This handbook includes a practical guide to drawing up a budget that actually works. It gives you step-by-step help to getting yourself out of the debt trap.
And it’s just R95 for 58 pages of practical, easy-to-understand information plus personal worksheets to get your finances on track!
Steps to Financial Freedom examines why we overspend and creates awareness of when and where we are tempted to “blow the budget”. Is it that snazzy little outfit that will make you feel better about yourself for a day or two? Or is it the delectable chocolate at the store’s checkout counter that will provide comfort on a cold, lonely night?
This practical guide starts with recognising your own money challenges and goals, saving on bank charges and how to draw up and stick to a budget! It then moves on to step-by-step help to getting yourself out of the debt trap.
Once you’ve mastered these challenges, the book provides an overview of different investment options such as fixed deposit accounts, money market, income funds, endowment policies, retirement annuities, unit trusts, shares and saving on a homeloan.
In the last chapter, Steps to Financial Freedom deals with the very sensitive but important topic of what happens to your money and estate after your death. It’s so important to get that will in place!
Finally, the book provides a handy list of places that can help you with your finances.
Here we are with January almost half gone and some of us have either given up completely on those new year’s resolutions, or we’re getting despondent because we’re not seeing the results we had hoped for.
If you’re still motivated and sticking to that diet, the plan to quit smoking, the austere budget- congratulations!
For those of us who are battling, perhaps the answer lies in the approach: a resolution implies a resolving of a problem, a solution, a conclusion, and that is the problem. Some things cannot be solved/resolved and neatly packed away. You cannot just stop eating. When you stop smoking, you have to replace the bad habit with a good one.
That is why I now prefer to think of evolution- a gradual change, a slow process of improvement that will be permanent.
I started on my financial evolution 2 years ago and slowly but surely I have paid off a car, a clothing account and two credit cards. This year this process continues, my ultimate goal being to be completely debt-free by the end of 2012. Yes it’s a tall order, but it motivates me to work harder.
I have now finally decided to apply the same principle to my physical goals. Gradual changes that become habit… Let’s see how it goes!
Well, it’s finally here- the long-awaited year in which momentous things are expected to happen: the end of the Mayan calender; the Age of Aquarius…
No matter what the future holds, I’ve decided to make it a “momentous” year for myself, with the emphasis on “moment”. I plan to live “from moment to moment” and “in the moment”. What does that mean?
Well, it means being fully aware and present where you are at a particular moment- not longing for the past or wishing for the future, but fully experiencing the here and now. If it’s good, savour it; if it’s bad, see what goodness you can extract, or what you can do to change the situation and what lessons you can learn. Two examples:
- 3 years ago I was attacked in my home and at one stage my attacker and I were wrestling on the floor. I felt no fear at all, but my mind was calculating and noting relevant details; it was really weird. I ascribe that to Grace as I knew that God was with me whether I survived the encounter or not. I find this rather comforting when I think of how violently my friend Lilly died, as I know she loved Him with all her heart.
- The past two years were a journey from extreme financial hardship to a place where I can meet all my commitments again. It was difficult to have to accept help from others, especially my friends and family, as I had always been the helper in the past. It taught me to be humble and not measure my worth by the size of my bank balance. It taught me to be discerning in what I spent money on. It taught me discipline as I applied the principles of my book “Steps to Financial Freedom”.
I learnt a valuable new phrase yesterday and will elaborate on it next time: “evolution, not resolution”
We’re fast approaching the end of 2011. It’s been rather a turbulent year with many ups and downs, but I must say that since October there have been more ups than downs, especially on the financial front. Our business is doing well and we have contracts lined up until the end of March.
Why are we doing well when so many others in our line of work are battling? Well, I think it’s a whole lot of Grace and changing the way we do things.
First of all, we learnt to share. Instead of Zelda and I trying to be all things to all people, we focused on what we’re good at, namely writing learning material, and handed the marketing over to the very competent and dedicated Linda. Of course that comes at a price, as we have to sacrifice a percentage of our income, but thanks to her hard work, our exposure has increased and the volumes of sales more than make up for that sacrifice.
Secondly, we are starting to bring other writers on board to lighten our load. This is still at a very delicate stage, as Zelda and I are very picky (with reason, as our reputation depends on consistency and quality). Unfortunately many “writers” think that copying and pasting from the internet without even acknowledging your sources is writing. Anyway we have a couple of prospects who are writing their “pilot pieces” as we speak and I’m holding thumbs that they will pan out. Of course this help also comes at a price as we will have to pay them a decent rate, eating into our profits even more, but, hey, that’s the nature of business, isn’t it? At least our overheads are very low…
Our sleepy little town has been invaded by hordes of holidaymakers, much to the delight of the local shopkeepers, who need the season’s business to survive during the quiet times and the local youth, who enjoy the new talent and the activities that are laid on to keep the city slickers entertained. So we have a win-win here, it seems, except…
For some strange reason the holidays seem to bring out the worst in people: the locals start driving like road hogs, trying to assert their “right” to the roads and the holidaymakers get reckless and do things they would not normally do at home.
Fortunately, I started shopping for Christmas in October already (following my own advice), so “home made” presents have been bought and the freezer is stocked with meat and vegetables bought at special prices. Now I can take the back roads and quickly pop into the shops before the revellers wake up… I love it when a plan comes together!
so I’ve stopped buying (and eating) chocolates for presents, but discovered the most beautiful home baked cupcakes at the local craft market
Halala! Happy days, we have just learnt that our hard work was not in vain and that the learning material for Human Resource Management Level 5 was approved.
I suppose it’s false economy to do your Christmas shopping early in order to save and then go and eat people’s presents, thus necessitating a second round of shopping!
Fortunately our town has an abundance of car boot sales, craft markets and holiday sales at this time of the year, so I’ll repent of my gluttony and go and do the rounds again, justifying my behaviour by telling myself that I’m supporting local entrepreneurs.
I have decided to put money in a jar every time I am tempted to buy chocolates and donate it to a worthy cause every month.
I have been applying the principles in my book Steps to Financial Freedom for the past two years and am rapidly getting closer to my goal of being completely debt-free by the end of 2012.
I can’t really take much credit as there has been a whole lot of Grace, Divine intervention and help from truly amazing family and friends. My mom in particular has been a pillar of support and I want to spend the rest of our time together making it up to her.
Thank you!