Are you following a healthy financial diet?
Everyone today aims to be slim and look good. For that people follow various diets. Media is full of them. So we thought why not chart out a financial diet for those of you who just like your physical health wish to be financially healthy, wealthy and wise. It includes a simple outline of Do’s and Don’ts to help you get through your life feeling just fine.
Primarily, you must look to building strong muscles. These are your fundamentals which you need to survive in the long term. To build strong muscles, you require proteins,
in the financial world a.k.a Equity. Too much protein is harmful but just the right amount helps to bring the ultimate balance in life. Similarly, investing entirely in the equity market may pose high risk however, to build a strong base for your long term sustainability, investing in the equity market is the first step!
Next would be your energy, without which your daily functioning would become difficult. For this you require sufficient amount of carbohydrates, again excess of which is harmful however, just the right amounts makes for smooth sailing. Carbs in financial terms are known as Debt funds and Liquid funds. This includes your bank FD’s, commercial papers, corporate debt funds etc. which provide you with a regular stream of income. These are safer than the Equity market and hence, ideal for the short term, so as to ensure you have sufficient energy for your daily running.
Part of your energy building also involves your contingency fund. This is of immense importance for your day to day living in the event of loss of income. Hence, this also requires energy, so as to say, your liquid funds. As you would reserve your energy for a long day at work tomorrow, you must also maintain a contingency fund for tomorrow. Build your energy reserve well so to ensure, you never run out of fuel.
Next would be Fats, excess of which is harmful for our body, but in a way essential. These are your loans. Excess loans are definitely a minus on your financial health however some loans are very necessary for your functioning. Eg: a home loan. It helps to build an asset which provides you with safety and security in times of a storm. Furthermore the value of your asset will go on rising, thus providing a huge helping hand in the future. Thus such fats are essential and must not be avoided. On the other hand, personal loans, which create depreciating assets or just for consumption, are only harmful. These are bad for your health and eat into your monthly income by way of interest. These are most definitely the bad kinds of fat and must be strayed far from.
Lastly, your vitamins and minerals! These are for your immunity, you need them every day and it is advised you involve a bit of these in your each and every meal. This is your basic financial literacy and awareness, which enables you to deal with day to day situations in an apt manner.
The base of every diet chart is always the same. ‘Excess of anything is unhealthy, moderation is the key’. Follow the same mantra with your finances. Diversify appropriately! Build your muscles, your health and your immunity in order to be healthy, wealthy and wise, not just with your body but also your finances.
By Shalmali Kulkarni.
The writer is working as a para-planner with Fpguru.com
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