No Risks, No Rewards (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6)

 DON’T PLAY IT SAFE. TAKE RISKS!

 Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 (NLT)

Send your grain across the seas,
      and in time, profits will flow back to you.
 ² But divide your investments among many places,
      for you do not know what risks might lies ahead.

Ecclesiastes 11:2 (NASB)

Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.

There was once an elderly gentleman who loved playing golf. But he was almost eighty, and his vision was not very good anymore. He always had partners with him when he went out to play so they could watch his ball and tell him where it went. One day his buddies did not show up. It was a beautiful day for golf, and as he waited at the clubhouse he got more and more upset that he wasn’t going to get to play his round. Another elderly man in the clubhouse saw him and asked, “What’s wrong?” The man explained his predicament: “I was really looking forward to playing golf today. But I don’t see very well anymore, so I need someone to watch the ball after I hit.” The second man was even older than he was, but he said, “That’s no problem. I’ll be glad to ride around with you. I’ve got 20/20 vision. I can see like a hawk. You just hit the ball, and I’ll watch it fly right down the fairway.” So they went out on the first tee, and the old man hit the ball right down the center. He turned to his spotter. “Did you see it?” The man replied, “I saw it all the way until it stopped rolling.” “Well, where did it go?” The older man paused for a moment and then said, “I forgot.”

Even the best-laid plans don’t always work out—that’s a reality we all have to face every day. So how should you live when you’re not sure how things are going to turn out? Solomon says, “DON’T PLAY IT SAFE, TAKE RISKS.” In other words, you have to live confidently. You can’t hide just because life won’t cooperate. Don’t avoid blessings because of the concerns that come with them. Don’t say, “I can’t get married. What if difficult struggles come up between me and my mate?” Or, “I can’t have children. How will I know they won’t be born with a birth defect?” Or, “I can’t start a business. What if it folds?” Or I can’t join the military. I might get deployed.”God wants you to step out in faith and take risks. He yearns for us to stop playing it safe. In Eccl 11:1-6, Solomon will pass on two insider tips that will help us to take some risks and avoid playing it safe.

1. Diversify your investments (11:1-2)

It may surprise you that Solomon offers financial counsel as he nears the end of Ecclesiastes. Yet, this book is down and dirty, nitty-gritty relevant to our earthly lives. Thus, in these first two verses Solomon says, “Since life is so uncertain, spread your financial investments out.” In 11:1 he writes, “Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days.” What in the world does this peculiar verse mean? Perhaps you’re like me and in your mind a number of thoughts arise. Cast your bread on the surface of the waters…and it will return to you soggy or moldy…and the seagulls will eat it…and your mother will be mad at you for playing with your food. These bizarre notions should cause us to ask the question, “What is Solomon’s point?” I would suggest that the word “cast” is better rendered “send” (NRSV). This verb refers to the commercial enterprises of sea trade. Furthermore, the term “bread” refers to grain and wheat from which bread is produced.

Solomon was deeply involved in international trade with countless merchants. Then as now, one of the main trade commodities was grain. The merchants of Solomon’s day would load their grain ships and send them off. The Israelites were “casting [their] bread upon the water.” But notice that with Solomon, the word is plural: “cast your bread on the waters.” In other words, don’t put all your grain in one ship. Put your wheat in several ships, and send it out in a diversified way so that if one of the ships should sink, you’ll not be ruined. In others words, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Diversify your portfolio.

Instead of putting your grain in a boat and sending it off, you could keep it and make bread. That would be a safe bet since you would retain control of your grain and your bread. But that’s all you would have. Obviously, when you send grain that you own across the sea you are taking a risk. You may never see it or any return again. There are various risks like pirates, shipwrecks, and unscrupulous traders. Yet, there are also prospects of receiving back a dividend. It has been said, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” The truth is, any kind of investing requires faith. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. No risk, no reward. So Solomon says, “DON’T PLAY IT SAFE, TAKE RISKS.”

The thought of 11:1 is repeated and unfolded in 11:2. As is often done in the Scriptures, the case is first stated in a figure to grab our attention, and then a plain literal statement is given to avoid all possibility of misunderstanding. So 11:2 is a commentary on 11:1. Solomon puts it like this: “Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.” Here Solomon clearly encourages us to diversity our investments. The phrase “to seven or even to eight” is the Old Testament pattern of x + 1. Solomon speaks of trying every avenue there is and then adding one more. The reason for dividing your portion is “you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.” The stock market could drop, the value of your house could plummet, Social Security could run out, and Medicare may be insufficient. Any number of financial misfortunes could, and most likely will, occur. In light of this, you and I must prepare to the best of our abilities. The phrase “you do not know” is found four times in 11:2-6. This has been a common theme throughout Ecclesiastes (cf. 1:13; 3:10, 11; 8:17). God and His works and ways cannot be completely known by fallen mankind, but we can trust Him because of what we do know!

God’s expectation is that we will invest our money wisely. Perhaps all of your money has been in the bank and you are barely drawing interest. You may need to consider investing in mutual fund, purchasing stocks or a rental home. You need to find a way to build multiple streams of passive income. Do not commit all of one’s possessions to a single venture. Look for the best means of investing the money that the Lord has entrusted to you. But don’t fall for any get-rich-quick schemes (Proverbs 13:11 (NLT) or multi-level marketing businesses. Before you know it, you’ve spent all of your money.

The biblical view comes down to this: Since God alone knows the future, we ought to make our plans, use our brains, study the situation, take all factors into consideration, seek wise counsel, do the best we can, and then leave the results to God. Don’t be reckless—that’s the path of certain ruin; but don’t sit on your hands either. Invest your money, take your chances, sleep like a baby, and let God take care of the future. Don’t play it safe—take risks.

[Why should you diversify your investments? Because you don’t know what will happen in the future. This reality will be especially drawn out in the following section where Solomon says…]

2. Seize your opportunities (11:3-6).

In this section,Solomon says that we cannot delay our course of action. We must “seize the day”—Carpe Deim. In 11:3-5, Solomon gives observations concerning the way things are, while in 11:6 he gives the practical application—the “so what” of the passage. In 11:3 Solomon writes, “If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies.” Humans experience, but cannot predict or control, the events of their lives (a recurrent theme in Ecclesiastes). We need to distinguish between those things about which we can do nothing and those about which we can. Since we cannot stop nature’s patterns (when it rains or where a tree falls), we had better work on finding something else to do. The point is simple: Don’t waste your time with God’s affairs! “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Ps 24:1 KJV). Let God be God; He can concern Himself with His responsibilities. When we do that, we will realize all that we have to concern ourselves with.

In 11:4 Solomon writes, “He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.” This proverb criticizes those who are overly cautious. The farmer who waits for the most opportune moment to plant, when there is no wind to blow away the seed, and to reap, when there is no rain to ruin a ripe harvest, will never do anything but sit around waiting for the right moment. And so, the seed stays in the barn. Solomon exhorts us not to be like this farmer. Don’t wait for conditions to be perfect, because that will never happen. It is true that the wind and rain might come and destroy the harvest. Today’s work might be ruined and you might have to do it over again tomorrow. But that’s okay. Today’s work might succeed as well as tomorrow’s. And if so, then you will be able to reap the rewards for both. “DON’T PLAY IT SAFE, TAKE RISKS.”

There is no time better than the present to step out in faith. So stop procrastinating! Be diligent constantly. If we wait until we “have time” to do something we never will. The “perfect opportunity” begins now—while we still can. Don’t put what God has placed in your heart off another day. There is no perfect time to have kids. We never have enough money, energy, or patience. Once you have children, don’t wait for the right time to spend time with them. Before you know it, your kids will be all grown up. If you are married, don’t wait for your husband or wife to be all that you want. Begin pouring your life into your spouse now. Don’t wait until you have spare time, more money, or better health. If you are a student, seek to accomplish all of your dreams today. Don’t settle for settled-for Christianity. If you are not currently ministering, get involved today. If we wait until we’re less busy, until we feel right, until just the right moment, we will never witness, never serve, and never see results. “DON’T PLAY IT SAFE, TAKE RISKS.”

In 11:5 Solomon continues with two more analogies: “Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.” Life is unpredictable and mysterious. Solomon says life is just like the wind. The wind operates sovereignly. Humankind cannot create or control it, for the wind is unseen and unknowable. We perceive its presence by its effects. Likewise, we cannot understand how God forms bones in the womb. This is far beyond our comprehension, so we have to take this by faith. Yet, in doing so, we adhere to the most intelligent option available to us. It is clear that the creation of the human body couldn’t have happened by itself. Scientist Fred Hoyle says this would be akin to a tornado in a junkyard taking all the pieces of metal lying there and turning them into a Boeing 747. So, of course, since we cannot know God’s activities, we take it in faith that He is the one who makes all things.

There are many times when we look at things that go on in the world and we don’t have a clue as to what God is doing. But we have to trust Him because He is the one who makes and sustains all things. Too many Christians freeze because they don’t know what God wants them to do. They suffer from a paralysis of analysis. When facing a decision in their lives, they want God to tell them exactly what their choices should be. Does God have to tell you what to do? Will God tell you what to do? There is a difference between right or wrong decisions and right or left decisions. In the Bible, the will of God always refers to moral choices—decisions where one path leads to sin and the other to righteousness. For these right or wrong decisions, we can know the will of God. It’s found in the Bible. We need to pray and pursue the path of righteousness. For right or left decisions, God is under no obligation to reveal His plan to us. More than likely, He will not. That’s why in Ecclesiastes Solomon says you just have to be bold and act. Too often, Christians are looking for a no-fault deal. We try to do insider-trading with God to get some information that will show us which choice is best for us. But God doesn’t do insider-trading. He does not reveal His plan to men. In the Bible, there are men who wanted someone to tell them the future. Basically, they wanted someone to be their fortune-teller. God won’t tell you your fortune; He has already told you your duty. Don’t call a 900 number to find God’s will. Don’t turn everything into a mystical decision about what you “feel” God wants you to do. If it’s a right or left decision, pray about it and then boldly follow your heart.

Our passage closes in 11:6 with the “so what:” “Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.” Solomon issues a command: “sow your seed,” which is used metaphorically of giving (cf. 2 Cor 9:6). He wants us to have confidence and leave the results to God. The key to this passage is found in 11:6, “do not be idle.” The terms “morning” and “evening” form a merism (a figure of speech using two polar extremes to include everything in between) that connotes “from morning until evening.” The point is not that the farmer should plant at two times in the day (morning and evening), but that he should plant all day long (i.e., from morning until evening). That is what Solomon would have for us. To represent God in all that we do, with all that we have. “DON’T PLAY IT SAFE, TAKE RISKS.”

Scripture References

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6, Matthew 25:14-30, Galatians 6:7, Mark 4:35-41, Joshua 6:1-5, Psalm 139:13-16, 1 Timothy 6:18-19

Study Questions

1. How would I describe my financial stewardship (11:1-2)? Do I invest wisely and diversely? Are my spouse and I in agreement on the level of risk we are willing to assume? Am I actively seeking godly financial counsel? Whom do I seek this counsel from? How often do I revisit my financial portfolio? How has the Lord demonstrated His faithfulness to me in my finances?

2. In what areas of my life have I been afraid to move forward for fear of failure (11:3-4)? What steps of faith could I take in the next week? How would my life be different if I began to confront my fears? When have I confronted my fears with God’s Word and His courage? What was the result?

3. How well do I handle failure? What lessons have I learned from my past mistakes? Am I gun-shy about the future? If so, what needs to change in my own heart before I can be bold again?

4. What project, dream, idea, or initiative have I been postponing? When do I plan to get started? What is the first step I need to take? What am I waiting for?

5. Since I cannot know God’s thoughts or ways (11:2, 5, 6), how should I live? What is my understanding of God’s will? What freedoms do I have to make decisions? What does God ultimately hold me responsible to do? How can I be faithful to discern His plans and purposes for my life?

Learning MUTUAL FUNDS…Best Investment Vehicle!

Learning MUTUAL FUNDS…best investment vehicle

INVEST WITH PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT… Utilize a concept of investment that provides professional money management… an investment concept called mutual funds.

A mutual fund is an investment company that combines money from individuals & invests in a diversified portfolio of securities. Each investor is a shareholder who buys shares of the fund. Each share represents a proportion of ownership in the fund’s assets.

Because hundreds of its shareholders have chosen to pool their money in a given mutual fund, the fund can easily diversify its investments among the stocks and bonds of many companies.

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MUTUAL FUNDS ARE USUALLY CLASSIFIED INTO:

1. BOND FUND - funds that invest in government securities.

2. STOCKS/EQUITY - funds that invest in a variety of stocks & equities. Aggressive in capital growth –deals with equity investments that are generally blue chips or growth stocks listed & traded on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

3. BALANCED - combines profitability of equity investments & the stability of fixed-income instruments.

MUTUAL FUNDS PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS:

1. PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT

·   Probably the most important advantage is professional management, normally available only to the wealthy.

·   Mutual funds take the stress away from small investors who want to invest in the financial markets. This is because the mutual funds are handled by competent professional fund managers who choose the right investment for them. Investing directly in the stock market is risky.

2. ACCESSIBLE & AFFORDABLE… Easy to buy. Offer wide variety of services to meet shareholders’ need — variety of investment minimums allowing participation at affordable amount.

3. LIQUIDITY… Your money is always available. No need to find a buyer. The fund is always ready to buy back its shares from you. Mutual fund shares can be redeemed and collected within 7 days at the prevailing Net Asset Value per Share (NAVPS).

4. NET OF TAX … Harness the power of tax advantages!

5. DIVERSIFICATION… To help reduce the risks inherent in any investment, a mutual fund carefully selects a diversified portfolio. A diversified investment portfolio that contains a number of different types of investments tends to have a lower level of risk than a portfolio with more similar types of investments.

6. ASSET ALLOCATION… The process of developing a diversified portfolio by mixing different asset classes –such as stocks, bonds, & cash equivalents –in varying proportions to help reduce risk & maximize potential return.

7. MONEY COST AVERAGING… Money cost averaging advocates the investment of a constant money amount, regardless of the price of the investment. Over a period of time, this generally results in a lower purchase price per investment than if the total purchase was made at one time.

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INVESTMENT CONCEPTS:

MUTUAL FUND PLANNING. Mutual funds, as with other investments, are affected by changes in economic trends & cycles. The value of investments may rise or fall as the stock & bond markets fluctuate. Understanding certain investment concepts & tactics can help you lessen risk & maximize opportunity.

INFLATION. Inflation is an increase in the volume of money & credit relative to available goods & services, resulting in a continuing rise in the general price level. Overtime, inflation reduces the value & purchasing power of money.

RISK VERSUS REWARD. Generally, the greater the amount of risk assumed by the investor, the greater the potential rewards. Before you make any investment decisions, you should know your risk tolerance. Factors such as age, income & years until retirement, should be considered before making any investment decision.

MARKET FLUCTUATIONS. Upswings or downturns in market activity impact the value of investment instruments or accounts. As a result, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost when ultimately redeemed.

COMPOUNDING. Compounding takes place when the returns (such as interest, dividends, & capital gains) on investments start earning returns of their own. 

TRANSPARENCY. Mutual funds are highly regulated (& closely monitored) by the Securities & Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act & its implementing rules.

For other inquiries about Mutual Fund Investment:

please call or txt Jay Galang 0919.3279960; 0916.6961434; 0932.3288682; 02.5681601 or email: jaygalang@gmail.com

Wealth Academy Program

SEC airs warning on double-your-money scheme

FINANCIAL EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO AVOID “PYRAMIDING SCAM”

Unscrupulous individuals, groups and companies (which may or may not be registered with the SEC) continue to prey on thousands of hapless Filipinos. They will tempt you into putting your hard earned money in investments and businesses that supposedly pays big profits in a short period of time and without much effort.

Kadalasan drawing o imagined lang ang products or services ng mga manlolokong ito. Kung meron mang product, sobrang mahal. To lure you into their trap they will sometimes use the teachings of well-known authors and personalities to convince you that their system is legitimate and that it really works. They will present to you amazing facts & figures and convincing testimonies that result in your good judgment taking a backseat at hindi ka na makapaghintay na ibigay ang iyong pera sa kanila.

Protect your hard-earned money. Busisiing mabuti ang anumang investment o business opportunity na ipipresenta sa ‘yo. Huwag basta-basta maniwala. Bago magdesisyon pag-isipang mabuti at mag-isip ng matagal. Magtanong sa mga tao o ahensya ng gobyerno na may alam sa ganitong kalakaran. Do not allow yourself to be rushed into making a decision. Yan ang gustong-gusto ng mga scammers, yung hindi ka na nag-iisip at “oo” kaagad. And when people warn you about a potential scam heed the warning instead of shutting them out. Don’t let promises of riches and greed cloud your judgment.



SEC airs warning on double-your-money scheme
The Philippine Star, December 14, 2009

MANILA, Philippines - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public against dealing with Goodlife Fashion & Accessories Enterprise Corp. which was found to have been soliciting investments from the public without its approval.

In a notice to the public, the SEC said it received information that Goodlife has been promising a double-your-money scheme to attract more buyers.

“The public is advised that Goodlife is not a registered issuer of securities and is therefore not licensed to offer or issue securities to the public in accordance with Sections 8 and 12 of the Securities Regulation Code,” the SEC said.

“The public is further advised to take the necessary precautions before entering into transactions with the corporation,” the SEC added.

The scheme purportedly offers investments in the form of distributorship agreements to the public, enticing prospective investors to earn profits ranging from 15 percent to 30 percent interest per month.

“Those who enter into the offered transactions are also invited to open branches to which are consigned the consumer goods of the said corporation to earn additional profits,” the SEC said.

Sec. 8 of the SRC prohibits the sale of securities without prior registration with the Commission.

This kind of solicitation activity is similar to a Ponzi scheme where investors are lured with promises of high returns, and for awhile they may get those returns.

But what they don’t know is that their money is not really being invested in anything at all. The “interest” they receive is money being paid in by later investors.

As long as more investors sign on, which they will because of word-of-mouth advertising about the “great returns,” everything seems fine. But since no real investments are being made, it can’t last long. Because the promoter is only collecting money from new participants to pay off earlier investors, the scheme will inevitably fail.

After a time, the con artists pocket investors’ money and disappear.

Increase your Financial Intelligence:

Attend our Wealth Academy:

For details: pls call or text 0919.3279960 , 0916.6961434, 0932.3288682

02.568.1601 , 812.2551 loc 116

email: jaygalang@gmail.com jay.galang@img-wealthacademy.com

SAVINGS……THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION!

  

DON’T JUST WORK FOR MONEY … LEARN HOW MONEY WORKS!

  

 

 

YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME AT WORK

YOU WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE YOUR MONEY


DON’T YOU THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR MONEY WORK

HARDER THAN YOU DO


” The poor and the middle class work hard for their money..

the rich have their money work for them” — Robert Kiyosaki


An excellent way to gift yourself the tools needed to make your money work harder than you

& smile your way to financial freedom


What is getting out of the rat race ?


We get up every morning and are out at work- Reason: We need money to meet our expenses.


What if there was enough money to meet all our expenses ? We are then out of the rat race and on to fast track !!!

Opportunities knock at our door every single moment. But due to our routine, we tend to ignore these opportunities. Learning to open the door to opportunities despite our routine will help us to get out of the rat race and on to fast track.


Money does not make you rich, Financial Literacy does.

PLANNING YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE

THE FOUR STAGES OF FINANCIAL LIFE: (By: Pinoymoneytalk.com)

INCREASING FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE! Wealth Academy Program

People want financial freedom, but don’t know how to fight for it!

People want to know how money works & how they can make money work for them.

But how do you gain this knowledge? Schools rarely teach it. Families hardly talk about it. Unfortunately, unless you understand the power of money, you can’t put it to work for you. But navigating the maze of things about financial can be a confusing journey. People simply don’t know where & how to begin … and they are scared to seek financial advice as some group may take advantage of them.

Realizing that the need exists for widespread FINANCIAL EDUCATION, IMG established the Wealth Academy, a training series in the areas of Financial Planning & Management, Entrepreneurship, Investment Strategies, Investment Vehicles, Winning Principles, etc.

Wealth Academy Schedule: 

   Makati Office: (3/F KingsCourt Bldg 1, 2129 Chino Roces Ave.

                              Makati City 

       EVENING (Mon & Wed  – 7pm)

       AFTERNOON (Sat 2pm & 6pm)

    Other Schedules:

       4B Rodo Bldg. Pagaspas St. in front of CCT

       Tanauan City Batangas

       FRIDAY 5:30pm 

       Christ Steward Fellowship P. Genato St.

       back of old Market near BSU Batangas City

       THURSDAY 2pm

 For details: Send your e-mail to jay.galang@img-wealthacademy.com

                      Contact#: 0919.327.9960 , 0916.696.1434 , 0932.328.8682

                                         02.568.1601 , 02. 812.2551 loc. 116

Do you know people with no degree but wealthy?

 Do you know well-educated people but financially struggling?

Do you know people with a lot of degree but working for people with no degree? College degree is not enough to become financially successful, you need Financial Education. You need to set goals for your money because others are setting their goals on how to get your money.

If you think FINANCIAL EDUCATION is a waste of time & money, TRY IGNORANCE!

TOPICS (Series 1-4)

Series 1:  Financial Solutions/ Wealth Management  

This series is designed to provide a simple, clear, comprehensive and practical approach to Personal Financial Planning. It presents the vital concepts and principles necessary for anyone desiring to get out of debt and build wealth for his/ her family.

§  The Six (6) Steps to Financial Independence

§  The X-Curve Concept: The Blueprint of Financial Planning

§  The Rat Race Cycle: The Reason Why Most People Struggle Financially

§  Debt: Friend or Foe?

§  How to Increase Cash Flow

§  How Money Works

§  The Wealth Formula

§  The Rule of 72: The Power of Compounding Interest

§  Fundamentals of Investments

§  Putting the Allies of Wealth to work for you

§  Overcoming the Enemies of Wealth

§  How to Build a Solid Financial Foundation

                             Duration: 1 ½ hour

Series 2: Finance 101 

A more intensive and powerful discussion of wealth-building and wealth-protection principles, this series focuses on how one can truly build a solid financial foundation. It presents the different investment options one could undertake to build wealth. It also reveals the Secret of the Financial Industry—how they rob people’s money—the things you ought to know.

§  Building a Solid Financial Foundation

§  The Three (3) Secrets of Insurance

§  Rules in Investing

§  Different Investment Vehicles

§  Mutual Fund vs. Investing in Stocks

§  Investment Strategies: How to Minimize the Risk and Maximize Profits

·         Money Cost Averaging

·         Diversification and Asset Allocations

§  Retirement Strategies

§  Providing Proper Protection for Families

                Duration: Two (2) hours

Series 3:  Creating Multiple Passive Income Streams  

This series provides a powerful approach on how to get started building multiple streams of passive income.

§  The Different Sources of Passive Income

§  Active vs. Passive Income:Three (3) Kinds of People and How They Make Money

§  Creating Multiple Passive Income Streams

§  Becoming Your Own Financial Expert/ Bypass the Middleman

§  New Concepts of Making Good Money

                             Duration: 1 ½ hour

This series gives everyone the realization that anybody from all walks of life can build their own Financial Distribution business, using the New Industry model, powerful concepts and proven system.

§  Company Profile

§  The X-Curve Concept

§  Powerful Compensation System and Promotion Guidelines

§  The System Flow

Duration: Three  (3) hours

Series 5: Financial Planning and Management Workshop  

A higher level learning, this seminar will guide you in planning your financial future. It will help you realize your current financial position, set goals, and create a concrete plan to achieve your family’s financial objectives.

§  Financial Goal-setting, Coaching and Mentoring

§  Financial Check-up and Needs Analysis

§  Starting Your Personal Financial Strategy

§  Debt Management: How to Escape the Grip of Debt

§  Fortune from Small Change: The Investible Fund

§  Statement of Income and Expenses

§  Statement of Assets and Liabilities

§  Estate Preservation

                              Duration:   1 1/2 hours

Learn To Grow Your Money

Source: Bo Sanchez

          As I write this, I’m leading a pilgrimage group in Europe.
          In this exciting trip, I’m bringing people to Rome, Assisi, Lourdes, etc… (To all my friends who are wondering why I’m not answering my email, now you now!)
I wish it wasn’t very expensive to come here. But the cost of plane fares and hotels for a 14-day trip like this can be really steep.
          Do you know what I noticed?
Most of the people who join my pilgrimages are spiritually-inclined people, but they’re also financially-inclined people too.  They know how to grow their money.
Some are entrepreneurs with robust businesses.
Some are employees who just know how to invest their money well.
Some earn their money through the stock market.
Some invest their money in mutual funds.
Some earn through real estate.
I’ve also noticed most of them are very generous. Back home in the Philippines, they’re involved in ministry and help the poor in many ways.
          That’s why I get excited everytime we give the TrulyRich Financial Coaching Program. Because I’m also a preacher, the people who I attract to my financial seminars are people who aren’t greedy or selfish, but would like to become rich because they want do a lot of good. When they become rich, they don’t only take vacations, they also take pilgrimages. When they become rich, they usually don’t buy luxurious stuff  because they want give more to God’s work and to the poor.
          If you want to prosper, come and join me at the TrulyRich Financial Coaching Program. My mentors and I will teach you how to create multiple income streams.
          It’s really all about mentorship. I grew my money because I listened to people who knew how to grow their money.
          For more information, click the link below.
           
          May your dreams come true,
 
          Bo Sanchez
 
PS. Prosper so that others can prosper. That’s my rule in life. It’s not too late to learn how to grow the money. It’s not too late to learn how to invest, how to increase your wealth, how to prosper—so that you can prosper others.

Save for the rainy days to survive financial disasters

 Source: Pinoy Smart Savers

“It is not raining when Noah built the ark. ’

 For the millions of Filipinos affected by Ondoy’s fury, cleaning up after the great flood is just one of the difficult tasks that lie ahead and sadly, it could be one of the easiest.  Ondoy’s once-in-a-lifetime deluge also brought another kind of disaster to hundreds of thousands of its victims – financial disaster.  The kind of catastrophe that’s harder to recover from especially if you were unprepared.
 
Many homes sustained major damage or completely destroyed.  Thousands of cars were devastated and not a few rendered totally useless.  Trashed furniture, appliances and other stuff litter the mud covered streets waiting to be taken away to its final resting place in landfills.  Small businesses which took years to build were gone in a flash.  It will take a long time and lots of money to replace or repair the things that you hold dear.  However, some are lost forever and can never be replaced like the hundreds who died.
 
Your ability to pull through a financial disaster quickly and easily will largely depend on how well you have saved for the literal and figurative “rainy days.”  Getting back on your feet will be a great struggle if you don’t have enough savings to turn to or don’t have ample protection when financial emergencies strike.  Dahil marami sa atin ay maliit lang o walang ipon, marami na namang Pilipino ang mababaon sa utang para lang makabangon.
 
I can only hope that the tragedy caused by Ondoy will jolt every Filipino to seriously start saving and get protection against financial tragedies.  Remember, there are other unexpected events that you should worry about besides catastrophic natural calamities.  Accidents and sickness, which can happen anytime, can also wreak havoc on your finances if you are not prepared. 
 
Kaya sana simulan mo na agad ang pag-iipon.  Dahil magpa-Pasko na, sana hindi mo gagastusin lahat ng bonus mo.  Set aside some for your savings and emergency fund or get insurance for yourself, your family and your properties.  You may not be able to prevent disasters, accidents or sickness from happening but you sure can prepare for it.  So prepare now before it strikes again!

POVERTY is not lack of MONEY; POVERTY is MISMANAGED MONEY……

 


“It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:24-25 (NLT)



Against great popular thinking, poverty is not the lack of money. Just because you don’t have money doesn’t mean you are impoverished. Many times, the lack of money or what is known as poverty, is the result of years of someone misguiding their money. For some time, the body of Christ has identified poverty with lack of money. But the truth is people have simply misguided their money. Those who are obedient when sowing their money always tend to have more. God is a God of abundance, and He has insight as to where we should sow.



I remember many years ago, when I was just a young boy, hearing a conversation between my mother and father. My father curiously inquired of my mother, “What should we buy - beer or bread?” At that time, we didn’t have enough money for both, so they had to choose between beer and bread. My mother responded, “Let’s buy beer.” It wasn’t that my parents didn’t have money. They just used their money in the wrong way.



1. How do you spend your money? (your income, your 13th month pay, your bonuses)

2. Do you see it as a seed, or simply money?

3. Do you generously give it, or do you hoard it?

4. Does it go toward the things of God, or toward fulfilling the lusts of your flesh?



Where your money goes determines whether you walk in abundance or in poverty. The choice is yours. Poverty is not the lack of money; poverty is the proof of misguided money. God calls us to give a tenth to our church. He also calls us to feed the poor and help those who are less fortunate. He calls us to sow into the lives of others for the good they have done in our lives. The moment we begin to follow those instructions is the moment our days of lack are over. When we focus our money in the right direction, money will increase in our lives. We will reap what we sow and that alone. If we don’t sow anything, we don’t have the right to expect a harvest.



Lack is the proof one has misdirected their seed. May God help us today to identify the correct destination of our seed!

A Lifestyle of Thriftiness….

Lifestyle Prosperity

Wealth Academy at LA MAJA RICA HOTEL………in Tarlac City

La Maja Rica Hotel, Mac Arthur Hi-way corner Ligtasan Street, Tarlac City.
Tel.No. Trunkline (63)(045) 611-20-53 to 57 ; Telefax No. (63)(045) 611-20-51

Email: info@lamajaricahotel.net

Wealth Academy Seminar Topics and Schedules
Pls. Contact Jay Galang 0919.3279960; 0916.6961434; 0932.3288682

Direct Line: 02.568.1601
jay.galang@img-wealthacademy.com

It was Saturday morning August 8, 2009, about 30 businessmen and OFW attended the Wealth Academy – Series (Fundamental of Financial Planning). It was organized by Mr. Warren Pique, a Financial Consultant himself in the United States.

It was indeed a very successful seminar. One of the participants affirmed that truly, “It was a real Financial Wake-up Call”. He shared to me his story and told that he had earned so much in Network Marketing in many years. “300 thousand pesos a week is just an ordinary income for me”, he continued. It was mismanaged, built an overwhelming lifestyle. And now, all the money is gone.

More stories were told, and it will made you realized that a lot of families in our country are struggling financially. I believe with all of my heart that our Wealth Academy will provide Total Financial Solution to every walk of life, no matter what stage you are in your finances.

NO SHORTCUT to a BETTER LIFE

Retirement is a Process!

Are you ready for Retirement? Do you pay attention with your Retirement?

“Retirement is actually a Process”. This is the first statement i said to 50 participants of University of the Philippines, Los Banos Laguna last August 27, 2009.

Most of them agreed that they belong to 95% of the Filipino people retiring broke, or becoming dependent to their children, forced to go back to work, depends on SSS or GSIS, depends on charity.

Its a painful reality that in the Philippines that 1 parent can take care 10 children, making sure that by all means they will all finish colllege. But 10 children, nowadays cannot even take care 1 parent. Do you agree? Maybe its not really that children have bad attitude but its just that they are also struggling financially.

What determines retirement? Age or Money? Its money, you can retire anytime. Its the size of your passive income which determines if you can retire tommorrow, next year or 10 years from now.

We believe that everybody should take their retirement seriously as young as he or she is.

We can help you prepare for your RETIREMENT. Attend our Wealth Academy Program. For details, just contact Jay Galang 0919-3279960, 0916-6961434, 0932-32888682 , 02.568-1601 or email me jay.galang@gmail.com, jaygalang@gmail.com

You can also visit our website: www.img-wealthacademy.com, www.img-corp.com

Financial Planning and Workshops!

FINANCIAL EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

I

It was not many years ago that with a little hard work and careful budgeting, most families could realize their dreams of buying their own  home, sending their children to college or retiring in relative comfort.

But in the blink of a generation, the financial landscape changed dramatically for today’s families. Skyrocketing costs, mountains of debt and lack of savings have forced families to downsize or even eliminate their dreams.

Each month, families find themselves walking a financial tightrope, hoping to stretch their income just far enough to cover expenses, and to avoid that one false step—a termination notice or a medical crisis—that could send them plummeting into ruin.

Not too long ago, a parent can raise 10 children.

Today, the 10 children cannot raise a parent.

…and a couple, both working ,can hardly raise 2 or 3 kids.

At IMG, we believe that YOU should not compromise your dreams. Instead, we advocate taking a practical approach to finances, one that incorporates powerful financial concepts and programs to provide YOU with the tools needed to make smart choices. We believe that Everyone, if given the right information, can achieve Financial Independence.

If you think Financial Education is expensive and a waste of time, try Ignorance!

The need exists for widespread

FINANCIAL EDUCATION

But how do YOU gain this knowledge?

Schools rarely teach it. Families hardly talk about it.

Unfortunately, unless YOU understand the power of money, YOU can’t put it to work for YOU.

Workshop Overview:

Wealth Academy training program will provide every participant a “Blue Print of their Financial Future”.

How the Participants will benefit?

TRAINING METHODS:

This life changing training program provides an interactive approach to every participant. Its comprehensive modules allow the participant realized their current financial conditions. We provide practical approach workshops to determine “How much money is enough”.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE:

Series 1:  Financial Solutions/ Wealth Management  

This series is designed to provide a simple, clear, comprehensive and practical approach to Personal Financial Planning. It presents the vital concepts and principles necessary for anyone desiring to get out of debt and build wealth for his/ her family.

• The Six (6) Steps to Financial Independence
• The X-Curve Concept: The Blueprint of Financial Planning
• The Rat Race Cycle: The Reason Why Most People Struggle Financially
• Debt: Friend or Foe?
• How to Increase Cash Flow
• How Money Works
• The Wealth Formula
• The Rule of 72: The Power of Compounding Interest
• Fundamentals of Investments
• Putting the Allies of Wealth to work for you
• Overcoming the Enemies of Wealth
• How to Build a Solid Financial Foundation

                Duration: 1 ½ hour

 Series 2: Finance 101 

A more intensive and powerful discussion of wealth-building and wealth-protection principles, this series focuses on how one can truly build a solid financial foundation. It presents the different investment options one could undertake to build wealth. It also reveals the Secret of the Financial Industry-how they rob people’s money-the things you ought to know.

• Building a Solid Financial Foundation
• The Three (3) Secrets of Insurance
• Rules in Investing
• Different Investment Vehicles
• Mutual Fund vs. Investing in Stocks
• Investment Strategies: How to Minimize the Risk and Maximize Profits
• Money Cost Averaging
• Diversification and Asset Allocations
• Retirement Strategies
• Providing Proper Protection for Families        

                Duration: Two (2) hours

Series 3: Financial Planning and Management Workshop  

A higher level learning, this seminar will guide you in planning your financial future. It will help you realize your current financial position, set goals, and create a concrete plan to achieve your family’s financial objectives.

• Financial Goal-setting, Coaching and Mentoring
• Financial Check-up and Needs Analysis
• Starting Your Personal Financial Strategy
• Debt Management: How to Escape the Grip of Debt
• Fortune from Small Change: The Investible Fund
• Statement of Income and Expenses
• Statement of Assets and Liabilities
• Estate Preservation

               Duration: Two (2) hours

Series 4:  Creating Multiple Passive Income Streams  

This series provides a powerful approach on how to get started building multiple streams of passive income.

• The Different Sources of Passive Income
• Active vs. Passive Income:Three (3) Kinds of People and How They Make Money
• Creating Multiple Passive Income Streams
• Becoming Your Own Financial Expert/ Bypass the Middleman
• New Concepts of Making Good Money                   

                Duration: 1 ½ hour

A minimum of Fifteen (15) participants, and a maximum of Thirty (30) participants per session are recommended.

Equipment Needed: OHP or LCD multimedia projector

WE CUSTOMIZE DESIGN OF TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR EXCLUSIVE RUNS!

The Financial Management training program and workshop is open to all kinds of groups and organizations like corporate, cooperative, school, church, rotary club, etch.

You can also booked us for retreats, team building and other related activities.

We also conduct Pre-Retirement Counselling Program, family or individual financial needs analysis.

Financial Management Training Includes: A “Life Changing”, learning experience complete with Workshop Materials, Wealth Calculator, Certificate, and more.

For Details please contact:

JAY C. GALANG

ASSOCIATE FINANCIAL PLANNER

Trainer, Wealth Academy

National Marketing Director, International Marketing Group       

Professor, De La Salle- College of St. Benilde

Mobile:  0919.327.9960, 0916.696.1434, 0932.328.8682

Office:  02.812.2551 loc. 116 Direct Line: 02.568.1601

Email:   jay.galang@img-wealthacademy.com , jaygalang@gmail.com

Website: www.img-corp.com; www.img-wealthacademy.com

The Road to Financial Freedom

by: Anna Marie Tagaan

One of the keys to financial freedom is to create a “Golden Goose”
where you can eventually live off the “eggs”. It was Aesop, who told a tale with a moral core in “The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs”.

A man and his wife had the good fortune to possess a goose that laid a golden egg every day. For a while they were happy and lived well. But then they became impatient with how quickly they were accumulating their wealth. So they thought that if the goose could lay such a fine egg of gold, it must be lined with the precious metal. If they cut the goose open, they could get the gold all at once. Of course we all know what happened, the goose was just a goose and there was no gold inside. For Aesop, the moral of the story was much wants more and loses all. There is also a hidden message in this tale, - true gold comes from the process of creating.

Look after your Golden Goose. Never Mistake the Egg as the Gift. We have become a society that values things more than people. It is often joked, tongue-in-cheek that you are only as good as your last accomplishment. That is the ultimate lie. We are not a collection of the things that we do, the sale that we make, or the goal that is conquered. You are the gift. You are the Golden Goose. The egg is just the last thing you created.

Wherever you are right now in your life, please stop for a moment and hear this truth. The true gold lies not in the outcome or accomplishment, it is in the process of creating. When you give yourself a little space and care for the Golden Goose inside you, you will once again lay a golden egg. Don’t worry, there is nowhere to go, you have everything you need for the blissful life you desire. You just forgot where the true gold lives — inside of you.

Financial independence is a journey. And like any journey, if a person wants to travel from where they are to where they want to be, they need to know where they are starting from, where they want to be going, and the options of how to get there. And if they’ve never been there before, they need a map, even if it’s only used as a reference for when they lose their way or the planned road is temporarily or permanently closed.

What people are looking for is a roadmap to prosperity. That roadmap will differ from family to family and individual to individual. Each family has its own situation, needs, values, priorities and definitions of financial freedom. Furthermore, families and individuals want to educate themselves in how money works without being dependent on their bank, their insurance agent, or even their financial adviser. They want to be able to make their own choices for their own journey. And most want “enlightened” financial freedom - to achieve abundance without compromising their integrity, their values, their happiness or their friends. They want to understand basic financial principles so that they can develop “golden eggs” from their own financial freedom “goose”.
  ____________

The Wealth Academy series answers this need to learn about financial literacy. It is not anymore something that only a few people know about. This knowledge is now made available for people from all walks of life. Before there is a saying that “the rich gets richer while the poor gets poorer”. This happens because financial education before was made available only to those who are capable to spend money on financial advisers and the like. Now, we can not say that anymore.

EVERYBODY can be rich. We just have to find the right environment, to learn and apply what we have learned. It is not our fault if we were born poor or less privileged. But IT IS OUR FAULT if we die poor. That means we have not done something for ourselves and our family. We must take charge of our future NOW! Let us not procrastinate and wait until it will be too late.

How do you feel today?

by: Jun Avendaño

Once, I was asked,

“What is the strongest feeling in this world?”

And without any hesitation I replied…LOVE

WRONG!

The answer is FEAR

Fear of rejection, fear of what people will say,

Fear of failure, fear of uncertainty and the list is endless.

Why is it very dangerous? Because it has many faces, it is very subtle, it is like a deadly virus creeping in one’s mind, body and soul….results….

Paralysis!!!

It can enter through our five senses and will come out in our face, in our eyes, in our mouth, in our hands, in our feet, in our pee, in our sweat, and in our own eyes.

WE BECOME small.

There are 365 days in a year, and its amazing that the BIG BOOK recorded “365 FEAR NOT”, ONE FEAR NOT EACH DAY.

KEEP YOUR EYES IN GOD, FOCUS ON YOUR GOAL, FOCUS ON YOUR FULL POTENTIALS AND ACT, AND SURELY, FEAR WILL DIE NATURALLY.

Average Filipino has Financial IQ of 48

Average Filipino has financial IQ of 48, says American bank

400 respondents polled

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:09:00 01/18/2008

MANILA, Philippines — Lacking confidence that their savings can cover emergency needs or support a comfortable retirement, the average Filipino has a “financial intelligence quotient” of only 47.8, less than half the maximum score of 100, according to Citibank.

The score was derived from the American banking giant’s Fin-Q survey, a study across the Asia-Pacific designed to measure the financial quotient or financial intelligence of consumers aged 18 to 40, who have at least a bank account or a credit card.

The survey, whose main findings were released at a press briefing Thursday, showed that 62 percent of Filipino respondents belonging to the middle-income working class had a score of less than 50.

No retirement planning

The survey, administered online and conducted in the last quarter of 2007, polled 400 Filipino respondents across the country earning an average of P30,000 per month.

About 30 percent of the respondents were earning under P100,000 a year, while 34 percent belonged to the P100,000-P300,000 income bracket.

About 28 percent were earning more than P300,000 while 8 percent refused to reveal their income bracket.

“Based on the Fin-Q results, only 1 out of 10 Filipino respondents is consciously saving up for retirement. The rest have some savings but don’t know if it will be enough. Others have no idea at all how much they need or have not started planning,” said Agustin Davalos, Citibank Philippines’ retail bank director.

“If they lost their jobs tomorrow, or suddenly fall ill and cannot work, their savings would last only for nine weeks (about two months) before they run out of money,” Davalos said.

The benchmark for a comfortable buffer in case of a sudden sickness or loss of job is to maintain liquid savings equal to three to six months worth of current earnings.

The survey also showed that almost 7 out of 10 Filipino respondents own insurance but only half of this number felt that the coverage was enough to protect them and their families.

Other key findings

Majority of the Filipino respondents attempt to come up with a monthly budget but only 33 percent stick to self-imposed expenditure ceilings.

More than half of the respondents save “when they can” but only 36 percent make it a discipline to set aside money each payday.

About 40 percent pay their full credit card balance monthly while a greater proportion are “revolvers” — 38 percent pay more than the minimum and 22 percent pay only the minimum required.

About a quarter of the respondents either own or rent a house.

Those who believe they have sufficient insurance coverage account for only 32 percent. About 36 percent have life insurance plans while 32 percent do not have any insurance plan at all.

On knowledge on investing in case of a sudden windfall, 53 percent know exactly what to do with their savings. However, a lot of Filipinos have not done much in terms of long-term financial planning as only 13 percent said they know exactly what to do before retirement and are on track with its plans.

More than two out of five have no idea how much they need for retirement or have not started planning.

Only 16 percent of the working middle-class have financial planning developed with financial professionals while 96 percent do not have a will to legally transfer assets and liabilities in case of death.

Eleven questions

Conducted by Australia-based CxC Consulting, the survey scored respondents on 11 different questions closely related to financial well-being, with a maximum possible score of 100 each –much like grading a student based on performance on individual subjects like Math, Science or English.

The questions ranged from their optimism about their financial future to approaches to budgeting and saving to whether they have a formal financial plan and an up-to-date will.

The study also incorporated separate attitudinal and lifestyle questions. The better the financial position is in one particular area, the higher the points garnered.

Credit card payment

In credit card payment patterns, for instance, a respondent who wipes out the entire credit card monthly debt (and thus avoids costly financial charges) gets the full 10 points while one who pays only a slightly higher amount than the required minimum payment gets 5 points. If he pays only the bare minimum, he doesn’t get any point.

“If you look at the areas where we need to improve on, that would be the state of our financial savings, having a formal financial plan and having an up-to-date will, which in turn should also ultimately improve our satisfaction with our quality of life and our confidence in financial future,” said Citibank research specialist Abby Chan.

“While the Fin-Q score may be disappointing, the good news is that more than half of the surveyed population believes in the importance of saving.

The problem lies in having the discipline to do so, which could be due to lack of resources or financial know-how,” Davalos said.

Sunny outlook

The survey also reflected Filipinos’ sunny outlook, as 64 percent said they were satisfied with their current quality of life and 77 percent were optimistic about their future.

“But it’s telling to see that you have 36 percent who said that they are not satisfied [with quality of life] and these are probably the people who sort of dragged down the Philippine score in this area,” Chan said.

“When we grilled down the people who are not satisfied, the saying that ‘money can buy happiness’ seems to work because those not satisfied are those who are significantly lower in terms of income, those who have not yet prepared for their retirement savings, and those who are not that secure about their current jobs,” Chan said.

As expected, younger respondents are more optimistic than their older counterparts because they have less financial responsibilities.

Citigroup loss: $18B

“Based on this survey, [we] learned that Filipinos have the willingness to save but not the discipline to make it a regular habit,” Chan said.

If it’s any measure of its own financial IQ, Citigroup, Citibank’s mother company, announced on Wednesday a huge quarterly loss of $9.83 billion stemming from its exposure in subprime mortgage investments amid the worst US housing slump in decades.

Citigroup has so far written down $18 billion for losses tied to subprime home loans and other risky debt.