Personal Finance

“Crises are part of life. Everybody has to face them, and it doesn’t make any difference what the crisis is.” Jack Nicklaus. As COVID-19 wreaked havoc across the world in the early 2020s, the resulting economic fallout was devastating. These were tough and unprecedented times. In times like these, people often worry about their health

“Every time you borrow money, you’re robbing your future self.” Nathan W. Morris If you want to put your personal finance life in order, you have to do two things; make a budget and set up an emergency fund. These form the foundation for lifelong financial freedom. The budget brings your entire personal finance strategy

The art of living easily as to money is to pitch your scale of living one degree below your means. Sir Henry Taylor Much like personal compatibility, couples should figure out how to create financial compatibility with their partner. Managing your finances is difficult. Now imagine adding another person to the mix. One spouse may

Self-worth takes you further than net worth. Matshona Dhliwayo What is your financial position? Very few people can answer this question with certainty. Understanding your financial position is very important as it gives an indication of your financial health. It also gives you an indication of where you are in relation to your financial journey.

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will themselves not be realized.  Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die. Daniel Hudson Burnham Ask any personal finance expert and they will tell you setting yourself clear

He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself. – Swedish Proverb January is the time of year when we set our goals and make plans on how to achieve these goals. One of the most popular goals is to save more. Whether for emergencies or for a particular goal. Even when saving

“To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe.” Anatole France. Our goals and financial aspirations shift as we grow older and wiser. As we advance to the 30-40 age bracket, our thinking process, financial preferences and goals change, with events such as marriage and family

“Wealth is largely a result of habit.” ~ John Jacob Astor. Your net worth is your wealth. Destroying your net worth, therefore, means you are destroying your wealth. It affects your financial security. Much has been discussed on how to build wealth, but little is said about how you can destroy that wealth. We all

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”-Mahatma Gandhi.  What makes financial planning difficult is basic human nature. We want good things now, not in a seemingly distant future we are not sure of anyway. This kind of thinking is, however, problematic because our resources are limited.

“Getting money is like digging with a needle, spending it is like water soaking into sand.” ~ Japanese Proverb . Tough economic times tend to bring out our innovative and resilient side. You have to adapt to survive. Nobody likes to cut their spending because it often leads to a lower quality of life. Or

“There are plenty of ways to get ahead.  The first is so basic I’m almost embarrassed to say it:  spend less than you earn.”  ~ Paul Clitheroe. What does it really mean to be financially responsible? The answer to this question is very simple, it simply means living within your means. And to live within

“It’s not your salary that makes you rich; it’s your spending habits.” – Charles A. Jaffe . Aristotle is said to have once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is therefore not an act but a habit.” If you believe this quote still rings true today as it did back in his time,

“Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy, inquiry the progress, ignorance the end.”  ~ Michel de Montaigne Executing your personal finance strategy takes more than a New Year’s resolution, it is a continuous process. You need discipline, education and constant reviews of our financial journey throughout the year and indeed your entire life. With only

“You may never know what results come out of your actions, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” – Mahatma Gandhi. You may not have given much thought to how you behave towards money and how this affects your financial wellbeing. But the reality is, as with most things in life, your

“The key is not to prioritize what is on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Stephen R. Covey, American author of ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ Very few people in the world have enough money to achieve all their financial goals simultaneously. Most individuals juggle with money as they work toward several different

We recently turned 21 & that got us thinking, what happens #in21 years? A LOT. You need to plan for it. Here is a template to guide you as you plan. We recently turned 21 and that got us thinking, what happens in 21 years? A LOT. A baby transforms to a young adult. A

“Preparation for old age should begin not later than one’s teens: A life which is empty on purpose will not suddenly be filled on retirement “- Dwight L Moody. Saving for retirement is one of the most neglected financial goals, notwithstanding the consequences. Currently, there are also various consumer-friendly products available in the market yet in

“The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894), American poet, essayist and physician. Let’s talk about resolutions. Yes, those resolutions, New Year’s Resolution. A few weeks into the year, a couple of resolutions fall by the wayside. After

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt. Most people know a personal budget is good for their finances but they just can’t seem to make it work. There are many reasons as to why this is so. Sometimes, when one is having trouble making ends meet, and even more

“Every day the increasing weight of years admonishes me more and more, that the shade of retirement is as necessary to me as it will be welcome.” ~ George Washington. The shift from saving for retirement to spending in retirement requires preparation and a fundamental change in mindset. Having spent your entire working life saving

“There are plenty of ways to get ahead. The first is so basic I’m almost embarrassed to say it: spend less than you earn.  ~Paul Clitheroe. Possibly the most dangerous financial hazard facing us today is mounting debt. Most people are taking loans. Is it because we really need the loan or because access to

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” – Alan Lakein. When one is young, or even middle-aged, retirement seems to be a distant reality, thus saving for that time which may or may not come does not seem like a priority. There are numerous excuses

“Human progress is achieved by taking exact measurements.” ~ William F. Buckley. What we expect to happen to us at various ages may be far from reality. Someone in their 20s may already be burdened with heavy family responsibilities, a 60-year-old might be back in school for an advanced degree course, and an 80-year-old might

Quote of the Week: “That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.” ~ Henry David Thoreau. End month is almost here again. How time flies, and money too. Every time you get some money, it doesn’t seem to stick around for long. Barely a few days after you received money you need a soft loan.

Quote of the Week:  “Life has taught us that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.”~ Antoine de Saint   The invitations, cake, wedding reception; you have done a lot of planning together. However, before you walk down the aisle it is very important for

Quote of the Week: “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” Sir Winston Churchill. The investment journey is not easy. That’s why it’s important to join hands with like-minded individuals to achieve your goals. Even then, it never gets easy. Investing can be difficult at first especially if you have

Quote of the Week: “I’ve been held responsible for taxes I know nothing about.” James Brown. They say the only thing certain about life is death and taxes. If you live long enough, you can add retirement to that list. Retirement is a certainty and just like taxes we don’t like to think about it.

Quote of the Week: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” – Pablo Picasso     Have you ever been blindsided by an unexpected financial emergency and do not know what to do? We have all been there. Whether it is a job loss, medical expenses, or an

Quote of the Week: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” – Pablo Picasso.   When it comes to finances everyone, from time to time, will make mistakes and think “if only I had done this instead of that”. Hindsight is 20/20. We tend to be more knowledgeable