Zahoor Bargir - Unpuzzling Finance: The Quick and Easy Way to Learn the Basics

UNPUZZLING FINANCE

The Quick and Easy Way to Learn the Basics of Finance for Non-Finance Managers

ZAHOOR BARGIR

AuthorHouse UK

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403 USA

www.authorhouse.co.uk

Phone: 0800.197.4150

2016 Zahoor Bargir. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/24/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-2960-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-2959-5 (e)

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Image cover design by Aneesa Dalwai and Pele Lazicic

and Photography by Nadia Butt

Contents

One of the key things with finance is that it is just like any other subject. We simply need to find a way of learning that works for us. All too often, we find finance puzzling if it is not the terminology that confuses us it is the numbers. In this book, we cover the basic concepts of finance along with financial terms to help you to become more familiar with the essential elements of this topic, and how each piece of the puzzle fits together. I am always being asked in the course of my work as a trainer, where to find a book that explains finance in an easy-to-understand way? This easy-to-read book introduces the fundamentals of finance in a straightforward manner.

During my school years I didnt find numbers easy to grasp and I was near the bottom of the class in maths. In fact, to cover up my lack of ability, I became the joker at the back of the maths class and made a fool of myself.

Surely, maths has got to be easier than this!

That was before I struck gold with Ian McDonald, a teacher who realised I didnt quite get it and would sit with me to focus on just one thing the process. He carefully showed me what to do and then got me to work through it myself. It was a revelation because he didnt confuse me with difficult terms or numbers; he concentrated on helping me understand the process involved, so that I could reach the right answer.

I soon began to apply myself and, with practice, achieved over 90% in my end-of-year exam. The euphoria I felt soon disappeared when I discovered I would have a different teacher the following year. But it dawned on me that even without Ian teaching me, I could apply the same methods to whichever mathematical problem I was faced with - because:

1. 1) I had found an approach that worked for me
2. 2) It was not so much about numbers; it was more about understanding the process

In this book I have taken the subject of finance and broken it down in a way that is accessible to anyone who is not comfortable with or, who has never studied the subject, like my maths teacher did for me.

Who is this book for?

Quite simply, it is for anyone who needs or wants to understand the fundamentals of finance.

Perhaps you own a business or are looking to set one up. Maybe you are working towards a promotion or want to develop your current role. You might be a chef who wants to understand how to price a dish with a view to making maximum profit. Whatever your situation, knowing about finance is invaluable. No matter what your speciality is, understanding the basics of finance will be crucial in both your professional life and your personal life.

This book is not intended to turn you into an expert, it will explain the basic concepts and how they work together. These essential first steps are explained in an easy-to-follow manner and aim to give you the confidence to learn more about finance.

As a finance trainer, Ive had the opportunity of working with thousands of people who have not found this subject easy. I have seen first-hand which techniques learners find effective and which areas people struggle with. As a result, in this book I focus on the core aspects of finance in two parts: firstly the three financial statements. When we assess a company to see how well it is performing financially, it is on the basis of these three financial statements, which we can consider as a simple collection of information on different aspects of running a business.

Part 1: The three financial statements consist of:

1. a. The Profit and Loss Account This is information that helps us measure how good the organisation is at making money.
2. b. The Balance Sheet This helps us keep a tally of all the assets that the business owns, and all the liabilities that it has.
3. c. The Cash Flow Statement This highlights how much actual cash there is in the business.

The second part of this book will then focus on other aspects of finance that work together with the three financial statements.

Part 2: Additional financial elements include:

1. d. Fixed and variable costs When we make decisions that have a knock-on effect on other areas of our business, understanding costs will help us work out what the impact will be.
2. e. Accruals When we take a look at the finances of our business on a monthly basis, accruals play a major part in this. We will look at what they are and how they work.
3. f. Budgeting A budget is effectively a plan of where money is going to be spent. We will look at the components of a budget as well as how this compares to a similar plan, known as a forecast.

The three financial statements form the very cornerstone of understanding finance. They work together so that a business can make a profit and continue to trade. In Part 1 you will get a better grasp of the role they play.

In each of the sections, once the theory has been explained, there are examples to help you explore the financial concepts further. There are also questions, with answers, at the end of each chapter. The questions are not only a way of helping you to check that you have understood the concepts, but also to help you put the concepts into practice.

It was quite a journey to get this book to completion and it wouldnt have been done without the constant love and support of my parents and siblings you are my world. Im always running ideas by you, so thank you for your priceless suggestions and unstinting support. I also have a host of people to thank who have directly or indirectly made an impact on the production of this book.

Firstly, my teachers Ian McDonald and Patrick Lynch. Whilst I struggled to find my learning style from a very young age, you inspired me to find a way and to appreciate my own talents. You have both been instrumental in my own training career.

Nothing is ever truly achieved on our own, and this book is certainly no exception. I wish to thank the following people for your excellent work and support in getting this to a finished product. A big thank you to my editor Teresa Palmiero for your great suggestions and professional guidance. Youve been amazing in your support throughout and I really appreciate it. To David Frederick, my technical editor. You dont usually have much time to spare with all the teaching you do alongside your day job, so I really appreciate your expertise on this project. To my book designer Aneesa Dalwai who was so easy to work with as always and who knows how to convert ideas into an image. To my illustrator Pele Lazicic its our first assignment together and I couldnt have wished for a better cartoonist. I look forward to our future collaborations! To London House for their support, especially during those late nights in the library. To Nadia Butt for the photography. It is spot-on as always. To Debbie Thomas, for your eye for detail. Being a perfectionist, Im not always one for keeping to deadlines, so thank you for your patience. And finally, to my friend and stand-by accountant, Imtiaz Haque. Thanks buddy, for being there whenever Ive needed to throw out some accounting ideas, and other things at you.