Believe people’s actions, not their words! 

 

 My ex-boyfriend showed me multiple times that he wasn’t ready for a serious commitment. He did say that he only saw his future with me. What did I do? I trusted his words instead of his actions and ended up wasting precious time and going into depression. Don’t be me! I’ve learned my lesson now and made it a life-rule :)

-Srishti Kotiyal

This happened to me back in 2016. I'm an salaried person from middle class background, and at the time of this incident, I was 29. I'm too conservative in nature and so is my wife. We (me and my wife) had a saving of around Rs. 7.5 lakh together at the time of wedding. In next one year, we saved some more money and in total we had 11 lakh. This was all we had, no other assets, bank balance, shares, FDs, nothing at all. This is really a very big amount for us.

A new co-operative credit society, having head office in Nashik (Maharashtra) had open their new office in Nagpur that time. They offered attractive returns (13%) on FDs and I fell for it.

I invested of the money we had at in the society. I was aware of the fraudulent practices in such societies and how the money is looted by them. 

But then I thought, the society is newly setup in Nagpur and they won't make any fraudulent practice immediately after entering the market. I thought, they will require some time to earn fame and even if they're corrupt, they will show those practices after they're setup well in market, which will take some years. Considering this, I decided to invest there. I was very clear that I will keep money invested with them only for one year. 

This was crystal clear aim I had. But then within just few months, news spread about the malpractices in the society and and somehow society ran out of money, and entered into liquidation (details later in another story).

Me, wife and parents are till now in big trauma that we lost such a big amount, but we can't do anything now. Government officials working on the liquidation process are sleeping since 3 years and we have almost lost all our money (a current runs through my body even when I'm saying this)

So coming to ultimate question - What was your biggest financial mistake?

1. I fell for unrealistic returns. I had doubt, still I fell for it.
2. I trusted a co-operative credit society despite of knowing their practices (in India).
3. I invested all my the money in the same instrument.
4. I took a risk beyond my capacity.

Advise to readers:

1. Do not fall for the unrealistic returns, especially when they're promised by non-trustworthy sources.
2. Never invest all your money in co-operative credit societies, no matter how reliable they seem to be.
3. Never invest all the money in any single instrument.
4. Never take risk beyond your capacity.

As an adult, especially a woman, never be financially dependent on anyone else!

 

 The only true way of achieving equality and freedom is to earn your own money. I don’t earn a lot as a student, but it’s enough to support my lifestyle and then some. That’s all that is needed! My father taught me “As long as someone else is paying for your needs, you will never be truly free”.

 

-Srishti Kotiyal

 

Lower Middle Class & Middle Class

Pros of being from a middle class family:

1. I learned to value every penny, to this day I think a lot before I make a buying decisions and only buy something if that is an absolute necessity.
2. I developed inexpensive hobbies like reading, exercising and programming. I learned that you don’t have to spend money in order to do something enjoyable. One can find a joy almost in anything he does.
3. Being middle class gave me the motivation and drive to work harder, it is much harder to get motivated to do something when your parents are filthy rich and you don’t have the need to make any money.
4. Being middle class taught me that almost everyone in this world treats you good only when you are richer than them. Be it close relatives or friends, if they know you are not form money then they would treat you differently.
5. Being middle class taught me the importance of self-education. I realised very soon that if I had to improve my financial circumstances education was the only key, self-education to be more precise. I saved my coffee money to buy internet data so that I can learn from the internet. If I would have been rich, I would have used internet only for entertaining myself.

Problems I faced being from a middle class family were mostly financial.

How difficult is live a life of middle class family?

I honestly think that being a middle class person is the best thing to be.

You are not so poor that you cannot afford to do anything.

Also you are not rich either that you have no drive/motivation to work.

Being from a middle class family brings the best of both worlds, i.e you have enough money to be able to get educated and yet still have the middle class values which would encourage you to save money and work hard.

Most of the problems you would face being a middle class would be directly or indirectly related to finances.

However, there are (non-financial) cons of being form a middle class family as well, here are some of them:

1. Money is looked at as a tool used to just buy consumer goods and not to grow oneself.
2. The middle class cap their ability to move ahead by settling at their current job, even if they have potential to get ahead in life.
3. Middle class is risk averse, people avoid taking chances with anything and a safer side is always preferred.
4. Education is looked as just a means to get a job and not to grow as an individual.
5. Formal education is given more importance as compared to self-education. Although today a lot more middle class are becoming aware of self-education.
6. Thinking big is highly discouraged, focus is mainly on living a stable yet monotonous life.

If you are a student who belongs to a middle class family, here are a few tips from my end.

1. Finances are not the main issue being middle class, you will obviously get a decent job and make money if you study well. The main disgrace being a middle class are some of the false beliefs and values(one I have listed above) that are much harmful.
2. Being middle class, self-education is your best friend and there is no better thing than the internet to self-educate yourself. Hence make sure to use it to its max. Self-education is the 6 lane highway that can get you from where you are to where you want to be.
3. Educate yourself not to get a job but to grow yourself. Don’t just learn a skill so that you can work at an XYZ company, instead learn it for yourself to build something of your own. You’ll need to put a lot of effort into learning something and that is very valuable, don’t just rent out your skills to some company for X dollars, instead use them to your advantage and build something. When you have that attitude, companies would be willing to pay you a lot more.
4. Don’t limit your potential, more importantly don’t let others limit your potential. Just because a company says we will pay you X for a months worth of work does not mean you are just worth X every month. It just means that the company sucks at finding the true potential inside of you. Remember that a company’s job is to pay you as less as they possibly could.
5. Look at money as a tool to grow, money is not just meant to buy things, the same money can also be used to grow yourself. For example, instead of buying a jacket you can use that money to buy a book which will help you grow. Not just books, there are a multitude of ways you can use money to grow yourself, for example, you can buy a gym membership which can help you grow stronger. You can use the same money to eat healthy, get a certification etc. There are a lot of ways to use money to your advantage.
6. Take calculated risks, if you think that you have the ability to switch to a better job, move to a better city, take up a different career then do it. I know it sounds scary but if you are willing to grow you must be willing to risk. Just make sure that you take calculated risk and that the risk has a significant payoff.
7. Don’t look at work as some kind of a chore. For most of the middle class, work seems to be like a boring task which needs to be done for sake of getting that monthly paycheque. While it is true that you need to work to make money, but that does not mean you need to consider work as some form of torture. This is the very reason you need to work on something that is interesting enough which makes you feel like you are on some sort of a mission, a mission to build something or do something substantial. If you are finding your work to be boring and uninteresting means that the work you are currently doing is way under your potential.

-Saurav Sharma

Life is too short, don’t forget to love your family!

When I was a teen, I used to fight with my parents and siblings and stop talking to them for days! As we all get older, I’ve realized that no fight is worth wasting our precious time together on this planet. Now I call back my parents or husband minutes after any argument as I just don’t want to lose any time with them.

-Srishti Kotiyal

I made many mistakes in my 20’s.

Ultimately, it all worked out for the best and today I have a life that I never thought was possible.

But the results I have today could have happened a lot sooner if I’d avoided the following things.

Heed my warning and save yourself a lot of pain and heartache.

Enjoy…

 

 

1. Low Status Friends

When I use the term low status friends, I’m not referring to their current financial status or their social status.

I’m referring to their personal status.

Low status friends are friends who lack ambition, drive, and a desire to improve.

They are negative individuals who play the victim card and blame others for their results.

Avoid these people like the plague.

If you want to succeed in your 20’s and beyond then remember one thing…

If you show me your friends… I will show you your future.

Who you hang out with becomes your destiny.

So be careful who you allow into your inner circle and always seek to spend time around winners.

2. Codependent Relationships

Nothing will destroy you faster than a codependent relationship.

Whether you are the dependent (the person who uses relationships to find their self worth) or the enabler (the person who stays with a dependent out of fear), you will sabotage your life and ruin your results.

Period.

Relationships can be the jet fuel that propels you towards the life of your dreams or the anchor that keeps you stuck in the harbor.

In a healthy relationship there are two independent people who come together, bringing their unique skills and attributes to create a better life than either person could have on their own.

If you are in a codependent relationship, you need to sit down and asses things.

If you can save the relationship by establishing boundaries and getting quality alone time then do it.

If not, then move on with your life and do yourself a favor. End of story.

3. Hard Drugs & Alcoholism

I’m not one to judge and I dabbled with more than my fair share of substances in my early 20’s.

But there is nothing that will ruin your life faster than hard drugs and alcoholism.

I’m not referring to a night cap or an evening joint.

I’m talking about substances like heroin, cocaine, meth, and the like.

Avoid these like the plague.

They will turn you into a shell of who you used to be and leave your life in the gutter without a dime to your name.

Just don’t freaking do it!

4. Your Comfort Zone

If you want to live a great life, then you must avoid your comfort zone like a crazy ex with a butcher knife.

No one ever achieved anything great by residing in their comfort zone.

We don’t write stories about great men and women because they did what was easy.

Society rewards and recognizes those who do the hard things that are necessary to live a good life.

Look…

Everyone reading this has the potential to be successful beyond their wildest dreams.

But to do so, you must embrace the fact that successful people do hard things.

They step out of their comfort zone and into the unknown.

They boldly move forward and chart their own path.

Get the hell out of your comfort zone in your 20’s and get into life.

5. “Normal”

If there’s one thing that must be avoided more than anything else on this list it’s normal.

Normal is 5-figures in debt, living pay check to paycheck, getting a divorce in your 30’s, working a job you hate, and rocking a “Dad Bod”.

F*ck normal.

Normal is the antithesis of greatness and if you want to be successful in your 20’s, you will avoid it at all costs.

Don’t do what other people do.

Don’t spend your time the way that the masses do.

Don’t buy the same crap, work the same jobs, or live the same lives.

As the old saying goes, “Do what others won’t so that you can do what others can’t”

Screw normal.

Be exceptional.

Hope this helps.

Stay Grounded, 

Andrew

Money is nothing......

We have this problem, seeing wealth as “greed” in America, but this is what it truly means to have money here:

1. Reduced Life Stressors. No worries about groceries, rent payments, utility costs, transportation costs. You can turn the heat up and be warm in your home and not have to think about it. Taking these expenses away would reduce stress for a lot of families and people
2. You can get Exactly the Medical Care You Need. The best medical care, specialists who are *not* in your network, surgeries, physical rehab, cancer care without going broke, prescriptions that you need. A lot of people delay care, skip rehab or don’t fill meds bc they can’t afford it - it impacts their health & happiness. Medical bills are the #1 cause of bankruptcy in the United States - money could help a lot of people.
3. Family Cared For. Are your aging parents needing anything? You have the power to help them. College education is crazy expensive - now your kids won’t carry debt.
4. Ability to Take Breaks. Want to go to the beach in the middle of Winter? You can. Want to spend time with family living in another state? You can. It’s a new world when you can actually take a month and just….relax. That *definitely* improves your quality of life over working two jobs and barely making ends meet.
5. Acquiring Quality Items. I’m not talking about a luxury watch…but just the ability to buy a warm wool winter sweater, or solid jacket. They cost money! Look at the jackets they sell at Walmart and compare them to Patagonia. It’s not just about “brand,” but how warm do they keep you? How comfortable are you outside? Little things like this make all the difference to improve your comfort.

To say that money *doesn’t* make life easier or improve your life would be dishonest.

Wealth has the potential to improve *everyone’s* life.

It shouldn’t be that way, but it is still that way in America…and as someone who has been on both sides of wealth, I’ll tell you that it makes all the difference in the world.

-Julie Gurner

Judging Others....

Judging others - how they act, what they say, what they wear - is a universal habit designed to feed our ego.

We make others small to feel big.

Look. Look how much better I am. Look how much better I do.

Judging is an unimaginative way to make ourselves feel like we belong. Those people, we say. They are not like us.

It underlines what makes us separate, instead of reminding us we are the same.

The act of judging comes from insecurity and is a symptom of unhappiness. If you are truly happy you don't need to cut others down to size or put down the choices others have made.

Speaking ill of others, even as a joke, as a way to pass time, shows people how you will one day come to speak of them and makes them wonder if you can be trusted.

The habit of judging is worth breaking for all these reasons but also because it continuously trains your brain to be critical. It narrows your vision.

You make it increasingly difficult for yourself to see the good in others, and consequently, the good in you.

  -Dushka Zapata

Poverty is because of......

Poverty is a result of multiple factors including political environment, availability of opportunities, health factors and a lack of education.

Apart from these a key factor is the lack of a proper guide to motivate and show the right direction. They grow up in a vicious circle that sucks them back.

Over decades I have been observing the economic conditions of our maids. We lived in over 25 homes and have had 40 odd maids overall in my life. In practically all cases they educated their children and many of them are doing well in their life.

What makes the maids do so well in climbing the prosperity ladder, compared to their peers in the slum? A key thing is they are looking at the right examples. They are observing what you are studying, what career options you are choosing, what financial habits you are having and overall have a much better idea at what makes someone succeed. Many of these maids use these practices at home and climb out of poverty faster than other poor people.

If poor people get the right role models, guides, examples and plan, many could climb out of poverty.

-Balaji Vishwanathan

My father is 104. My mother is 100.

Both told me the same thing:

“Stay away from doctors.”

To which they added, “do everything in moderation.”

For example, my father ate steak and eggs for breakfast for years - but in small quantities. The most important part of diet is how much one eats. Junk food won’t hurt you in small quantities. For example, one slice of pizza and a small glass of beer is OK. Eating a large pizza while drinking a 6-pack - not so good.

But what they say about fruits and vegetables - so very true. Try eating nothing but fruits and veggies for a few days, and see if you don’t feel better than you ever have.

Also, watch your weight (ever seen an obese 100-year-old?)

And - so important - take a stroll everyday. You don’t need to run, just a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood will do you more good than a gym membership.

Full disclosure - I used to live on Big Macs, Whoppers, pizza, fries and fried chicken. Old age has taught me that, maybe, this isn’t a good idea.

-Chet Blakistone

RBI Grade B is Overrated

RBI grade B is actually most underrated exam.

1. Grade B in RBI is also called as Manager. Where else you can join at the age of 21 as Manager.
2. Salary in RBI is more than average package of top MBA colleges in India.
3. RBI is having offices only in big cities and you get decent accommodation at the place of posting.
4. RBI is a big brand in itself. No corporate job could provide you respect in society which RBI can.
5. RBI is a knowledge institution. Here, you would work with people from IIT/IIM and other prestigious institutions.
6. RBI is having a scheme of golden jubilee scholarship scheme, under which you can pursue higher education from top foreign university.
7. At the end of the day, most important parameter any human being look in job is peace of mind. RBI provide you a perfect work-life balance and mental peace.

Considering all these, I think, RBI Grade B is highly underrated.

-Rohit Bharuka