UBC
Mompreneur’s blogging journey ย (part 10) :Knowtbook lessons & November plans
I love how ย Amy Lynn Andrews ย Knowtbook has made my life easier.
Knowtbook is ย easily the best thing that happened to me.It’s because of her kindness ,that I understood ย the true essence of blogging .
Help those who need you.I am not an affiliate ย but I still mention her everywhere.
That’s because she is one of the few bloggers who says it how it is.
Shady is not her style.
3 Things I learnt from Knowtbook this month:
1)I love the look of sliders on websites .
But apparently it slows down the site.
Plus it’s ย SEO night mare.
So slider out for me.
I don’t want to ย do anything to make my site non friendly to Google!
2)Canva has a limit to the number of copies of its ebook templates you can use for commercial use.
So what’s the ย solution for mompreneurs who are bootstrapping ?
Don’t cry ,you have GIMP.It’s an open source software totally free!
3)Blog design for solopreneurs can be a never ending time waster.
After I read this post I calmed down .
https://amylynnandrews.com/blog-design-dos-and-donts/
Read it .It will help you too.
What did I write this month ?
31 posts for the UBC
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My top post this month:
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What am I doing this November?
I am a blogbuddy withย Blogchatterย .
Looking forward to more fun.
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I have joined NaBloPoMo withย Blogher
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Daily blogging throughout November . I saw my Alexa improve throughout October .
The global rank has improved . But the India rank is not stable.
I am gardening a lot.It keeps me calm.I have Petunias ,roses ,chrysanthemums ,chillies ,cucumbers and a whole host of beauties in my balcony .
The Dailychatter in October ย encouraged me to do this too.
My hubby thinks I have lost it.But ย good habits need blood and sweat.It’s easier for me to sweat in the cooler seasons.
What am I working on ?
My Instamojo shop.Read about it here ย Media kit template (editable in word):Mompreneurโs blogging journey (part 9)ย
It’s in the teething stage .Still working on making it better.
Health wise
Incorporating Chia seeds more deeply into my diet. Use it mixed with whole wheat atta, ย to make rotis too.
Working on becoming stronger.
Nowadays on the treadmill ,I look at the distance covered .It’s keeping me happy.
What am I reading?
There are affiliate link in the following post .Which means at no extra cost to you ,will get access to a whole basket of resources to help you blog better.Plus you get access to my Instamojo school with all my products forever!How’s that for a a superb deal?I will be sharing the checklist from the courses ย there too.
You will just need to forward me the receipt of the products bought withย my link.
I am going through theย Genius Bloggerโs Toolkitย
It’s packed full.I think I have enough material to read till 2018!
What did you do in October?
Let me know in the comments .
below.
This is the last post for #Dailychatter with ย Blogchatter Day 31
Gold and Dhanteras :What you should know before investing
What do you buy during Dhanteras ?
When you read about Dhanteras and favourite stories you realize one thing.
Indians love their gold!
“Have a little extra money ?Don’t forget to buy gold” .Advice we have all received sometime or the other.
My 3 Money Rules
- Increase your earning But don’t forget savings.
- Money saved is money earned!To earn and keep is important.
- Diversify assets. Always balance your financial basket
In India we are conservative in our investments .
Savings,equity,gold,land all are important for your wealth basket.But the percentage of each is what makes you win or loose.
In India Gold has always been popular.From ancient times gold has been the number one precious metal.
Primary reason maybe it’s beautiful warm ,yellow colour which reminds us of the life sustaining sun.It’s also linked to many popular Indian stories .Gold also signifies the blessing of Goddess Laxmi.It’s association with prosperity and affluence makes gold buying symbolic.
Being a noble element makes it less likely to cause skin irritations and react with atmospheric elements.Makes it perfect for wearing and keeping for long time .
Gold jewellery makes most Indian woman happy.So it’s a must wear for weddings and auspicious ceremonies.
Gold has been consistently the only happy metal for Indians.Not surprisingly India is the number one gold buyer in the world !
We are typically conservative investors. So we like safety and security over anything else.
This is why physical gold wins any day. Atleast with most women.
What are the different methods out can invest in Gold ?
This article in jagoinvestor will help you decide.
But before stockpiling Gold ,physical or otherwise you must know a few things.
Gold prices over the years have been consistently up.So it should be great to buy Gold right ?Depends .
It depends on what you want out of that investment . If its meant for securing the amount,not necessarily growth .Then gold is not too bad.
I love Gold but I love after knowing all its negatives.
Read about gold price movements in India before buying.
Interestingly Gold is considered the purest international currency.You might be able to buy stuff with gold but not with Indian currency in places outside India.
So while it’s better than having money in your savings account,it has not always kept it’s promise as an inflation adjusted investment
Warren Buffet โ โWe live in a world where 80 years out of 100 will be good. But we donโt know which 20 will be bad.โ
So what should be on your investment plate this Diwali?
The best way to learn is from the greats.
My favourite 3 Quotes from the book
Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger(affiliate link),Warren Buffet’s reticent but equally brilliant friend.
#Value investing principle 1
Measure risk
Everything in life depend’s on having a good judgement . Assessing risks and benefits are mortar before choosing any investment .
- Safety margins need to be adequate.
- Avoid dealing with shady people.
- Avoid big mistakes . Shun major capital losses.
#Value investing principle 2
Be Independent
Only in fairy tales are emperors told they are naked
- Have independance of thought .
- Be objective and rational.
- People agree or disagree doesn’t matter.
What matters is correctness of your analysis and judgement.
#Value investing principle 3
Have patience
Compound interest is the Eighth wonder of the world (Einstein )
DON’T interrupt it unnecessarily
So before you buy Gold today remember Asset allocation.Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Are you a value investor?
Whats your plan for investing Dhanteras and otherwise?
This is a part of UBC #Daily chatter day 28 with @Blogchatter
(Disclaimer:I am not an investment specialist.Kindly consult a professional before making any investment )
Debit card fraud India :wake up to Digital identity thefts
You earn money.
Keep it in the bank.
It gets stolen.Bank pays you back .
Right ?
Wrong!
Very very wrong.
If what RBI says sticks, (which it will probably )if you lose your money from the bank ,digitally or physically you are liable to get a maximum of 1 lakh rupees only.Even that has a millions of subclauses!
Doesn’t matter how much money you had in the bank.
This covers everything.
For your lockers it’s even worse.
Don’t believe me?
Read on.
The recent spate of debit card fraud has opened most people’s eye to the threat of digital fraud.
In India where people don’t even
know what to do in case of stolen debit cards this is worrying.
With Aadhar data collected by third parties ,who have all your information and bank account details.
You are the perfect sitting duck for data thefts and major frauds.
The user data which was stolen this time, was apparently related to Malware detection .You are at risk every time you use card at any retail shops ,restaurants,ATMs
Anywhere they use that machine where you slide your card in.That’s a point -of sale machine.This is probably where the malware was inserted.But investigation is pending.The full story will be disclosed after RBIs investigation is complete.
Solution:Carry cash during shopping.
Shop less
Bad for shop owners.Great for you.You will not only save money but protect yourself from unscrupulous people.
Online shopping using debit card?
Use cash on delivery
I rarely use amazon even though it has the best deals .Because sometimes it doesn’t give me COD.
Avoid using Nonbank ATMs
Difficult but must do.This is the excuse that banks are giving now.
Keep your phone number updated with bank .Check online account info only from home Internet with secure connection .
Use strong passwords for all accounts
NEVER from a public PC . There are softwares which can be used to save all transaction details.
How do ATM frauds in India occur?
Did you know ATM s are controlled by third party.
These ATM providers have insurance for theft of money from ATMs.
But in this case appararently the people were at home while money was withdrawn using their card details in USA and China .
IMAGINE the extent and depth of the fraud.
SHOCKINGLY no one is giving us the truth.
Not the bank ,not the government
6.5 million is not a small number if debit card.We don’t know the total amount stolen.
It’s like the money just disappeared and it happened at the same time in a well orchestrated way.
A payment gateway called Hitachi Payment services which has ATM and point -of -sale machines
These third parties manning the ATM have insurance for theft from ATM
In this case it’s a tricky point.Who is responsible .
How safe is your money in the bank?
Did you know bank is not liable to protect you in case of theft from lockers?
That’s because banks don’t have any way of knowing what exactly was in your locker.
It could be a pile of junk for all that they know. They just rent the space.
What makes bank lockers attractive is the amount of security you have which is not possible at home.
As per the RBI: โThe bank will, in no way, be responsible/liable for the contents kept in the locker by the hirer. In case of theft, burglary or similar unforeseen events, action will be initiated as per law.โ
In case a customer opts for a locker from a bank, it is more of a proprietor and a tenant relationship: banks provide on rent, a secured facility to safeguard your previous processions, and nothing more than
3 RBI RULES you must know
What is the maximum deposit amount insured by the DICGC?
Each depositor in a bank is insured upto a maximum of Rs.1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh) for both principal and interest amount held by him in the same capacity and same right as on the date of liquidation/cancellation of bank’s licence or the date on which the scheme of amalgamation/merger/reconstruction comes into force?
What is the ceiling on amount of Insured deposits kept by one person in different branches of a bank?
The deposits kept in different branches of a bank are aggregated for the purpose of insurance cover and a maximum amount upto Rupees one lakh is paid.
Does the DICGC insure just the principal on an account or both principal and accrued interest?
The DICGC insures principal and interest upto a maximum amount of Rs. One lakh. For example, if an individual had an account with a principal amount of Rs.95,000 plus accrued interest of Rs.4,000, the total amount insured by the DICGC would be Rs.99,000. If, however, the principal amount in that account was Rs. One lakh, the accrued interest would not be insured, not because it was interest but because that was the amount over the insurance limit.
So what exactly is safe?
(Do let me know if you find resources to support consumers from frauds like this.)
Comment below to let me know.
I am linking to Ultimate blogging challenge with Blogchatter #DailyChatter #UBC Day 26
Disclaimer :I am not a legal or insurance expert .The information I have provided comes from RBI website .
The links provided will guide you to the relevant articles.
Kindly take all actions after following legal advice.
Blogging journey Ruchi Verma and Forfoodiefamily : ย Indian woman turned Influencer
Myย blogging journeyย series was my attempt to learn from women who try to do the impossible.
Ruchi with her family
Image courtesy Ruchi Vermaย
People who follow their dreams always inspire.Ruchi Verma is an inspiration .
She ย doesn’t put on any airs and graces.She is what she is.
With an impressive twitter following of 18.3k this blogger is a major social media influencer.But her humility makes her very special in this aggressive world.
Her blog is an extension ย of her persona. Its like she loves her family and writes about everything ย her family and others like her would love to know about.
A Madhuri Dixit fan,Gemini and an enthusiastic foodie ,Ruchi hates insincerity.
A little bit about Ruchi and her story
Masters in Information technology, worked as lecturer in Lucknow University then HR co-coordinator in Mphasis Pune and then miracle happened and daughter Ira filled up our life with smiles โบ and HR-coordinator turned into a domestic engineer .
This is what I love to call myself. ย I took this post and enjoying every bit of it with pride. But sitting just idle at home was never my cup of tea.
Being a mom is 24/7 job but I felt loosing myself a little. So I became a part of contest world on social media.
This was a way to portray my creativity .I won many prestigious gifts from many brands.From ย Ipad to Iphone .Fully automatic washing machine to TV all on basis ย of my creativity.
This was ย definitely giving me happiness but not sense of satisfaction.I decided to take up ย creative ย writing .I wanted to share with others whatever I have done and my blogย forfoodiefamilyย born on the year 2014 Sept 8th.
Who is your reader ?
Every family member who is in search of knowledge.
Why ย should they ย read your ย blog?
Every family can follow my blog .People get confused by the name forfoodiefamily .
Itโs a knowledgeable family blog under one roof for your family โบ
But this foodie family is not only for people looking out for recipes. But my blog deals with all kind of hunger.
My blog gives you knowledge about parenting, festivals of India, event you want to know about ,reviews on your nearby restaurants and gadgets you love to buy.Recipes for non-veg lover to veg .About kids and about relationship.Your inspiration
My mom & my hubby .
My mom she is a living example of patience. Fighter in tough times and most caring loving and forgiving lady.
Once even after her entire ย luggage was stolen ,said coolly ,โI forgive that thief for stealing .Thatโs his karma and I am forgiving him for my good karm .โ
I looked up to her with questioning eyes .SERIOUSLYโ she is real gem and ย learned person I know.
My hubby Mayank is most sweet, caring , understanding and supportive person โฆname of my blog is given by him. He not only supports me but also sometimes gives me Idea about writing .
If my mom has ย inspired me ย and taught me to ย deal with all ย situations patiently ,then my hubby inspired me with his sense of humor and his ever jolly nature.
ย He is an ideal husband <3
Your favorite quotesย
Two quotes which I believe and follow โSmile It costs nothing โ
โSharing Knowledge is gaining knowledgeโ
3 tips ย & Your message for struggling mompreneurs:ย
Smile and believe that if ย family ย is happy so are ย you .As ย a mom โฆyou are blessed with beautiful kids.
Donโt let your passion dieโฆitโs important to have dreams and goals in lifeโฆ
Manage your time. Itโs important so that be organized.
Tell us about your vision with the blog
Gaining as much as I can gain !
Tell us a little ย bit about your family.
Who is your biggest support? My family โฆ.lovely two kids โIra (8 years )& Viraj(1 year) โ completes me and Mayank .
We are trying to give them values which we got from our parents .Trying to connect them with ground realities of our country .By celebrating and telling them values of relationships and festivals we hope to imbibe .
We in our family firmly believe and follow one thumb rule โDining together is compulsory and we can share our views and thoughts and full day discussion on round table dinner time ;)โ
My husband is really my biggest spinal cord of life!
3 Tips to grow Social ย media reachย
- Share great content
- Share other people’s content
- Just don’t stop sharing
Follow Ruchi onย Facebook
Blogging journey series:
Blogging Journey :Priyanka RoyBannerjee featured
Jaibala Rao spellbinding storyteller :Mompreneurโs biz focus ย
Blogging Journey :Priyanka RoyBannerjee featured
When I started featuring other ย bloggers on my ย blog I had an ulterior motive.
I wanted to peep into their minds.
Wanted to have an understanding ย of why they blog .To learn how to write for years and improving with every word.
The best way to learn is by doing. That’s why #Ultimate blogging challenge with Blogchatter is fantastic.
But I absolutely ย loved ย #MyFriendAlexa.Finding the wonderful ย blogs making friends and learning .
One random moment 1 month back I ย stumbled on a post onย Ilish ย !It was delicious. Seriously droolworthy!
I can honestly ย say ,that was the moment when ,I ransacked Priyanka’s blog to find more food stories.
Her book reviews are great but her take on Bengali recipes can make the serious foodie go looking for Bengali cuisineย
Priyanka can write and make you imagine you are eating the food.I fell in love.
I had to learn how this woman thinks.
She is ย blogging for 10 years now.If that inspires you .I have more news .She blogs ย in both English and Bangla. She is also a freelance editor and writer.She is going to have ย her first solo book in print soon.
Priyanka kindly agree to help me out and ย give a few tips to me and my readers.
How did you start blogging Priyanka?ย
I begun blogging with writing poems and personal memoirs, but later revamped it into a book review blog. I believe people of my generation check out
reviews before picking up a book and a review would give them some idea. It is also a way to express my feelings, emotions and judgement about a book that
I liked or didnโt. I think itโs important to write good book reviews.
reviews before picking up a book and a review would give them some idea. It is also a way to express my feelings, emotions and judgement about a book that
I liked or didnโt. I think itโs important to write good book reviews.
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What else can we find on your blog?
There are also articles, stories, memoirs about food, especially Bengali cuisine with the #BanglaKhabar that many would find interesting and enlightening.
Thatโs my humble tribute to my cuisine and an attempt to bring out long forgotten or extinct dishes/recipes. Iโm not a food blogger, I donโt just write
recipes, they are stories that might just bring a smile on my readersโ faces.
Thatโs my humble tribute to my cuisine and an attempt to bring out long forgotten or extinct dishes/recipes. Iโm not a food blogger, I donโt just write
recipes, they are stories that might just bring a smile on my readersโ faces.
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Who is ย your inspiration?
My better half, who is also a blogger and writes wonderful poems. In the blogosphere, Iโd say Reshmy Pillai (of The Tales Pensive), Samarpita Sharma and
Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay (of b00kr3vi3ws) were the first book reviewers who kind of inspired me to start writing book reviews.
Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay (of b00kr3vi3ws) were the first book reviewers who kind of inspired me to start writing book reviews.
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What’s your favourite quote?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing โ Benjamin Franklin
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Your message for struggling bloggers
ย Just tap that keyboard and begin writing. But donโt be haphazard , create a format for your posts and let your imagination flow.
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ย Find Priyanka at her blogs:
oneandahalfminutes.com
moreechikaa
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Priyanka on Facebookย
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How inspired are you ?
What do you love best about Priyanka’s blog?
Comment below and let me know.
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