Money: 10 top thoughts, tips and attitudes

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I thought I’d share some thoughts, tips and attitudes about money that I came across recently. Some I’d heard of before; others were from a different angle or maybe I was just in a more receptive frame of mind to notice them. Anyway, here they are in no particular order and I hope you find them useful!

1 Take the richest men who’ve lived in America (why men, I wonder?)

…and learn to think like them. Allegedly they all think about what they want moneywise all the time and they feel good about it. If you and I were inclined to think that’s a bit sad, maybe we just need to remember that they‘re the ones with all the dosh…

2 Get out of debt

Money borrowed on depreciating assets such as a car or on credit cards – that’s bad. A house mortgage (provided you’re not in negative equity) is credit and, as such, it’s okay. Verdict? Leave Never-Never land to Peter Pan, his chums and the pirates

3 Save 10% off the top of everything you earn

Before you pay any bills or tithe to any organisation you take 10% for you – put it in a savings account or buy precious metal such as gold or silver as soon as you’ve accumulated enough money. Yes, it seems you really are worth it!

4 Reduce the tax you pay

No, I don’t know how you do that but it’s no secret that the wealthiest people pay pro rata (and often in real terms, too) the least tax. Warren Buffet allegedly has said: “I pay less taxes than my secretary!”

5 Reduce insurance premiums

Shop around. The insurance companies are vying for our custom. Find out what deals you can get and opt for the best one in each area: Customer loyalty is not rewarded in real terms.

6 Set up corporations and/ or use OPM

Apparently if you set up a corporation you can have access to credit lines – and the wealthiest always use OPM (other people’s money) in preference to their own.

Now for some thoughts, tips and attitudes that relate to skills you can incorporate and hone. I’m on home turf with these, have trained on them and know their application will add to your money growth…

7 Develop a pleasing personality

By doing so you attract more and better people into your life. Get familiar with Dale Carnegie’s “How to win friends and influence people” for more, specific help and tips. The principles are here.

8 Work on improving your communication skills

That includes your powers of persuasion and negotiation.

9 Learn how to ask questions and listen

Actually that should be learn to ask really good questions and listen actively to the answers. Way back when the training manager at Thomson Regional Newspapers HQ told us: “You have two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionately.”

Or, putting it another way:
“Use the six honest serving men; they’ll serve you till you die:
What, when and where; who, how and why”

I’d actually park the “how” until until you’ve used the other five to get really clear about anything that’s important to you. That “how” is a real stop you in your tracks if you’re not careful… If you can’t see the how of something that’s often enough to put paid to an idea before it even gets off the ground.

10 Read books and listen to CDs on things you want to learn about

Invest in your own growth every day. Swap fiction for fact; biographies of those who’ve achieved what you want to achieve and are happy (no point ending up the richest corpse in the graveyard, as the saying goes).

Well, there’s 10 to kick off with, chosen at random from Your Wish Is Your Command and added to by me. What thoughts, tips or attitudes would you add?

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About Linda Mattacks
Doing what you love, your bit for humankind and the planet (if that turns you on) and making a decent, let alone great living don't necessarily come in the same package! With a background of sales training, marketing and market/marketing research spanning decades, for individuals and companies across the world from micros to corporations, Linda's finally found her niche... and some truly fabulous collaborators. Female employer, employee or entrepreneur, if you're not seeing the fruits of your potential value in the marketplace why not talk to Linda? Call +44(0)7879 628 367
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