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| Ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan with wife of former Nigerian Vice President, Mrs. Titi Abubakar |
I could write
you a contract promising you a cast-iron, no get-out clauses, guaranteed, money
back without quibbles, cross my heart and hope to die in a cellarful of rats,
sort of thing that would stand up in a court of law and withstand any scrutiny
you cared to put it under. What am I selling? It doesn’t matter. Small print
can cost you dear. Check it carefully.
you a contract promising you a cast-iron, no get-out clauses, guaranteed, money
back without quibbles, cross my heart and hope to die in a cellarful of rats,
sort of thing that would stand up in a court of law and withstand any scrutiny
you cared to put it under. What am I selling? It doesn’t matter. Small print
can cost you dear. Check it carefully.
I love the sort
of small print classics, such as taking shoes back that don’t fit only to be
told they can’t be refunded if they have left the store. Or the small print on
medications that say they can make you sick and you can’t sue. Or the small
print on computer software that says you are bound by the agreement if you break the seal
on the packaging – and the software can’t be tested until it has been run and
you can’t run it until you’ve installed it and you can’t do that until you’ve broken
open the packaging. Agh!
of small print classics, such as taking shoes back that don’t fit only to be
told they can’t be refunded if they have left the store. Or the small print on
medications that say they can make you sick and you can’t sue. Or the small
print on computer software that says you are bound by the agreement if you break the seal
on the packaging – and the software can’t be tested until it has been run and
you can’t run it until you’ve installed it and you can’t do that until you’ve broken
open the packaging. Agh!
“There’s
a wonderful story of someone who sold their soul to the devil. The devil wanted
five years off their life and the person reckoned it was worth it. Oh no! He
didn’t check the small print. The devil took five years off his life all right
– the first five years”.
There’s a
wonderful story of someone who sold their soul to the devil. The devil wanted
five years off their life and the person reckoned it was worth it. Oh no! He
didn’t check the small print. The devil took five years off his life all right
– the first five years. Agh! Can you imagine what missing the first five
years would do to you? And you thought credit card companies were bad?
wonderful story of someone who sold their soul to the devil. The devil wanted
five years off their life and the person reckoned it was worth it. Oh no! He
didn’t check the small print. The devil took five years off his life all right
– the first five years. Agh! Can you imagine what missing the first five
years would do to you? And you thought credit card companies were bad?
What do I mean
by ‘checking the small print’? What do you actually have to do? Three basic
things:
by ‘checking the small print’? What do you actually have to do? Three basic
things:
•
Obviously check that it covers you for what you want.
Obviously check that it covers you for what you want.
•
Check there are no hidden clauses that will twist the basic meaning of the
contract.
Check there are no hidden clauses that will twist the basic meaning of the
contract.
•
Check for penalty clauses – ones that penalize you for late or non-payment of anything.
Check for penalty clauses – ones that penalize you for late or non-payment of anything.
• It’s a bit like checking the small
print on food packaging. If you don’t like what’s in it, don’t buy it. Move on
up the aisle and buy organic, green, fresh, unpasteurized, whatever. If there
is small print, the hairs on the back of your neck should be rising. There is
only one reason for it to be there – to trip you up. Move on.
print on food packaging. If you don’t like what’s in it, don’t buy it. Move on
up the aisle and buy organic, green, fresh, unpasteurized, whatever. If there
is small print, the hairs on the back of your neck should be rising. There is
only one reason for it to be there – to trip you up. Move on.
From The Book; The Rules of Wealth by
Richard Templar
Richard Templar
(Read Rule
82 of Rule of Wealth tomorrow on Monday at Asabeafrika)
82 of Rule of Wealth tomorrow on Monday at Asabeafrika)
Read-to-Wealth Series
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