Think for a moment about why you work? We are sure you will agree, it is to earn a living – but does your money work for you as hard as you work to earn it?
Afrocentric Health cares about your financial wellness. They know that when a person is feeling financial stress it impacts every aspect of their life, from physical health, mental health, relationships and even productivity at work. The financial wellbeing and coaching program is Free, Confidential and Accessible for you and your family members to use.
Your financial coach is a generalist and can assist you no matter where you are on your financial journey. Whether you are needing guidance on budgeting, to selecting the right bank account for your personal needs, from accessing your credit report to helping you get out of the debt trap. We provide you with guidance on how to achieve your financial goals from buying a home, to a car. To ensuring you start to save today to secure your financial tomorrow. Helping you with ensuring you have a will in place and the right protection elements.
Access financial coaching – by simply emailing afrocentric@interfaceinc.co.za or calling us on 011 326 0060
Because we care, Because Afrocentric cares, Because your financial health is important.
If you need free and confidential help with money matters please make contact (service available to all Afrocentric staff):
- Contact no: 011 326 0060
- Email: afrocentric@interfaceinc.co.za
- Online: https://financialsolutions.interfaceinc.co.za/bf.php?fid=6025
August 2020 Newsletter
(Money) Secrets to Happiness
How Money Can Make You Happier
Money can’t buy happiness, right? Well, money can bring more happiness when it comes to providing security, savings for the future, spending wisely and the ability to give. Do your money matters affect your happiness level? Definitely! Financial stress impacts nearly every facet of your life negatively, affecting concentration and focus, your work performance and family responsibilities, and leading to problems in relationships. However, if you use your money to provide security, save for the future, spend wisely and the give generously, money can bring more happiness.
Security to pay the bills
Money can bring happiness when it affords us the security of having enough to pay the bills each month. When we are not financially secure, our happiness, health and relationships are negatively affected.
However, more money is not the only way to enjoy the security of having enough to pay the bills. You can also work on significantly reducing your bills and getting more value for the money you have.
Saving for the Future
When we have money to save for the future, it can also bring more happiness. Saving for the future provides peace of mind today by, for example, ensuring you have an emergency fund or a safety net for unforeseen events. Saving also enables a better future, creating the possibility of enjoying financial security in your golden years.
However, having more money is not the only way to save for the future. Take just R100 a month from your existing budget and begin saving today.
Spending wisely
It is not how much money we spend that makes us happier, but rather how we spend our money. Some believe that spending more on experiences will make them happy and others believe that buying things will make them happier. Either way, spend your money wisely on
things that matter to you!
Remember though that you can also bring more happiness into your life without spending a fortune, by spending time with people you love, doing things that you love to do and appreciating all the things you already have.
Being able to give
It makes most people happy to be able to give and to give generously. However, having more money is not the only way you can give generously. Happy people are generous with their time and talents. It also does not need to cost a cent – smile at a stranger, be kind on the road, or make a cup of coffee for a colleague.
Your money matters have a big impact on your happiness. Simply click here – your financial coach is ready to help with confidential and professional financial coaching and support – over the phone or electronically.
Yours in Financial Wellness
September 2020 Newsletter
Your Money Matters – Get It Done!
In our rushed modern life, it is easy to put off until “tomorrow” those financial matters that we know are important but are not urgent. Often, these important matters are left too late. There is, fortunately, a quick and easy way for you to get it done when it comes to your money matters – speak to your financial coach!
It is easy in today’s rushed, busy world to put off the tasks we know are important until “tomorrow”. Just a few common examples include budgeting, managing our debt, investing in a retirement plan, and saving.
If “tomorrow” comes too late, it can have serious financial implications, especially for our loved ones. A pertinent example is drafting a will. Many people put off drawing up a will and, when they die without a will, they leave their families with very difficult circumstances at a most trying
time.
Fortunately, there is a quick and easy way to get it done when it comes to your money matters: call on the assistance of your financial coach. Here are three important money matters that you – with the help of your financial coach – can get done today.
Draft Your Will
A will is one of the most important financial documents in your financial life. If you don’t have a will in place, you put your family and children at risk.
This is one of the most important things to get done and so don’t delay! Contact your financial coach today and get your will drafted and in place to protect those you love.
Draw Up A Budget
Instead of wondering where your money is going, you can use a budget to determine exactly where each cent goes and to decide what you want your money to do for you.
A budget is a vital tool for successful money management, and you can get it done quickly and easily with the help of your financial coach.
Make Time for Money Management
Managing your money requires time and effort, but not much if you get help from your financial coach! In fact, your coach can get you started using our 10 minute daily financial exercises that makes money management quick and easy.
To get it done when it comes to your money matters, simply click here to connect with your financial coach, who is ready to help with confidential and professional financial coaching and support – over the phone, electronically or face-to-face.
Yours in Financial Wellness
October 2020 Newsletter
Your Mind and Your Money – Money management for Better Mental Health
Financial stress and money disorders have a very negative effect on mental health. However, effectively dealing with money disorders and better managing the biggest financial stressors will have a significantly positive impact on your mental well-being.
Everyone experiences financial insecurity at some point – perhaps frantically trying to make ends meet each month, facing harassment from debt collectors, or worrying about paying for an unexpected medical expense, or a vehicle or major appliance breakdown. If you have been under this kind of stress, you will know how easily it can result in anxiety, panic or depression, negatively affecting your mental health.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and it is very important, as it affects how we think, feel and act and therefore how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Dealing with Money Disorders
Mental health extends beyond the absence of money disorders, which has been defined as “chronic patterns of self-destructive financial behaviors” that include for example, compulsive buying disorder, compulsive spending, pathological gambling and financial denial or avoidance of financial problems.
Dealing with these money disorders is crucial. Your financial coach can assist you to identify and replace self-destructive financial habits with behaviors that will contribute positively to your mental well-being.
Managing Financial Stress Triggers
There are many financial stress triggers, but the most common include:
- having too much debt, and carrying the debts of a partner, spouse, or family members.
- spending more than you earn.
- bad planning.
- job loss and unemployment.
- not having savings to fall back on.
All these financial stress triggers can be managed effectively to protect your mental health.
For example, you can consider debt counselling or debt consolidation. You can draw up a budget to ensure you spend less than you earn. You can begin to plan ahead and to build up savings to fall back on during difficult times – an emergency fund and income protection insurance will go a long way to alleviate the stress of a job loss and unemployment.
Your financial coach is ready to assist you in dealing with money disorders and managing financial stress triggers, not only to improve your financial life, but also to make a significantly positive impact on your mental well-being.
Simply click here to connect with your financial coach, who is ready to help with confidential and professional financial coaching and support – over the phone, electronically or face-to-face.
Yours in Financial Wellness
November 2020 Newsletter
Financial Triggers – How to Manage Yours for A Better Financial Future…
Find out how to identify your personal financial triggers and how to handle them more effectively, so they don’t derail your plans for your financial future.
What are financial triggers?
We all have financial or spending triggers, activated by deeply rooted emotions in us and resulting in unwise financial decisions. Fortunately, we are not at the mercy of these triggers that often result in overspending, creating more debt and depleted savings, all of which jeopardize our financial success.
Since financial triggers can have a significant impact on your financial well-being, it is important to identify your triggers.
How to identify your financial triggers?
Some of the most common emotions that lead to poor financial decisions include stress, excitement, boredom, sadness and peer pressure. When stressed or sad, many people turn to ‘retail therapy’ splurging on a new outfit or buying luxuries they can’t afford to make them feel better. Others overspend on their family to ease the guilt of not spending enough time with them. Some are simply bored, just browsing through a shopping mall or online store – and end up with bags full of shopping they don’t need and can’t afford.
Maybe peer pressure or FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is your trigger – making you spend money you don’t have on meals, drinks or entertainment, just to keep up with friends. Or perhaps you feel celebratory on a birthday or after a promotion or maybe, after a long hard week, you feel that you deserve a special treat.
Think about the times and the situations in which you made unplanned purchases, overspent, increased your debt or dipped into your savings. It will help you identify some of your biggest or most consistent financial triggers.
How to manage your financial triggers?
When you know your triggers, you can manage them. This means you can recognize an emotional state that triggers you, then take steps to change
the emotion or your response to it by having a set of alternative positive responses.
Let’s say you often want to sit down and enjoy a meal without the cooking and cleaning after a long tiring day, and you easily give in to the temptation to eat out or get take-aways. To counter this trigger, you could indulge in other ways to relax; stock up on prepared dinners that
are ready in minutes; and look out for specials so you can dine out for less on occasion.
Financial triggers can have a significantly negative effect on your financial situation.
Fortunately, it is not difficult to identify or manage your financial triggers – and you don’t have to do it alone! Your financial coach is ready to assist you to identify your personal financial triggers and to handle them more effectively, so you can achieve your plans and goals for your financial future.
Call: 011 326 0060 or 066 484 0326
Email: coach@interfaceinc.co.za
Simply click here to connect with your financial coach, who is ready to help with confidential and professional financial coaching and support – over the phone, electronically or face-to-face.
Yours in Financial Wellness
January 2021 Newsletter
Courage is what counts
How to prosper financially in 2021
Courage can be defined as the ability to do something that you are frightened or scared of. It is crucial to moving forward in every aspect of life, including our financial lives, especially as we start a new year after a tough and trying 2020.
People who don’t find the courage to face their financial fears, cannot prosper financially. Their fears prevent them from taking the action to improve their financial life. They fear opening or checking bank statements, accounts, or letters from service providers. They are too scared to tell their partners about their financial troubles or to take phone calls from creditors. They don’t have a budget – or simply ignore the budget they have. They dread taking an honest look at their financial habits, their spending, their debt, and their financial future, to make different financial choices and to reach out for assistance.
Unfortunately, not facing the reality of your financial situation is only makes matters worse, as interest levied, late payment charges and unbudgeted spending intensifies your financial challenges.
This is why financial courage – the ability to take the right financial action despite the fear – is crucial for moving forward financially instead of staying stuck in the cycle of surviving month after month.
Fortunately, it is not difficult to build your financial confidence. Here are four ways to find the courage to act and improve your financial life.
4 ways to build financial courage
- Change your mind – realise that finding the courage to take an honest look at your financial situation will make your life better, immediately and in the long run.
- Remember that building financial courage is a journey – you don’t need to confront all your financial fears at once, just start small and build your courage every day by doing one thing you feel scared of, like checking your bank balance or making arrangements with a creditor.
- Make a few courageous new choices – draw up a budget; cut up a credit card or add up the outstanding balance on all your debts.
- Realise you are not alone – reach out for help! It’s the same as going to a dentist: if you step through the fear and allow the dentist to help you, you can improve the situation.
Activate your courage
As we start a new year after a tough and trying 2020, we invite you to activate your courage by setting a big financial goal that will keep you inspired through 2021 and motivate you to take the courageous steps necessary to achieve your goal. Perhaps you dream of owning your own home or of enough savings for your own or your children’s further education, for a holiday or even just for peace of mind? Do you want to free yourself from debt? Perhaps you hope for a financially secure retirement?
Remember, your financial coach is ready to help! Simply contact your financial coach, click here for amazing support from helping you understand your financial situation and drawing up a budget, to consolidating debt, planning for your retirement and achieving your financial goal.
Yours in financial wellness
February 2021 Newsletter
Financial Commitment – The Crucial Component to Financial Security
Commitment: it is what turns “if” into “when”. Commitment is what transforms our wishes into actions and our desires into discipline. Commitment is consistently and persistently implementing the knowledge and taking the actions that will produce the results you want.
Commitment can be defined as investing your time, effort and energy, whether into a project, a person or even a financial goal, regardless of the cost and accepting nothing less than what you have set out to achieve.
Without commitment, there’s no action, and without action, there can be no results. This is the simple reason why so many people fail – a lack of commitment.
Commitment overcomes lethargy, laziness and self-doubt and inspires real positive action, consistent and persistent practice, and absolute perseverance.
Commitment means you are dedicated, you prioritize your commitment, you do what needs to be done, and you don’t give up – all of which are well-known keys to success.
“Motivation is what gets you started. Commitment is what keeps you going.” Jim Rohn
What Is Financial Commitment?
Financial commitment is a requirement for achieving financial security. This is because wanting financial security is one thing; financial commitment – which is doing what is necessary to build financial security – is another thing all together.
Financial commitment is taking constructive and focused action toward financial security consistently and persistently. Financial commitment is the bridge between financial knowledge and the implementation of that knowledge to produce the financial results you want.
After all, you already know you should, for example, spend less than you earn, save more and invest wisely. So, how committed are you to your finances? Do you spend time managing your finances? Do you save every month? Are your retirement savings on track for a financially independent retirement? Are you investing smartly to ensure your money is working for you?
Your Financial Commitment Challenge
This month, we challenge you to commit to doing something that will benefit you financially. Here are some ideas:
- Commit to spending time managing your finances on a weekly basis, starting with 10 minutes today
- Commit to saving a specific amount each month by paying this amount into a savings account today
- Commit to paying off your debt by paying even as little as R100 extra on one credit account
- Commit to increasing your retirement fund contributions
Remember, your financial coach is ready to help! Simply contact your financial coach here for amazing support in making the financial commitment that will ensure you can achieve your financial goals.
Yours in financial wellness
March 2021 Newsletter
March 2021 Newsletter
Money Consciousness is the key to transforming your finances
As you improve your financial situation this year, you will discover that an important key to your success is how conscious you are about your money.
Being conscious can generally be defined as simply “being aware of one’s surroundings, thoughts and actions”.
Being money conscious, then, is being fully conscious and aware of our personal financial situation, of how we think and feel about money, and of what we do with money.
So many of us are unaware of our true financial situation, of our money attitudes and habits, and of the consequences of our actions and money decisions. This means, for example, that we simply swipe a card or buy on credit, without considering whether we can afford it, or how it will affect our financial situation today and in the future.
As Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, billionaire, and philanthropist, puts it: “We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.” Therefore, being money conscious is such a crucial part of improving your financial situation: change is only possible once we become conscious and aware, and when we become conscious and aware, we are motivated to change.
“Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you.” – Rob Gilbert
Once you become money conscious, you can make changes that will improve all your financial decisions and habits, your current financial situation, and your financial future.Here are a few ways in which anyone can become more money conscious:
- Become conscious of your true financial situation
Do not wonder where all your money went or worry about how much your credit card bill will be: rather look through your financial statements and record exactly how much money you have, how much you earn, and where every cent goes. Determine how much debt you owe, how much it costs you every month and how long it will take to pay it off. Being conscious of your true financial situation allows you to make smart decisions. - Become conscious of the cost of your actions
Being money conscious also means being aware of your money decisions and actions, and the financial implications thereof now and in the future. For example, how much will it cost you to buy something on credit now compared to saving up and buying with cash later? What difference will it make over a year if you make your own lunch or join a lift club to get to work?
- Become conscious of your habits
What are your money habits? Do you spend your money as soon as you receive it, without planning? Do you buy items on sale even if you do not need them now? Do you use a shopping list to help you prioritise your needs over your wants?
Tracking your spending with budgeting tools or financial apps will help you become more conscious of your money habits, and that will allow you to create new, empowering habits
Start today!
Fortunately, implementing these ways to become more money conscious is not difficult. Simply join us in the financial challenge for March: spend just 1 day being money conscious and implementing the tips above.
Remember, your financial coach is ready to help! You can contact your Interface financial coach, click here for amazing and ongoing support as you become more money conscious, improve your financial situation, and achieve your financial goals.
Yours in financial wellness
May 2021 Newsletter
May 2021 Newsletter
Financial Success
What it means and how to achieve it.
Success or achievement of any kind is very satisfying – whether at work or at home, in your personal life or in your finances. That is because an achievement is something you accomplished after planning and putting in the work to successfully reach what you set out to do.
Just think about how satisfied you felt the last time you reached a goal Perhaps you completed a training course that improved your job skills; or achieved your fitness goal of exercising three times a week. No matter how big or small the achievement, most of us will agree that there is no better feeling than accomplishing a challenging goal.
Achievement can be even more important and satisfying when it comes to our finances, which play such a big role in our lives and affect the people we love.
Here are some examples of financial achievements that may bring you the most satisfaction:
- Sticking to a budget or spending less than you earn
- Having an emergency fund and the right insurance for when things go wrong
- Paying off credit cards
- Having a good credit record
- Owning your own home
- Becoming free of debt
- Being on track with your savings plan, whether for your kids’ education, a dream holiday, or a financially secure retirement.
This May, we encourage you to reflect on your achievements, recall how happy and proud your achievements made you feel and realize nothing stops you from doing it again.
Here are 3 simple steps to achieving your financial goals:
- Set a goal – What is one thing you want to achieve financially before this year is over? You do not need a complex financial strategy – even one small goal successfully achieved (like not using a credit card anymore) can deliver great results. Be sure to write down your goal. This increases your chance of successfully achieving it.
- Create a plan for your goals – Most people spend more time planning their holidays than they do planning their financial lives. Create a simple step-by-step plan to achieve your goal, then take the next step to implementing your plan. “Achievement is reached when the effort is made.”
- Seek help – Contact your financial coach for guidance to achieve your financial goals. It is free and available for you to use.
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way” – Napoleon Hill
Remember, no matter what your financial situation is, our financial coaches are ready to help you. Together, we can improve your financial life one goal at a time, click here for amazing support in dealing with financial worries.
Yours in financial wellness
June 2021 Newsletter
June 2021 Newsletter
Financial Accountability – the key to financial success
Accountability is important to achieving success in every aspect of life, but when it comes to financial success, it is crucial. Here is why – and how you can unlock financial success through financial accountability.
What is accountability?
Accountability is recognizing and accepting that only you are responsible for your success. Essentially, it is understanding that the buck stops with you! Accountability means you take ownership of your life and responsibility for what happens because of your choices and actions. People who take responsibility speak up, find solutions and answers, and take decisive action.
What is financial accountability?
When it comes to your finances, do you hold yourself accountable? It is easy to blame others for our lack of financial success!
Are you juggling accounts and missing payments? Are you saving for emergencies and for your future? Have you got the right insurance in place? Perhaps you blame your company for not paying you more, or your family commitments for not allowing you to save.
Financial accountability means you accept responsibility for your financial actions – and for the financial actions you have not taken.
Our accountability challenge.
This month it is vital to take stock of your financial responsibilities to improve your financial life.
Here are four keys to get started:
- Review for your expenses – Draw up a budget so you know exactly where your hard-earned money goes. Then eliminate unnecessary expenses.
- Take responsibility for your debt – Check your credit report and take responsibility for maintaining a good credit history. Make a list of the outstanding amounts and the interest payable and take action to reduce this debt.
- Prepare for the unforeseen events – Take responsibility for possible unexpected events by having an emergency fund and the right insurance, such as short-term, life, medical, disability and income protection.
- Take charge of your future – Make provision for your retirement and start saving for your future goals, whether buying your own home or car, travelling, or starting a business.
“Until you take ownership for your life, you will always be chasing happiness.” – Sean Stephenson
Only you can take accountability for your financial success, but your financial coach is available to guide and assist you with every step!
Simply contact your financial coach here for amazing support, from budgeting to paying off your debt, getting the right cover and planning for the future, so you can begin to enjoy the financial success that financial accountability brings.
Yours in financial wellness
July 2021 Newsletter
July 2021 Newsletter
Financial Reflection
Reflection is taking time to think about your past experiences. Financial reflection is taking time to think about your finances and how you can manage your finances effectively. By reflecting on your financial habits and behaviours you can gain a better understanding of why and how your actions have impacted your current financial status.
Reflection provides an opportunity to consider, untangle and sort through experiences to create meaning. This meaning becomes learning, which then informs better future actions and behaviours.
This month we focus on how important financial reflections are: looking back on what we have done to move forward.
Reflecting on financial behaviour
If you want to know what your financial actions, habits and behaviours are, we encourage you to look at your bank statements for the last three months.
These statements will quickly show what you do repeatedly and what you can avoid doing. For example, paying your accounts late; having debit orders returned; or overspending on weekends, are some of the negative habits you will be able to identify. Also looking at the positives, for example, paying more than the minimum amount on a credit card; or reducing your monthly entertainment expenses.
Reflecting on the “Why?”
Think about when your relationship with money started. Was it in your childhood? Was it when you earned your first paycheck? Your financial past has an impact on the financial decisions you make every day and understanding your “why” makes it easier to make better choices.
Reflecting on the results
What can you learn from your financial actions and behaviours? What results have you achieved? Your current financial status will help you to determine which of your financial actions and behaviours are helping you and which are hindering you in achieving your financial goals.
Reflecting on better ways
Once you have a better understanding of your finances, you can begin to reflect on ways to make better financial decisions and cultivate more helpful financial habits.
One helpful question is: “What change can I make today to improve my financial situation?” If you are unsure where to start, it always helps to go back to basics, for example, drawing up a budget; eliminating unnecessary expenses; and reducing your debt. Or, for today, it could be as simple as just reaching out for help.
Remember, your financial coach is available to guide and assist you in every aspect of your finances, from choosing better financial actions to cultivating financial habits such as saving for your dreams and building a secure retirement fund.
Simply contact your Interface financial coach here for amazing support as you reflect on your financial situation and implement better actions and habits that will help – not hinder – you in achieving your financial goals.
Yours in financial wellness