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You Must Put These Items In Your Financial Bucket List

Tandem skydiving in Miami…check! Owning a car…check! Climbing Mount Kinabalu…check! Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef…check!

These statements are just some of the items that you can put in your bucket list. Most of these do not come cheap! Hence, you must ignite your passion for getting your finances in order. Add items that will relate to achieving the bigger financial picture. Here are just some that I can suggest:

1. DIMINISH YOUR CREDIT CARD DEBT

Instead of wishing for a million dollars in your savings, it will be easier to pay off your credit card debt. Numerous personal finance experts advocate making a “list of debt” and starting with the highest interest rate. Afterwards, the person shall focus on the rest. This can be effective in the long run.

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However, using the “snowball strategy” can be effective too. This involves eliminating all the smallest items first before working your way to the highest items. After all, the most important thing is to pay more than the minimum.

2. HAVE A SUFFICIENT EMERGENCY FUND

How many times have you read an article that discusses about the mere purpose of having an emergency fund? Too many to mention, right? For individuals who are trying to turn their finances around, saving up a sufficient emergency fund is a milestone that is worthy of celebration.

Re-frame your thoughts and peek into the future! If you have plenty of wealth to tap, you can finance a trip to Australia or other items in your bucket list.

3. SAVE FOR A 7-DAY VACATION

Requesting for a significant time away from work can be difficult to sell to your employer. But, you can argue that taking a week-long vacation can rejuvenate your mind and body. Taking care of your wellbeing will make you more productive at work.

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Remember that you will likely need to achieve many other goals on your financial bucket list before taking a sabbatical. These other goals include paying off debt and setting an emergency fund.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

How Much Cash Should You Keep In The Bank?

You are a responsible adult living in the most expensive city in the world. With this in mind, how much money should you have in your savings account? This may sound like a basic financial query, but it is hard to extract a straight answer from it. Make things simple by aligning your goals with the volume of your savings.

Here are just some goals that you may tap with:

GOAL #1: BUILDING A SAFE NEST FOR THE GOLDEN YEARS

To shed a light to the path of many Singaporean retirees, a social security savings plan has been put into place. This savings plan is none other than the comprehensive Central Provident Fund (CPF). You can use your CPF Ordinary Savings account for important purposes such as purchasing an HDB flat or financing your retirement years.

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The amount of your retirement fund must be based on your estimated future spending or your predicted lifestyle. This is why it is challenging to quantify a singular retirement fund. It is best to save on a regular basis with the knowledge that all will add up as you age. For instance, many financial experts recommend to save at least “10% to 15% of your income for retirement as early as your 20s“.

GOAL #2: ESTABLISHING A REALISTIC EMERGENCY CUSHION

As the name suggests, an emergency fund is established to cushion unforeseen events. There are many ways to arrive at a specific amount for an emergency fund. First, you may follow the advice of the renowned Personal Finance Adviser Suze Orman. She suggests to have eight months’ worth of your salary because it is the average period before a person finds a job.

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Second, you may save up a five-figure emergency fund in an investment account with relatively safe allocations in order for it to grow. Doing so will allow you to save more money than by leaving your cash in a savings account.

Lastly, you may save up based on your living expenses. Add up the cost of all your current essentials (i.e., rent, grocery, and utilities) and work from there. For example, you need S$2,000 per month to survive. Prioritize getting about S$6,000 in your emergency fund.

GOAL #3: CONQUERING SHORT-TERM VICTORIES

In a list of financial priorities, chances are, your specific goals reside at the bottom. Specific goals include purchasing a car, backpacking around Europe, and buying a new phone. Do not limit your savings just to suit your specific goals.

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Remember that starting your savings is the initial step and that you must plan to raise it over time.

Sources: 1 & 2

How To Create And Follow Your Financial Goals

Reaching for something you really want to have takes hard work, determination, realistic expectations, and savings. All these are vital to achieving your financial goals. The first step that you must take is to organize not just your financial documents but also your time. Commit at least 30 to 60 minutes per week to financial planning including your goals.

Planning for your goals start by making them specific. Identify what you really want and how much will it cost. Do you want a flat at an expensive condominium or at an affordable HDB? The more transparent your financial goal is, the more realistically you can save.

When making a financial plan as a married couple, it is paramount that you share the same financial goals. Discuss it together and make sure that you each contribute to achieving them.

Once your financial goals are all set, categorize each one in terms of the length of time you will spend to accomplish them. The categorization includes short-term, mid-term, and long-term financial goals. Short-term financial goals (SFG), such as purchasing a microwave, are achievable in less than a year. Mid-term financial goals (MFG), such as an expensive family vacation to Europe, can take up to 5 years. Lastly, long-term financial goals (LFG) are achievable in more than 5 years. This includes your retirement plan.

After you categorized your financial goals in terms of time, it is time to prioritize each one of them so you can concentrate better. For instance, if you prioritize on saving for your children’s tertiary education (LFG) and a new microwave (SFG) rather than spending for a new car (LFG) and a new phone (SFG) then, save for it first.

The last step you must take is to figure out how much you will need to achieve each one. Do not be discouraged if the total amount seems overwhelming. What is important is the fact that you have realistic and tangible financial goals to work toward to. Revisit these goals every month and continue to refine your financial plan. If there is a difficulty in keeping your goals, analyze your budget and see if there are any areas that you can reduce or eliminate. This will increase your savings.

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Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Newbie’s Guide To Financial Planning

Picture a curve going up. This is your lifetime money curve. Every decision you make affects the direction of your curve. For example, once you earn money from your first job then, the money curve will go up higher. But living in reality, your money curve are exposed in certain financial pressures such as taxes and bank fees, which, will push the money curve direction down. The good news is that, with a strategic plan that evaluates the potential pressures, you can survive or prevent the downward money curve. This strategic plan is called a Financial Plan.

Financial planning is an important process that draws out your monetary future. It is a process of managing your finances and knowing where you want to go. Here are 5 pointers to guide you…

1. INFORMATION GATHERING

In order to manage your finances, the first step is to gather all the important documents (e.g., bank statements, insurance policies, and investment accounts) and financial information. Organize these records by using a folders or filing accessories that will cost less than S$5 at Popular Bookstore or Daiso.

2. EVALUATING

After you gathered all the essential information, you must evaluate all the areas of your financial life including long-term savings (e.g., retirement and college fund), short-term savings (e.g., payment for bills and emergency fund), key documents (e.g., durable power of attorney and will) and insurance (e.g., life and car insurance). Calculating your net worth is also in this step.

3. SETTING GOALS

Following evaluation is goal setting. It involves two things: identifying your goals and knowing what resources you need. Identifying your financial goals both short-term (e.g., staycation in Bali) and long-term (e.g., retirement at 50s) is vital to knowing what your next plan of action will be. After plotting your goals, you must know the resources you will need to achieve them.

4. TAKING ACTION

Since your goals are set, your next plan of action is to decide whether you shall do it on your own or to hire a professional financial advisor. The personal actions you can take may include purchasing life insurance, creating a will, and setting a side money for your retirement. While, hiring a professional can help you reach your objectives in the midst of time your constraints.

5. MONITORING

The last step is monitoring. Monitoring involves tracking your progress and altering your goals based on the reevaluation of your current economic situation.

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With a systematic and a holistic Financial Plan, may your money curve take a flight…leading you to success! 🙂

Sources: Entrepreneur and MoneySense

5 Financial Steps You Must Take After Getting Your First Job

So you got your first full-time job after graduating…what happens next? You may be lost and unfamiliar with the new responsibilities ahead. So, it is best to keep your finances in check. These steps will help:

1. ALLOCATE YOUR FINANCES BY BUDGETING

List down your expenses (i.e., fixed and variable), your income, and debts. Be aware of your cash flow for at least 2 weeks to help you set up a budget. Do not panic if you still have to pay your student loan because a budget will help you plan your income allocation.

2. REDUCE YOUR STUDENT LOAN

Do not wait until the lender notices you have graduated, start now. The earlier you start making payments, the more you will save. Furthermore, if you have a private loan that you took out when your credit score was lower, there is a potential to borrow again at lower rate.

3. THINK ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS

You may be living from paycheck to paycheck at the first few months but how about 4 years from now? Think about your long-term financial goals and start planning your budget accordingly. You may consider buying a house, traveling, or having kids, so start setting aside some money every month towards your goals. This will lessen the load and the stress.

4. CONSIDER BUYING THE INSURANCE YOU NEED

Insurance maybe in the back of your mind because you are young, healthy, and you got your life ahead of you. But, it will be the best thing you have ever invested on once accidents and unforeseen things happen. It is cheaper to buy insurance now while you are young because the risks are low. Many employers offer group life and group disability insurance, so it is more affordable and cheap enough to consider.

5. OPEN YOUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

I stressed this issue so much before and I will say it again. The best time to start your retirement savings is before you hit 35 years old. Wouldn’t you want to have a relaxing life with no financial worries once you retire?

Image Credits: 401(K) 2012 via Flickr

Then, set aside at least 5-10% of your income per month for retirement fund. Also, avoid debt as much as possible and get educated about your finances. Know how and why you should save for retirement before your mid-30s here.

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