Sudden Realizations from CASHFLOW

I know it's been a long time coming, that I haven't posted anything here for the past few months.

Everything you need to learn about money. You can have it all in this board.

Some of you may be curious. Some of you may not care. But this is what I do.

Somehow my months of play, study and work have caught up that I forgot to open and manage my blog. And to a surprise, my blog is still getting a lot of views from people I might not even recognize, let alone if they really exist.

So there's this game my friend brought along in the office. I have actually played it a couple of times before, and at last I got hold of the material and we got to play it.

Ever heard of the board game CASHFLOW?

CASHFLOW is created by the best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad Robert Kiyosaki. This board game is designed to make financial education fun to learn and easy to understand and relate as it simulates a real-life setting for every player involved.

Now I'm not here to teach you how the game is played - as reading the mechanics on this blog wouldn't be as fun when you're actually in the game. You will more probably be thrilled by the sudden realizations - and life lessons (and hacks) - in dealing with money, business and life which I got from the game, which I can very well share them to you.

• We start CASHFLOW by choosing our Dreams. This may not need anymore explanation as they are the sole reason why we work so hard, invest our time on financial literacy and improve our lives. If you got no dream, why on earth are you in the game in the first place?

• Whether you notice it or not, we all happen to run in the same race of life. Coined by Kiyosaki as the Rat Race, it is where people ran endlessly around the circle trying to live life when he believed life shouldn't be about running the race again and again and again. The 9 to 5 work routine, living paycheck to paycheck and going on a shopping spree to look like a hotshot should be replaced with a dose of financial literacy, building passive income streams (through assets) and limiting expenses (or liabilities) enough to get you out and move to the Fast Track.

• Regardless of job, occupation, or profession, anyone can achieve financial independence. From a janitor whose monthly cash flow is even smaller than what a doctor pays in taxes (based on the game statistics), for a player to spot opportunities along the rat race, coupled with the wisdom to make decisions and negotiations, the fast track is not too far.

•  We go through life smoothly sailing, sometimes encountering bumps along the way, with our jobs that we are mostly comfortable with. But what happens when we come unprepared for unforeseen events like getting Downsized (a cute term for getting fired or losing your job)? We end up nothing to do for a living except paying your monthly expenses. Speaking of expenses, try spending on unnecessary items that could possibly end up getting bank loans to pay them. This activity will make you realize how useless Doodads can deprive you of saving money and help it build your assets. Ouch!

• Opportunities are really just around the corner. I might have mentioned this statement above. But just to emphasize it, around the rat race are opportunities (business, real estate deals, stocks and options) which you can capitalize on, sell to another player, or just give it a pass. If ever you'd wonder why your fellow players get out of the race sooner than you, maybe it's not just because of luck that it was all in their favor; I think it's just that luck is about preparation meeting opportunity.

• They say to earn more is to give back more, and vice versa. The board game provides a Charity option wherein you can donate only 10% of your monthly income. You never know what surprises await you when you give back to the Giver who has provided you with such financial blessings.

• Once your passive income has gone past your expenses (like in CASHFLOW 101) or even doubled it (like in 202), everyone around you will be like - Welcome to the Fast Track! This is the reward for getting past the exhausting Rat Race and sharpening your financial IQ. Here you are most welcomed to build businesses and franchises that earn massive cash flow, participate in Initial Public Offerings that offer huge capital gains - some stuff Rat Race people may not be privileged to have - and even buy the dreams of your other players. Cheers to the Good Life!

Sounds a lot like life and fun, right? When you play CASHFLOW, expect a great deal of increased financial IQ that no other game can deliver. It delivers a lot of fun, critical thinking, at the same time valuable life lessons which you can take home and apply.

Remember, there is no other investment like investing in yourself; financial knowledge is the new money today. A great investment for you is a game we'd like to call CASHFLOW.

P.S. Schedule a CASHFLOW 101 or 202 game with us. Just name the date, time and place, and we may set that up with you and your friends. The board is on us, the food and other stuff is all up to you. See you soon!