Getting what you really, really want is hardly every easy. It can be a grind. There are going to be days when you don’t want to work for it. Chances are you shed a tear or two along the way. It might take you much longer than you’d anticipated, and there are no guarantees the path will be a smooth one.
So what!
Accept the fact that the life you really want and that the dreams that you want to see come true are not going to fall into your hands like snow on a winter’s day. The reality is that you are going to have to put in some serious effort then reap the rewards later. If it’s worth having, then it’s worth fighting for. Never forget that!
Since this is a personal finance blog, I can help you with the money part of building the life you honestly and truly desire. There are some very basic guidelines that will get you 97% of the way there. If you follow these, then you’re set. The other 3% won’t make or break you either way. The more of these rules you fail to follow, the harder you’ll make it on yourself.
Choose wisely.
First things first… commit to living below your means.
There’s no way around this fact. If you spend every nickel you earn, then you will not have money leftover to put towards your dreams and the life you really want.
You need to save some of the money you earn. I used to think that 10% was enough. Now, I’ve matured and I see that 20% should be the bare minimum.
Maybe you can’t start at 20% right now. Fine – 20% is out of the question for right now. I refuse to be persuaded that you can’t work your way up to 20% over time. Start where you are right now, then increase your savings rate by 1% every single year. If you can increase your savings rate at a faster pace, then so much the better.
People get raises, start side hustles, create content, teach skills, etc… There are many ways to earn additional money. Find one that works for your life and do it. Whatever money you earn can be applied to building the life you want and to turning your dreams into your reality.
Next, work on getting out of debt.
This might take a minute. Getting into debt is usually fun, but getting out is a tedious task. Unless you come into a windfall, it’s going to take you some time to pay off your creditors. If you can, make extra payments to pay off your debt faster.
And for the love of all that you hold holy, stay out of debt. If you want something, set up a sinking fund then use cash to buy it. As a matter of fact, set up a sinking fund even if there’s nothing in particular that you want. Set up an automatic transfer in the amount all of your former debt payments and send that money to your sinking fund. You’re already accustomed to making those payments, but this time they’ll be going into your pocket instead of someone else’s.
When you finally decide what you want, the money will be there waiting for you. No debt needed!
Invest for your long-term future.
While paying down your debt, cinch your belt a little tighter and set some money aside for Future You.
Debt payments are about paying for past decisions. Investing for your future is about self-care. You’re going to need food, shelter, transportation, heat, and a few other basic necessities every single day until the day you die. This is why you absolutely must set aside some of today’s money for tomorrow’s expenses. You won’t always be physically and mentally capable of going to work. There’s also a decent chance that you simply won’t want to leave the comfort of your home to do tasks for someone else. Or maybe you’ll no longer love running your own business.
Whatever the case, you don’t want to be forced to keep working when you’d rather stop.
When that time comes, you’ll be very happy to have cashflow from investments to replace the cashflow from your salary. Start today. Invest for the long-term. Re-invest all your dividends and capital gains. Set up an automatic transfer to invest a portion of every dollar that crosses your palm. When you stop sending your body out to work, there will be a pot of gold waiting for you. Future You will be very glad that Today You made good choices.
Build your emergency fund.
Much like paying off debt, it’s going to take a minute or two to build up atleast six months’ worth of expenses. I’m not adverse to seeing people with one year’s worth of expenses set aside, but I appreciate that six months’ worth will do in a pinch. Emergencies always have a financial component, so kindly make hay while the sun shines. Believe me when I say that an emergency is never made better by the addition of debt.
The last thing you want is the burden of paying for an emergency for months, if not years, after it’s happened. To avoid this depressing situation, make sure that you’re adding to your emergency fund on a regular basis. Every time you’re paid, send some money to your emergency fund and leave it alone.
No one has ever complained about having too much money during an emergency.
And if you have to use your emergency fund at some point, make sure that you re-build it as fast as possible. There is no way of knowing when your next emergency is going to land so it’s best to be prepared as soon as possible.
Finally, stop getting in your own way.
By this, I mean do not take on financial burdens unless absolutely necessary. More monthly subscriptions won’t get your closer to your dream life unless you’re the one selling to subscribers. Any dollar that is spent on something other than what you want most is a dollar that is not bringing you closer to your dreams.
Remember that there is always someone out there who is goading you to spend your money in ways that aren’t getting you closer to the life you want. You’re the best person to know what your heart really desires. And you need not sacrifice your priorities just because the AdMan and the Creditor request that of you. They’re your dreams so it’s your responsibility to protect them, to nurture them, and to pay for them.
Again… No one said it would be easy. I’m here to tell you that it will be worth it.
