Financial Tips For Quiet And Reserved People

Whether you are known to be the quiet or reserved one, you most likely belong to a special group of people who are known as the INTROVERTS.

A common misconception of introverts is that the dislike socializing. Contrary to the popular belief, introverts are drained by social interaction. Many introverts can socialize easily…they just prefer not to.

In fact, you can be more interpersonally connected and emphatic than others. Use these and your other magnificent qualities to your advantage as you enhance your financial life.

To get started, here are some things you can do:

1. ACTIVELY LISTEN

Introverts, in general, tend to be great at listening. This skill can make you a good investor. Before investing your wealth, you must actively listen to what others have done or will do. Analyze the results of their strategies and actions. Then, make your own strategy based on the successful predecessors.

2. STUDY WHAT YOUR ARE SELLING THOROUGHLY

In order to increase your profits in sales, you must know what you are selling in a deeper level. Study your products and services thoroughly so that you can efficiently aid in the client’s needs. And if someone new approaches you, determine if he or she is a potentially good client. As an introvert you understand that it takes more than a wallet to make the sales flowing.

3. REMAIN CALM

Aside from being great at listening, introverts are usually among the calmest people in the world. This quality can be applied in different financial events, especially the unforeseen ones.

So when an unexpected bill arrives, use your natural calm then, come up with a way to pay it. When the market tumbles down, do not sell it right away because of fear; use your innate calmness to contemplate on the situation. As others panic to the unfortunate monetary events, you make levelheaded decisions.

4. WELCOME THE SOCIAL MEDIA

For an introvert, social media is a brilliant manner to communicate with other people in the safety of their own home. Embracing social media can help you to save cash in many ways such as selling your unused or underused items through Facebook, Instagram, or Carousell. You can also browse free tutorials to learn new skills so you would not have to ask a bunch of people in real life.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

The downside to social media is that it can overwhelm you. This is why it is important to spend a minimum amount of time (e.g., 10 minutes/day) so it does not take over your wonderfully humble life!

Sources: 1,2,3,4,5,& 6

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Shameful Reasons Why You Keep Breaking Your Budget

Budgeting, a quantitative plan to manage your money, has many benefits such as tracking your cash flow, controlling your expenses, and reaching your goals! However, some people find it easier to break their budget than to follow it.

Fortunately, you can do something about it. Be aware of the despicable reasons why you keep breaking your budget then, take the necessary steps to turn things around.

1. YOU MAKE EXCUSES THAT BUDGETING IS TOO COMPLEX.

There is no need to fear because budgeting is easier than you think! And, it is rewarding too. For example, if you want to splurge on a weekend vacation, all you have to do is plan ahead. That way, you would not have to create credit.

A simple budgeting method that you can try is the envelope budgeting. It only takes three steps to complete! Begin with tracking your monthly spending patterns then, devise a budget plan including different expense categories. Lastly, you must allocate your cash inside separate envelopes.

Watch this short video tutorial of the envelope budgeting to know more:

2. YOU ALWAYS SPEND A HUGE SUM OF MONEY.

The truth is, you cannot have unlimited supply of money. Even the amount of digital currency such as Bitcoins are controlled. This is why you must spend within your means.

Overspending is one of your budget’s enemies. If you want a comfortable present and a brighter tomorrow, you must stick to your budget and cut down your expenses before saving up. Start by minimizing your household expenses with these simple tips.

3. YOU FORGET IMPORTANT DEADLINES.

Another opponent that challenges your budget are unexpected bills. You will never follow your budget if you keep forgetting your irregular bills such as your yearly magazine subscriptions. Avoid this by making a list of the bills you are expecting to receive every month.

Never forget where you put the bills or what their due dates are by designating one place for them. Some bills arrive by electronic mail while some arrive by postal mail. You have to decide whether you are going to file all your bills in a tangible box or in a computer folder. For physical storage of bills, you may purchase the S$0.90 PAPPIS brown box from IKEA that is created to hold A4 size papers. Label the box accordingly and keep it in a safe place. While for virtual storage of bills, make scanned copies of those that arrive in the mail and put them into a labeled folder in your computer or laptop.

4. YOU ARE ECONOMICALLY UNINFORMED.

Most people want to improve their financial life but know nothing about how economics works. Thus, they make errors in creating and maintaining their budgets.

Economy is defined as the careful management of resources (e.g., household management). While, manage is defined as the act of succeeding in surviving especially against heavy odds. Learn more about the important terms, history of money, and its humanistic systems by watching at least two of the Best Economics Documentaries For Finance Professionals And Enthusiasts.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

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Ways You Are Flushing Money Away Without Noticing It

1. BY NOT CLAIMING YOUR REWARDS

A credit card is utilized at the point of sale as means of paying for services or goods. Credit cards come in different looks and sizes, much like assorted chocolates. What’s more? They vary in the rewards they entail. Some give discounts whenever you shop while others give you travel miles. If you are confused with how the rewards scheme of your credit cards works, it is best to ask your issuer openly on how you can maximize its use.

Take a cash-back rewards card to your advantage by putting the sum to your emergency fund. Or, gather up all the miles you can get (e.g., by offering to pay for your friends and later reimbursing it with cash) to enjoy a free trip in your dream destination. To put your “power” into good use, utilize your rewards wisely.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

2. BY NOT CONTROLLING YOUR MOBILE PHONE USAGE

Millions of people around the world overpay for their postpaid plans because they underestimate their usage in minutes, in messages, and in bytes of data. When you are paying for minutes, messages, and gigabytes that you do not use then, you are flushing away money every single month.

For your convenience, I shall impart how much you will pay for excess usage in SingTel and StarHub plans. For Singtel users, excess local 3G data is charged up to S$10.70/1 GB and excess data beyond the bundled plan is charged at S$0.50/100 KB. While StarHub 4G users get to pay S$10.70/1 GB in excess. Considering that almost every place in Singapore have free WiFi, paying this much is really costly!

To intelligently estimate your total usage, analyze your mobile phone billing statements for the past few months and average each factor. Then, you can select a postpaid plan best suited for your needs. Keep track of your data usage better by installing an App like My Data Manager (free to download on iOS and Android). My Data Manager App enables you to know how much each App consumes and alerts you whenever you are close to hitting the limit.

3. BY NOT CHOOSING BUNDLED SERVICES OR POLICIES

If you are getting a TV, landline (home digital line), mobile phone, and a wireless broadband plan, it is best if you consider getting all of these services under the same provider. This process is called bundling.

By bundling the services or policies, the telecom companies are able to offer you discounts and promotional packages to help you save more. For example, SingTel’s Fiber Home Bundle will cost you as low as S$49.90 a month (Terms & Conditions apply)!

Image Credits: facebook.com/SingTel?fref=photo

Image Credits: facebook.com/SingTel?fref=photo

With the help of this list, may you stop “flushing your money down the drain” by increasing buyer’s awareness. 🙂

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

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Practice One Virtue That Can Definitely Increase Your Savings

As the Japanese Proverb once scribed: “Money grows on the tree of patience.”

Yes! One virtue, practiced religiously, that can definitely increase your savings and even increase the odds of success is none other than: Patience. Why is that so?

1. PATIENCE BOOSTS YOUR DISCIPLINE

Applying patience to overcome instant gratification is important in financial success. If you are an impulsive over-spender, establish a waiting day rule of at least 30 days on any purchases. The new items you have been eyeing on will go on the waiting list. This will not only help you to develop patience but also to help you filter out which ones you need and which ones you don’t.

2. PATIENCE HELPS YOU RESIST THE TEMPTATION

If the temptation of spending is overwhelming, try discussing financial matters to your bank. You may ask them to make automated payments or to put restrictions into your savings account and credit card. Once the convenience of spending is out of sight, it will be out of mind.

3. PATIENCE ALLOWS YOU TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPTIONS

Sadly, in a world that hates delayed gratification, impatience costs people cold hard cash. If you are willing to wait instead of purchasing immediately, you are able to compare prices within other shops and to find cheaper options while you are it. Patience gives you the opportunity to wait for the greatest sales, huge markdowns, and bargain deals that will help you save a lot!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

4. PATIENCE ALLOWS YOUR MONEY TO GROW

The longer you keep your money, the more you will make of it. Elevation in your wealth each year is possible because of compounding. Compounding is the addition of interest to the principal of a deposit. Read more about the compounding power, here.

5. PATIENCE SHARPENS YOUR CONSCIOUS SPENDING

Patience sharpens and shapes your conscious spending by letting you realize the worth of each item. Ask yourself in the present time: “At my age, what matters to me the most?“

If you are willing to wait for a purchase then, you consider that item as important. And if it is that important…surely…it is worth the wait.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

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Important Things You Must Know About Women And Money

The spending and money management patterns of Singaporean men and women are intuitively different. But, if you surveyed people around on your own, you would realize that there are distinct differences between how these genders approach money. With that in mind, here are the common money mistakes women make and the essential financial steps they must take:

COMMON MONEY MISTAKES

1. OVERSPENDING ON CLOTHES AND MORE

According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, women take control of about 73% of the household spending. The control the wives have over the budget can lead to overspending. Overspending can occur in shopping for clothes, cleaning supplies, home decorations, bags, and more. This is why knowing when to save and when to splurge is an important distinction for financial security. Overspend only on products that are useful and long-lasting.

2. BEING FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT

Although more and more women are breadwinners nowadays, there are still a good number of women who are totally reliant on their husband’s income. This is bad because unforeseen events such as unemployment, divorce, and death can happen to anyone. Which is why women need to create and secure a financial future for themselves by having a career or skill they can depend on.

3. NOT PREPARING FOR LONGER RETIREMENT

Let us face the facts. Women outlive men on average and often remarry. This is why women should prepare for their additional years and long-term elderly care. It is always a good idea to be prepared.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

ESSENTIAL STEPS TO TAKE

1. USE ONLINE MONEY-MANAGEMENT TOOLS

To prevent overspending, women shall use online tools that are interactive and time-saving. There are a lot of free help available on the Internet such as budgeting software called Money Dance or Mint as well as retirement resources called Vanguard Retirement Insights or Central Provident Fund Retirement Calculator.

2. TALK MORE ABOUT MONEY

Financial independence starts by talking about finances comfortably. This will create a community of friend who can turn to each other for advice on money issues and investments. Also, getting comfortable in the S$ topics should be applied when you are talking to your financial advisor.

3. UNDERSTAND YOUR INVESTMENTS

Prepare for your retirement and emergency fund by prioritizing your investments. Save money on near term needs such as the emergency fund first then, move on to the long-term investments such as retirement fund. Since most women tend to be risk-averse, the more you are comfortable with talking about money, the more you will be able to take calculated risks.

Original investments for the next 10 years

Image Credits: Ars Electronica via Flickr

Sources: 1,2 & 3

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