There are a number of quite simple money rules that people choose to ignore simply because they get distracted by shining things such as fancy cars that they buy on credit. This is not how you get financially independent.
Pouring the foundation is the first step in building a new house. Ensuring it is level, stable, and on solid ground is more important than any subsequent step in the building process. Your finances are no different. Setting up a stable financial foundation will be paramount in ensuring your finances are in good shape. It’s not attractive, but it is the cornerstone and without the cornerstone there will be no house.Forget get-rich-quick schemes. Working smart and being persistent are the keys to success.
Everyone wants to be rich, but few people are willing to walk the walk. Where do you start? Well it’s not sexy at all. Start by paying off your debt. When you have debt, you are paying someone else interest. This is money that goes straight toward enriching someone else, rather than yourself. Avoid debt where you can, or try to borrow as little as possible. If you already have debt, pay it down as quickly as possible. Make a plan to get rid of your debt — especially credit card debt which is expensive and can be devastating.
Then, figure out what you can afford and live within your means. You already know the foundation to financial success: Spend less than you earn. Spend more and you’ll mire yourself in debt. Spend exactly what you bring in and you’ll never get ahead. So you need to figure out where your money is going, use that information to draw a budget, and build one where you can save some money every month. Your finances will thank you for it.
Then comes the time to build your emergency savings fund. An emergency fund is an easily accessible stash of money you can tap if you lose your job, get sick, or run into immediate, unexpected expenses, you don’t have to panic or use your credit cards. Having money saved will give you the peace of mind of knowing you are prepared for the unexpected. An emergency savings fund can help you support yourself while looking for a new job. It can also provide a reassuring safety net in case of illness or urgent repairs to your car or home. Here’s how to figure out how much you need. Your emergency fund should be enough to cover your costs for six months to a year. To ensure your savings last as long as you need, it’s important to know how to build an emergency fund properly. It should cover your major expenses. You’ll want to keep your emergency fund in a safe account where the value won’t fluctuate with the vagaries of the stock or bond market, such as a savings account or money market fund. This way, the cash will be there when you need it.
Now is the time to invest for success. The process of successful investing really isn’t that hard if you keep in mind five simple concepts. 1) Start investing early to benefit from compound interest, 2) select the right mix of investments or asset allocation, 3) invest systematically and automatically, also known as dollar cost averaging, 4) watch your investment costs by sticking to investment vehicles with low costs, and 5) be tax efficient by taking maximum advantage of tax-free and tax-deferred investment vehicles.
There you have it. The basics of reaching financial independence.