Having the skill is great but that alone is not enough because you do not just want to have the skill but also want to earn or be earning with it. Career in graphic designing has many opportunities, large hungry market to feed and a lot of money to make if well approached. So now that you have the skill or still thinking of going into graphic designing, it is essential to know the ways you can earn and also establish yourself as an authority in the field.

So below are ways you can make money as a graphic designer.

Become a freelancer
Becoming a freelance graphic designer is a great way to earn as a graphic designer. Being a freelancer means that you work on contract, you are not working on full-time. You work on your own pace.
One of the most difficult things about being a freelancer is finding clients. There are many clients looking for graphic designers to design their logos, banners, book cover etc. One way to get regular work is by promoting your design portfolio is to sign up for a freelancing website where you can show off your talents and get matched to clients who are just right for you.



You can sign up to websites like Fiverr, upwork, freelencyetc. Set up your portfolio, in setting it up, you can upload your previous works, which will give you a top up. You can also set your fees for the services you render. [ See also : 3 hot skills to learn in 2018 https://www.millitime.com/three-hot-skills-to-learn-in-2018/wpam_id=1].

Acquire a certificate in graphic design and get a job
If freelancing is not your thing. You can acquire a degree or certificate in graphics or related field and apply for a full-time job. Most employers that are hiring a designer in-house are looking for someone who has a large portfolio or a degree. If you do not have much experience designing on a professional level, completing a formal degree program might help you get a foot in the door. You can take up graphic design courses online.

Below are some of those courses

coursera
udemy
lynda
With one of this courses and many others, you are on your path to having a certificate and working in your dream company.
See also: How to master web development https://www.millitime.com/ways-you-can-learn-and-master-web-development/wpam_id=1

Selling digital files


One way to get a name for yourself is to start selling digital files. If you can create stock images, textures, or fonts etc. You can make money selling those digital files online or offline. You can join a marketplace where the company will promote your files for you or you can have your own website and run your thing, optimize and sell your files for 100 percent of the profits. People and companies will buy rights to use the image and you can make a passive income for years after you’ve designed the image. Also you can utilize the social media for exposure.

Remember in graphic designing, building a portfolio is essential for growth. So when you have completed a work that you are proud of, don’t forget to add it to your portfolio.

Source : Millitime

Very few people actually get proactive with their finances and take initiative and responsibility. Very few focus on what they can control and get in action.

The truth is, growing wealth doesn’t have the be complicated. Wealthy people don’t have some secret you don’t. They just do things that most people aren’t willing to do.

If you want to get serious about improving your financial situation, being better with money, and enjoying more of it, here’s what you need to start doing:

1. Tracking Your Spending And Sticking To A Budget
Yes, it sounds super basic and simple — and it is. It’s also a fundamental aspect of financial success.

Your cash flow (that is, money coming in and money going out) is a critical component to your financial life. If you can’t master it, you’re not going to be able to increase your net worth.

Start by tracking what you earn and spend. Do you live within your means, or are you in the red each month? If you live within your means, how far below your means do you live?

This is so important because it’s not enough to live at your means. It’s good that you don’t spend more than you make — but if you just break even each month because you spend every available money, you’ll never have cash available to save and invest.

You need to live as far below your means as you can, so you widen the gap between what you earn, and what you actually spend.

A budget is a tool you can use to make sure you keep your spending reasonable over time. It can also help you prioritize your spending according to your values, so you can spend more freely on the things you truly care about — and skip (or scrimp) on the stuff that doesn’t matter as much.

2. Saving And Investing A Large Percentage Of Your Income
For most people, investing and earning compound returns is the ticket to wealth.

If you want to follow the traditional path of working until you’re almost 70 years old, then retiring for a few years to enjoy some basic comforts before you pass away, you can simply put away about 10 to 15 percent of your income in your retirement account and you’ll likely be okay.

See also : 5 Billionaire Principles to Learn from Aliko Dangote https://www.millitime.com/5-billionaire-principles-to-learn-from-aliko-dangote/

But many people want a lot more than that. We want financial independence; we want to be free from the need to earn a paycheck; we want to use our money to accomplish big things like traveling the world or starting businesses.

When your goals look like this, saving and investing 10 percent of your income doesn’t cut it. You need to look at saving 20 percent at a minimum, and saving at least 30 percent to be on target to hit those major wealth-building goals.

3. Making More Money
Saving and investing money only works when you have money, to begin with. You can only reduce expenses so much before you need to look at the other side of the equation: earning more money.

Many people don’t even consider this because they feel the numbers on their paycheck are somewhat out of their control. But that’s not true. You can play an active role in determining how much you earn every year.

The right tactic for making more money looks different for everyone and depends on your goals, needs, challenges, and opportunities. That being said, a few ways that might work for you include:

See also: Facebook Co-founder Chris Hughes Speaks on Income Inequality https://www.millitime.com/facebook-co-founder-chris-hughes-speaks-on-income-inequality/

Negotiating for a raise after taking on more responsibility at work.
Changing jobs and seeking a higher-paid position (and negotiating your starting salary at the new company).
Starting a side hustle, or freelancing on the side of your day job.
Working for yourself.
Investing is a form of creating more income, too — it’s just a much longer play. It will take years, possibly decades, for your money to start earning a significant amount of money on its own.

4. Holding Wealth In Assets — Not in Stuff
The people that drive the flashy cars, own the biggest houses, have the most stuff — they’re “glittering rich,” as Thomas J. Stanley puts it, but they’re not actually wealthy.

They may have high incomes, but that money gets spent instead of saved or invested. As a result, they only have the trappings of wealth. But they don’t have a significant net worth because all their “wealth” is tied up in their possessions.

Even worse? If that high income somehow dried up, they’d have nothing to fall back on.

If you want to grow wealth, focus on growing wealth — not spending it to show off how much money you have coming in each month.

5. Accepting Risk
Occasionally, I’ll work with people who refuse to take any risks with their money. They refuse to invest in the market because the thought of losing even a single dollar is too much.

The problem is, any investment comes with some degree of risk — and there’s a relationship between risk and return. You have to accept some degree of risk if you hope to earn a return on your money.

Not to mention, even sitting on cash comes with a lot of risks. You risk losing purchasing power to inflation, you risk opportunity costs associated with all the time you spend outside of the market, and you risk not being able to save enough cash on your own to meet your goals.

6. Paying Attention To The Little Things
Ultimately, the majority of people who succeed at growing wealth don’t do it because they hit the lottery or got lucky with one big investment or business deal.

(Yes, some people do this — but if we’re talking about how most people make their millions, this isn’t it.)

They succeed because they took the time and care to get the little things right… and they did that over and over and over again. People who become wealthy nail the fundamentals and they practice those good habits consistently.

Those little things include actions like:

Prioritizing their goals and values, so they know what to spend their money on — and when to say no to spending.
Paying attention to their finances, from their budget to their investments, and spending a lot of time minding and thinking about their money each month.
Setting up systems and processes to ensure actions happen, no matter what and despite things like temptation, distraction, and human error (an example of such a system: automating your contributions to savings and investment accounts).
Acknowledging when they don’t know something, and doing research to find the answer.
Asking for help and support, which often comes in the form of coaching and accountability from an objective financial planner.
If you want to join their ranks, it’s time to stop making excuses, avoiding the actions you need to take, or ignoring your finances altogether. Focus on what you can control and get proactive. It’s not always easy or fun to stick to this path, but it is simple — and you can do it if you’re willing to commit to the kinds of things that will lead you to financial success.

Consistency and commitment win over luck every time.

—MILLITIME CARES—

Source : https://www.millitime.com/6-tips-to-grow-your-wealth-that-most-people-wont-do/wpam_id=1

It is the desire of small businesses to be on the internet and also visible to the customers. It is one thing to be on the internet and another thing is to be found by the customers. It is the desire of every small business, that it is found by those who need its product or service, because if it is not found, no new sells will be made or no new service will be paid for. These are what Google my business provides.

Google my business

What is Google my business?
Google My Business provides your business an effective way to be found. Google My Business shows these information about your business to a user, at the side of the user’s search.

Business name
Business address
Business telephone number
Business logo
Photographs of your business
One-click direction, call and website buttons
Popular times
Hours of operation
Reviews
Google using its great analytics tracks this information and gives the business an accurate pulse on how often customers are looking for them.
How Google my business works
Google composes local business listings based on several different sources. These include user edits, third party providers, verified business owner information, and several other sources compiled into Google’s business listings. When you create and make edits to your Google My Business profile, Google will ask you to verify your account by entering a PIN. The PIN can be either sent to the organization’s physical address or phone number. [ See also : Revealing Network Marketing Secrets of thriving through these economic times]

Benefits of verification
It is important you go through Google’s verification process. Once you do, Google My Business will offer your business the following benefits:

Make your business more accessible and more easily found on Google. Google uses the information about your business to fill the local search results.
More effectively read and respond to your customers’ reviews
Review metrics and analyze analytics about how your customers are searching for your business. In addition, you can learn the geographic region your customers originate.

How to set up Google my business

Visit Google business homepage

Once on the Google my business page, click on “start now” at the top right hand corner.

Input your business details. Once your business details have been filled, click on “continue”. You will then be prompted to verify your business information.

Google will then create your Google My Business profile and account. Once that is done, you will be asked to verify the address of your business so that they can send you the verification postcard.

You can verify later, but I think it is better you verify your business right away or as soon as possible because it will take a few business days (and you may need to submit for verification again in some cases) to complete.

After you verify your business address for the postcard, you can now access your Google My Business dashboard.

You can add your company logo from the “Home” section on your dashboard, your company photographs, edit your company info, it will as well give you the ability to analyze insights for your business and look at customer reviews (once your business profile is verified). Under the “Info” section of your dashboard, you can update your company address, telephone number, business hours, website, etc. You can also unpublish your profile.

Under the “Photos” section of your dashboard, you can manage the photos in your business profile. From the ones that are presented upon your search results or specific categories (team, exterior and photos at work). Many customers use images of your business as an insight into the atmosphere and the quality of your services.

Now that your profile is up

Now that everything is set, begin to ask for a review from your customers.

See also Whatsapp Business App features and How to Use it for Your Business : https://www.millitime.com/whatsapp-business-features-how-to-use-for-your-business/?wpam_id=1

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes thinks the government should give cash handouts to people with the lowest incomes in order to fight income inequality. And he thinks the money should come from higher taxes on wealthy individuals and even big tech companies, like Facebook.

Hughes, 34, was one of Facebook’s co-founders, along with Mark Zuckerberg and three of their Harvard classmates, in 2004. He was Facebook’s spokesperson for the company’s first three years, before leaving to finish his Harvard degree and then to work on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign as a media strategist.
What's yout thoughts on this? Link to full post
https://www.millitime.com/facebook-co-founder-chris-hughes-speaks-on-income-inequality/?wpam_id=1

Here are three (3) hot skills you need to learn in 2018. With this skills, you can become a successful freelancer or even build on your own company.

The skills are:
Website development
Graphic designing[/center]

Website development
Website development is the act of developing a website, this includes the backend and the frontend of the website. It is always good to have the knowledge of both the frontend and backend side of a website.

So it is advised that before you go ahead learning how to develop a website, you have to know if you want to be a frontend developer, backend developer or the two, which is called a full stack developer.

As a web developer. You can work as a freelancer using platforms like fiverr, upwork, freelency, freelancer etc, you can also source out for clients using social media websites, Facebook, Instagram etc.

You can also start a web development company.

Graphic designing
A graphic designer, designs from banners, logos to comic drawing, cartoon drawing etc. Graphic designing a wide with many field of specialization. With this skill, you cannot go hungry because the opportunities are endless. [Tools needed for graphic designing]

The service of a graphic designer is needed everyday, like every business both online and offline needs a banner and businesses are springing up everyday, every program or event needs a flyer for publicity etc.


Digital marketing
Digital marketing is using digital tools, platforms to achieve a marketing target. A Digital marketer is someone who uses, digital tools and platforms to achieve a marketing target, this can be for his own business, event or program, or those of others.

Today, business are going digital, people are going digital, everything is going digital. So now to take your business to a lot of people, digital is the way. To get many people to see your upcoming event, taking it to the digital space is the way. So a digital marketing will be always needed as far as digital space exists. [See also : Stand Out as a Social Media Marketer in Today’s Competitive Space
https://www.millitime.com/marketer/?wpam_id=1
Take up one or two of this skills today and you on your way to living your dream life.


Source : https://www.millitime.com/three-hot-skills-to-learn-in-2018/?wpam_id=1

Central Bank of Nigeria Officially Signs Currency Swap Deal, What it Means

I know Most of You don't know the meaning of Nigeria dollars, yuan swap with China. And why the American government is desperately smoothing the relationship with Nigeria.

Let's me get it clearer to you before the enemies of Progress twist it for you.

Soon you will be buying that techno phone you bought at N80,000 for N12,000.

This is why even the oppositions, haven't said anything about it.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has finally signed the currency swap deal we have been expecting for the past 2 years into existence with the Chinese government.

The importance of this is that since almost 70% of the goods we import come from China and Asia and 12% America why must we use Dollars to transact with China? from now instead of using dollars at N350 to 1dollar to import those goods, we can now buy Yuan at 47 nairas to 1 Yuan and import those stuff directly.

Instead of buying these goods in dollars in China, we will now buy them in Yuan which is 5times cheaper than dollars.

As usual, another giant stride which Print Media, Electronic Media and Nigerian looters will not report or allow you to understand this victory over supremacy of dollars in our daily lives and economic activities.

Upcoming reality is that from now, try to monitor exchange rate. Some of those guys who hoarded foreign currencies to make gains will offload them in order not to have a heart attack over their huge loss arising from the currency swap deal with China.
Dollars and pounds will flood everywhere with no buyers, as the buyers will draw naira from their accounts in banks with a presence in China.

Many Nigerian banks will be seeking to have their representative office in China like First bank who saw to the future and already have an office in China.

Inflation will go down drastically because of the price of commodities that will drop.

Please share your thoughts

See Everything You Need to Know about Currency Swap between Nigeria, China : https://www.millitime.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-currency-swap-between-nigeria-china/?wpam_id=1

Money revolves around all aspects of human endeavors and is a necessary modality to consider when going into a romantic relationship that will probably lead to marriage. The possibility of becoming husband and wife, therefore, necessitates talks about views of this very sensitive aspect of their lives.

I will advise that money questions in a relationship talk be treated with all the seriousness it deserves. Your ability to build a formidable financial position in your marriage is a commendable landmark achievement; a real direction to follow.

Below are a few financial topics you must ask about in your relationship talk with an intended partner:


See also : Zoranga Lets You Convert Airtime in Your Phone to Money https://www.millitime.com/zoranga-lets-you-convert-airtime-in-your-phone-to-money/?wpam_id=1


Debt Status:
This involves any money being owed by each of the party. Enquiring into the debt status of your would-be spouse is not too much of a question to ask. It’s expected that you should know because once you both are married, it becomes a shared liability, so it is always good to stay safe.

Different people have different approaches and perceptions about money. Therefore, it depends on the parties involved to be at least transparent in dealing with their debt status.

Some persons will simply walk away once they find out that their partners have huge debt profiles, but as the saying goes, it’s better to have a broken relationship than a broken marriage. Do not lie about your debt status as it could save you a lot of stress in the future.
Credit Status
This refers to money under your control; how rich you are financially if I must say. Individual credit status is a question to be asked. The essence of this question does not particularly imply that your partner is being materialistic. Rather, it should be appreciated that everyone desires to have a secure financial future; nobody wants to live without enough funds to cater for future demands.

A good relationship talk which gives insight into this status, will, in turn, save the marriage unnecessary hassles in the long run. Whichever way you choose to look at it, it feels good and safe to have guaranteed financial days ahead. If your would-be partner backs out after the talk, it would be obvious that your credit status does not match their dreams and aspirations and that’s their own opinion. You should not get bitter about that because they might have saved you from future heartache.
Spending Plan/Budget
Inquiry into the supposed spending plan of your partner should not be seen as being nosey. People have different perceptions when it involves budgeting and planning, ask about their spending plan if you really care and expect a balanced financial future.

A spending plan categorically shows how one intends to use his/her money and what they’ll probably spend it on to achieve set financial objectives. You will understand if your partner is conscious of spending within his/her means; this must occupy an important space in your discussion.

Showing this concern will likely speed up bonding between you, marriage plans could even be announced faster. That’s the power of taking ownership and addressing money spending decisions.
Next of kin
Questions about next of kin are very important, gone are the days when you attribute love to being blind, expecting that everything would fall into place naturally. What does next of kin have to do with relationship talk and money? My dear, it has everything to do with your romantic relationship.

A next of kin is your closest relative who you choose to be contacted in cases of emergency. In most cases, he/she is deemed as the beneficiary of your estate in the event of death, especially if you leave no will that states otherwise. This means that usually, in case of the unexpected, only these ones have the rights to reclaim your belongings (materially and financially).

This kind of money question should be asked with wisdom to avoid having the other party feel insecure. No one feels comfortable answering next of kin questions in a relationship, but you must talk about it. The sincerity with which they answer this question will suggest if actually, they can be transparent with you in financial dealings.

A man may have any of his brothers or parents as next of kin while single, but this status is expected to change once he gets married, likewise the woman. Next of kin change is applicable to both parties and should be done with mutual love. If this point cannot be agreed on for whatever reason, it’s a red flag that all may not be well in the coming marriage. Both of you are expected to be each other’s next of kin, though things could take different shapes when you start having babies.

Note that asking this question must not be on the altar of exploitation of any kind, otherwise the aim is defeated.

Conclusion
Involving money in a relationship talk is paramount to the success of any future union. Mutual understanding established prior to marriage will help overcome marital difficulties with ease when they eventually arise. Be honest with your partner while having your discussion, as it can make or mar your marriage thereafter. However, here’s wishing you a happy married life in advance.

Source : https://www.millitime.com/money-questions-you-must-ask-in-your-relationship/?wpam_id=1

You all will agree with me that for a business to experience success, yielding much more income that the marketing sector or unit of such business or company must be as rigid as ever. That is to say, if such unit functions properly, there’s a greater tendency of such a business to experience success, since marketing is the heart of all business.

Reaching Out to People

I wish to let you know that no matter how little your profits may be on a business, the more people you make contacts with or get involved in consuming whatever product or goods produced, the higher your profits and the chances of making a fortune from such businesses.

Link to full article https://www.millitime.com/a-working-marketing-strategy-for-businesses-multiplication/?wpam_id=1

How to Apply for Orange Fab France “Women Start” Acceleration Program

Orange Fab France “Women Start” is a specific acceleration program dedicated to women founders or co-founders of start-ups around the world to help them to develop their business and their activities.
Objectives of the Program
The aim objective is to help female ( co ) founders of start-up to sign business partnerships with an Orange business unit and encourage them to go international.

Applications will be open for a month until 24 June 2018. The start-ups will be selected over the summer, and the program will begin in September.


More details : https://www.millitime.com/how-to-apply-for-orange-fab-france-women-start-acceleration-program/

Treasury bills have long been regarded as the safest way to invest over a period of time, as well as having the assurance that your initial capital will be returned at the maturity time.

But despite the fact that that treasury bills can seem like a complicated process, Parthian Partners, a pan-african inter-brokerage services firm together with Sterling Bank have taken the liberty of making this easily accessible through a novel mobile app called I-Invest. This platform is also regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.


See also : Complete Guide to Investing in The Nigerian Treasury Bill 2018 https://www.millitime.com/complete-guide-investing-nigerian-treasury-bill-2018/


With a minimum of 100,000 Naira, a user can select from a list of available securities on the user-friendly interface and confirm transactions. Interest is accrued daily, while the investment amount and interest is credited to the user’s account on maturity.



The user-friendly interface of the application allows a user to fund an account with a debit card or pay at any bank branch for real-time funding. Top-ups can also be carried out directly from the mobile platform.

To withdraw, a user will need to provide bank details, enter the amount to be withdrawn and provide answers to the secret question while ensuring KYC details are up to date. If the logged-in mobile device ever gets lost or stolen, investments remain secure. The user is advised, however, to install the application on another device, login and change password settings.
Benefits of Treasury Bills
T-Bills are a good investment for people who wish to save

It can be used as a collateral

It can be converted into cash quickly

It is the safest form of investment because your money is guaranteed

Download i-invest for free to enjoy these amazing benefits. It is currently available on Google Play, and the Apple appstore.

Source : The Money Magazine www.millitime.com

Saudi Arabia’s moves to lower oil prices could have a negative effect on Nigeria’s budget and economy. The Middle Eastern oil giant seems to have reacted to a tweet by United States President Donald Trump condemning the high oil prices.

Saudi Arabia’s is the biggest oil producer among the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members. 6 of the 10 largest oil-producing countries in the world are OPEC members.

High crude oil prices lead to an increase in the production costs, as well as transport fares in the United States. Crude oil prices and the US dollar tend to have an inverse relationship. Higher crude oil prices leads to a weakening of the US dollar.

Implications for Nigeria
Government revenue
For a country, that has barely recovered from a recession, a drop in oil revenue could have adverse effects on the economy. Nigeria’s government is largely dependent on crude oil for revenue. An oil shock in 2016 pushed the economy into recession.

The National Assembly, two weeks ago passed the 2018 budget but jacked up the crude oil benchmark from $45 to $51.
Exchange rate
The foreign exchange market which had hitherto been stable has of recent come under pressure due to demands from summer travellers.

Exchange rate volatility also filters into the cost of goods and services. Nigeria is a largely import-dependent economy, both for finished goods and raw materials for industries.

Depreciation of the Naira in 2016/2017 led to a spike in inflation.

Source : The Money Magazine http://www.millitime.com

YouTube is the world’s biggest digital sharing video platform with more than a billion viewers a month and 400 hours of videos uploaded every minute. As a YouTuber or an aspiring one, here are some nuggets which you may find helpful for succeeding on YouTube and in Africa especially;

Mich Atagana, the head of communications at Google South Africa stated during an interview:
“Creators that succeed on YouTube approach it as a business – they find a topic they’re passionate about that resonates with a specific target market and they create a community around that passion,”

“They spend time and effort researching their content, their video techniques and how to best engage their audiences,”
Thembekile Mahlaba, a member of the YouTube channel Pap Culture pointed out that data is expensive in Africa compared to Europe and America and it consequences on Youtubers. Moreover lesser people are watching or are able to access Youtube channels because of the expense.

Grant Hinds, from his namesake YouTube channel, said he hopes data pricing in Africa changes for the better.

Hinds also said he hoped YouTube would provide ways for people to contribute funds to creators like some of its competitors – that helps creators sustain their channels financially.


See also : How to Make Money on Instagram 2018 https://www.millitime.com/make-money-instagram-2018/


Mich made a statement on practical ways money can be made from YouTube.
“For creators, partnering with brands offers them an opportunity to earn revenue of the time and effort they put into their channels, and possibly make a living out of them too,”
On the flip side if you have a brand you can monetise on YouTube as well.
“Brands run their own YouTube channels which show content of resonance and relevance to that brand’s audience. They can also invest in advertising on YouTube either through running advertising on channels, or through partnering creators to develop sponsored content,”


Tips on how you can be successful on YouTube:

Take it seriously.
Invest in equipment.
Spend time and energy on the community you create and understanding what is important to them.
Be consistent – both in output on the channel and how often you post, and
Collaborate with other YouTubers where there are shared passions or just for fun.

Source : The Money Magazine http://www.millitime.com

The Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Awards can help you take your sustainability initiative, product or service to the next level. Take a look at what you need to know about the Awards this year.

If you’ve got an initiative, product or service already in action that’s tackling a sustainability problem, or you know someone else whose brilliant work deserves recognition, The site contains details on the programme and how to register.

https://www.millitime.com/unilever-young-entrepreneurs-awards-2018/

Commodity money is form of currency in which the value of the currency comes from the material which was used to to make it. Eg.  gold, silver, livestock, and other materials .They used to be used as currency in historical days.

Fiat money is used nowadays, examples of fiat money are the Nigerian Naira, the United States dollar, British pounds etc. They are money whose value is based on government guarantees but has no inherent value.

Fiat money is at risk of inflation and deflation because its value is not intrinsic. Changes in public confidence in a government issuing fiat money may be enough to make the fiat currency worthless. Commodity money, however, retains value based on the metal or other material content it has.

According to Investopedia, Commodity money has intrinsic value but risks large price fluctuations based on changing commodity prices. If silver coins are used, a large discovery of silver may cause the value of the silver currency to plunge. For convenience and to avoid these price changes, many governments issue fiat currency. Initially, many fiat currencies were backed by a commodity. Backing a fiat currency with a commodity provides more stability and encourages confidence in the financial system. Anyone could take backed fiat currency to the issuing government and exchange it for a certain amount of the commodity. Eventually, many governments no longer backed fiat currency, and the money increasingly took on a value based on public confidence. As of 1933, U.S. citizens could no longer exchange currency with the U.S. government for gold. In 1973, the U.S. stopped offering foreign governments gold in exchange for U.S. currency. Many governments no longer think commodity money is in the best interests of the public.

Source : https://www.millitime.com/commodity-money-vs-fiat-money/

The Takeda Foundation has put out a call for applications for the Takeda Young Entrepreneurship Award.
About the Takeda Young Entrepreneurship Fund
The Award targets young entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial individuals who challenge technological or social needs in the real world. The Takeda Foundation believes that the challenging activities of young individuals trying to address real technological and social needs will lead to the creation of goods and services that enhance the well-being of people throughout the world, which is the mission of the Foundation.

The Awardee will be selected from among the candidates who apply for the Takeda Young Entrepreneurship Award. Candidates should submit an application paper describing the background of the targeted issue, and his or her ideas for a solution to address that issue in 1000 words or less with figures (within 3 pages). They are also requested to submit a supporting report (in 300 words or less) written by an individual who receives benefit from the solution.


Read more about the Takeda Young Entrepreneurship Award 2018 : https://www.millitime.com/2018-takeda-young-entrepreneurship-award-is-ongoing-fund-%e2%82%a63-3m/

Binary options, also called binary or binary stocks (binary option) are a real financial instrument/form of investment, with which you can make your money in a very short time thanks to online trading.

Here are some main features:

Its a short term (the best known and used by traders are the 60 seconds options);

Profit of up to 90% of invested capital (for each winning investment).

In particular the simplicity of use of investment platforms.

In fact, the binary trading platforms are also available online and you can trade on the internet from home without the need to download any software on your PC.

Binary Operations: How Do They Work?

BINARY OPTIONS

The opportunities offered by this financial instrument are many, but your earnings come from taking action!

Binary trading means practically making a prediction about the performance of an asset in the markets.

There are various types of assets:

currency pairs
stock market
raw materials (such as oil, gold, silver etc etc …)

The option is called “binary” because there are two possibilities: that is, you can invest speculating on the fact that the value of the asset increases or decreases.

To earn money, you must correctly predict the price increase or decrease.

Full post : https://www.millitime.com/how-to-make-money-with-binary-options-in-a-short-time/

Instagram used to be a platform for just picture sharing, but today, it’s now a business platform, which is used by businesses, brands and ecommerce owners. You've probably heard that people make money off their instagram accounts, I'll be giving you a guide on how it's done in this article.

How Some People Make Money Off Their Instagram Accounts

You may be wondering if Instagram pays people directly.

Well, Nope, Instagram does not pay into people's bank account.

People just tap into the population there, sell their services and products, just like in any ecommerce business environment.

Marketing yourself and the things you are good at helps you connect with customers on Instagram.

Requirements to Start Making Money on Instagram

To do business with your Instagram account, you will need to first switch to a business profile. It adds more features to your account. Login to your Instagram, goto account settings and switch.

The following also needs to be put in place
1. Your Instagram followers
Perhaps you already have lots of followers on Instagram and you just thought "hey, this would be a good opportunity", - if you have active likes and comments on your posts and what you post is in line with the items or services you want to offer, them you've got the major requirements to start doing business.

If you don't, you will need to pick something you are interested in, the following are 3 top strategies to build your reach and influence
Top Instagram Strategies to Grow

Specialize on Something You are Good in
Use Relevant Hashtags : Use 5 -10 hashtags that relates to your posts as they help your post reach more people.
Post Regularly but not too much so as not to overwhelm your audience

2. Tools for e-commerce and Dropshipping
Try out Shopify.com as they have apps that integrate with instagram to help you sell your items and services really easy. You can easily set up a dropshipping store with Shopify’s ecommerce platform, which is free for 14 days. You can also try out Oberlo’s free plan dropshipping app.

Dropshipping is a business model where you don’t need to own products you are selling. All you need to do is find cheap products from a company and sell that product to buyers at a higher price while the company handles the delivery.

More from Millitime : https://www.millitime.com/make-money-instagram-2018/

Twitter has become the latest social media network to block adverts pertaining to cryptocurrencies, beginning today. Facebook, in January announced its ban on cryptocurrency and Initial Coin Offers (ICO). It based its decision on the many fraudulent offers and encouraged its users to report any adverts it missed out. Tech giant Google had earlier this month, announced that it would ban cryptocurrrency adverts by June.

ICO promoters and the various communities will be badly affected by this move as twitter is a key means of promotion for many of these coins.

ICO stands for Initial Coin Offering. It is a means whereby companies raise capital either for a new coin or a project. To participate, individuals pay a certain amount of money either as bitcoin or ethereum.

ICOs are largely unregulated, and in recent times have become bogus. The social media giants may also be keen on avoiding a situation where they are held legally liable for false claims made in these adverts.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) have all issued warnings about the dangers of investing in cryptocurrencies. Nigeria’s Senate has also echoed similar sentiments mandating its Committee on Banking and other Financial Institutions has also been instructed to look into the viability of bitcoin, and possible regulations of its trade.

Cryptocurrency markets have reacted to the ban, with bitcoin dipping below the $8,000 mark. Market capitalization is currently at $300 billion.March has been a bearish month for cryptocurrencies due to negative sentiments, and concerns about regulations in South Korea.

Source : https://www.millitime.com/twitter-bans-all-crypto-and-ico-adverts-on-its-platform/

Perhaps you're looking forward to earning money on the side as a student. Or you may be looking for part-time or minimum time consuming ways to earn money. If you are looking for one, you have come to the right place.

There are many ways you can earn money as a student, or without stepping out of your home. All you need is a Smartphone, laptop, desktop computer, and internet connection. Some can be done with your smartphone alone. With these, you can make plenty of money online, without much hustling.
Listed below are 5 Easy and best ways to Make Money Online as a student in 2018:

1. Become an Instructor at WahClass
WahClass is an online academy that runs on Chat Apps such as WhatsApp and Messenger. Becoming a tutor or instructor is very easy. However you must be good in a particular field. You must also have Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp on your phone. The key to succeeding here is getting your notes and materials approved. You register by just chatting with an AI Assistant, after which you submit your subtopics for approval. Once its approved, you are to prepare your content and submit for approval. WahClass has a support team to guide you all the way. As soon as you become an approved instructor you start earning money. You can earn up to NGN100,000($325) monthly at WahClass. Registration link here https://m.me/wahclass?ref=tutor
Pros

Little or no start-up capital
Convenience
Free to sign-up
Doesn't uses much of your time
Can be done with your Smartphone alone

Cons

Only available to those with the Facebook Messenger app.

2. Paid Surveys
This is becoming the most popular way of making money online. This method involves filling online surveys. Surveys are important for manufacturers and that is why they engage research companies to answer specific questions relating to their goods and services. Some surveys do not take time to complete while others could be lengthy. Payment for surveys varies. You have to compare the various review sites and choose those you think to be more rewarding. Here are different companies you can start today:

Vivatic
IPSOS
Opinion Outpost
Global Test Market

Many survey sites reward with cash while others pay gift cards and other prizes that can be redeemed.
Pros

It does not take much time to complete.
The method is perfect for anybody especially those with tight schedules.
Most of them do not require a permanent contract.
You can only answer those questions relating to you, which mean that you can skip some.
Can be done with your smartphone alone

Cons

Most of the surveys sites are not available to everyone, because they are location based


3. Freelancing
Freelancing is one of the most lucrative ways of earning money online. It is not difficult to start a freelancing job; you only need the skill, an internet connection, as well as a computer. Perhaps the best freelancing job many people engage in is freelance writing. Depending on your skill, you can earn as much as fifty cents per word. It is possible to earn twice or thrice that amount. Before you can become successful, you require a reputable online portfolio or resume.

It is not only writing job you can do as a freelancer; there are other programming jobs such as designing, graphics and so on. You need a large clientele base to succeed.

There are many freelancing websites you can get started:

Freelancer.com
Upwork.com
Listverse
Top Tenz
Funds for writing
Guru.com
Hirewriters.com
Iwriter.com

Pros

It is possible to have a long-term contract
You can build a very long lasting relationship
You can easily start

Cons

Heavy commissions
It consumes time.

4. Create Video Tutorials on YouTube
Many people are earning money on YouTube. The best way to do that is to create a YouTube video tutorial, and sell them or make money per impression. All you need is a superior quality camera, and you can do it with your Smartphone.
Pros

This does not require much investment
Useful information is freely available
You are not required to be SEO expert here

Cons

You need to have a video editing skill

5. Share Links and earn Money
This is a new platform sprung up in 2018 that pays you when you share a link to WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media. You get paid NGN500 per 1000 clicks with bonuses coming from time to time. Although its still very new, there's no website for it yet. It is running on WhatsApp group chat. Link to join
Pros

Easy to participate
Group tips and interaction
Can be done with your smartphone alone

Cons

Only available to those on WhatsApp

Conclusion
These are the various ways of making money online. These do not require a significant investment. It is a question of using your computer, Smartphone, or laptop and having an internet connection. You can make money fro these jobs as a student, You can do these jobs sitting in the bus and in your home too.

View all links via source : https://www.millitime.com/make-money-online-student-2018-nigeria/

Fashion Photography, An Alternative to Fashion Design BusinessBeing a fashion designer is not the only way to get into the fashion industry. There are lots of other ways. If you have a thing for asoebi, as well as other Nigerian styles and class then you should probably become a fashion photographer

Perhaps you want to go into photography at a young age and you're considering fashion. If that's your case then here is an Introduction to Fashion Photography.

What do Fashion Photographers Do?
The duty of fashion photographers involves shooting and editing pictures in other to produce images that are good or fit for publication or for other uses.

Fashion photographers are mostly not the directors of photo shoots, however their wide range of skills includes an eye for outline and lighting, as well as an understanding of the vibe and inspiration behind the subsequent photos. These skills are vital element of fashion photography.
Benefits of Being a Fashion Photographer
According to Profitable Venture, The biggest attraction towards becoming a fashion photographer for most people is having to shoot in different locations and also around the world and the exotic lifestyle that comes with it. For an established photographer, the income is also quite substantial because of the talent required to produce an excellent quality picture.

Fashion photographers also get to shoot, supermodels, directors, makeup artists, magazine editors, fashion designers, advert companies, wardrobe specialists, and more. The job enjoys a lot of variety because each shoot is almost always very different from the next that is why you have to be really creative to succeed as a fashion photographer.
What it Takes to Become a Fashion Photographer
A career in Fashion photography requires dedication, commitment, and hard work, and its a lot promising as some people have become quite influential in the industry having started from the bottom ladder.

What's your say?

Source : https://www.millitime.com/fashion-photography-a-good-alternative-to-fashion-design-business-nigeria/

Do you have a blog or you and you want to start a career in blogging? If yes here are some guide to turning your small Blog into a big business.

For Blog Newbies, see Introduction to Blogging – What You Need to Know
https://blog.schwizweb.com/introduction-blogging-need-know/

What Does It Take to Turn a Blog into a Business?
Growing your blog into a profitable business is not an easy procedure and is not a get-rich-quick system. To make your blogging work you have to put in a lot of hard work. This is where your passion and your love for blogging comes in. If you start up a blog solely for the purpose of making money, you will get frustrated even before the start money starts rolling in. �
Various Ways of Monetizing a Blog
Here are a few ways of monetizing your blog;
1. Sell Adverts and Apply for Google Adsense
The first thing that you can do is selling advertisements. However this is not recommended for bloggers who don't have much traffic coming to their blog. If you don't have a steady stream of visitors and you don't have a reasonable amount of traffic each month then you should probably wait before you go into advertising and getting paid to your blog because most companies will want to know the number of a total traffic you have in a month in giving you an affiliate business with them.

If you don't have much traffic yet, even before applying for Google adsense, you should add more content to your blog.

With Google adsense ads, you will get paid per click or per one thousand impression on your ad. Therefore, you are not just getting when someone clicks on your ad, you are also getting paid for every thousand impressions (impression refers to whenever your ad loads up for someone to see).

Alternatively, instead of making use of AdSense,(Which it is difficult to have an approved account in some countries) you can apply for an ad network. Depending on your traffic and the statistics you show them, they will decide if they want you in their network or not. There are some that are higher end than others and as such, their remuneration vary.
2. E-book sales
Once you have built an audience, you have to become known for something in particular. You can be known for financial and money management, blogging tips, lifestyle advice, health tips et al. You can create an eBook from any of these areas and put it up for sale on your blog. You should keep this intertwined with your blog. For example, if you blog about interior decorations, you can put together an eBook on tips for decorating. Try to keep it tailored to your audience and build it around something that they will find useful.
3. Affiliate links
Affiliate marketing is a type of business where someone sells a product or service that is not created by them so as to earn a commission as a reward. The use of affiliate links is better if the product is related to your blog.

For example, if you own a tech blog and you go ahead to post a post an affiliate link for cosmetics. A tech blog is not based on cosmetics, you have no use for them and your readers will not understand why you are advertising them. So just keep in mind to apply for affiliate links that is related to your blog.

See also : Branding: The Key in Growing a Business or a Website : https://blog.schwizweb.com/branding-key-step-starting-business-website/


Conclusion
In making your blog grow into a big business you should write great content consistently. Consistently creating high quality content is a sure method of getting readers to discover your blog and keep them coming back regularly. Secondly Promote your content. Writing wonderful content is only half the job especially if you are just starting up as a blogger. Your wonderfully written articles will not just go viral by themselves. Put them up on Social media, use email marketing, SEO, and outreach. Finally, be persistent. blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes time, dedication and a persistence to be able to turn a blog into a business. Be persistent, increase your knowledge on blogging, try out new things to see what works and what is not worthwhile, optimize your blog etc. and you will surely succeed.

Source : https://www.millitime.com/guide-turning-blog-big-business/

In a tweet posted on its official Twitter handle, the Lagos state government has announced a reduction in recently amended Land Use Charges.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had earlier hinted at the willingness of the state government to modify the charges. He made this known during a parley with business leaders in the state.

— The Lagos State Govt (@followlasg) March 15, 2018

Amended Charges
Commercial fee charge has been reduced by 50%. Owner occupier third party fee is reduced by 25%. Owner occupier fee charge has also been lowered by 15% .

The revised Land Use Charge had been a source of controversy as many residents had viewed the charge as exorbitant. In some cases, increases were as much as 400%. The state government had justified steep increase as due to the non revision of the law in over a decade and the need to increase revenue.

Lagosians also kicked against the inclusion of a private firm Alpha Beta to monitor the collection of the charges. The Lagos State House of Assembly has since stated the inclusion was an error.

Source link : https://www.millitime.com/lagos-state-gov-reduces-land-use-charge-breaking-news-2/

Application is hereby invited from suitably qualified Nigerians for the 2018 National Entrepreneurship Empowerment Programme (NEEP 2018). This opportunity is for entrepreneurs or intending entrepreneurs with viable business idea that can boost Nigerian economy and possibly employ other Nigerians within a shortest possible time.

Full details : https://www.millitime.com/register-2018-neep-programme-n5m-business-fund/

The thought of your car’s steering wheel becoming detached while you’re negotiating a series of bends at speed is a terrifying one. that’s why Ford has just announced a recall notice for more than 1.3 million of its vehicles.

Source : https://www.millitime.com/ford-recalls-1-3-million-cars-steering-wheel-can-come-off/

MTN Nigeria raked in an astonishing N127 billion from data subscription revenue for the entire year of 2017. The telecoms giant disclosed this in its 2017 annual report released a week ago.

According to MTN, data revenue was R4,376 million up 89% year on year giving a naira value of approximately N126.9 billion using an exchange rate of N29.05 (MTN used this as its closing exchange rate for the year) to one South African Rand.

MTN Nigeria (MTNN) made an impressive N1 trillion up 27% year on year (in Naira terms). MTNN reports in South African Rands and suffered exchange rate losses as a result of devaluation of the Naira in 2017 compared to 2016.



MTN Data Revenues

MTN also reported that it made R3.8 billion (N112.3 billion) from digital revenue for the year under review.

MTN on Exchange rate
“The stronger rand and the significant year-on-year (YoY) depreciation of the naira against the US dollar had a negative translation effect on rand-reported results for the period. The average naira depreciated by 25,8% against the US dollar in the year, and the closing rate was down 13,1% YoY. The average rand strengthened by 9,6% against the US dollar YoY and the rand closed 10,7% stronger. In light of recent developments in South Africa we are expecting the rand to stay robust throughout 2018.” MTN

MTN on Data revenue
“According to MTN, Data revenue increased by 34.2%, profiting from notably improved data network quality and capacity across their key markets and a continued escalation in active data users to 69.1 million.

Data revenue increased in South Africa (up 25.8%∆), Nigeria (up 86.6%), Uganda (up 41.4%), Ghana (up 50.6%), Cameroon (up 21.1%) and Ivory Coast (up 87.5%*). “

MTN on Digital Revenue
“Digital revenue increased by 14.2%*, underpinned by solid growth in MFS. This was partly offset by slower growth in VAS revenue, impacted by the optimisation of the VAS business across our markets, particularly Nigeria. Our ecommerce JVs, while being equity accounted in the place of consolidated within the results, remain a significant component of our digital strategy. We will work to further enhance synergies between our existing platform and our e-commerce businesses.”

MTN Internet Subscribers
Data from the NCC reveals MTN has about 36,069,597 internet subscribers up from 31,753,369 in December 2016. Nigeria has a total internet subscriber base of 98,391,456 up from 91,880,032 in December 2016.

Internet subscription growth has catapulted revenues for most telcos in a period where voice calls have fallen under intense competition from Voice Over Internet Protocol companies. For MTN the strategy during the last few years is to expand on its digital and data subscription divisions to drive revenue growth across its country of operations.

The company has also relied heavily on Nigeria to drive its revenue growth, with the country’s getting back together over 50% of its revenue.

MTN plans to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and disclosed in its annual report that it is making good progress and will be listing on the Premium Board in 2018. See slso The Best Mutual Fund in Nigeria at the moment https://www.millitime.com/stanbic-ibtc-mutual-fund/

MTN Digital
It is also interesting to note that MTN Digital, which comprises its Value Added Services (VAS), E-commerce and Mobile Financial Services (MFM) business, generated a massive N112.3 billion business down 3.5% Year on Year (YOY).

MTN reported that the group added 5.7 million active MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) customers during the year.

Source : http:///financecr

A young man has been served with adequate punishment after he was found out to have murdered his own mother in a most horrific manner.

William Kelly, a 42-year-old man has been jailed for a minimum of 23 years after he was found out to have murdered his 71-year-old mother by dousing her in petrol and setting her on fire.

According to BBC, the former offshore worker William Kelly, even shouted “die, die” as Cathy Kelly was engulfed in flames.

A jury heard his only concern after the blaze last February was the safety of his West Highland terrier, Poppy.

A judge described his actions in the home they shared in Kilmaurs Road, Kilmarnock as “horrific”.

Jailing Kelly for life, judge Lady Stacey said: “I understand you maintain your denial of the crime and have shown no remorse.

“I also note from having heard the evidence that you said a few weeks after your mother’s death you did what you had to and she deserved what she got.

“The jury found you guilty of murdering your mother, you assaulted her by pushing her and putting her to the floor before you poured petrol on her and set her alight – that is a horrific crime.”

Throughout his trial Kelly denied murdering his mother on 11 February last year.

He said he had never hit her and claimed she had been set on fire by accident after he cleaned a car part in the garage and spilt petrol on his trousers and trainers.

Kelly claimed that as he bent over his mother as she lay on the living room floor he lit a cigarette and there was a blue flash.

But the court heard that Kelly was angry because his mother had embarrassed him at a 21st birthday party by drinking too much.

He ordered his mother and his then partner Eleanor Banks to leave and called a taxi.

When they returned home at about 23:00 he dragged his mother by the arms into the house after she fell as she got out the taxi.

Kelly then punched and kicked the OAP on the head and body in the living room of their home.

Ms Banks, 44, told prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC: “William was emptying a petrol can onto his mum – all over her – and I couldn’t stop him.

“I was standing screaming ‘You’re going to kill your mum’ and he was saying ‘die’.

“He went down and he set fire at the bottom of her legs.

“She just went up like an inferno. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

A pathologist said Ms Kelly suffered bruising, broken ribs and second degree burns to 45% of her body.

Jurors heard that she was recovering from a brain haemorrhage, which she suffered in December 2016, and it was alleged that this was caused by beatings inflicted by violent Kelly.

Heartless Kelly even boasted in a text of wanting to give his mother “two black eyes for Christmas.”

When the killer was being treated for burns he confessed to a nurse who was treating him and told her: “I did what I had to do.

“I was provoked. She got what she deserved.”

Source: https://www.millitime.com/man-pours-petrol-mother-set-fire-photo/

Popular p*rn star, Olivia Nova whose real name is Lexi Rose Forte – died on Sunday 7 January at the age of 20, just days after tweeting that she was alone at Christmas and needed someone to lift her spirits.

The 20-year-old who started her p*rn career in the year 2017 died mysteriously and the cause of her death is yet to be ascertained.

The report:

“While only represented by Direct Models for a short period of time, we came to know Olivia as a beautiful girl with a very sweet and gentle personality.”

According to The Daily Mail, Nova was found dead in Las Vegas on January 7. The cause of the 20-year-old’s death is currently unknown.

Nova started out her career as a model after she was scouted at the age of 12 and only moved into the adult film industry in 2017.

“How they’re going to pay for all of this is the last thing the family should have to worry about.

“We are asking that friends and loved ones of Lexi rally together to support her family during this time of need whether it be by prayer, good vibes or a monetary donation. Please, share this link and join us to support Lexi’s family in this most unbearable time.”

During her short career, Nova worked with a number of big-name porn distributors, including NovaBrazzers, Naughty America, and Digital Sin.

P*rn star Olivia Nova’s devastated family beg fans to help pay funeral costs as actress dies unexpectedly aged 20

Source : https://www.millitime.com/read-popular-adult-movie-star-olivia-nova-died-mysteriously-age-20/