S2 E12 FemPower!

In Season 3 episode 2 Arthi & Malika continue with the advent calendar of investments discussing real estate as an investment. They explore some of the most common ways to make money through property investment, the first being buying a physical property. Arthi lists a few of the ways in which you can influence your decision when purchasing a property.

Malika shares a highly useful fact based on renting out space on your property, which can offer a sense of safety & community,  but further assists in paying off your mortgage or home-loan at a faster rate. The positive impact of this is that it reduces significantly how much of interest you pay over term or length of the home-loan, you pay your mortgage off quicker which means you save money.  Another option could be investing in a holiday home to rent out for additional income. A family vacation spot plus income when you are not on the property. 

Arthi introduces another property type which is commercial property which can be upcycled in terms of purpose,  such as storage, recreational centres, co-working spaces to name a few.

Malika details the strategy of flipping houses and introduces us to REITs.

Thus, there is a wealth of ideas to help one prop(erty) one's up for long term wealth creation. 

Listen in to the episode to hear:

• Income generation options to assist with your mortgage
• Renting out space to assist with the monthly expenses
• Property crowdfunding
• Short term rentals
• Business related properties and the pros & cons that can go with this type of property. 
• Flipping properties
• Real estate investment trust
• Farmland

and so much more

Remember: “property value does increase over time”.

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

Welcome to 2024 and Season 3 everyone! 
Co-hosts Arthi Rabikrisson and Malika Petersen are excited to be back to continue the journey of exploring the path to financial freedom together! This season they will dig a little bit deeper into the investment side of things and thereby expand the  moneyverse opportunity set, almost like an advent calendar, where each month a new opportunity will be discussed.

In this first episode, Arthi and Malika start off the investment theme by discussing education and how this is a form of investment in ourselves and for our children. Arthi discusses more on adult education which includes formal & informal pathways, and the potential rewards that can emerge from that. A key highlight is when accounting for costs of doing further studies, Arthi reminds us that beyond the explicit financial cost there are opportunity costs of not making this investment. 

Malika explores investment in children's education and provides some tips and tricks to help us budget for these expenses. Arthi highlights that what could be a success factor often not considered, is that children can, should and need to be involved, invested & informed about the costs required to achieve the desired education and goals. 

Malika and Arthi discuss more on the episode about:

• The definition of investment
• Education as a key investment
• Tips for education budgets
• Cost education calculator

and so much more!

Remember: “when your hand is open to give, it is open to receive”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

Can you believe this is the final episode of the year 2023? In episode 16 of  season 2 Arthi & Malika discuss the importance  of  setting aside time to set ourselves up for a successful 2024.

The first step with any goal is to define your goal correctly and accurately. Once you have a clear goal, in order to not overwhelm yourself Arthi suggests breaking down that goal into smaller chunks and reminds us of the SMART method. Ensuring that you follow the SMART principles  when setting a goal will mean you are able to be clear, track, budget, be realistic and implement your steps all of which will help this goal to be a success. 

Malika reiterates the importance of PTP (plan-track-plan) and that you should be updating your budget monthly in order to make the best decisions and ensure your 2024 is filled with wealth. 

Ensuring financial success is not only about planning but a big aspect is having various means of income. Both Arthi & Malika  dive deeper into some of the aspects of setting up a side hustle,some interesting stories  and Malika gives all the listeners a challenge for 2024.

Ending off this insightful discussion Malika shares a quote “a dream written down with a date becomes a goal, a goal, broken down into steps becomes a plan and a plan backed by action makes your dreams come true”

Listen to the full episode to hear Malika and Arthi discuss:

• Making sure you have SMART  (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time) goals
• Never forgetting the  PTP (planning, track, plan again)
• Side hustles & entrepreneurship 
• Entrepreneurial tips

And so much more!

Remember: “we feel the pinch, after the fact”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

It's Episode 15 of Season 2 and with the end of the year fast approaching, Arthi and Malika prompt you to remember all the advice shared ahead of the festive or 'silly' season. In a fun twist, analogies from the cartoon comic Asterix and Obelix form the underlying basis of this episode (can you believe there was a Roman legionary called Christmasbonus!).

If you are lucky enough to receive a Christmas bonus or thirteenth cheque in November, it may be very tempting to immediately splurge this extra income on non-essentials. However, this might leave you feeling in the doldrums come 2024. The good news is that if you have been listening and implementing all the useful hacks provided since February, that bonus can be used smartly and effectively allowing your 2024 to begin with ease. 

Malika and Arthi recap tips and tricks to enable you to be in a much better financial position. These include thinking ahead, using loyalty points, dining at home, sticking to your budget, shopping online, and recycling decorations. 

Arthi reminds us about how to prioritise investments at this time of year and how to spend wisely.

Highlights from this episode's  discussion:

• The do’s and don'ts when it comes to the festive season
• What to do if you are not prepared for this time of year?
• How you can be better prepared next year.
• Mindfully rewarding yourself for sticking to your budget
• Remember to Plan-Track-Plan (PTP)
• The questions posed at the end of 2022

And so much more!

Remember: “that small changes in behaviour and that the decisions we take with our money can really make a huge difference to our wealth”.

Stay on track to avenge you Christmas bonus from previous years, to secure you financial village into the future!

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

With only three months left of the year, Arthi & Malika use episode 14 in Season 2 of the Swan Effect podcast, to discuss how your moneyverse makes you feel and how a positive mindset is really key to achieving wealth. 

Arthi associates the brains’ prefrontal cortex as being your internal financial advisor  further explaining how integral the brain is when it comes to creating & managing your wealth. Arthi explains that we can rewire our brains to ensure that we are making the best decisions for our moneyverse and shares two techniques to help you begin.

Malika reminds us how education is another key investment and allows us to  create the kind of wealth mindset ensuring we are open to opportunities. Arthi shares an experience she recently had with a Finnish ambassador and how the mindset in Finland around entrepreneurship has resulted in businesses viewing taxes as an investment  that directly results in better knowledge and workforce. This inspired Arthi to create the habit loop for us all to try.

Listen in to hear Malika and Arthi highlight:

• How our brains play a vital role in managing our finances
• Techniques to changing how your brain works when it comes to your moneyverse
• Having awareness of the cons of wealth
• The habit loop  (cue-routine-reward)
• Importance of short and long term goals
• Inspiring other people to change their mindset

And so much more!

Remember: “mindset is way more important than any amount of money that you can have”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

In episode 13 Arthi and Malika change things up a little, by discussing how you can spend your way to wealth. Yes, you read that right. 

This episode is about what you do with your money that can truly pave the way to financial abundance. In essence its about shifting the mindset from focusing on income to focusing on how you spend instead, with some practical examples. 

Arthi reminds us to make conscious choices such as investing in experiences and assets rather than spending recklessly on these temporary pleasures.

Malika encourages us to spend by investing in yourself which can lead to a return, whether that be in education or personal self growth or simply your health. 

Malika shares an encouraging story which in essence reminds us that it is never too late to save, investment and have the opportunity to create wealth

Malika and Arthi discuss:

• What it means to be "wealth conscious" 
• Insightful questions you can ask yourself in order to fully understand your spending
• Malika debunks the misconception that many people believe that the more money you earn, the richer you will become.
• How assets generate wealth
• Compound growth
• What is "lifestyle inflation" 

And so much more!

Remember: “wealth creation is a journey and how you spend your money can determine how far you go”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

We're celebrating Woman's month in August in South Africa and so this episode 12 in Season 2 of The Swan Effect Podcast is dedicated to female power (FemPower)!

Arthi and Malika discuss the power of women have and the importance of women becoming financially literate and confident. This is key for a number of driving factors: women earn less than men, women more often than not take time out of the workforce to care for the family, and women are more likely to live longer. 

Arthi provides some shocking statistics about women and finances such as the large pay gap between men and women, and that this gap isn't closing significantly anytime soon. 

Arthi and Malika go through the various milestones that a women goes through in life and discuss the finance steps in order to plan and be organised for each of these stages.

Listen in to hear Malika and Arthi discuss:

• Finance statistics around women
• The importance of teaching your family about finances and breaking any unhealthy habits
• Retirement goals
• The sandwich generation
• Increasing income sources
• Taking a break from your career for motherhood
• Starting our in your career

And so much more!

Remember: “a woman who is convinced that she deserves to accept only the best challenges herself to give the best, then she is living phenomenally.”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. Do rate, write a review, and share with others.
This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

In Season 2 episode 11, Arthi & Malika take your moneyverse to the next level by discussing how to create your infinity legacy. This really is about taking those steps to ensure that the wealth that we create is able to stand the test of time and allow future generations to build on it.

Using the example of a 23 year old who's entering the job market and doesn't have any financial history or baggage just yet, gives us insights into the decisions that can be made at that stage, that creates a financial and educational legacy. 

Malika reminds us of the strategy of paying yourself first and outlines how to split that payment into savings & investments. Arthi explains the next step in creating a lasting  legacy and moneyverse is having multiple sources of income and generously provides an abundance of ideas & income revenues.

Malika & Arthi discuss how career paths are not as rigid as they once were and the importance of growing & developing yourself and being flexible while you navigate in your path. Both ladies share their own stories and  the changes of their paths. 

Lastly Arthi reintroduces the term debt solutions and how these are not all created equal. The hosts discuss securing fixed assets in order to use the leverage to generate wealth over time.

Listen in to hear Malika and Arthi:

• Explain the difference between saving & investing
• highlight the importance of diversification
• showcase having various sources of  income
• how you can grow & develop  your career path
• outline relevant debt solutions
• underscore the importance of having a financial advisor

And so much more!

Remember: “we not defined by the career that we have or what we earn, but rather than the decision that we take when spending”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

It's episode 10 of Season 2 and we are already in June, feeling that the end of the year is  fast approaching. Arthi and Malika thought it was the perfect time to discuss what is in your best  INTEREST,especially since in South Africa, we are experiencing an increase in interest rates which is impacting our budgets and quality of life.In this episode, they help us understand the drivers of interest rates, and how they impact us. 

Arthi introduces four factors that affect the interest rate, firstly inflation. Companies increase the price of the goods and services when there's more demand, because this can lead to less supply, and those differences result in inflation.

The next two factors are the stock markets and international events and the decrease in available funds directly results in changes in the interest rates. 

The final driver which affects interest rates is fiscal borrowing and in South Africa we have a large fiscal deficit. The deficit is the difference between governments income versus their expenses and when the government spends more money than what is coming in this means that in order to have the funds to pay back the markets, the rates are increased.

Arthi and Malika offer insights and tips into how you can respond and work with the change in interest rates and to look for opportunities within the chaos. Arthi also explains how it is not all negative and that there is a plus side to higher rates.

Listen in to hear Malika and Arthi discuss:

• the mechanism the Monetary Policy Committee,MPC in South Africa, uses to control inflation i.e. the repo rate
• More about the four factors that influence the interest rate decision
• the true impact of interest rates on your spending plans or budget
• The behavioral psychology aspect of spending & saving and how delayed gratification can help 
• Thinking like a wealthy person especially in times of every increasing rates
• How to become that person who finds opportunity in chaos

And so much more!

Remember: “never pay for an item longer than, which that item may last”

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.

On episode 9 of Season 2 of the Swan Effect podcast, Arthi and Malika continue the journey into understanding and simplifying financial investments, by introducing and explaining the fundamental building blocks available to grow one's moneyverse: assets.

In coining the terms 'assetify', which is meant to describe making one's portfolio asset-rich through diversification, Malika and Arthi talk about traditional asset types and non-traditional ones too, some that can produce income creating side hustles.

Arthi further explains how these can be used effectively to diversify a portfolio while seeking guidance and advice from an ecosystem of support including financial planners, advisers and coaches.

Listen in to hear Arthi and Malika share about:
- traditional asset classes - equity, property, bonds, cash
- what is a balanced fund
- Active fund management versus passive fund management
- examples of diversification in a portfolio
- things to consider such as fees and taxes when building your asset porfolio
- non traditional assets - cryptocurrency, NFTs, capital assets that produce income.
And so much more!

Hear practical tips on how having an asset rich portfolio and making your assets work together in harmony, can bring you closer to your financial goals.
Remember, "you are your greatest asset!".

We would love to hear your views based on the concepts covered in this episode. 

Do rate, write a review, and share with others.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Old Mutual Wealth.