Women and Money

Ok. So the aim is to add value this year especially to women who I think take their strengths and gifts way too lightly.

I must point out that I am not a feminist or and activist in that regard. I do think it’s time to take responsibility for our lives; of our thoughts, our words and deeds. As much as grace and favour are available in abundance, it’s up to you to make the best of it. The world will not give you what you deserve; only what you negotiate. Too many of us are sitting around staring into space and someone somewhere is counting on your success to move to their next level.

The first principle I am trying and testing this year is to actively study how the wealthy live and operate I am not talking about those who SEEM to be wealthy and successful. I am talking about people who have purposefully thought out ways of sowing seeds for the future; generational thinkers. Any fool can make money. It takes more than a little wisdom to keep and grow it.

I came across a table that outlined the way men and women deal with money from the book, ‘Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich’. It was a revelation. A few points I picked out:

Men	Women
1.     Invest 2.   Are socialised to  learn how to make and        invest money grow 3.     Buy what they need                                        4.    Use money to prepare for the future 5.     Ask for what they want 6.     Learn to be effective investors 7.     Take investment risks	1. Save      2. Are socialised to save money “just in case” they have to take care of themselves      3.   Buy what they want      4.  Use money to create a lifestyle in the present      5.   Ask for what they think they deserve      6.   Expect others to know more than they do      7.  Are cautious about investing

There is something fundamentally wrong with the way most women view money and money matters. There is a major problem when you are more conversant with ways of spending money than ways of making it – period. That’s why we keep going round and round in circles, attending seminars, reading self help books, gathering certificates but doing the same thing over and over again. 

Image courtesy: <p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1836">Image: Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

Womenfolk are masters at being busy. It’s almost as if we don’t want anyone to call us and find us just chilling. We always want to seem like our lives matter, so we create activity which is usually of little or no value to the big picture. We go on errands, do all the runs around town, fix our hair and nails in between, then huff and puff on how we have headaches at the end of the day. How much have we improved the status quo? Not much. What have we done to solidify the future our spouses are working hard to put together? Not much either. 

That’s why it seems the average couple is haemorrhaging money. The harder we work, the more it seems we lack; so much going out, not enough coming in. Thirty years ago, that was ok. Coke was 5 naira, rice and beans were not a huge weight on your pocket and it was okay for women to relax and have fun. Oh and by the way, did I add that fuel was still subsidised and was way cheaper.

So after all the soul searching and purpose mapping, let us call a spade a spade and not an excavating machine. It’s not enough to sit, wait and hope. It’s not enough to work hard. It’s not enough to get an education. It’s not enough to have a nice house and eat three square meals. It’s not enough to just survive. It’s just not enough.

It’s not enough to sit and give a blank stare whenever there are serious discussions about politics, investments or economic issues. Have an opinion! You have a brain....please use it. You might not think you are worth much but God took some time fashioning you to be a perfect creature. Just believe. Then ask yourself some hard questions. What is it that you would do if there were no limitations on your imagination, your time or your funds? Hmm.... let me know.