by Swaroop DJ | Feb 4, 2019 | Blog
CANCER- We all know it’s not just a Zodiac Sign. Cancer has been playing an imperative role in our day to day life- but in a sad and scary manner! Millions die every year due to Cancer, which comes in more than 100 kinds- Lung, Breast, Prostate, Blood, Bladder etc to name a few. In the past few years; a lot of significant advances have been achieved in the Medical field. But still, we have limited knowledge about the real reason for Cancer or how to completely wipe it off from Earth. It’s a fact that the Human lifespan has increased recently- so is chances of having Cancer, as Cancer occurs due to the mutation of cells and it is more as we grow older. Even heredity can be a reason for Cancer. Cancer can occur due to various reasons. Unhealthy eating habits, Smoking, Alcohol consumption, Virus infections, too much exposure to Sunlight or some Chemicals are a few major reasons for it. But, we can control Cancer to some extent, provided we take the right measures like: a. Food Control – Reducing the usage of too much oily/fatty food can reduce the risk of Cancer to some extent. This can be substituted with Fruits and Vegetables. But, too many fruits aren’t good as well, since they can raise the risk of diabetes-related diseases. b. Exercise – Regular exercise is essential in controlling the body weight and burning of unnecessary fat, thereby keeping the Metabolism related cancers under control. c. Virus – Virus attack is hazardous as most directly affect the Liver. E.g. – Hepatitis B. Treat it before...
by Swaroop DJ | Jan 24, 2019 | Blog
January is almost over. We are all getting ready for the Financial Year ending- that includes clearing of all pending bills, budgeting for the coming year; tax payment etc. Among these, Tax Payment is a hectic job. We need to check all the sources that bring in money and plan accordingly. Ours is the second most populous country which has over 133 Crores of people. In the market, while purchasing, we often bargain. The bargaining continues until we save few pennies. Once the purchase is over, we return back home with a triumphant smile full of satisfaction, thinking “I saved money, and it should be made into a habit” or “I shouldn’t waste money unnecessarily”. It’s good to bargain if one feels the price is higher than it actually should be. But the same person doesn’t think twice nor does he plan when it comes to Tax Payment. He straightaway pays the entire amount! How many of us are aware of the possible legal ways to save Tax? How many of us know the truth that Tax can be used for a Long-Term Wealth creation? The answer is very few! Still confused? The answer is ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme). ELSS is a Mutual Fund system that has been created for Tax Saving, as well as to offer good returns in due time. Here, the money is invested in Equity and Equity related instruments. From the total taxable income, up to Rs. 1.5 Lakh can be saved through ELSS. Is ELSS good? If yes, why? As said earlier, ELSS is not just a way to save Tax. It helps...
by Swaroop DJ | Jan 10, 2019 | Blog
Not every human is into savings. But the wise do save for the future. Previously, people in our nation considered Gold and Real Estate as the only means of Investment. But in due time, a lot of new players entered the game. Though it was tough initially, gradually they picked up surpassing the previous competitors and gained a place in people’s hearts. Yes, you’ve guessed right- it’s the Stock Market- the one who was kept away, has become the mammoth in today’s Investment culture. Previously to open an account was a bit difficult, plus ignorance and lack of knowledge were hindering factors to enter Stock Markets. But today, everything is at the fingertip and one could easily enter with the help of the right Financial Planner. Earlier, people used to own Physical Shares which had its own disadvantages like:- • Storage was difficult • Losing shares due to theft and other disasters like flood, fire, earthquake etc. • Transferring used to be slow and less efficient, as everything had its time to get done. • Stamp duty and transaction costs • It was just meant for Equity shares and not for Mutual Funds- was time-consuming to check Since the above procedures weren’t feasible for a longer run, a new and efficient method was implemented. What’s Demat? Dematerialization (Demat) is the process of converting physical shares and securities into electronic format. One can dematerialize his physical securities like share certificates, bonds, mutual fund units and other, with a Demat account. Once opened, he can have electronic shares. A Demat account has to be opened with a depository participant (DP) who...
by Mohammed Zahin O V | Jan 5, 2019 | Blog
While insurance is a necessity add-on to ones investment portfolio, many of us are forced to “invest” in insurance products, which we really don’t need. That said, if you purchase life insurance for investment, both purposes are not adequately fulfilled. The purpose of purchasing insurance is to secure dependents financially. For the younger people, buying insurance could be a tax saving instrument. However, this is not the right approach, as life insurance should not be bought until you have financial dependents. Likewise, the sole purpose of life insurance should not be tax saving. Tax benefits are considered incidental, which may accrue to you when you buy life insurance. Protection of dependents remains the key in life insurance. There are many other instruments out in the market that are more tax efficient and fetch better returns compared to insurance products. The key concern remains that many of them are not able to assess the quantum of their life insurance needs. I believe one needs at least life insurance equals 12-15 times of his or her income. There are life insurance products that offer guaranteed returns returns, which entice you to buy it. However, these ” guaranteed returns” are less than what you receive from government debt instruments like securities. In addition, the returns generated depend on the cycle of interest rates in the economy, given the majority of insurance products invested in debt products. Moreover, the performance guarantee you receive is guaranteed in absolute terms or as a percentage of the amount and does not provide you with the CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) that is recorded over time. Having...
by Swaroop DJ | Dec 27, 2018 | Blog
Christmas is over and the New Year is here! Aren’t you making a resolution for 2019? It’s a sad truth that the majority of all resolutions fail, mostly by the end of January. But the coming year, let’s hope you won’t be futile. Most resolutions fail, as they aren’t the right ones and one takes them due normally due to compulsion or comparison with another. A realistic resolution can be achieved if one has the ability to recognize the right one that could make his life better by proper planning. Choosing the Right Resolution is tough, but not impossible. One’s goals have to be smart. We normally see resolutions and plans work well for management and companies. But trust me; it works very well for individual and families too- provided you are on the right path. Resolutions are different from person to person, as the goals are different. A few common ones are – a. Spending more time with loved ones, friends etc b. Planning to reduce time spent on Social Media and over usage of mobile phone/ computer c. To lose weight and exercise/ yoga/ meditate d. Reducing the use of food delivery apps, avoiding junk food etc e. Volunteering for Charity organizations But surveys prove most wish to have a healthy diet, exercise more and to save/ earn more MONEY. Controlling one’s own finances is a great feeling. But for an individual, to reach his short-term and long-term goals, he has to set Financial Resolutions at the beginning of the year and stick to it. Plans are easy to be made and easy to be broken- they...
by Swaroop DJ | Dec 20, 2018 | Blog
Christmas is a great festival which spreads joy and happiness. It is the most widely celebrated religious festival across the Globe- but today, it has become a secular celebration being celebrated by all irrespective of religion. During the season, people decorate the Christmas tree, invite their friends, relatives, and neighbours for feasts and distribute gifts-hence called the Feast of Happiness. It is the season of singing, dancing & partying! The mesmerizing tune of Jingle-bells, Santa Claus, beautifully lit and decorated Christmas Trees with stars, Gifts, mouth-watering taste of the Plum Cake and a sip of Red Wine together complete the Christmas celebrations. Each has its own part in completing the Christmas. The wine has played a primary role in Christmas for centuries. “To eternity may it last forever”- the lovely words that we use for the toast, brings the mouth to water. Almost every food product has to be consumed at the earliest- they get spoilt if they are kept for a longer duration. But, in the case of wine it exactly the opposite. The quality and price of wine increase with age! Normally, we tend to use the cheap young wine that’s readily available in the market. But to have the real taste of wine, one must consume the matured one- that has been untouched for a long time. The story is the same for Investments. Investments, like wine, grow and become stronger in a longer run, provided one has the patience in allowing it to grow over a period of time. One does not get immediate returns with those investments that are meant for long extent. It takes a minimum of 5-10 years...
by Swaroop DJ | Dec 13, 2018 | Blog
Festivals are loved by all irrespective of religion, caste, community, and location. Festivals provide revival from the busy hectic everyday life. That is the time when people enjoy and spend more time with Family and Friends. So without any doubt, during this time, we spend a lot- starting from cheap decorations to the expensive cars and scooters. Crores of rupees are spent and earned during these seasons. Once the celebrations are over, we normally forget this and return to our day to day life- waiting eagerly for the next to arrive. But, have you ever wondered how much revenue the companies make during these Festival seasons. Be it a Religious festival, Mela, or even an Agricultural festival, the situation is the same and the profit earned is very high. A keen observation during this time will enable one to see the opportunity ahead. Asset Allocation should be like a Balanced Diet. In a balanced diet, one has to have the essential 6 components: – Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, and Water. Here too, they have to be consumed in the right proportion to have nutrition and stay healthy. Remember those days when your parents compelled you to have to have vegetables in childhood? Similarly, the Portfolio has to be kept by an individual in the same manner- Equities, Fixed incomes, Mutual Funds, Gold, Real assets and Alternatives. Along with these one needs to have Term and Health Insurances to achieve FINANCIAL FREEDOM. Seasonal Festival Stocks are like pickles and sauces that add a lot of flavor to your investments. They give a lot of beauty to our holdings. Although Investments are...
by Swaroop DJ | Dec 6, 2018 | Blog
As we discussed previously, vision is the first and the most important step, as a good story starts with a good dream that helps one in preparing for the future. Vision is followed by the courage to buy- where one has to execute the step one. But these two points do not help one in getting wealthy, until and unless he follows the 3rd important step- Patience to Hold… While speaking about Market participation, most tend to have the Misfortunate feeling or Dissatisfaction. The condition is not different for even successful investors who have the regret feeling. “If I would have kept that ‘Stock’ in a hold, I would have been rich” is a common phrase we hear nowadays. A good friend of mine once used to hold 900 quantities of Eicher Motors @ Rs.300/ stock. That time, it was worth Rs 2.70 Lakhs. He booked profit when he got around 15% returns. He was so eager to sell them in a hurry burry and didn’t have the patience to hold for long run. In due time, the conditions changed and the stocks have touched Rs. 32,000 this year. The same 900 stocks he had then, is worth Rs. 2.88 Crores!!! He lost a great opportunity, just due to Impatience… This is just one story among thousands; we come across in our day to day lives. Basically, there are two kinds of Impatience: (i) Selling off to get an immediate return, when you see a slight profit (as we read above) (ii) Panic Selling- Normally when the markets drop, people suddenly get extremely surprised, upset, angry, or confused. They...
by Swaroop DJ | Nov 28, 2018 | Blog
In the last week’s article, we had discussed the Vision to See. But, vision alone doesn’t help things work, unless one executes it. Courage is the next main step to carry out a plan. This reminds Disney’s famous quote, “All our Dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them”. He was the man who coined the Term “Imagineering”, a combination of Imagination with Engineering that takes vision into action. One has to take the bold step to go towards his goal. There was once a time when people used to purchase only outwears from branded showrooms. But, they weren’t much concerned about the innerwear and majority purchased them from street vendors. But in due time, the Lifestyle of people changed and they were more Health and Hygiene conscious- making them focus on the Quality, Comfort etc of the innerwear. There was a requirement for an organized, branded product in the market- which opened the doors of opportunity in this segment. Even though there was a big brand in the Market, the new company Page Industries decided to focus on the Youth! They designed the innerwear in a new trendy design- totally different from the traditional ones which have been in the market for ages. In very less time, Page industries dominated the market and their product name Jockey became a household name. Though the business growth was visible, most people were reluctant to invest in Page Industries as the company just manufactured inner wears. Many did not have the courage to buy their stocks. In 2007- 2008, a share of Page industries was available at the price of one Jockey innerwear...
by Swaroop DJ | Nov 21, 2018 | Blog
The great botanist and inventor George Washington Carver once said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” Vision is the first and the most important step, as a good tale starts with a good dream that helps one in planning for the future. People often complain about being broke or staying poor throughout their lifetime. They succeed neither in work nor business. But have we ever thought for a moment? Did we have a proper planning before beginning? If the answer is No, how could we blame another for our misfortune? But still, it’s not late. One could always start from this very moment. In everyday life, we come across many instances, which we feel are least important. We do not see anything special in it. But for another, if he sees an opportunity in it to grow- it becomes the vision. Mostly, they start from the least important factors for the common eye. The best example is PC Mustafa– an entrepreneur from Kerala who was born to a daily wager and today is the CEO of ‘iD Fresh Food’, a Rs 100 crore turnover ready-to-cook packaged food company. Without the right vision, he had chances to be a daily wager and could have had complained throughout his life. Yet, he along with his cousins, while sitting at a tea shop dreamt of a brighter future, planned accordingly and started a small business with Rs. 25000 and limited resources. In 2005, they made 10 packets of 1 kg batter a day and initially, they supplied it to 20 stores in Bengaluru under the brand name ‘ID’- for Idly, Dosa. But today...
