Budgeting is the financial skill almost everyone avoids – and the one that quietly changes everything. It’s simple, unglamorous, and often misunderstood, but it is one of the strongest predictors of long term financial success. Most people think budgeting is about tracking. It’s not. Budgeting is about adjusting. The magic
I wanted to address one of the most challenging topics in financial planning today: adult children, and the courage it takes to let them launch from the nest. Across cultures, I’ve noticed two very different traditions. In many Eastern families, parents sacrifice deeply to set their children up for the
I was speaking recently with a friend and former colleague who helps people transition out of corporate life. She told me something I’ve been hearing more and more: many mid‑career women are quietly – or not so quietly – wondering if the “rat race” is still worth it. After years
This is a time of change. The world has shifted so much since Covid that it’s unrealistic to expect our societal and economic systems to stay untouched. New structures will emerge. New rules, new products, new opportunities. Change always reshapes the landscape – and change is at our doorstep. We
While attempting to flow back into my rusty yoga practice last evening, breath and movement in sync (mostly…), I suddenly wondered: how valuable is the human body, really? So, naturally I Googled it. A quick search gave me numbers that stopped me in my tracks: Liver transplant: $100,000 Kidney: $300,000
This week, a water bill landed in our inbox with a balance due that could probably fund a small island. A 40% increase! Just like that. The latest surprise in a season already heavy with rising costs. Like many families, we have been intentional with our spending. Practicing restraint. Making
In fairy tales, the poison apple is irresistible: shiny, sweet, and offered with a smile. But once bitten, it steals time, freedom, and clarity. That’s how I see high-interest consumer debt: especially credit cards and buy-now-pay-later schemes. They offer instant gratification without the sting of parting with cash. But the
How valuable is your time? Hopefully, more precious than gold whether you have a high paying job or not. And yet, one of the most undervalued contributors to household wealth is domestic work—the unpaid labour that keeps families running, children thriving, and communities connected. According to the International Labour Organization,
There’s a cheeky trend circulating on social media: every time someone leaves the house, it costs £100. I laughed when I first saw it—until I realised my last two outings averaged exactly that. So yes, there’s truth to this new phenomenon. On one hand, it’s commendable that people are becoming
There’s a curious trend sweeping social media: wealthy individuals being advised to “look poor.” Dress down. Drive modest cars. Avoid flashy jewelery. Hide expensive purchases in grocery bags. The goal? To fly under the radar—avoiding theft, harassment, or exploitation. It’s a strange reversal in a world where the lower and
Imagine a kitten gazing into a mirror and seeing a magnificent lion staring back. That’s the power of self-belief; that is the future you. The potential you glimpse in quiet moments, even if life feels chaotic. The distance between where you are and where you want to be is often
When we hear the word luxury, most of us picture something shiny or over indulgent: designer handbags, Swiss watches, leather seats in a private anything, maybe a sleek car gliding down a coastal road, or the image of wearing a pampered white robe with matching slippers while others dote on
Taking vacations is like using a magic Genie’s lamp to grant you wishes to generate true wealth: through renewing your energy, clarity and happiness. Especially in the modern age when you can wake up in one part of the world, fly through the air like a Greek God, then go
Your home is your castle. Your choices are the difference between your home becoming your palace or your prison. Living in an expensive city, I get asked one question a lot: ‘Is it better to rent or buy a home?’ And the short answer is the most common for financial
“The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of believing in our dreams.” – Cinderella Life is complex. I feel that the modern person with all their duties is similar to the heroine in Cinderella. She was too busy with immediate urgent tasks of surviving her step-sisters and stepmother’s demands
There is one overlooked source of wealth for many people. This is a big financial regret for those who do not do it, and a costly financial mistake. It is utilizing their defined contribution (DC) pension. Pensions are an iceberg asset, a hidden treasure. This is because it does not
Time is not money, but time is a form of wealth. Finance people think differently. We get triggered by monthly expenses that most people would shrug off. Why? Because we understand and utilize money magic. In finance jargon, this is called compounding interest. It refers to when your investments make
“The best of all medicines is fasting and resting” – Benjamin Franklin I am on a fast. I do it from time to time and find it very beneficial. I think the main benefit for me is a reset. Fasting is like walking through a vast dessert knowing you will
Like this tree, we can struggle to grow wealth without a proper foundation, but it is neither wise nor sustainable long term. This is a picture I took the other day in Canary Wharf, London and the tree is growing on a raft which was originally placed there for the
How do you get the important value of vacations without overspending past your budget? You may be thinking about summer vacation plans and feel the pressure to make great family memories. Especially as parents in this era, we can be pressured to create epic memories that have high price tags.
Life is a beautiful assortment of opportunity that awaits you. As you gain more momentum building your wealth, you will have more access to life’s material treats in all of its variety. This does not mean that you have to partake of everything offered. And just because you can afford
In life, we can take the safe path of mediocrity or the ‘riskier path less travelled.’ The world is changing fast and necessitates measured risk-taking. There are other risks that we acquire by having valuables like loved ones and material abundance. Once you have someone or something to lose, you
Even though it does not appear in your net worth statement, your body, your relationships and communities are your biggest assets. The health of these areas of your life enhances your true wealth. That is why one of the four dimensions of the Compass Star PATH is health. Health is
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” – Harvey Mackay A major area of true wealth is time. Fabulous, precious time. I think
Abundance is the second element of the Compass Star PATH (which stands for Passion, Abundance, Time and Health). It is the more traditional view of wealth representing actual money and material abundance. A key facilitator of increasing abundance into your life is whether you view the world through the lens
I love a clean house. It makes me feel like I am on top of things, like I am ‘adulting’ well. Clean environments feel warm and welcoming; truly relaxing. What is the first thing people do when they want to sell something (like a house or a car) for an
Is saving £432 worth an hour of your time? Imagine you are looking into your account activity to ensure you have enough for your holiday gifts and plans, and you notice an unexpected monthly charge from your favourite service provider for £57. You think to yourself: ‘hmmm, that is interesting;
Living with passion is a key element in the PATH to true wealth; and it is the first area I discuss in my book. Passion may bring up images of artists immersed in their creative processes, or new lovers strolling in the park holding hands. This indeed is passion. However,
Financial planning is a map. It is a financial roadmap to get from point A (where you are) to point B (where you want to go). Easy, right? The interesting thing about building wealth in your life is that it can be subjective. It is not like corporate finance where
There are two primary vital signs for your finances, one is your budget (or cash flow) which we discussed in the prior blog, and the other is called your net worth which we will discuss today. Just as a doctor takes your heart rate and blood pressure as a first
Budgeting is an art. No, really. It is a creative enterprise of your resource optimization. Your budget is the architectural plan of your lifestyle: the blueprint. It is so essential that I have a whole section in my book on this topic. When budgeting is done well, it is a
Sometimes you just have to start: Whether it’s writing a book, building a website or even starting a blog; that is also the way it is with building wealth. You may not know where to start or where the path will lead, but you have to make that first brave