New Year’s Resolution – 2020

Take control of your future by setting some financial goals this year. Here are our top tips to help make 2020 your best year yet. Make a plan for your money Home in on your savings Knock out your debts Take charge of your super Invest in your future

Make a plan for your money

What are your money goals for this year? To give yourself the best chance at achieving them, your goals need to be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Setting timely goals means giving yourself a timeframe to achieve them.

With a SMART goal in mind, you now need to set up a plan for how you’ll achieve it. For example, if you want to save $5,000 by the end of the year, work out how much you can allocate to that goal each pay day. 

Start with a budget

A budget will help you to map out your finances and work out where your money is going. Start with the essential costs like rent or mortgage, food, bills and transport, then allocate money for any debts you’re paying off. Anything left over can go towards your other money goals. 

Home in on your savings

Having savings set aside will help cover you in case of an emergency and will also help you reach your bigger money goals. Set up an automatic recurring payment to regularly transfer money into a high-interest savings account that is easy to deposit into but hard to withdraw from.

We have lots of tips to help you zero in on your savings if you’re:

  • Building an emergency savings fund
  • Saving for a home
  • Saving for your children’s education

Knock out your debts

If you want to get on top of your debt in 2020, break down what you owe into manageable chunks by prioritising what you can pay first.

Smart tip

Stay on top of your credit health by getting a free copy of your credit report and correcting any details that are wrong.

You could start by making extra repayments on your smallest debt first. Once you have paid that off, move on to the next smallest, and so on. If you start small, by the time you get to your biggest debts you will be well equipped to knock them out.

Another option is to pay off the debt with the highest interest first.

Take charge of your super

Make 2020 the year you get on top of your super. If your super is spread out across multiple funds, you are paying multiple sets of fees that are reducing your balance. Your super is your nest egg for your future, so why not start the year by consolidating your super into one fund so you pay less fees and grow your lump sum faster.

Smart tip

Get to know your super by checking your investment options and what, if any, life insurance your super covers.

You might also think about contributing extra to your super to grow your balance. See our page on super contributions for more on how to do this. 

Invest in your future

If your debts are under control and you’ve built up some savings, 2020 could be the year to start investing.

Boost your investment knowledge

Never invest in something you don’t fully understand; take the time to read up on the types of investment options you’re interested in. Follow the golden rules and invest smarter.

You might also consider reading money or investing magazines, or following finance and investing experts on social media.

Invest for your time frame

It’s best to choose an investment based on how long you are prepared to have your money tied up. Growth assets like shares and property that usually have better long-term returns, can be more volatile in the short term. 

Setting and reaching your money goals will help you achieve financial freedom. By putting a good plan in place and committing to keeping your money on the right course, you’ll hit your target. 

Source : ASIC’s MoneySmart 
Reproduced from ASIC’s MoneySmart. This article was originally published at https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/tools-and-resources/news/new-years-resolutions
Important note: This provides general information and hasn’t taken your circumstances into account.  It’s important to consider your particular circumstances before deciding what’s right for you. Although the information is from sources considered reliable, we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. You should not rely upon it and should seek qualified advice before making any investment decision. Except where liability under any statute cannot be excluded, we do not accept any liability (whether under contract, tort or otherwise) for any resulting loss or damage of the reader or any other person.  Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.
Important
Any information provided by the author detailed above is separate and external to our business and our Licensee. Neither our business nor our Licensee takes any responsibility for any action or any service provided by the author.
Any links have been provided with permission for information purposes only and will take you to external websites, which are not connected to our company in any way. Note: Our company does not endorse and is not responsible for the accuracy of the contents/information contained within the linked site(s) accessible from this page.
Share this:

Disclaimer: The information contained in this document is based on information believed to be accurate and reliable at the time of publication. Any illustrations of past performance do not imply similar performance in the future. To the extent permissible by law, neither we nor any of our related entities, employees, or directors gives any representation or warranty as to the reliability, accuracy or completeness of the information; or accepts any responsibility for any person acting, or refraining from acting, on the basis of information contained in this newsletter. This information is of a general nature only. It is not intended as personal advice or as an investment recommendation, and does not take into account the particular investment objectives, financial situation and needs of a particular investor. Before making an investment decision you should read the product disclosure statement of any financial product referred to in this newsletter and speak with your financial planner to assess whether the advice is appropriate to your particular investment objectives, financial situation and needs.