What best money advice can you give?

The week gone by, I have had my mail box filled-up with very positive feedback on the Personal finances column. For a while, I had taken the feedback email off and so never quite realised how I deprived my column followers of the feedback mechanism.

Having given a lot of advice on this column, I thought I could ask some readers to reflect on their personal finance life over the past year and mention in 10 words or less, what they consider to be the best advice they would give regarding how one can best manage their money.

I was moved by the dearth of advice that was put through. Here is some of the selected few responses that came out. All of these are stellar money tips—and all of them come in with 10 words or less. Enjoy!

• The secret to money management is learning to be content.
•  Know what really matters. Don’t spend money on other stuff.
• Don’t borrow more than you can repay.
•  Be mindful of how you spend money.
• Live below your means and save all you can.
•  Spend less than you earn. Earn more.
•  Don’t save at 2% when you’ve got debt at 10%.
•  Spend more time, less money.
•  If you try to get rich quickly, you will go broke fast.
• Diversify. Minimise costs. Stay the course.
•  Borrowing money for a depreciating asset is a fool’s errand.
• If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.
• Save regularly and spend less than you earn.
• Learn to love left-overs (Chimbala)!
• Best money advice “Don’t Spend More Than You Earn”.
• Change one money habit at a time.
• Save and invest for the long term.
• Save/invest as much as you can.
• Working hard doesn’t mean you deserve anything you can’t afford.
• Be thrifty but don’t forget to enjoy yourself
• The only one who cares about your money is you.
• Before purchasing, I ask myself, “Can you justify the expense?”
• Money comes and goes but the memories stay.

Was this not great to have all these pieces of advice in less than 10 words from readers of the column? I learnt a lot from you all but remember to be doers of what you say and hear, if it worthwhile (for believers, see James 1:22).