KCI Money

The early bird does get the worm. The next one however, has to search for food. When you look into our busy lives, many of us live with the misconception that ‘Since I don’t earn enough, I don’t really have much to invest! Plus, who’s in a hurry?’ This ‘so called’ belief leads to one thing that we don’t pay attention to. Taking action early on that is. Yes! We all have dreams that we hope to fulfil but the fact remains that whether it is about providing the best education for your child or leading a good retired life, we simply don’t do enough to realise these dreams. But seriously? Who has the time? Wouldn’t it be easier if someone guided you to make informed decisions? Here’s where Systematic Investment Planning (SIP) comes into the picture. How would my SIP work? It’s an effective way to accumulate wealth in an organised manner through regular investments in mutual funds. Even if you aren’t raking in the moolah, it doesn’t really matter, because you can start your inve...

An inspirational story. Long back, when the inventor of the chess showed the game to an Indian king, the king was so impressed by the new game, that he wanted to reward the inventor. At that time, the inventor replied, “My wishes are simple. I only wish for one grain of rice for the first square of the chessboard, two grains for the second square, four grains for the third square, eight for the fourth square and so on for all 64 squares.” The inventor said, “Please double the number of grains in the next square compared to the earlier square.” The king was amazed to hear that the investor had asked for such a small reward. He happily agreed to the inventor’s request. However after a week, the king’s treasurer informed him that the reward would add up to a huge number—far greater than all the rice that could possibly be produced in many centuries! Do you know how much rice it would be when one reaches 64th square of the chessboard? As said earlier, in the first square of ...

We have all seen this happen, again and again. When a plane lands, the passengers start getting fidgety. They stand up even while the air craft is in motion. The same picture is seen in trains when people line up in the gangway much before the train has arrived at the station. Imagine if there was a force which ejected these people out of the aircraft and train the moment they got up from their seats. What would have happened? Perhaps they would not even live to tell their tale. Unfortunately in financial investments because there is no risk of physical injury, investors not only get up before time but also get out before time. What is needed to make the most of one’s investment is ‘patience’. While it makes sense for the passengers too to have patience and wait for the right time to alight, it is even more rewarding for an investor. Till such time investors continue to show impatience, funds and stocks, although will give exemplary returns, investors would remain d...

4 Things to Plan a Good Retirement “Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you can’t get up and do something different.” After decades of walking up to the alarm, shifting through heaps of paperwork and navigating rush hour traffic, you can see the bright lights of retirement at the end of the tunnel. However, just spotting the light is not enough, you need to work towards those golden moments. The time to hang up your boots is just around the corner but that doesn’t mean you need to slow down or let go of the things you like. If you can iron out the knots in time for your retirement, then your golden years can be truly golden. Here are 4 things you can do for a good retirement: 1. Visualise your last day at office Retirement is an emotional event. The transition from working to retired is a sentimental feeling and it is essential to visualise what you would like to do after you retire. Whether you want to travel with your family or sit in the park and gossip with your ...