One good thing happening over the last few years is that a lot of personal financial writing is happening…and many of them are known to each other!

Yours financially is a book which was lying in my shelf for a real long time…and I was supposed to read it long ago – 2017 to be precise. Just did not get down to doing it…but here it is – at last!

This is a nice story – zippy, racy, and a little bollywood ish if I say so. It is also very simple – and simplistic. It is about 2 couples – one prepared and one unprepared for life! It nicely asks the heroine why she was silent when her husband was fooling around with the money and not maintaining proper documentation. Many women tell me this “My husband does not ….”. This is like a man saying “my wife does not cook…”. I think men and women should start taking responsibility for what they want. They cannot abdicate their responsibility

This is a nice book for those who do not know anything in finance – and have to be kicked into action. This means about 98% of the country’s population!! So Kalpesh has addressed the right audience. If you have friends who will not buy a medical policy or a life policy…this book is a good gift. Hopefully, they will read it and get into action.

What I liked was the easy narrative – i read it in one sitting. This was a trip from Nerul to Begumpet, Hyderabad. Airport, flight, and taxi. So it should not take you more than a day to read it. If you do not have adequate insurance, if you have not made a will,…you will suddenly be reminded to do it.

You will also look for your own Jay and Priti – so that your family can be taken care of when and if you are not around. I in fact tell people – yes you should make your will, but introducing the IFA (RIA) who handles your money to your spouse is far, far important too.

Will a story book alone galvanize somebody to action? the answer is NO. However, it could set off the process of the buying of insurance, or writing of a will. That is good.

More importantly this book is not assuming any previous knowledge of financial products. However he has written about ‘ulip’ but in a different and round about way – I hope the people are able to understand that Kalpesh is saying endowment is not good. Maybe he should have put one discussion with Priti asking her to explain all the terminology. Or would this would have made the book boring? I do not know. Of course the book could not have been as racy and small.

Again leads me to ask a question. What is the role of a book? It is the ‘Saraswati’ – it can tell you what you should know. Get up in the morning and go for a walk. Avoid sugar. Avoid fried stuff. Stop smoking. Give up alcohol.

However you need a Guru to hold your hand and make them do it. This is what Kalpesh Ashar must be doing for his clients. Remember he is an RIA.

However only when the wisdom dawns on a client will he do it. That is Goddess Parvathi – you need her blessings.

Go and get the blessings of Saraswati first. The book is available on Amazon.in