While statements like “Usalama wako u mikononi mwako” (your security is in your hands) often told to us by politicians are debatable, there is no controversy about this version: your financial security is in your hands. Should your investments (or lack of) fail to help you meet the goals for which they are intended, you live with the consequences, no matter whose investment advice you…
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Earlier this year, Peter Nduati, a homeowner and real estate investor sent this tweet that triggered a subsequent #52WeekChallenge chat. https://twitter.com/PeterNduati/status/958763616324542465?s=19 I acknowledge this need to own real estate. It probably comes from a homing instinct that makes us feel more secure when we own some “soil”. Maybe because we feel that a house is a solid investment, unlike the other investments which are considered…
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Most of us pick a bank based on referrals made by family and friends. This is no doubt a fantastic way to do it because it is based on actual customer experiences, but one has to be careful because your bank has an active role to play in ensuring that you are managing your finances prudently. The question shouldn’t just be “which is the best…
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NIC Bank (which has been my bank for the last 7 years), recently launched their newest innovation, East Africa’s first Video Teller Machine at their branch at The Mall, Westlands. In addition to the VTM, the bank now has also upgraded their NOW SERVE ATMs, which allow customers to deposit cash and cheques instantly into their accounts – unlike with other banks, where the ATM…
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My first Kenyan e-commerce experience was about six or seven years ago. A Facebook friend invited me to Like a business page that proudly called itself, “Lucia’s Mitumba Camera Shop”. In second-hand clothes speak, “Camera” is the first selection traders make right after the clothes bale is opened. It is a bit pricey because the items are usually as good as new. I was fascinated…
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Two months ago, on our way to a meeting, my MD complimented my lip colour and asked for a referral to the shop where I had bought it from. Instead of a physical shop, I quickly sent her an Instagram link. I did not know who owned the shop, had not interacted with them in making the purchase, my only contact was with their motorbike…
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Whenever the topic of the Internet and kids comes up, there is a sense of panic that accompanies, it, whether the people discussing it are parents, educators, caregivers, or even people that do not have to deal with kids day -to-day. It is common to hear, “Parenting was not this difficult when we were children. All parents had to monitor was TV use (and TV…
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If you have consistently followed our stocks column so far, there is probably a good reason you are still interested. Your financial future matters enough for you to choose to learn and take some action. In the first part of this post, we covered the need for a Personal Financial Plan and I am sure that is now on your To Do list. Now let…
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This is the second post about a talk I gave at Technical University last month about saving money (and how to think about money) in your twenties. In the first post, I closed by saying that “a little luxury every day is no luxury” – the need to check how often we indulge and be mindful of our indulgences. Here are the next 5 things. 6….
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Three weeks ago I was invited to give a talk at the Technical University’s Rotaract Club Meeting, and during the Q&A, one of the students asked me if I would advise him to buy Bitcoin. He started by giving us a bit of a background about Bitcoin and blockchain technology, which showed that he had invested some time reading up before asking the question. This…
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