Blog.Azwan

This is my answers to Zaki’s tag. I got tagged in August 2008 and I am only answering it now. So, what does this mean? Simple – don’t tag me if you can’t wait

About 6-8 years back, I realized that my knowledge in personal finance was = 0. I know nothing. I was living from paycheck to paycheck. I don’t know where my money has gone to. Even when I got a higher pay, it was never enough and I was still in debt. Not wanting to be old and poor during my retirement, I was determined to learn more on personal finance. I can’t afford a Financial Consultant, so I invested in myself. With personal finance books, magazines, seminars, softwares and spend a lot of time reading, surfing the net for info and also asking lot of questions to friends who are from the financial background.

However, it was not easy. I didn’t see any result in the first year, nothing in the next 2 years. It was tough and I was also still in debt, but that didn’t stop me. I stick to my goals and targets. It paid off.

Things are different now. I am not rich, but I have enough to enjoy life and I am in complete control of my finance.

Although Zaki requested for my 6 best/biggest investment, I am not going to do that. I am listing the six significant investments that changed me.

1. My first personal finance book – Millionaires Are From A Different Planet
2. My Microsoft Money Software. It helps me to manage my money. Still using it.
3. My 1st pc, a Pentium II, which is now … dead. I started surfing with that Pentium II. I have a notebook before that, but I use it for my uni assignment and coding. but at that time, internet access are not like today.
4. My Jaring account. Registered in 1996 and I still have it although I am using Streamyx now.
5. My first car, a 1990 Honda Civic which I already sold. Used it from 1996 – 2006. Never buy a car you can’t afford although it make you look good ha.. ha.. , but this one does made me look good.
6. My blogs. I plan to grow my blogs and maybe in 2 to 3 years time, they will start to replace my current income.

Don’t work for money. Make it work for you. To understand that, you have to learn. Invest in yourself. That’s the best investment anyone can make.

And never spend more than what you make. It’s better to enjoy life with what you have. Simple

Oh btw, this is how the book looks like. Previously, the books I knew were the uni text books, magazines, fictions by Jeffrey Archer and Stephen King, and also comics.

p/s I am not tagging anyone. If you want to do this, just do it. Let me know and I’ll link from here.