danastauffer's Space http://danastauffer.posterous.com Most recent posts at danastauffer's Space posterous.com Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:26:00 -0700 Capturing Special Moments http://danastauffer.posterous.com/capturing-special-moments http://danastauffer.posterous.com/capturing-special-moments

Family pictures are very important to my family. We get a family photo numerous times throughout the year including fall photos and Christmas pictures. I choose a photographer based on several aspects that are valuable to my family and I.

I want to make sure my family gets beautiful portraits the first time. I don't like to do retakes. The atmosphere is an essential part in great photos. I look for someone that can capture special moments no matter where we are. I like outside photos as well as indoor pictures. My photographer must be able to do both and still make every picture unique.

The next critical factor is finding a photographer who is well experienced. I ask to see a portfolio of portraits he has took of others. Experience is a must when I choose who takes my family photos. I don't want someone who doesn't know what they are doing. I want someone who is well established in the family photography melbourne industry. This doesn't necessarily mean they have to have years of experience. That's why judging the work they have done is important.

It is substantial that a photographer has the time for my family and I . Unlike going to the mall to get photos and having to be rushed, I want to take my time. Every photo should be well thought out and capture these great moments. I should be able to talk with the photographer and tell him exactly what I am expecting out of this experience. The photographer should listen to what I am expecting and take all aspects to make sure the photos are perfect.

Photographers capture special moments in my family and I. The photographer should feel like family when he is taking our portraits. The experience is very valuable to my family and I. Our photos should be valuable to the photographer as well.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/n3HhhGzVVDk7g danastauffer danastauffer danastauffer
Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:37:00 -0700 5 Top Tips for Investing in Gold http://danastauffer.posterous.com/5-top-tips-for-investing-in-gold http://danastauffer.posterous.com/5-top-tips-for-investing-in-gold

Investing in gold is far harder than just walking into a store and buying gold by paying with your credit card. It may be possible to do that somewhere, but it is definitely not advisable. When you invest in gold, you are investing in one of the safest investments, one that has never been seen to fall in prices over the long term. However, even then you could come out a loser from your gold investment if you do not follow the following 5 top tips for investing in gold.

 

  1. Gold is a Long Term Investment

Gold has long been considered a store of value. As a trusted store of value, its actual value will not fluctuate way above or below the mean. Further, the long term trend in gold prices, since time immemorial, has been to stay consistently high. The reason behind it is not difficult to find: there is a limited amount of gold in the world, so all the money is chasing a limited resource, which increases its value over time. In the short term, gold can go down or up. In terms of gold, any period less than 5-10 years is short term.

 

  1. Physical gold can prove a hassle

The traditional way to invest in gold is to buy gold in the form of gold bullion, where bullion refers to gold coins or gold bars. Jewelry is another way to invest in gold. These are all physical gold investments, in which you actually own gold. There are some advantages to this form of investment, such as the fact that you can actually own the gold you buy, but overall there are more disadvantages than advantages. For one, you have to worry about the security of your gold coins or bullion; if you don’t take good care, your gold might be stolen or lost. Then there is the fact that it is harder to sell gold bullion or jewelry at real market rates. These two reasons make real gold quite an inconvenient investment.

 

  1. Invest in gold ETFs and Gold mining Companies

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund, and in the case of gold, refers to a fund which is backed by real gold bullion stored away vaults. However, rather than trade the bullion, traders and investors trade ownership rights to the gold in the form of shares in ETFs. This makes it easier to buy and sell ETFs.

 

Gold mining companies are another way to invest in gold. Their share prices are strongly correlated with the price of gold, due to obvious reasons, so if you think that gold prices are going to go up, you can conclude that shares of gold mining companies will go up too. Again, it is more convenient to trade in gold mining shares than in real gold. However, it should be kept in mind that gold mining share prices are not always positively correlated with gold prices.

 

  1. In times of Crisis, go for Gold

Gold is said to have real value, unlike currencies which are valued because they are backed by central banks of different countries. With so many countries at risk of default during the recent economic turmoil, the risk associated with currencies has again been highlighted. This is the primary reason why gold prices have been going up over the last few years. So if you want to prepare yourself for any crisis, you should invest in gold. Experts say that 10% to 30% of your net portfolio should be invested in gold.

 

  1. Do not fall for Pop Marketing

With the economic turbulence attracting more investors in gold, a number of companies have started to promote gold as a safe-haven investment. These companies are most often seen in US media during prime time news, where all the world’s worst crises are unfolding. This is a type of scare-marketing whose main purpose is to drive investors to buy a company’s product, and not to make better investments. You should learn more about gold investment from the real experts, who will not be seen on any TV or internet advertisement.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/n3HhhGzVVDk7g danastauffer danastauffer danastauffer
Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:40:00 -0700 Why I Buy Gold http://danastauffer.posterous.com/why-i-buy-gold http://danastauffer.posterous.com/why-i-buy-gold

I save a little money each month so that a couple times a year I can buy a couple ounces of gold. There is a lot of debate about the benefits and costs of investing in real metals, but I think it is absolutely worth it. Buying gold diversifies your investment portfolio and provides a hedge against inflation. In addition to these perks, gold is an investment that has been steadily outperforming other investment options in our sluggish economy.

Sound investment strategies include diversification. Most of us take the little bit that we save each month and put it in an investment account based on mutual funds, IRAs, life cycle funds, or individual stocks. All of these assets are stock market driven and thus deeply tied to the rise and fall of the Wall Street managed market. Even if you have a retirement account that is well diversified and managed by a professional broker, the account is still only diversified within the narrow window of Wall Street managed accounts. Investing in a tangible asset, like gold, is an easy way to begin your branching out from the Wall Street controlled assets.

Gold is universally valued as currency and can be easily exchanged for cash. I think America’s debt will drive inflation and I am looking for ways to protect myself from the devaluation of the dollar. Gold is an easy hedge against inflation. Gold will maintain its worth as a precious metal, but as the value of the dollar drops, it will drive the price per ounce of gold higher and higher. When inflation hits, you do not want to have cash in your bank account because it will begin losing value. Instead, I’m going to have gold in my safe, and it will be gaining value.

I Buy Gold because I think inflation is on the way and because I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is a post bailout Wall Street bank.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/n3HhhGzVVDk7g danastauffer danastauffer danastauffer