5 Dividend Funds Worth Your Money

As the Fed showed no sign of a willingness to raise rates anytime soon, and low interest rates elsewhere in the world are not going away, especially Europe, you may consider investing your money in a mutual funds that pays (high) dividends.

1. CPR Euro High Dividend P

The aim of the stock is to beat the MSCI EMU index in the long term by buying shares that pay high dividends. As the graph shows, it is succeeding. The fund has been above is benchmark since at least 2013 and it is mostly made of shares.

2. Schroder International Selection Fund European Dividend Maximiser

 The aim of the fund is to target European companies that have a high return.

3. SPDR^® S&P^® Euro Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF

The aim is to target high dividend-yielding companies within the Eurozone.

4. MSCI EUROPE UTILITIES INDEX (EUR)

The aim of the fun is "designed to capture the large and mid-cap segments across 15 Developed Markets (DM) countries in Europe.”

5. Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund

 “The fund focuses on high-quality companies that have both the ability and the commitment to grow their dividends over time.”

Bad Credit Loans

A loan may be the best option you have right now to change your situation. Nevertheless, banks and other institutions are unwilling to trust someone with a bad credit record. You may first want to regain financial credibility, and one of the first steps is to use a credit card for bad credit, which will give you trustworthiness and financial responsibility and later, independence.

If you don't wan to get another " no ", you might read the following pieces of advice, which are to be put in action in the case of an interview with a financial institution.

# Doing it right

Do not present yourself in front of an adviser without having perfectly understood your project. If you want a loan for your business, you have to know perfectly the market situation and evolution, why your business model is good, you competitors, your product of service feasibility, etc. No matter the reason, this work includes having perfectly understood your why's (why this project, why now, why you, why here where you are), the needs you have and how much do you need; do not be afraid to state your need.

You must know your needs and the environment in which you are evolving à la pointe des doigts. It will tell the adviser that you are a wolf seizing an opportunity (for you and for institution) and not a sheep turning around without direction.

# Redeem yourself

It should not be too long and it always shows humility, self-awareness and intelligence when some of your first sentences clearly states why, how you ended up in this bad situation and how well you have learned the lessons. It spares the interviewer to say it to yourself, specially if he knows you for a long time. But do not try to put the fault on something or someone else, nor try to be pitiful, as these will put a shadow of ignorance and contradiction in the whole speech.

# Show your skills

You should convince the interviewer that you are a person capable of taking the responsibility for the loan; you should state how good at your field you are or how good your financial situation will be (show him numbers), because you have taken the necessary steps towards it.

# Show their interest

" If you want to make friends, don't talk good about yourself " applies here too. Do not tell them how good your situation will be and how happy you will be if they give you the loan, because they do not care. They care bout their interests.Tell them how much their will harvest on your efforts and how much the chances of success are high because you have done your homework (#1) and you are capable of undertaking the task (#3).

# The feasibility

The time, if you have some, you ask for a loan counts too. Taking into account inflation, being on a phase of progress for the country and when your special field is booming, puts points in your side. The most important factor will be your future capability to pay on your due date and the potential interests, so you should not make the same mistakes and be financially responsible.

# Misc

In respect to the tone you are going to use, never be familiar (" bucks "), nor too formal. Don't try to pretend you know finance by using financial terms, because if you really knew finance, you would not be in this bad financial situation. Use common terms precisely and with meaning.


Later will be published a paper telling how to choose the perfect institution to get a loan, even with great difficulties.

Image : © Kevin Dooley, CC BY 2.0.

Payday Loans

Do you need money as soon as possible and don't want to go through all the usual bureaucracy ? You may then consider a payday loan. Before you go on with it, you may consider certain facts. You may consider also other alternatives for money, as a advance or help from family, as payday loans can trap you in a vicious circle.

First of, what is a payday loan ?

A payday loan is a short-term and high rates loan, usually between $15 and $500.

Who can obtain one ?

Almost everyone, even those with bad credit. If you're in this situation, check out our article " credit cards for bad credit ". Usually, but it depends on the lander, you will need your contact, banking and employment information. They may ask you some family information too, in the case you cannot be reached when the term of the loan ends (two weeks for the most cases).

Are there fees ?

Yes and it depends on how much you ask. 15$ for $100 asked is usual, as is $55 for $500. After two weeks (the common term for the loan), the lender cashes the check or you rollover it (see example below).

How does it work ?

1. You write a check to the lender of the amount you want to borrow + a fee.
2. The lender gives you the money (cash usually or straight to your bank account).
3. On the due date if you can pay, the lender cashes the check. 

If you want to expend your due time, you don't have to repay it, but the fees will accumulate.

For example : You borrow $100. The lender add a $15 fee. You cannot pay on your due time, so you rollover once (you get usually two more weeks to repay). When you can pay, you will pay $130 (100 + 15 + 15).

If you are interested in doing it, read our pieces of advice in this article.

Image : © Jason Comely, CC BY 2.0., re-sized.