Hansi Mehrotra, Founder of The Money Hans, on why women need to take charge of their finances
“My father, who was on his deathbed, told me to leave India and pursue a career in a country abroad. That for a young girl from a small town like Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, was the second version of life,” said Hansi Mehrotra, one of India's top financial advisors, at YourStory’s flagship event TechSparks.
Speaking about ‘why women need to take charge of their finances,’ Hansi, who started her career as a sales girl at the age of 18, said women need to categorise their earnings.
She went on to playing a chart that divided one’s earnings into need, necessity and luxury. The first category, however is the most important, which takes care of the basic amenities. It varies for each person but this demarcation is where one must begin with and not compromise. This could be your family expense, healthcare, education and other lifestyle demands.
The second category was further divided into two. “Firstly, reinvesting in your skills because your ability to earn would come from your skill. The other pillow is investing portfolio. Always divide your money into two or three equity funds or EPF and put into the bottom drawer and forget about it for next 10-15 years,” she added.
The third category, however, was a ‘freedom slab,’ which will provide income when you don’t work anymore, for eg., –
- Property with rental income
- Income producing portfolio
The fourth category ‘fun money roof’, however were the things that can make you really rich, for eg:
Speculative property
- Own business or Start-up (Including ESOPS)
- ‘Risky career’ like acting, sports etc.
Addressing a room full of entrepreneurs and startup founders who often look for external investments, she said:
Nobody can give money to you until you are sure that you have got enough money to take care of all the emergencies and bear all your financial expenses.
Drawing attention to why financial education is important, she said: “When we address gender inequality and remove the underlying barriers for women and girls, we unlock the potential for all people. Men, women, boys and girls are to be equally valued to lead healthy and productive lives”.
Ladies, you are smart investors – just #BeMoneyConfident
Drawing references from demonetisation and how it affected the lower-strata of the society because of lack of financial planning, she added that accounting money transactions through banks and other financial institutions is the need of the hour. People who are daily-wage laborers and mostly deal with hard cash should consider graduating to digital transactions, which will also open more doors to savings and investments.
YourStory's annual extravaganza TechSparks brings together the best and the brightest from the startup ecosystem, corporate world, policymakers, and of course, the investor community. Over the years, it has grown to become India's most loved tech and startup platform for knowledge sharing and networking. The ninth edition of TechSparks also marks YourStory's 10th anniversary. A big thank you for all your support over the years and keep reading and watching YourStory.
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