10 financial lessons from the Russian classics

1. Do not forget to keep track of personal finances and plan costs

Vronsky, in spite of its seemingly frivolous social life, was a man who hated disorder.... In order to always conduct their affairs in order, he will, according to circumstances, more or less, at least five times a year, I would be alone and resulted in clarity of all his affairs.

"Anna Karenina" L. thick

Financial accounting - the first and most important step on the path to personal economic stability. And a prime example of this - Count Vronsky. He is attentive to personal finance and accounting meticulously conducted. And when his income dropped by almost two times, he kept his head and quickly figured out how to optimize costs and where to find the missing money.

Hero split all the bills into three groups: those that have to pay in the first place, equally important, by which money can be given to the parts and those on which there can not worry. Then it cut costs, sold expensive racehorses and missing bill payments for the amount borrowed from the moneylender at interest.

And later, when Vronsky left the service, he distanced himself from the world and became a landowner, he was "not wasting, but increasing his fortune" because "kept most simple, neriskovannyh receptions and was extremely frugal and raschotliv for economic little things. "

Begin to keep records of income and expenses. Having a clear idea of ​​what and how much care products, you will be able to review the costs, find ways to save and start save money. Or decide to seek additional income and better-paid jobs.

2. Arrange financial priorities

Ostap went to Vorobyaninov close and looked around, gave the leader a short, strong and invisible to the outside eye blow in the side.

- Here's the police! Here's the high cost of the chairs for the working people of all countries! Here's your night walks to the girls! Here's gray in his beard! Here's a lusty!

"The Twelve Chairs," I. Ilf, E. Petrov

It is important to accurately represent, for what, in fact, you need money. Do not waste your time on small and minor expenses at the expense of more important.

Ostap Bender and Kish were going to buy at an auction of 10 chairs, one of which toscha Vorobyaninov sewed her diamonds. After all the twists and turns they remained for 200 rubles. But when they won the bid and in view of commission they needed to pay for the chairs 230 rubles, it turned out that only left 12 Kisa.

Everything else he squandered eve: Woman driven to the movies and a restaurant, drunk, His grandmother bought bagels, along with a basket. What happened next, he could not remember. As a result, money to buy chairs, not enough, and the set was sold in parts. A together with one of the seats of the left and longed Kitties diamonds.

Of course, Dough - a comic character, and the episode is unlikely to be taken seriously. But this is a good example of what to spend money on entertainment costs only when the main items of expenditure are already covered.

Analyze what you want - to live with maximum comfort, not saving money, or, for example, to buy an apartment and make repairs. If the latter, then you may have to wait for later trips to the coffee shop or purchase of computer games.

3. Gather information and soberly assess the cost before to invest

"Of course, you need a lot of work, but we will work hard, you, Avdotya Romanovna, I, Rodion... other publications now give a nice percentage! A main base of the enterprise is that we know what should be translated. We will translate and publish, and learn all together. Now I can be helpful, because the experience I have. For the past two years soon for publishers to dart and all the ins and outs of them know... "

"Crime and Punishment" by F. Dostoevsky

Before opening his own business, it is necessary to begin with how to understand what it is you are going to do.

Dmitri Razumikhin - Raskolnikov's best friend. Like the main character, he is very poor, and so he even have to quit university. However, Dmitry is not lost, and gives lessons, is engaged in translation and editing, it starts communication among publishers and booksellers.

For one of them he even becomes not just a translator and editor, but also a kind of consultant. And after two years of work, thoroughly studied the issue, decides to open his own design. Razumihin confident of success, because the publishing peace sign. And besides, it calculates the initial capital and manages find investors: At interest takes a thousand rubles from his uncle, but for the rest of the sum refers to Avdotya Raskolnikov. Over time, he also restored the university is not going to deviate from his plan.

Before you start your own business, learn the theory, locate and analyze practical examples, get useful contacts, make a business plan. Otherwise, the entire future path will be similar to the walk in the dark and unlikely to end with success.

4. Take the money in the bank, rather than hide in the bank

Akaky used with every ruble he spent postpone for a penny in a small box, locked with a key, with a slotted hole in the lid for throwing there money. At the end of every six months, he audited the accumulated amount of copper and replaces it with fine silver. So he went on for a long time, and thus, in the course of a few years proved to accumulated sum of more than forty rubles.

"The Overcoat", N. Gogol

Tough economy - is not always the way to prosperity. For example, the titular counselor Akaky - very thrifty person. He conducts a thorough accounting of finances and lives in a brutal economy mode: allows himself no entertainment at evening lights a candle, hungry and empty drink tea, and walks through the streets of "almost on tiptoe", "not to scuff podmotok ". Bashmachkin receives 400 rubles per year - about 33 rubles a month. With each salary he lays 33 a penny, and for several years he manages to save up to 40 rubles.

With such a modest income is admirable, but the money will not Akaky investing - they lie dead weight in a locked drawer with a key. It is not known exactly when the action takes place "The Overcoat", but in the year of writing the novel (1841) just opened175 years of imperial traditions Russia's first savings bank, where you can put your money at interest. And if Bashmachkin advantage of its services, it may not have that long to save up for a new overcoat.

Times have certainly changed. But the money still will not have to lay dead weight, otherwise they will eat inflation. Buy shares invest finances in real estate, or at least put it in the bank at interest.

5. Be wary of promises of big earnings for minor investments

In the Land of Fools has a magic box - called the Field of Miracles... In this field, dig a hole, say three times: "Kreks, Feakes, Pecs," put it in a hole gold fell asleep the ground, on top sprinkle salt fields properly and go sleep. In the morning of the pits will grow a small tree, on it the gold coins will hang instead of leaves ...

"The Golden Key, or Adventures of Pinocchio" A. thick

The world will never run out scam artists who want to pocket the money of others. Be suspicious if someone offers you a fabulous high income with modest investments.

Fun fox Alice and the Cat Basilio convinced ingenuous hero that sowed four coins, he will be able to grow now golden tree. Pinocchio, who dreams to regain the alphabet and buy a jacket for the Pope Carlo, believed their promises and, of course, ran out of money. The cat and the fox took him to the police, while they themselves dug and took the coins.

Despite the fabulous component, the story is quite symbolic and actual: it can be said that Pinocchio for his naivete lost all his coins into financial pyramid.

Before you invest the money somewhere, find out as much as possible about the person who offers earnings. Look for reviews on social networks, ask for additional information. Otherwise there is a risk of losing your hard earned in questionable online business or an online casino.

6. Prepare a financial cushion, investing large sums

- your lady is killed - said affectionately Chekalinsky. Hermann shuddered: in fact, instead of the ace he was the queen of spades. He could not believe his eyes, wondering how he could obdornutsya.

"The Queen of Spades," A. Pushkin

It seems that the more money we invest in the shares or the business, the more we get the income. Therefore it is difficult to resist the temptation to use the money, and even get into debt. However, the consequences could be disastrous.

At the beginning of the story the main character Hermann follows the principle of "I am not in a position to sacrifice the necessary in the hope of winning the superfluous." He did not receive an inheritance and lives modestly on one salary. However, knowing the secret of the three cards, which, according to legend, must bring him wealth, Herman puts on a card table all their savings - bank note worth 47 thousand rubles. At first, he carries, and it doubles its capital. But the latter rate is fatal, and Herman loses all his money.

You invest money in stocks, buying an apartment on the stage of excavation, open your own business? Set aside part of the amount in the case of failure. stock prices can fall, developers repeatedly deceived consumers, and the success of the business is often unpredictable.

7. To compare the costs with revenues

... If the energy you throughout your life spent in search of money for the payment of interest, you go on to something else, it is likely that in the end you could move the earth ...

"The Cherry Orchard" A. Czechs

It happens that in the pursuit of short-term pleasures and status things we adequately assess their own income and to get into loans. And to what good it does not.

Boris Simeonov-Pishchik, the main hero of the play, - bankrupt. He had no money, the estate is mortgaged. Hero of all time takes the money in the debt, can not give them away, again and again and looking reborrow without end, who could get money. He is willing to stoop to flatter, to be obsequious with. His whole life is in this rat race, but he does not even think about how to re-evaluate their own attitudes to finances.

On the contrary, it takes more and more debts are growing like a snowball, Pishchik even thinking about a crime: "Now I'm in a position that, though false of paper do "But it continues to hope for" good will of heaven, "and dreams that money to get it themselves:" Two hundred thousand... Dasha win her ticket there is".

Analyze your expenses to see if they cut and will not fit into debt can be no urgent need. To borrow straight from the tin iPhoneUntil you have paid the mortgage - not the best idea.

8. Look for opportunities for additional earnings

"One step - and seven rubles ninety-five cents amassed! Step was meaningless, a children's game, I agree, but it still coincides with mine thought and could not excite me very deeply... However, there is nothing to describe the feeling. A ten-he was in his waistcoat pocket, I stuck two fingers to feel - and so it went without removing your hands. "

"Teenager", F. Dostoevsky

Sometimes the real ways to make lie right under our noses - you just have a little patience and ingenuity.

Protagonist of the novel, Arkady Dolgoruky, obsessed with the idea to become the second Rothschild and believes that this requires "perseverance and continuity." Therefore, the hero saves - for example, it does not take a cab, and because of this he manages to save up to 60 rubles. And sitting in the service and get your 50 rubles, the hero is sent to take the first step.

He goes up for auction, and for two rubles to buy tacky maiden album of poems, and then resells it for 10 rubles, thus adding to its salary 8 rubles. It is unlikely that they would help the hero to become a Rothschild, but if he had continued in the same vein, for the year would have amassed at least 100 rubles. A four monthly salaries - is not so little.

However, questionable ethical aspect of this act. "Teenager" took advantage of someone else's grief: the album belonged ruined family, whose property is to be auctioned off.

"Teenager" Dostoevsky tried himself in the role of the middleman. But today there are more honest ways to earn extra money. Look for orders on exchanges freelancers to register keshbek services and programs in partner stores, find out how you can earn on bank cards.

9. Do not be afraid to spend money, to increase revenue

He was walking more every day on the streets of his village, looked under bridges, under the crossbar and everything that came across him either: the old sole woman's cloth, iron nail, crock - all dragged to itself and folded into the pile, which Chichikov noticed in the corner room ...

"Dead Souls", N. Gogol

Frugality - it's good, but not worth doing from hoarding main and only purpose of life.

Stepan Plyushkin once was a prosperous landowner, but over time has changed beyond recognition, and devoted himself to collecting "treasures", most of whom have no no value. And it is not just "collecting" junk, but is afraid to spend even a penny and I am sure that everything is just a dream and how to rob him. Plyushkin not want to part with the products that are made in his name, it is gradually moving away from the people and lose trading partners.

Thinking only about how to increase the state at the expense of every detail, the landowner lose sight of the main sources of income, and his estate is gradually coming to a complete standstill. What would have happened if the character is not afraid to spend money and engage in trade.

Do not be afraid to part with their money - it opens up opportunities for new earnings. We have already talked about the shares and bank deposits, but another excellent investment - their own education. Spend the money on professional courses, and as an expert you will become more valuable, and therefore will grow and your salary. Or go to vacation rested worker - a productive worker.

10. Please respect to financial instruments

He saw, first, that Dubrovsky knows little sense in business, and secondly, that a man so hot and imprudent it would be easy to put in a very disadvantageous position.

"Dubrovsky" A. Pushkin

Careful attention to the papers will help to avoid financial losses and unnecessary emotions.

The landlord Troyekurov quarreled with Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky (the father of the main character), decided to sue his estate Kistenovku. Troekurova father once sold the estate to his father Andrew Gavrilovic. He has issued a bill of sale (sales contract) to pay the seller the full amount and entered the property.

But the deed and power of attorney were burned in the fire, and on how to take an extract from the records of serfs Affairs, Andrei Gavrilovich did not even think. He also ignored the request and the first trial for a long time made no attempt to prove that he is the lawful owner of Kistenovki. However, without the documents it turned out that Dubrovsky does not buy it, and it is still owned by the Troekurova. As a result, the court sided with the plaintiff.

Keep financial records in order: a contract of sale, credit agreements, receipt of payment etc. If you have something to buy or sell, or looking for render service, try to avoid oral agreements and informal - must enter into legally valid contract.