Saving and investing play an important role in securing your goals, your dreams, and your future. Why do we need to save then? So we’re saying that when you’re daydreaming or imagining your future, do bear in mind that those dreams and goals require money; so the question is, how will you generate that money, meaning where will it come from?
What is the difference between saving and investing? They are usually used interchangeably, but there is a slight interlinking relationship between them.
However, the difference is in the goal-setting (whether it is for the short term or the long term). That is, how soon do you want to have access to the funds? Savings refers to putting money aside for a short-term need, such as a vacation, a car deposit, or an emergency (rainy day) fund.
Investing, on the other hand, I call the “eighth wonder of the world” compound interest. This means that, once you have created that emergency fund, you can then make it grow even further by investing in longer-term instruments.
The next question will be, Where will that money come from? The lottery is certainly not the answer; do not bet your life on an easy-come-easy-go empty promise. Hey, some of us are not that lucky to strike it rich.
In the end, it all starts with small practical steps with little deliberate intentional behavioral changes, moving from wasteful to frugal (but not cheap)!
Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a 1000 miles begins with one baby step at a time.” I have added to it “that it opens up a new understanding, clarity, and following one’s Life purpose when you are deliberate about it”- Zinzi Mdedetyana
We all dream of a better and greater life for ourselves and our loved ones, someday in the future based on what we wish, dream, want, and imagine our future to be.
We should also bear in mind that, when it comes to your money, although you live in the present (now), the focus should also not be on what your money can do for you now, but whether it can also stretch enough to focus on the future (achieving dreams and goals), ensuring that some of it is put away Today so that it can work and take care of you Tomorrow.
Rule #1: Pay Yourself First
It is also important to note that you must pay yourself first, before sharing your hard-earned money with others so that there’s always enough to look after you and your family when you really need it; it serves you as it should.
Take it like a prepaid investment (paying it forward before you even need the money) that will see your money grow and that will help you achieve your goals, dreams, and future.
What are we talking about here is that, by using savings and investment vehicles, you are being smart about how to grow and expand your hard-earned money wisely, so it works for you like clockwork.
When we do not save or invest, we are basically “busy robbing and stealing from our potential future wealth pocket to live for Today’s short-term gain,” and that, my friend is the most horrific injustice we can ever commit to ourselves and our beloved ones.
Rule #2. Always remember rule #1.
Rule #3. No matter what, remember rule #1
What are your goals (needs you might be saving and investing for)? Different strokes for different folks
- Do you want to own your own home or car, How much will it cost you, Bearing in mind that the bigger the car or home, the more expensive it will be, remember needs vs wants.
- What kind of education do you want for your children and perhaps the improvement of your own? What will it cost you, considering that education is the best investment (gift) that you can give to your children and yourself?
- What kind of financially secure lifestyle after retirement do you want, as I am certain that you would like it, to be, sustainable, and not rely on a paltry government pension or live off your family members and become a burden?
- You cannot really know in advance when you will need that extra money, especially during unforeseen events (sudden retrenchment or layoff, children getting sick, undergoing a major expensive medical surgery, a natural disaster) and Life stages (ages and stages) that sometimes throw us off when we didn’t even see it coming, so by creating an extra cushion (emergency fund) to soften the impact that “seems” to happen spontaneously, what would it cost you to survive the tough times, until you recover?
- Have you dreamt of taking an overseas dream holiday one day before you kick the bucket (before you die), and how much will this trip cost (set you back)?
I trust that now you will realize that it is important to save for your future long-term plans for you and your family (loved ones), for the lifestyle you want for yourself (phasing into and after retirement), and for spontaneous unforeseen events.
Various types of Investment and Savings vehicles ( list is not exhaustive)
- Moneybox (Mattress) shoebox (GrandMa old fashion way)
- Savings club
- Savings account
- Stokvel (pooling funds together as a community into Fundly, GoFundMe, etc.)
- Tax-free savings account
- Index Funds
- Notice deposit (32-day, 7-day notice account)
- Call account
- Government Bonds
- Mutual Unit trusts
- Shares/Equity
- Bonds
- Retirement Annuities(IRA)
- Pension Fund or Provident fund
- Cryptocurrencies
- Forex
17 simple yet practical saving strategies you can use starting Today!
- Make savings fun: create a fun competition with family members, the community, or friends to keep the momentum going and lasting (stick to it)
- Working together as a team (family, partnerships, community collaboration): there is no point in trying to save, in a case where there’s no communication within the family unit structure (get buy-in from family members, or your friends, or your community) to gain support and work together to achieve massive success; this is a recipe for financial victory.
Together, you move much farther and faster than when you work alone. “If you want to go fast, do it alone, if you want to go further, then do it in a family unit or a group of friends or community.”African Proverb, This is what we call stokvel (pooling funds together as a unit) in South Africa.
- Buy what you need: plan and only buy food that you really need to avoid waste.
- Buy in bulk—it helps to save in the long run, especially goods with a long shelf life like toilet paper, washing powder, dishwashing liquid, or any other cleaning materials, just to mention a few.
- Avoid buying convenience food. How much would you save if you cooked food at home? You must also consider preparing fresh ingredients that will enhance your lifestyle, as you can control both costs and what goes into your body to keep it healthy and resilient from any dis-ease. A healthy mind equals a wealthy pocket.
- Take lunchbox to work: take leftover meals to work, and this will help avoid unnecessary spending, forcing you to be disciplined and realistic about your spending habits, and helping with your priorities.
Let me help you see what I mean, Let’s say you spend R30,00 ($1.58) for a plate of pap and meat at Tshesanyama every day, or a sandwich that works out to R150,00 ($7.89) per week. Spending over 49 weeks works out to R7350,00 ($386.84) that you could have saved by bringing a lunchbox to work every day. It makes sense, so prioritize your spending habits.
- Eat before you go out shopping:- this goes for children too, as well as adults, because you spend more money when you’re hungry (to fill the void or be bored) instead of when you’re full.
- Make a shopping list of the required items and stick to it, even if there are ongoing specials (if it is not on the list, ignore or avoid it, be disciplined and move right along)
- Look into saving on bank charges and insurance – keep reviewing how much it costs you, to have and keep the bank account you hold and insurance (contract terms and conditions)
- Compare prices: we live in an internet age (information is freely available), so it has made our lives easier to compare and save time, e.g., updating and reviewing new needs (cellphone upgrade packages), where and when to shop (at the end of the month, the food prices jump up more than during the course of the month), and it gets worse now that we’re all experiencing inflation and ongoing general price hikes every month, if not weekly or daily, during these interesting times.
- Do not be a “slave” to retail therapy; it has its good and bad ways; delay the immediate (instant gratification) fulfillment of a need by buying on impulse, take time to do research, compare prices or items, and read reviews of what other people think of the use of the items. Consider all available options before committing your hard-earned cash to a once-off purchase, especially big-ticket items such as fancy car, expensive furniture, or the latest fashion fad. Stop being a fashion victim; be a finance victor
- Use electricity sparingly: switch off lights in rooms that are not occupied, so it goes for the appliance as well; save energy and last longer, use light bulbs and appliances that are energy efficient.
- Be smart in how and when to shop for clothes. Familiarize yourself with seasonal sales, e.g. buy your clothes when the season changes. At the end of the winter season, buy winter fashion clothing, that is when retail shops get rid of their stocks to make way for the summer cycle, so at the end of summer, you buy summer clothes; I know it sounds counterintuitive, but in that way, you buy items at reduced prices and it is still good quality clothing that lasts even longer.
- Avoid swiping your plastic card:- It is always easy and convenient to use our credit, cheque, and debit cards, as there are no charges when you swipe, right? However; we do not stop to think when we use the card, that, as much as the cash leaves the bank account, it surely leaves our hands. You wonder what happened to your money?
Instead, withdraw only what is necessary, and you will save money on bank fees (it psychologically registers how much you are withdrawing or spending). Just keep the receipts or use an App, so as to keep track of where the money went, to be able to cover your weekly living expenses such as transportation, petrol (gas), fruit, vegetables, bread, and milk
This will help you avoid swiping your card on an unplanned impulse buying habit, eg. a pair of shoes or jeans, a nice shirt, or a beautiful dress just to impress people at a party or wedding for a brief moment, half of whom you do not even know with money you don’t have, that was not in the budget, to begin with. Is it worth all that effort? Let me ask it in another way, is this action moving you toward achieving your financial goal or away from it?
- Check your budget and track your money regularly:– continuously review your budget (keep receipts, check your transactions online, and update your budget as regularly as possible weekly, monthly, quarterly) constantly check your spending vs earnings; keep on limiting costs, spending less, and saving more money.
We all understand that it may be a daunting and annoying exercise at the beginning, but just think about not taking action and what it will cost you in the end. Again, is it worth it? Benjamin Franklin said, “If you think education is expensive, just try ignorance!“
By the way, it is not how much you earn that makes you rich, it is how much you get to keep that generates wealth.
Once you get comfortable with repeating these steps, soon you’ll be in a place where you can start building wealth, and the next step (the big question) is what you are going to do with the money you saved. – maybe reward yourself take that long overdue vacation you promised (dreamt) for yourself.
- Change the money habits that are not serving you, and change your lifestyle, Imagine having a clean bill of health, and a healthy bank balance, living the life that you always dreamt of your whole life, and now you have it. Can you imagine how that will change your life forever? This is what smokers realize when they quit smoking they can save between R50,00 – R80,00 each time on a packet of cigarettes. Just Imagine that adding up to an amazing incredible saving each month and even more in a year when you implement compound interest principles.
- Find your own suitable saving amount:– Try and aim to save an amount each month. Usually, 10% is considered a reasonable start, so if you earn, for example, R10,000.00 per month, we recommend that you should start to save 10%, which is R1000.00; but if it feels like it is too much, then start with what you can afford to save and put away every month.
There is a wise saying that says, “It is better to start small than to procrastinate or never start at all.“ What you focus on grows!
Once you have decided on an amount, then create a stop order from your cheque account to allow your money to be deducted automatically to a separate savings or investment account to avoid the temptation to have an excuse for not starting. So, start Today!
When you master small, consistent steps, then you are able to play with the Big fish in the exciting and risky world of investment, taking advantage of compound interest, and create generational wealth for you and your beloved ones.
Conclusion
When you have a vision for your life, and have a clear goal on how to get there, there is no stopping you from reaching or achieving that outcome.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Please leave a comment below, ask a question, or share your story about which practical ideas you used and are working for you, and we will gladly engage with you. Thank you once again for gracing us with your presence.
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