A woman and her money

A woman and her money are soon parted. That’s not to paraphrase an old adage but to tell the truth about how the right brain takes over and  plays  a large part in procuring or depleting feminine coffers.

A woman is no fool but her heart is a dominant force in her decision making which often means she can be fooled. Not easily however, as a woman knows when she’s been led up the financial creek and lost her paddle! Genuine causes will tug at her heart strings and she’ll be writing cheques and doling out cash with all the flair of a slumdog millionaire!

A woman’s money, unlike a man’s, is rarely her own. A woman uses her money not to merely feed and clothe but to nurture, uplift, soothe and even save lives. Of course, she never fails to entertain herself on the road to bankruptcy. A big heart will take you down many roads and not always the wisest. If your heart overrules your head then you’ll not be slowing down for those financial speed bumps on life’s highway.

Birthdays, weddings, christenings, summer soirees and black tie events are worthy of picking out a new outfit, shoes, matching handbag and jewellery. Let’s also not forget having hair and nails done…..there’s nothing like coiffeured elegance to help you feel your best.

The feel-good factor comes with a hefty price tag and every woman (and the man who can pay) knows it.  Woman are social beings and thrive on ensuring that they are in optimum shape even though they’re bank balance is not.

The other major deplete of female finances are gifts. There are not many women who are so tight with the numbers or plain ungenerous that they don’t factor in gift expenditure for their loves ones. Women seem to collect a great many “ loves ones” on life’s thoroughfare – grandparents, parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, close and distant friends, acquaintances and colleagues. Can you imagine how much gift-giving this list racks up?

A woman by nature is high maintenance. She is many things to many people and if you look at the statistics of charitable donations you’ll see that it’s a feminine movement. Women move money (and mountains) around to redress some of the economic inequalities. Whether it’s the donation of money, goods or time, you’ll find a woman’s drive and courage behind it.

Take the example of the late Anita Roddick, founder of “The Body Shop” who had a novel idea to manufacture beauty products from sustainable materials and who introduced the concept of reusable and recyclable containers.  Harriet Lamb, was recently announced as the new CEO of Fairtrade and she brings a wealth of business experience and emotional intelligence to the table.

Money is for proper investment but it’s not all about looking after number one. Meaningful sharing is what’s at the heart of good female relations. Women don’t want to go to war, they’d rather jaw, jaw, jaw. A savvy woman knows that making life rich is not just about being able to afford regular pamper sessions and exotic travel.

A rich life is about knowing what to do with the assets she already has.  Appreciation and peace of mind will keep her happy though her current account may be a little low. A tough mind in a tough body will win the day.

She may part company with money for awhile but she must never part with her mind. That’s a valuable resource that will help top up the shortfall. Yes, she may be duped or succumb to a handsome stranger who speaks with forked tongue but she’ll bounce back with enough confidence and faith in herself.

A woman has an indomitable spirit and that makes all the difference. Her money will ebb and flow but she’ll not be crushed. If she knows how to handle herself then she’ll be back in the black.