Max Gerstein Independant Financial Advisor

  Feeling overwhelmed with money isn’t a personal failure. It’s the default outcome of a system where most people are never taught how money actually works. What feels like stress, confusion, or insecurity is usually something simpler: you’ve never been shown how to assess whether you’re financially healthy in the first place. Most people assume they’re doing “fine” because bills are paid and income is coming in. But financial health isn’t about survival. It’s about resilience, optionality, and direction. And until you measure those things, you’re guessing. Start with a simple test. Look at your bank balance the day before you get paid, not once, but consistently. Month after month. If that number isn’t steadily rising, you’re not building wealth. You’re treading water. This single habit strips away excuses and stories. It shows you whether your lifestyle is actually supported by your income or quietly eroding it. Next, look at whether saving requires effort. If saving depends o...

Are You Financially Fit? A Reality Check Most People Avoid Most people think they’re “doing okay” financially. They earn well. Bills are paid. Life is comfortable. Nothing feels urgent. That’s exactly why so many people drift for years without ever checking whether they’re actually on track. Here’s a simple question that cuts through the noise: How long have you been working, and how much have you saved? Be honest. Now take that number, divide it by the years you’ve worked, and project that average forward to retirement. If nothing changes, does that outcome support the life you expect to live? For most people, it doesn’t. Not because they’re underpaid. But because they’ve never stopped to assess their financial fitness properly. Why People Avoid the Check I rarely meet people who intentionally sabotage their finances. What I see instead is avoidance dressed up as logic. Income creates comfort. Comfort removes urgency. And without urgency, important questions get deferred. ...

Why Earning More Doesn’t Stop People From Staying Broke Most people assume financial stress is an income problem. Earn more, and everything gets easier. In reality, higher income often delays the problem rather than fixing it. That’s why so many professionals earning well still feel financially stuck, anxious about the future, and unsure whether they are actually progressing. Not because they lack discipline. But because nothing is designed. I was reminded of this recently when I met someone earning just 1,300 AED a month. By most standards, saving should have been impossible. And yet, he was saving 500 AED every month, more than 30% of his income. At the same time, I work with people earning over one hundred times more who save nothing at all. The difference isn’t income. It’s structure. Why Income Often Makes Things Worse As income rises, spending usually follows. Not recklessly, but incrementally. A better apartment. More frequent dining out. Nicer holidays. Subscriptions ...