Ivy Oyori

03/02/2025

If January was a person... how would you describe them?
Pick one:
🟡 A strict finance manager – reminding you of all the festive spending
🟢 A marathon runner – because it felt like 60 days long!
🔵 A motivational speaker – "New Year, New Me" vibes
🔴 A tough love coach – pushing you to get serious about your goals
🟠 A dietitian – making you regret all those December indulgences
🟣 A stubborn landlord – rent was due before you even blinked!
⚫ A tax collector – reminding you that responsibilities don’t take a holiday!

Vote and tell me in the comments—how did January treat you?

31/01/2025

Am I wrong for saying this? Free money is not valued.

When you give something for free, the value attached to it isn’t as much.

For instance, if you win a lottery, get a trust fund, or inherit wealth, would you handle it with as much caution as someone who worked hard, saved up and invested until they were 50?

Or maybe the issue isn’t that it’s "free money" but rather that it was earned or given within a short period of time.

Maybe I’m wrong. Correct me. Help me out here. (Leave a comment.)

29/01/2025

https://youtu.be/WgB-LB4mMTg

Email : [email protected]: www.ivyoyori.comGet your E- Books on MMFS and Treasury Bills here (Kes 500) 👉 https://paystack.shop/ivy-oyoriWatch Part ...

29/01/2025

I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on a conversation between two women seated behind me.

"Imagine, Dorcas (that’s not her real name), I just realized that I’ve been working hard at two jobs for the last 10 years, and I have nothing to show for it. I was privileged to start earning when I was 22, but the only thing I can say is mine is a car. No savings! No investments! Nothing!"

Haven’t we all been there at some point? Or are we still there?

This doesn’t have to be your narrative from today. Open that savings account and deposit that money today.

Which account would you recommend someone to start saving with in 2025 ?

28/01/2025

"The Scots have an extraordinary ability to stretch a shilling. It's not stinginess, but an almost poetic appreciation for getting value for money. A well-kept pair of boots or a thrifty meal says more about character than a bank balance."
— Alistair Moffat, The Scots: A Genetic Journey.

I came across an interesting read about the history of the Scottish people and the hardship they faced relative to their English counterparts. They had to learn how to recycle things.

For instance, in rural Scotland, characterized by the cold, harsh weather and the unforgiving landscapes, one was forced to be resilient. Farmers repaired tools instead of replacing them, and durability was valued over buying new things.

This became a generational norm that was passed down.

For our parents and grandparents here in Africa (based on my personal experience) this was also the case.

They could prefer buying a a pair of shoes that could last longer, and if need be, repair them when worn out.

While one might see this as frugality, especially for most of us who have had a similar experience living in hardship, and for one reason our lives improved (and such a narrative reminds us of “suffering”), others might view this as respect for money, resources, and the effort it takes for one to earn a living.

What do you think? Have our mindsets shifted to consumerism, constant buying “because we don’t want to deny ourselves pleasure”?

And if so, do you think living frugally or consumerism is sustainable for you?

27/01/2025

Budgeting Template for someone earning Kes 45000 net Income without commitments

This budgeting template will serve you for the whole of 2025 so a your financial planning is sorted.

It's Kes 350 so why not send me a DM

How would you budget Kes 45,000 as a bachelor?
Budgeting

27/01/2025

Look, I know you’ve heard the phrase, “You can’t save your way to becoming rich.” Don’t let this stop you from setting aside that 1,000 bob this week, or that 500 bob, or even 2,000 bob.

As long as you’re saving your money in an account that grows it, you’re better off than not having something set aside for yourself.

What if something abrupt happens?
What if someone is selling their land or business at a relatively low cost, and you could easily buy it because you have some cash saved?
Or what if the place where you’ve saved your money offers you the opportunity to get a loan that could finance a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Let nobody lie to you. That 500 bob, stashed up over time, makes a difference.

Have you ever had a moment where your savings saved you?

24/01/2025

Here is a simple way to plan and budget your money this January 2025
Savings
Rent
Electricity
Water
Wifi/Subscriptions
School fees/12 months
Fare (per day*20 days)
Food( per day*30 days)
Shopping
Sending money home/parents
Other expenses (hair, shoes , clothes)
Entertainment per week*4 weeks
Charity/offerings
Any other business

How do you budget your money?
(Get your 2025 monthly budget template at Kes 350 here 👉https://paystack.shop/ivy-oyori

23/01/2025

It's 2020, there’s COVID. Gamma lost his job as a school driver since schools were closed. He used to be a truck driver before.
He had 500,000 saved up.
He realized that there was more demand for food, specifically house deliveries, since local markets were closed.

He bought a truck and started going directly to farms to buy freshly harvested cabbages, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes, which he sold and delivered to different estates.

This is a true story from a truck driver I met, who did some delivery services for me.

What if he hadn’t had any savings at all? How would his life be different today?

Have your savings ever saved you?

22/01/2025

You are caught between saving or paying off your debts. If it’s possible, do both.

If it’s not possible, and it’s an either-or situation, so start off with the debts and focus on not taking another loan. Work with what you have. By that, I mean try as much as you can to use the income you have for your monthly expenses and not borrow money for food, school fees, or any consumer-related debt.

If you are eating out often, reduce it to once.

Do what it takes to not take that loan.

Once you have managed to live within your means, start paying off the debts with the excess you have left from making these minimal changes.

Another alternative is to save the money you’ve saved from eating out and any other reductions you’ve made.
The goal here is not to become a millionaire with our savings, but to learn to live with what you have as you pay off debts and save what you can.

That, in itself, is a milestone.

How did you manage to pay off your loans or manage them? (Some tips would be helpful.)

21/01/2025

I’ve noticed some negativity when I mention the word “loans.”

This might stem from the emotional trigger it brings—perhaps a reminder of a difficult time when paying off a loan became a struggle.

Paying for a loan can be both stressful and rewarding.

If it works out, that’s great! But if it doesn’t, you’re left with liabilities to manage.

👉Scenario 1:Imagine taking a loan for a car or a business. In the beginning, you’re filled with optimism, expecting everything to work out perfectly. But then the car breaks down, bringing additional costs like maintenance.

Meanwhile, your Uber business hasn’t picked up yet. It might take 3–4 months before you see significant progress, but your liabilities won’t wait.

The same goes for starting a business: it takes time to grow. If it’s your first venture, it might take even longer compared to expanding an existing business.

👉Scenario 2: What if you’ve set realistic expectations from the start?

You know it could take 3 months, 6 months, or even a year for your business to thrive or that it might take longer or even fail. By taking a calculated risk, you’ve prepared for different outcomes.

In that case, would the narrative still be “Loans are bad”?

What do you think? Are loans really bad?

Leave your thoughts in the comments

20/01/2025

I remember having a conversation with someone who mentioned that the primary goal for someone struggling to meet their monthly needs with their income should preferably be on increasing their income rather than “investing” the little they earn in low-return financial assets.

Let me give this context.

You make 30k net income. It can barely sustain you, and sometimes you find yourself taking out a loan mid-month.

The best goal to have here is: “How can I make an extra income?” rather than “How much will I make if I invest KES 3,000 in a fixed income fund or money market fund for a whole year?” only to withdraw the 3,000 in the middle of the month and complain that such an investment is a scam because they only got 13 bob from it.

Again, this line of thought is personal and contextual to your income.

What do you think?

Send a message to learn more

18/01/2025

One thing I like about Saturdays is that it marks the beginning of the weekend. A day of relaxation where you get to take a little break from the day-to-day work.

It’s like a pause button, alerting you to halt, breathe in, and continue. No matter what, it’s definitely the day to soak up the sun, watch that movie, or go out and about appreciating the day.
What’s the one thing you like about Saturdays?

17/01/2025

"Many years ago, my late mother believed that one of the biggest reasons Mexico was in sad financial shape was that country's long-running national lottery. She said, 'People in Mexico believe the only way they can get ahead is to win the lottery, so instead of working hard, they buy lottery tickets.'...The American dream, of working hard and getting ahead, is starting to succumb to that same lottery mentality my mother saw hurting Mexico's economy."

— Robin Miller, "The lottery mentality," The Baltimore Sun, October 17, 1995

At a certain point, I confess I had this mentality where you think a large sum of money coming in once can solve your problems. Or you desire to obtain money without working hard for it.

Have you had this mentality at a certain point in your life?

16/01/2025

It stings so much when you plan for that 2k you were expecting or that 1k your friend, who owes you, was going to return after a long year of waiting, only for you not to receive it.

It’s happened to me on several occasions, and let me tell you Maina, just don’t plan for money you don’t have. For money that is not in your hands.

Don’t count the money until the deal is done.
Have you had a similar experience, and what did you do?

15/01/2025

Wait a minute! How is this investing? You save 1,000 in a money market fund this week. Next week, you go shopping, and while at the supermarket, you withdraw the funds from your MMF to pay.

Then you complain that you only received Shs 12 in interest from your MMF.

What happened to, “We save and invest purposefully”?

What do you think is the solution ? Help me out here (comment below).

14/01/2025

I recently saw a documentary about the 800M gold winner, Emmanuel Wanyonyi. He wasn’t good in school; he struggled with math, sciences, and literature. In fact, he almost dropped out. It was his principal who encouraged him to show up for the national examination, emphasizing the importance of completing school.

However, he was athletically intelligent. When he was on the field, he practiced like no one else. He ran like no one else. And now he is the Paris 2024 Olympic champion

In the same documentary, he mentioned that if he hadn’t pursued athletics, he would probably be out there herding cattle.

We have seen artists, fashion designers, writers, producers, videographers grab more opportunities in this age of information than before.

You don’t need to be academically smart to make it because you are smart in other areas.

Do you think this is the best age to live in with regard to grabbing opportunities? (Leave a comment below)

13/01/2025

If you know anyone in IT right now, I bet you've heard about how lucrative it is.

In the first episode of Think Business, I’ll be having a conversation with a successful business owner in the IT industry.

We'll talk about software installations, Wi-Fi connections, and most of the tech-related services his company has been providing for several years.

What are some of the questions and topics you'd like us to discuss?
Drop them in the comments!