Get up close and personal with your money

We are 20 days into the new year and wow, time is moving much faster than expected, or maybe there is a lot more going on. The pandemic is still here and we have to learn how to conduct business efficiently and carefully, as we step out to interact with others. The reality is, economically countries are being devastated by the ongoing crisis. The immediate fall out is affecting families, through loss of employment, earning opportunities, and limited or no support to access money and resources for daily needs. For many, what has not hit home yet, does not mean its avoided. We have to prepare for any possible outcome.

Money management is something we all have to do. I grew up seeing my mom budgeting every month. She bought a stenographer’s pad because it had a line in the middle of the page, and used one per year. She was quite religious in writing her expenses and allocating payments from her teacher’s salary. Mom paid all her bills monthly, bought food once a month, paid her insurance and allocated funds to the credit union. At ten years old I came across a stack of these books dated before I was born, and was fascinated that this was something she kept up with even when she seemed to have no time. I recall asking why she did this many times in my young life until I left home, and her response was the same, “you need to budget every month so you can pay your bills, eat and save”. I learnt to appreciate this many years later, after rebelling and doing ‘my own thing’.

The pandemic coronavirus Covid_19 has been particularly hard on folks with and without financial means before it began. As we go through this crisis period, businesses were unprepared for the immediate fallout of operating with limited cashflow, credit overdraft facilities, and operating expenses beyond servicing requirements. Similarly, regular people were operating with credit facilities for household necessities and luxuries and ‘things’ one could ‘afford’ on monthly incomes. Vacations, entertainment and everything a credit card could pay for were charged and serviced monthly. When everything stopped, it was and is a global catastrophe; as suddenly, we are all focused on simply buying what we need to survive and pay for shelter and utilities from uncertain income and savings. Budgeting and money management are priorities everyone needs to adopt.

This week I’m particularly excited to share the Digicel MasterClass Series episode 4, with Gary Peart on ‘Money Management.’ I enjoyed the ‘down to earth’ exploration on the importance of what we do with money and the tips on managing a Credit Card (great must know advice) and so much more. One of the key points that stood out for me was reverse factoring – when a bank or financial institution interjects itself between a company and supplier to pay invoices to supplier at accelerated rate for a piece of the pie -they want more than your money, its just business!. Some other key insights in the lively discussion were on buying stock and investing verses just leaving money in the bank, making time to understand your money and finances, prioritizing and controlling spending, budgeting and developing good money habits. You can check out the interview below. Digicel Jamaica has done an excellent service to the Caribbean and global business community with these interviews!

**Please note I do not own nor have I been involved in this production, but sharing as a part of online learning.

2021 has to be a year of learning for us all. We must come out of our pandemic challenges stronger, wiser and richer spiritually, physically and financially. Let me end with this direct quote from Gary Peart “adopt a philosophy of spending less than you earn.”

Keep safe and in good health. Wear your mask, sanitize and do the social distancing, its all precautionary just for a little while. Thanks.

About Me: Family and People are big motivators for me. Business Development, Entrepreneurship and everything else are intertwined, existing together in my life. As a problem-solver navigating through chaos and crisis is always my new normal. We can make sense of everything!

Give Hope to all you meet and watch the world grow!

Contact: dleversley2017@outlook.com for professional services – entrepreneurship, business consultancy, coaching and speaking appointments.

Copyright © 2021 Donna-Luisa Eversley. All Rights Reserved.