I’ve NO money to save
Whenever I talk to people at various levels..they all say the same thing “I agree with you, but Subra I have no money to save, believe me”.
Once upon a time I would get into an excel sheet, these days I just move on. “When the time comes, the Guru will find you” is my simple philosophy. Makes no sense to drill ‘saving is good’ into people’s brain. THEY KNOW IT.
It is just that they are choosing current consumption to future consumption, that is all.
When people choose a Bahubali movie over a Rs. 500 sip, it is their choice.
When people choose a trip to Goa costing Rs. 20,000 over a Rs. 2000 per month sip, it is their choice.
When people choose a trip to Spain costing Rs. 350,000 over a Rs. 30,000 per month sip, it is their choice.
What is the role of an IFA, or even a blogger like me in such cases? Nothing, just to tell them that their ‘I’ve no money’ is not true. It is just that they have chosen to ‘prioritize Bahubhali, Goa or Spain’ -over making that sip / investment.
What I can do (or the IFA can do) is to say “do not say I do not have money”. Say “Right now, my priority is to ……(watch Bahubali, go to Goa, buy…..)..and I have postponed saving/investing for my child’s education, buying a house, retirement, parent’s medical insurance….” . Say it out loud, write it down and see how it feels.
If it feels good, it means it is true. If it is not feeling good, ask your spouse…’is it true’. Do what your heart says or what your spouse says. Remember all your goals are JOINT GOALS.
YOU are just choosing the money priority.
Selvan
Well said Subra. Priority is the ultimate word but many of whom I try to put my piece of little learning, almost all said what is there in life if we even do this in many wants!!
Need vs Want is what I believe human behavior is many aspects.
Srinivas
True. People don’t listen or don’t care unless they really feel for the topic. Until then there is no use of sAne advice.
Sudha
“I choose a new shoe/shirt/phone over saving for one month of retirement expenses” When you say it like that, it kind of puts things into perspective. If you still decide to go ahead with the expense over saving, you are actively choosing. Great idea!!!
Hari
Optimism bias when it comes to think about one’s earning going forward and as a corollary people mortgage their future earnings for the present living. This is particularly predominant for most of the working class in IT field. It is worrisome if not as a disaster when anyone with 35+ age subjected to lose their job in IT industry when their skillset is no longer useful…
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/up-to-6-lakh-it-staff-may-lose-jobs/article18451843.ece
Krishnan
There is a gen shift-earners now want experience over accumulation.
Many retirees now complain their wards do not care about maintaining properties acquired by them over these years but only ask for lumps of money from time to time; they fret that they do not want to see them when they run out of money to give out. Bequeathing property (or the promise) does not seem to afford value or care from the young to the old timers.
Arun Kumar
Subra sir, at the end of SIP what are people going to do with all the saved money spend it on all the things similar to Bahubali, trip to goa, or spain. So why delay the gratification and why not spend it now.
SIP compounding interest will be positive but inflation will pull it’s value down. Is it OK to live in misery all these years while the SIP the getting build.
Japan and India is traditionally saving based economy. Where as US and Europe has been credit based. Shouldn’t some of us in India switch from saving base to credit base mode to reap the benefit.