Make your Kids Wise in terms of Money!

Hello Everyone!

The 21^st Century kids are just awesome! They are smart, observant, quick learners & most importantly…they are tech savvy! They are growing up so quickly than your imagination.

Their Lifestyle is increasing at a rapid pace. For instance, today an Android Phone is a need for a 10 year old kid…isn’t it?

Kids are innocent…their thinking pattern & behavior can take a turn as we mould them. So it is extremely important to teach your kids the value of money & inculcate discipline in them.

Here are a few things which you can teach your kids…

1. Patience is must

Parents try to give all sorts of comforts to their kids. But it is important to teach them the difference between their Needs, Wants & Dreams! If they wish to buy something, tell them to be patient. In future, they will have to struggle to achieve their goals so make them tough for it!

 

2. Introduce them to basic Budgeting

When you provide them with their Monthly Pocket Money, tell them to keep a track of it. Help them in making sensible decisions while handling their money. This will turn into a habit once they grow up & won’t face problem with their income & expenses at a later stage.

 

3. Create a Piggy Bank or a Bank Account

It is a very common thing for the kids to have Piggy Banks. Explain its purpose to them. Teach them how to deposit money & ensure that they continue their habit of saving money.

 

4. Be a Role Model

You must practice what you preach! Kids learn by observing their surroundings & consider their parents as idols when they are young. Make sure that you are setting a perfect example for your kids.

 

5. Bring in Money Games

The best way to teach kids is through games! Board games like Monopoly & Business can add a fun factor along with learning.

 

So as parents, it is your responsibility to take correct steps to educate and motivate your kids to use money more efficiently!

 

More Later…

Advertisements

Words of Wisdom in Equity Investing!

Hello Everyone!

Today, Equity is the best Asset Class which can give you high returns & beat inflation as well! People are conscious while dealing in Stocks & they often make decisions which lower their ability to build a good Corpus.

Here are a few Words of Wisdom which can prove as a Valuable Guide in your Investments.

1. Believe in the Power of Compounding

In Equity Investing, Compounding does it all to reach to the top. Compounding earn interest on interest thereby giving you higher returns. The more time you give your investments, the more you are able to accelerate the income potential of your original investment.

2. Always be Disciplined

Discipline is one of the major traits of an Investor.  You should be investing as well as reviewing your Portfolio regularly. You need to be clear on what kind of stocks to buy & make strategies accordingly. Times appear, wherein, you have to invest depending upon the Market Trends but that is the time when you have to act disciplined.

3. Don’t indulge in Short Term Gains

In case, you want to become a Long Term Investor & accumulate Wealth over the years then get rid of the distractions which lead you towards short term gains. Gaining a little amount every now & then won’t give you Financial Stability but a Corpus that is created with a view of Long Term can!

4. Understand Risk

‘Risk & Returns are the two sides of the same coin’….is what we have been hearing so far! But it is not necessary. It is not only about high risk stocks…it is about your Risk bearing ability. You need to know your Risk Profile…if it is Conservative, Moderate or Aggressive & then build your Portfolio accordingly.

5. Hold Big Stocks for a long time

The biggest Mantra of Investing is to buy big stocks at reasonable prices & hold them for a really long time. The time will play its part but it is also important for you to keep a check on them at regular intervals.

More Later…

Diwali Bonanza…Use it Wisely!

Hello Folks!

Diwali come around once a year & so does the Bonus! This Bonanza should be used wisely & not just misspend it. Your Temptations are knew no bounds with the Festive Season Offers & Discounts. We come across so many festive Discounts and forget the difference between our Needs & Wants…!

There are several better productive ways to use your Bonus:

1. Pay off high cost Debt

Credit Cards are the worst forms of debt. Outstanding Credit Card Payments, Car Loan, Personal Loan…just pay it off rather than bragging it! This will bring you a relief psychologically as well as financially.

2. Build an Emergency Corpus

Life is never a smooth ride, thus be prepared for all situations. If you do not have an Emergency Fund, you should use your Bonus to build one. This corpus will help you manage sudden, unplanned expenses, medical emergencies. It will help you avoid last minute scrounging for money.

3. Plan for Additional Tax Breaks

If you fall in higher Tax Bracket, it is a good time to invest in avenues such as ELSS, NPS and so on to yield Tax Benefits.

4. Allocate Money to your Long Term Goals

Retirement is something that none of us can avoid and all of us have to deal with it at some point in our lives. Time catches up with everyone. While an SIP is the right vehicle to save for retirement, a lump sum investment towards retirement can act as a one-time boost towards keeping your retirement goal on track.

Make sure that you end up using your Diwali Bonus prudently!

Wish you a Happy & Safe Diwali!

More Later…

Significance of Navratri in Financial Planning!

Hello Folks!

Are you all set for playing Garba for the next 9 days? Well, India is a multi cultural & colourful country. After Ganesh Chaturthi, here we are ready to welcome Goddess Durga. Navratri is another auspicious occasion worshiping nine incarnations of goddess Durga for nine days.

So here are few Financial Learnings from the significance of Navratri…

1. Self Discipline

We celebrate the Nine days of Navratri with great joy, by fasting & giving up our favourite meals. This requires self discipline & self control to give upon your temptations. Similarly, Financial Planning can be effective only by making small sacrifices for your future’s security. Your Financial Goals can be thus achieved with discipline.

2. Shubh Mahurat for Decision Making

We believe in God and his positive energies…! Don’t you think Festivals are the best time of the year to make a new beginning? Festivals are always a Shubh Mahurat for major decision making, especially the financial ones! Who knows…Investing during these times might prove lucky to you…!

3. Get rid of Bad Decisions

Well, each & every festival has got its own significance & is celebrated for the victory of good over evil. Make a point to clean out the burden of bad debts. Cleaning your portfolio is a tough task, but you must do it at once if your bad debts are impacting you negatively. Study your Portfolio properly & take actions to get rid of your bad stocks immediately.

Make sure that you work for making your Financial Position better day by day!

Let us worship the three Goddesses…Goddess Durga to help overcome obstacles, Goddess Lakshmi for peace & prosperity & Goddess Saraswati to gain knowledge!

Wish you & your family a very Happy & Prosperous Navratri!  

More Later…

 

 

 

Changing Seasons…Adapting to changing Financial Times!

Hello Everyone!

We are in mid September now…time to say good bye to the monsoon! After a couple of months we will be enjoying the winter chills.

Some of you may like the summer, some may enjoy the rains while others love winter. But we cannot stick to one season…we cannot stop Seasons from coming & going!

Winter is cold, Summer is hot  while Monsoon is wet.

We cannot change the season but we surely can adapt & mould ourselves to face the Season. When Seasons change, we have to adapt to it. Similarly, we go through Seasons in our lives too!

So, when the Season of your Life changes, what do you do?

The Summer Season comes with a wave of relaxation. It is the time when you sit back & relax. It is this time when you actually enjoy yourself…redeem the points you have earned, reap the fruits of your whole year’s hardwork.

But after a certain time, you realize that Monsoon is not far…you can’t be on Vacation forever…you have to be prepared for the rainy day. The most crucial thing with the Summer Season is the Financial Year End & a fresh start of a New Year. Everyone needs to do a few things during this time…going through your Investments, rebalancing your Portfolio, adding onto your Portfolio & so on.

The Monsoon Season is the time to make sure that you are safe. Monsoon is sometimes pleasant while it turns out to be a disaster if it rains excess. You need to put everything right in place. Things are washed, flown away in the rains. Make sure that you swim towards the shore in case you feel you are flowing away. We have grown up hearing that we need to save for the Rainy Day. Make sure you have enough savings & investments for your Emergencies. It is mandatory that you create a separate fund for any calamity. Have a proper Insurance which suits your needs the best.

The Winter Season…India being a hot country, the cold of winter is a great relief for us. The mornings are sometimes very cold, but half an hour’s sunshine is enough to make us feel quite comfortable. Likewise, you may feel problems hovering around you but a glimpse of Sunshine is enough to show you the way out of it…! Times will come when your Investments may go down since they are subject to Market Risks…but the crunch is not forever! That is the reason it is said that you need to stay invested in Equity for a long time & then you see the desired results!

Remember, the seasons change whether we are ready or not. So why not adapt & change as the changing Seasons of our Life.  Life will be much more comfortable, manageable and enjoyable!

More Later…

 

This Independence Day become Financially Independent!

Without Moral & Intellectual Independence, there is no Anchor for National Independence…!

– David Ben – Gurion

So it is the 70^th Independence Day tomorrow.

Well, Independence is not about being independent on a national level. It is extremely important to be morally & financially independent than anything else!

As we Indians, gear up for our 70^th Independence Day, its great time to look at your own Financial Situation & make sure that you are on the road to Financial Independence as well…!

Many individuals think that you have to be rich or earn a hefty salary to be financially independent. But it is not only about your Assets, your Expenses are equally important. You need to strike a balance between your Income & Expenses.

Every Individual be it a Working Man, Working Woman, Housewife or a Retiree…they have to be Self Sufficient.

Let us go through some points which depict the importance of being Financially Independent…

1. Extra Spending Money

These days, it is difficult to survive with a single income source. You need an extra source to spend on something really nice…to spend on the things which you crave for!

2. Spend more time for yourself & family

 We end up working hard all our lives, leaving behind our passions. Spend more time with your friends & family, for your Passion.

3. Live on your Own Terms

If you are strong enough to bear your Expenses, then you don’t need to depend on anyone else to get your things done. You can thus live your Life happily on your own terms… do whatever & however you want!

4. Life after Retirement

You are going to retire at some point of your life & you know what…Financial Independence is important because Job Security is just an illusion! Thus this is certainly one of the key attributes of being Self Sufficient.

Thus, strive to be strong enough to live your life the way you want!

More later…

 

 

Festive Season Begins…Plan your Budget Wisely!

India is a country of Festivals…! With beginning of Shravan Month the chain of Indian Festivals begin which continues till the end of the Calendar Year. The festive season in India is a sheer period with emphasis on Food, Décor, Gifts, Social Visits and so on.

While it is a time for happiness & cheer, it can be draining your pocket too! It is possible that you may go out of your way while spending. So is there a way to keep an eye on your Spending…?

Tip 1: Start with a Budget

Plan a Budget before you start shopping for this Season. I am sure, most of us draw out a rough estimate of the Spending but a detailed Budget is much better. With a rough Budget, there are chances of potentially spending more & it is tough to track your Expenses!

Tip 2: Avail the Festival Discounts

Many Stores put up Festive Sales which brings in offers on shopping of Clothes, Decors & so on. Moreover, these days Online Shopping has gained lot of importance. You can get attractive Discounts, Offers & Season Sales. So why not avail these discounts?!

Tip 3: Purchase what you need

Take a stock of what you already have & what you want to purchase before you make your Wish List. Many-a-times we end up shopping for the items which we already have unnecessarily adding onto our Expenses.

Tip 4: Know when to Stop

‘Cut your Coat according to your Cloth’…is a famous Proverb. It is extremely important to know your limits & put a brake on your Expenses after those limits. Shopping on Credit is not a great idea…so you should know where to stop!

More Later…