The smallest of things can have the biggest influence on us. The weirdest of places can teach us the most profound of lessons. Learnings and teachings can be found in strangest places, even when it comes to financial information. Yes, the book 9 Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman is definitely useful and great place to start. But, if you look for them you will find advice on investment even in cartoons. The twist is to learn to apply them.
Stop a minute and look at the same characters from the magnifying glass of a vested interest and Tweety’s "I tawt I taw a puddy tat!" will soon sound as I tawt I taw the tock market rise! Entertainment might have been the end goal for the ankle-biters, but for us adults, their comedy can be informative. Let’s take a walk on the flipside and see the top ten investment tips hidden behind cartoon characters.
1. Tweety really, really knew her money. She taught two very valuable lessons that apply to investment. The first one being size doesn’t matter. That teeny, tiny bird took on a giant (at least for Tweety) cat every single time. The same goes with investment. The belief that a large mutual fund will do better than a smaller one is baseless as per Value(1) Research. Last(2) year’s investment mantra was ‘if you want big returns, especially in Indian Stocks, begin with small companies.’ Size really doesn’t matter in investment.
2. The pace at which things transform has changed in leaps and bounds. Being agile and quick to respond to these changes has become mandatory. And that’s the other tip Tweety gave us – to think and to think fast on our feet. For today’s era of investment, where new opportunities and challenges arise with every turn of the clock this ability means a shorter path to success.
3. The one tip that should really sticks, is the one Nemo taught us: Just keep swimming. Regardless of life's ups and downs you have to keep swimming, go ahead and don’t give up. If you tread upon investment’s banana skin, get up, dust yourself and believe that a good turn will come soon.
4. Uncle Scrooge, the one character that definitely taught each and every one of us about money, was a master at teaching tricks to investment. In one word Scrooge McDuck tips equate to - Diversification. Don’t keep all your eggs in one market. Dip a toe in every pot. Let this be your battle cry when it comes to wealth creation.
5. Now a tip for the common, amateur or beginner investor from Dora The Explorer – ask questions even if they seem stupid to you. Like Dora would ask ‘where is the green basket?’ while it was kept right next to her, you have the right to ask your financial advisor the seemingly banal questions. When it is your hard earned money involved, question ad nauseam till you understand what is being done.
6. Another leaf out of Dora The Explorer’s book is to be well prepared. Before you invest, accumulate all the information you can. Go through it vigorously, chalk a well thought out plan and then embark on the journey. Be armed like Dora with a map and a plan.
7. The lover of honey, cuddly and cute Winnie the Pooh unwittingly taught the harshest tip – to draw a line. There is no end to want and greed. Just like Pooh who just could not stop consuming honey; if you borrow and invest heedlessly the end result will be a mountain of debt and an up-close experience of how dirt tastes like. So learn from Pooh’s mistake – enjoy what you have or learn to borrow wisely.
8. What’s Up Doc? How many times did you hear Bug’s Bunny say this? I bet atleast 10-15 times in just one episode. Now think about the number of times you have asked the same about your financial health. Have you asked your portfolio manager how are your investments coming? Keep a finger on the pulse of your investments.
9. If you carefully look at Homer Simpson you’ll realise he taught us a boatload about investment and finance. Admittedly, in a convoluted way. The piece of advice we take from him is: when it comes to investment complexity is the word of the day. So give them TLC, instead of running for a quick-buck scheme look for the slow and steady win.
10.The last tip before we vamoose can be picked from any fairytale cartoon - Magic solutions last for only so long. A carriage made of pumpkin will vanish at the stroke of midnight. In investment there are no magical solutions or quick fixes. Look for a long term researched cure, not a twisted potion of an alternative revenue stream.
About Author:
Mohit Gang:
Mohit Gang is the Co-Founder of www.moneyfront.in, an investment portal that offers Direct Plans of Mutual Funds. Having worked with HSBC and Citibank, Mohit has over 12 years’ experience in the investment and banking industry.
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