
<p>On this episode of MoneyRise user story, we talked to Chika a finance expert who started Money talk Afrika because she noticed that people struggle to manage their finances.</p>



<h2><strong>Hi Chika, What do you do for a living?</strong></h2>



<p>I am a personal finance expert, an author and an educator.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Personal finance expert?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>Yes. I have a platform where I educate people on how to invest and grow their funds. It is called Money Talk Afrika, and you can find it on Instagram. I also published my book recently. It is titled: Richer You &#8211; The One Habit That Will Create The Wealth You Desire.</p>



<h2><strong>How did you come about being a personal finance educator?</strong></h2>



<p>I have been in the finance industry for eight years now and I have noticed that the major issue people have is how to manage their finances. A lot of people don&#8217;t know the investment options available to them; they have funds but do not know what to do with them, where to put them, or how to manage them. So many people are not financially literate, and this is mainly because the right information is not easily accessible. Our school system does not teach about money management and the topic is hardly ever discussed in our African homes as well.</p>



<p>I have seen that a lot of people don&#8217;t know how to curtail their spending habits because they are trying to keep up with the Joneses’ and social media. We see everybody wanting to live up to a certain standard set by society. Most times, they rely on the fact that they have a 9-5 job and the salary will keep coming at the end of each month, so they do not see the need to save, and even spend the money before they have earned it, through soft loans and the likes; but the pandemic has been an eye-opener.</p>



<p>I realised that there was a huge gap and a lot of people have to be financially aware of how spending without a plan can be hurting their future. I have seen people with well-paying jobs, leave their jobs or even retire but find it difficult to take care of even their necessities.&nbsp; I am trying to close that gap by showing them how to manage their funds, how to save smartly and grow their wealth through credible investment opportunities. So, I am focused on financial education, which I have been doing through my Instagram posts on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moneytalkafrika/">Money talk Afrika</a> and I will be sharing more resources on my website which I just launched –<a href="http://www.moneytalkafrika.com/"> www.moneytalkafrika.com</a>. I believe it will provide an avenue for me to reach a wider audience.</p>



<h2><strong>So, being a personal finance expert, what are some of the challenges you face?</strong></h2>



<p>The challenge is that a lot of people are more interested in getting rich quickly, instead of learning how money works and its guiding principles. They forget that once the foundation is not there, there will be a lot of pitfalls. Saving or growing your income is like a muscle that needs to be developed over time. Like in every exercise, the more you work out, the better your results, and it becomes easier to adapt to the routine. Over time, you will realise you don’t need anyone to remind you to be prudent with your finances; you will do it effortlessly even without thinking about it. I also have my book that focuses on the principles of financial wellbeing titled &#8211; Richer You. The book is available on my website and has received a 5-star rating on Amazon. So, once you get the foundation right, every other thing will fall into place. But when people don&#8217;t get their foundation right, they will find out that they keep falling for fraudulent investment schemes. I believe that is the main reason people keep falling for scams.</p>



<h2><strong>When you think about financial wealth, what comes to your mind?</strong></h2>



<p>When I think about financial wealth, I think the first thing that comes to mind is freedom, and getting my time back so I can pursue passions that will have a greater impact on others. I think about financial freedom as a long term thing. You may have a salary now but it will not last forever. There should be a time when you say, “I have done this stress enough and I want to take care of myself without being dependent on anyone”. And then, there is something else: No matter how smart you are, no matter how wealthy you are, there is a limited time you can work, so what happens to the time when you cannot work, when you are forced to retire by your employer or for health reasons? Most people want to retire at 50/55, and the fact is that they will still have 20-30 more years to live. Sadly, very few people plan for those crucial years.</p>



<p>In summary, what I think of when it comes to financial wealth is freedom, peace of mind, being financially stable in the long run, and being able to retire early because I can’t keep working all my life. I should be able to retire, relax and take care of myself without depending on anyone because of the structures I have been able to put in place in my earlier years. I also hope to impact as many people that have this same desire.</p>



<h2><strong>At what point did you think you needed to invest?</strong></h2>



<p>Okay. From the time when I got my first paycheck, I have always had the desire to be financially free. This had always been at the back of my mind from the first time I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I think I was about 11 or 12 years old then. So, from the moment I received my paycheck, I knew I had to start, no matter how little. I started researching, I started asking questions, asking friends and colleagues what they do, where they invest their money, and that was how my journey started.</p>



<h2>&nbsp;<strong>So, where did you put your money?</strong></h2>



<p>So because I was always looking for an option that was not just the regular savings account or fixed deposit, I had to do a lot of research. For a young person like me, I felt the interest on these regular options were not encouraging enough. So I kept asking people I knew who were conscious about their finances until I found out about an asset management firm that was credible. I researched about them and the more I understood their operations, the more I became comfortable investing my little funds with them. So, that was how I started.</p>



<h2><strong>After that, what else did you invest in?</strong></h2>



<p>After that, I monitored the market; I looked at mutual funds and realised that the money market fund was doing very well at that time, so I started my research again until I found a credible company and invested with them. I have never been a regular fixed deposit and savings account kind of person<strong>. </strong>That was when I discovered Risevest two years ago. Risevest was still somewhat new then, but I loved what they were doing and tried to understand their model and I was comfortable with it. At that time, they were doing something that others were not doing in the market, and the first that caught my attention was the real estate investment plan where I could leverage fractional investments and get a return at the end of the month.</p>



<p>I have always wanted to invest in real estate. Remember I had a very early exposure to Rich Dad, Poor Dad where Robert Kiyosaki talked so much about real estate and rental properties. I had not been able to apply this knowledge because investing in real estate is capital intensive. So when Risevest provided an opportunity where I could invest in actual rental properties, get returns at the end of every month without having to buy a full plot of land, I just could not miss out on such an opportunity. Even though the platform was still new, I decided to give Risevest a chance and I have not been disappointed so far.</p>



<h2><strong>What is your experience with Rise so far?</strong></h2>



<p>Over the years, I have watched Risevest grow. They also started the Telegram channel and weekly Sunday school. This helped to put a face to the founder, Eke, and the Risevest team as the telegram group became more interactive. Even when the market was tested, we saw a lot of schemes that came up at the same time as Risevest, but a lot of them have folded up. We have seen a lot happen over the years but Risevest has remained strong. I am glad.</p>



<h2><strong>Thank you, Chika. So what kind of investor would you call yourself?</strong></h2>



<p>I think I have been focusing on medium-risk investments; perhaps, because of my finance background where we are deep in risk management, so I try not to venture into very high-risk investments. I try to carefully understand and analyse any investment option presented to me.</p>



<h2><strong>What philosophy guides your investment?</strong></h2>



<p>Well, I think the first one that has actually worked for me all my life is paying myself first which I learnt from reading the Richest Man in Babylon. That was the first thing that helped me even though I had just started my career. You know how difficult it usually is to start saving as a fresh graduate. You start working and after all expenses, you have very little left, but that philosophy has kept me through all the years. Before I pay any bill or do anything else, as soon as the salary hits my account, I pay myself immediately before thinking of my feeding, transportation or anything else.</p>



<h2><strong>Since you started investing, what has been your biggest gain?</strong></h2>



<p>Since I started investing, what I have gained the most is peace of mind. So I look at a lot of things happening around me and I have peace. I have a financial plan and my emergency fund can sustain me for a few months before I start to panic like everyone else. I will like to add that the beauty of having a budget and a financial plan is that you have access to a whole lot of opportunities. So, even if you decide that you want to ‘japa’ like everyone else in Nigeria wants to, you will still need funds. If you want to further your education, if you want to get certifications, start a business, whatever you want to do in this life, you need money for it so you have to start early. There are times in life when you will have no one else to depend on because those you look up to also have their own responsibilities. There are certain times in your life when you will be your only ‘sure banker’, and you have to be prepared for those critical moments.</p>



<h2><strong>Have you made any losses?</strong></h2>



<p>Yes, I have, in all honesty, and the times when I made losses were the times I went against my own principles.</p>



<h2><strong>Principles?</strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>Yes. The first time I made a loss was during a period I joined an investment because a friend convinced me to. I had this strange feeling that something didn’t feel right and I was unable to pull out my funds fast enough until I lost everything. I allowed the fear of missing out to cloud my judgement and I felt so pained.</p>



<h2><strong>What did you learn from this episode?</strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>It was a bad experience for me and I had to turn it into a learning point. Because I don’t like to lose money, I went back to redo my assignment, identifying things that characterise a fraudulent investment. So before anyone comes to convince me, I have all the red flags identified for them with facts and this has served me for a long time now. When I am faced with such situations, I have my checklist and that is what I have stuck with and I hope it continues to serve me.</p>



<h2><strong>So judging by where you are coming from, how do you feel about your investment position today?</strong></h2>



<p>If I should look at where I am coming from, I think I am very comfortable with how far I have come on my financial journey.</p>



<h2><strong>For beginners looking to start investing, what words do you have for them?</strong></h2>



<p>For beginners, the first thing that I would tell them is not to follow the crowd. Don’t just do things without doing your own research and always learn to ask questions. When it comes to money and investments, I am surprised that people don’t ask questions. They ask questions about other things like shoes, bags, clothes and all. They check numerous vendors and ask all the right questions before they buy one item, but fail to do their due diligence when it comes to investments.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Secondly, learn to have a budget and learn to pay yourself a minimum of 20% of your income and automate it where possible. If you plan properly every month, you will still survive on 80% of your income.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Then, one last thing is to look for a platform that gives you peace of mind like Risevest. Risevest covers basically anything you want to invest in, from international stocks, real estate, to fixed income which is great for a beginner investor. When it comes to money, money is serious business; take it seriously, read always and ensure you update your knowledge.</p>



<h2><strong>On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you going to recommend Risevest to new users?</strong></h2>



<p>Oh, 5! I will rate Risevest 5. I am so impressed with how far they’ve come and I hope they continue to improve and grow stronger.</p>



<p>Thank You very much for your time Chika.</p>


“Pay Yourself A Minimum Of 20% Of Your Income”, My Name Is Chika And This Is How I Make My #MoneyRise.


<p>This is a question we get a lot and we understand why.  We live in a country where the minimum wage is ₦30,000 monthly and even very few people earn that much. To put this in perspective 90 million Nigerians live below ₦137,000 annually. Yet, a constant message that we are all exposed to is the importance (or need) to invest. But seriously, how can one invest if they earn so little?</p>



<p>At Risevest, we are not only interested in your investment. We are interested in every aspect of your financial life. That said, here is how we are thinking about the question that has brought you here.</p>



<p>For a start, if you think you earn so little, your first challenge is that you have an income problem. And the thing about an income problem is that it cannot be solved with investing. You can only solve an income problem by earning more income. In effect, we are saying although you would like to save up some money and invest, it will be difficult to do it effectively with a little income.</p>



<p>The reason for that is not far-fetched. From the image below, we can deduce that what you invest and what you spend all come out from the income that you earn. To increase your investment then, you need to increase your income. Note that it is your income that you need to increase for you to increase your investment and not the other way round. That’s why we said earlier that you can’t solve your income problem with investing.</p>



<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VOGkHSDPAXJEq9G-FLRmAIR73a7Zh8FascT0Dhmwx5KpcNg7CxKGZHcO9zP8EpptZcU_GYgh2OMTFTuK-vdcWFBL8YqYetSmpj5zBvTV8p1ZSto32UiTgj_UIk29ab4I6PaLo4tZ" width="624" height="261"></p>



<h2>Investing despite earning so little</h2>



<p>We know that investing is more of a habit than a mathematical calculation. So we would say while you work to increase your income, don&#8217;t stop investing the little that you have as well. Yes, from the ₦50,000 or ₦30,000 that you earn, setting aside ₦1,000 or more in your savings or investment account is still very much advised. That’s because you would have been training yourself emotionally and building an important habit towards efficient personal finance management.</p>



<h2>How to earn more</h2>



<p>I mentioned earlier that we are not just interested in your investment management alone but all your money concerns. In one of our previous Investment Club meetings, we had Uzezzi, a top-notch freelancer on the call. She shared ideas on how to earn extra dollars using your mobile phone. Listen to her advice <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFARHc0fYmE">here</a>.</p>



<p>Beyond Uzezzi’s lesson though, there’s a general principle to earning more money. It’s a 3 step process that is true and works for whoever can apply them.</p>



<ul><li>Add more skill to your skill stacks: You will only be paid for what you can do. So to earn more you should increase the threshold of what you can do. Gain more skills.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Let the world know that you have that skill &#8211; gaining skills isn’t enough. A lot of people now have skills. You must apply for the job, you must submit a proposal, you must submit the tender and apply for the grants. You can also share with your network what skills you have and what you can do. These are different ways of telling the world about your skill.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>Offer the skill as a service or package into a product and sell &#8211; the next stage is to use your skill to the benefit of others. In exchange for the benefit, charge them money.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>That’s it! That’s the simple equation that everyone has applied across space and time. Well, another obvious option is to get a better paying job. Because it might just be that it is your current job that is not paying you enough. Even at that, it would be good if you ensure that you have the right skill stack that will help you get a better paying job.</p>



<p>In summary, you can invest if you earn so little but what’s even more important is to focus on earning more first of all. To earn more, you have to invest in yourself. Develop in-demand skills and offer them to those who will pay for them. Another option is to get a better paying job if you can. Otherwise think outside the box and earn more. And when you earn more, you won’t be faced with the challenge of having little to invest again.</p>


How Can I Invest If I Earn So Little?


<p>2021 is about to breathe its last as the festive season is a few weeks away. It has been a long year which calls for December rocks, but amidst the rocks, it is important to remember that January has 59 days. </p>



<p>Christmas is a time when people splurge and spend too much money, especially if you are the type that loves everything about Christmas. The music, the food, the decorations, the sales and most importantly the gifts exchange. </p>



<p>While it is great to unwind, it is important to know that in December so many of us get carried with the spirit and then live in debt in January. This week, we’re sharing tips on how to enjoy your December on a good budget.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Make a budget and stick to it</h2>



<p>It is important to create a December budget and find a way to stick to it. When creating the budget, include everything that you would spend money on this December, things such as donations, gifts, Christmas decorations, transportation, clothes, drinks, groceries and the likes. The goal of having a December budget is that it will help you to avoid spending above what you can afford.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Find Cheap but great restaurants</h2>



<p>This is not the time for you to start spending money on vibes because of aesthetics. There are restaurants and lounges that are cheap but they sell great foods. Do your research, visit food bloggers pages on Instagram and find restaurants that serve dope meals at affordable prices. Tips, Opeyemi Famakin’s page has the tea on what restaurants you should visit.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Organize get-togethers with your friends</h2>



<p>In the comfort of your home, have a little get together. This is the best way to catch up with friends you haven’t seen all year and family members that are busy hustling to chill. The best part is, you get to have actual conversations without having to raise your voice and strain your ears over the din of loud music. Here’s where it’s financially responsible: you don’t have to pay for much. Get everyone to bring their own booze or contribute to the meal at the party and there you have it, fun from the comfort of your home.</p>



<h2>You can’t attend all the concerts in Lagos</h2>



<p>If you make a list of everything happening in December, chances are that you’ll conclude on the fact that 80% appeal to you. But that’s actually not true. A lot of the time, it’s our fear of missing out that pushes us to go to events — everyone will be there. It’s more financially responsible to choose a select few concerts and events and stick to them. This will also save you from burning out after.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Invest in Thoughtful gifts</h2>



<p>Homemade presents are great ways to save money while creating something memorable. These gifts might not work for everyone on your list, but they’re good options for some. The gifts could be anything from a photobook to a bottle of wine they like. Or cook them a meal, help them around the house or take them somewhere nice for a change. You don’t need to outdo yourself or anyone else to show your appreciation. As they say, it’s the thought that counts</p>



<h2>Secret Santa helps you to save costs</h2>



<p>If you work in a large organization or have a large family, buying gifts for everyone can make you spend above your budget.&nbsp; A fun, easy way to get around that is to plan what is commonly called a Secret Santa gift exchange. Everyone draws a name without telling who it is and buys just for that person. Usually, there is a moderate spending limit imposed, and the element of surprise at a gift-exchange time adds to the fun.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Inexpensive places to have fun</h2>



<p>Elegushi beach, Tarkwa bay and Oniru all cost below 2,000 to have fun entering the beach. If you’re not the beach kind of person, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike art Gallery, Freedom Park are also within the range and if you need to take a break from the bustling and hustling life in Lagos, take a train trip to Ibadan or Abeokuta and see the tourist attractions in these states. You can also go out in groups with your friends, this also helps you save bills because different people are chipping in.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Avoid loans; don’t start January with a negative Balance</h2>



<p>There is the possibility of <em>dorime</em> getting into your head during the festive season and this might push you to go above your budget. It might also twist your mind into borrowing a few thousand. While <em>dorime </em>might be sweet it is important for you to think about how you will meet your financial obligations when they are due. Especially in January, which has 59 days.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Gift Yourself a Rise plan</h2>



<p>There are many ways you can flex Detty December without ruining your bank account.&nbsp; And now that we’ve helped you save some money this December, let’s tell you how to use that money to make money in a very financially responsible way.&nbsp; Rise is structured to have you invest steady amounts every month and have the funds invested and managed by our experts and our platform, so you can focus on living your life.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Most importantly, remember to stay safe.&nbsp;</p>


How To Do Detty December On a Budget


<p>Economists and financial professionals all over the world are worried about both the stock and crypto markets. The rise in prices of assets in both markets over the last year has been astronomical. Even when it seemed like prices dipped for some months, they quickly recovered. In this market where everyone keeps talking of bubbles, one might wonder what should I buy now?</p>



<p>The answer to that question is hidden behind some other questions. Let’s get into it.</p>



<p>The first question you need to ask yourself is why. Why do you want to own either investment?</p>



<p>Are you looking for an investment that will grow very fast in a short time? Short time is from a few days, months to less than 5 years! Yes, 5 years is a short time when it comes to investing. If yes, do you know the risks you are taking when investing in something like that?</p>



<p>The thing with investments that can rapidly increase is, they can also rapidly decrease. The crypto or NFT or stock that can give 10 times your money in a few days or months can also lose more than half your money in that same time. Are you prepared for that risk?</p>



<p>Also, how long are you willing to hold these investments for? Are you willing to hold the stock/coin through a downturn? When Bitcoin first hit its all-time high of almost $20k in 2017, it took over 3 years before it got to that price again. Are you prepared to potentially hold this investment for years if there is a market downturn? Or do you think you would run at the first sight of adversity?</p>



<p>Do you need that money for something urgent like rent or to pay back a loan? Have you considered the possibility that the stock/coin price may fall below the price you bought it and not recover by the time you need it, thereby making you short on your payment?</p>



<p>If you are buying when everyone is excited and feels like there’s a lot of money on the ground waiting for the picking, do you know why people are excited? Is that excitement rooted in hype, or are there strong reasons supporting why people are excited? Like, say the company’s profits are going to increase rapidly.</p>



<p>Stocks and crypto are two investment vehicles that easily get affected by hype. The Gamestop, AMC saga at the start of 2021 is a great example of this. Hype is very fleeting. It can be up one day and down the next. All it would take to be left losing would be to buy one of those stocks on a day when the hype is at its highest.</p>



<p>It’s easy to look at the stock market and crypto space when things are going well and imagine all the money you could have made but have you also considered what you could lose and are you willing and able to take the risk?</p>



<p>If you do not have the appetite for the risk of potentially losing all the money you invested and/or you might need the money you put in these options for something soon; then you might want to look at other less risky opportunities because stocks and crypto can seriously burn someone if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. Consider the fixed income and real estate options offered by Rise.</p>



<p>If you are ready for the risk of potentially losing all or a large portion of the money invested and are willing to stay invested for as long as it takes to turn a profit, then the next question you need to ask is which do you understand better?</p>



<p>Do you understand one more than the other? Do you understand both or neither?</p>



<p>The option you understand is more likely to pay you better because you can more easily spot the best buying and selling opportunities thus putting you in a better position to make profit.</p>



<p>If you understand both, then why not invest in both? If you truly understand both, you would know the best opportunity to make profit. So do that.</p>



<p>If you don’t understand either, then you might want to start learning about them and while you learn, consider investing in a diversified stock portfolio where you can benefit from the growth in the stock market like the one offered by Risevest and also invest in some coins for yourself.</p>


Stocks or crypto, which should I buy now?


<p>Cryptocurrencies are a form of digital asset that exists outside the control of governments and central authorities. They have grown in popularity among people who want to dabble in assets that are outside the traditional trading and investing spaces and they believe it could be the future of money. Today, It is possible to make high returns by investing in cryptocurrencies but it is also possible to lose all your money. </p>



<p>Blockchain is the technology behind most cryptocurrencies and is also the inspiration for DeFi (Decentralized Finance).  DeFi is a term that refers to financial applications that eliminate the middleman in financial transactions. When you make a purchase with your card, an institution sits in between you and the seller and has control over that transaction. The primary advantage of DeFi is its ability to give you more control over your money by taking out that institution.</p>



<p>An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is another form of a digital asset that represents objects that exist in our real world like art or music. The money in my wallet can be exchanged for the money in your wallet and they are also equal in value (N1 is always equal in value to another N1) so physical money is fungible. This is different for NFTs, they have digital identities that make it impossible for them to be equal to another or exchanged. Each NFT is unique, they are non-fungible.</p>



<p>Technology continues to reshape our world and open up new possibilities but these opportunities are also accompanied by risks. The terms mentioned above could be the major drivers of the world in the next decade(s) or they could end up being abandoned developments. Register and attend our Investment Club Meeting tomorrow as we explore the opportunities and risks in Crypto, DeFi and NFTs with Njoku Emmanuel and Ezekiel Orji so that you are equipped to position yourself for the future &#8211; <a href="https://bit.ly/NovemberICMeeting">https://bit.ly/NovemberICMeeting</a></p>


Investment Club Meeting – November 2021 Edition: Crypto, DeFi & NFTs :Opportunities & Risks (Njoku Emmanuel & Ezekiel Orji)

Investment Club Series – August Edition: Simple Habits That Will Lead You to Financial Freedom (With The Seven Dollar Millionaire

When should I start investing?

The Goal of Investing

Investment Fraud and How To Protect Yourself

How to Talk About Money With Your Partner Without Having An Argument

Don’t Make Money Your Mission

How the Black Tax perpetuates poverty and how to beat it

Stocks 101

Dollar Investment 101

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s Black Friday shopping season and as I’m sure you’ve all noticed, retail and shopping outlets have started advertising eye popping deals to entice buyers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here at MoneyRise we want you to make smart money decisions, so we are going to share some quick tips about how to make the most of the Black Friday deals. If you use this season well, you&#8217;ll get really great deals at prices that save you money! </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Don&#8217;t Buy Anything Just Because It&#8217;s On Sale</strong><br />
</span></span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you buy an item worth ₦10,000 for  ₦7,000, you did not save  ₦3,000, you spent  ₦7,000. Don’t be enticed to spend money you were not going to spend. Only spend money on what you already need. Which means you should have a list of what you want to buy, and stick to it. That nice blender selling for 40% off is not meant for you, if you already have a blender at home. Don’t play yourself. Be disciplined.</span></span></p>
<h2><strong>Not Everything Is Cheaper On Friday</strong></h2>
<p>Don’t just think, <em>&#8220;Well, its Black Friday, so everything I buy is probably cheaper.&#8221;</em> It doesn’t work like that. Some outlets don’t do deep enough discounts. Some intentionally inflate their supposed original price to make their discounts look deeper than they are. To get the best deals, do price comparisons ahead of time, check many sites to know what a fair price is and if you’re actually getting a good deal or not. Bonus points if you already did this weeks or days ahead of time.</p>
<h2><strong>Have A Shopping Budget</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Please there is life after Black Friday. There is the Christmas season, and that three-month period between December 31st and January 31st. We all know that period. You need your money to last through all that. So know exactly how much you can put towards your Black Friday shopping and once you hit that amount, stop. Ties right back to point one. Don’t get carried away.</span></span></p>
<h2><strong>Some Things Are Cheaper Offline</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Black Friday seems to be an eCommerce driven activity. There are often better deals in the physical store, or in the open market. I’ve seen bargain hunters go offline, and find items at prices that make Black Friday deals look like daylight robbery. It may not be as convenient as ordering, but the savings might just be worth it. Another advantage of shopping offline is that you can leave your ATM/Credit card at home and only go with the money you’re willing to spend. If it’s gone, you’re done.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Save As You Shop</strong><br />
</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re going to spend during shopping season, use it as an opportunity to also save. For every  ₦5,000 you spend on shopping, invest  ₦5,000. It helps you avoid the guilt that comes with shopping, and also keeps something away to grow and possibly fund your future purchases. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the smartest things you can do with your money is to earn dollar returns on it with Rise. Get started at </span><a href="http://www.risevest.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.risevest.com</span></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">


How To Make The Most Of Black Friday Shopping


<h2><strong>Warning: Spoiler alert!</strong></h2>



<p>If you haven’t seen it, I’m sure you’d have seen all the memes on the internet about it. A Korean Drama called Squid Game is taking the world by storm and we are here to provide some financial insights that we learned from it.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>What’s the show about?</strong></h2>



<p>Squid Game is a Netflix show that tells the story of  Seong Gi-Hun, a father that owes loan sharks and banks a lot of money and finds himself in a dangerous game where participants &#8211; people like him on the verge of financial ruin &#8211; are forced to play children’s games with grave consequences. </p>



<h2><strong>Diversify! Diversify!! Diversify!!!</strong></h2>



<p>When we asked <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/risevest-user-story-precious">Precious</a> what her investing philosophy is, she replied with “Diversify. Diversify. Diversify. Diversifying your investment protects you to a large extent from losing on all sides. When one is underperforming, another may outperform it” Cho Sang-woo invested in stocks and futures and this went bad for him. </p>



<p>He could have recouped the losses if he had mixed asset classes. So, whenever you are investing, don’t settle with only one investment asset. The best part about using Rise is that we have more than one investment product; we have fixed income, real estate and stocks. The idea is to give you enough product to build an all-weather portfolio. </p>



<h2><strong>Avoid Gambling</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A gambler is simply someone that makes their living out of false hope. Gi-hun’s life tells the story of gambling addiction and how it affects all aspects of his life, and we could see from the show that gambling is not the answer to a better life.</p>



<p>The money Gi-Hun took from his mother could have been used to treat his daughter to a nice meal on her birthday, or he could have paid for a toy for his daughter with the 10,000 won, instead, he decided to gamble it away with the claw machine. While gambling may be a way to win quick cash, it is never guaranteed.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Get That Insurance</strong></h2>



<p>None of us can tell what lies around the corner; there are unforeseen circumstances such as losing your car to a road accident, serious health issues or even the death of a loved one that can leave you and your family facing tremendous emotional and financial distress. With insurance in place, you or your family’s financial stress will be reduced, and you can focus on recovering and rebuilding your lives.</p>



<p>In episode two of the show, Seong Gi- Hun urged his mother to get her diabetic foot treated, only to be reminded by her that he had stopped paying for the health insurance years ago.&nbsp; This reminds us that we should not wait before things get desperate before we invest in insurance.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Remember, if it sounds too good to be true&#8230;</strong></h2>



<p>The best example of this advice is our sweet Ali, a desperate man who has been taken advantage of many times and is betrayed by Sang-woo. It is even more interesting knowing that in Sang-woo, Ali sees a tribe and a brother he can rely on and this costs him his life.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There are a lot of people out there that are out to take advantage of you, and they do this by selling you deals and offers that sound too good to be true. You know those text messages or emails that ask you to send your name and contact details to win large sums of money?&nbsp;</p>



<p>Do your due diligence, do research and understand what the deal is, ask questions and don’t be too trusting. Always remember “them they pay” is not due diligence.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When MoneyRise asked <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/invest-in-what-you-understand-my-name-is-jennifer-and-this-is-how-my-moneyrise">Jennife</a>r, a victim of a ‘too good to be true’ scam about her investing philosophy, she replied with, “if it sounds and feels like a scam, it is definitely a scam”</p>



<h2><strong>Secure your ATM cards</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>ATM cards provide us with seamless means to carry out transactions, yet, it comes with few challenges especially when it falls into the wrong hands. In episode one of the show, we watched Gi-hun steal his ailing mother’s card.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If there is anything we can learn from that scene, it is to jealously guard your cards and keep them in a safe environment. If Seong-Gi-Hun can steal from his own moths- imagine what happens to people that don&#8217;t know you. And improve your passwords and avoid generic passwords like birthdays or first names.</p>



<p>Last but not least, if a stranger asks you to play a game while you’re minding your business in a danfo, please I&#8217;m begging you- say No.</p>


Five Lessons we learned from Squid game


<p>We talk a lot about investing on this blog and that’s warranted. Investing is a culture we are promoting daily considering how it links to financial independence. And one way to do that is to ensure that our readers read enough about it until it becomes second nature. However, we know that happiness among other things is a deep desire for all humans. And while the idea of having more money may seem to bring that (because there is more to spend), lasting happiness can also come from spending less money. But how?</p>



<p>Can you remember the last time you were really happy? Why were you so happy? My most recent experience of being really happy came from two events. One, I gave my gateman some amount of money without him asking for it. You can see the glow on his face and how happy he was. And knowing that I made someone happy made me really happy as well.</p>



<p>The other event was when I called someone whom I don&#8217;t talk to very often. Calling her just to check up on her and ask about her well being gave her so much joy that I wished I made that call&nbsp; everyday. And yes, in that case as well, I was very happy.</p>



<p>In both instances above, I did not spend upto N1,000. However, I made both individuals so happy that I can even write about it. What if you did the same as well for random people. What if you design your life such that a week doesn&#8217;t go by without you making someone happy. How awesome would your life be?</p>



<p>Our default thinking may have been that we can’t have deep happiness until we make a certain amount of money. But should happiness be a long term goal or something that we feel everyday? This reminds me of the quote of by Nightbirde <em>“you can&#8217;t wait until life isn&#8217;t hard anymore before you decide to be happy”</em>. And you also do not have to spend a fortune before you feel happy and joyous. Just doing some random act of kindness to others like I did above can lighten your week.</p>



<p>So what are some random acts that you can add to your everyday life that will cost you less money and ensure you are happy at the same time?</p>



<ul><li>Call someone random just to check up on them.</li><li>Offer help to someone who needs it.</li><li>Give someone a tip after rendering a service to you.</li><li>Let someone go in front of you in line.</li><li>Give a stranger a compliment.</li><li>Pay for someone’s meal at a restaurant</li><li>Hold open the doors for people</li><li>Thank a teacher with a gift</li><li>Do a favor without asking for anything in return</li><li>Prepare a meal for your family</li></ul>



<p>The list is endless and you just have to be aware and ready to do it. Knowing that it won&#8217;t cost you any money or only cost you a little, why not design your life around it and do it very often?</p>



<p>And in case you don&#8217;t know yet, you can also give someone a gift through Risevest. All you need to know is their email. And it doesn’t even matter if they have a Risevest account yet or not. Imagine being the reason someone got their financial life in shape. What greater act of kindness exists?</p>


How To Spend Less And Be Happier


<p>If you started investing around April 2020, you are likely to have a wrong idea of what investing is all about and what it takes to thrive while investing. After the March 2020 low (caused by fear of COVID-19), the S&amp;P 500 rose by more than 60% at year-end. Also, it is likely that any individual stock that you invest in then will return a covetable ROI. In essence, there was literally nothing to worry about in such a market and time. No doubt, 2021 would have exposed you to a different side of investing.</p>



<p>After Joe Biden won the American election and doubled down on the vaccination, investors started doing what is called a rotation. A situation where investors reduced their stakes in one sector and increased it in another sector. In this case, it was a move away from tech stocks to the utility and energy sectors. Then followed concerns over inflation, and then followed a series of regulations from China. At some point as well in the US, there were lots of vacancies and no one to fill them (labour shortage). Then the crypto market nosedived, and the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US made statements suggesting more regulations. The list could go on because, in the world of investing, there is no end to events that cause worry. And oh, I have not mentioned the most recent <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/china-evergrande-contagion-51632139566">Evergrande issue</a> that has infused fear in the whole world of investing from bonds to stocks and from real estate to crypto.</p>



<p>Since there is no end to these series of events, it helps to know what is good to worry about and what one need not even give much thought to.</p>



<p>Before that though, the truth is that despite all the <em>bad news</em>, the stock market is up 16% YTD, was up 18% in 2020 and has averaged 10% in the last 30+ years. This sends us an important message that no matter how bad the news may get, the world is set up for more prosperity and the stock market is a reflection of that reality. And this is not just about the stock market alone. The Crypto market was nonexistent some 10 years ago but today it has a market capitalization hovering around 2 trillion dollars.</p>



<p>Looking at all these facts, it is fine to conclude that indeed not all news is worth panicking about. In fact, the best conclusion is that most are best ignored.</p>



<h2>The only thing that matters</h2>



<p>Your purpose of investing will inform what you need to worry about. For this article, I will assume you are investing for the long term since that is what we encourage at Rise. For those who are investing with a long term outlook, the only thing you need to worry about is the quality of the business you are investing in. You have no business keeping track of inflation, unemployment and the likes. Just the business alone. And if you are investing with Rise, we have even taken that worry off your hand with our array of investment opportunities as well (stock, real estate and fixed income).</p>



<p>It seems my conclusion is to tell you that you have nothing to worry about. Yes, that&#8217;s exactly it. Bad news will never stop coming. There will be a flood of them.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s the thing though, while all the bad news is not worth worrying about, awareness of them and their implication can be a great calm. So let me also give you a general framework for accessing them.</p>



<ul><li>All bad news will cause the market to panic and prices of assets drop. What you should concern yourself with here is to confirm to what extent this bad news affects your investment. </li><li>All good news is not weighed equally. As we noted in this article, sometimes, even <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/risevheres-why-you-need-to-ignore-the-noise-and-focus-on-your-long-term-investment">amidst a lot of good news, asset prices could still fall</a>. Yes, when the &#8220;good news&#8221; is not good enough, prices fall. </li></ul>



<p>However, businesses are resilient, one bad news or even a series of bad news is often not enough to make them lose their entire appeal. Therefore, it is important to keep this principle in mind and know that the right question to ask is &#8220;how does this affect the company(ies) in my portfolio?&#8221;</p>



<p>Often, you will learn that it doesn&#8217;t affect it so much. And you can learn to ignore the noise and focus on what matters.</p>



<p>And for those who use Rise, you can rest better knowing that you have an investment team that does the worrying so you don&#8217;t have to. Just fund consistently and enjoy the journey.</p>


Here’s The Only Thing You Should Worry About While Investing

Top Ten Startups In Nigeria


<p>When you wake up and dress up to go out for the day&#8217;s toil, you often do so with the expectation that things will work out well for you and that you will return safely home. But what if the day doesn’t go as planned?</p>



<p>When you embark on a project with a clear plan on how to move from point A to point B and then point Z, you expect that at a point the project will be completed. And often they tend to be completed albeit with unforeseen challenges showing up at intervals.</p>



<p>Like it is with going out to go about your daily work, and with embarking on a project, so it is with investing.</p>



<p>When we invest, there&#8217;s only one expectation that one can have, a great return on investment (ROI). Why would you have a different expectation? Yes, great ROI is a worthy expectation since you are not in the business of charity. You are in the business of making your money work for you.</p>



<p>However, having the right expectation about the unknown future requires us to balance our optimism with a dose of reality. What does this mean?</p>



<p>One, day-to-day when you set out for work, you encounter different challenges often more than you anticipated. But you don&#8217;t get to end that day just because of one of two challenges. Never! Often, you <em>push through</em> the day despite the challenges, hoping you get it solved and then move on. It is similar to what’s obtainable in the world of investing. You might have expected a great ROI but the path to huge ROI won&#8217;t be smooth. It will be filled with ups and downs, negative returns, and positive returns. And that&#8217;s perfectly normal. It&#8217;s the natural order of things. Don&#8217;t then liquidate your investment because of one negative return day/week/month just as you wouldn&#8217;t end your day/week/month because of an unexpected challenge.</p>



<p>Also, similar to when you embark on a project, beyond the challenges that you might have anticipated, new ones will show up as well. Two things here:</p>



<ul><li>One, you won’t because of such a challenge just call it quit on the project. No! Rather, you try to solve it. Similarly in investing, it might be that you have invested in what your risk appetite can&#8217;t handle. In which case, the reasonable thing to do is not to stop investing all together but to find other assets with a lower risk profile. Don&#8217;t ever deprive yourself of potential upside just because of a bad day or choice.</li><li>Two, at other times, you may end the project because you realize there&#8217;s no way this project succeeds under the prevailing circumstances. That&#8217;s also understandable and it often happens while investing as well. Especially when you have invested an amount of <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/risevest-you-should-never-invest-these-3-categories-of-money">money that you should never have invested</a>. When you do such, you have not done your fundamental assessment right and investment endeavors like that often fail.</li></ul>



<p>You see, all investments are an optimistic bet about the future. A bet that the asset you invested in will keep doing better, a bet that the business will keep growing, and a bet that the economy will keep getting better. Hence, you will get a great ROI. If history has shown us anything, it is the fact that making such bets are worthy and often highly rewarding.</p>



<p>Yet, what we can also learn from history is that the path to this optimistic view of the future will never be straight. It will be laden with a lot of ups and downs, good weeks and bad days, right calls, and bad calls among others. However, what you are optimizing for is that overall you are more right than wrong. And it is futile to optimize for being right all the time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So as you invest, take bets, and plan for the future, remember to always mix with your optimism a dose of reality. As it is obtainable in the world of our everyday life, so it is in the world of investing. It&#8217;s never a straight line up, it&#8217;s always a zigzag for every one of us in every endeavor. Embrace it in your investment journey as well.</p>


What To Expect When You Are Investing For The Future


<p>Historically, the stock market has been a wealth compounding asset for investors. Stock often outperforms other asset classes like bonds and real estate. However, the volatility in the stock market has always made it hard for retail (and even institutional) investors to navigate the choppy market profitably. Risevest makes a difference by helping the retail investor to build a portfolio of assets in the stock market optimized for growth and capital preservation.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/82HwtYr9B-ZbDaP2prOub3FmXQvQz_myhKgvGkCLoMJY3z4VPcSBS_p4dlIicxi_P9qHY_n4PVZZ_pZV4calrLMcrrIpwUnIQh9LYRIxu_vPhnSYt7ECLGuzxSQLjPAxuYecuta7" alt=""/></figure>



<p>The Rise Stock Index comprises some of the finest companies in the world. We selected them carefully for a balance between growth and capital preservation. These are companies that are innovating and building new products &amp; services to make the world a better place.</p>



<p>Our investment thesis is simple; we don&#8217;t invest in fads or the next hot thing like <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/gamestop-or-long-game">GameStop</a>. Instead, we invest in companies that are leading the market, innovating at scale, and designing business models that allow them to capture maximum value from their innovation.&nbsp; Over the long term, these companies deliver excellent returns to our investors. Even though they may underperform in the short term.</p>



<p>We have written about a few of these companies in our portfolio; <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/shopify-110-revenue-growth-fuels-our-optimism">Shopify</a>, <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/welcoming-bumble-to-the-rise-portfolio">Bumble</a>, and <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/crowdstrike-delivered-a-phenomenal-q4-result">CrowdStike</a>. And you can read how we select those stocks from <a href="https://risevest.medium.com/how-we-select-stocks-for-our-equity-portfolio-146da9df9032">here</a>.</p>



<p>Some of these companies are reporting double digits revenue growth. And some others are expanding their market to capture new value. The stocks composition helps us to ensure healthy growth and minimal pullbacks when the market is experiencing dips.</p>



<p>This is the process we have followed since 2019 when we started and it has brought great returns to our investors. In 2019 and 2020, the stock index returned 27% and 41% respectively.</p>



<p>Clearly, there are bound to be temporary market drawdowns. However, our investment process over the long term will help our investors to navigate the market and make great returns.</p>



<p><em>Click <a href="https://rise.capital/">here </a>to start benefiting from a stress-free wealth management opportunity today.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://rise.capital/"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1024x512.png" alt="" class="wp-image-921" srcset="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1024x512.png 1024w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-300x150.png 300w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-768x384.png 768w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1536x768.png 1536w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-2048x1024.png 2048w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1568x784.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>


Why You Should Invest In The Risevest Stock Plan


<p>You have started in the right direction since you are considering investing your money. And it makes a lot of sense that you do not think what you want to start with is small. So Congratulations!!!</p>



<p>Also, it is essential to emphasize that no amount is too small to start investing. No matter how small, you should see your days of little beginnings as a foundation for building a brighter future through investing.</p>



<p>Now let&#8217;s talk about that money you want to invest.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Invest in an emergency fund </h3>



<p>An emergency fund is an amount of money that you set aside for the sake of unplanned expenses. I advise that you have up to 6 months of your monthly salary in this fund. Of course, you are free to determine what yours will be. But having it provides a necessary buffer in case of an emergency.</p>



<p>This is important because if you don&#8217;t invest in this, you may not be able to do other forms of investment successfully. The emergency fund usually sits in a savings account not invested at all. For a simple reason that you may need to use it unplanned. That’s one option. And it is assuming you don’t have an emergency fund yet. If you have that setup already, then we can move on to the next option.</p>



<h3>Invest in fixed income plans</h3>



<p>We all have different risk profiles. Some people can take on more risk than others. For those who can&#8217;t take on any risk at all, fixed-income investment offers them a safe path. The way fixed income works is that you know ahead of time when your investment will mature and how much you will get on maturity. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s called fixed income.</p>



<p>So if you invest your 10,000 Naira for 1 year and the rate of return is 10%, then at the end of a year, you will get a sum of 11,000 as a take home. Does that sound great? That you can know ahead of time what interest you will earn and when you will get your funds back? If it does, then why wait?</p>



<p><em>Click on Stress-free wealth management image below to start investing in a fixed-income fund today</em>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://rise.capital/"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1024x512.png" alt="investing, risevest, invest best" class="wp-image-922" srcset="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1024x512.png 1024w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-300x150.png 300w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-768x384.png 768w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1536x768.png 1536w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-2048x1024.png 2048w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1568x784.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<h3>Invest in real estate funds</h3>



<p>You will wonder if it were possible for you to invest as little as 10,000 Naira in real estate. Yes, it&#8217;s possible and Risevest made it available for all. <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/how-real-estate-returns-work-on-rise">Your 10,000 Naira is joined with that of 100+ more people</a> and is used to buy rental properties.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once you have subscribed to that, you start earning income as the property is earning rent or <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalgain.asp#:~:text=Capital%20gain%20refers%20to%20an,be%20claimed%20on%20income%20taxes.">capital gain</a> upon sales. Unlike fixed income though, the returns are not predetermined and it varies from month to month. Again, Risevest got you covered on this.</p>



<h3>Invest in a Stock Index </h3>



<p>Stock Indexes are a basket of stocks lumped into a basket for you to buy. Such that once you buy part of the basket, you would have bought all the 40 (more or less) stocks in the basket at the same time. And historically, <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/032415/which-investments-have-highest-historical-returns.asp">stocks have been the best-performing asset</a>. It has returned gains that surpasses both fixed income and real estate. However, it&#8217;s riskier to invest in stocks than real estate and fixed income.</p>



<p>So you have got to have an appetite for risk to invest your 10,000 Naira in this. And the best part is that Risevest has developed a means to make investing in a stock index with as little as 10,000 Naira available for everyone. If you invested in Risevest Stock Index last year, you would have made a whopping 40%. And If you have invested from the beginning of this year, you would also have made 12% year to date.</p>



<p>You can start by clicking the image below.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://rise.capital/"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-1024x512.png" alt="" class="wp-image-920" srcset="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-1024x512.png 1024w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-300x150.png 300w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-768x384.png 768w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-1536x768.png 1536w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-2048x1024.png 2048w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1-1568x784.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<p>Investing starts with developing the &#8220;habit of investing&#8221;. Starting small with 10,000 Naira is a very good way to start building that habit. Once you have developed the habit, it will be easier to grow wealth from there. With as little as 10,000 Naira, you can start today, either to invest in an emergency fund, or fixed income, or real estate or stock index.&nbsp;</p>


4 Ways to Invest 10,000 Naira


<p>The rise of the gig economy has given birth to many people choosing a non-traditional career path. The freelancer can choose what to work on and when. They can also decide how to manage their money 100% after paying tax. It’s a new reality that we’ve not navigated before.</p>



<p>Here is the thing though, being outside of the traditional career path, they have also deprived themselves of being subjected to something like the Pension Act. For instance, the Pension Act of Nigeria requires that both the employer and the employee contribute a certain percentage to the employee&#8217;s pension account monthly. In other words, traditional employees are mandated to plan towards a time when they won’t be strong enough to work again.</p>



<p>Given a choice, the traditional employee <a href="https://medium.com/ten-timezones/present-self-vs-future-self-f598f5ab0e2a">will rarely make such a monthly contribution</a>. But because the law requires it, everyone in formal employment has a pension account funded monthly as a plan towards when they won’t be strong enough to work again.</p>



<p>Unfortunately, no law binds the gig worker to contribute to a pension scheme. Yet, just like the traditional career person, the freelancer will also get to an age where s/he is better off relaxing and going on holidays than working with the same energy that s/he worked when s/he was 20 something years old.</p>



<p>To this end, I have a proposition that’s too good to refuse.</p>



<h2>Planning your &#8220;retirement&#8221; with Risevest</h2>



<p>We have both agreed that you don&#8217;t want to work &#8220;forever&#8221; and even if you wish to, strength might fail you as you age. So how can you use Risevest to help you achieve your “retirement” goal?  </p>



<ol><li>Risevest as you might know already is an asset management company committed to bringing you the best investment opportunities around the world. Our portfolio of investments is managed by seasoned experts. With the array of products that we have currently and the ones to come, there isn&#8217;t a better option to manage your “retirement” investment.</li></ol>



<ol start="2"><li>You have an advantage over the traditional career person because all your investments with Risevest will be denominated in dollars. Why should you want otherwise?</li><li>You are exposed to the best-performing assets in the world. Stock, Real Estate and Fixed Income.</li></ol>



<p>All of these put together empowers you enough to make important financial decisions for your future.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://rise.capital/"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-1024x512.png" alt="Risevest invest" class="wp-image-929" srcset="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-1024x512.png 1024w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-300x150.png 300w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-768x384.png 768w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-1536x768.png 1536w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-2048x1024.png 2048w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog-banner-copy-5-210610-1568x784.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<p>Using Risevest, you can set up a plan, name it Retirement, Future Enjoyment or whatever name you&#8217;d like. Have a specific plan about how you will fund it and the rule that will guide when you can withdraw it. Simply put, set up your personal &#8220;Pension Act&#8221; and abide by it. Sounds simple, but it may not be simple.</p>



<p>Here are 3 guidelines to help you along the way of implementation.</p>



<ol><li>The first thing you will learn from the traditional career person is that they don&#8217;t feel the effect of the month-to-month pension deduction from their salary. This is an important point because while you plan for the future, you must exist today. So you can only invest an amount that won&#8217;t affect your survival today. Doing otherwise will put on you the pressure of liquidating your &#8220;retirement plan&#8221;. Don&#8217;t invest too much. For this, don&#8217;t ever go above 10% of what you earn.</li><li>10% of what you earn. Unlike the traditional career person, you don&#8217;t earn monthly, you earn per gig. So it is important to recognize that and ensure that whatever percentage you choose to contribute towards your pension comes from every gig that you complete.</li><li>Discipline yourself mentally to always calculate your income net of your retirement contribution. Let&#8217;s assume you have decided to keep 5% of everything that you earn towards retirement. If you earned $1,000 on a gig then you should see it as earning $950 never to be seen as $1,000 let alone should you plan your life on $1,000.</li></ol>



<p>This is new territory for every one of us. The future of work is still the future. And while our gig workers are living in the future already, we also believe that as your trusted wealth advisor, we should provide you with a necessary guide on this.</p>



<p>The ideas shared above are what we are thinking about at the moment. And we trust that if you run by them, you will have your future guaranteed.</p>



<p>Surely this is not the end of this topic, it&#8217;s only the beginning. As you use Risevest’s platform for this purpose, you will have more questions we will be available to answer.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For now, go and set up your &#8220;Retirement&#8221; Plan on Risevest. In 30 years, you’ll be glad you did..</p>


Freelancer, Here’s One Answer To The Biggest Question About Your Future


<p>Every year, people travel from far and near to attend Berkshire Hathaway annual meetings. There they listen to the wisdom of Buffett and Munger. It’s always so profound how much both usually have to share every year. And the investing community never gets tired of them. For context, saying “people” means an average of 40,000 people from all around the world come to listen to Buffett and Munger talk for at least 4 hours. This year was not an exception.</p>



<p>Instead of listening to the 4 hours long conversation, we want to share six lessons of the most profound takeaways from the meeting. Here’s a sneak-peek into what that number of people usually gather around to listen to.</p>



<h2>1. Don’t bet against America</h2>



<p>Buffett started this year’s session by sharing two insightful statistics. He showed the data of the top 20 companies as of March 2021 and compared it with that of 30 years ago. In a profound turn of events, none of the companies that were on the list 30 years ago are still on the list today. Beyond that, 30 years ago, only 5 US companies were in the top 20. But today, there are 13 of them.</p>



<p>Buffett used the opportunity to emphasise America’s position as the world’s capital for wealth accumulation. Knowing that the US moved from 25% dominance of the top 20 to 65% under 30 years is instructive. As Buffett noted, the economic system in the US powers growth of this nature. It is almost by design that the US will prosper.</p>



<p>Now, this is not an article to glorify the US. What we aim to call your attention to is simple. As a Nigerian, the opportunity for you to have a share of the wealth created in the US in the last 30 years or even further was not available to you. But that opportunity is available to you at your fingertip with Risevest.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://rise.capital/"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1024x512.png" alt="risevest, investment buffett" class="wp-image-919" srcset="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1024x512.png 1024w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-300x150.png 300w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-768x384.png 768w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1536x768.png 1536w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-2048x1024.png 2048w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy_3-210610-1568x784.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<h2>2. Buffett and Munger are still living in the house they bought 62 years ago</h2>



<p>This year’s Annual Meeting was held in a different location (Munger’s state). While commenting on that, Buffet mentioned how Munger has been living in the same house he bought 62 years ago. And of course, we know the same is true of Buffett who has been living in the same house for as long as well.</p>



<p>When a lot of people think about wealth, what comes to their mind is the number of things they want to spend on. But wealth is built out of what we don’t spend, not out of what we spend. Munger has more than enough to buy a new house. But the focus of wealth is not in the multitude of houses or material things that one possesses. Rather, it is in how much you didn’t spend but stash in an investment.</p>



<p>Another lesson from this has to do with not replacing items that are not due for replacement. For example, it’s okay to use the latest iPhone if you can afford it. But why make it a goal to always use the latest when you have to squeeze your pocket to do so? Understand what matters to you as you build wealth and focus on it.</p>



<p>Also read: <a href="https://rise.capital/blog/long-term-investing-is-hard-here-are-3-things-to-help-you-make-it-easier">Long-Term Investing is Hard</a></p>



<h2>3. Even Buffett Makes Investment Mistakes</h2>



<p>Everyone investing – new or old – has likely made one mistake or the other on their journey. You might have invested money you shouldn’t invest. You might have invested in what you shouldn’t invest in or any other mistake. Well, we are here to tell you that even Buffett makes mistakes.</p>



<p>Some people questioned why Buffett sold part of his stake in Apple. The Oracle of Omaha admitted that was probably a mistake. &#8220;Charlie in his usual low-key way let me know it was a mistake,&#8221; he added.</p>



<p>You can take solace in the fact even someone of Buffett&#8217;s stature can make the same sort of mistakes that you make. And then move forward with your investing without relenting. Don&#8217;t let past mistakes stop you from investing now that you are better aware.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://rise.capital/"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1024x512.png" alt="risevest, investment buffett" class="wp-image-922" srcset="https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1024x512.png 1024w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-300x150.png 300w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-768x384.png 768w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1536x768.png 1536w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-2048x1024.png 2048w, https://money.rise.capital/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blog_banner_copy-210610-1-1568x784.png 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<h2>4. Munger on Bitcoin</h2>



<p>Buffett decided to dodge the question on Bitcoin asked by an attendee. He wanted to “avoid making the hundreds of thousands of viewers who own the cryptocurrency unhappy.” Munger didn&#8217;t hold back though. &#8220;I hate the Bitcoin success,&#8221; Munger said. &#8220;The whole damn development is disgusting and contrary to the interest of civilization.&#8221;</p>



<p>We like to highlight two point from this:</p>



<ul><li>Reminding everyone to be on the side of caution when investing in cryptocurrency.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Telling you that even if you disagree with Charlie Munger, you can still learn from him. That you disagree with someone on a point doesn’t mean you can’t agree with them on another point. And Munger is someone you can learn a tone from.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2>5. Buffett and Munger disagree on the S&amp;P 500 vs. Berkshire</h2>



<p>Buffett has often advised investors to keep things simple and invest in an S&amp;P 500 index fund. &#8220;I&#8217;ve never recommended Berkshire to anybody,&#8221; Buffett said.</p>



<p>Munger has a different opinion. &#8220;I personally prefer holding Berkshire to holding the market,&#8221; he said, arguing that Berkshire&#8217;s set of businesses and investments are in his view &#8220;better than the average&#8221; across the stock market.</p>



<p>These two individuals hold two different views and they still respect each other.&nbsp; And have even conducted business together for this long.</p>



<p>You can have a different investment philosophy with someone, it doesn’t mean you conflict with that person. Just do what works for you.</p>



<h2>6. On Robinhood and Stock Trading Apps</h2>



<p>Buffett said of Robinhood, “the gambling impulse is very strong in people worldwide. And occasionally it gets an enormous shove and conditions lead to this place where more people are entering the casino than are leaving every day.&#8221; Buffett added, “and it creates its own reality for a while and nobody tells you when the clock’s going to strike 12 and it all turns to pumpkins and mice.&#8221;</p>



<p>More importantly, Buffett said that &#8220;there&#8217;s nothing illegal about it. There&#8217;s nothing immoral, but I don&#8217;t think you&#8217;d build a society around people doing it.&#8221;</p>



<p>What Buffett is saying here is that many more people have entered the stock market in the recent period. Albeit, with gambling mindset than an investing mindset. The caution here is to know what you are doing, if you gambling, know it as such and if you are investing recognize it for one. When you are making money, it is easy to think that’s how it always is, no that’s not. Markets don’t always go up and individual companies may even be more irrational in their behaviour. Be careful and be aware of what exactly you are doing.</p>


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