If you’re like us you can’t believe that another year is already over but the fact is that 2013 has about a week to go! While you’re busy looking back over the last 12 months we believe that one of the best things to do is also look forward to 2014 and start setting some financial goals for yourself right now.
Whether it’s to stop living “paycheck to paycheck”, put more money into your emergency account or finally pay off those student loans, we have five Tips below that will help you to do it and make your 2014 one of the best, at least financially. Enjoy.
Tip 1: Set realistic goals for yourself.
One of the most vitally important things that you can do when setting goals is to make them realistic. We’re not saying that you shouldn’t be a little ambitious when setting them but just that you should not “bite off more than you can chew” financially speaking. Paying off $10,000 of credit card debt is certainly doable if you put your mind to it and give yourself a reasonable amount of time to complete it but, unless you’re making quite a bit of money, setting a goal of paying off $30,000 might be a little bit out of reach. Better to set realistic goals and save yourself from disappointment or from quitting altogether.
Tip 2: Ask someone to be your accountability partner.
We all love to get together with friends and swap stories about the accomplishments we’ve made and even the great deals that we’ve gotten. What we’re talking about here is actually asking a friend or family member to work with you on making and then reaching your financial goals in 2014. It would be best to find someone who doesn’t always agree with you 100% but that you care about very much because they will be the person to give you the highest 5 when you reach your goals but also the “tough love” you need if you’re slacking.
Tip 3: Go back and check your goals regularly.
The old adage “out of sight, out of mind” holds very true when it comes to financial goals. The fact is that you can’t expect to stay excited about a goal unless it is in the forefront of your mind and, if you want it to be there, you need to go back and look over it regularly. If you are really committed to your financial goals and 2014 going back and looking over your goals once a week is certainly not unrealistic.
Tip 4: Make sure to celebrate here and there.
Here’s the thing; it’s not going to be extremely easy to get your financial life in order. It takes effort, time and discipline. However, if you do what you’re committed to doing you will reach some goals along the way and when you do it’s okay to celebrate and treat yourself to something nice. That new pair of designer sunglasses or a dinner at a fancy restaurant are certainly not out of the question. Don’t go overboard of course but have a little fun and reward yourself for all of your hard work. After all, knowing that there is a little reward waiting for you is one of the best ways to keep you on track to meet your goals.
Tip 5: Do extra things to make extra cash.
If you can handle it, working a few extra hours or selling some of your old unwanted stuff on Craigslist or eBay to make a few extra bucks is a great idea. Take a look at what you have around the house that you simply don’t need or don’t use and, if you work somewhere that it’s possible, ask to work a few extra hours. Once you do you can use that extra cash to help reach your goals and get them done more quickly.