Look, I’m gonna level with you
About five years ago, I was sitting in a coffee shop in Jakarta with my friend Marcus (not his real name, but you know how it is). We were talking about money, and he told me he’d just met with his financial advisor. “You’ll never guess what he told me,” Marcus said. “He said I should invest in bonds because they’re safe.” I nearly spit out my kopi. Safe? Since when are bonds safe?
That’s when I realized something: I’d been taking financial advice from people who didn’t have my best interests at heart. Or maybe they just didn’t know what they were talking about. Either way, I was done.
I fired my financial advisor
So, last Tuesday, I did something drastic. I fired my financial advisor. His name was Dave, and he was a nice guy, but he was also clueless. He kept telling me to diversify, diversify, diversify. “Diversification is the only free lunch in investing,” he’d say. Which… yeah. Fair enough. But he didn’t understand that I wasn’t looking for a free lunch. I was looking for growth.
I started reading alot about investing. I read books, I listened to podcasts, I even took an online course. And you know what I learned? Most financial advisors are just salespeople. They’re not looking out for you. They’re looking out for themselves.
I started managing my own money
So, I started managing my own money. And honestly, it was scary at first. I made some mistakes. I bought some stocks that tanked. I sold some stocks too early. But I learned from those mistakes. And I started to see some succesfully.
I started with just $87. I bought a few shares of a company I believed in. And I held onto them. And I watched them grow. And I thought, “Hey, maybe I can do this.” So, I kept going. I kept learning. I kept investing.
And you know what? I’m doing better than I was when I had a financial advisor. I’m not a millionaire yet, but I’m on my way. And I’m doing it all myself.
I’m not saying you should do the same
Now, I’m not saying you should fire your financial advisor and start managing your own money. That’s not what I’m saying at all. What I’m saying is that you should be informed. You should know what’s going on with your money. You should understand the property valuation methods guide property valuation methods guide and other financial concepts that affect your life.
You should ask questions. You should demand answers. You should be your own advocate. Because at the end of the day, it’s your money. And you should be the one in control of it.
A tangent: why I hate cryptocurrency
Speaking of being in control of your money, let me tell you something else. I hate cryptocurrency. I think it’s a scam. I think it’s a bubble. And I think it’s gonna burst. But that’s a story for another time.
Back to the point
Look, I’m not a financial expert. I’m just a guy who’s been managing his own money for the past few years. And I’ve learned alot. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve had successes. And I’ve learned that the key to financial success is education. It’s understanding. It’s being informed.
So, if you’re out there taking financial advice from people who don’t have your best interests at heart, stop. Fire them. Educate yourself. Take control of your money. Because it’s your money. And you deserve to be in control of it.
And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay. Start small. Start with $87. Start with a single stock. Start with a book. Start with a podcast. Just start. Because the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be on your way to financial freedom.
And honestly, that’s all I’ve got. I’m not gonna wrap this up with a neat little bow. I’m not gonna give you a call-to-action. I’m just gonna leave you with this: take control of your money. Because it’s your money. And you deserve to be in control of it.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Alex. I’m a senior magazine editor with 20+ years of experience. I’ve written for major publications, and I’ve made alot of mistakes along the way. But I’ve learned from them. And I’m here to share what I’ve learned with you. So, let’s chat. Let’s argue. Let’s learn together.
