Beyond the Price tag?

I saw this picture on Facebook....This prompted me to write this blog...

Let me start with a decliner- I love Lay's and it  is one of the best tasting potato chips in the market.

I am looking at this more on the value? How many times do we look beyond the price tag? If a price is cheap does it mean its low in value?

Often Brands, Advertisement, and peer pressure are the reasons for making financial decisions. I sometimes come across clients who decide on a financial plan because a friend also did it. Its quite a challenge to explain that each of our financial needs are different. 

To compare Value with cost is a challenge. Some of the criteria in assessing are 

Meets the objective- The first criteria is to see if it meets the objective. It cannot be decided on impulse. How many times have you bought something because you think you may need it sometime in the future and never used it. It maybe at a discount but if you don't NEED it, there is no Value.

Reliable- When it comes to food, the most important decision is the reliability of the company manufacturing. The quality control processes in place, the food handling methods, cleanliness and the quality of the raw materials used helps us make the decision. 

Functionality- A lot of times we come across products that are lower price but have more functionalities.

Accurate- Functionality and accuracy go hand in hand. There maybe a lot of functions in a product, but if they do not perform accurately the purpose is lost.

Efficiency- My daughter always prefers a particular brand of pen. She argues that the flow of INK and the smooth movement makes her handwriting look neater when she writes. Especially in exams, when she is trying to race against time.

Coming back to the picture above, What do we get when we look beyond the price tag!!!!!.....

Financial tips for Women

The general impression about women and money is that we don't know how to handle it. Although it may not be 100% true, many women do not take interest in Financial planning.

For many money is emotionally connected. Our beliefs about Money and our emotional connections decided how we handle and spend money. Money also affects relationships, love and other matters in our life. There are also sometimes Psychological stumbling blocks that also prevent one from achieving their Financial goals.

Here are some tips to achieve financial independence.

Set Financial Goals-  Having a goal is key to financial success. You need to work out what you want and where you are currently in achieving it.

Spend less earn More- That's the primary step to build wealth.


Be Financially independent - Depending on your spouse or family to handle your finances will not help you reach your goals. You need to be involved.

Watch your Spending- Don't spend to feel good. This can never help you build your self esteem. Look for other ways to boost your self esteem.

Education- Make a conscious effort to learn about money and finance. Read books, attend talks and educate yourself to handle money wisely.

Get involved- Get involved in the day to day spending and accounts of your house.Talk to your spouse about money and how he handles it.

Not late to Start Its never too late to start. So start getting involved and learn to handle your money TODAY....

How to beat inflation?

I recently received this cartoon in an email. Good Humour indeed. But lets look deeper into this...

When strikes me in this Cartoon is that its very clear that depending on Salary alone to Manage Cash flow is not enough. We need to look at Passive income streams that will supplement our income.

Planning to have a good Passive income stream requires diligent financial Planning. Firstly, what is very important is Discipline and Commitment. Able to save for the lean days is like the Ant and Grasshopper story. Its not easy when you see people around you having a good time buying what they want, when you are give up some pleasures for having a better time in lean time.

Robert Kiyosaki, the Author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and designer of Cashflow came, says he invests for Cashflow and not for Capital Gains.

The options that are available are plenty.. to suit everyone's budget and need... One just need to start the journey....