Here’s another book that you need to read today.
Set your own rules. Live the life you want. Change the world.
How many of us can actually do that today? More important, how many of us dream of doing that some day? I’m certain that most of us belong to the “dreamers” category hoping to one day break free from all those rules that someone else sets for us to follow. This book just might be your ticket to freedom.
And you can win a copy right here on Capital Advisor.
Here’s all that you need to do to participate —
Simply leave a comment explaining how prepared you are financially should you lose your job this morning? Remember, the more descriptive your answer is the better is your chance of winning. And don’t forget to leave your email address.
I’ll pick a winner about a week from today. Thanks in advance for participating.
8 thoughts on “June Book Giveaway — The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World”
This is what I am doing:
1. Keeping a healthy balance in my bank to take care of family expenses and other regular outflows for about 6 months
2. FD balance to take care of some emergency
3. Health insurance to cover unexpected medical expenses
4. Keeping my job market skill upto date, so that getting a new job is not a problem ;-)
Good one Chinmay, way to go, looks like you are planning out very well. In addition to the above I hope you have a sizable amount of term plan too.
If your Savings bank is earning 4-5% returns then you could keep 3 months expenses and start an RD for the same, with RD you can earn returns in the range of 8-9%
@Vinaya,
Looks like an interesting read, What’s your feedback on it?
Ah, Chris’s book!. So i keep reading a lot about early retirement, doing stuff after retirement and what you would do if you were to lose your job etc etc. There are a whole bunch of blogs and sites and personal blogs out there on the web..great stuff if you trawled thro’ them.
From an indian perspective, i have always seen when we ask the question about early retirement or something along the lines of what Vinaya has asked (how prepped are you financially etc) the answers are always along the lines of emergency funds for X months, then funds in debt instruments that can be taken out emergencies, and then term insurances et al, the whole host of stuff that you can think up. Don’t get me wrong here, i am all for having all of these in order, but only 1 in 10 actually speak of cultivating the needs vs. wants behavior, and also the emotional readiness that needs to go hand in hand with practicing such discipline and austerity. Frankly with a lifestyle of doing what keeps you happy and also having a clear demarcation of wants vs. needs, things become really clear and it is really simple too.
Imagine, if all of us lived with what we needed instead of what we wanted and separated out the needed-wheat from the wanted-chaff in our day-to-day life, does it not imply that we are almost leading a life that could very well be a retired life?. Yeah, there is that job and other pressures, but with a clear demarcation of what is important vs. what isnt most of your worries would seem so much more to be pin-pricks than the damocles sword its made out to be.
Reminds of what Gandhi said every time i converse on this topic – There is enough for every mans need, but not for every mans greed.
Since I don’t have any dependents, my expenses turn out to be quite less.
Things I have done which can help me tide over should I lose the job:
1. I have an emergency fund. This emergency fund is split between a savings account and debt funds.
2. I have always invested my time in alternate career. Alternate career here refers to my passion for teaching and I would consider the time to be ripe to jump to this career.
3. I have a health insurance, if I have a breakdown after I lose the job :P
@Anil Kuppa —
Interesting. :-) What subjects/areas are you looking to teach? And how did you go about building this alternate career?
@Chinmay Albal —
Nice! How are you going about keeping your job skills up-to-date? Any particular certifications? Short-term courses?
This is what i am currently doing –
0. Pay if bills to whatever extent possbile, if i get a Settlement from the company.
1. Maintain an Emergency Fund for atleast 3-4 Months, considering my current Expenses. I have Sweep in facility from HDFC as well.
2. I have a record of all Investments, savings (FDs, ELSS, Stocks, MFs) Including their Maturity Dates, This will help me in tapping my resources when i need it most.
3. Maintain Health Insurance apart from the one that is offered from my Organization
4. Term Life Insurance, which i already have. Incase there is a double disaster.
5. I have a list of Expenses and Bills, Invesments that i currently do/spend. I have priorities assigned to each of them –
a. Required and Important (Ex: Groceries spend, Telephone Bills, Mobile Bills etc)
b. Can live without it (Ex: Tata Sky HD connection!, Broadband Internet with Hihg FUP, Gym Membership etc)
Incase of a disaster, I can reduce expenses by striking out the “Not so Important” items or reducing the spends.
6. Try not use use my Credit Cards!
7. Like Chinmay Mentioned, Get my skills upto date.
How?
Expand my knowledge base by studying more on the subject (Internet, Books etc.,)
Study Towards achieving Certifications (If there is one available)
8. Start Networking and Job Hunting!