| WATCH THE BIRDS, AND BUILD AN EGG NEST FOR | | | | it the greater chances are that you will |
| YOUR FUTURE | | | | uncover any flaws and hopefully, rectify them |
| | | | before things really get out of hand. |
| Take a walk into the fields and watch a bird | | | | Remember the adages: 'A stitch in time saves |
| at work, building its nest. It is such a | | | | nine', and 'Make hay while the sun shines'. |
| pretty sight. The bird travels far, picks a | | | | Believe it or not, time is the greatest enemy |
| piece of straw in its beak, and darts back to | | | | of mankind and has to be utilised |
| the building site, tack the straw in the | | | | resourcefully. |
| right place and off it goes again. There is a | | | | |
| splendid display of purpose, drive, will, | | | | State pension and national insurance schemes |
| tact and planning. Learn from these little | | | | have been in shambles for a long time, and |
| creatures, and you can be successful in | | | | numerous occupational pension schemes are |
| saving towards your dearest goals. You will | | | | running deficits. You should be clear about |
| be an expert in building an egg nest for your | | | | the sort of retirement you want to |
| future. | | | | experience. Would you like to maintain the |
| | | | same lifestyle you are enjoying now or even |
| A lot of people find it difficult to save | | | | improve on it during retirement? Needless to |
| because they lack a sense of purpose for the | | | | say you must make allowance for the fact that |
| money they want to amass. I suppose you know | | | | sicknesses are rampant amongst the aged and |
| the sort of situation you can get yourself | | | | that you may need to contribute massively |
| into when you're bored at home and get out of | | | | towards care. You may have to commence saving |
| your house to go for a walk, without an exact | | | | towards personal pension to top up |
| place in mind you want to go to. You might | | | | shortcomings in state and occupational |
| even get lost, with such lack of direction | | | | pension. |
| and destination. Sadly, most people who claim | | | | |
| to be purposeful cannot tell you the | | | | Failing this, you may have to continue |
| definitive reasons why they are trying to | | | | working during retirement, retire a lot later |
| save. | | | | than you should, or live a life much below |
| | | | the standard you anticipate when you retire. |
| You can enhance your ability to save if you | | | | I'll entreat you to give due attention to |
| start by actually enlisting your purpose or | | | | 'you' in the future, perhaps even more than |
| purposes for saving, and proceed further to | | | | you give to 'you' now, the reason being you |
| attach to each purpose specific goals. Goals | | | | are a lot stronger now than you will be then. |
| serve as landmarks in your journey towards | | | | |
| the purpose. | | | | Everything, including savings can be achieved |
| | | | if you put your mind to it. Consider the size |
| In order to set a realistic purpose it is | | | | of ants and the gigantic hills they erect, |
| crucial that you carry out a detailed | | | | and believe that you can save towards any |
| assessment of the resources you presently, | | | | purposes and goals. Why do you have to wait |
| have and find out the extra resources you | | | | till the morrow? Start now, take your own |
| will need to realize your purpose and its | | | | future in your hands and make it brighter. |
| associated goals. The birds can really teach | | | | |
| you to save. It becomes a lot easier once you | | | | David Opoku |
| establish a clear sense of purpose. | | | | |
| | | | BA Hons. in Accounting and Finance.(Currently |
| Time is of great essence when considering | | | | specialising in Financial Advising |
| savings. The time for action is now; you must | | | | Stockbroking in a leading Financial Services |
| start now. You might already have an | | | | company). |
| investment; the earlier you begin reviewing | | | | |