World Savings Day: 5 Easy Tips to Help You Save More

World Savings Day: 5 Easy Tips to Help You Save More

October 30th is globally marked as the World Savings Day, also known as World Thrift Day.  It is a day devoted to the promotion of savings culture all over the World.

The importance of saving can’t be overemphasized. Through saving, A lot of people have been able to achieve their dreams.

Despite the apparent benefits of saving, some people still find it difficult to embrace this culture. Most of them give the following reasons for not being able to save:

  • Low income
  • Lack of motivation
  • Fear of losing money
  • Extravagant lifestyle, etc

If you really want to embrace the saving culture, follow these five steps and you are guaranteed of getting results soon:

Be determined

Let’s face it, saving requires a whole lot of determination and discipline. You must tell yourself this truth and prepare your mind and body. You will have to change a whole lot of things about yourself especially if you are the type that spends a lot.

You must have it in mind that nothing substantial can be achieved without these two: determination and discipline.

Set a realistic savings goal:

Setting a saving goal means answering the question why? Why do you want to save? What do you want to achieve with your savings? This goal will be the motivation behind your savings. Do you want to save to further your education? Or you want to buy a property such as a car, or real estate?

Determine how much you want to save

This is very important. Although this varies according to your goals and savings period. You may want to achieve your goal within a short while, this means you will have to save more to achieve this.

Cut cost

Saving means you are not going to be spending a certain percentage of your income. This may seem difficult but with determination to achieve your savings goal which should be larger than every other thing in your mind, you can cut spending on the least important things, at least pending your savings period

Use savings platform

There are different saving platforms that you can explore. The popular ones are cooperative societies popular known as Ajo, or opening a savings account with a commercial bank

But there are other ways to save money and get good interest on your savings. One good option is ARM Savings Plan. This plan is flexible and very easy to use. Some of the benefits of saving with ARM Savings Plan include:

  1. You can save with as low as N10,000 monthly.
  2. You will get a tax-free lump sum of all your investments and interest at the end of the Plan which is then used to fund your expenses.
  3. You will be paid a lump sum if something happens to you (critical illness or Permanent Disability).
  4. You can access your money during the contract period (at no charge only after three years). In addition, the policy allows you access to 25% of whatever your account balance is on an annual basis.
  5. We pay the Total Sum Assured should the death of the policyholder occur. This plan also takes care of Funeral expenses (this is an optional benefit).
  6. We pay twice the amount for which the policyholder is covered if the death of the policyholder is due to an accident. Upon death, the Savings plan contract terminates with immediate effect. The life cover and investment balance are paid to the beneficiary.
  7. You get guaranteed return on investment with attractive rates.

 

 

 

 

 

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Beware of these little foxes in NYSC Camp

Beware of these little foxes in NYSC Camp

You’ve prepared weeks in advance for this day and now it’s here! You’re finally doing your few weeks stint in the NYSC camp and depending on how you see it, it can actually be a fun time for you. But be very careful not to let the fun get the better of you causing you to spend all the money you went into camp with. Remember you’ll need the money as you settle into your PPA after Orientation Camp.

To get you on the right path, here are things that are likely to swallow your money if you let them at NYSC Camp:

Don’t get carried away by Mami Market:

The temptation to skip camp food and stroll into Mami market to order sumptuous delicacies will stare you in the face every now and then. It will be more intense on the days you can’t bear to queue for food. But you must be careful how you spend your ‘alawee’ to avoid going broke in camp – best to create and stick to a ‘Mami Market budget’. Do the ‘mami style’ once in a while and save the extra cash, you’ll need it.

Do your own laundry:

In camp, lots of little foxes rear their heads to swallow your money without you even realizing it. Another of such is the ‘any wash’ people available to do your laundry at a small cost. The thrill of lounging in bed while someone else washes your clothes will pull at you, but resist the urge to succumb to this money-sucking privilege. If you plan yourself and your movement, doing your own laundry shouldn’t be too hard.

Guard your mobile data jealously:

There are many reasons you’ll want to constantly surf the social media while in camp. It could be out of boredom, to catch up on happenings in the outside world or perhaps to show the world what’s going on in your camp via photo and video uploads to the gram. Slow down champ – these activities will drain your data and force you to top up every now and again. While you shouldn’t abstain from social media, do so with caution and entertain yourself with a myriad of fun activities available at your camp. If you truly search, you’ll find some.

Buy a power bank:

 

If you don’t already have one, it is advisable to buy because if you’re unlucky, your hostel room might not have any sockets or boast of just a few. Know that every little service you require while in camp will cost you some money – even charging your phone at mami market is sure to incur some expense. Your power bank will make sure your phone is powered for longer at least until you find a place to charge it.

Loss of personal items:

Keep your personal items including money safe. In fact, make sure you carry your money in your waist purse to avoid losing them to thieves. You already know that when your items are stolen, it will cost money to replace them.

Now that we’ve gotten the little foxes out of the way, make sure you have fun and enjoy every bit of your stay in camp!

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Two versions of you as 2018 ends

Two versions of you as 2018 ends

As you count down to the end of 2018, two personalities struggle inside of you – each, aiming to break free and dictate your spending habits. Let’s see what these two versions of you promise.

The version that:

The version that:

 has already calculated the remaining salary/income for the year and has a plan on how to spend it. Plans like:

 knows the remaining salary/income for the year and already planned what to spend it on for the rest of the year like:
Weekly drinks with the boys/girls because issa big boy/girl Occasional drinks with the boys/girls because big boy/girl must borrow sense or go broke.
Black Friday bargain because this awoof can’t pass you by.

 

 Not get swindled by the Black Friday bogus promises… because awoof can empty your account sharp sharp.
New clothes, shoes, hair… How else will the world know you slay? New shoes and a few new clothes maybe… you know you don’t live to impress the world
Festive season asoebi… You must buy it all and show them you have arrived. As a happening guy/babe.

 

 Festive season asoebi that matter… because you must not wear asoebi for everybody and besides you already see January expenses smiling one wicked smile.
Leave small in the bank… Who knows when rainy day will come Invest a fraction of every income in your Money Market Fund account… because you know the money will not be sleeping but working to make you more money. January school fees and financial security is guaranteed.
*In your mind, you know that the ‘small’ will not even carry you through until January salary shows up. So, you include a list of people you can borrow from to survive January .

*In your mind, you see yourself dancing ‘Shaku Shaku’ into January knowing that your account balance is ‘on point’.

 

Which version would you rather be?  Visit www.arminvestmentcenter to start investing or top up your investment via our payment channels listed below to be the wise version that balls into 2019.

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RUN FOR THE FUTURE 4 WEEK TRAINING CALENDAR

RUN FOR THE FUTURE 4 WEEK TRAINING CALENDAR

With only 4 weeks left to prepare for the ARM Pensions Run for the Future, these tips should help get you into shape just in time for race day.

To start off, begin your weeks with short runs and work your way into longer runs. The trick is, the more long runs you take on, the better your chances are of completing the race and possibly winning!

Keep in mind, that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all training program, but please feel free to share your personal routines with us.

 

Good luck with your training!

Click here to register for the ARM Pension Run For The Future

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The arrow found me

The arrow found me

Cupid has done it.

He has outdone himself this time and I sense this is only the beginning. My name is Jeremy and here’s my story.

It was a cold Saturday morning with the sort of weather that looked like it would rain. There were close to a hundred of us, if not more. We were all here for a run.

The whistle had barely blown when I took off towards our destination. This mini-marathon was not to prove my excellent fitness level because quite frankly, I barely had any. I was using this run as a means to spend what would have been an otherwise boring day, and maybe meet with new people who will encourage my resolve to become more active.

People sped past me like rockets launching into space, but that didn’t bother me. I was eagerly searching the lines for a person to connect with that could become my fitness buddy.

Soon, I saw this pleasant looking lady. I jogged closer and whispered ‘hi’. She gave me a look that could kill before increasing her speed. I knew this one was a no-go area. I sighed and kept jogging until a soft laughter forced me to turn. “Hey dude, don’t take it personal. Perhaps she woke from the wrong side of the bed today”, responded a tall, dark and well-built fellow who I’d later find out to be Johnson.

I chuckled and extended my arm to meet his in a handshake.

“Mehn, I was just trying to find a jog-buddy o. No strings attached” I replied as I began jogging side-by-side my new-found friend. We talked about so many things since we discovered we had a lot in common. He had just returned from the UK to settle in Nigeria and coincidentally, also lived at Lekki Phase 1 just like me. We soon reduced our jogging to brisk walking as we talked. It happened that Johnson had a habit of exercising with his younger sister at a gym quite close to my house.

When I told him how I had failed woefully at sticking with a fitness routine, he suggested that I joined him and his sister Destiny for workouts thrice weekly. They always exercised in the mornings before leaving for work. I agreed. At least the day wasn’t going badly. But the day was about to get even better.

“Bro, hold up” a sing-song voice called out. I turned just in time to see the most beautiful woman I had ever met. I was transfixed to the spot. I stared with my mouth half-open.

“Hey baby sis, I told you to keep up. This ain’t a race for the weak…hahaha” Johnson responded as he gave the beautiful being a slight punch on the shoulder. “Awww… Please don’t hit me like that jor. Erhmm.. who is your friend?” she asked as she buried her eyes in mine.

“Jeremy, meet my baby sis and your second new workout buddy,” Johnson said. I snapped back to reality and smiled like a love-lost puppy as I extended my hand for a handshake.

In my mind’s eye, I saw Cupid smile a knowing smile as he cleaned another arrow. But then, my alarm screamed angrily, and I woke up. “What? This was just a bloody dream?” I screamed out to no one in particular. I got up to go take a shower and instinctively picked my phone to check for new messages. The first thing I saw was an email about ARM Pension’s Run For The Future 6 slated to hold on the 24th of November 2018.

My heart did a somersault. This was surely a sign that my dream wasn’t just a dream. I have this gut feeling that this run holds something good for me, a promise of a tomorrow that is good. In excitement, I quickly go to www.armpension.com/rftf and register to run.

Ha! Cupid – that leery fellow must be up to something and I’m sure going to find out come November 24th.

The run may hold wonderful surprises for you too, but you have to register to run for the future to find out!

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9 ways to improve your child’s mental health

9 ways to improve your child’s mental health

“Stop it, John. Be a man. Men don’t cry” … those were words John had heard over and over from his dad while growing up. As the years went by, he learned to bottle up his emotions and never bothered to share his fears and challenges.

When he was bullied at school, John swallowed it while it chipped away at his self-confidence. When people mocked him because of his small frame, he swallowed it, choked back tears and tried to “be a man” while his self-esteem grew smaller.

Twenty years later, John is filled with bitter childhood memories, distant from his parents, has no close friends and performs poorly at his job. He has no shred of belief in himself or ability. He thinks his life is a mistake. Yet again, he had no one to tell.

As he walked along Third Mainland Bridge, all he could think of were the words “Be a man”. Yes, he would be a man and end it all. With that thought, he climbed over the railing and plunged himself into the sea.

John’s story, while depressing, is the reality of many young people. Without having excellent support systems, listening ears, and proper guidance, many children have endured terrible onslaught to their mental health via verbal bullying, physical attacks and abuses amongst others. While some of these children are fortunate to find a way out of the effects of these harms to their mental health, some others have grown into teens and adults with terrible mental disorders.

Unlike physical illness, some forms of mental illness seldom show forth but are hidden in the mannerisms, thoughts and speech patterns of the victims.

Fortunately, you can help your child or ward improve their mental health and build a mentally strong adult.

Here are some ways:

  • Teach and help your child to understand, express and manage their feelings. It will help them create healthy coping mechanisms.
  • Talk about your child’s feelings and try to understand and respect them. This will create a strong bond between you and your child, which will help them feel safe and protected.
  • You can help your child to cope with difficult situations by being supportive.
  • Teach and help your child to understand stress, loss and grief are normal emotions we all go through in life.
  • Try to create and maintain routines, as this will create a consistent environment that can help your child feel safe.
  • Create and maintain a supportive relationship with close family members, it will create a secure environment for your child.
  • Encourage and initiate activities that stimulate your child’s social and emotional skills, such as expressing and managing their emotions. Be on the lookout for fun and interesting ways to stimulate their emotional development.
  • Look for opportunities to build partnerships and relationships with other parents to support your child.
  • Observe your child’s behaviours and whenever you notice concerning tendencies, don’t hesitate to ask for specialised help.

Mental health issues can appear scary and overwhelming; however, the good news is that a supportive and stable environment can help build your child’s mental wellbeing.

As we commemorate World Mental Health Day today, October 10, 2018, themed “Young people and mental health in a changing world”, it is pertinent to realize how rapidly the world is changing and to imbibe strategies to make sure that this change affects your child positively.

 

 

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Investment fears: 5 ways to deal with them

Investment fears: 5 ways to deal with them

The main reason you are always skeptical about investment is uncertainty. Remember in the past when you were presented with some investment opportunities, you turned them down because you were afraid of taking the risk.

It is not a big deal to fear uncertainties, after all, as human beings; we are not empowered to know what tomorrow will look like, we can only project. it is very important for you to yank off your fear and invest today so your tomorrow can look good. So, if you are ready to face tomorrow, below are a few tips on how you can overcome your fear of investment:

Get Information from Experts

Knowledge is power. Sometimes unconfirmed reports by people who do not understand investment may get to you, thereby creating doubt in your mind about it.  But you can choose to be fortified with deep investment knowledge and insight from investment advisers who will guide you and advise you on the best ways to invest your money.

Look Beyond the Moment

When a farmer plants a seed, he or she does not expect to harvest it that same day. Investment is just like a seed which must be given much time to grow and multiply. So, when you are thinking of investing, look beyond the present and see a future where your investment would have grown in multiples.

 Take A Step

Investment is about taking a well-calculated risk. It is even riskier when you don’t take it.

Renowned Digital Marketing guru Neil Patel once said that one mistake he regrets daily in his life is not investing in Airbnb years ago when he was presented with the opportunity to do so. Then, Airbnb was just a small startup operating from a room apartment. Now, Airbnb has grown to become a multi-billion-dollar company.

When investment opportunities come your way and there are good indices that show that it will be profitable, trust your gut and don’t hesitate.

 Start Small, Grow Bigger Later

Starting small is the best way to go when it comes to investment. You can start with little money and grow it when you start seeing a positive result and your confidence will get better.

Don’t forget that in investment, the bigger your money, the higher your return on investment, this makes it ideal not to stay too long in the confine of small investment, you must expand.

Use trusted Investment Managers

When you have finally overcome your fears and ready to explore the financial opportunities in form of investment, it is very important to ask for the services of a trusted and reputable investment manager such as ARM Investment Managers. We have been helping people to manage their investments for over 24 years by using our expertise, experience and deep knowledge of Nigeria’s investment clime.

One of our investment packages that guarantees return on investment that you can explore is ARM Mutual funds Regardless of your risk appetite or investment goal, you’ll find a mutual fund that suits you just fine. Mutual funds typically pool funds from multiple investors and invest in verifiable instruments such as government bonds.

If you would like to know more about how you can invest in ARM Mutual Funds, please click here

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