Category Archives: Budgeting

Budgeting: Get it right, Get it done

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Last week we reviewed Brian Tracy’s best-selling book, Eat That Frog! looking at simple tactics that could help you to take action on your financial resolutions this year. The book’s unusual title is derived from a saying that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, it would probably be the worst thing that would happen to you for the entire day.

Tracy, a goal achievement expert, explained that your frog is your most important task, “the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don’t do something about it now.” If you immediately tackle your frog every day, it will have a tremendous positive effect on all your goals. Ignoring your frogs will only make it harder to achieve your life’s objectives.

Your ticket to success

One thing you can do right now to change your financial future is to prepare a budget. However, it is probably the one money objective that people procrastinate on the most. Budgeting could definitely be viewed as a big ‘frog’ that you need to eat. It is the foundation to money success; as without the clarity it provides, it will be hard to proceed with your other goals. Continue reading Budgeting: Get it right, Get it done →

New Beginnings

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If you have made a lot of mistakes in life, wouldn’t it wonderful to be able to wipe your slate clean and start anew? To be more technologically relevant, wouldn’t it be great to hit the delete button, remove the unwanted lines, and have a blank screen to create a different story?

I’m sure that there are many people who wish that they could change their financial history in this way.

The reality is that you’re stuck with your past whether it harbours good or bad money memories. There is no life eraser that will allow you to remove the errors of judgement that may have caused you to frivolously waste money, borrow too much, make unwise investments or overlook opportunities that could have brought you fulfilment and prosperity. Continue reading New Beginnings →

Budgeting Is A Must

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Last week we expanded on the concepts in our 2012 Money Manifesto and explained why focusing on your financial education is the most important investment you could make for your future.

If you’re searching to find answers to your money problems, I can assure you that you will find the solutions in books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and Internet sites that deal with financial matters.

The first money success principle that you need to learn and apply is budgeting. Our Money Manifesto states: that “I will no longer be clueless about what I spend money on, as I will take the time to document all the expenses that I expect to come during the year. I will write down all my income sources and then calculate if my earnings can cover my expenses.”

There are two main reasons why budgeting is an indispensable money management tool. Continue reading Budgeting Is A Must →

The Past and Present Tense of Money

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The start of a new year usually fills our hearts with optimism and hope for a better future. I’ve always been fascinated by this phenomenon – why should this period inspire us to create lofty resolutions and ambitious declarations? Why do we anticipate that the fading old year will usher in bright beginnings?

There is no magic elixir that gets released on New Year’s Day; the first of January is just another 24 hours that will come and go, just like they did on December 31.

Despite our fervent wishes to exercise regularly, save more, be kinder to other people or pursue our dreams, chances are that after a few days of inspired activity, we will continue along the same old pathway as we did before.

The reality is that you can choose to transform your life at any time of the year. The date doesn’t make a difference; whether it’s February 28, April 13, or September 4, any day can symbolise that moment when you finally commit to do whatever it takes to effect the changes that you desire. Continue reading The Past and Present Tense of Money →

Managing Money After Divorce

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After separating from her husband last year, Marilyn has been struggling to pay her bills on time and to keep track of her expenses. During the 21 years she was married, her accountant husband had taken care of all their financial transactions. “I didn’t understand the basics of managing our money,” Marilyn reveals, “I had never even read our bank statement.”

Four years ago, 46-year-old businessman Steven decided to let his ex-wife keep the family home, since she would have custody of their two young children. “I left everything with her and walked out with just my personal possessions.” Today he wonders if he made the right decision as he is finding it difficult to afford to buy another house of his own.

The dissolution of a marriage usually brings upheaval for the former partners, their family members and friends. While attention is given to the emotional and mental effects of divorce, the monetary challenges cannot be ignored as they can leave the family finances in serious disarray.

If you are dealing with divorce, here are some important considerations: Continue reading Managing Money After Divorce →

Coping With Your Parents’ Financial Problems

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Steven* was casually reviewing the newspaper’s real estate section when he noticed a familiar address among a long list of properties up for auction. Thinking that there was a mistake in the advertisement, he quickly called his mother to tell her that they had used her house number in error.

It took Steven a while to realise that his 65-year-old mother had not responded to his amusing story.

Within a few minutes, Steven’s mother was sobbing over the phone. She haltingly admitted that she had taken out a loan against her house to get money to place in an alternative investment scheme. When the money-making operation collapsed in 2008, she was forced to deplete her retirement accounts to meet the mortgage payments, which were now four months overdue. Continue reading Coping With Your Parents’ Financial Problems →

Money Lessons from Michael Jackson

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Following the sudden passing of pop superstar Michael Jackson, many people around the world are reminiscing about his music and mystique. However, as a financial advisor, I can’t help but focus my attention on Michael Jackson’s finances.

As the stories about his financial situation come to light, it appears that Jackson had serious money problems. Despite a lifetime of achievement, Jackson’s final curtain call revealed foreclosures, failed ventures and financial chaos.

At the end of the day, the ‘King of Pop’ was just another person who suffered the consequences of ignoring the principles of money success.

Continue reading Money Lessons from Michael Jackson →

Wants vs Needs – Can You Have Both?

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“In these challenging economic times I feel a little guilty when I spend on trivial items. I’m currently saving more than ten per cent of my salary and I have never been careless with my money. Is it financially unwise to buy something just because I want it?”

Financial wisdom normally dictates that people should spend their money acquiring the things they need instead of splurging on things that they want. A need is something that the human body requires for survival, such as food, shelter, and clothing.

In reality, most of the things we spend money on are things we want, not need. But wouldn’t life be boring if we only focused on our basic requirements all the time? Is there any way to get both what we need and what we want? Continue reading Wants vs Needs – Can You Have Both? →

Are you Financially Distressed?

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Are you dissatisfied with your present financial situation? Are you worried that you can’t pay for your regular monthly living expenses? Are you afraid that you won’t be able to find money to cover an emergency? Do you make spending or investing choices that you regret? When you think about money, do you feel overwhelmed, scared or depressed?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then chances are you’re financially distressed.

Financial distress occurs when you have negative feelings and reactions to your financial situation. These emotions are usually the result of unhealthy money practices that can have a damaging impact on your financial well-being or wellness. Continue reading Are you Financially Distressed? →

How To Manage Your Money

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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 →