Tag Archives: lifestyle

Jamaican Style Money Guide: Don’t Hang Yuh Cap Whey Yuh Cyaan Reach

Spending, , , , , , , ,

If you would like to become smarter with money, you can gain tremendous insight by exploring the wisdom in our beloved Jamaican proverbs. As the saying goes, “A word to the wise is sufficient;” and a few astute adages from our rich heritage can help you to increase your financial intelligence.

One smart saying that I have heard many Jamaican old-timers use is, “Don’t hang yuh cap whey yuh cyaan reach.” In Standard English the proverb translates to, “Don’t hang your hat higher than you can reach;” and it cautions persons not to expend more than they can afford.

The concept of ‘living within your means’ is a basic principle to financial success, yet it’s one of the money rules that is easiest to break. Many people have no idea what their ‘means’ really is, so they often find it difficult to remain within the acceptable limits whenever they spend their money. Continue reading Jamaican Style Money Guide: Don’t Hang Yuh Cap Whey Yuh Cyaan Reach →

How To Manage Your Money

Budgeting, , , , , ,

In a recent column entitled “The 3 Ms of Money,” we discussed the principles of financial achievement – managing, multiplying and maintaining your money. Over the coming weeks, we will examine these three pathways to money success in greater detail.

The key to managing your money is knowing what to do with the money that you are already earning, so that you can comfortably pay your bills and work towards attaining your goals. There are four components to successful money management, which, like the ingredients in a recipe, are all essential to producing the perfect end result.

Budget properly

The first step in your journey to financial independence is to learn how to budget properly. A budget is a document that allows you to capture all the things you spend money on, along with your sources of income. The budget must be used as the basis for making all financial decisions. Continue reading How To Manage Your Money →

When Less is More

Goals, , , ,

Last week we looked how we could really create a prosperous New Year by putting some of the universal laws to work in your favour – the Law of Abundance, the Law of Attraction and the Law of Accumulation. According to the experts, diligently applying these success principles can increase wealth and money into your life.

Unfortunately, my New Year brought an unwelcome present in the form of a vicious flu bug which relegated me to bed for several days. With plenty of time on my hands to reflect on what’s truly important, I thought that if I had to choose between wealth and health, my prosperity wishes would be out the door in an instant.

What’s the point of being rich if you don’t feel good? Sure, you could afford to pay for a really nice hospital room, but you’d still be sick and miserable. Continue reading When Less is More →

Crazy Consumption Case # 3 – Living In The Past

Spending, , ,

This week we conclude our series on people afflicted with serious cases of ‘Crazy Consumption.’ They exhibit uncontrollable urges to shop, many times ending up in devastating debt. In desperation, they search for solutions to cure them of their out-of-control spending lifestyle.

Sharon* shares her story of how living in the past has caused her to spend unwisely in the present, leading to a bleak financial future.

Sharon’s Story:

I am a mother of three and I think I’m a spendthrift. I will buy things like groceries and necessities but after that I just spend like money is water. I know I need to slow down because my first child is going to high school now and the second will be going in two years’ time. Right now I’m in debt up to my head top and even though I’m in debt I still take on more.

My take-home pay is about J$14,000 every two weeks. Although the money isn’t much I still end up wasting some of it on things I don’t need. When people come around with things to sell, I can’t resist them. Sometimes I think that I am ‘red eye’; or that I’m buying things to make people think I can afford them, but in reality, I can’t. Please give me some advice on how to monitor my spending better. Continue reading Crazy Consumption Case # 3 – Living In The Past →