Tag Archives: personal finance

Getting The Most Out Of Your Money

Budgeting, Spending, , , , , , , ,

We have been discussing the concept of lean production and how its principles of efficient use of resources can be applied to your finances. Lean refers to a system of manufacturing which was pioneered by auto makers Toyota, which has helped to make the company very profitable.

One of the components of lean production is the elimination of wasteful practices in the process of creating a product or service for sale. There’s a lot to be gained from adopting the lean philosophy in your personal, professional and financial life, if you want to be successful with your own goals.

Last week we looked at getting lean with your most precious resource — your time — by becoming more productive at work, getting the most out of your commuting time, using technology to improve your output, and making the right choices when spending your time to generate an income. Continue reading Getting The Most Out Of Your Money →

How to Get Lean With Your Time

Business Success, Goals, , , , , , ,

We have kicked off 2014 with a mission to improve financial efficiency, by declaring it as the “Year to Get Lean.” Lean refers to the production system pioneered by Japanese automobile makers, Toyota, which focuses on eliminating wasteful processes to improve profitability.

This concept of reducing waste can also be applied to your personal and professional life. If you want to be a peak performer in all your activities and be successful with your goals, then lean is the way to go. This week, we will look at strategies to incorporate lean techniques in time utilisation.

There are three Japanese words that explain the types of inefficiencies that can hamper your results. Muda means idleness or wastage of resources when carrying out your tasks, mura is the unbalanced or irregular usage of resources, while muri means excessive or impossible activities. Continue reading How to Get Lean With Your Time →

Money Musings: It’s Hard to Be Lean in Jamaica

Business Success, Money Reflections, , , , , , ,

Efficiency is a success strategy that should be used to guide all your activities, whether you are seeking to accomplish personal, work, business or financial goals. In everyday terms, efficiency is the ability to effectively complete a task with the minimum amount of effort or time.

In business, efficiency is critical to the bottom-line; as you should aim to use the lowest amount of inputs, such as money, raw material, labour or machine time, to produce the maximum level of output possible. Efficiency helps you to reduce wastage and realise more profit from your efforts.

Last week, we looked at the concept of ‘lean’ production which was pioneered by Japanese auto maker, Toyota. This process of manufacturing focuses on eliminating wasteful and redundant procedures and ensuring the optimal use of resources to maximise output and profitability. Continue reading Money Musings: It’s Hard to Be Lean in Jamaica →

‘Twas The Day After Christmas

Spending, , , , ,

‘Twas the day after Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a person was stirring, not even my spouse;
Scattered all ‘round the tree were torn paper and bows;
Discarded wrapping for the gifts, from toys to clothes.

My loved ones were nestled all snugly in their beds,
While visions of nice presents danced in their heads;
For me, sweet sleep was elusive throughout the night,
And day’s break only brought my fears into the light.

I had spared no expense in giving my family the best;
But now, reality hit like piercing steel to my chest;
With all the bills and debts set to meet me next week,
My financial future was looking desperate and bleak.

My twist on Clement Clarke Moore’s classic Christmas poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, reflects the situation that many people may face after the excesses of the holiday season. Once the frenzied pre-Christmas splurging is over, they soon begin to regret some of the financial choices they made. Continue reading ‘Twas The Day After Christmas →

Christmas Saving Plan

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Christmastime is traditionally the season for spending, so it would be unusual for us to think about saving during this period. Even the most disciplined consumers may get a little consumption-crazy over the holidays, putting aside their reservations and really getting into the swing of shopping.

Despite the heavy emphasis on seasonal splurging, it may actually be an opportune time to turn your thoughts to saving and securing your financial future. With so much money in circulation during the holidays, why should you only be thinking of depleting your reserves at this time?

Let’s face it — despite the cash that seems to be awash everywhere, how many of us really have anything enduring to show after our frenzied spending? Let’s look at some of the ways in which we can focus our minds on saving so we can have a little more financially rewarding season this year. Continue reading Christmas Saving Plan →

Christmas Spending Recipe

Spending, , , , , , , ,

Whether you’re ready for it or not, the yuletide season is now in full swing. Merchandisers persistently and persuasively remind us how much we really need to buy their products or services if we want to enjoy the holidays. Christmas is, after all, the major shopping period for the year.

It’s easy to get caught up in the wave of consumerism that engulfs us during at this time. With so many demands on your spending dollar during this month, you may feel overwhelmed by the pressures to spend, and frustrated if you don’t have enough money to satisfy all your desires.

You could develop a Scrooge complex and just hide away from the frenzy until early next year, but there are more sociable ways to cope with the seasonal shopping stresses. Here is a Christmas spending recipe which should help you to survive the holidays with your budget and sanity intact. Continue reading Christmas Spending Recipe →

Money Mission: Count Your Blessings

Goals, , , , , , , , ,

All too soon, we have come to the final month in 2013. Over the year, our ‘money mission’ columns have tried to keep you on target with your goals; encouraging you to carry out specific objectives to further your plans, and giving you strategies to overcome obstacles that can hinder your progress.

We’ve covered diverse topics such as overcoming disappointments, earning independent income, looking for opportunities in change, and discovering your motivating force. We’ve also shown you how to focus on a priority goal, get organised, control your time and complete your tasks.

Rest, reflect and review

Although December is usually consumed with thoughts of shopping and revelry, for this month, we invite you to spend some time in reflection. Consider the financial successes that you have enjoyed, as well the money mistakes you have made. What lessons have you learned from them? Continue reading Money Mission: Count Your Blessings →

Making Money Connections

Money & Your Mind, Risk Protection, , , , , , ,

We live in a world that has become increasingly interconnected. We can make connections with long-lost acquaintances or faraway friends with a quick search on a social media website. Our mundane activities can become viral trends thanks to the wide web of linkages on the Internet.

We need to be cautious about the online connections we make, as people’s virtual personas may be vastly different from their reality. We should also think twice before posting comments or photos, as they could have widespread repercussions on our work and personal relationships.

While it’s easy to see the positive and negative effects of establishing connections via technology, you may not readily recognise the importance of making wise money connections. You should also pay careful attention to the linkages you make when carrying out your financial transactions. Continue reading Making Money Connections →

A Charitable Route to Wealth

Wealth, , , , , , ,

Many years ago, while I was searching for strategies to eliminate my money problems, I read a book by financial guru Suze Orman which opened my eyes to an interesting principle that promised to help me achieve a better relationship with my money.

In The Courage to Be Rich, Orman opined that it was important for us to connect to the world with our money, and that charity should be a part of our financial plan. Orman noted that giving money away had many benefits that could not only change people’s lives, but improve our own finances.

HOW GIVING BECAME A PRIORITY EXPENSE

I was determined to fix my money woes, so I usually followed the advice of the experts without question. However, the concept of giving away some of my inadequate income to others left me perturbed. How was I going to survive on less money when I couldn’t even pay my bills? Continue reading A Charitable Route to Wealth →

Practical Money Lessons for Your Children

Kids & Money, , , , ,

Money is such an integral part of our lives, yet it is often misunderstood, misused and mismanaged. One of the reasons some adults find it hard to make the most of their money is that they never learned good financial practices at an early age.

If you are a parent or have the responsibility of teaching children, then one of the most important things you can do for their development is to help them appreciate money and finances when they are young. One way to do this is to incorporate money lessons into their everyday activities.

Money will be less of a mystery to children when they see it being smartly utilised in their real-life experiences on a regular basis. Here are some simple ideas on how you can help your kids to understand money and give them a head start on becoming financially well-adjusted adults. Continue reading Practical Money Lessons for Your Children →