When planning for a successful financial future, it is important to have clear cut goals. These will need to be both long and short-term. Short-term goals are by nature easier to reach and can provide the much-needed motivation to see the long-term goals to completion. Let’s look at some smart short-term goals you can set for yourself.
Starting an Emergency Fund
Financial experts may disagree on a great many things, but one thing they all tend to agree on is the importance of setting up an emergency fund. Whether the washing machine starts spewing soap into the laundry room or the car breaks down on the side of the road, many people are one disaster away from completely wiping out their budget. For your first short-term goal, your emergency fund should take priority over everything else.
Purchasing Household Items
Whether you rent or own your home, there are plenty of big-ticket items that are considered necessities in the modern world. Whether it is a couch or a television or a computer for a new job, there are many items that can remain out of reach without some financial planning. While these items make great short-term goals, be sure the amount you put toward them each week doesn’t strain your budget.
Tracking Your Spending Habits
Your short-term financial goals don’t all have to have a numerical value attached. One great short-term goal that will help you get a firm grasp on your budget is to track your spending habits over the course of two weeks. Use a spreadsheet, app, or notebook to keep up with your daily spending, and find all the places you can tighten up and save. This will pay off when it comes to your long-term goals, as well.
Creating Additional Income
Another excellent short-term financial goal is to find a way to generate additional income. Whether this means picking up a side job on your days off or walking neighborhood dogs for extra cash, you will see your goals start working together to pull you out of debt. Applying these extra funds to your budget will open up new options in your budgeting strategy.
Buying Health Insurance
Insurance is one of those things that you never think about until you need it. But with more and more people struggling to afford health care, having good insurance is more important than ever. Making insurance a concrete goal will bring it to the forefront and put you in a better position to deal with emergencies as they arise.
Speaking with a Certified Credit Counselor
Developing a solid financial plan will be essential to getting out of debt. One step you can take today is to let our certified credit counselors at CreditGUARD evaluate your needs and expenses and craft a plan customized just for you. Our certified credit counselors can help you learn whether you qualify for our non-profit debt management plan that consolidates your credit card payments down to one easy, affordable monthly payment. Get on the road to a better financial future by calling [cga-phone] today!