Some people have used the term, “the lost generation,” to describe today’s
“twenty some things” (and those in their early 30s). However, if you learn some
basics about personal finance and apply a little common sense to managing your
financial affairs, you will be able to describe you financial future in
far more satisfactory terms. The strong foundation that you lay can go miles in sparing
you from frequent bouts with the money blues.
Young adults in
their 20s and early 30s face a variety of challenges in their quest for
financial security. Some of these challenges are similar to those faced by
previous generations, while others are unique to the times. If you are just
starting out, here are four financial tips to help you manage your money and
plan for your future:
1) Invest in your future. You may
have graduated from university and have a good job, but who knows where
tomorrow’s opportunities may lie? Ongoing technological changes in many fields
will require continual upgrading of education and specific work skills. One way
to improve your job and career prospects in the coming decades is to give a
high priority to furthering your education. The more varied and flexible your
skills, the more attractive you will be to prospective employers.
2) Start an
emergency/opportunity fund. The uncertainty surrounding the world of work
will quite likely mean your working life may be punctuated by a series of job
and career changes. If you need to go to school full-time to change career
paths, you may have stretches of time without stable income. Building up an
emergency fund (while fully employed) to cover three to six months of “bare
bones” living expenses can help you control work-related transitions. This type
of savings fund can also be used for opportunities such as starting your own
business.
3) Save early and
continuously for retirement. If you
aren’t aware of it yet, welcome to the reality that saving for a comfortable
retirement is a responsibility that falls squarely on your shoulders.
With no social security in India you have to support yourself, it is difficult
to predict what kind of government benefits will be available 30 – 40 years
from now. While that may seem like a long way off, the key is to make time your
ally.
Remember, what
you accumulate during your working years will likely be the primary source
of your income for your retirement years. Even if inflation stays low and
averages just 6 percent annually far into the future, prices will still double
about every 12 years, cutting the purchasing power of your retirement funds. If
you have access to a tax-advantaged plan, either individually or through your
employer, it makes sense to start saving now. The earlier you begin, the less
money you will have to put aside each month to reach your savings goal.
4) Use credit cards wisely. Even
before they finish their education, young adults are often targeted by credit
card companies. While credit cards are often a great convenience (it’s
virtually impossible to conduct some transactions, such as making online
reservations, without one), they have the potential to create debt problems.
Over-spending on credit can create an illusion of wealth because payments can
be stretched out far into the future. Paying off the full balance each month
(except for emergency situations) is the best way to control your use of
credit.
Find yourself, don't get
lost in fiscal indiscipline. In the end, all of us have to learn
to “just say no” when the urge to spend money hits. Until a solid nest egg
is built (that will go far in protecting one from life’s
constant emergencies), veto all unnecessary trips to the mall, cancel
freaky nights out on the weekends, until the financial goal is
reached. With a comfortable nest egg, solid management skills, and some
amount of self-control, almost anyone will be able to deal with
most financial surprises that arise. It’s not so hard.
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