Your future depends on the habits you’ve established during your 20’s. At this stage of life, you finally entered into a new exciting era to finally live life the way you want it. You slowly become independent as you become a professional in the workplace. However, you should still be mindful of how your time is spent and how you handle money.
Table of Contents
Here are more financial goals to create.
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1. Turn Your Passion Into a Side Hustle
There`s a reason that this is on top of our financial goals list. Being in your 20’s is fun yet it is also a confusing roller coaster ride. There’s so much you want to do on top of a pile of responsibilities. This is where you first experience paying the bills and getting a job. Well, don’t let reality discourage you from chasing after a dream. Get to know yourself intimately by starting a hobby that you’ve been dying to try. Keep on exploring and you’ll eventually figure out your true passion.
The next step is to earn from what you love. There are multiple ways to do this depending on the industry or field you’re interested in. For those who are into music, you could post videos on YouTube or Facebook and include your contact details in the description below.
With this, you get to showcase your talent while being open to gigs or commissions. For those who are into writing, you could start a blog or be a freelance writer for clients. And for those who are into art, you could make an Instagram account focused on your artworks and even host an online auction.
Honestly, the options are endless, especially now that reaching an audience and potential clients is not impossible. Thanks to the power of the internet and social media.
A piece of marketing advice: remember to always give value to others. It actually increases the chances of authentic engagements and followers. You must be creative and strategic. Find your passion first and don’t let it go to waste by earning from it.
2. Budget Wisely and Track Your Expenditures
Upon starting to earn from work, the temptation to spend on the things you want is almost inevitable. It’s so easy to shop ‘til you drop or splurge on leisure when payday finally arrives. If you keep spending money carelessly, you won’t be able to save up for the future.
As a solution, always have a clear budget in mind for the everyday things that you spend on. This includes groceries, commute, leisure, and everything else in between. You could even talk to one of the wealth management firms in your area to see how you can budget to make sure that you are making the most of your finances and not going overboard unnecessarily on certain things.
Tracking expenses makes you more aware as it’s easier to detect what things are to be cut off or limited. Because some of it may be excessive or unnecessary to your real goals. You also become conscious of the small expenses that add up over time.
Share to Inspire blog freebie library includes an expense tracker and savings tracker. You can get access to the library here.
3. Develop Street-Smart Saving Habits
Canvas before you spend. Lessen the urge to spend impulsively without considering other alternatives. A smart thing to do is to read review articles for a certain product before purchasing. It’s important to research your options first and compare which among these is a better choice for its price.
However, cheaper doesn’t always mean that you saved money. For example, buying fake earphones for a discounted price than the original does not make you street-smart. What happens if the seller did not offer any warranty but the fake earphones were destined to break after a few days anyway?
No matter how cheap it was, you can’t hide from the fact that you wasted money on it. Now you have to buy another one. At times, investing in high-quality items is the best option.
ALSO READ: GOOD MONEY HABITS TO FORM
4. Establish Good Credit
This should always always be on the list of your financial goals. A personal loan or credit card is both a blessing and a curse. When faced with financial difficulties you could use some help from either. But remember to establish good credit from the start.
The credit score reveals one’s character in handling finances. If you have a good credit score, banks and other creditors trust you. It implies that you are responsible and you pay the debt on time. You might be offered rewards. Also, getting a loan especially when you need it won’t be a hectic issue.
On the other hand, abusing your credit card will put you into debt with interest if unpaid on time. People will also not trust you with their money if your credit card score is low. As much as possible, only use your credit card for necessities like groceries, gas, and bills. Be sure that you could pay them. If you already have gotten yourself into debt, Your Credit Blueprint is a course that helped me a lot in managing my credit.
5. Have a stable income by working for a company
The previous generation has a different work mindset than today’s youth. Most of our parents were content with landing a decent-paying job for a corporate company. However, this kind of mindset is not what millennials and zoomers (aka gen z) are rooting for.
This generation is attracted to the idea of working as their own boss and at their own pace. Thanks to social media, a lot aspire to be highly paid content creators, business owners, or influencers.
Don’t get me wrong, this sudden shift is empowering. It encourages people to work independently and to live a more fulfilling life. On the flip side, we have to consider the practical aspects. Since thousands of people are opening shops or uploading their content, it’s definitely a competitive environment and it’s most likely not gonna be an instant success.
Making money in your 20’s takes hard work and determination. In order to establish a steady flow of income, the most realistic option is to work for a company. You could add this to your resume as you build a good professional reputation. You also get to meet colleagues and expand your knowledge about the industry.
In reality, there are some experiences under a company that you can’t learn or have as a self-employed individual. Companies offer benefits like health insurance and other perks (i.e. gym, certificate programs, etc.).
Although it doesn’t mean you’ll work under their company for the rest of your life. You still have the option to continue your side hustles and passion projects after work hours. You could even cut ties with the company upon the expiration of your contract. You could then venture into a new path once you earned enough. If you wish to stay, you could ask for a promotion or raise. The choice is yours.
6. Focus on Your Career
For those who just graduated, set an intention and develop on it. What do you truly want to do in this life? How do you want to earn money? When will you plan to retire? Will you earn first before becoming an entrepreneur? Don’t be afraid to keep asking the big questions in deciding whether or not you should pursue a certain career or jump to the next.
As much as I’m an advocate of finding one’s true purpose or calling, it doesn’t give you a permission pass to keep changing careers whenever you feel like it or experience an obstacle.
For the first few years post-graduation, you might still be able to jump from one industry to another. However, this pattern must eventually come to an end. It might just lead you to various uncertainties. Instead of developing a specific set of skills in a certain field, you just keep starting over. Keep in mind, that you’re not getting any younger.
Maybe, being in a company is not so bad at all. You could climb the corporate ladder through promotions. You could still do your side hustles and passion projects while working full time. It’s really about balance.
7. Build an Emergency Fund
When things go south, you need to have extra cash with you. An emergency fund is separate savings account that you will need in case something unexpected happens. Allotting money to an emergency fund must be your utmost priority especially when you’re not living with your parents anymore.
You need to be prepared when you get sick, lose a job, need home repairs, or book an unanticipated trip. For starters, start evaluating your net income and expenditures. Then you could decide how much of your extra income could be placed in your emergency fund.
How to Build an Emergency Fund
8. Earn for Your First Home
If you feel like you’re finally thriving in your career while earning a lot of extra income, you could take another step further. At this point, you could start a savings account dedicated to your first home. The value of the property does not depreciate especially in major cities. Earning a home is one of the ultimate investments you could give to your future 30-year-old self. If you could buy a house a lot earlier, why not, right?
However, the lot itself comes with a hefty price tag. What more if you hire labor to build and purchase materials for your house? This is why you need to plan ahead, talk to banks for feasible home plans, and research for great home insurance policies. When I was 25, earning my first home was on top of my financial goals list.
How to save up for your dream house
9. Consult a professional financial planner
Before making a life-changing decision that will cost a lot of money, it’s recommended to consult a professional financial planner first. They will help you monitor and assess both your short-term and long-term financial goals.
They will also offer strategies and solutions to your current financial problems. Aside from learning a lot from them, they will even act as a trusted support system in terms of your finances and wealth management.
10. Get a Life and Health Insurance
The earlier you invest in insurance, the more secure your future will be. Since we can’t predict what will happen next, investing in life and health insurance will ease your worries about unexpected hospital visits and life-threatening situations.
Health insurance protects and helps you with medical costs if you suddenly get sick. On the other hand, life insurance ensures that your beneficiaries or loved ones will have money upon your death. These are the situations that you have to accept because our well-being is always in a fragile state no matter how careful or immune you are.
11. Spend Within Your Means
Don’t be tempted to splurge on things that you don’t need. It’s so easy to fall prey to online shopping and impulse buying but you need to remember the cliche “Mind over matter” quote. Your financial goals and purpose must be stronger than your sudden desire of wanting something.
In order to effectively spend within your means, be aware of your net worth by subtracting your total income from your expenses. If the result is not a net loss then you still have enough to spend on other items. If it is a net loss, then you have to seriously evaluate your money habits.
12. Prepare Your Food At Home
It’s usually cheaper than take-outs and dine-ins. In fact, buying whole foods and fresh ingredients from the market or grocery will not only save you a ton of money but it’s also a healthier alternative. If you prepare food at home, you don’t have to pay for service fees and additional tips. Basically, you pay for an overall experience in restaurants.
13. Be Conscious Of The Little Things You Spend
Trust me, it builds up. You may think that buying a $5.00 coffee every morning is nothing to be worried about. But this kind of thinking is what makes people break and lose their savings. Going back to the coffee example, if you multiply the price by 30 days, the cost would be a whopping $150.00 per month.
So, don’t take these expenses lightly. If you could survive without it, then it’s best to abstain from buying it. You could be more aware of your daily expenses by downloading a free financial tracker app on your phone.
ALSO READ: 10 THINGS TO STOP BUYING AND SAVE MONEY
14. Save The Earth and Save Your Home Bill
Dealing with monthly bills is going to be your responsibility for the rest of your life. It’s one of the not-so-exciting parts of being an adult. The only way to escape paying for your home bills is if you’ve gone fully eco-friendly by installing those expensive solar panels.
Let’s face it, you might still be renting out or you simply don’t have the means to buy such equipment yet. Well, we gotta start small, right?
There are various ways to save your home bills. For electricity, you could do daily earth hours by not using any lights or gadgets for a period of time. You could also conserve more energy by switching to inverter appliances. For water, you could reuse bath water to clean cars or the garage. You could also simply take shorter showers and turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or while shaving.
15. Plan For The Retirement You Desire
People won’t stay young forever and nothing stays the same. At one point, the next generation will take over the industry you once knew. As early as your 20s, it’s important to foresee the kind of lifestyle you want to have in the future. You should have a plan on when you’ll stop working and estimate how much money you want to end up with.
You shouldn’t burden your children with this responsibility because they have their own life to take care of. Your medical bills and maintenance as a senior citizen should come from your savings and pension. If you don’t spend wisely, you might end up working during your older years instead of resting and living a stress-free life.
Upon graduating, you are full of life and encouragement. You are also definitely ready to conquer the world by discovering your hidden talents and potential. You have the choice to work for a company or fulfill an entrepreneur’s life or even do both. Whatever your choice is, your future still depends on what you do today and how you spend your income.
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What are your financial goals?
These carefully thought financial goals were not simply randomized for the sake of giving you an idea of what to plan for. These were actually arranged in chronological order from the time you stepped out of school until you are financially stable enough to plan for retirement. You could follow through with these financial goals accordingly. Since you’ve read it this far, I’d like to welcome you to the adulting life and I hope you’ll take these tips to heart.
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