Friday, June 15 2024
Source/Contribution by : NJ Publications

Whether you are an investor or not, it is pretty certain that you must have heard about the famous Chanakya or his Nitis.

Chanakya was not only a greatest scholar, economist, and political strategist but also a proponent of astute financial management. His teachings, encapsulated in the treatise "Arthashastra," offers valuable insights for modern-day investors striving for financial success in life. From political strategies to governance and management skills, he excelled in all areas. Chanakya’s ideas and principles were so influential that they are still considered management axioms today.

In this blog, we explore Chanakya's enduring wisdom, his teachings to unearth valuable investment lessons for enhanced financial management and success. While the era may differ, the core principles of strategy, foresight, and skills remain as pertinent today as they were centuries ago.

1. Have a Plan in place before investing

“Before you start any important work, ask yourself three questions: why am I doing it? What the results might be, and will I be successful? Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead”

It's always advisable to outline a comprehensive plan before embarking on any endeavor, and this principle holds true for investment as well. Establishing a clear plan is paramount to success in investments. Without defined objectives, navigating questions such as where to invest, how much to invest, and for how long can be daunting.

However, when you align your investments with specific needs, the entire investment process becomes more streamlined. By understanding your objectives, you gain clarity on the duration of your investment horizon. This, in turn, enables you to determine the required investment amount and the most suitable investment vehicles to attain your target. If you don’t know where you are heading, it doesn’t matter how quickly you run!

Furthermore, syncing your investment with your needs encourages you to remain committed to your investment strategy. It serves as a deterrent against impulsiveness, which can be your greatest enemy in financial endeavors.

2. Build an Emergency Fund

“Save your wealth against future calamity...when riches begin to forsake one, even the accumulated stock dwindles away”.

This advice from Chanakya underscores the significance of establishing an emergency fund, which is vital for ensuring financial security and stability. An emergency fund serves as a financial safety net, enabling individuals to address unexpected financial challenges such as adverse market movements, medical expenses, significant home or vehicle repairs, job loss, and more. Financial experts typically recommend maintaining an emergency fund to cover at least six months' worth of expenses. In adverse situations, an emergency fund meets your daily needs so that you don’t have to tap into your long-term investments. Emergency funds help you stay afloat without relying on loans or credit cards, thus, prevent you from falling into a debt trap.

3. Embrace corrections, stay committed to your investments

“Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”

Over the past few decades, stock markets have experienced several corrections triggered by various factors such as pandemics, scams, and economic downturns. However, regardless of the cause or the severity of the decline, equity markets have always bounced back in the subsequent years.

During periods of market corrections, many investors panic and sell off their investments at a loss. This behavior often converts potential paper losses into real ones. However, investors who demonstrate patience and remain invested typically emerge as the most satisfied in the long run.

4. Don’t plunge into the well to gauge its depth

“Learn from the mistakes of others…You can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves.”

Observations can be a powerful teacher. Not all lessons require personal experience. Astute investors glean insights from others' missteps, safeguarding their own finances by avoiding similar errors. For instance, if a pattern emerges of consistent losses in penny stocks among peers, why expose oneself to that risk? Both in management and investments, lessons often come at a high cost and are best absorbed through observations. Many renowned investors have candidly shared their mistakes in books or autobiographies. Only after a thorough comprehension of market mechanisms should one venture into investment.

5. Refrain from excessive indulgence

“Too much of anything is bad. One should refrain from too much.”

The principle of not going overboard applies to investments too. Putting too much into any single asset class can backfire. That's why diversification is a cardinal rule of investing. Diversifying across various asset classes like stocks, bonds, and gold offers better downside protection, ensuring a more stable investment journey, as not all investments perform well simultaneously.

6. Entrust your wealth solely to those who are deserving.

“Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet.”

The growth or decline of your investments hinges on how effectively you manage your money. Investing in well-regulated products like Mutual Funds or NPS, where qualified professionals manage your money, can make your wealth work for you. Conversely, taking the DIY route might seem like a money-saving option initially, but it can be risky as you could encounter mistakes that would ultimately result in greater expenses down the line.

Conclusion

Embracing the Chanakya’s simple yet profound lessons can lay the foundation for a rewarding investment journey. By incorporating his teachings, investors can navigate the uncertainties of the market with greater confidence and resilience, ultimately achieving their financial needs and aspirations. It’s all about blending India's traditional wisdom with modern financial techniques. Investors can leverage the strengths of both worlds to optimize their investment strategies and achieve sustainable growth and prosperity.

Born into a world of constant connectivity and boundless information, Gen Z is navigating adulthood with habits and preferences that set them apart. As per UN World Population Prospects 2022, more than 50% of India's population is below the age of 25, and over 65% is below the age of 35. The future of our nation depends on the youth, i.e. Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012). These young adults are likely just starting to enter the workforce or at the early stages of their careers.

According to the 2022 Investopedia Financial Literacy Survey, Gen Z is more financially sophisticated than the previous generations; however, this generation is known to want instant gratification and, hence, indulge in risky investing habits such as speculative investing. Such speculative trading instruments can prove to be catastrophic to your wealth-building journey. According to a report by SEBI, the share of participation of individual traders belonging to the age group 20-30 saw a significant rise from 11% in FY19 to 36% in FY22. The report went on to state that 89% of individual traders in equity futures and options incurred losses.

When it comes to your hard-earned money, one needs to cultivate patience, consistency, and discipline. Moreover, it is important to seek guidance from a financial advisor time to time and trust in delayed gratification. Here are a few tips for new investors to safely park their surplus, manage their finances, and create wealth:

Set goals - To succeed in any endeavour, it is important to set goals. Whether it is a game of football or investing, goals shape the game plan and provide direction to your efforts. Before investing, it is important to set financial goals and quantify them. Financial goals should be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Setting such goals not only help you build a plan but also streamline your investment journey.

Choose the right product - When it comes to investing, a plethora of options are available, but trusting your hard-earned money with these products is the real challenge. Investment instruments ranging from highly safe fixed deposits (FDs) to extremely risky speculative instruments such as options are available for investing at your disposal. However, one needs to draw a perfect balance between risk and return so that one can build sizeable wealth with peace of mind. The choice of the right product should be based on your risk profile and your financial needs.

Avoid debt trap - A debt trap refers to a vicious cycle of borrowing, struggling to meet debt obligations, and consequently accumulating more debt to cover existing payments. The term debt trap is associated with the inability to exit this perpetual cycle, leading to financial hardship. Generally, young adults are at a higher risk of falling into a debt trap since they are just at the start of their careers, and the expenses can mount up, nudging them to opt for loans.

Moreover, in a bid to live flamboyant lifestyles, young adults are also turning to credit cards. If you want to use credit cards for your expenses, you should use them rationally, maintain a credit utilisation ratio, and make timely payments. These mistakes can negatively impact your credit score, making it difficult to borrow in the future. Hence, it is important to avoid such credit mistakes and budget carefully to avoid a debt trap.

Budgeting - Gen Z lives in a highly connected, virtual world. With the advent of technology, everyone is now closer than ever digitally. Hence, Gen Z can often become the victim of greed and desire by comparing their lifestyle with others. Moreover, Gen Z often tends to follow the newest trends and practices. A new trend, 'soft saving', is getting quite popular amongst Gen Z. This phrase refers to living a luxurious lifestyle now and saving minimally for the future. This approach can prove to be detrimental to your future, leading to a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle with little left for your future financial goals. It's essential to strike a balance between your desired lifestyle and allocating funds towards your financial goals.

Start early - To build wealth, it is imperative that you start investing early. As soon as you get that first paycheck, setting an amount aside for investing is the wise thing to do. When investments are started early and done for the long term, the power of compounding can turn small investments into huge funds. For instance, if you had invested Rs 1,00,000 in Sensex TRI 25 years ago, then its value today would be Rs 34,89,772, an XIRR of 15.26%. However, if you had invested Rs 1,00,000 in Sensex TRI 15 years ago, then its value today would be just Rs 9,17,060. Hence, it is essential to start your investment journey as early as possible.

(Source Ace MF. The investment periods taken into consideration are - 25 years - 31 Dec 1998 to 31 Dec 2023 and 15 years - 31 Dec 2008 to 31 Dec 2023.)

Invest through SIPs - SIPs or systematic investment plans in mutual funds offer a flexible, systematic, consistent, and disciplined approach to investing. SIPs are highly accessible and affordable, allowing investors to start with an amount as small as Rs 100. With SIPs in mutual funds, one can start saving small amounts from their earnings and invest them in the long term to not only achieve financial goals but also build wealth. For instance, if you had started an SIP in mutual funds of Rs 10,000, 25 years ago, then its value today would be Rs 27,759,841, an XIRR of 15.06%. (Source Ace MF. Returns of Sensex TRI. The 25-year period taken into consideration is from 10 Jan 1999 to 31 Dec 2023. The SIP interval is assumed to be the 10th of each month.) 

Emotional biases - Young investors are often motivated to invest due to herd mentality and the fear of missing out (FOMO). Investing on the basis of such biases, fear, and greed can not only lead to losses but can also lead to missed opportunities. Hence, while investing, it is important to stick to the fundamentals and have an understanding of the investment avenue, the objective of investing, and the associated risk.

Emergency fund & insurance planning - The most inevitable thing in life is uncertainty, making it the most important thing to prepare for. You may never know when a rainy day arises in your life; hence, it is essential to prepare for these perils in life by insuring yourself. Moreover, one can also build an emergency fund, which can further prepare you for uncertainties in life. Preparing an emergency fund and securing adequate insurance not only safeguards your wealth-building journey but also eliminates the need to resort to loans during unexpected challenges.

Tax planning - For young individuals just entering the workforce, tax planning is a crucial concept of financial management. While the complexity of tax laws may seem intimidating, one can learn basic tax laws and consult a chartered accountant or a financial advisor who can further guide in financial management and efficient tax planning.

To conclude,

As the new generation sets foot in the professional world, embracing sound financial planning practices becomes paramount for a secure and prosperous future. By incorporating the aforementioned principles, Gen Z can navigate the complexities of financial management with ease. Moreover, opting for the guidance of a financial advisor can set the stage for a financially stable future.

A new year is a fresh beginning - a time when we can reflect on the past and look forward to the future with a fresh perspective and a desire for a positive change, which motivates us to make New Year's resolutions. While resolutions allow us to envision the best version of ourselves, most of them are abandoned in just a few weeks.

In managing personal finances, too, this scenario is all too familiar. So, as we stand at the onset of 2024, perhaps it is time to revamp our approach to financial well-being. Instead of relying on financial resolutions, make small changes in your lifestyle and embrace the power of atomic habits. Let’s look at some habits we can adopt for our financial future.

• Goal-based investing - To begin with, it is important to set financial goals. Everyone has the desire to be wealthy and financially independent. However, setting such vague goals brings ambiguity and uncertainty. In order to achieve a financial goal, one must set goals that abide by the SMART acronym - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Setting SMART goals can help build a practical plan through which you can set deadlines and derive an optimal investment amount to achieve your goals.

• Budgeting - Creating a monthly budget is a systematic method to ensure the timely settlement of payment obligations and maintain a consistent trajectory towards financial goals. Just setting a budget, however, is not enough. One must track spending to ensure whether the budget is being followed. Moreover, regular tracking of expenditures provides invaluable insights into financial habits, allowing for informed adjustments to the budget as needed. This would not only reinforce discipline but would also allow strategic decision-making, ensuring the achievement of financial goals. 

• Emergency fund & insurance planning - The only thing certain in life is uncertainty. Hence, one must always have a plan in hand to cater to these uncertainties of life. In the absence of an emergency fund, one might have to opt for loans or, worse, break the funds created for specific needs, bringing a hurdle to your wealth creation journey. 

While an emergency fund is necessary for immediate liquidity for unexpected expenses, insurance is also essential to mitigate the long-term financial impact of significant perils of life, such as accidents, illnesses, or the unfortunate loss of the breadwinner. Both insurance and an emergency fund serve as a pillar to fortify your financial health and safeguard against unforeseen events that can potentially derail your financial stability.

• Expenses to investments - “Do not save what is left after spending, rather spend what is left after saving.” One must track all their expenses and ask oneself a question - ‘Is this out of necessity, or is this something that can be avoided?’. Upon doing this, one can cut down on unnecessary expenses and make changes to lifestyle. For instance, if you spend a total of Rs 10,000 monthly on leisure activities, then just cutting down by 10% and investing that Rs 1,000 can make a huge difference. To give you a perspective, an SIP of Rs. 1,000 in equity mutual funds started 15 years ago would have helped you build a fund of Rs 5,64,120, a gain of 14.01%. (Source: Sensex TRI)

• Timely servicing of debt - Unsecured loans and unpaid credit card dues can be detrimental to wealth creation and are often categorised as ‘bad debts’. It is crucial to clear these bad debts or any other overdue payment obligations in full as and when they arise. This not only impacts your overall financial health but also plays a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining a good credit score. Untimely payments and delinquencies can be toxic for your credit score, making it difficult to bag good interest rates or, worse, get a loan in the future.

• Automated investment - Setting up automated investments like a SIP in mutual funds can empower you with financial discipline and consistency. With an SIP in mutual funds, you can invest small amounts towards your financial needs and build a fund methodically over time. Moreover, SIPs relieve investors from the need to remember to invest each month consciously. The convenience of automation allows you to stay on track with your financial needs without having to intervene in the procedure. The inherent benefits of SIPs, such as rupee-cost averaging, power of compounding, accessibility, and affordability, furthermore make it an attractive investment option. 

• Retirement planning - As per a survey conducted in 2020 by Nielsen, 51% of Indians do not have a retirement plan ready, and barely one in five takes inflation into account while planning for retirement*. This sheds light on the unpreparedness of Indians for retirement. Moreover, many still rely on their children for retirement. With the shifting mindset and growing trend of nuclear families, it is very important for every individual to plan for their retirement. Retirement planning is a cornerstone of financial freedom, which is of utmost importance to make you self-reliant and ensure a dignified and stress-free lifestyle during the golden years of retirement.

* Source: Business Today 

• Seek financial guidance - Making the right investment decisions might seem like a daunting task. To get guidance in this journey, one can consult a financial advisor. A financial advisor can understand your financial needs and risk profile and support you in your wealth-building journey. When opting for the mutual fund route, one can leverage the knowledge of a mutual fund distributor. 

Cultivating positive habits for your financial health can prove to be pivotal for your financial success. Even subtle adjustments in lifestyle and savings practices can make a huge difference, for one good habit can create a ripple effect. Bringing discipline and consistency to your investment pattern and following fundamental financial health practices such as goal-based investing, budgeting, timely payment of debt, and insurance planning can lead you to a financially prosperous future.