Master The Art Of Money Management

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Money is funny. Yes, it's very funny. You keep it in your locker for ten years and it will remain the same. I mean, if you put Rs. 100 in a locker, after ten years it will still be Rs. 100. But would its value be the same as it was ten years ago? Certainly not. The buying ability of Rs. 100 would reduce considerably in 10 years. But if you had bought 10 shares of some company at Rs. 10 apiece, and the same stock would have grown ten times in ten years, your Rs. 100 would have become Rs. 1000 in ten years. Now, it's that funny?

This is a simple example of what money management and well-informed investment can do to your money. It not only keeps the value of your money at par with the inflation rate but sometimes goes a step or two ahead too. Whether you are a salaried person or a business person you should always have a robust investment plan. Money management is a key tool for wealth creation.

What Is Money Management?

Money management is the process where budgeting, spending, investing, saving are monitored with certain financial objectives.

Though the term - money management - suggests that an investment professional making investment decisions on your behalf by allocating your funds to investment instruments. That is true, there are professional money managers and financial planners, but it can also be perceived as a theory which anyone can inculcate in his day-to-day life.

In general terms, it simply means that you can account for every penny that you have earned. From paying the utility bills to making provisions for retirement and saving for holidays everything comes under money management. The conscious efforts to spend money wisely and invest intelligently is called money management.

Why Is Money Management Important

People often complain that money just comes in and goes out, and all their plans stay firmly at the bay. People from all the pay grade face the same issue. The root cause is - lack of money management. Money management tightens the screws of your budget and prevents unnecessary spending. It also helps you to allocate funds to right investment instruments and reduce liabilities sooner than later.

  1. Setting Your Financial Goals - One of the key features of money management is that it provides absolute clarity about your financial goals. Right from setting up short-term goals like buying a car, family vacation to long-term goals like kid's education and retirement planning all your financial goals can get adequate funds and time via money management.
  1. Reducing Liabilities - Your total assets - total liabilities = your net worth. If your total assets are barely more than liabilities, it means you are just managing to keep your head above the water. Liabilities is the biggest roadblock on the road to wealth creation. With the aid of money management, you can chalk out a payment plan to speedily reduce your debts.

Investment -  A Critical Facet Of Money Management

 

One of the critical facets of money management is the investment. A certain portion of your income has to be invested in growth-oriented investment instruments. There are various investment mediums available i.e. mutual funds, public provident funds, equity, etc.

  1. Mutual Funds - Is one of the smartest investment tools and it should figure in your investment plan. A mutual fund can be a potent tool to meet your short-term as well as long-term goals. At moderate risk, investors get decent returns and also get to experience the power of compounding.
  1. Public Provident Fund (PPF) - Is the most reliable and trustworthy investment scheme as it is operated by the government. PPF investment comes with certain stern conditions like 7 years lock in period plus certain limitations on the quantum of investment. But due to tax benefits and compound interest, it has become very popular amongst investors.
  1. Equity investment - Many people try to avoid direct exposure to stock investment due to fear and ignorance. But there are means like stock advisory firms to help you reduce risk in stock investment. Over the years, stock investment has given uncapped growth to the investors.  Every smart investor should have a stake in equity.  As we discussed above, equity not only keeps the value of your money on the equal footing with inflation but a step or two ahead.

Source : Niveza India Pvt Ltd.

How Rich People Become Rich

How often have heard people say - "money attracts money"? Quite often, right? But is it true? Well, it's true and it's not true, at the same time. I am afraid there can't be a simple yes or no answer to this question. It is true that to make money you need to have some money on hand, on the other hand, saving and intelligent investment can also make you rich. But to put things in perspective, let's analyse how people become rich. Their methods of earning money may defer, but there is a great possibility, that their methods of investment may have a lot in common.

 The Key To Success

 The ideal investor is the one who not only saves regularly but also invests regularly. It is imperative to have discipline in your investment. Brick by brick you can build a castle. When you see the glaring success of rich people you should always spare a thought for all the hard work which must have gone into becoming rich.

Investment has a unique ability to make you rich. The only thing which matters is - what you are investing in. So, let's explore the alternatives of good investment and the possibilities and prospects it has to offer.

 First Things First

 Many people don't understand the basic idea of investment. Some people confuse it with post savings and fixed deposits. Then there's a group of people who live under the impression that insurance is a form of investment.

The general idea of investment is to put your money in instruments which will keep its value either ahead or at par with the inflation rate. Investment is for the future, hence, whatever investment instrument you opt for, it has to be growth-oriented.

So what are the investment instruments which can give good appreciation to your capital?

 Investment In Equity (Stock Market)

 There are two ways to invest in equity: First, through a mutual fund. Second, through direct equity investment. Naturally, both the mediums come with their set of pros and cons. According to their needs, investors can opt any of the mediums.

 a) Mutual Funds - the mutual fund is the best investment option for those who want to stay away from the day-to-day hassle of the stock market. The idea of mutual funds is to create a huge capital from several investors and invest it in multiple stocks. Over the years, it has given good results to the investors. To suit the risk appetite of the investors, there are options available like debt and hybrid funds. The USP of the mutual fund is that it's extremely simple and easy.

 But it has a down side too. If you analyse the historic data of any of the best mutual funds, you will get to see that even the best funds and fund managers haven't given more than 16% annual growth. As there are big funds involved, fund managers have the limitation as they have to deliver good results year over year. But for those who seek safety and growth at the same time, the mutual fund can be their best bet.

 b) Equity Investment - It's the big daddy of all the investments. Yes, equity investment sits on the top of the food chain. Here you get wide options, better prospects and most importantly - uncapped growth. As we had discussed above, the one common thing amongst all the rich people has to be that most of them invest in stocks. For years, long-term investment in stocks has been a key tool of wealth creation. Investors like Warren Buffett and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala are the shining examples of the potential of the stock market.

 However, stock investment comes with its set of challenges. The only reason stock investment gets such low participation is that it is little complex compared to other forms of investment. Basically, to get the best results you have to invest in good stocks. You can't rely on stock market tips as they mostly focus on short-term gains.

 To find good stocks with good growth potential you have to run the potential stocks on stern checks like -  management of the company, its sustainability, historic data, etc. As stock analysis takes plenty of time and requires certain skill sets, it is not popular with the general investors. But this hurdle can be easily overcome by subscribing to the stock advisory firm. Not only do they ease your work but also provided timely entry and exit calls to ensure best returns.

 Conclusion

Rich people, barring those who have become rich by inheritance, become rich because they make right investment choices. They take calculated risks and never rely on free advice. The stock market is an open field for all to invest and prosper, they are the one who reaps maximum benefits of it.

 Source : http://www.niveza.in/

A Quick Guide To Reduce Risk In Stock Investment

In the family of investment instruments Stock investment is often looked at with certain amount of suspicion. It doesn't get the love as the traditional investment mediums like fixed deposits, real estates and gold get. In India, only 2% of our enormous population invests in stock market. It is a clear evidence of resistance in the minds of people for stock investment.  

But the real picture is quite contrary to the people's perception. Over the years, stock market has produced handsome returns for the investors. So in case you wish to join this prosperous minority; here are few point which will ease you way in the stock market.

  1. Understand The Market And The Types Of Investments.

If you are a rookie investor, then first thing you need to do is to learn about the market, as much as possible. There is a lot literature available online or in print. Do some research on trusted investment forums. Take baby steps in the market by learning about fundamental stuff like what is a stock, what is dividend, what is investment allocation, etc. One can also start browsing through the books of famous investors like Warren Buffett and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.

Read More : Stock Market Tips

  1. Learn The Value Of Diversification

In your initial phase as investor, it is important to understand the importance of diversification. It is your best and the most reliable tool to fight the volatility and uncertainty of equity market. Your portfolio should have a perfect mix of blue-chip stocks as well as mid and small-cap stocks. The reason one has to allocate funds into various stocks is that market keeps going through its upward and downward swings, and it is next to impossible that all your stocks picks are going to work according to your expectation. So, if some of your stocks don't perform, others will make up for the losses. Risk management is the key advantage of diversification.

  1. Don’t Try To Beat The Market

Not just new investors, but seasoned investors usually face losses because they try to go a step ahead of the market. It is not advisable to do everything that others are doing. For smart investment one has to do a lot of research and analysis. Hence it pays to flow with the current instead of against it. As the initial phase of investing is filled with excitement and confusion, the new investors are better off playing under the guidance of veteran investors who can watch out for them. Another critical reason to play safe is the risk management.

  1. Stay Away From Derivatives (FNO)

Derivative, known as futures and options, is a form of trading. Some considered it the fastest way to lose your money. Derivative trading is such a risky business that not only new investors but even seasoned traders get hoodwinked by it sometimes. For rookie investors to invest in FNO is an act of self destruction. On several occasions, ace investor Warren Buffett has said that the derivatives are the instruments of mass destruction. Thus, in order to make your investment risk free, or at least, less risky, it's imperative to stay away from derivative trading.  

  1. Pay For Good Advice

One of the most important steps to reduces risk in your investment is to get assistance from the experts. Stock investment is a complex matter. To add to it, the jargon-ridden language, its confusing tables and graphs are quite difficult to understand. To turn this situation on its head subscribe to a good stock advisory firm. Stock advisory firms provide multibagger stock calls and assistance on fund allocation. It helps a great deal to minimise risk at the same time it puts you a step ahead in your investment as the supervision of stock analysts save you from making rookie mistakes.