tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51277360674195131662024-03-21T13:06:19.876-07:00Save wiselyWelcome to save wisely blogs. The aim of this blog is to share useful and helpful hints and tips on how to manage the bucks that you own. Always remember that it is not just about spending wisely, but also to SAVE WISELY. Make your money work harder for you.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-46107633072518254132008-12-09T22:15:00.000-08:002008-12-09T22:25:22.683-08:00Business & Marketing Logics!To those who haven't read this.<br /><br /><br />Father: I want you to marry a girl of my choice <br />Son: 'I will choose my own bride!' <br />Father: 'But the girl is Bill Gates's daughter.' <br />Son: 'Well, in that case...ok' <br /><br />Next Father approaches Bill Gates. <br /><br />Father: 'I have a husband for your daughter.' <br />Bill Gates: 'But my daughter is too young to marry!' <br />Father: 'But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank.' <br />Bill Gates: 'Ah, in that case...ok' <br /><br />Finally Father goes to see the president of the World Bank. <br /><br />Father: 'I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president.' <br />President: 'But I already have more vice- presidents than I need!' <br />Father: 'But this young man is Bill Gates's son-in-law.' <br />Presiden t: 'Ah, in that case...ok' <br /><br />This is how business is done!! <br /><br /><strong>Moral: <br />Even If you have nothing, You can get Anything. But your <br />attitude should be positive </strong>savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-51822881690936023382008-12-05T19:37:00.000-08:002008-12-05T20:03:33.187-08:00How To Use Your Credit Card WiselyCredit card is very common nowadays. It is now equivalent to money and you could just buy anything you want. You can even own more than one credit card as long as the lenders approve your application. However, it can also bring problems if you can't handling your finances well. Remember you are borrowing money from a lender. You are using your future money. You are not using it for free. There are interest charges you have to pay every month. <br /><br />Here are some ways on how to manage your credit card. First, you should always bear in mind the reason of having the card. It is only used in times when cash seems tight, right? Always keep in mind to use it only for emergencies. The very purpose of the tool is to make you live a somewhat comfortable life where your basic needs and wants will be provided. But you should always know your credit limit so you can continue using it. Remember, it is not a magic card. You have to pay back every month.<br /><br />Second, choose the right credit card company. There are various financial institutions offering credit cards. The interest is somewhat the same but there are some offering just a little bit lower than the other companies. You may try to re-negotiate with your card company for a lower interest rate. It won't hurt you if you try- it will be advantageous to you. Some people are experiencing financial trouble because of high interest rates. You don't want to be in their shoes I suppose. With lower interest rate, you could save a lot of money. The extra cash can be used for your other everyday expenses.<br /><br />Third, if you afford to buy certain things in cash than credit, do so. It is better to pay in cash than credit. In cash purchases, you can actually track down the amount of money that went out of your pocket. In this way, you'll be thinking twice before splurging on things you saw on stores. You can feel the 'pain'. Paying in cash also teaches you to be thrifty on your spending. You will not be tempted to some extra expenses beyond your budget. <br /><br />Fourth, make a monthly budget. The budget will enable you to know your expenses. And you must stick to the planned budget. Making a budget can help you control your spending. You won't be able to use your card much often if you could manage your finances well. The monthly payment will not be burdensome and you can pay right on time. <br /><br />Lastly, pay your credit card bil on time so that it will not accumulate your credits. If you have available cash, it is better to pay an amount higher than the minimum. Credit card is now a very powerful tool that you can have.<br /><br />It is good or bad to have a credit card is depending on how you use it.<br />Happy spending and saving wisely.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-3229469318134565072008-05-14T08:47:00.000-07:002008-05-14T09:02:12.328-07:0010 Powerful Tips To Improve Self ConfidenceIf you find yourself feeling like you're "in a rut" and not appreciating yourself as much as you should, there are simple changes you can make to improve self-confidence and take charge of your life again. Confidence affects every area of life, from relationships to the workplace. And improving your self-confidence will always have a beneficial effect on both your relationships with others, and your ability to handle the little ups and downs that life can throw at us from time to time.<br /><br />The following 10 tips have proven time and again to improve self-confidence for a wide variety of people.<br /><br /><strong>1. Clothes Make the Man and Woman.</strong><br />Yes, it's an old cliche', but that doesn't make it any less true. When we dress confidently, we feel confident. Try this experiment: for one week, dress like the person you want to be, NOT the person you think you are. This one is simple change can dramatically improve self-confidence.<br /><br /><strong>2. Stop Trying so Hard. </strong><br />Improving confidence should not be about struggling. Give up trying to be a perfectionist, and give yourself permission to be a human being who will naturally make mistakes sometimes. A sure-fire way to feel inferior is to set the bar too high in every area of your life. Cut yourself some slack -- you deserve it.<br /><strong><br />3. Focus Your Attention Outward. </strong><br />Lack of confidence often causes people to focus an inordinate amount of attention inward, on the "self." Make it a point to focus more attention on others than you do on yourself. Remember, confident people focus outward -- insecure people focus inward.<br /><br /><strong>4. Avoid Energy Vampires.</strong> <br />All of us know someone who seems to "suck the energy" out of a room just by entering. Give yourself permission to minimize contact with these people. Don't hate them or judge them in any way. Just recognize that they do not improve the quality of your life, and minimize your connection with them.<br /><br /><strong>5. Take a Chance. </strong><br />Try something new and different that you may have been apprehensive about in the past. Enroll in an adult education class, or join a book club, gym, performing arts or other social pastime. Shake up your life a little bit. The change will do you good, and your self-confidence will improve.<br /><br /><strong>6. Be a Giver.</strong> <br />There is an old proverb that says "you only get what you give." With that in mind, start giving what you want to receive in life. Make other people feel as confident and worthwhile as you can. By helping to build up confident feelings in others, you are sure to get back the same thing. Call it karma or what ever you like -- it always works.<br /><br /><strong>7. Practice Forgiveness. </strong><br />Many people are very hard on themselves because, deep down, they have not forgiven themselves for something in their past. If you're clinging to some failure or transgression from the past, recognize that you are doing it and then forgive yourself completely for whatever it was. Likewise, if there is someone else in your life you need to forgive, make it a point to do so. NOT for their sake -- but for yours. When we forgive, we purify our heart and start anew.<br /><br /><strong>8. Affirmations: Ask Yourself the Right Questions. </strong><br />Some people repeat affirmations such as "I am self confident," which is fine, but you can improve your affirmation results by using leading questions such as, "why am I so confident?" The subconscious mind operates in a very simple manner. When you ask it a question like this, it will immediately go to work looking for the answer, and it will report back to you all of the ways you already are confident.<br /><br /><strong>9. "Model" Other Confident People. </strong><br />One way to improve self-confidence is to model the behavior of people whom you consider to be supremely confident. If you can befriend a very confident person, that's great. But if not, just find an actor or other celebrity who is confidence personified, and study their behavior. Do this several times a week, and some of their confident mannerisms are bound to rub off on you.<br /><br /><strong>10. Practice Gratitude. </strong><br />A grateful mind is a peaceful mind, and a peaceful mind radiates confidence. Practice making a daily gratitude list, and particularly focus on different aspects of yourself that you appreciate. Maybe you are a great swimmer, or good at math, or really strong, or a good dancer, or have an unusual sense of humor, or are good at design, or a great singer, or a really good friend, or any number of other positive attributes. Look for what is great about you, and then be grateful you have those qualities. Appreciating your good qualities will improve self-confidence, and help you develop the kind of positive self-image that is crucial to success in life.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-87592823116555035012008-04-10T19:02:00.000-07:002008-04-10T19:06:06.894-07:00Can you be a millionaire?Every once in a while someone becomes an instant millionaire by getting lucky. They might inherit a bunch of dough, create a product instantly wins popularity contests, or hit the lotto. For most of us though, becoming a millionaire is hard work. It takes time, discipline and some patience. <br /><br />But for those who are determined to retire young and retire rich, it can be done. And becoming a millionaire does not require a high income. While that helps, building wealth is ultimately the ability to manage your money properly. <br /><br />Here are some tips to get you started today: <br /><br />1. Reduce consumption and increase investments. <br />2. Create and stick to a budget. <br />3. Increase your financial IQ. <br />4. Make contributions into investment vehicles on a consistent basis. <br />5. Start a part-time business to increase income and take advantage of tax write-offs. <br />6. Surround yourself with like-minded people who believe and support your goals. <br />7. Find great CPAs and other trusted financial advisers. <br />8. Set short-term and long-term goals. <br />9. Make a commitment to become a millionaire. <br />10. Start now. Time is your friend when it comes to investing. <br /><br />Making your first million is the hardest, but it will never come if you don’t take action. Continue to increase your financial literacy by subscribing and visiting financial websites, but don’t get stuck in “analysis paralysis” mode. While the information on these websites and magazines can be very valuable, the prescription to making money is actually very simple. It’s just a matter of knowing the fundamentals and how to apply them.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-47734742286578068782008-04-08T02:39:00.000-07:002008-04-08T02:40:47.562-07:00How To Deal With Your Persistent Fears?Everybody deals with anxiety and depression, however some people have a hard time in managing it. As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their most persistent fears and every day anxieties.<br /><br />When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, the first thing you can do is to divide the task into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success. <br /><br />Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could get some fresh air, listen to some music, or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. <br /><br />A person should visualize a red stop sign in their mind when they encounter a fear provoking thought. When the negative thought comes, a person should think of a red stop sign that serves as a reminder to stop focusing on that thought and to think of something else. A person can then try to think of something positive to replace the negative thought.<br /><br />Another technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive statements that makes you feel good. Whenever you come across an affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you in your pocket. Whenever you feel depressed or frustrated, open up your small notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking.<br /><br />Learn to take it one day at a time. Instead of worrying about how you will get through the rest of the week, try to focus on today. Each day can provide us with different opportunities to learn new things and that includes learning how to deal with your problems. You never know when the answers you are looking for will come to your doorstep. We may be ninety-nine percent correct in predicting the future, but all it takes is for that one percent to make a world of difference.<br /><br />Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your depression and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.<br /><br />Dealing with our persistent fears is not easy. Remember that all you can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and take things in stride. Patience, persistence, education, and being committed in trying to solve your problem will go along way in fixingsavewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-9372323212721893922008-03-24T18:53:00.000-07:002008-03-24T19:12:01.425-07:00Five Great Ideas To Save MoneyWant to save money but don’t know how? Feel like depriving yourself when it comes to saving money? Don’t be disheartened. Try these five money saving ideas, without breaking up a sweat!<br /><br /><strong>Reduce On Magazines Subscription.</strong><br />There are so many types of magazines like business, sports, home and garden magazines. Can you imagine how much each of these subscriptions cost? If your family is subscribed to 5 different magazines, that’s already few hundreds per year! If you need the information from such mags, try to check out their websites and you’ll be surprised at how much free information is available! Besides that, it would be good idea for you to visit your local libraries once a week with your family members. <br /><br /><strong>Buy In Bulk.</strong><br />How can warehouse like Tesco and Giant Hypermarket drastically lower their prices? It is because they buy and sell in bulk. And so should you! Consumables that are non-perishable can be purchased 10-15% cheaper when bought in bulk. Be sure to stock up only on fast-moving items such as kitchen towels, cleaners, canned goods, etc., to avoid wasting money on rancid food.<br /><br /><strong>Eat At Home.</strong><br />Eating out has become an lifestyle. What used to be an activity to celebrate special occasions has become part of the daily, fast-paced life. But did you know that eating out could chomp as much as 40% of your budget for food? That’s as much as RM100 weekly, saved just by eating in! <br /><br /><strong>Plan Your Meals.</strong><br />Eating out 4 times a week need not be your solution to a dynamic lifestyle. Menu planning is! Take time on weekends to plan for the following week’s meals. Every night, before you hit the sack, take out the ingredients for the meals of the next day from the freezer, and store them in the refrigerator. By the time you get home from work, everything is thawed and ready to be cooked. By doing so, you would have saved enough money to spend for dining out on special occasions!<br /><br /><strong>Homemade Skin Care.</strong><br />Is your dermatologist eating up your budget? Don’t you wish you can be beautiful and save money at the same time? The answer is yes, you can! By using ingredients from your pantry, you can take care of your skin and still save a fortune. Try the following:<br /><br />- Honey and oatmeal can exfoliate dry skin.<br /><br />- Ginger seeped in a bath softens your skin.<br /><br />- Cucumber and milk softens tired skin.<br /><br />Without drastically changing your lifestyle, you have started your path on saving money. Secure your future by using these money saving ideas, today! Save wisely.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-88250556590381968822008-03-11T20:42:00.000-07:002008-03-11T20:46:37.315-07:00Pay Less And Enjoy MoreSaving Money is one hard task. There are lots of things to be considered, primarily on how to budget your cash on hand that would somehow, if not manage to have excess left money, be exact of what it should be used for. Budgeting is really a pain in the neck. Allocation of electric bills, water bills, phone bills, etc. is just few of the many things being considered on how to utilize your cash wisely. Food is no exception.<br /><br />Being the most important of all house responsibility, we prioritize on how to budget our money, reducing the money spent without sacrificing the food allocation. We mainly buy necessities in groceries. It would be of help if you list down goods you have to buy together with their prices (if possible) so as to ensure yourself that the budget allotted for food is exact or there is a shortage. If so, you could trim down your list or think of a better replacement. To furthermore avoid shopping shortages, here are some tips.<br /><br />- List goods that should always be found in the kitchen. Examples of which are coffee, milk, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, onion, garlic. These goods are necessary, so they are always being bought.<br /><br />- Plan your weekly meals ahead of time. This would avoid you overspending on goods invaluable or missing some ingredients that are needed. This would not just clear your worries but it would also save your time.<br /><br />- Don’t buy branded goods; instead choose a product that has the same quality of those expensive goods. You’ll get the same benefit without spending more.<br /><br />- Pay in cash. You might be tempted to buy unnecessary goods. This would avoid you from going over your card limit.<br /><br />- Try to be inventive and creative at the same time. Leftovers could be precooked in a way that it would look appealing again to your appetite.<br /><br />- Bring some snacks whenever you travel. This could be a good reliever for your hunger along the way and chances of being tempted to stop in a mini store; if not be impossible, at least be lessen.<br /><br />- Keep a list of prices of goods you always buy. At least, with those products you’re sure of how much you’ll be spending and you could do just a small amount on goods you wish to buy.<br /><br />- Shop only once or twice a month. In that way, less time will be spent on going to a grocery store and at the same time, chances of overspending will be minimized.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-28739327710007094292008-03-07T01:09:00.000-08:002008-03-07T01:22:40.817-08:00AmazingThe amazing love of a father to his son.<br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cS596VsNEOE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cS596VsNEOE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong>Never give up!</strong>savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-76251196336097718722008-03-05T20:13:00.000-08:002008-03-05T20:17:53.857-08:00Don’t Let Your Fears Keep You PoorWhat is the first impression we have upon hearing the word “fear?” Most likely, we think of it as a word that describes a feeling we all do not like to experience. And rightly it is, for even the dictionary describes it mostly as a word filled with negative emotions.<br /><br />In this chapter, we shall make an in-depth analysis of what fear is really all about when it comes to creating wealth; its good side and its bad side.<br /><br />Different people have different kinds of fear. Fear of speaking in public, fear of heights, fear of enclosed places, fear of being alone, fear of dark places, fear of being in a doctor’s or dental office, fear of spiders and other insects - we can enumerate countless more.<br /><br />Fear is the biggest deterrent to financial success. Suppress fear and your money-making mind turns into a gold mine. A word of caution: Being wealthy does not necessarily solve the problem of fear. Sometimes, it even aggravates the matter, because this time, it is fear of losing the money that bothers the wealthy. Learn to manage and control fear.<br /><br />Many people who have money problems fear losing money so much that they are actually aggravating their problems by concentrating too much on them. They can’t think of any solution to their dilemmas because their thoughts are pre-occupied with the terror of paying insurmountable bills. Instead of worrying about their problem, they should shift their focus to a different perspective, even for just a few minutes. They should take some time to relax and re-energize their brains so they can be more capable of finding the right solution. They should set their problems aside for even just a few minutes each day, in order to allow their minds to come up with possible solutions.<br /><br />Fear also has its good side. Fear prevents us from getting hurt, physically and emotionally. That little fear that is inherent in us is actually good for us. It prevents us from being too aggressive. It makes us think before we act. Action after thinking is definitely better than action without thinking.<br /><br />This little fear is similar to fats in our body. Too much fat in our body is not good for our health. A little fat helps to keep us warm in cold weather. In the movies, there won’t be any good guys if it weren’t for the bad guys. We kept emphasizing “little” in fear and we must keep it that way because once it starts to get big, we’re in real trouble.So how do we control fear from getting big without totally losing it? How do we keep fear within manageable and usable level so we have control over it instead of the other way around?To an average employee, fear of losing a job makes him/her get up every morning to go to work. This is fear controlling the person. This is the reason most people stay in the “rat race.”To the poor and middle class, the fear of losing money makes them cringe to take risks, even calculated risks which the rich usually take. Sometimes, they never realize that they already lost the moment they backed out from an opportunity. And if this keeps on going, they’ll never get rich.<br /><br />Fear leads to poverty. It prevents financial creativity in our minds to the point that ignorance sets in. When creativity (be it financial or not) does not occupy the mind, the mind is in a state of emptiness. It doesn’t remain empty for long, so ignorance sets in. And when ignorance sets in, bigger problems start to set in as well because our mind is in disarray. Unconsciously, we become more greedy.<br /><br />Let us explore greed further. I think you will agree that a high degree of greed can lead into trouble. Too much greed clouds our thoughts but a little, just a little greed may do us good. A little greed can overcome the obstacles that draw us away from financial security. A little greed can cure laziness. Without that little greed, our desire to have something better and to improve our lives financially could be beyond reach. Progress will hardly be attained.<br /><br />If you will notice, most if not all of the negative traits and emotions in humans can lead us into trouble and financial distress, if their level is higher than our level of thinking. If we keep them from dominating our mind, we are in good hands. And to make this possible, we need to gather enough courage or fortitude within us, which will be the basis or backbone of our action towards financial security. Practice in small ways and gradually improve to bigger activities.<br /><br />To suppress the fear of losing money, the excitement of winning must prevail. We must have the burning desire and the passion to make it happen. To bring up that burning desire, we must think of the great benefits that money will bring. “What will I do or what can I do when I become rich?” Start by recalling and making a picture in your mind of the things you would like to do if you have the money for it.<br /><br />Concentrate first on the good things it will bring to you and your loved ones, perhaps helping a brother or sister finish college, going on a cruise in the Carribean if you love to travel (traveling is educational), or giving a motorized wheel chair for a poor crippled uncle. Acts of care and concern, not only for oneself and family, but to others as well, ignites passion and desire. It puts your creative mind to work. Subconsciously, you have suppressed fear. Put your thoughts into action by making big but realistic and detailed step-by-step plans.<br /><br />Remember, that all these excitements must be within the tolerable limits of your thoughts, so your reasonable and creative thinking could have full command of your actions.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-42627926219938249352008-03-03T19:36:00.000-08:002008-03-03T19:39:46.508-08:00Minimize The Spending On Your WeddingWeddings are a joyous occasion but can get expensive in a hurry. With wedding crafts you can insert a personal touch and hold the price down as well. Here are a few ideas for wedding crafts to add sparkle and creativity to your big day.<br /><br />It is not that hard to create your own wedding veil. To make this wedding craft, you will need a length of bridal illusion in the desired length. You will also need a comb to attach it to your hair and a hat or headpiece to cover the comb. Sew large running stitches about an inch from the end of the illusion and gather it tightly. Now sew the veil to the comb. Top with hat or headpiece. As an alternative, you can decorate a wide-brimmed straw hat with silk flowers, ribbon, and pearls.<br /><br />The bouquets and floral arrangements can also be personally crafted. For a simple outdoor wedding, consider wild flowers. They are free and have a charm all their own. Bouquets can be arranged in large clear vases, with a bow tied elegantly around.<br /><br />Favors for the guests are particularly appropriate wedding crafts. Refrigerator magnets are a simple and well-received favor. A really nice idea is to make a magnetic picture frame and include a picture of the couple. You could cut a frame out of craft foam in one of the wedding colors, arrange over the photo, and glue all onto a cardboard backing. Place self-adhesive magnet tape on the back of the cardboard. Decorate the front of the frame with foil heart stickers and a monogram of the couple's last name.<br /><br />Bows for the ends of the pews or rows make simple wedding crafts. Wide velvet ribbons are nice for fall and winter weddings, while satin is more appropriate for spring and summer weddings. Loop some flat lace in with the ribbons. In the center of the completed bow, attach some silk flowers and pearl sprays with a hot glue gun.<br /><br />Perhaps you'd like to try your hand at decorating your own cake. Check the craft section of the department store for pans and gadgets of all types to help you create a cake to remember. Do remember, though, that it takes a steady hand. Be sure to practice before starting on the real cake.<br /><br />Preparing for a wedding can be expensive, but with wedding crafts, you can take some of the sting out. Plan early, however, because it will take a little while to make favors for everyone and all the other little details you will want to take care of. Maybe creating wedding crafts will even relieve some of those wedding jitters. In any event, crafting your own wedding items is a way to have a personal, beautiful, and less expensive wedding.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-31039044995106188592008-02-14T00:22:00.000-08:002008-02-14T00:27:39.349-08:00Ten Traits That Make You RichSaving money isn't all about whether or not you know how to score screaming bargains.<br />It has more to do with your attitude toward money.<br />Just think of those who don't fit the filthy-rich stereotype. People like Warren Buffett. As explained in the book The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, personal finance has as much to do with people's traits as it does with money. Many millionaires, in fact, have frugal ways.<br />Understanding how personal traits can influence your finances is an essential ingredient for building wealth.<br /><br />Here are 10 key traits:<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">1. Patience</span></strong><br />Patience is one of the most important traits when it comes to saving money.<br />This means waiting until the first wave of product hype has passed, keeping a car for an extra few years before getting another one and waiting until something you want fits into your budget instead of putting it on credit.<br />Patience is often the difference between creating savings and being in debt. Having the patience to wait until you find a good deal is a cornerstone of good finances.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">2. Satisfaction</span></strong><br />When you're satisfied, there is no reason to spend money on nonessentials. The sole purpose of commercials is to make you believe that buying a product or service will make you happier, wealthier, better looking or improve whatever isn't bringing you satisfaction.<br />People spend because they want to capture the excitement shown in advertisements. When you are satisfied with what you have and your life (not trying to live like those on TV), your finances will be in a lot better shape.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">3. Organization</span></strong><br />Being organized can make you more productive and ensure that all the many issues pertaining to personal finances are addressed.<br />It means not paying late fees, not buying two of everything, knowing deadlines that can affect your finances and getting more done in less time. All these can greatly benefit your finances.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">4. Discipline</span><br /></strong>You need the discipline to continue to save money for specific, long-term goals every month.<br />Personal finance isn't a way to get rich quick, but is a disciplined execution of your lifetime plans.<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>5. Reflectiveness</strong></span><br />It's important to be able to look at your financial decisions and reflect on their results.<br />You're going to make financial mistakes. Everyone does.<br />The key is to learn from those mistakes so you don't make them again, or recognize if you keep repeating them.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">6. Creativity<br /></span></strong>The economy and our earnings don't always match our expectations.<br />Unexpected developments wreak havoc to elaborate financial plans. When this happens, changes are needed to deal with the new circumstances. Creativity is essential to accomplish this.<br />Creativity allows you to make something last longer rather than purchasing it when you don't have the money. It means juggling money to stay out of debt rather than simply paying with a credit card. It means finding a cheaper alternative when money is tight.<br />In these ways, creativity plays a large role in keeping finances in order.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">7. Curiosity</span></strong><br />Having curiosity helps you learn, study and improve yourself.<br />The curiosity of wanting to know more, to take the time to study and then take what is learned and put into practice is an important process that is driven by curiosity.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">8. Risk-Taking<br /></span></strong>To build wealth, one needs to be willing to take risks. This doesn't mean uncalculated risks. It means weighing all the options and taking calculated risks when appropriate.<br />The stock market has risks involved, but over the long term, history shows that it provides good returns on money that is invested wisely. Those who fear risk altogether end up saving money in accounts that likely lose money to inflation in the long run.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">9. Goal-Oriented<br /></span></strong>The importance of setting and working toward goals is obvious. If you don't know where you are going, it's difficult to get there. It helps your personal finances immensely if you have money goals and are motivated to reach the goals that you have set for yourself.<br />Those who lack goals don't have a road map to take them to the financial destination they want.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">10. Hard- and Smart-Working<br /></span></strong>Creating wealth and staying out of debt rarely comes about without a lot of hard work.<br />Many people might hope that the lottery will solve all their financial problems. The true path to financial freedom, however, is to work hard to earn money while educating yourself to continue to have more value and increase your salary.<br />You may not possess all of the above traits. But knowing them can help you make changes so that you nourish the ones that you have and obtain the ones you're missing.<br />Ultimately they will help you with your personal finances and create a plan to accumulate the wealth you desire.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Source: Yahoo! Finance,provided by TheStreet.com</em></span>savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-48249205376903990202008-02-07T01:06:00.000-08:002008-02-07T02:09:22.055-08:00Why put your money in FD?If you save RM10,000 in a fixed deposit (FD) accout that gives you interest of 4% per annum, you will have RM21, 911 after 20 years.<br /><br />If you invest RM10, 000 in a mutual fund accout that gives you interest of 10% per annum, you will have RM67, 275 after 20 years.<br /><br />*Calculation based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compound_interest">compound interest</a><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164162305293809442" style="CURSOR: hand" height="108" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZRlpfPPaygiFpSZpFL6EvC8HCMdDmCBNJA6swfgnZpuOTCY8q2URwFYTgxBr9VHR-Jrgzohq3G6pdSZE_sP206K1dIKXtDhVbRyTrJnymZDmSYaetE37hP40wPYjlju5-pb96gzqw6I/s320/PM.bmp" width="370" border="0" /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Click on the table for a better view</span>.</em><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><br /><p><strong>FD rate for 12 months</strong></p><ul><li>Maybank 3.70%p.a.</li><li>RHB Bank 3.70%p.a.</li><li>Ambank 3.75%p.a.</li><li>CIMB Bank 3.70%p.a.</li></ul><p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>The difference of 6% of interest rate indeed makes a big different on your saving.</em> </span><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>Making a right decision indeeed makes a big different on your wealth accumultion.</em></span> </p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p>savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-24869821160281815682007-12-18T01:54:00.000-08:002007-12-18T02:00:10.135-08:00The Importance of SavingAlthough many people dream about winning the lottery, it's highly unlikely you ever will. But there is a tried-and-true way to reach your goals. It takes discipline and time, but unlike the lottery, it is practically guaranteed to help make your dreams come true. It's a steady plan of saving and investing.<br /><br />Saving means setting aside money on a regular basis, preferably from every paycheck. But to save, you must spend less than you earn. Reducing your spending, as opposed to earning more money, is the real key to gaining control of your finances. Unfortunately, many people spend everything they earn, or even live beyond their means.<br /><br /><p>By saving now, you will build a reserve for the future. Eventually, you may use this reserve to: </p><ul><li>Pay for large future expenses, such as a down payment on a home or your retirement.</li><li>Prepare for emergencies - medical or other.</li><li>Improve your financial standing, such as paying off outstanding bills and improving your credit rating.</li><li>Invest in yourself, through education, job training or tools for your trade or business. </li></ul><p>Start saving now before it is too late, you will never know what is going to happen tomorrow.<br /> </p>savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127736067419513166.post-63956302672118248302007-12-17T01:46:00.000-08:002007-12-18T02:03:57.199-08:00Make your money work harder for you<span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>Inve</strong><strong>st in Unit Trusts</strong><span style="font-size:78%;"> </span><br /></span><strong></strong><br /><strong>What is Unit Trust?</strong><br /><br />A unit trust is a professionally managed collective investment scheme which pools your money with the money of other investors. Specialist investment managers then invest the money on investors' behalf towards a specific goal in accordance with the investment objective of a particular fund.<br /><br />Your small amount of money, be it Rm1,000 or Rm10,000 assumes the buying power of millions of ringgit. This buying power means you enjoy the benefits of a large and diverse portfolio.<br /><br /><strong>The Benefits of Investing in Unit Trust</strong><br /><br />The combined resources of individual unitholders in a unit trust enable then to have access to an array of benefits that would otherwise have been impossible.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ff6666;"><strong>1. Professional Fund Management</strong></span></em><br />The advantage of a unit trust scheme is that you have financial experts of fund managers looking after your investment. The fund managers take care of all the hassle of identifying the best possible equities and/or fixed income securities while you sit back and relax.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ff6666;"><strong>2. Diversification</strong></span></em><br />Your investment risks are considerably reduced because the fund manager helps you buy into a broad spread of equities and/or fixed income securities, and a diverse portfolio automatically reduces the risk, as "all the eggs are not put in one basket."<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ff6666;"><strong>3. Opporturnity for Capital Gain</strong><br /></span></em>Returns from unit trust investments come in the form of investment income and/or capital growth. Depending on your individual financial goals, you can choose from a variety of funds, one that is best suited for you.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ff6666;"><strong>4. Liquidity</strong></span></em><br />Unit trust also give you the flexibility of being able to convert your units back into cash within 10 days upon receiving your redemption instructions.<br /><br />Hope the information benefits you.savewiselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616970722766925310noreply@blogger.com0