Set Your Financial Goals
Ladies, in these days of crisis, do You need to re-think Your financial strategy?
By these times of uncertainty, Are You sure to be in line with Your new lifestyle requirements?
You might be just in need of a change, but struggle to afford the cost of moving? Are upcoming expenses causing You extra stress? You are not alone. A lack of financial fitness is shared among many Ladies all over the world.
But there is HOPE! ALWAYS …
Ladies often find no need to put down a financial plan during times of plenty. It is not until we get into a serious financial crisis that we consider the benefits of tending to financial fitness proactively. As the world is getting out from Corona pandemic, make the decision to define Your financial goals and values and to differentiate between Your needs and wants. Commit to financial fitness promptly.
Here are 6 suggestions for Ladies to become financially FIT:
Let’s Discuss It Openly!
The first step to becoming financially fit is to take time to talk about money. Find a reliable professional with whom to share Your financial concerns. This person could be Your banker, financial advisor or simply a friend or family member. However, as some of them are a part of Your life, their ability to maintain confidentiality and ask You tough questions is of greatest concern. Money is a necessary resource for a healthy life, and healthy conversation about money makes the difference for change and fitness.
Know Your “Why?”
You will not become financially independent without clear goals: the “why” of making sound financial decisions. Every Lady has a different answer to this “why”’ because each person’s goals are unique. Whether it’s to be able to continue running Your own business successfully, live Your life well after retirement, or send Your kids to college, being financially fit provides a way forward.
Set a Financial Routine
We all know about a weight loss routine. But have You ever heard of a financial workout routine? It works similarly to a fitness regime. You invest Your time and energy to reap the rewards later. Both routines require mental and physical determination.
Evaluate Your spending habits and monitor Your credit card expenditure every month. This will help You determine which items are costing You more, which items are necessities, and what expenses You can cut. Avoid over-spending so You do not feel overwhelmed or trapped by financial obligations. Start by making small changes and adjustments for creating a bigger impact later.
Ask Yourself if You are always buying things You actually need or if You are spending money unnecessarily. Lowering Your expenses on unnecessary purchases allows You to begin saving money. Give the practice of saving a short-term try, like a 21-day challenge. You might be surprised to see just how much You can save in a short time.
For reaping long-term benefits, identify the things You want to pay off in a certain time frame, such as six months. For example, focus on paying off credit card debts or Your mortgage. Interest rates accrued on debts such as these make Your overall spending higher than the amount You borrow. You must not lose Your valuable property investments because of financial errors. So, clear those debts as quickly as possible. You will soon see how much You can save by doing so.
Consider Your Dreams
For mid-term I won’t talk about goals like buying a first home or, later on, a vacation home, or if You already have it and want to upgrade it with a major renovation – or start saving for a larger place. Neither will I talk about college for Your children or grandchildren – or even saving for when You do have children – are other examples of mid-term goals commonly considered in setting financial goals.
Rather, I will talk about Your deep dreams of living special experiences, such as allowing Yourself a luxurious trip in one of the most beautiful hotels in a very selective resort! Why not? Such as spending 2 or more weeks in a luxury SPA structure to take care of Your body and soul, where You are the main person to take care of during a memorable experience!…
Once You’ve set one or more of these goals, start figuring out how much You need to save to make a dent in reaching it. Visualizing the type of a future experience You want is the first step toward achieving it.
Reward Yourself
Accomplishing goals should always be celebrated in big and small ways. For larger saving goals, set smaller “milestone” amounts that You can celebrate along the way. Plan Your celebrations ahead of time and involve Your family. It is fun to celebrate together!
In addition, commit to a philanthropy of some sort. There are incredible rewards to your emotional and mental health that come from spending money on other people or for a good cause. Treat Your friends or family to an evening out or donate generously to an effort to help society.
Push Yourself
Nobody can force You to become financially fit. However, You can overcome bad spending habits. To do this, surround Yourself with people who are positive and believe in planning for the future. When You push Yourself, You get greater out-comes.
Bottom Line
Financial fitness is a gift You can give Yourself. With intention and focus, it is possible to work toward financial freedom, one small gain at a time. Your efforts will not only benefit You but also those in Your life whom You lead by example!
You probably won’t make it perfectly, linear progress toward achieving any of Your goals, but the important thing is not to be perfect but to be fit and consistent. If You get hit with an unexpected car repair or medical bill one month and can’t contribute to Your emergency fund but have to take money out of it instead, don’t beat Yourself up. That’s what the fund is there for. Just get back on track as soon as You can.
The same is true if You get fired or sick. You’ll have to create a new plan to get through that difficult period, and You may not be able to pay down debt or save for retirement during that time, but You can resume Your original plan – or perhaps a revised version – once You come out on the other side.
That’s the beauty of annual financial planning: You can review and update Your goals and monitor Your progress in reaching them throughout life’s ups and downs. In the process, you will find that both the small things You do on a daily and monthly basis and the large things You do every year and over the decades will help You achieving Your financial goals.
Then when financial fitness is a reality, share what You have learned with others, so they may benefit as well!