When people gossip, it’s always about someone else and more often than not, there’s a comment on someone’s behaviour. People watching or, more correctly, behaviour watching provides fodder for the chat magazines and the tabloids. This, in turn, has led to the huge growth in reality TV whether it’s the X-Factor, America’s Got Talent, Big Brother, Masterchef or Iron Chef (take your pick). The list goes on. There seems to be a delight in seeing
Read more →With the progress of technology we have got used to instant gratification. We use the internet to research whatever grabs our immediate attention and we use social media to pass this information on. Similarly Reality TV has become a staple in many people’s everyday activity – they watch it, they talk about it and they share commentary through social media. Whether we like it or not short term focus is the order of the day.
Read more →Every so often I come across a new client who is searching for the magic elixir of finance – the quick fix to all their financial woes. What they are really seeking is a quick and easy way to make more money without taking risk or putting in time. Unfortunately financial management on a personal level and the advice that is needed is not sexy or glamorous. In fact, it’s plain dull and boring. Nevertheless
Read more →Most personal financial columns have a strong emphasis on investments. How do you get richer? How much can your money grow by? What are you worth? This is understandable as it is something that appeals to the greed element in most people but it is actually the wrong focus when it comes to money management. Those who have either read the book or seen the various films or TV series of Jane Austen’s “Pride and
Read more →It’s that time of the year when everyone takes stock of what they should have done in the last year and what they really should do in the coming year. Financial Planning is a subject that gets addressed more at this time of the year than any other mainly because of the tendency to “I better do this otherwise I’ll never get around to it”. Once January passes however, the mental incentive does as well. So
Read more →Every so often I meet a personal investor who will tell me that now is the right time or the wrong time to invest, depending on whether the markets are going up or down as well as depending on that individual’s past experience. Despite having 30 years of investment experience I never get into an argument with them because I know something they don’t. Namely, very, very experienced investment professionals rarely, if ever, out think
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