Category: Wealth & Personal Finance

-Kiran Bhave, Financial Freedom Director, AS-44.com

Applicability:

FY 2023-24

If you already hold any of the following for more than 1 year.

– Direct Equity stocks

– Equity Mutual Funds

Tax harvesting in simple words is utilization of the tax exemption given for Long Term Capital Gains on Equity investments to your benefit and maximizing your wealth.

As per current Income Tax rules for AY 2024-25 (FY 2023-24), Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) realized on equity based investments, during the financial year up to 1 lac is completely taxfree.

You will realize LTCG only when you hold Equity for more than 1 year and sell it during the financial year.

When to do?

Once in an year, preferably close to end of financial year like in Jan, Feb or March month (JFM).

Why to do?

Short answer is to earn more Income!

Let’s see an example. Suppose you invested 5Lacs on 1st January 2023 and it has now grown to 6Lacs giving 20% CAGR. Consider you want to withdraw that amount next year and expect it to grow to 7Lacs.

(Please note that this is just an mathematical illustration to understand tax harvesting. Equity investments shouldn’t be done for 2 years’ time horizon).

So if you book your investments next year after 1st January 2025, you will realize Long term capital gain of 2 lacs and therefore you will incur LTCG tax of Rs. 10000 = 10 % of (2lacs – 1lacs exemption).

But with tax harvesting, you will book the profit of 1 Lac this year by redeeming the entire amount of 6Lacs and reinvesting again the entire 6 Lacs back into the same equity mutual fund/ stocks. Now next year, if it grows to 7lacs, Next year again the LTCG will be 1Lacs (7lacs – 6 lacs) and you will have 0 LTCG tax next year too! So, you saved Rs.10000 worth taxes in just 2 years timeframe. For multiyear scenario, you would keep saving taxes in such a way.

What to do?

If you are a wise equity investor, you should have an annual review of your portfolio anyways in these months. So here are the steps to do (Take help of your financial advisor, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself)

1. Check if you have already redeemed equity mutual funds / sold equity shares in the current financial year and LTCG received from it. This can be seen from your portfolio report. Let’s call this as Gain1.
2. Identify the Investments (that completed 1 year from date of investment) that fared well and that did not do good during the year.
3. Now weed out bad investments, even if that means taking losses, because keeping a bad apple with you for a long time will start stinking! Let’s call this as Loss1.
4. If [Gain1-Loss1] itself is >= 1 Lacs, you don’t need to do anything further, as you have already utilized the tax benefit.
5. Now find the shortfall which is [1Lac – (Gain1-Loss1)]. Let’s call this as Harvest1. Identify your best Investments that grew good and have unrealized long term profit equal to Harvest1.
6. Redeem this Equity Investments so that your overall LTCG is 1lacs
7. Immediately, re-invest the amount redeemed in step 6 again back into same equity fund / stocks or other good equity investments that have equal or more potential to grow. This is important as you are a long term equity investor and your financial goal is yet not reached.
8. Enjoy your Tax Harvest without hampering your long term investments or goals!

Questions?? Comments?? Ask me now!

-Kiran Bhave

Financial Freedom Director, AS-44.com

Friends,

On 28th February 2023, I have completed 5 years since I resigned from my prestigious and stable job at L&T Infotech (Now LTIMindtree).

True to my conviction, L&T was my first and last job. Instead of working for money, I now work for pleasure and the gratification of helping others, giving me a meaningful life.

So, on this 5th anniversary today, I am sharing my life story with you.

In late 2017, I was completely prepared to quit my job, as my financial freedom target was already completed in 2016. However, it took me 2 long years to contemplate the “softer aspects”. In a way, I lost 2 years of my life just to tackle these aspects. We will come to it later.

I used to share my plan with my friends, but the conversations would go like this.

“Oh, why are you quitting after 22 years of stint in a world-class company like L&T? Are you a victim of corporate politics?”

“No, I have the best boss and a fantastic team that one can imagine in corporate life!”

“Well then?” The asker is visibly astonished. “So, you have got a good offer, huh?”

“No, I won’t be doing any more jobs”

“So, you are taking a sabbatical for some time, it’s good for you to be away from the stress”

“Well, I do not have much stress in my work life, but this job is not something that I’d like to do for the rest of my life. So, I won’t be doing it any more!”

“What? How will you manage? Your daughter is yet to pass her board exams. Her education, marriage? Even if you take a break for a year or two, how will you live without the salary?”

“Well, I won’t be working for money anymore, and it’s not 2 years. As far as my calculation goes, I won’t need to work at least till I am 70 years old.”

“Lottery लग गयी है क्या? कि दूर के मामा की estate मिल गयी? (Did you win any lottery or have inherited properties from a remote uncle?) Is your wife earning a hefty salary?”

“Nothing of that sort. My wife has a noble profession. She is a teacher, but she quit her job due to medical reasons and now they are offering a low-profile job. I told her no more compromises from now on! So, both of us will become free (aka jobless 😄), once I quit”

Further conversation would become much more difficult for my friends as they have never come across an instance such as this. They would simply assume I’ve gone insane!😄

But when I put up my resignation (You can read my note to my friends on my blog, as-44.com), my best friends started panicking! Although they didn’t show me in front of me about their panic, I could feel it. They thought it cannot be true and that I would take back my resignation, or at least get into another job within 6 months or a year.

That’s when I created my first material for the financial awareness session and presented it to my team to explain How and Why I am taking such a decision.

But the challenges did not end there. I had more emotional challenges which are what I call “softer aspects”. Let me tell you from my experience that these “softer aspects” are immensely difficult! In fact, I believe they are harder than getting financial freedom itself. It is about how you manage your self-talk, orient your decision, and have convincing answers to all the worldly questions.

Let’s get to that one by one!

1. Now you will be 24×7 at home with your wife. What else can you do without poking your nose in her job and picking up fights with her on petty issues 😄?

The video I shared earlier on this Whatsapp AS-44 group would answer it to a great extent! (To join my अर्थस्वातंत्र्य Whatsapp group, pls send me a WA message with your small introduction – your name, city, age, education, your job profile and your interests at https://wa.me/919322324698)

1. How can you best spend your time being true to yourself and useful to others?
2. What are your hobbies? Frankly, I had lost touch with most of my hobbies to such an extent that I had forgotten what I used to like and enjoy, I am sure your situation is no different. So this is something you should keep asking yourself every day, what would you be doing after you retire or take early financial freedom?

After seeing my conviction in my decision, most of my friends started asking me to teach them and enable them to take financial freedom. So, I found this activity interesting, meaningful, and useful too. But for that I felt, I must have a formal qualification.

Thus I started giving a series of SEBI-NISM exams for investment advisors, while my daughter was giving her class X board exam! I also started giving Financial Literacy sessions free of cost, which I am still doing, because I feel that most of my friends are not living the life they deserve and are unaware that they can do it too. I gave my sessions in NGOs where the salaries of employees were to the tune of 10000 a month. With my formula, they too are eligible for earning their financial freedom, if they wish!

The point is that even after earning financial freedom, you are still answerable to the following questions before you decide to quit your full-time job, and you must have the conviction to face and answer them. These are critical ones

1. What will you do the whole day after you retire?
2. What if your plan fails?
3. Why do you want to leave the job and lose your monthly pay cheques?
4. What is the good reason you are taking this ludicrous decision and putting your family at risk?

A handful of my friends are stuck in this situation. As I define it, financial freedom is the status of your personal finance. But leaving your job is optional. Because of having a lack of confidence in their plan, and lack of courage in answering the above questions, people still continue their stressful life, not knowing their dream life is awaiting them!

Just to touch upon question #2 above, which is the prime one in everyone’s mind, I’ll share my experience.

After I quit my job in 2018, the world really “broke” due to corona within 2 years, but I can tell you with pride that because of the financial freedom I earned, frankly I was not impacted at all. While many suffered job/salary cuts and business losses. Mind you, it is not a matter of luck, rather you just cannot leave your family’s future relying on luck.

Your plan must anticipate the unexpected! That is to say, you must always expect the “unexpected”. This is different from regular financial risk assessment.

When I see financial planners, they do not have any clue what to do in such scenarios.

Before I ventured on my journey, I took advice from 3 independent financial advisors, but none could confirm or reject my plan or could give any valuable suggestions. Later I realized that if those who are preaching “financial freedom” haven’t gotten the freedom themselves, how can they guide others?

Financial Freedom as a concept can be proven mathematically and I’ve proven it practically, too. So it’s a no-brainer to believe. But the additional delicate aspects are more daunting as they involve emotions.

Another significant soft aspect you have to deal with is losing your official title! That is something even retired people do not digest very well. You were holding your position at some organization. That gave you your identity, some authority, you had your place/cubicle/cabin/secretary, respect, your team, colleagues, and so on. Poof! and suddenly, all of this will vanish!

Now, when you are asked what are you doing? It becomes challenging to answer that! Since I chose to help others in this very path, for me “Financial Freedom Director” is answering that question! It doesn’t matter if I am earning anything from being that or not 😄. After getting your financial freedom, additional income is irrelevant. But it is certainly helping me quench the asker’s curiosity.

For me, my convincing answer is “I am nobody”😄 because, at the end of the day, that is the truth! That gives you an enormous amount of freedom and power to become anybody that you would like to become! No subject is limited to me now.

I have my answers to the remaining questions too! But that will make this article too long! So, that is the homework for you to answer. Whatsapp me your answers or where you couldn’t answer any questions. I’ll be glad to help you there, too!

Till then enjoy your life. Have an enriching today to create a better tomorrow!

-Kiran Bhave
Financial Freedom Director, AS-44.com

28 February 2023
https://wa.me/919322324698

Today, 28th February 2021, marks the completion of 3 years into my Financial Freedom! I had written a detailed article when I completed 1 year after taking अर्थस्वातंत्र्य @ 44. It still holds good. For those who want to read, It is available in this same blog.

Covid-19 Pandemic hit everyone’s life in the year 2020 and its aftermaths are still underway. Not only the street dwellers, but many well-off people were also affected because of the financial crisis that followed due to Global and Nationwide lockdown and the subsequent loss of businesses/jobs.

This was a critical test of everyone’s capability of managing their personal finances.

Many times, we take things for granted and assume that they will be there forever. For eg: We take our job, salary, increments, etc. for granted and plan to spend, as if the employer is obligated to keep our job, even if his business doesn’t do well.

COVID-19 pandemic added another big reason to prioritize achieving Financial Freedom at the earliest so as to ensure you won’t have to worry about the recurring expenses of your family that will continue to exist whether you are earning or not.

Every person saw their minimum monthly spending during the lockdown months! With restaurants, travel, and movie theatres non-operational, There was no way to spend for leisure expenses even if one had the money to do so!

2020 was a very good test of robustness and risk tolerance of my financial plan. I’m glad to share that with my years of study, discipline, and execution, there was nil to negligible actions I had to take to keep my plan intact.

One of the biggest advantages of my financial freedom was that I was able to help my friends, family, and society during the time of need, not only monetarily, but I could provide the much-needed physical time for families affected by Corona. It also helped me remain stress-free and mindful during the critical phase of lockdown when the world was looking in despair.

I also tried keeping up the moral of my friends by writing various articles on Facebook and my Whatsapp groups specifying how to sail through financially during these difficult times.

Here is another view of Financial Freedom. Life Insurance only pays when you are no more! What if you can create that sum during your working life span so that their survival doesn’t become dependent on that job, whose salary seems insufficient anyway?

You don’t need to be a Tata or Ambani to take care of your own family without having to work. That power is available to each and every person now and it doesn’t depend on your salary!

Yes, you should have started early, but it is never too late. So, take charge of your & your family’s life today and follow the simple steps of AS-44!

Or simply give me a call on 7977861550. I’ll be glad to help you out!

-By Kiran Bhave

When I resigned from my reputed job in LTI, I was quite sure about my plan. However, as a responsible project manager, one always needs to track planned vs actual and make up for the differences, if any.

I’m happy to share with you that 28 Feb 2018 was my last working day in LTI and today I’m completing  & celebrating 1 year of successful financial freedom!!

So, what’s the score card? This was my last year

My lifestyle – elevated to next level. Unlike many expect that after retirement, you’ll need to cut down on your lifestyle expense, I’m actually celebrating more than earlier because of availability of time.

Learning & Growth – Your experience seldom counts if not backed by qualified certification. In first few months, I went on spree to get myself certified in financial acumen to endorse on my wide experience in various personal financial instruments. It is the field I would be pursuing for me and my friends. So, this is what I’ve achieved so far

NISM (National Institute of Securities Market) is a SEBI (Securities Exchange Board of India) Enterprise – an arm that conducts examinations on various Stock Market related products and services.

IRDAI ( Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) also has an examination body III (Insurance Institute of India) that conducts IC38 exam for in depth knowledge of Insurance.

Last year I passed following exams

Exam Name	Date	%age	Exam Body	Governing Body
– Investment Advisor – Level 1 – XA	7 March 18	84.75%	NISM	SEBI
– Investment Advisor – Level 2 (Highest) – XB	22 March 18	77%	NISM	SEBI
– Life Advisor – IC38	June 18	72%	III	IRDA
– MF Distributor – VA	November 18	81%	NISM	SEBI

Coming back to family life, it’s really enriching as I’m able to reach out to my relatives and friends like never before. My travelling has increased and so has the joy and happiness!!

Financial Status

This one is for many of my well-wishers, who are still unable to believe in my decision.

As I said my lifestyle cost is actually elevated because of the travel that I’m doing and celebrations that I’m participating with different groups of friends. I do my financial health check-up every 3 months and I found that I’m still at least 5% in excess in my kitty to be spent from the monthly expense basket!!

Remember friends, this is in spite of the stock market crash in September 18 and the low level phase of uncertainty that may last for another 6 more months at least. For getting the conviction that I have, one must study how the stock market works and why investing in mutual funds turns out to be the safer investment over longer periods of time.

Tours & Travel: As per the financial goals mapped in my planning, we availed 15 days Tour in Dubai in April 18 and 7 days leisure water sports tour in Kokan in December 18.

Besides, Now I get more time for my hobbies that is city farming, composting, Healthy & Natural living, visiting and helping the less privileged, electronics and so on. I’m also helping my friends to achieve their financial freedom and I’m happy to let you know that one of my friend will be achieving that in May 19

I can just go on writing on this but one experience is that because of the freedom I got, We were the only parents among friends of my daughter who were dropping and picking her up during her 10th board exam in her crucial times.

Friends, the purpose of this note is not to make you jealous but to create a dream in your mind that YOU TOO CAN DO IT and I’m there to support you!

Thanks and have a nice day!!

My message to my friends

By Kiran Bhave 

[15-December-2017, 10:21 AM] Kiran Bhave:

Friends.

I’ve a news to break with you.?

For some of you, this would come as a shock or amazement or disbelief

But, In line with my early financial freedom plan (many call it early retirement which is not correct) that I had been working on last 10 years, I dropped my papers on 1st December. My last working day will be 28th Feb 18.

For many, this is a bold and courageous step considering a single income family, no inherited property and a huge comfort zone, but I’m taking that step after a stint of 22 years in Larsen and toubro, and it did require serious planning and flawless execution for 10 years.

Just for your information, the planning is done in such a way that even if I do not work till my age of 70 years, my inflation adjusted daily family expenses will be taken care.

Sounds too good to be true? Hard to believe? Unlike other marketing material, this IS true?

Those who know me personally, I’m a risk averse person and do not take any action unless I myself is thoroughly convinced of the same?

Since you are one of my close friends, I’m sharing this with you.

And no, this is not a WhatsApp joke??

Kiran

[28-February-2018, 10:25 PM] Kiran Bhave:

Target accomplished ?

-Kiran Bhave

Well, did you have your thoughts put together? Now this is tough, needs are limited, but wants are unlimited.

So, let me ask you some simple questions to orient your thoughts. Let’s assume, you are not planning to take an early retirement for whatever reasons and would eventually retire at the age of 58 or 60. Are you sure, you’ve enough to complete all of your current and future responsibilities? Are you confident that you’ll be able to plan foreign trips, your parent’s and family’s health & medical bills with the kitty that you’ve acquired till then? Forget about all, will you be able to sustain your current lifestyle without doing a single compromise?

Many of you will spring back saying I’ve purchased second home, piece of land, retirement plan, I’ve PPF, pension policy, SIP, MF, shares and the like. This is not the answer to my question. My question is whatever is your planning done so far, are you 100% sure that it will take care of your family’s need post retirement? I see a hesitation there to answer a LOUD YES.

Now let’s get real, and take a deep breath for what I’m going to tell you further. It is not something you’d like or expect to hear.

Let me pinch you that you have never sat down to calculate on a piece of paper to estimate what would be your expenses then. Once you hear that your eyes would be wide open with jaws dropped. No exaggeration!!

Now here are some facts – I used to purchase “Modern bakery” bread that was costing Re 1.75 in 1988. The same bread today costs Rs. 22 in 2018. (Update: Rs.32 in 2022). Mind you, that’s the white bread, that no one eats today. So called healthy brown bread costs Rs.33 in 2018. (Update: Rs.50 in 2022). . 30 years later, in 2048, whether you want to trust me or not, in all possibilities, it will cost you in the excess of Rs.300 a loaf of bread! If your monthly expenses are ranging from 40000 to 80000 today, it will then be running into 3 to 6 lacs per month with just 7% inflation with NO upgrade in lifestyle. Your so called comprehensive pension plan / policy won’t even give you 40,000 per month. With that you will barely be able to pay your electricity bill then. Do you still think your retirement pldans and PPF and properties will take care of these expenses?

Well, friends, here I want you to wake up to the reality that the statistics shows that those who retired at the age of 60 without giving any thought to their financial planning with random investments, had to start again some sort of work at the age of 64, whether they desired or not. Imagine your health conditions then as compared to today.

I think that’s enough of horror stories 🙂 although I have more with real examples, I’ll stop here.

Now let me share a part of my story. I’ve taken my early financial freedom at the age of 44 years – 16 years before my conventional retirement age of 60.

Which means, if I assume a life expectancy of 90 years, thanks to medical science, I have whooping 46 years to continue without a paycheck, which is actually more than my age!! Isn’t that stupid and insane decision with the above discussion? Those who know me, they know I am not a risk taker. My household was a single earner home, no inherited properties or wealth. All the planning is done from my Income alone. I am telling you this because, if I can do it, you too can do it.

What makes me so much confident that I’m sure that I’ll never have an issue? The answer is simple, My Money trees are now tall enough and bearing fruits of different colors and shapes that are sufficient for my current and future needs.

Now, how do you know your current and future needs? Here, My personal initiative of अर्थस्वातंत्र्य ™ can come in handy! I can save you a huge amount of time and efforts, as I’ve created a methodology based on my own experience and expertise of over 15 years and extracted into an easy to understand template.

Many of you asked me that you have understood the necessity and would like to spring into action. I’ve a good news for you. With years of my experiments, failures, I now know what works and where are the pitfalls to avoid. I’ve come out with this precious methodology to help my friends achieve their life goals.

If you are interested, you may download the same HERE. This is Level 1 template from Arthaswatantrya. There are 3 Levels and as our discussion progresses, when you complete Level 1, You’ll open up Level 2 template. Level 3 is a personal counseling session with you & your spouse to chalk out an action plan for your family.

The moment you know how much is needed for all your needs and draw an action plan to achieve them based on your current assets, you are well on your way to secure your family financially containing all the worries for money.

When it’s a matter of health, we seek professional advice from qualified doctors. Wealth is equally important too, however, we refrain seeking advice on this front and it’s a huge risk. Without a professional advice, you can’t expect your current random investments will grow into tall trees that will bear enough fruits for your family’s survival when its needed the most.

Without having a comprehensive plan and appropriate actions, you actually cannot stop sowing seeds and start eating the fruits, as the choice of the tree may be incorrect, seeds may be very weak and the fruits from those trees may not be sufficient to satisfy your family needs.

I’ll be happy to become a partner in your journey of financial freedom!

Have a rich, meaningful, happy, healthy and wealthy life!!

(3 Part series ends here)

– Kiran Bhave

Visit http://www.AS-44.com (Artha Swatantrya @ 44)

NISM Level 2 (Highest) SEBI and IRDAI Certified financial advisor
NSE Certified Financial Goal Planner

-Kiran Bhave

Well, did you have your thoughts put together? Now this is tough, needs are limited, but wants are unlimited.

So, let me ask you some simple questions to orient your thoughts. Let’s assume, you are not planning to take an early retirement for whatever reasons and would eventually retire at the age of 58 or 60. Are you sure, you’ve enough to complete all of your current and future responsibilities? Are you confident that you’ll be able to plan foreign trips, your parent’s and family’s health & medical bills with the kitty that you’ve acquired till then? Forget about all, will you be able to sustain your current lifestyle without doing a single compromise?

Many of you will spring back saying I’ve purchased second home, piece of land, retirement plan, I’ve PPF, pension policy, SIP, MF, shares and the like. This is not the answer to my question. My question is whatever is your planning done so far, are you 100% sure that it will take care of your family’s need post retirement? I see a hesitation there to answer a LOUD YES.

Now let’s get real, and take a deep breath for what I’m going to tell you further. It is not something you’d like or expect to hear.

Let me pinch you that you have never sat down to calculate on a piece of paper to estimate what would be your expenses then. Once you hear that your eyes would be wide open with jaws dropped. No exaggeration!!

Now here are some facts – I used to purchase “Modern bakery” bread that was costing Re 1.75 in 1988. The same bread today costs Rs. 22 in 2018. (Update: Rs.32 in 2022). Mind you, that’s the white bread, that no one eats today. So called healthy brown bread costs Rs.33 in 2018. (Update: Rs.50 in 2022). . 30 years later, in 2048, whether you want to trust me or not, in all possibilities, it will cost you in the excess of Rs.300 a loaf of bread! If your monthly expenses are ranging from 40000 to 80000 today, it will then be running into 3 to 6 lacs per month with just 7% inflation with NO upgrade in lifestyle. Your so called comprehensive pension plan / policy won’t even give you 40,000 per month. With that you will barely be able to pay your electricity bill then. Do you still think your retirement pldans and PPF and properties will take care of these expenses?

Well, friends, here I want you to wake up to the reality that the statistics shows that those who retired at the age of 60 without giving any thought to their financial planning with random investments, had to start again some sort of work at the age of 64, whether they desired or not. Imagine your health conditions then as compared to today.

I think that’s enough of horror stories 🙂 although I have more with real examples, I’ll stop here.

Now let me share a part of my story. I’ve taken my early financial freedom at the age of 44 years – 16 years before my conventional retirement age of 60.

Which means, if I assume a life expectancy of 90 years, thanks to medical science, I have whooping 46 years to continue without a paycheck, which is actually more than my age!! Isn’t that stupid and insane decision with the above discussion? Those who know me, they know I am not a risk taker. My household was a single earner home, no inherited properties or wealth. All the planning is done from my Income alone. I am telling you this because, if I can do it, you too can do it.

What makes me so much confident that I’m sure that I’ll never have an issue? The answer is simple, My Money trees are now tall enough and bearing fruits of different colors and shapes that are sufficient for my current and future needs.

Now, how do you know your current and future needs? Here, My personal initiative of अर्थस्वातंत्र्य ™ can come in handy! I can save you a huge amount of time and efforts, as I’ve created a methodology based on my own experience and expertise of over 15 years and extracted into an easy to understand template.

Many of you asked me that you have understood the necessity and would like to spring into action. I’ve a good news for you. With years of my experiments, failures, I now know what works and where are the pitfalls to avoid. I’ve come out with this precious methodology to help my friends achieve their life goals.

If you are interested, you may download the same HERE. This is Level 1 template from Arthaswatantrya. There are 3 Levels and as our discussion progresses, when you complete Level 1, You’ll open up Level 2 template. Level 3 is a personal counseling session with you & your spouse to chalk out an action plan for your family.

The moment you know how much is needed for all your needs and draw an action plan to achieve them based on your current assets, you are well on your way to secure your family financially containing all the worries for money.

When it’s a matter of health, we seek professional advice from qualified doctors. Wealth is equally important too, however, we refrain seeking advice on this front and it’s a huge risk. Without a professional advice, you can’t expect your current random investments will grow into tall trees that will bear enough fruits for your family’s survival when its needed the most.

Without having a comprehensive plan and appropriate actions, you actually cannot stop sowing seeds and start eating the fruits, as the choice of the tree may be incorrect, seeds may be very weak and the fruits from those trees may not be sufficient to satisfy your family needs.

I’ll be happy to become a partner in your journey of financial freedom!

Have a rich, meaningful, happy, healthy and wealthy life!!

(3 Part series ends here)

– Kiran Bhave

Visit http://www.AS-44.com (Artha Swatantrya @ 44)

NISM Level 2 (Highest) SEBI and IRDAI Certified financial advisor
NSE Certified Financial Goal Planner

-Kiran Bhave

Are you still skeptical to even imagine there are possibilities available to you and the fact that YOU have an in-built capability to get a freedom from the stressful routine?

Well then, I recommend you to stop here and continue doing what you are doing happily.

People reading further must possess following traits: Openness of mind, curiosity instead of doubt, relentless commitment to themselves and their family.

Sorry for that harsh warning. But please understand, my writing is not for having 1000 likes or shares, I’d rather want ZERO likes/shares but create 10 readers who would get motivated and start taking actions for themselves and their loved ones.

Coming back to the metaphor that I started with, when we have our monthly paycheck coming in our bank, everyone has some *savings* left which is *invested somewhere.* These *savings* are the seeds I am talking about, rest of the money is spent *buying* the fruits someone else has grown for our current family needs.

Now think of the possibility that the *seeds* (savings) we *sown* (invested) to grow into plants and *trees* (Investments) to provide us *fruits* (Dividend/Interest) in our later days, such that we don’t have to *buy* them, as we are doing it today?

Did you think that fruits that we would get in future, would still have *seeds* for further growth (Unless we grow seedless fruits, that is ;)).

Now this is too rosy, right? All along we have been hearing from our parents “Paise kya ped pe ugte hai” “Does money grow on trees?”.

My dear friends, today I want to answer that question as “Yes” and there are hundreds of Money Trees!! Their behavior is also analogous to real trees and they also have fruits with different shapes and sizes!!

But my question is are you ready for Money farming? It has similar risks that a farmer has.

Can a farmer say if I plant 10 seeds, it will grow 10 trees?

Some will not even incubate, some will be plucked by birds/animals while at sapling level.

Some will acquire some diseases, and only possibly one will see the bright sunlight and enjoy life and start bearing the fruits

When people ask me, Kiran, how do we know which one of that seed made to the tall fruit bearing tree? My answer to them is “Well, did the farmer know that answer?” Absolutely not, but what he did instead is he had sown 10 seeds and given equal love and affection, equal efforts and attention to all of them.

Did the best possible use of what he had in his hand, rest followed naturally and automatically.

Robert Kiyosaki, the well-known author of the best-selling book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” says, you’ll find many ordinary people who haven’t lost any money in the investment, but you’ll not find a single rich person who have never lost any money, ever!! Now, that doesn’t mean that if you’ve lost money, you are rich :), are you?

I compare job as a *golden cage*. With a promotion, you get a bigger and spacious golden cage. The owner will take very good care of you, you’ll have everything to feed on, with more space, you’ll think you have got a freedom. You also have a safety and security of the cage itself.

Well, jobs are not bad, if you are enjoying your work and life within the cage and happy to remain within the cage with the sense of security given, this discussion is not for you. Because, ultimately, being happy is what matters the most in life.

It is only the burning desire set within you to fly high makes us think of boundaryless freedom.

What pulls us back is our own disbelief on whether you’ll be able to survive the outside world which is totally unknown. That’s the reason we crave so much for our school and college days. Those were the real golden days with boundaryless freedom.

Even if destiny sets you free, when someone is laid off from a job, rather than discovering opportunities in outside world, he/she desperately starts looking for getting inside any cage that is out in the market. At times, even a smaller cage, for a fact that they are not open to ideas and being outside cage frightens them to death.

Do you think someone can offer you the same employment benefits, security, etc. and you don’t even have to work for him? Sounds crazy? But yes, there is a person who is holding that opportunity for you. Its none other than YOU YOURSELF.

Well this sets up a new question in front of us? How much money do YOU need when you say, I’ve enough and don’t need anymore?

Let’s ponder over this till we meet next time!