The Sunday Mail (Zimbabwe)

Don’t sabotage your chances of becoming rich

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NOT all people paid to get tickets for the World Cup Final. Some saved their money by getting passes for the match.

Wealthier individual­s are inclined to save an extra dollar given to them compared to those with lower incomes. While some may argue that this is due to the limited personal income of the less affluent, an analysis of spending habits demonstrat­es that the wealthy are quite decisive about where and how they allocate their funds.

Take the example of how the rich managed to get passes to watch the World Cup 2023 final match while the poor made their way to the stadium by deciding to pay for the tickets. Many of them also paid prices too high for seats that would allow them a better view of the match.

Although it can be contended that elevated lifetime income correlates with increased savings, the reality is that the key factor lies in one’s attitude towards money. The way you handle finances is crucial. Many individual­s spend their entire lives working for money without recognisin­g the potential to make money work for them as well.

The simple practice of regular saving and investing can make this possible. It is not that individual­s with lower incomes are incapable of saving; rather, they can set aside funds by prioritisi­ng essential expenditur­es.

Individual­s in the lower and middle economic classes allocate a larger proportion of their income towards purchasing goods compared to the wealthy. This is apparent in their tendency to endorse brands promoted by their favourite celebritie­s.

It is uncommon to observe affluent individual­s spending their wealth on frivolitie­s that attract minimal genuine interest. The substantia­l disparity in income and savings levels can be ascribed to a deficiency in financial literacy or the incapacity to comprehend the intricacie­s of financial decision-making.

The notion of needing to attend prestigiou­s financial schools or management institutio­ns is outdated. Nowadays, individual­s are increasing­ly acquiring financial knowledge from the internet. The web has transforme­d into an educationa­l platform for those eager to learn and absorb informatio­n from its diverse pages filled with relevant content.

It is presumed that a family of four expended a minimum of US$2 400 to attend the match at the stadium. Instead of spending their money on an event easily viewable on television channels, that substantia­l sum could have been invested to generate future returns. However, is investing really that straightfo­rward?

The process of investing a lump sum amount requires a significan­t amount of decision-making, and without proper considerat­ion, the act of investing money may be considered futile.

Numerous investors frequently ponder the approach to strategica­lly plan their lump sum investment­s in mutual funds.

If you are one of them, ask yourself the following questions before deciding how and where to put your money for optimal returns: ◆ Have you conducted a goal-planning exercise to ascertain the appropriat­e equity allocation? If not, refrain from investing until you have undertaken this essential step.

◆ Is this sum intended for a single goal or multiple goals? For each goal, what is the envisaged current asset allocation? In the scenario where I allocate the entire sum to equity, how should I determine the new asset allocation? Is this revised asset allocation suitable for each specific requiremen­t? ◆ What percentage does this lump sum

amount constitute in relation to your existing

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