Most thieves like to operate unnoticed for fear of being apprehended, either under the shroud of darkness, or shielded by a mask. Typically robberies result in loss of physical, tangible belongings or even loss of life, in some extreme cases. These losses can be estimated, valued and thus defined. Thenthere are instances that involve Ponzi schemes or scams, and some that even offer “get rich quick” plans that seem too real to be true. These are planned, scripted efforts that stem from devious depths of depraved minds. Masterminded, unacceptable to the victim, the law and society at large.
Acceptable Robbery. Does this phrase pique your curiosity? Can robbery ever be acceptable? Oxymoronic, to say the least. Yet, this is a picture of us, in the real world. We may choose to disagree, yet we cannot hide or insulate ourselves from this robber. We are both the victims and the perpetrators of this act. The hero and the anti-hero all rolled into one!
Baffled? Let’s slow down a bit here. Fundamentally, any robbery requires a perpetrator and a victim – two separate parties. Right? But here we are, making a rather outrageous statement that both parties are one and the same! “So how can we rob ourselves?”, you ask. Let’s unravel this mystery.
Progress and growth. Two sides of the same coin, one cannot exist without the other. In our quest to grow at an abnormal pace, we chase irrational aims and stretched goals. This is the era where more is less. This insatiable striving for more that is often considered a strength is the chink in our armour that the thief exploits. And his weapon of choice – INFLATION!
Inflation, simply put, is the fall in purchasing power of money. Real return on your savings is a measure of the difference between interest rates and inflation (Real Return= Rate of Interest – Rate of Inflation). The higher the rate of inflation, the lower will be the growth in your savings.
For more on inflation click here.
The thief prances on, robbing us, as we look on silently!
This is a novel experience. A new lesson. What can we do to mitigate the impact of this robbery? Invest more, invest wisely and carefully. Seek out investment opportunities that are real, reliable and resilient so as to earn returns that help offset the loss caused by what inflation robs . We work hard, make sacrifices and earn to set aside a small portion as our nest egg – our savings. However, we become willing victims of an acceptable robbery. An act in which we are both the perpetrators and the victims, hero and the anti-hero, problem creators and solution providers. Quite a predicament to be in! It’s time to give it a thought, and a serious one.
Hey there, you’ve just been robbed, willingly! Gotcha!!
