2018's Booming Commodities For Smart Investors

Commodities are perhaps the oldest and most durable of markets. After all, human beings will always need materials and always speculate on what the future might hold. The past few years and the rapid up-tech trend have seen what we understand to be the commodities market shift, with regulators even suggesting bitcoin should be traded as a commodity.

Bearing that in mind, you might be wondering what 2018 could hold. Which commodities are set to rise up the ranks again, like silver and gold ore- and which are set to fall? Will there be newcomers and disruptors, or more of the same?

Titanium

Titanium has found a niche in the past few decades for one big reason - paint. Titanium oxide, in its various forms, provides the basis and key ingredient of many of the paints you’ll see plastered on buildings globally. Whilst tubes and piping previously formed a big part of the market, they took a bit of a fall. However, as TMS Titanium have reported on, titanium has started to find new applications in medical and 3D printing. It’s even been reported, this week, that titanium is finding use in an exoskeleton for future warfare.

The strong and light qualities of the metal make it a decent bet when you’re looking for a new investment.

Copper

It might surprise you to see copper on this list. The much-maligned metal has faced a 5 year decline, reaching a 7-year low in March 2016. However, the metal is starting to pick up traction again and has made serious gains in the past year. The increase has led to exports booming the world over, including in Chile where copper has made a presidential candidate. With the trend set to carefully increase, it is worth investing - but keeping a close eye on, as copper can be a volatile market given the long time it takes to get production up and running. This is especially compared to…

Oil 

Oil has had a tough time in recent years, despite oils famous versatility of uses. This has largely been down to a glut of surplus supplies on the market, driving prices ever further down, despite the presence of embargos on Russia, Iran and other oil producing countries. However, that surplus has been forecast to come to an end in the coming year and as a result it can predicted for the price to rise a decent amount - though increased US production under the Trump administration’s policies mean that price might not be a huge booster.

So, those are some of the very best commodities for 2018. Not exactly new or crafty, but certainly worth looking at and diversifying into.

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Money Saving Tips You Can Use Starting Today

With the state of the economy in the country today, it is more important than ever that people learn how to manage their money, budget their finances, and control their spending. How to save money is one of the most commonly searched terms online. If you are looking for some easy and practical ways to cut costs and save a little more green each month, then check out these five tips:

1) Buy at local markets over big chain stores- Farmer's markets, local farmers, and flea markets can be a great place to get the things you need at a fraction of the price. Big named stores and chains have a lot of overhead that causes the cost of products to be much higher. Small mom and pop shops and farms do not have the big overhead and can often offer much lower prices for much higher quality product. It is the benefit of small business marketing and production.

2) Carpool or use public transport for commute - Driving your own vehicle every day not only hurts the environment it also hurts your wallet. The wear and tear on your vehicle, the cost of gas, paying tolls, and other expenses and quickly add up. If you have long commutes or you live near public transport, you can benefit form getting a ride to and from work on the bus system. Also you can look at forming a carpool group to share commute costs with your co-workers.

3) Off brand vs name brand- Today's advertising market is all about brand recognition. The big name brands have huge budgets for advertising which is why more people know about their products. However, the cost of that advertising gets attached to their products and passed on to you. It you can but store brand and off brand products that are the same as the big name products, you can save a lot of money every month on the things you use all the time.

4) Thermostat and fans over AC at home- Cooling your home during the hot summer months is one of the biggest expenses a homeowner faces. Instead of cranking the AC to 70 all the time, try to keep it around 75-77 and use fans to keep the air flow cool. Also keep window open in the cooler parts if the day and at night and close them during the sweltering parts of the day. This can help you save your AC system from driving your energy bill through the roof.

5) Cooking meals at home instead of eating out- Everyone loves the convene ice of fast food and the relaxation of eating out and being waited on. However, you pay a lot for that convenience and service, so if you need to cut back on spending and save money consider cooking at home and making your own meals. Save dinner out and those fast food stops for the special occasions or the true emergencies when you need a quick option for food.

These are just a few ways you can start saving money right now. There are many other easy and practical things you can do and many changes you can make to your daily routine that will help you save money, cut expenses, and have a happier and less stressful life.

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