Archive for January, 2011

Financial Planners: how it works!

Here is a mail from a reader…I thought readers / fans of planners / etc. should respond. Would love a response from Babar Zaidi, Ritu Kant Ojha, Anirrudha, Kamya Jaiswal, Debashis Basu, Khyati Dharamsi, Deepa Venkatraghvan, …other CFPs, ….all others welcome. I personally do not understand how personal financial planners work (well to a great [...]

My children are normal !

More than 300 families that I know must have made this statement! I love it. All those reading my blog know that I believe in keeping things simple, and using own skills rather than ‘hired’ skills. Even when it comes to making a will…my normal advice is “If you have led a simple uncomplicated life [...]

Equity valuation techniques!

I have been in the markets for a real long time. As a friend says when we entered the market flying was considered dangerous and sex was considered safe! I started learning about something called PRICE-DIVIDEND RATIO. I was told dividends are the only thing that a small investor knows for real, so he should [...]

Compensatory Spending!

Last week I spent some time with a friend evaluating his portfolio. Like many of my friends he had started his SIPs about 10-12 years ago and had done well in his investing, simply by being disciplined, not arguing too much and letting the compounding go on! However, his wife did not know too much [...]

I know how much I spend!

Those people who pretend they know how much they are earning, spending, investing or what is their net-worth either maintain detailed accounts or are lying! The mind is a poor accountant, and it creates facts in such a way that is palatable and is socially right sounding! For example if you have spent on some [...]

Formative feedback!

Sunday philosophy ka quota! When people ask me for a feedback on the work that they have done I am usually in a quandary. First of all if i have no end usage of that product, or that person is not in a reporting relationship I NEED NOT GIVE a feedback at all. However, they [...]