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Morris Mpala, MoB Capital Ltd
THE word budgeting is mostly associated with companies or when one is searching for a loan. Many think of the budget when it is the Minister of Finance doing it for the country.

This shows our disregard for planning. Even companies rarely do it right. It is then too much to ask for the home front let alone individuals to do it.

But how does one spend their earnings recklessly without accounting for them even if it’s their money or without knowing where it’s going to come from.

There is a need to understand the profit and loss account of the home or individual and that way one gets to know for planning purposes.

That way remedies can be found. It could be either you make more money or cut your expenses or simultaneously doing both.

Budgeting is an excellent planning tool to manage your financial resources and time. If money did grow on trees or came from a bottomless pit won’t we all be a marvelous people as we would be doing as we please.

Unfortunately it is a finite resource that needs careful use.

There is a need to track where you are spending your money on. Your expenses, which you don’t understand, could ruin you in the long run.

Budgeting assists in your financial well being. Knowing your financial status helps you live a healthy financial life. It is a cultured way of leading one’s life and is a prudent approach to managing finances. It makes you anticipate challenges and avoid them.

If one can’t budget their personal finances how then do we expect them to handle companies or country for that matter. Charity should be resident at home first before it is exported without the home. If personally you are in financial turmoil how do we trust you with bigger finances?

Budgeting is not just listing items and folding your arms. Listen to your figures because they do talk and have tales to tell. A dollar or cent on the budget sheet has a meaning and symbolizes a certain lifestyle. If it’s not pointing to a financial healthy tendency then stop it before it’s too late.

Financial planning helps avoid unnecessary expenditures, which are a source of perennial headaches. Surely if you don’t know where you are going, then any road will lead you there eventually. In money matters that destination is ruinous. Without planning you will succumb to peer pressure as you derive satisfaction from approval from your colleagues without much deliberation on your own personal circumstances.

The tired and old adage “failing to plan is really planning to fail” still applies. Once a budget is done then stick to it. Run with it to the best of your ability. Why budget if you can’t follow your plans. Where there is a deviation remedy accordingly in this case by making the money for the expenditure. Strict budgets are the preserve of the prosperous. Cash budgeting has also helped in that you only spend what you have made.
Popularly it’s called eating what you kill and avoid feasting like you killed an elephant when all you gathered was an ant. Never at any time spend money you don’t have or are going to earn in the future.

Discipline is key to avoid gnashing of teeth when things don’t balance. Contrary to popular belief budgeting is for everyone. You just need to do a bit of budgeting if you are serious about your financial well being.

Being on auto pilot financially will not serve us well now nor in the future. The idea of teaching the young ones to do the same is vital in building a culture of financial planning and what it entails in order to build a culture.

When budgeting keep it very simple and stupid so that you can easily understand what you intend to do and how you want to do it. An easier plan is easier to read and follow. Simpler is more effective and efficient when it comes to implementation.

It makes you enjoy the execution part. In the future we will talk about time planning, which is also critical.

Local languages

It would be interesting to have economics literature in our languages probably then we could better understand the world of economics. Other nations are teaching in their language and its working thus they think in their local languages thus solutions are relevant as Ubuntu is assimilated in your own culture and have books in our lingua franca hoping it aides comprehension and a better economy at large.

TjiKalanga: Ha uhaka bhudilila mu njemulo dzidzo no sununguka mu meya nekwe zwe dzi mari, kungabe mshwalensi, butjenjevu ne ludzibo ne kwe mali, kene mali ino adzimiwa kwe lubaka nyana, lidzila MoB Capital pana 09-88025/6. Toboka.”

chiNambya: Makamu kanamuda kuziba nezwemali kushinga nokushingiswa kwayo lebelekani neMoB Capital mubujwe nokuzhele kutila kugalika zubuyanana makole akombeli . IMoB Capital ndibo banoziba zunji nozozukweleti, kushinga kwamabhizinesi matukutuku nokupha mano nokuta nozwe insurance. Taboka kasakasa. Fonelani 09-880205/6

Tonga: Kuti mpeekezyo zyako zilaajulu loko mubweendelezi bwamali, abunikide bwanzuyeeyela kuba mubukkale bwako mulizyamali kube mulizyakusyomeezegwa,malayile mabotu aatala amali azyaku cheneka mali iilaansi, soola ba MoB Capital a 09-880205/6,Twalumba lokoloko.

siNdebele: Nxa lifuna ukuzwa ngokugcweleyo mayelana ngemali ukusebenza lokusentshenziswa kwayo bona abameli be MoB Capital ingcitshi kwezamaloans, insurance lokucubungula amabhizimisi amancane. Woba lilembe eleqa amanye amalembe endabeni zemali khuluma labameli beMoB Capital ku 880205/6 koBulawayo. Siyabonga.

chiShona: Kana muchida ruzivo rwakadzama mune zvefinance, angava maloans, micro-insurance kana kuziva kufambiswa kwemabhizimusi madiki, fonerayi MoB Capital pa 880205/6 kuBulawayo. Ndivo vanamazvikokota panyaya idzi. Tatenda

English: For your highest financial wishes and deepest aspirations in financial well being, be it in insurance, financial advisory and basic small loans, give MoB Capital a call on 09-880205/6.

Thank You.

Local language translators.

For the sake of your pride and uplifting your local language please come in and let’s interpret some documents for our clients to understand. Offer your services for your people on a pro bono basis as it will be just be a few top crucial documents. Make your people proud.

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l Morris Mpala is the managing director of MoB Capital, a micro-finance institution with footprint across the country.