cashflow – shrewdcookie.com personal finance blog

12Jul 2010

Increase your Wealth – Take a Pay Cut!

It may sound like a crazy notion to increase your personal wealth by taking a pay cut – however can that work?

It’s simple really.

Most people have a limited income yet infinite needs and wants. They earn a fixed amount, or the household has a fixed monthly income, they spend, spend, spend first and save what is left over. I will be the first to admit that I used to “waste” money each and every month – bottled water (!), pre-packed sandwiches, not shopping around for more competitive insurance/utilities etc….

Result = there is rarely anything left over at the end of each month – “which runs out first, the month or the pay packet?”

It has been quoted many times (such as in The Richest Man in Babylon – a great book and worth the £3.46 price tag!) that those who build lasting wealth are those who SAVE first and then SPEND what is left.

By taking something off the top of each pay packet you can set this aside, firstly to build a “rainy day fund”, and then to consider medium and long-term investments.

It will be difficult at first as the decrease in monthly income can be noticeable, but over time, your spending patterns will be altered to match your new “lower” income level and quite quickly you will notice the increase in your personal wealth.

How Noticeable Will This Be?

If you set aside just £50 per month, and invest it to receive a net return of 5% per annum (which should be achievable) over a ten year period this will grow to £7,764.

If you could achieve 7% net per annum, this would amount to £8,654; which if continued for a further 10 years would £26,046.

The more you save, the quicker it will grow.

My Experience

I am fortunate in that I earn a decent income and am able to set aside £700 per month. If I continue this level of investment, I am currently on course to achieve full financial independence by the time I am 50.

It’s hard at first, but after a while your lifestyle adapts to the “pay cut” you choose – I find I now plan purchases ahead – I got rid of my credit cards – it’s addictive (although I do still enjoy life to the maximum – I just don’t waste money any longer!).

Where Should You Start?

Simple really – just keep a track of what/where your money goes on a regular basis for the next month or so – then analyse and be strict with yourself –

Do I really need to spend money on this item?
Is there a more cost-effective alternative?
What changes can I make in my lifestyle now to build the future I want rather than the future I currently have in-store?

Let me know you’re successes in “taking a pay cut” below.

29Aug 2009

Five Wastes of Money to Cut Out

by shrewdcookie ⋅ Leave a Comment

As part of my ongoing frugal blitz of my finances I have now identified 5 things I waste money on on a regular basis which I will now cut from my expenditure going forwards. These are common items which most people will buy now or at some time.

By opting for an alternative I can save a considerable amount of money each month!

Pre-packed Sandwiches

This is big business – everyone is selling them – supermarkets, newsagents, petrol stations. I usually buy a sandwich for my lunch as there is a large supermarket near my office. When you add the cost of the sandwich, a packet of crisps, a drink and some fruit I am easily spending upwards of £5.00 per day for lunch.

A typical pre-packed sandwich will contain the following:

1 Slice of bread
Some margarine
A filling (normally more salad than filling)
Plastic packaging

From now on I will buy sandwich bags from the supermarket and make my own sandwiches.

Bottled Water

Crikey – this stuff is more expensive than petrol! If I am in dire need of buying a bottle of water I will always opt for the larger 1.5 litre bottles as the smaller bottles are prohibitively expensive in my opinion. I have invested in a water filter for the office and keep it in the fridge.

Monthly Gym Membership

I signed up for the local gym about 18 months ago and, at first, I was very regimented and went 3 times each week. The monthly subscription started at £60 per month, which, based on my initial usage was £5 per visit, which I considered good value for money based on use of the gym, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and a few lengths in their olympic-size pool.

Time and work pressures mounted to a point were now I go one a week if possible – this works out at £15 per session which is not great – I have looked around and can get the same equipment at my local “leisure centre” for a third of the price – so I am cancelling my gym membership but will reinstate it if my use of the local leisure centre increases again in the future.

Extended Warranties

I, like many others, are offered extended warranties when I buy goods in electrical stores. I never take the extended warranty as I don’t personally believe they offer great value for money – I instead ask what the cost is and place that amount in a savings account – I have managed to accumulate over £1,400 in the last 3 years.

Instead, I rely on the Sale of Goods Act 1979 – all products should be fit for their purpose and of merchantable quality. I have had to argue on a couple of occasions with shop managers but both times I have managed to get my item replaced.

Newspapers and Magazines

I generally find that newspapers and magazines are filled with articles I am not interested in or page after page of advertisements. Knowing that the majority of magazines with low circulation make their income from selling advertising space rather than selling copies, many magazines these days seem to simply be a collection of adverts, interspersed with the odd article.

Any news in print is out of date! I can get instant news online and therefore have no need to purchase a newspaper any longer.

Can you think of any other wastes of money? Please add your comment below.

25Aug 2009

Are you £1 ahead or £1 behind?

by shrewdcookie ⋅ Leave a Comment

I was reading an excellent post over at Seth Godin’s blog which got me thinking about budgeting, wealth and financial independence.

The article talks about how over 2 billion people on this planet live below the poverty line. Now for one moment, the chances are that if you are reading this article, you are not living in the abject poverty being suffered around the world but you could be in a state of personal financial “poverty”.

Do you spend more than you earn? Does more money float out of your bank account each month than flows in?

If you spend just one more £1 than you earn each month, you will get further and further into debt. If you spend £1 less than you earn each month that is £1 extra put in reserve.

To achieve financial freedom in your life time you need to spend money only on necessities, and save for a later time, when you can afford to buy luxuries.

Actions:

1. Prioritise your debts – pay those carrying the higher interest rates first

2. Draw up a cashflow forecast – see how your money comes and goes each month over the next 12 months.

3. Prune all those “luxuries” you don’t need – e.g. possibly downgrade on your satellite or cable package, cancel that gym membership you never use.

4. Destroy those credit cards – only use cash for purchases – open a separate savings account for those large, one-off purchases you need to make each year.

5. Live by the mantra, “10% of all I earn is mine to keep forever”.

What else can I add to this list – please comment below.

22Jul 2009

Small Increases in Income Make a Big Difference!

by shrewdcookie ⋅ 2 Comments

When considering whether to move to a new employer, many feel that it is important to ensure that they maximise the amount of increase in income that they achieve.

Many would not consider moving to a new job for just £1,000 or £2,000 extra per year.

But it is the point of this article that a small increase in income can make a BIG difference.

When we consider the normal income and expenditure profile for a family we can roughly divide it’s expenditure into “fixed” and “variable”. An example of a fixed expense would be a rent or mortgage payment. It is generally fixed in relation to an increase in income – if you earn an extra £2,000 per year then generally you may stay living in the same property. A “variable” expense on the other hand is an expense which does or can change with income – for example – entertainment – if you’re earning more you may have a tendency to go out for meals, cinema, holidays more, therefore spending more on entertainment as your income rises.

So having considered this, we can see that all people have “fixed costs” and “variable costs” of living. The difference between total expenditure and total income is therefore what we like to think of as “disposable income”.

Having assessed your income and expenditure (see this article on cashflow forecasting) you will arrive at a figure for your “disposable income”.

For example, say your monthly take home pay, after tax and national insurance is £2,000, you have fixed costs of £1,200 per month and variable costs of £500 per month.

This gives total expenses of £1,700 per month and a disposable income of £300 per month.

Now let’s say for arguments sake that you could move to another job which earns you just another £100 per month after tax (£1,200 per year). Many would not consider taking this course of action, yet when we consider this in relation to your “disposable income” you have now seen an increase in your “disposable income” of £100 per month, from £300 to £400 – a 33% increase in disposable income!!!

This is an example of “leverage” where a small change in one variable results in a large change in another variable.

Now you might not get very excited about an additional £100 per month, but what if it was an extra £250, £500, or even £1,000 per month – what could you do with that additional income? I’m sure you could let your imagination run wild on this one.

Could you move to another job for an increase in income, or do something in your free time to earn more money????

16Jul 2009

Retirement is an income, not an age

by shrewdcookie ⋅ 1 Comment

It occurred to me recently with all this talk about the need to raise retirement age in the UK due to our ageing population, that many people have got it wrong.

They are thinking of “retirement” as an age, yet in reality it should be an income – when you have sufficient assets to provide you with enough income to replace that which you earn working the 9 to 5, then you are in a position to “retire”.

The overall goal for financial planning in the current day and age must surely be to try and attain “financial independence” in our own lifetimes. To this end, we should endeavour to accumulate sufficient assets around us to provide enough income to enable us not to have to work for a living.

So with this in mind, give consideration to the amount of “income” you would need to retire today – do you really need the full amount of your take-home pay or, with careful planning and spending, could you live on less than you currently receive.

I guess the answer to this must be “yes” – with retirement comes one of the greatest assets we can ever attain – the asset of time.

With time on your side, you can plan your life and expenditure better – you have time to browse for bargains at the supermarket, to shop around for a better deal on your house or car insurance, to cook your own meals instead of buying “expensive” pre-prepared ones.

Start by analysing your income and expenditure – read this article – cashflow forecasting – planning income and expenditure.

01May 2009

Income Protection Insurance (PHI) – an introduction

by shrewdcookie ⋅ Leave a Comment

Many people have heard of income protection – yet many remain unsure exactly what it is and how it can be used to protect their family and themselves.

What is Income Protection?

As the name suggests, Income Protection Insurance, previously known as Permanent Health Insurance (PHI), is a type of insurance which is designed to replace lost income in the event of long term illness or accident.

Unlike Mortgage Protection Insurance and ASU cover, which usually pay an income limited to 12 months, Income Protection Insurance is designed to pay replacement income right up until retirement in the event of the claimant being unable to return to work.

How much Cover can I get?

Life companies will normally cover you for between 50% and 60% of your pre-disability income. In the event of a claim they will normally deduct any continuing income or state single person long term disability benefit.

A claim once in payment under an Income Protection plan is normally paid free of UK income tax.

Under what Circumstances will a Claim be paid?

This is dependent on the basis on which the plan was originally set up: –

Own occupation – pays out if unable to perform your own occupation as disclosed on the application form

Any occupation – pays out if you’re unable to work at any occupation, normally based on work in line with your education and training

Activities of Daily Living – this type of plan pays out if you are unable to perform a number of task – such as eating, dressing, using the toilet etc – you need to be unable to perform a number of tasks from a range of tasks stated by the insurance company – e.g. any 2 from a range of 6 tasks.

Own Occupation cover generally carries the highest premium rates – and may not be available for riskier occupations e.g. working at heights, with explosives, dangerous occupations etc.

How Soon Can I Claim?

You normally submit your claim as soon as you stop working. The payout on the plan will not start until the end of the “deferred period” – you choose this at application – e.g. one month, three months, six months, twelve months.

Warning – the deferred period can in some instances commence from the date of notification to the life office, NOT the first day of sickness – make sure you don’t wait too long to tell them of a claim.

Naturally the longer the deferred period, the lower the premium, since you are less likely to make a claim on the policy.

What About Inflation?

You can set up your plan to allow for annual rises in the cost of living and most people opt for this benefit – your level of cover generally rises each year with a corresponding rise in the monthly premium to offset the general increase in the cost of living over time.

What About if I am Well Enough to Return to Work?

Normally your claim stops but you carry on paying premiums and your policy continues – the insurance doesn’t end.

There are various options under these plans which may be available: –

Proportionate benefit – if you returned to work in a lower-paid position as a result of your illness then a proportion of the benefit may continue to be paid

Rehabilitation benefit – if you returned to work after a period of illness and your income falls, then this benefit may pay a proportion of your cover to cover the loss of income and this benefit normally pays for up to 12 months.

Linked Claims – if you return to work following illness, and subsequently have to stop working due to the same condition then this benefit means you don’t have to go through the same deferred period again and the claim payout can recommence without delay.

Choosing a Policy

We believe that income protection insurance is vitally important for all individuals – especially those who do not have any cover through their employment and, in particular, the self-employed.

Most people are dependent on their incomes – simply ask yourself this question – “how long can we survive with no income?”

Naturally every policy is different so it is therefore important to take advice from an Independent Financial Adviser.

In our next article we will consider this type of cover in more detail and the practical uses to which is can be put

Please share with us your experiences and thoughts on income protection insurance below.

26Mar 2009

Needs and Wants – the Basics of Budgeting

by shrewdcookie ⋅ Leave a Comment

As with all topics, it’s best to start at the beginning with the simple steps first.

Sorting out Your Finances

In order to make decisions about what steps to take with the various aspects of your personal financial planning it is important to take a “snapshot” of where you are at at this moment in time.

A plan is just that – a plan – you decide on where it is you want to “arrive”, consider your current “position” , weigh up the various methods of getting there and choose the path which seems most appropriate to your current family situation, income profile, future employment prospects.

Where am I now?

There are three basic areas which you need to give serious consideration to which will help you formulate in your mind the starting point for your journey through your personal finances!

1. What do I OWN?
2. What do I OWE?
3. Who owes ME?

This will create a snapshot of your current “ME” position. In terms of what do I OWN – do you own your own house (what is its value?), what savings do I have? What investments do I currently have?

Basically, you need to consider all assets, either tangible or intangible.

Is a car an asset or liability? In one respect it is an asset as it allows you to travel to and from work, allows you to earn a living, saves you TIME not having to walk.

But in another respect it is a liability – you need to buy it, service the car loan, put fuel in it, maintain it, insure and tax it, then after several years and £1,000’s of depreciation you have to swap it in for a newer car.

After you have made a list of all your assets you need then to consider all your liabilities – just how much do you owe, how much is it costing to owe that money (interest rate) and is the amount you owe rising or falling over time?

Finally also consider all amounts owed to you – who owes you money? What is the prospect of it being repaid?! This money owed to you is an asset.

Finally consider all the “intangible” assets you own – these are not physical items like cars, jewellery, shares in companies etc. These are the skills, qualifications, knowledge, contacts and relationships – for many people when they are starting out in life these “intangibles” are considerably more valuable than the “tangibles”. In an ideal world, over time in order to build your wealth you need to follow this formula: –

“intangibles” + time = “tangibles”

4. How much cash is left over each month?

When you first start out on your wealth-building path you will generally start with very few “tangible” assets – you have skills, qualifications, drive and determination, perseverance etc. but you have very little in terms of assets – cash, investments, etc.

There are two main ways to increase your personal wealth – earn more than you spend and grow what you already own. Don’t count on inheritances as they may never come – the cost of residential care for the elderly will wipe out the majority of inheritances in the current economic and demographic climate.

Budgeting – Needs and Wants

Most people, us included, will have a set monthly income and expenditure. Have you actually analysed what you have coming in and going out each month?

It would be wise therefore to sit down and go through bank statements, bills etc and work out exactly just what you have coming in each month and what you spend it on.

The title of this article is “Needs and Wants” – all our expenditure can be split between being either a “need” or a “want”.

Accommodation – a “need” for all of us – as is food, clothing, water, heat and light.

“Wants” – these are all the other things – we may “want” the top package from our satellite TV provider – but do we “need” it?

The goal here is to identify all those items which you buy on a monthly basis which are “wants” and not “needs” – for every transaction simply ask yourself “Do we need this or do we want this?”

If it’s a “want” – ask yourself – should I spend my money on this “want” now which will give me some short-term pleasure or should I save the money so I can have more “wants” tomorrow????

This article links into the other article – “Pay Yourself First”

Please let me know what you think? Have you sat down and gone through and identified where you are wasting money each month – an increasingly important activity for many people with the “credit crunch” and current economic climate.

Tag Archives: Cashflow

Increase your Wealth – Take a Pay Cut!

Five Wastes of Money to Cut Out

Are you £1 ahead or £1 behind?

Small Increases in Income Make a Big Difference!

Retirement is an income, not an age

Top 10 Articles – April 2009

Income Protection Insurance (PHI) – an introduction

Needs and Wants – the Basics of Budgeting