Top 5 Perks of a Fleet Tracking System

March 4, 2022

Over the years, fleet tracking technology has evolved from dots on a map that show a vehicle’s location. They now have features that help transportation companies improve their fleet’s efficiency, raise customer satisfaction levels, keep their drivers safe, and react quickly to critical situations. Here are five notable perks that businesses can enjoy from these systems:

• Reduce Risk of Theft

Companies can lose a lot of money from vehicle or cargo theft, and an effective fleet tracking system can act as a deterrent. Alarm systems can be set to trigger if a vehicle making a trip deviates from its usual travel path, or if it is being driven outside operating hours.

Fleet managers can also retroactively check a vehicle’s trip route to find out if a vehicle made an unplanned stop at any point in their journey. This information can serve as the basis of an investigation if goods are missing.

• Keeps Drivers Safe

Drivers are valuable assets to fleet management companies so they have to be protected. GPS fleet monitoring software lets managers scrutinize travel routes and take note of areas where drivers had to use excess speed, or found it difficult to maneuver. This information could be used to teach drivers how to better navigate roads.

Proactively taking steps to keep drivers safe on the road keeps the vehicles, goods and pedestrians safe. These actions save a business money as missing goods and injured pedestrians could attract lawsuits and compensation demands.

• Raises Customer Satisfaction Levels

Effective vehicle tracking systems can estimate times of arrival. The more accurate this ETA is, the less likely customers will call to ask for the status of their delivery. Customers might also be able to see the exact map location of their ordered goods, which would further reduce their need to reach out to the company to demand this information.

• Determine More Effective Driving Routes

A modern fleet tracking system has access to a vehicle’s historical route data.

This can be combined with real-time data from maps to determine the optimal route for the vehicle to pass through during each trip and will have fuel card options for truckers.

This helps drivers save time and be more effective when driving. If there is sudden change in traffic conditions during a trip, a new route can also be shown to the driver to follow.

• Increased Fleet Productivity

As the vehicles have their routes optimized and are able to save time, they would be able to make more trips, reduce fuel consumption and ensure driver accountability.

Endnote

Using an effective fleet tracking system allows managers to detect areas that need improvement during trips so they can make necessary changes. Additionally, vehicle tracking systems help keep drivers, goods and pedestrians safe to avoid injury, lawsuits or need for insurance claims. If used currently, these systems will help save money, mostly by reducing fuel consumption… They also cater to customers, as the features keep them updated on the real-time status or location of their delivery.

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Detailed Guide On How Much Does A Thai Bride Cost

March 4, 2022

So many western grooms choose Thai women for marriage now. They appreciate ladies from Thailand for their positive mindset and skill to “put out flames” when needed.

And eventually, each of these men faces the question of the Thai brides cost. Can you buy a Thai bride? Where can you find Thai ladies for sale? How much does a Thai bride cost? And what’s included in that price? Everything you ever wanted to know is below, read on.

Top Sites To Meet Thai women

Before jumping to outlining the approximate Thai bride price, let’s pay attention to websites where it’s better to search for them.

EasternHoneys – live streams to watch Thai ladies on cam
OrchidRomance – newsfeed with all the recent activity on the site
CuteAsianWoman – camshare allows to see your girlfriend live
AsianMelodies – meet Thai women for dating and romantic relationship
ThaiBeauties – call services to hear your woman’s voice
DateNiceAsian – meet Thai brides and use video chat to interact

EasternHoneys – live streams to watch Thai ladies on cam

EasternHoneys is a platform for single western men and Asian women who search for friends, partners, and simple online pals.

The pure focus of the website is placed on the interaction between members, that’s why you won’t find lots of extra meaningless services EasternHoneys.

Instead, the platform provides a few helpful communication tools, such as chat and letters. These are two main ways of setting contact with girls. In chat and letters, you can attach your photos to make the interaction even more emotional and colorful.

Among extra tools, the Streams section deserves particular attention. Here, you get to see all the Thai girls live on cam and for absolutely free. They chat with you, sing, etc.—almost anything to keep you entertained except for the sexually explicit content. The only thing you pay for in Streams is the donation stickers. Send the if you want to reward a lady for her time.

To find the woman to talk to, opt for the Search section. Here, you can sort all the girls out with the help of such filters as age, drinking habits, children, marital status, etc.

The unlimited usage of the website will cost you money. The price starts at $2.99 for 20 credits. But all the new members get a Welcome package of 20 credits for free.

OrchidRomance – newsfeed with all the recent activity on the site

This is a dating site where you can easily find yourself a beautiful Thai girlfriend or just a pal. The platform is designed in pleasant colors and also has a minimalist interface, which altogether contributes to your efficient communication.

To initiate contact with a particular lady, opt for extra tools that were created for flirting. You can send an unlimited number of Likes and Winks to all ladies for free. This is a good way to show your interest without making any serious steps.

What’s more, you get to explore all the women in the People section or by scrolling the NewsFeed. In the People section, you’re given random female profile photos. Press “like” if you enjoy what you see, or click “skip” if you don’t desire to get to know that woman. NewsFeed is all about members sharing their photos and thoughts. There, you can monitor what’s happening in girls′ everyday life.

All the real communication takes place in chat and letters. Both services require credits. You can also join the public chat in the live Streams where viewers communicate with broadcasters for free.

Unlimited usage of OrchidRomance will cost you money. You’ll need to buy any package of credits, with the cheapest one being $2.99 for 20 credits.

CuteAsianWoman – camshare allows to see your girlfriend live

CuteAsianWoman is a dating website with the best Thai mail order brides. Moreover, the number of single Thai girls will also surprise you. All the ladies make their profiles descriptive enough so that you could know all the key details about their personalities before initiating contact. They also spice that up with professionally shot photos that catch your attention from first sight.

Chat and letters are still two main ways of communication, but here, you can also chat with women on cam with the help of the CamShare tool. What’s more, there’s a Call Service that enables you to hear your girlfriend’s voice.

Among helpful features that were designed for flirting, you can enjoy the Say Hi feature, Admirers, virtual gifts, and the delivery of real flowers and presents.What’s more, there’s a mobile application both for iOS and Android, so that you could keep in touch with Thai girls no matter the time and location.

The price for unlimited dating starts at $3.99 for 2 credits.

AsianMelodies – meet Thai women for dating and romantic relationship

If you want to find a Thai girlfriend, AsianMelodies is a place to do that. All the Thai women register on the site with a genuine interest in foreigners and a hope to start a friendship or even date them.

All the new members on the site get 20 credits for free right after registration. This is a welcome package for you so that you can test all the site’s paid tools before purchasing them.

To initiate contact with Thai girls, start with free services: Winks or Likes. You’re not limited to the number of Likes and Winks to send. If you’re ready to start the communication, opt for a chat or letter.

If you don’t know how to make your message stand out among others, try the Let’s Talk tool. These are basically creative templates of icebreakers to send in chat. You can also create your own messages and add them to the collection to use later.

To unlock the 100% prime experience, you’ll need to buy credits. The cheapest package is $2.99 for 20 credits.

ThaiBeauties – call services to hear your woman’s voice

If you dream to buy a bride from Thailand, ThaiBeauties might be one of the best platforms for that. This is a dating site, where single Thai girls search for foreign men to start an online friendship, dating, or even serious relationships.

Every lady makes her profile descriptive enough and adds beautiful photos to attract potential grooms. What’s more, the majority of women share their video clips so that you can observe their body language. Watching such video is paid, just like the majority of communication tools on the site.

To chat, send letters, or talk via CamShare (video chat), you’ll need credits. They’re sold in packages, and you can choose any based on your financial ability. The cheapest offer is $3.99 for 2 credits.

Among extra tools, use the Say Hi, Admirers, virtual gifts, etc. To make your girlfriend a pleasant surprise, send her real flowers or presents.

The greatest feature of ThaiBeauties is Call service, as this is the only chance to hear your woman’s voice.

DateNiceAsian – meet Thai brides and use video chat to interact

DateNiceAsian is among the top dating platforms due to the huge members base and various communication services it provides. If you’re planning to buy a Thailand woman, this is the place.

To become a fully-fledged member of the platform, you’ll need to purchase credits as all the communication tools are paid. All new members get a discount—2 credits for $3.99. With credits, you can chat, correspond, send real presents and flowers, etc.

One of the most outstanding features of DateNiceAsian is the CamShare tool. It enables you to see your girlfriend on cam live while chatting. Still, there’s no audio for you to hear each other. For that, opt for the Call services.

If you’re not ready to start a serious communication, get is of the Say Hi feature or Admirers, Both functions are created mainly for flirting.

Can you still buy a Thai bride?

It all depends on how you understand the term Thai women for sale.

Naturally, you can’t buy a Thai bride because you just can’t buy a person, it’s illegal and impossible. But you still can find lots of Thai brides for sale. How come?

The notion of buying a Thai woman includes a few aspects. First, it’s a price you pay for the communication tools on the dating website. Second, this is about expenses you spend on marrying your Thailand mail order bride and arranging your life together. More about that further.

✅ Click Here To Meet Single Thai Women NOW

How much is a Thai Bride?

Now, let’s outline what the Thailand girls for sale price consists of and try to bring approximate numbers. These are the main aspects you’re going to spend money on in case you plan a serious relationship with a Thai bride that might lead to a family.

Dating site’s services. It includes chat, correspondence, video chat, and other features that are focused on interaction. The total price for them will greatly depend on the frequency of communication you choose.
Extra tools for dating. If you want your online dating to have more real-life feelings, opting for such services as presents delivery will be a great idea. Such features were created to add colors to your online communication and let your girlfriend feel your true emotions despite the distance.
Trip to Thailand for the first date. Eventually, if you’re serious about your online relationship, you’ll both want to switch to offline. As a rule, it’s a man who travels to his woman, so expect to pay for the plane tickets, hotel, taxis, dining out, extra gifts for your bride, etc.
Wedding. To make your relationship really serious, you’ll both start thinking about the wedding. Depending on the country you want to marry in and the luxury of your celebration, the total price will differ.
Moving in together. This aspect mainly implies legal arrangements, such as a K-1 visa, to bring your Thai bride to your country according to the law.

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These are the approximate and average sums for each aspect that will make up the total Thai bride price.

? Dating site’s services	From a few hundred to a few thousand
? Extra tools for dating	Starting from $500 (depends on the frequency of your surprises and duration of online dating)
✈ Trip to Thailand for the first date	$3,000-$7,000
? Wedding	$20,000 for the average wedding in the USA $10,000 for the average wedding in Thailand
? Moving in together	Up to $2,000

Thus, how much does a Thai woman cost in total? It can reach about $40,000.

How much does a Thai bride cost in the UK?

If you’re a citizen of the UK and also seek a Thai wife for sale, the categories for your possible expenses will be the same. But the total Asian mail order wife cost might be slightly different. So, how much is a Thai bride for a UK groom?

The spending for the dating site’s services is also from a few hundred to a few thousand, depending on your appetite for communication.

Price for the flowers and presents delivery depends solely on you, but expect to spend £500 at least if you plan serious relationships.

The flight tickets from, let’s say, London to Bangkok will cost you around £500, add here the expenses for the hotel, taxis, and restaurants, and you’ll get about £2,000.

The thing that will greatly influence how much does a Thai girl cost is marriage. A classic wedding ceremony in the UK is around £15,000. To legally bring your Thai girlfriend for sale to your country, you’ll need a spouse visa that costs around £1,000.

In total, UK citizens who consider Thai ladies for marriage should expect to spend about £18,000-20,000.

✅ Click Here To Meet Single Thai Women NOW

Are Thai brides legal?

Yes, your desire to marry a woman from another country (Thailand) is completely legal. You’ll only need to take care of a few documents so that your life together will be in accordance with the law.

Moreover, all the Thai mail order brides that register on dating websites provide IDs to prove their identities and age, so you should have no doubts that they’re genuine.

How to get a Thai mail order bride?

Now that you know how much for a Thai wife you should pay, let’s move to concrete steps to make to get yourself such a wonderful woman.

Choose the dating platform. Considering the fact that there are too many dating websites on the web right now, rely on the experts′ opinion. They have already reviewed and tested all the sites and recommend those that deserve your time and attention. The selection from this article is proof of that.
Create an account and make it attractive. Without registration, you won’t be able to reach the Thai brides’ catalog. And with a blank profile, you will hardly attract their attention. Sign up, add nice photos, and fill in all the needed details.
Test the site’s features. You can first surf the platform as a free user to understand how comfortable it’s for you. Then, purchase the cheapest credits package to test the communication tools. If you enjoy the experience you get, go for a bigger pack of credits.
Be active. Don’t limit yourself to only one woman in the beginning. On the flirting stage, you’re an explorer. Talk to many ladies to find the one faster.
Treat online dating as the offline one. After you’ve found a girlfriend, show you’re interested in her by regular communication. Keep in touch via chat, ask about her day, send letters and photos, etc.
Start planning a real meeting. After a certain period of online dating, start moving to the offline stage. Make sure you’re both ready for that before requesting a date on the site.
Move to the more serious stage if you’re ready. Eventually, your serious relationship might come to the stage of the mutual desire to create a family.

✅ Click Here To Meet Single Thai Women NOW

Benefits of marrying a Thai woman

There’s definitely a reason why Thai mail order brides are so desired by western grooms, and an average cost of mail order bride doesn’t scare them. This is what you get when marrying a Thai girl:

Devoted wife. A Thai woman makes the best wife because family and husband are her top life priorities. And she will also enjoy being a housewife if you won’t want her working.
Supporting friend. No matter what happens in your life, a Thai wife will always be there for you through all the hurdles.
Positive mindset. There’s almost nothing that can make a Thai girl really upset. They believe there’s something good in everything and try to find the positive side even in the most difficult situations.
Kind and respectful attitude to people. Thai people are the best example of what real friendliness is. They always smile and treat all people with respect.

Outcomes

So, how much does it cost to marry a Thai woman? Including all the aspects of your potential spending, expect to pay around $40,000 if you’re a US citizen and £18,000-20,000 if you’re from the UK.

Don’t hesitate to take a step towards your destiny and try searching for a nice Thai girlfriend on the sites recommended above.

FAQ

Does Thailand have mail order brides?

Yes, Thailand is one of the top destinations for western grooms who search for love abroad. There are hundreds of Thai girls who choose to become mail order brides and register on specialized dating websites.

Do Thai women make good wives?

Yes, thanks to the easygoing nature and positive mindset, Thai mail order brides make the best wives a man could ever desire.

Can you legally marry in Thailand?

Yes, you don’t need to have a special wedding ceremony to marry in Thailand. Just head to the Embassy of your country in Thailand, provide the pack of documents they require, and follow their further instruction.

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Clearwater Management News Article: Australians Lose More Money in Investment Scams

March 4, 2022

Investment scams are a global issue. They are present on all continents. Every nation has had its fair share of them. From fake investment opportunities to Ponzi schemes, they vary. Recently, fake exchanges or trading apps have made the headlines.

Investment scams work because they’re luring. Usually, scammers promise investors high returns and low risks, which is a paradox. There is no such thing as a 100% safe investment. Yet, many people invest based on emotions instead of logic. Hence, fraudsters and con artists make huge profits.

Australia has also seen many investment scams. In recent years, their number increased. In fact, scams have skyrocketed worldwide since 2020. The pandemic gave rise to more internet scams. These were more successful as more people engaged in remote activities. So, there were more potential victims available.

As the ACCC’s Scamwatch report shows, Aussies reported over 20,000 scams only in February 2021. These amounted to losses of over $21 million. In conclusion, this was one prolific month for scammers. And the following were similar. This year, the trend seems to follow the same path. Read on and discover how Australians are losing more money in scams. Then, learn how to stay safe.

Recommended article: Online Scam Monitoring.

The Most Popular Scams

According to ACCC’s report, some of the most popular scams in 2021 were investment scams. However, online dating scams were also at the top. Vaccine scams followed them. All these scams ramped up in the context of the pandemic.

The prolonged lockdowns kept people at home. Many devoted time to investment strategies. Hence, related scams proliferated. Others were eager to find love. And this was no longer possible in person. So, dating apps boomed. But along with them, so did online romance scams. Then, there were also vaccine scams. These are self-explanatory. In the beginning, getting a vaccine was not easy. People had to wait for months for their turn to immunization. But scammers were tricky. They conned people by promising faster access to vaccines.

Australians lost more than $4 million only in online love scams. These dating or romance scams usually occur on dating apps. The applications themselves are not responsible. It is the users who con other users. Romance scams are evergreen. However, before the internet era, they took place in person.

The author carefully searched for victims. Usually representatives of the upper class, people with money. Then, they gained their trust. Finally, they asked for money and got it. And in the end, they vanished. Internet romance scams follow the same pattern, but in the online environment.

ACCC’s report also included remote access scams. These internet scams led to a $2 million loss. The trick behind them is ransomware. Scammers use different tools to access computers remotely. Then, they ask for ransom. In exchange, they won’t hack the victims’ devices anymore. They will also allow them to access their PCs again.

Investment Scams

Now, these scams deserve a chapter all to themselves. Why? Because they were the most prolific scams targeting Aussies in 2021. These led to a total loss of approximately $10 million in January 2021. The following month, the same type of scams generated $8 million. This is still a significant amount. These scams are particularly dangerous. Many people invest their savings in fake investment opportunities such as Ponzi schemes. Then, they end up losing all. And unfortunately, many times, fraudsters get away with crime. Novice and enthusiastic investors are the best prey. This is because they rush to invest. Instead of taking time to do research first.

To avoid such scams, it’s essential to do prior research. You should know where your money goes. For example, in what account, in what country. You should also make sure you invest through a legally registered company. Especially if you use trading platforms and brokers. If you partner with a personal broker, check their credentials. If you see an investment advertisement, be cautious. Don’t create an account by clicking on the ad. Search for the company’s official website. And only invest after you’ve read more about it.

Look for its physical address, registration data, terms and conditions, and contact information. A legitimate company’s website should contain all these details. You shouldn’t put your money in someone else’s hands unless you feel safe. And details such as missing contact information or no T&C page should make you skeptical.

Conclusion

For the past two years, the increased use of online technologies and remote work prompted scams to succeed. Spending more time online means exposing yourself more to scams and hacks. The only way to avoid them is to be cautious. Never fully trust an email or text from unknown senders. Always do your research before signing up, paying for a service, or even helping someone. Especially if the entire communication takes place online. Also, be wary of investment opportunities promising huge returns.

News article by Clearwater Management.

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Three Boxes to Check Off After Buying Your First Home

March 4, 2022

If you’ve just purchased your first home, congratulations! While a special time, it can also be a stressful one full of long lists of to-dos and panic in the form of forgotten tasks. We’ve rounded up a few tips to help get you started with both short- and long-term to-dos for your new journey as a brand-new homeowner.

1. Clean, Clean, Clean

Unless your newly acquired home is brand new (and even then), you’ll want to put a deep clean at the top of your list before moving in. You can consult a professional cleaning service to be extra thorough as they usually offer a move-in/move-out cleaning package specifically for new homeowners. You can also try out RICs house survey.

Or, you can take some time, maybe invite some generous friends, and deep-clean the parts of the home that prior owners may have neglected. These less conspicuous areas include baseboards, inside cupboards, blinds, vents, dishwashers, and carpets. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try working room by room, top to bottom.

2. Don’t Forget the Smaller Things

There are a few things that, in the hustle and bustle of moving, you might skip over as you focus on unpacking, but neglecting these things can mean big problems later. These simpler actions can make a world of difference in the end.

Change the Locks – For an added layer of safety, it’s important that you change your home’s locks so that old renters and homeowners are not able to access the home with their keys. Even if keys were handed over during the move, anyone at any point could’ve made a copy. Be sure to consult a locksmith for an inexpensive switch.
Change the Garage Door Code – Similar to locks, you’ll want to change the garage door code if your home comes with one. This is another way for former residents to access the home, as anyone with the code can open the garage and subsequently break into the home. While it may seem unlikely, the added layer of safety means protecting what matters most.
Forward Your Mail – In addition to switching your address over with individual businesses you receive mail from, you can also do a blanket post office mail forwarding. This way, there is no lost mail while you make your move, even if you forget to notify one business, and all new mail will come to you in the end.

3. Opt for Life Insurance

While purchasing a home is a joyous time, you also need to prepare for the unexpected. It’s important to consider how you will pay for the home in the case of you or a partner dying.

There are two primary choices most homeowners have. The first option is mortgage protection insurance, which in the case of a death, the sum of your mortgage would be paid by the insurance company directly to the loan servicer. Your loved ones will not profit from this benefit and will never see the insurance money, and the benefit will decrease as you pay off your mortgage — while your premiums stay flat.

The second option to protect your home is term life insurance. With this, your dependents will be directly paid the amount of the policy you’ve purchased. This option is more flexible as dependents can use the term life insurance payout to pay off the mortgage or, if you’ve paid more of it off, use it towards other debts or investments. Term life insurance is a more flexible option that can have the same benefits as mortgage protection insurance without the restrictions, and term life insurance quotes can be equally affordable.

Final Thoughts

It’s important when purchasing your first home to think of the present and worst-case scenarios. You will also want to pay adequate attention to both the big and small tasks as they are all important for the longevity of your home and its outcome. Preparing for the things you know are coming and the things you least expect will set you and your loved ones up for a long and happy future in the new home.

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Hiring in 2022: Challenges, Solutions, and Tips

March 4, 2022

The past couple of years have been nothing but challenging for businesses everywhere. To survive, changes had to be implemented as quickly as possible and it hasn’t been easy. From shifting to a remote setup to running a workforce from home to operating during a pandemic, companies have tried their best to keep things together.

The Challenges Companies Face

Apart from the operational challenges, another equally daunting task emerged and that is in finding the right people for their vacant positions. With people quitting their jobs due to lockdowns, social distancing protocols, and quarantine procedures, businesses were hard pressed to find the right people fast.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November 2021 while 100,000 working-age Canadian women have resigned since the start of the pandemic. Reasons for such massive employee turnover vary from one industry to another. It can also vary from one country to another, but the problem is essentially the same – where to find people to replace these workers and how to do it.

Another reason why hiring is tougher these days is because of companies opting for leaner teams due to limited budgets. This adds another level of difficulty in an already complicated problem. So if you’re hiring in 2022, you should have an action plan aimed at addressing the many issues you’ll face.

Here are some tips and solutions that may help make the task easier:

Strengthen Your Company’s Brand

How a potential candidate feels about an employer’s brand has an impact on their decision. LinkedIn states that 75% of job seekers factor in the company’s brand before applying for a job.

Nowadays, people look for authenticity and genuineness in a company because it helps them perceive a company as trustworthy. So if you want to earn the trust and favor of your candidates, try to enhance your brand to fit their expectations.

How do you entice candidates to choose you over other businesses? Start by doing the following:

Create a branded and responsive website
Present your values, mission, and vision clearly
List all the benefits of working for your company
Share testimonials from happy employees

Tap Passive Candidates

Passive candidates comprise 70 percent of the world’s labor force. These are candidates who aren’t actively looking for a job. This means you can’t expect them to send in applications or visit your website.

To find these passive candidates, you have to look for them. Look for them on professional social media sites like LinkedIn or in professional FB groups. Give them a glimpse of your culture and entice them to apply. If they’re still employed, keep a close eye on them until they’re available or ready to make that leap.

Create a Talent Pool

A talent pool is a shortlist of potential candidates for positions that may become available in the near future. These consist of people you’ve already interviewed and shortlisted in the past but were not fit for any of the available positions then. If you have a talent pool, your hiring process does not have to begin from scratch every single time.

You can reach out to these candidates the moment a position ideal for them is available. This also gives you the chance to spend less time and money on interviewing. The talent pool can include candidates you’ve sourced, recommended leads, second-choice applicants, and more.

Source from Recruiters

A bad hire in Canada can cost you 1.5-3.5 times their annual salary. This wastes your money and your company culture and morale. If you want to find the perfect candidate quickly, you should enlist the help of headhunters in Canada.

The best headhunters in Toronto know how to identify which applicants are right for the job. Their experience dealing with various candidates day in and day out can help them determine who is ideal for your company. These recruiters will lower your chances of investing in a bad hire since this is their area of expertise, after all.

The Bottomline

Hiring and retaining employees might be challenging, but it doesn’t have to feel like an insurmountable task. Optimize your recruiting efforts and streamline your processes with proper planning. Find the best recruitment solution for your business and you’ll soon have a team of competent and devoted employees on your roster.

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What Will It Take: Defining China’s Role In External Debt Restructuring

March 3, 2022

By Danny Leipziger

Engaging with one of the world’s largest creditors, China, is central to any effective action to deal with future external debt crises. These events will differ from past restructuring exercises inasmuch as debts are now largely private rather than official and they involve mainly middle-income Emerging Market Economies. Most crucially, China is the major player who needs to be brought inside the creditor tent. This essay explores this issue and makes concrete proposals to remedy the currently untenable situation.

Just before year’s end, the Chair of the Paris Club, Emmanuel Moulin of the French Treasury, lamented the fact that dozens of heavily indebted low-income Emerging Market Economies (EMEs) had declined to participate in the Debt Servicing Suspension Initiative (DSSI) offered by the G-20. He also correctly noted that the Common Framework that was supposed to draw non-official creditors into debt relief exercises led by the IMF was moving slowly. It has been in progress for Ethiopia, Chad and Zambia with only limited success. But are either of these mechanisms actually “fit for purpose,” and what has changed that makes the prospect of future debt crises different from those past?

First, the largest share of external debt is not held by official creditors, if one excludes Chinese-held debt, and second, much of the debt whose repayments may well become unsustainable is owed by middle-income countries. Both realities imply that the Paris Club is not the proper venue for many future cases of external debt distress. Previous systematic debt relief exercises, like HIPC or the MDRI, were focused on the low-income countries and involved largely official debt.¹ Even though the World Bank has recently issued an alert that an additional $11b. will come due for low-income countries in 2022, this is just the tip of the iceberg.²

The largest share of external debt is not held by official creditors, if one excludes Chinese-held debt, and second, much of the debt whose repayments may well become unsustainable is owed by middle-income countries.

Here are some additional useful facts: first, the scale of current debt problems facing EMEs is huge as seen by a total external debt-to-gdp figure of 260 percent in pre-pandemic 2019;³second, much of the rise in EME borrowing has been through capital markets, thus debt repayment concerns are largely a private sector issue; and third, the ill-defined role of China, now the largest lender to EMEs in Africa, makes creditor discussions disjointed as China opts for bilateral solutions when debt problems arise. These realities prompt the call for a different solution, one based on a new framework to deal with debt distress.

Early in the pandemic, a new mechanism that attempted to involve the World Bank as the intermediary for short-term debt relief was proposed.⁴That proposal didn’t fly, and in fact the proponents later noted that private creditors, as represented by the Institute for International Finance, seemed to get cold feet on the idea of a debt service suspension and hence the notion of their joining the DSSI was left up in the air.⁵ This was regrettable; however, the more pertinent question is how will private creditors react to debt distress among more advanced EMEs, where their exposure is far larger, and how will they treat Chinese debt in any systematic restructuring process?

Given this situation, it is urgent to consider whether the international community has the proper mechanisms in place to deal with future debt distress. Contrary to the last major effort aimed at middle-income debt restructuring, the Brady Plan, the configuration of creditors has markedly changed. Lending is no longer concentrated in banks, but rather involves debt held by many different creditors with very divergent interests. This lack of a common approach was seen in the most recent rescheduling of Argentine debt where different groups of creditors each tried to devise their own reprofiling plans.

The most important complication in the search for a new framework, however, is the very large exposure of China’s Ex-Im Bank and China’s Industrial Development Bank. Their lending as first reported by Horn, Reinhart and Trebesch (2019) was seen to be far in excess of official data;⁶ more recent evidence by the AidData group at William & Mary estimates total Chinese non-concessional lending over the 2000-2017 period at upwards of $700 billion.⁷

Evidence also reveals that many contracts are written in ways to avoid scrutiny, much less openness to rescheduling as part of concerted actions based on equal treatment.⁸ Quite the contrary, many contracts utilize escrow accounts or involve collateralization that creates de-facto preferred creditor status for Chinese loans.⁹ Thus, the status of these quasi-official Chinese lenders, who operate under official auspices but charge commercial rates, is unclear and quite worrisome if the goal is to secure uniform treatment for all creditors.

We have seen issues of Chinese debt raised in the context of the IMF’s recent program for Pakistan, where some shareholders objected to the program’s implicit bailout of Chinese BRI-related lending. The same issue will arise in other default scenarios. In the case of Ecuador, a series of agreements with private creditors (agreeing to a minor haircut) and China agreeing to a short moratorium and fresh funds enabled an IMF agreement to go forward, later bolstered by a US Government initiative to basically replace Chinese debt with a new SPV agreement.¹⁰ However, one-off bilateral arrangements between borrowers and China, even if effective in reducing the debt repayment burden, are not sufficiently transparent to allow for systematic debt relief by the IMF and other private lenders. Hence the conundrum and the question of what it will take to get China inside the creditor tent?

The solution lies inside the G20 and with the IMF itself. China has shown a willingness to use the G20 for more concrete discussions, and since there are other creditors who also are prone to go their own way with quasi-official lending, this forum may be a productive one to deal with the impasse. Moreover, China’s own interests may well change as it scales down its infrastructure-based lending to Africa in particular, and as it runs into more debt repayment issues among its Sub-Saharan debtors. Its loans to Angola and Zambia have already needed reprofiling and, when combined with outstanding loans to Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia, China’s exposure to those countries alone exceeds $80 billion.

Recent World Bank warnings concerning a “ two-speed “ recovery in which EME rebounds lag and their debt situation worsens should prompt more energetic solutions, in particular ones that of necessity include China.¹¹A new approach requires some revisions in past thinking, however.

When debt becomes unsustainable, a comprehensive, fair, and transparent solution will be needed. Moving forward on a new mechanism is therefore urgent business.

First, China must be urged to acknowledge that lending by its state banks, largely for infrastructure projects, does not confer preferred creditor status to them. To achieve this, the African Union will need a unified front to initiate political discussions with Beijing to reclassify loans and add addendums to existing contracts that make Chinese lending more comparable to other private creditors. It is in China’s long-term interest to do this unless it wants to be seen as an imperialist power taking unfair advantage of poorer nations.

Second, the International Financial Institutions need be present a unified position that no programs will proceed without debt data transparency and without agreement on comparable treatment. To this can be added larger amounts of concessional financing through the Bank and Fund that will make it more likely that EMEs can repay their private debt, including Chinese debt, if common rules for debt relief are followed.¹² Work on this idea can proceed leading up to the Annual Meetings of these institutions in Marrakech in 2022.

Third, the international community will need to coalesce, as they did around the HIPC and MDRI initiatives, to deal with the lack of a systematic approach to unsustainable debt levels in all developing countries, including those classified as middle-income. This shift can begin with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) speaking out loudly and clearly about predatory lending practices by some large creditors. Focusing more light on the situation of middle-income countries (MICs) would be desirable since there are more people living below the poverty in MICs than elsewhere.¹³

Each of these actions requires political capital, but each is do-able since there are enough tangible gains to make it worthwhile for all participants. What is needed is multilateral leadership. The relatively less politicized nature of the G20 and the common appreciation for the roles of the IFIs might provide an effective forum for such deliberations. The cost of not moving forward constructively promises to be high for many heavily indebted countries. Many of them either mistakenly borrowed from China at commercial rates for large public projects that require repayment in foreign exchange or borrowed excessively in capital markets that seemed flush and now face worsening post-pandemic growth prospects, or both. In either case, when debt becomes unsustainable, a comprehensive, fair, and transparent solution will be needed. Moving forward on a new mechanism is therefore urgent business.

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About the Author

Danny Leipziger is Professor of International Business at George Washington University and Managing Director of the Growth Dialogue. A former Vice President at the World Bank and Vice Chair of the Spence Commission on Growth and Development, he has written extensively on international development and finance, is the author of numerous books and over 50 refereed journal articles. Dr Leipziger is a frequent contributor to various media outlets.

References

We refer here to the Heavily Indebted Poor Country debt relief program and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiatives organized by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund for Low-Income Countries.
World Bank Press Release, Jan 17, 2021, and World Bank, Global Economic Prospects, Jan 11, 2022
World Bank, New Waves of Debt, 2019.
See Bolton, Buchheit et. al. “Born Out of Necessity: A Debt Standstill for Covid-19,” CEPR Policy Insight No. 103 (April, 28, 2020)
See Bolton, Buchheit et. al. “Sovereign Debt Standstill: An Update,” VoxEU (May 28, 2020)
Horn, Reinhart, and Trebesch, “China’s Overseas Lending,” KIEL Institute Working Paper No. 2132 (June, 22019)
Concessional lending as defined by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD involves a grant element in excess of 25 percent. See Leipziger, “Lending Versus Giving: The Economics of Foreign Assistance, World Development, vol. 11, no. 4 (1983) on grant element calculations, and see AidData, “Global China’s Development Finance Dataset,” for the latest stock-taking on Chinese lending to EMEs as well as AidData, “ Banking on the Belt and Road,” (Sept, 29, 2021).
See Gelpern, Horn, et. al., “How China Lends: A Rare Look Into 100 Debt Contracts with Foreign Governments,” Center for Global Development (March, 2010).
Ibid.
See Landers, Lee and Morris, “Why does the DFC Want to Pay Off Ecuador’s Chinese Creditors? Center for Global Development (Jan. 19, 2021).
World Bank, Global Economic Prospects (January 2022)
See Dooley and Kharas, “Status Check: Managing Debt Sustainability and Development Priorities Through a Big Push,” Brookings Institution (October, 2021) for some concrete suggestions on how to increase the flow of concessional resources to EMEs.
See World Bank, Poverty and Shared Prosperity: Piecing Together the Poverty Puzzle (2018)

Vintage Bedroom Ideas

March 3, 2022

To create antique bedrooms that are snug, comfortable, and beautifully collected, look to patterns, patinas, and objects from previous eras.

Vintage bedrooms that have been thoughtfully furnished blend reused furnishings, uneven patinas, and architectural salvage in unique ways. Vintage design is pleasantly old-fashioned, warmly inviting, and occasionally joyously happy. When decorating a vintage bedroom, it’s necessary to exercise discipline in the face of decades of alternatives. Clutter implies disorder, so while antique bedrooms should look to have been put together over time, they should also be non-busy spaces that keep the calm. Here’s how to design calmingly coherent antique bedrooms that integrate the finest of the old and modern worlds.

Look for a Muse

Take inspiration from a certain historical period when creating a decorating theme and color plan; a vintage tablecloth, quilt, or wallpaper; or evocative artwork that represents days gone by. Set color and theme restrictions to help you remain on track when browsing for antique bedroom decor and to assist you in creating backgrounds that highlight your desired palette and period furniture profiles.

Paint the walls the same color as your main fabric or cover them with historical wallpaper or white-painted beaded board. Because this aesthetic is above all else gathered, mix varied designs at varying scales and combine materials with similar colors. Consider creating a feature wall by putting together several wallpaper samples or fabric remnants to create a quilt-like motif. For a classic look, lay down time-worn Oriental carpets or gorgeous handcrafted braided rugs. Decorate upper reaches of a bedroom ceiling with ceiling medallions or picture moldings, or install embossed tin tiles. After you’ve established the perimeters, bring in larger furniture pieces to complete the vintage aesthetic.

Choose the Unexpected

The words reuse, recycle, revitalize, and repurpose regularly appear when discussing antique bedroom decor and furnishings. Vintage art deco furniture, for example, may be a great option here. When rusted shapes, brilliant details, and weathered patinas combine for inherited attractiveness, the style works best. Yard sales, flea markets, your garage, and family attics are all good places to look for sturdy and attractive furniture worth salvaging.

As the focal point of your antique bedroom decor, use a statuesque iron, brass, or four-poster bed. Refresh worn-out wooden furniture, such as desks, dressing tables, bookshelves, and armoires, using complementing paint colors, fabric or wallpaper embellishments, decoupaged pictures, or stenciled designs. To transport more modern pieces back in time, use vintage-style drawer pulls, crystal knobs, and ornamental hinges.

Install a footlocker for seating and storage at the foot of the bed; utilize commode cabinets or tea carts as bedside tables; and add glitz with mirrored nightstands. Consider how an antique furniture shape may be used to add beauty and purpose to your bedroom decor if you come across one.

Choose Authenticity.

When looking for accessories, bear in mind your intended color palette and design style era. Windup alarm clocks, antique table fans, Tiffany lamps, ironstone pitchers, and midcentury pots are examples of antique, vintage, and counterfeit items that may truly anchor your bedroom in the past.

Decorate the walls with elegant dish groupings, shaped mirrors, and salvaged windows. Collect vintage frames in a range of forms and finishes to display handmade doilies, vintage handkerchiefs, sepia-tone images, botanical prints, and ancestral portraits. To maintain interest, use eye-catching things such as crystal-draped chandeliers, full-size mannequins, and fabric-covered dressing screens. Bring in nostalgic ideas, vintage touches, and replica items that evoke pleasant recollections, elicit appreciating grins, and thrill your eye.

Combine and contrast

When it comes to wall decor, consider eclectic. Consignment shops are a great location to locate one-of-a-kind items that will complement your vintage style. Items do not have to be in a matching set; instead, look for décor items with a similar theme or color palette. These wood wall decorations look wonderful over a bed with a variety of throw pillows. For a low-cost yet distinctive aesthetic, the art substitutes the requirement for a headboard.

Underfoot Fashion

Sometimes the item that connects an entire space is just under your feet. An antique rug is an inexpensive option to upgrade your bedroom decor. Rugs are fantastic for softening a space while providing a splash of color or pattern, whether you have hardwood floors or carpet. Distressed antique carpets with fading designs and delicate pastel hues are our favorite. This classic combination will look great under a wrought-iron bed for years to come.

Vibrations are groovy.

Do you ever wish you could live in a different era? Take that passion and turn it into something beautiful by decorating your bedroom in a bygone era’s style. Take cues from notable architects, prints, and current trends. For a wacky 1970s vibe, pair midcentury modern furniture with a bold burnt-orange wallpaper pattern. On the wall, a bright yellow clock stands out. Take historical patterns with a grain of salt, though. This homeowner ditched the shag carpet in favor of a sleek wood-grain motif on the floor.

Prepare Your Bags

Inquire with elder family members whether they are prepared to part with any mementos from their history; you never know what you could obtain! On a coffee table, a broken typewriter is a terrific conversation starter, while a hand-me-down hatbox is a classic way to store linens in the dining room. This bedroom lacked a nightstand, so the homeowners made one out of old luggage and stacked encyclopedias. As a consequence, you have a bedside area with decades of history!

Fauna and Flora

If there’s one thing, we can always count on finding at a vintage shop, it’s flowery designs and patterns. Flowers were utilized to cover everything in previous decades: couches, curtains, beds, you name it! Modernize this feminine aesthetic by decorating only a few choice elements with blooms. A gentle wallpaper design complements an upholstered headboard and an antique light. The many patterns complement one other to produce a feminine aesthetic that isn’t excessive.

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10 Effective Strategies Experts Don’t Want You To Know About Growing Wealth

March 3, 2022

Are you looking to grow your personal wealth? If yes, you’re probably among many confused people who have no idea where to start.

Whether you’re just starting out or hoping to build on what you’ve already got, there are plenty of ways to make it happen.

Here are some ideas for working your way to a prosperous future.

Find a Higher Paying Job

You probably work long hours, so why not ask for a raise or find a high-paying job? If you’re able to find a position that pays more, you’ll be able to put more money towards savings or investments. And don’t forget about bonuses – negotiating for a higher salary can also include a discussion about performance-based bonuses.

Invest in Stocks or Mutual Funds

This can be a little risky, but if done correctly, it can be a great way to make your money work for you. Talk to an investment advisor to learn more about how to start with such investments. Consider parking your profits in a credit union’s local savings account.

Be Your Own Boss

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, why not start your own business? This can be a great way to make more money and grow your personal wealth. Just make sure you do your research first and stay disciplined with your spending habits so you don’t end up in debt.

Work on the Side

A side hustle can be a great way to make extra money and grow your personal wealth. It’s a way to bring in some extra income without making a huge commitment, and it can also help you build skills and experience that can be helpful in the future.

Stay Focused on Your Goal

Focus is key to consistent success. This may require some sacrifice, but if you’re disciplined and stay motivated, you’ll be able to achieve your goals. Just remember to have fun along the way!

Stick to What You Plan

Staying disciplined with your spending goes a long way in long-term savings. If you create and stick to a budget, you’ll be able to put more money towards savings or investments. This can be a challenge, but it’s worth it in the long run.

Use Resources

Technology can be a great way to help you stay on track with your goal of growing your wealth. There are many different apps and tools that can help you keep track of your spending and investments, so make sure you take advantage of them.

Educate Yourself

You can’t expect to grow your wealth without getting into the skin of things. Use as many resources as possible, including books, articles, websites, and even financial classes. This will help you put your money where your mouth is.

Contact an Expert

If you’re looking for help in growing your wealth, it’s a good idea to find a financial advisor. This professional can help you make informed decisions about your money and offer advice on achieving your financial goals. They will also keep you from making certain mistakes. A fiduciary wealth advisor will make sure to take all your assets and income into consideration when suggesting a game plan.

Be Patient

It takes time and effort to grow your wealth, so don’t feel discouraged if you don’t see results right away. Just remember to be focused on your spending and investing habits, and be patient – the payoff will be worth it in the end!

Final Word

Growing your wealth takes time and effort, but if you stay focused and motivated, you’ll be able to achieve your goals. Just remember to use these tips as a starting point and keep learning more about managing your money.

Good luck!

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5 Surefire Strategies To Increase Your Business’s Revenue

March 3, 2022

Is your business running low on finances? Are you looking for ways to increase your profits? The secret lies in your revenues. This article will highlight some strategies that you can implement to increase your business’s revenue. Read on for the details.

1. Adopt An Online System

As a business in the digital age, you need to adopt online services in your operations. If you’re a product company, consider adopting e-commerce. With this, your clients who can’t access your physical shop due to their respective locations or lack of time will still be able to shop online and meet their needs. By having both physical and online shops, you’ll be able to offer convenience, increasing your sales.

As you adopt e-commerce, it’s also good to adopt an online payment system. Once you open new business account online, your clients will have an easy time making payments. The additional perk of an online business account is that it allows you to take your business globally. How? Most of these accounts allow clients to pay from wherever they are in the world, as well as accept multiple currencies.

With your brand offering convenience, it’ll become sought-after, increasing your client base. With this, you’re assured of making more sales, increasing your income.

2. Expand Your Operations

When you increase what you’re offering in the market, you’ll meet several customers’ needs instead of only one. Therefore, expanding your operations is a sure way to increase your revenues.

To know what additional service you can offer, assess your current products or services, and see if you can indulge in providing complementaries. If you manufacture pet food, you can consider producing animal accessories or houses. This way, your brand can become a one-stop-shop for your clients on pet needs.

Alternatively, ask your current clients about needs that aren’t being met in your industry. From this, you can decide which one to venture into. You won’t have to worry about getting a market for your new products. Besides getting a new clientele, you’ll still have your current customers. Therefore, your sales will increase with additional service provision.

3. Offer Quality Services

Offering quality services to your customers is one sure way to increase your revenues.

You can ensure this by offering goods and services that fully meet your clients’ needs, not just partially. In service provision, you shouldn’t give your customers room to seek satisfaction from another brand. With this, there’s a high possibility of them abandoning your brand because why should you meet a need with two brands instead of one? Besides being inconvenient, it can become costly.

Quality services also include customer service. Your customer service should be top-notch and friendly. Clients are likely to stick with your brand because they feel welcome. To enhance customer satisfaction, offer assistance as they shop around, follow up even after the purchase, and inquire about their experiences with your products or services. Should there be an issue, address it as soon as possible, avoiding the blame game. By practicing this, you’ll be able to retain your current customers, who’ll keep buying from you, which increases your income.

Also, these clients will tell friends who’ll tell other friends about your brand. With this, everyone will want to experience your brand firsthand, increasing your customer base. Obviously, a large customer base increases your sales.

4. Reach New Markets

One of the strategies to increase your income is by expanding your customer base, as shown above. You can do this by exploring new markets.

If you only serve clients in your locality, consider marketing your products in other areas. In addition to marketing, you want to provide convenience to your new clients. Their travelling from their geographical locations to your physical shop can be challenging. And, even if you offer delivery, the delivery costs can negatively impact your services’ price.

As such, consider opening branches in the locations of your new or desired target audience. This way, you’ll be bringing your business to them rather than them coming to you. Bringing your business to your clients is the way to handle your operations.

With your existing clients and the new ones, your revenues will, no doubt, fire up.

5. Improve Productivity

The productivity levels in your company directly impact your revenues.

You can improve productivity by automating your processes. Consider automating complex operations and those which your team takes a long time to execute. By doing this, you’ll quicken your production process, making your products available to the market in a timely manner. With timely delivery, you’ll meet your customers’ needs, and they won’t need to seek alternative brands due to the deficiency of your products. Here, with more products to supply and a ready client base, your sales will increase. However, be wary of overproduction; do your analysis and predictions accurately.

Consider establishing a conducive and positive workplace for your workers. The state of a workplace impacts the productivity levels of your team. Therefore, make this a priority for your business. With increased team productivity, they’ll do more in a day, increasing your returns and revenues in the long run.

Conclusion

Business revenue is essential in ensuring the running of your operations. After all, you can’t run a company without money. Therefore, consider implementing the strategies given in this article, and you’ll be assured that your revenues will keep flourishing.

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Investing In Australian Shares

March 3, 2022

With the rise of technology in the world of investing, international destination trading is now attracting more interest than ever before. Easy-to-use apps that show both live market updates as well as historical data, all in the palm of your hand, make international investing for the diversification of your portfolio a viable option that is now readily available to all.

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has been in operation since 1987 and though, in the past, there was not a great deal of international interest, the agricultural, mining and coal industries have propelled increased attention being drawn to the Australian economy. Today, the ASX invites a wealth of investment from the international community due to its high performing stocks and the convenience of digital accessibility.

A low-risk investment destination

When it comes to the international investment community, Australia is widely considered to be a stable destination for investors. The country features strong international trade ties and over a third of the country’s own investments are listed on the ASX. Australia offers a highly-skilled workforce and features world-renowned training institutes the country over. Political stability paired with incredible earning potential make this a fantastic choice for destination investment where one can safely diversify their portfolio without the unchecked risk of major economic shutdown.

Growth potential for the future

Though, like most economies around the world, the Australian economy experienced a drop in 2020, strong numbers in 2021 and early 2022 indicate that the country is on track for a solid rebound. Australia was once known as ‘the land of opportunity for new colonists and this enticing label continues to ring true in the world of investment potential. International investors who have chosen to buy stocks in Australia have seen great rewards in specific industries including mining, renewable energy and agriculture and these industries are set to continue their growth patterns into the future. Being such a young country that has developed to such a high level so incredibly quickly, Australia is a star on the rise in the international investment community with over 2,000 publicly listed companies to choose from.

Expanding global presence

Though Australia has long been known as the land down under, years of development, infrastructure and investment into the economy are beginning to see Australia coming out on top. With increasing global ties and trade in the world’s major markets, the nation is expanding its global presence and quickly becoming a major player in key international circles. The reach of the country as a destination for investment extends from exciting and innovative start-ups to the presence of multinational companies housing everything in between. This and many other factors are what makes Australia an enticing destination for international investment and a secure way to diversify a portfolio within a resilient economy.

Internationally recognized credibility

Australia has been one of the ones to watch in the eyes of the international investment community for several years now. With the ease of access to the ASX through improved technological links and the continuing development of a strong and stable economy, there is no reason that Australia should not be the number one destination when it comes to buying stocks for a well-rounded and secure portfolio. The security of a GDP that is steadily increasing year-on-year indicates that this might be one of the best destinations for international investment in 2022.

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