Time has a habit of speeding up as you get older and that’s why making a financial plan now rather than later is so important.
Having a financial plan is your compass – it guides you no matter what stage of life you’re in.
Every week, Kiwis of every description walk through our doors for financial advice and some common themes have emerged, including questions about KiwiSaver or the ‘clearing debt or saving’ conundrum.
So each month, I’ll answer some of those common questions and give you down to earth, realistic and workable financial advice. Whether your goal is to pay off your mortgage faster, save for a much-needed holiday (or Christmas!) or buy a house, you need a plan. Like most things in life, planning is key to success.
The first step in achieving your financial goals is to get your house in order.
It’s time to get real, feel the fear and take a hard look at where you’re at.
For some people this might be confusing with HPs, debts and overdrafts to juggle. Knowing what you owe and what assets you’ve got and how they work together is the first step to financial freedom.
A good place to start is to ask yourself these four questions:
- Where do I want to be in five years?
- What financial goals do I want to achieve?
- Is financial freedom important to me?
- What do I owe and what do I have?
Next month I’ll give you some ideas on what needs to be in a financial plan and tell you how to find out what KiwiSaver can do for you.
INTERESTED IN GETTING ADVICE TO ACHIEVE YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS?
Large or small, we’d love to hear about your goals and discuss how our Financial Advisers may be able to help you plan and achieve them.
‘Dollars and Sense’ is a monthly column Mike writes for the Hastings Leader and Napier Courier. This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as personalised financial advice. A disclosure statement is available on request and free of charge.
