3 minute read
What do you want your money for?
When financial planner Paul Farrugia asked this question to clients Linda and Nigel Robinson, they found themselves unable to answer. It was the start of them thinking differently about the purpose of their money. And it is a story that they wanted to share.
Linda and Nigel Robinson became clients ten years ago and they had one main priority; to gain the confidence that their finances could support them into later life.
Finding themselves in the situation of having a final salary income with additional savings, they came to Equilibrium wanting certainty that the long term was looked after.
“Like many in our generation, we grew up when mortgage rates were very high, so being cautious and prudent with money was the only way to survive and to make
sure that we could be financially secure and stable in the future,” explains Nigel.
“We fondly recall Jason Lowe, our first financial planner, acknowledging that we were one of the most cautious clients he had ever had. He patiently took us through the clear charging structure and we got our first taste of Equilibrium’s family and personal style; something we were unable to find in any other organisation.”
He continues: “We considered our money to be our savings and something that was purely there for our old age. We wanted to make sure that we had enough to look after ourselves as we got old and in case we both needed care. I suppose being cautious with our money is in our culture, it is how we have grown up. Once you have that outlook, it stays with you and it is very hard to get out of that mindset.”
“In recent years, Paul Farrugia has been our financial planner and with his help, we continue to have confidence in our plan. What we hadn’t appreciated was exactly what else that could now mean for us,” says Linda. “We were so used to thinking about the long term that when Paul asked us the question as to what we wanted our money for, we quite simply didn’t have an answer.
“Through the planning and the forecasting that Paul worked with us on, we saw that the long term was taken care of, and we found ourselves asking, so now what?
“We discovered that we were able to help our children with wedding gifts and house deposits and were delighted to find that we could support our grandchildren too.
“We also realised the ‘old age’ that we were planning for was actually here! That made us contemplate what was next for us. Equilibrium had given us security for our future, which meant that it was time to begin to live in the present and that takes some getting used to,” explains Linda.
“One of the things that I am most grateful for was the ability to take early retirement when my grandson was born. They say that money can’t buy time, but I would disagree. I was able to look after my grandson for three days a week, something that I did for the first five years of his life. As a result, we both enjoy a wonderful relationship with him. That is something that I consider to be very precious indeed.”
Both Linda and Nigel have been enjoying some new opportunities that have been afforded to them. The confidence that Equilibrium’s planning has given them over the years has allowed them to begin to enjoy life even more.
After some careful research (of course), Linda was also able to treat herself to the car she had always wanted; a mini cooper convertible. In addition, both Linda and Nigel have been enjoying some unforgettable holidays across China, Bali, Singapore, Borneo and Cambodia. After much consideration and with their new outlook they even took the plunge and travelled business class on their recent trip to Abu Dhabi, something they had always aspired to do.
Linda went on to say: “We have been promising ourselves to travel business class for so long, if we don’t do it now, when are we going to do it?”
