A breath of fresh air, the sun on our faces, bare feet in the sand. Spending time outside can provide many small pleasures, which all leave us feeling revitalised. Whether it’s sipping ice-cold lemonade in our backyard or hiking up a mountain, spending time in nature has numerous benefits beyond the obvious. There have been many studies outlining the positive mental effects of being immersed in nature. For example, the University of Michigan conducted a study […]
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Crypto can be taxing
One of the early appeals for cryptocurrencies was that they would not be taxed as they are not fiat currencies (yet), in that they are not owned by a country or used for trade inside of geographical tender regulations. However, as these platforms grow and develop, we are seeing that this is most likely not the case. According to several governments, cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are classified as “intangible assets” – as opposed to, say, property […]
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Buy to Let
To buy or not to buy… that is the question. “Real estate investing, even on a very small scale, remains a tried and true means of building an individual’s cash flow and wealth.” – Robert Kiyosaki Real estate investment has been around for thousands of years and is an asset class that has consistently proven itself over time. It is easy to understand the attraction of a buy-to-let property investment, which is considered a sound investment […]
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Dualistic Thinking
Dualistic thinking assumes a universe where there are only two opposing, mutually incompatible options or realities. This type of thinking is either/or, good/bad, negative/positive, and has a significant impact on our beliefs and behaviours. Our development is stymied by dualistic thinking. The sooner we can break free from this either/or mindset, the sooner we can nurture greater success in the workplace and in our personal lives. This either/or mentality contributes to our fears and concerns by […]
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Inflation Resilience
Inflation Concerns about rising inflation are brewing, particularly in the US. Similar concerns followed the 2009 financial crisis, yet the inflation that was widely expected never materialised. Who Cares? Equities, bonds, and direct property make up most of a family’s portfolio of investments. Property is inflation resilient if the rent you receive increases (at least) in line with inflation every year. Equities protect against inflation over the long term if the companies in your portfolio can […]
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Things don’t get easier – we become more resilient
Life is uncharted. Maps can only be made from where we’ve been – not where we have yet to go. The only certainty is uncertainty, and we can experience potentially life-altering choices on a daily basis. Each nebulous choice we make brings with it a unique flood of thoughts and emotions. Yet, we generally adapt well, over time, to life-changing situations. This is, in part, thanks to resilience. Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting […]
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Don’t be a lemming
One long-held belief is that lemmings purposefully run off cliffs in their millions. This myth has become a metaphor for the behaviour of crowds of individuals who follow each other blindly, regardless of the consequences. Herd instincts are prevalent in all parts of life, including the financial industry when investors follow what they feel other investors are doing rather than conducting their own research. A herd instinct is a type of behaviour in which people react […]
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Too many crypto-balls in the air
Bitcoin is the only crypto worth keeping an eye on. Is this true or not? As the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin set the stage for the entry of other cryptocurrencies, inspiring an ever-growing number of spinoffs, continually growing in popularity as potential investment opportunities and an alternative means of exchange. There are more than 9,500 cryptocurrencies available today, but it is important to remember (as mentioned in our previous article) that these are currently highly volatile. There […]
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I’m not sure I want to know
There’s a story that was told many years ago (it may or may not be true…) about a Microsoft call-centre agent and their call with a deeply irate customer. Having recently purchased a computer that came pre-installed with Windows, the customer called to find out why his computer would not respond. It goes a little like this: Call-center Agent (CCA): Thank you for verifying your purchase; how can we help you today? Customer (C): My computer […]
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Livin’ la vida cubierta
Without adequate life cover, you could be livin’ la Vida Loca. In current times it is easy to feel we are indeed living the “crazy life”. Financial pressures are also much more prevalent, and many of us have to review our monthly expenditure. Perhaps it has even been a consideration to try and make ends meet by cutting out the expense of monthly life insurance premiums. If this is the case, chances are it’s best to […]
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