Let’s Talk Money: A Review of ‘The Personal Finance Game Plan’ by Shalom Govero
The book is dedicated to ‘the young in Zimbabwe’. One thing that most households do not discuss is financial freedom or wealth. Often the African point of view is of finding a job after years and money spent on education. But one thing the world has taught us is how fragile employment is, how volatile financial institutions are and how difficult it is to plan.
Shalom Govero gives us an invitation to think more deeply and strategically of the often-elusive chateau we have come to know as money.
“Considering the true state of your finances requires courage” Govero writes in her little book. This phrase sets the tone for the whole because indeed speaking about one’s wealth can be a very sensitive and daunting conversation given the many challenges Zimbabwe has faced in terms of its economic environment. In the books final chapter Govero even writes that “the money conversation has become an incredibly political one”. However, due to these grim circumstances it has become more cornerstone to put our financial health into consideration.
The first chapter of the book is titled “What do you want out of life?” and in this chapter, Govero gives readers the platform to truly assess their lives and what they envision theirs lives to be in the future. “Save with a clear goal in mind” rings out for me as I read the story of how she and her husband were able to build a family home in two years.
The second chapter is titled “What is stopping you?” Govero speaks on the myths associated with money that we have potentially limited us. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their money personality and cultivate new patterns on money spending. The third chapter “Money Disciplines for Financial Success” the author provides her readers with six detailed tips on how to treat, invest and make use of money (like the laws of gold in “The Richest Man in Babylon”). She then treats her readers to a bonus chapter in which she discusses the effect of one’s intimate partner on their financial hygiene. Readers are also taught about the importance of soft skills and speaking about oneself.
With only sixty-four pages, filled with interesting anecdotes and worksheets, the book was easy and a delight to go through. The book was specifically written for the Zimbabwean context (which is often a peculiar and complex setting) and I feel her teachings are very useful for anyone truly willing to transfer them to their lives. The book is also transferable to any context and for people of all ages but mostly young people. “The personal finance game plan” was a five-star read for me and I recommend it to anyone interested in broadening their understanding of the sensitive topic of money. We must all admit it; we all desire money! The book is available on Amazon and physical copies are available in Harare.
