I wish I wish I wish...

Georgina Read is an EasyEquities user who seeks to dissolve the stereotypes associated with investing, and encourage women to empower themselves financially. Here she shares some key points for women to consider in making financial progress...

"I wish I wish I wish... what magical thing did you wish for as a young girl? Was it ever for financial empowerment? Mine wasn’t – but I wish it had been. What a different world we would live in if women were all financially empowered.This is my wish and it’s my mission. I struggled in my own life to learn about money, how it works, what it actually is compared with what we are told it is. Money is such an emotive topic, an explosive one, and us women tend to steer clear of it. No one wants to appear greedy, or money grabbing, or selfish, – all things we associate with money. These things are just NOT TRUE. Learning the truth of it, set me on a path to financial freedom – and I wish ALL women would get on that path.

So if the above is not true about money – then what is? I have learnt there are three keys for women. They are not the same ones as men – because men tend to have 2 of the keys by default. Just by being men in this society. Women however, often have to build two. The first of the 3 keys is knowledge. We tend to have no idea about money. Ignorant, we pass our money over to others to look after, or we just hope that we will be looked after by someone. These days, there are no excuses when it comes to not knowing – knowledge is available at our fingertips if we bother to use our fingertips…

The next two keys are a little more tricky – self value and confidence. These two characteristics are essential to making financial progress. Why? Because without self-value, you will not pay yourself first. Without confidence, you will not risk applying your knowledge. Women tend to put many things before themselves – children, spouses, parents, community etc. They will put money aside for children’s education, parents’ retirement, the new house or a multitude of things – but they do not put money aside for themselves. Only when you start doing this will you see your finances start to change – and your confidence start to build.  We have to get over that it is not selfish to put yourself first. In the same way you must place the oxygen mask over your mouth before assisting another. Imagine the lesson you teach your children when you show them how you value yourself? Effortlessly they will learn to value themselves.

I started small when I learnt about paying myself first. Just a few silvers in a glass jar everyday. At the end of the month I invested it. I watched it grow. (and shrink and grow) Then I started adding some green notes, then a brown one or two – suddenly there were pink notes and now there are blue and orange. I couldn’t just put silvers in anymore – my value has increased – and it happened, naturally, slowly though an everyday habit. And so I started building.

I wish I wish I wish – All women were financially empowered."