivolous lawsuits thus saving you money. Surveillance cameras are a boon to any business owner looking to save money. This is an investment that is worth every penny!