Women urged to invest

For as little as US$10 a month there are investment instruments on the market good enough to provide financial security. Old Mutual financial advisor Ms Isabel Nyarota of Old Mutual Investments said the sooner in life one starts investing, the better. However, it is never too late for anyone at any age to start investing, she said.
Speaking at the Success in Stilettos (SiS) seminar held in Harare for the first time last week, Ms Nyarota said investment was not just for big amounts.

Neither was it just for men or the rich and elite. There are products on the market for people from all walks of life and some of them can be tailor-made to suit individual financial goals and needs.

She urged the women at the SiS seminar who were made up of professional and business women to educate themselves on available investment opportunities and have a financial plan.
“I believe that as women we are phenomenal.  And phenomenal women should take the time to invest in their future,” Ms Nyarota said. She added that even small amounts like US$10 a month could go a long way in securing a financially sound future.

Ms Nyarota also encouraged women not to leave any money lying around waiting to repay debts or other obligations saying that while they wait to pay the debt or account, that money could be taken advantage of and be multiplied.

She also urged the women to quickly pay up debts with high interest rates and ensure that they did not keep for long debts with higher interests rates than those of their investments.

“I felt so enlightened by the Old      Mutual presentation on investment. I definitely would like to take my financial matters seriously and start investing a bit more.
“It is time we women take charge of our finances and not be clueless about such matters,” said Ms Perpertua Muziri, a participant at the SiS seminar.

One of the most popular investment products offered by Old Mutual is unit trusts.  Unit trusts are funds that use collective money invested by many clients to purchase shares and other investments on behalf of clients. Unit trusts offer clients an easily accessible and convenient way to invest in shares, money market instruments and property investment opportunities.