Women in this modern and hi-tech world are now on equal footing in almost all aspects of life with men. Women can be as rich and as wealthy as men. Now, how to do that without dragging the next rich man kicking and screaming to the altar? Read on.

Let’s start from the basics. The book “The Richest Man in Babylon” says “a part of all you earn is yours to keep”. Say it aloud or silently: “A part of what I earn is mine to keep.” Make it a part of your daily thoughts, starting in the morning and throughout your day. Repeat it until the words are etched in your mind. As you live the concept of keeping and saving as much as you can, you will soon realize what a great feeling it is to have savings. It must be savings that grow as you go along in your daily pursuit of wealth.

Saving for a rainy day is very important. We can learn from the ant. I came across the “Storehouse Principle’ by Al Jandl and Van Crouch, a brief story from an old fable about the ant and the grasshopper. It says the ant works hard all year long to store up for winter, while the grasshopper plays and gathers nothing. And when winter hits and the snows fall, the grasshopper begins to starve and must go to the ants in order to survive. Meanwhile, the ants are warm, safe, and secure--and they have plenty to help the grasshopper out in his need. In Proverbs 6:6, God tells us to go to the ant--not the grasshopper:

Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise.
Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler,
She provides her supplies in the summer.
And gathers her food in the harvest.
--Proverbs 6:6

Saving your hard-earned money is just the first step to financial literacy. My next article will teach you the basics of investing.

MYRNA SALANGUIT is our KA-PINAY Investments counselor. She is a Mutual Fund Representative of Sun Life Asset Management Co Inc., a Life Insurance Consultant of Sun Life of Canada Phils. and Sun Life Financial Plans Inc., and a professor of Financial Management at San Beda Alabang College.

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