Category: Understanding Money

Financial Attitudes, Financial IQ, Understanding Money

Why Nine-tenths of Enterprises Fail

by Enes Öner1 Comment on Why Nine-tenths of Enterprises Fail

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”

Plato

All business owners and even employees should think big and make plans for expansion. In order to start a job, a strong reason, in other words a source of motivation, is required. This part requires thinking big, and unfortunately most people fail at this step.

Ray Kroc, unlike most people, was able to think big and realize his plans. He got into the hamburger business. But if he had chosen another business, he would probably have done well there too. Many small business owners tend to keep their business small. Ray Kroc developed a system for his small business, then expanded his hamburger business into a huge company.

The triangle below is the one that Robert T. Kiyosaki often emphasizes in his books. The purpose of this triangle is to help focus thoughts and teach the eight main topics that will make a business successful.

Statistics show that, nine out of ten businesses fail in the first five years. Nine-tenths of businesses that can continue for more than five years end before they see the tenth year. Here is the 90/10 rule of money again.

Many business ventures fail because at least one of the eight sections in Kiyosaki’s triangle is weak or lacking in these ventures.

A Business Needs A Very Strong Mission to Be Successful

In the triangle, the “product” is uppermost; but it has the smallest area. The “mission” is at the bottom but is one of the three items with the largest area. Mission is at the base of the triangle. Undoubtedly, the most important item in this triangle is mission.

I’ve heard a lot of people who want to be entrepreneurs say, “I have a great idea.” These great ideas sometimes have a chance to come true. The world is full of great products that have failed. This is because the base of the triangle is not strong. When you ask those who want to be entrepreneurs about their mission, most of them answer you: “I’ll make money!” If the focus is on making money rather than enterprise, the result is likely to be disappointing.

Mission is the most important thing to the business. Mission is the soul and heart of a business. The lack of Mission, means the lack of power to tackle tough road to tread.

When the most successful businesses studied, you’ll see a well-based and solid triangle. Their mission is motivating, leadership is well executed, managers are competent and work in harmony, cash flow and finances are good, sales and marketing communication are effectively provided, the system established for employees works efficiently, legal documents and contracts are clear and understandable, and of course the product produced – as a result of all of them – very good.

The System Is a Major Difference Between Small Businesses and Big Businesses or Companies

Most of us can make more delicious burgers than McDonald’s burgers. But how many of us can build a better system? The system is a crucial difference between small businesses and big businesses. In small businesses, the owner of the business is the system itself. Things don’t work out in his absence. Many businesses operate in this way depending on people.

Big businesses and companies operate on their well-designed systems. Employees or leaders can change over time. However, thanks to the system, the same process continues. McDonald’s works the same all over the world.

When businesses with well-educated, high-salary, hardworking employees who still achieve little are analyzed, it is seen that these businesses depend on people. A system has not been developed for these enterprises. Even a business with well-educated and highly paid employees will fail unless there are well-functioning systems.Entrepreneurs are the people who have to build great racing cars. CEOs are the pilots of those cars. A great pilot can’t win a race with a bad car. There are very few people who produce racing cars and become their drivers at the same time. Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Steve Jobs are such people. We’ve seen these guys all building and driving excellent racing cars.

You may also read my THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR WORK AND YOUR BUSINESS post if you are interested.

Check out these posts:

Latest posts:

Book Recommendations, investment, Understanding Money

Advices from Babylon for Those with Financial Problems

by Enes ÖnerLeave a Comment on Advices from Babylon for Those with Financial Problems

If you are having financial problems or want to have an idea about finance, the first book you should read is The Richest Man in Babylon. Below you can find some summary of the recommendations given in the book.

So let’s start.

You must secure your source of income for your future. Look at the old people, remember that after a while you will be one of them. Invest your savings very carefully so they don’t get lost. Save money so your family can meet their needs when you leave this world. If you make small payments regularly, you will be able to provide such protection. A frugal person would never delay putting aside a large amount for such a clever reason. Consult knowledgeable people for ideas. Listen to the advice of people whose business is related to money. 

Although advice is given for free, it is important to pay attention to what advice is sought from whom. The cost of seeking advice from someone with no experience in savings may be to lose all savings.

A small safe return is always better than risk. High interest rates can cause you to lose all your money. Stay away from them. 

Wealth also grows from a small seed, like a tree. The first money saved is the seed of the wealth tree. The sooner this seed is planted, the sooner the tree of wealth begins to grow. If this tree is fed with regular accumulation, it will have a shade to lie under with pleasure as soon as possible.

Enjoy life while you’re here. Do not force yourself too hard or try to save too much. If you can only keep a tenth of what you earn, be satisfied with that. Do not be stingy while spending. Life is beautiful and full of things to enjoy.

It is necessary to spend only nine tenths of what is earned and accumulate the rest.

Personally, when I started using nine-tenths of my earnings, I didn’t feel like I had less money than before. And soon my money seemed to get more and more. Undoubtedly, the person who does not spend all of his earnings will get money more easily after a while. On the other hand, money escapes from one whose wallet is empty.

What do you desire most? Is it the fulfillment of all your wishes every day, jewelry, better clothes, better food, things that go as easy as they come? Or do you want more permanent things like gold, property, trade, income generating investments? The dollars that come out of your wallet allow you to get the first set of things, and what you leave in your wallet allows you to access the second set.

It is necessary to eliminate unnecessary expenses by making budget planning, so that you do not spend more than nine tenths of the money earned.

What we define as “necessary expenses” increases according to our income as long as we do not make the opposite effort. Do not confuse your desires with real necessary expenses. Each of us desires more than our earnings can deliver. Even if we use all the money we earn to meet our desires, we still have unmet desires. Man’s desires never end. Desires are usually instant pleasures, whereas accumulation helps for a lifetime.

We should make our money work for us. We should increase our savings with investment. 

The first principle of a good investment is the security of the capital. Is it okay to aim for a bigger profit if your capital is likely to be lost? Obviously not. Don’t let your desires to get rich quick get you on the wrong track.

When investing with the money you have saved, take precautions and do not trust yourself. It is much better to take the opinion and advice of those who are used to using money to make a profit. Such recommendations are free and their value is the amount you are willing to invest. Because it will save you from losing that amount of money.

One of the remedies for a weak wallet is to not let your wallet empty after it is full. Only invest your money in ways that your capital is safe and you can get it back whenever you want. Consult the knowledgeable and experienced people for ideas. Their knowledge and experience prevents you from making precarious investments.

Have your own house in a neighborhood where you can pay the mortgage instead of sitting in a rental.

Someone who acts by the rules of wealth should think about the upcoming retirement days, must make fundraising plans and her investment must be safe for years. She should arrange them in such a way that she can easily access the money when she needs to use it.

Look to create an income now for your old age and for your family’s needs.

Generalized goals cannot go beyond weak wishes. A man’s desire to be rich doesn’t make much sense. But a man’s desire to have five grams of gold is a tangible goal, and therefore it is likely to be achieved. After obtaining five grams of gold, he can find 10 grams of gold, 20 grams of gold, and a thousand grams of gold with similar methods, and then he will be rich. By trying to achieve a small goal, he learns to secure a large amount. 

Wealth happens this way: first with small quantities, then more can be achieved with large quantities. Goals must be clear and defined. If goals are too much, too complex, or too difficult to achieve, they will not serve their purpose.

Work by nurturing your own strengths, become wiser, gain more skills, and respect yourself. Thus, you can gain the confidence you need to achieve your carefully shaped goals and increase your earnings.

The wealth that comes quickly disappears in the same way. Wealth that comes slowly brings pleasure and satisfaction to its owner, because it is the product of knowledge and persistent purpose.

Have a look at:

Latest posts:

investment, Stock Market, Understanding Money

Are Your Retirement Plans Really Safe?

by Enes Öner2 Comments on Are Your Retirement Plans Really Safe?

Unfortunately, millions of people around the world have to invest despite having insufficient investment knowledge. Many who try to spend their lives free from financial risks now have to risk their chair days. The vast majority will find out if they are investors or gamblers when they retire.

Today, the stock market is on the agenda of the whole world. However, not only those who have knowledge are active in the stock market, but also many people who try to become investors but do not understand investment.

The four ways of earning income.

Since the vast majority of these people are currently working in a company or a government agency or are in the self-employed category, they are concerned about assurance by nature. Therefore, they want to work in a job that provides assurance or they want to acquire professions that provide assurance, even if they establish their own business, they care about having the control on them.

The reason why they want to switch to the “investor” category today is that they want to find “assurance” when they end their working life. Unfortunately, being an investor is not known for providing assurance. On the contrary, risk speaks here.

Since the distinguishing feature of these people who want to be investors is security, the stock market reacts according to their expectations. This is why you often hear “diversification”, “reputability” or “investment trust”…

Diversification

Those who love guarantee often use the concept of diversification. Because diversification is an investment strategy determined “not to lose” but not “to earn” also. Successful or rich investors do not use diversification.

Let’s look at what Warren Buffett, perhaps the world’s best investor, said about diversification: “The strategy we have adopted is against the standard diversification rules. Therefore, most experts say this strategy is more risky than conservative investors pursued. We do not agree with this. We believe that the portfolio concentration policy will both reduce the risk that may arise and provide the comfort and business conditions that the investor seeks depending on the economic values that he expects before purchasing. “

In other words, focusing on portfolio concentrations or a few investments is a much better strategy than diversifying, according to Warren Buffett. Compared to diversification, concentration requires a person to be smarter and to take their thoughts and actions under more intense control. In his article, Buffett says that a mediocre investor avoids volatility because he thinks the ups and downs are risky.

“Reputable companies”

Investors seeking assurance are interested in stocks of reputable companies. The company may be reputable, but things are very different with the stock market.

Investment Trust

People who know little about investing prefer to hand their money over to a fund manager in the hope that they will use it better than they do. This is a smart way for those who do not intend to become professional investors. However, it does not mean that mutual funds are less risky. Frankly, when the stock market is upside down, we may experience a disaster similar to the Tulip Mania in the 1600s or the Great Bond Massacre we witnessed in the 1990s.

There are millions of people who love guarantees and want to be investors in the markets today. But due to the changing economy, investment doesn’t have much to do with assurance. Most people believe their retirement plans are safe, but not at all. An economic crisis can ruin everything. Things are not like they were in the past today.

Great Economic Turmoil at the Door

Such turmoil heralds the end of an age and the arrival of a new age. At the end of each age, some people cling to past values while others progress. I must say that those who give responsibility for their financial security to a large company or government will have a lot of difficulty in the coming years.

Nobody has a crystal ball. I follow major investors and most of their investment publications. Each say a different thing. Some say the near future looks bright, while others say the stock market crisis and a great depression are at the door. I listen to both views to look at the situation objectively, because they both have some merit. And those who are ready for bad days will reach wealth no matter what direction the economy takes.

We should be concerned about our long-term financial security and leave the responsibility for this neither to a company nor to the government. Conditions have changed since companies declared that they are no longer responsible for their employees’ retirement. Therefore, we all need to be awake investors and be aware of the ups and downs of financial markets.

My advice is to learn how to become an investor instead of handing over your money to someone else to invest on your behalf. If you invest your money in a mutual fund or give it to an investment professional, you may have to wait until the age of 65 to see the result. If they did a terrible job, you may need to continue working for the rest of your life. Millions of people will be faced with this reality because they will be too late to invest or learn to invest.

Would you like to continue reading? Check out these:

Here are my latest posts:

Debts, economy, Financial Attitudes, investment, Understanding Money

The Difference Between A Good Investor And A Bad Investor

by Enes Öner2 Comments on The Difference Between A Good Investor And A Bad Investor

Many people invest in mutual funds. When I ask someone, who is investing in mutual funds, he answers: “But I am also investing. I have a portfolio of mutual funds. I also have bonds and stocks. Isn’t this all investment?”.

Yes, saving is also an investment. Buying mutual funds, stocks or bonds is also an investment. But it is the kind of investment a saver would make, not an investor.

Let’s take a look at the passive investor philosophy. Most investment advisors provide a recommendation like that:

• Work hard

• Save money

• Get rid of your debt

• Make long-term investments

• Diversify your investments

This is good advice for a certain group of people – suitable for people with a savings philosophy or passive investors. In today’s circumstances, I believe this advice is riskier than any financial advice. It may seem as a reliable and wise advice to those who are financially inexperienced.

There is only one word to distinguish between a saver and an investor. That word is leverage. Thanks to leverage, you have the ability to do more with less.

Many savers do not use financial leverage. And if you don’t have enough financial knowledge or experience to apply leverage, it would be better for you not to use it. I will explain this to you later. Let’s take a look at these standard recommendations from the perspective of the saver and then the investor.

Work Hard

When many people think of “work hard” advice, they only think about their own hard work. The leverage effect on one’s own hard work is very small. Imagine if others will help you to get rich with their hard work. This is the power of leverage. States do not ask us to seek jobs, but to create jobs. If everybody starts looking for work, economies will collapse. For economies to grow, we need people who can create jobs.

Save Money

The problem with saving money is that the current economic system needs borrowers, not savers, to grow. In order for our economic system to continue to grow, it needs smart borrowers. The system does not need people who get poor by borrowing, but people who can borrow money and get rich. While 10 percent of the people who borrow money in the world benefit from their debts to be rich, 90 percent of them become poor with their debts. And this ratio is getting worse every day.

Get Rid of Your Debt

Many savers think that debt is bad and it’s smart to pay off mortgage loans quickly. And for many people, borrowing is bad and getting rid of debt is wise. However, if you are willing to devote some time to your financial education, you can use your debt to move forward. But if you are considering investing with debt, I would like to warn you once again that you should invest in your financial education first.

There is good debt and bad debt. Being financially smart is knowing when to borrow and when to avoid it.

In these economic conditions, savers are losers and borrowers are winners. For whatever reason, you should always be careful when using borrowed money.

Make Long-Term Investments

Look at this advice in terms of sellers: “Give me your money to keep me for years, and I’ll get certain payments from you over the long term.” The phrase “make long-term investments” is like the advantages that allow you to earn points. You become a loyal customer.

Depending on the payments you make to manage the fund, mutual funds may not earn you as much money as other investments.

Diversify Diversify Diversify

Warren Buffet, considered the richest investor in the world, says this about diversification: “Diversification is a safeguard against ignorance. It won’t make much sense if you know what you’re doing. “

Then the question arises: Whose ignorance do you protect yourself from? Is it your own ignorance or the ignorance of your financial advisor?

Diversification generally means that you should not put all the eggs in the same basket. Warren Buffet puts them all in the same basket. He once said: “Put all your eggs in one basket, but watch your basket carefully.”

Personally, I prefer to focus rather than diversify, and actually the reason I was able to move forward was focus, not diversification.

I saw an acrostic on focus in a book I read.

For many, diversification is a good strategy. This is only because it protects investors from themselves and inadequate advisors.

The traditional financial planning advice “work hard, save money, get rid of your debts, make long-term investments and diversify” is good for the average. This advice is also good for those who are rich but are not interested in learning how to become an investor. Many movie stars, wealthy professionals, or former athletes do that. Just remember that while following this path, you will have a very small leverage.

Are you interested in investment? Check out my other posts about investment here.

I recommend you to also read them:

Have a look at my latest posts:

Financial Attitudes, motivation, Understanding Money

Make Money in a Better Way

by Enes Öner4 Comments on Make Money in a Better Way

It Doesn’t Need to Have Money to Make Money

We know that many successful people dropped out of school without getting a degree or never went to college. General Electric founder Thomas Edison, Ford Motor Co Founder Henry Ford, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, CNN founder Ted Turner, Dell computer founder Michael Dell, Apple Computer Company founder Steve Jobs, Polo’s founder Ralph Lauren did so. Higher education is important in traditional professions, but for these men it wasn’t important in accessing great wealth since they started their own business.

So, What Do You Need?

If money isn’t needed to make money and schools don’t teach how to achieve financial freedom, then what is needed?

It is necessary to dream, to be determined, the desire to learn quickly, the ability to use God’s blessings, and to know how to earn income.

Which Way Do You Make Your Income?

Different ways of earning income.

An employee earns money by getting a job, working for someone else or working for a company. A self-employed person earns money by working for himself. An employer has set up a business that generates income. An investor earns money from the various investments she makes.

There are different ways to generate income. It requires different mindset, different technical skills, different learning path and different people. Different people find themselves closer to different areas.

Although money is the same everywhere, the way it is earned can be very different. Think of the different qualities required in all four ways and ask yourself which way you get the most of your income.

Each one is very different. Earning income from different segments requires different skills and different personalities, even if the person in each segment is the same. Switching from one method to another is like playing golf or tennis in the morning and going dancing at night.

You Can Earn Income in These Four Ways

Most of us have the potential to generate income in all four ways. Which one we choose has nothing to do with what we are taught at school. It is more related to our values, strength, weaknesses and interests. What kind of person we are determines how we will earn our income.

Whatever we do professionally, it is possible to earn income in these four ways. For example, suppose a doctor chooses to earn income as an employee. He can work in a hospital or a public institution. He can even become a military doctor or become a permanent doctor of one of the insurance companies.

The same man can also open a clinic and work as a self-employed. He can also choose to be an employer. He hires other doctors. He doesn’t have to work in his own polyclinic, then he can employ a administrator. If this doctor does not necessarily want to have a job in the field of health, he can also establish a company operating in a completely different sector. 

He can also invest in other people’s business or other investment instruments such as stocks, bonds and real estate.

Different Methods of Generating a Source of Income

The way we earn income depends on our character. Some prefer to work for someone else, some hate it. Some people like to own a company but also like to run that company. While some people like to invest, others avoid it by citing the risk of losing money. Most of these attitudes can be found in us.

You Can Become Rich or Poor in All Four Ways

There is no clear relationship between these methods and wealth or poverty. Earning millions or being broke is up to the person himself. Choosing one way or another is not a guarantee of financial success, and no one can give you any advice.

These Methods Are Not Equal

Knowing the different features of each method is useful in understanding which one or which ones are more suitable for us.

Let’s say I choose to earn my income primarily as an employer and investor. Because I would like to take advantage of tax benefits. Legal tax privileges for groups at the top of the table are limited. On the other hand, there are plenty of loopholes regarding tax that can be used by those below in the table. If I get my income as an employer and investor, I can earn much more money in a shorter time and I will not pay high tax.

Money Supports Life

I believe it is absurd to spend a lifetime working to earn money and pretending that money is not important. Life is worth more than money. On the other hand, money is also important in terms of supporting life. We must learn to make money without working long hours. That’s when we get plenty of time to do other things.

If you take a closer look at this simple table, you will see that it contains not only different views of the world, but also very different worlds.

Neither is better than the other. Each of them has strengths and weaknesses.

Some of us can walk more than one path, maybe even all of the paths. We are all different individuals, remember, one method is not better or more important than the other. In every village, town and city of the world, all kinds of professionals are needed in order to balance the financial stability of the society.

On the one hand, our interests change as we grow older and our experience increases. For example, many young people who have just graduated from school are elated when they find a job. However, after a year or two, few find that they are not interested in rising up the corporate hierarchy or are not interested in their business. These changes that come with age and experience cause one to seek new ways to grow, challenge, achieve financial reward and achieve personal happiness…

Are you interested? Check out these posts too:

I urge you to read my DON’T WORK TOO HARD -WORK FOR YOURSELF post.

You can find my latest posts here:

Financial IQ, Understanding Money

The Biggest Financial Problem In The World Economy

by Enes Öner3 Comments on The Biggest Financial Problem In The World Economy

There are many definitions of intelligence. To me, the most practical definition is as follows: “Intelligence is the ability to solve problems.” If you can solve math problems at school, you are considered smart. Outside of school, if you can fix a car, it is assumed that you have automotive intelligence. When it comes to money, it is thought that the more you can solve bigger financial problems, the higher your financial intelligence is.

Today, the world is facing a number of serious financial problems. Many of these are linked, while some are independent problems. Some of the most urgent problems are:

  1. The fall in the value of the dollar
  2. Increase in national borrowings
  3. The exponential increase in personal debts
  4. Increase in oil prices
  5. The widening gap between the rich and the rest
  6. Salary drops
  7. Export of jobs and workers
  8. Melting of savings
  9. And the most important of all is the lack of financial education

The questions that need to be answered urgently are as follows:

  • What can we do?
  • What are the solutions?
  • Is our Financial IQ high enough to solve these problems?
  • How can we avoid being the victim of these problems?
  • How can we protect our families and loved ones suffering from these problems?

Many of today’s financial problems still exist because they were not resolved when they emerged. Unfortunately, instead of raising the Financial IQ of the population, people were taught to wait for the state to solve their personal financial problems.

“We need to look after those who can’t take care of themselves.” you might say. I agree with this. As a civilized society, we must care for the needy. However, many people may be able to take care of themselves if they are trained. For this, the Financial IQ of the societies should be increased.

Due to the low financial IQ solutions found in the past, the demographic structure of today is the impoverishment of the people except the rich; even though more people earn more money. Unfortunately, the United States is not the only country moving in this direction. Many of the world’s economies are transforming into two-class societies: The rich and the poor… The upper class or the masses…

Simply put, the world is on its way to becoming a well-educated place of rich and poor people. The middle class is endangered. The real problem is that the world is beginning to consist of people who are good people, well-educated, hardworking, but still expect the state to take care of them when they retire.

Apart from these, there are two other problems: The first is that even Ponzi Scheme is not known what it is, since nothing related to monetary matters is taught in schools. The second, most of the people now deserve to be paid because they have made all their retirement payments.

However, if each of these people in the US starts receiving only $ 1,000 per month under Social Security and Health Insurance, the government will have to allocate an additional $ 75 billion per month for salary payments. This amount is equivalent to the cost of Hurricane Katrina or the Iraq War. The good news is we still have time to prepare for the impending financial hurricanes.

You can feed a person for a day by giving fish. And this is what we have been doing as the world for a long time. This is the thought that underpins Social Security and Health Insurance Services.

I want to encourage you to get rich because the world is turning into a two-class society; only rich and poor.

The middle class in Western nations is slowly but surely disappearing. If you want to stay in the middle class, you may need to consider living in China or India. These two countries are making their middle class bigger, rather than destroying it. But keep in mind that middle class members in China or India generally don’t live a better life than many poor Americans. This is because the middle class is too crowded in these countries. 

The rich will always spot opportunities, while the poor will bury their heads in the sand and pretend nothing has happened.

Let’s think a little bit. Let’s consider how we can take advantage. 

Can you identify the opportunities that may arise from this economic order?

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

You can also read WHY YOU NEED TO INCREASE YOUR FINANCIAL IQ if you are interested in. In this post, I have outlined how to improve Financial Intelligence.

You may also be interested in these posts:

You can access all my categories here:

Latest posts:

Financial Attitudes, Understanding Money

The Two Most Important Skills to Increase Your Income

by Enes Öner2 Comments on The Two Most Important Skills to Increase Your Income

Whenever I talk to someone who wants to make more money, I always tell them the same thing: You have to think about your life in the long term. Instead of just working to earn money and secure their future, which is undeniably important, I tell them to find a second job that will allow them to learn a second skill. If what they want is to train themselves in sales, I often recommend them to work in a large networked marketing company, namely in the multi-level marketing field. Some such companies offer unique training programs to help people overcome the fear of disgrace and rejection, which is the primary reason people fail.

In the long run, education is worth more than money.

The reaction of those is usually, “Oh, but this is a lot of trouble.”. I ask them: So, is it better to give half of your lifetime earnings to the government?

And some of them say, “All I want is to do the job that interests me.”. I tell these people that I’m not interested in going to the gym, but I do, because I want to feel good and live longer.

There is unfortunately some truth to the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. If the person is not used to change, it is difficult for him to change.

Some people make excuses if you talk about trying to learn something new. They don’t like to struggle. However, life is like going to the gym. Everything gets easier once you walk through the door. I get lazy to go to the gym many times. But after I get there and start exercising, I enjoy it. Finally, I leave the gym thinking that I am glad I came.

Rather than specialize in something, diversify your abilities. Know little about a lot. And always try to work with people who are smarter than you.

How many of us can make burgers better than McDonald’s? I guess everyone would say they could do better. So, if we know how to make better burgers, how come McDonald’s make more money than us?

The answer is obvious: McDonald’s is excellent in business. The reason so many talented people are poor is that they give all their attention to making burgers and not to establish a business order.

The world is full of talented poor people. They either struggle with financial difficulties or earn less than they deserve. Because they focus on making better burgers rather than improving their burger selling and serving skills. McDonald’s doesn’t make the best burgers in the world. However, no one gets even close to McDonald’s when it comes to selling and serving an ordinary hamburger.

Do not let your field of expertise trap you.

I know teachers who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The reason they earn so much is because they have skills other than skills in their field. Apart from teaching, they also know about sales and marketing. In my opinion, there is no more important skill than sales and marketing. Acquiring sales and marketing skills is the nightmare of many people who are afraid of rejection. The more successful they are to communicate, negotiate and overcome their fear of rejection, the easier sales and marketing will be for them.

Specialization has both advantages and disadvantages. I have friends of genius, but they are incapable of communicating properly with others, and as a result, their income is very low. If they take the time to learn how to sell, their communication skills will improve even if they don’t make any money in the process. This is invaluable.

We need to be good teachers as well as good students, salesmen, and marketers. In order to be really rich, we must know whether to give or receive.

The poor always say: “If I had some extra money, I would donate it.”. They work harder to earn more money. But they ignore the most important rule of money: “If you give it, you get it.“. They think the rule is, “If you get it, you give it.”.

Are you interested? I think you should also read WHY YOU NEED TO INCREASE YOUR FINANCIAL IQ.

You may also be interested in:

Have a look at my latest posts:

Here are all my categories:

Financial Attitudes, Taxation, Understanding Money

The Robin Hood Ideal

by Enes Öner4 Comments on The Robin Hood Ideal

“Why don’t the rich pay?”

“The rich should pay more taxes and help the poor.”

“The only reason the poor survive so hard are the rich.”

We often hear about the idea of taking from the rich and giving it to the poor. When I hear such sentences, I think of Robin Hood. Robin Hood may have passed away from this world hundreds of years ago, but those who followed in his footsteps are still alive.

The idea of taking from the rich and giving it to the poor most troubled the poor and middle class. The reason why the middle class is heavily taxed is actually the Robin Hood ideal. The harsh reality is that the rich are not taxed. The middle class helping the poor, especially high-income and educated ones.

For better understanding, we first need to look at the historical process.

There was no such thing as tax in Britain and America before. Temporary taxes were imposed to cover increased expenses during wars. In the past, the announcement was made by the king or the head of state and everyone was asked to put their hands in their pockets. The introduction of taxation in Britain took place between 1799 and 1816. During this period, Britain was fighting against Napoleon. In America, the first taxes were introduced during the Civil War period between 1861-1865.

In 1874, England turned income tax on its citizens into a permanent practice. The United States made the income tax application permanent in 1913 after the 16th constitutional amendment was approved. Americans used to be against taxation. The famous Tea Party in Boston Harbor contributed to the start of the War of Independence, and the reason was the excessive tax rates imposed on tea. In both England and the United States, it took fifty years for societies to adopt the regular income tax application.

These taxes were imposed to be collected only from the rich. The poor and middle class were told that taxes were levied only for the rich, so the idea of tax was popularized and imposed on the majority. Therefore, the masses voted “Yes” to the law and the tax was legalized. Although the main purpose was to punish the rich, in reality it was the people who voted for him, the poor and the middle class who were punished.

When we examine the history of taxes, we are faced with an interesting perspective. As stated above, the implementation of the tax system was made possible by the masses believing in Robin Hood economic theories, which argued that income should be taken from the rich and distributed to all. But the state loved money so much that it soon imposed taxes on the middle class, and taxes spread to the lowest class of society.

The rich took this situation as an opportunity. Because they play the game by different rules. Even in the time of sailing ships, they established insurance companies for goods carried on the voyage. The rich invested money in the company to cover travel expenses. The companies was hiring seafarers who would sail to the New World in search of treasure. Even if the ship sank during the voyage and the crew died, the loss of the rich was limited to the money they invested on that voyage.

Knowing the power of the company’s legal structure is what makes the rich superior to the poor and middle class. Thus, although the masses advocated “buy from the rich,” the rich sooner or later found a way to overcome them. That was why, the middle class was also taxed. The rich got what they wanted because they were aware of the power of money.

Companies and governments always protect the rich. But many people who have never started a company do not know that a company is really “nothing”. The company is almost a file containing some legal documents registered in the government office in the law firm. It is not a big building with its name on the top. It is neither a factory nor a community of persons. The company is nothing more than a legal document that creates a soulless legal personality.

As soon as the income tax was made permanent by law, the benefits of companies came back on the agenda. Because the income tax rate of companies is lower than the individual income tax rate. Thus, the wealth of the rich was once again preserved.

As a result, this war between those who have property and those who do not have been going on for hundreds of years. This is the “take from the rich” war of the crowds against the rich. Wherever and whenever laws are made, this war will be fought. It will take forever. The problem is that the uninformed ones are the losers. These are those who get up early every morning and go to work and pay taxes. If they understood the rules of the game the rich are playing, they could play better too. Then they could gain their financial independence.

Please let me know that what are you thinking about the taxes below.

I strongly recommend continuing to read with WHY YOU NEED TO INCREASE YOUR FINANCIAL IQ.

You can also check out:

Latest posts:

Debts, Financial Attitudes, Financial IQ, investment, Understanding Money

Don’t Work Too Hard -Work for Yourself

by Enes Öner6 Comments on Don’t Work Too Hard -Work for Yourself

The mentality of considering home as investment and seeing wage growth as a resource to buy a larger house or spend more is the foundation of today’s debt-based society. Most people move up to higher positions in their jobs over time and receive regular salary increases. However, due to the increase in expenses, many families are under greater debt day by day and face more financial uncertainties.

If you are an employee,

  1. You work for someone: Most wage earners enrich the boss or shareholder. Your efforts and success contribute to the success and retirement of the boss.
  2. You work for the state: The state gets its share before you get your salary. By working harder, you increase the amount of tax charged by the state. Most government officials work from January to May only for enriching the state.
  3. You work for the bank: After taxes, your biggest expense is deductions and credit card debt.

The problem with hard work is that each of these three stages gets their share thanks to your increased efforts. What needs to be learned is how to translate increased efforts directly for the benefit of you and your family.

Most people have to rely on their salary to pursue their profession and receive income-generating active funds. So how do they measure the extent of their success as their actives grow? How does one realize that he or she is rich or has wealth? In this regard, besides the definition of active and passive, the definition of wealth is also important. Let’s look at what R. Buckminster Fuller said. Although what he says seems quite complicated, it begins to make sense after reading it thoroughly:

“Wealth is a person’s ability to survive so many numbers of days forward … or if I stopped working today, how long could I survive.”

R. Buckminster Fuller

Wealth is the measure of cash flow from comparing the expenditure column to the asset column. If it sounds a bit complicated, let’s explain it with an example:

Let’s say you have $ 1000 a month of cash flow from the active column. Your monthly expense is 2000 thousand dollars. How much is your wealth?

Let’s return to Buckminster Fuller’s definition. How many more days of financial power do you have according to Fuller? Only half a month’s cash flow.

If the cash flow from your assets reaches $ 2000 a month, then you are rich.

So, you are not rich yet, but you are wealthy. Every month, you have income generated by active funds that fully cover their monthly expenses. If you want to increase your spending, you must first increase the cash from your assets to maintain this level of wealth. Remember that you are no longer dependent on your salary. You are successful in building your active columns that gives you financial independence. Even if you quit your job today, you can meet your monthly expenses with net income from your assets.

The next target will be to transfer the surplus cash flow from active funds back to the active column. The more coins enter the active column, the larger the column gets. The larger your active funds, the greater your cash flow and net income. As long as you keep your expenses less than the cash flow from your assets, you will get richer, you will have income other than resources from your physical effort.

As this reinvestment process continues, you take firm steps towards getting rich.

Few people have enough money to survive today. There are even people who do not have enough money to live for a month. Many Americans have less than $ 400 in savings. A more shocking statistic in 2016, the GOBankingRates found that 34% of Americans had no savings at all. Few people can survive for a long time without a paycheck or government aid.

Lastly, let’s keep in that in mind:

The rich buy the active funds. The poor have only expenses. The middle class buys passives that they think are active.

You may also be interested in:

You may want to read THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME too.

Latest posts:

Check out my categories:

Debts, Financial Attitudes, investment, Taxation, Understanding Money

Taxes and Credit Debts

by Enes Öner5 Comments on Taxes and Credit Debts

All over the world, taxes are rising steadily. Because the social demands in return for the tax charge require an increase in the value of wealth, income and sales taxes. Higher incomes cause taxpayers to enter even higher tax brackets. Thus, tax rates increase gradually to meet social services. Today, governments face serious problems with social service programs such as Social Security and State Health Insurance for the elderly. As a result, they cannot pay their debts.

For most people, taxes are the biggest expense item. Most people consider these taxes are income taxes. However, for most developed countries like America, the highest tax is the premium paid to social security. Employees pay roughly 7-8% tax on social security contributions and health care. However, this rate is actually 15% since the employer pays the social insurances to complement this rate. This is the amount that the employer cannot pay the worker. Moreover, the employee also pays the income tax of social security contributions deducted from her salary. In fact, this is an income that she never received since it goes directly to social insurances.

Let’s explain this subject with a simple example. Imagine a newly married couple. This educated young couple rented a small flat. They start making some restrictions to make a living. After a while, they realize that they are spending as little as they did before they got married. So, they save some money.

But one day, the flat they rented starts to seem too small for them.

They want to buy a bigger house to have children. Now, they want to save more money. They start working more.

Their income gradually increases.

As their income increases, so does their expenses.

When they think they have enough money, they buy their dream house. Meanwhile, they learn about a new tax called property tax. Over time, they buy furniture for their new home. They also buy a new car . They suddenly realize that their column of passive funds is now filled with mortgage debt and credit card debt.

They finally have a child. The couple work harder. The same process repeats. The more they earn, the more taxes they pay. They get new credit cards. Their debt increases gradually and becomes equal to the value of their homes.

A company that provide loans to the couple recommends “debt consolidation” while the couple’s credit ratings are high. The company also states that the best thing to do is to pay off their credit card debts and high interest consumer loan debts. Besides, interest on home loan will be deducted from tax. They accept and pay high interest credit card debts. They feel a little relieved. Credit card debts are over. Now they have added their consumer loan debt to the house mortgage debt. Loan installments decreased because they extended the repayment for another 30 years.

Discounts begin in various stores and markets. The couple do not intend to buy anything, they just want to go and walk around. But they also take their credit cards in case they see something necessary…

We often meet this young couple. Their names are different, but their financial dilemmas are the same. They all look for an answer to “How can I make more money?” question.

The real reason for their financial problems is that they don’t know how to spend their money. They don’t have financial knowledge; they do not understand the difference between active and passive funds.

Let me say it again: Earning more money is often not the solution to financial problems. The solution is to act wisely. There is a famous quote for those floating in debt:

“If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”

Will Rogers

We must be aware of three powers: The power of the sword, the jewel, and the mirror. The sword symbolizes the power of weapons. America has reached this position by spending millions of dollars on weapons. Jewelry is the power of money. Whoever has money sets the rules. The mirror symbolizes the power of self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is the most valuable of these three, according to Japanese legend.

The lower and middle classes are willing to let the power of money control them. They shoot theirselves in the foot by getting out of bed and working hard, not asking themselves what they are doing. Many who do not understand money, surrender to the power of money. The power of money is used against them…

You can continue reading with THE ROBIN HOOD IDEAL.

You may also be interested in:

My latest posts: