Keeping Track of Your Financial Fitness
It’s all about changing and maintaining good habits for both your physical and financial fitness. And it will always begin with the question of why.
Why do you need a change? You may want to get in shape to run a marathon or simply to feel better mentally. Personal finance, on the other hand, can be about increasing your savings and having enough to feel safe if you’re laid off. Or, do you want a larger retirement fund or a larger property portfolio, for example? All of these require a shift in attitudes, and similar habit changes can assist you.
What are the steps you must take to attain your objectives? Does it imply losing weight, or do you prefer to gain muscle? Ask yourself the same question when it comes to financial planning: how do you want to meet your financial goals? For example, how much money should you be saving each month?
You must have the right mindset to change, and you should always write down your goals and a plan to achieve them. However, the techniques are conceptually interchangeable. Here are some insights that can help you plan out how you manage your finances:
Create an Automated Process
You need money to be transferred automatically from your current/checking account to your retirement or savings account. This automation can save a considerable amount of money and time. To use a personal fitness analogy, you could replicate this by making it a habit to take the stairs instead of the lift, or by changing your route to work to increase your walking distance. Both are simple to implement, do not necessitate a significant shift in habits, and can be repeated on a daily or monthly basis.
Use the Proper Strategy to Achieve Your Financial Objectives
Do you only go to the gym for cardio? Or do you rely on weights? Perhaps you have a different way of exercising, such as participating in team sports. In terms of finances, consider the asset allocation you’ll use for your investments. Do you just want a property portfolio from a buy-to-let portfolio? Or do you prefer an equity/fixed-income mix in your portfolio?
Examine Your Habits and Behaviours In Depth
Keeping track of your daily calorie and food intake can aid in weight loss. Similarly, knowing what you’re spending your money on is a personal finance alternative. You can use an app to help you with both of these: track your food intake with a calorie-counting app, or track your spending with an expenditure app. Set a monetary goal for how much you want to save each month.
Seek Expert Advice from Financial Advisors
A personal fitness coach, as well as a financial planner, can assist you in getting back on track. Please keep in mind that you have to hire a financial advisor not because you are not intelligent; you hire one because they are not you. Nobody is aware of their blind spots.
Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to be financially independent and comfortable.
