Tag Archives: personal finance

How to Earn More to Balance Your Budget

Budgeting, Income Creation, , , , , , , ,

Many people feel intimidated by the thought of having to do something outside of their regular job to create more cash to pay bills or save more for the future. However, like any other money skill, you can learn the simple steps that are required to generate income independent of your employer.

Preparing a comprehensive budget is the first step in the process of increasing your earnings, as you need to have a realistic target of how much money is required to meet your needs. You can download a budget at www.financiallysmart.org which will allow you to input all your bills and income sources.

After using your budget to calculate the exact amount of your shortfall of income over expenses, you need to break down that monthly amount into a weekly or daily figure that will be easier for you to work with. Therefore, if your monthly deficit is J$24,000, your daily income need would be about J$800. Continue reading How to Earn More to Balance Your Budget →

When Your Budget Goes Awry

Budgeting, Income Creation, Spending, , , , , , , ,

Caroline looked at the Excel spreadsheet on her computer with increasing dismay. “Just three months ago I was able to balance my budget, but now I’m short again by over J$15,000,” she grumbled to herself. “No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to keep up with my expenses.”

She reflected on all the developments that had occurred in her life in the preceding months. Her grandmother, with whom she was raised, had fallen seriously ill. As her only relative, Caroline had taken on the task of caring for her, which had thrown her once tightly controlled budget into disorder.

Having another person in the house meant increased utility costs, and she needed to hire a housekeeper to help with the extra cleaning needs. In addition, she had to buy her grandmother’s costly medicines and pay for her doctors’ appointments without the benefit of health insurance coverage.

Initially, Caroline used her credit card to cover some of the pharmacy bills, but after two months she realised that she was having challenges clearing the card balance. After consolidating several loans over a year ago, she was now desperately worried that she was headed back into debt problems. Continue reading When Your Budget Goes Awry →

Letting Go Financially

Business Success, Debt, Goals, Investing, , , , , , ,

Last week we looked at the value of exhibiting patience when making important financial decisions. You need to be prudent with your spending and debt choices, and you should give yourself enough time to get the best results from your efforts in saving, investing and creating wealth.

While it’s advisable to stay on course with your financial goals and allow time to work in your favour, there are instances when you actually need to move quickly to get rid of unhealthy money habits or reverse unwise decisions you may have made.

When you commit to a specific financial route, you may not be certain if you should hold on because you made the right choice, or if your results indicate that you should change direction. Let’s look at some situations in which it’s time to cut loose and ‘wheel and come again,’ as we say in Jamaica. Continue reading Letting Go Financially →

Patience is a Financial Virtue

Money & Your Mind, , , , , , ,

Modern society is characterised by fast-paced technology which allows us to enjoy Google searches, Twitter updates and ready-to-eat meals. Today, it seems that patience has become passé; who wants to wait for anything in this age of instant gratification?

Patience, one of the seven heavenly virtues, is the ability to accept delays in the desired timing of an event, or the capacity to endure problems without anxiety. Patience really requires you to take a passive approach while you allow nature or destiny to take its course.

When it comes to money, it could be argued that patience indicates weakness, as we should be fiercely ambitious in going after our financial goals. However, patience is an important trait to have if you want to succeed with money; without it you may actually be sabotaging your dreams. Continue reading Patience is a Financial Virtue →

Having Fun With Money

Money & Your Mind, , , , , , , ,

When some people think of finance, they may conjure images of imposing business people dressed in expensive suits speaking a language that goes way over their heads. To be frank, some of the money information in the media really does sound like college course material that most of us would prefer to skip.

Apart from the formality of finance, many people have less-than-positive sentiments about their personal money situations. When they think about their financial issues, they may feel confused, intimidated, frustrated, and even fearful. Money, for many people, is definitely not fun.

Change your money mindset

Unfortunately, having a distant or apprehensive approach to financial matters can prevent you from getting the most from your money and from achieving your financial objectives. You need to be confident and optimistic about your finances in order to succeed with money. Continue reading Having Fun With Money →

Money Lessons From Mom

Money Reflections, , , , , , ,

On Sunday May 11, millions of people around the world celebrate Mother’s Day, when they pay homage to their maternal parents. The memories of a great mother can last beyond her lifetime; and if you are lucky enough to still have your mom around, ensure that you treat her extra special on this day.

I have been blessed with the inspiring presence of my mother for over 40 years, and she has been very influential in my personal and professional development to this day. As a woman who achieved many accolades in her chosen field, I have always aspired to emulate her success.

In hindsight, I realise that my mother has always been an excellent financial role model, demonstrating many of the smart money practices that bring financial security. Unfortunately, as a young person, I ignored her examples and advice, which caused me to make many poor choices with money. Continue reading Money Lessons From Mom →

Money Mayday

Risk Protection, , , , , , , ,

Historically, the first day of May was celebrated around the world with activities, including the crowning of the May Queen and dancing around a maypole. In modern times, the May Day festival has been merged with the Easter holidays, and it is no longer popular in most countries.

Apart from its association with ancient celebrations, the term ‘mayday’ has a less pleasant meaning. Mayday is used as a signal to indicate that a vessel such as a boat or aeroplane is facing a serious emergency. It was coined because it sounded like the French expression, ‘m’aider,’ which means ‘help me.’

When sudden disaster strikes

Two recent tragic events affecting air and sea travel made me reflect on the mayday distress signal. The mysterious disappearance of Malaysian Air Flight 370, with hundreds of passengers onboard, and the sinking of the South Korean ferry demonstrated how a routine journey can quickly turn into disaster.

Although we may not like to think about it, in the twinkling of an eye our lives can go into a negative tailspin from which it can be very difficult to recover. Just like those persons who embark on a voyage, we need to make adequate preparations to protect ourselves from the uncertainties that surround us. Continue reading Money Mayday →

Money Musings: The Sanctity of Savings

Money Reflections, Saving, , , , ,

Jamaican Finance Minister Dr. Peter Phillips recently announced new taxation measures that would affect all persons who utilise our banking sector. Dr. Phillips revealed that withdrawals from deposit-taking institutions would be subject to a graduated tax system.

All forms of withdrawals, including those done inside branch offices, point-of-sale transactions using debit cards, issuing cheques, and getting cash from ATMs would be affected. Electronic transactions would also be taxed, except transfers made by persons between accounts at the same institution.

The finance minister indicated that withdrawals of less than J$1m would be taxed at 0.1 per cent of the value, which would mean that persons would pay $1 for every $1,000 taken from their accounts. The percentage tax would decrease on a tiered system for larger sums of money withdrawn.

Although the tax is to be applied to the financial institutions, it stands to reason that the final effect of this withdrawal levy would be felt by the account holders themselves. Predictably, the pronouncement has sparked much negative feedback from various sources across the nation. Continue reading Money Musings: The Sanctity of Savings →

Making Financial Sacrifices

Goals, , , , , , ,

At this time of year, many people all around the world commemorate Easter, when they focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Christian faith, Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice of His life brought salvation to a weary and sinful world.

The word sacrifice may conjure up images of pain and deprivation, and many persons would prefer to avoid the distress associated with making a sacrifice. However, while a sacrifice often involves difficulty, it can also be a beneficial action which brings positive results in your life.

When you make a sacrifice, you usually give up something pleasurable for something that may lead to severe discomfort, or you carry out an unselfish deed to benefit others instead of yourself. Most people are motivated to make a sacrifice when they are working for a greater good.

While it may not be your calling to make drastic life sacrifices, when it comes to your money, there are times in which sacrificial decisions will be required. Let’s look at some of the ways in which making sacrifices may help you to become financially successful. Continue reading Making Financial Sacrifices →

Do You Have Financial A.D.D.?

Financial Literacy, , , , , , ,

Recently, a client remarked that he thought he was suffering from financial ADD. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a medical condition that is normally associated with children and adults who exhibit inappropriate levels of impulsivity, inattention, lack of focus and sometimes hyperactivity.

His rationale for making this diagnosis was his track record of starting small enterprises upon a whim, with minimal success. He also reported that he usually became distracted by what appeared to be ‘hot’ new opportunities, at the expense of the business venture in which he was already involved.

While I initially laughed at his declaration, I reflected on the concept of financial ADD and realised that when it came to their money affairs, many people could really be suffering from symptoms similar to the real disorder. Let’s look at some ways in which financial ADD could be affecting your life. Continue reading Do You Have Financial A.D.D.? →