It’s another year and we’ve promised ourselves all sorts of things – I want to be bigger, thinner, eat more veggies and maybe eat less sugar. That said, we can all agree that we all need more money and sometimes the key lies in managing what you already have.
So here are 5 financial goals you should set for 2018. Why 5 goals? You can count them on one hand (obviously), and the less you have to focus on, the more chances of you succeeding at becoming financially fit.
- Don’t shoot yourself in the leg – It’s not enough to make budgets; make one you can stay true to. Ensure you track your expenses because that action will inform your budgeting choices. When you finally make that budget, do all you can to stick to it.
- Set a (realistic) personal savings goal for the year – Check how much you are currently making, what your expenses are, and figure out how much you can realistically save every month. You should have a monthly and yearly savings goal, and they should both align.
- Pay back already! – If you owe any debts, make this the year you clear them out and avoid getting more debts. Debts have a way of hindering most, if not all your financial goals.
- Be prepared for Emergencies – You probably know this as ‘the rainy day’ fund. If you don’t already have one, then this should be the first savings goal on your list for the year. Your emergency fund should have enough to cover three to six months of your expenses. This ideally includes all your living expenses, and that of those who depend on you (if you have any). You want to be prepared in case of any unexpected life emergencies.
- Find an investment option that works for you – If you desire a financially free future, you should definitely consider investments if you haven’t already. What do you want to invest in? This can be within your retirement account as an additional voluntary contribution, or in a separate investment account or even invest in real estate if that catches your fancy.
