One of the most valuable tips I received years ago about working on my future, especially my financial life, is to simply take action. You can’t change anything if you’re not willing to do the hard work. The same principle can be applied to virtually anything in life, including regaining financial freedom and shaping a better future.
If you’re serious about reshaping your future, you have to be willing to make that first step. To help you get started, here are some of the things you can do to reshape your future in as little as 24 months.
Cut Expenses and Save
At this point, you may be thinking that two years is ages. Trust me when I say that it is not too long at all. 24-months is the perfect timeframe in most situations, even when you’re starting with debts to repay and other issues to deal with.
To get started, sit down and review all of your expenses. Expenses are parts of the equation you can influence immediately. You may not be able to raise your income or find additional revenue straight away, but you can cut unnecessary expenses.
Be mean to yourself and cut all unnecessary expenses. The daily Starbucks coffee you buy on your way to work and the cable TV service you seldom use must go. There are cheaper alternatives to these expenses; some can even be eliminated altogether.
The money you save can be allocated to a good investment or debt repayment, depending on your priority. Investing can lead to additional sources of income, but only when you do it right from the beginning. Repaying debts, on the other hand, will allow you to save more every month as you reduce the principal amounts.
Make Plans
After just a couple of months of cutting expenses, saving your money, and repaying your debts, you will be able to see where you are going with your personal finances better. You can assess the amount of money you can save – and how much more you can save in the future – more accurately too, so it is easier to make plans at this stage.
Your focus at this point should be either boosting your existing income or finding new sources of income. Low-risk, low-return investments are the best to look into, since you want to keep your risks at a minimum. Start generating additional revenues and let your savings do most of the hard work.
The Final Transformation
Stay consistent for 9 to 12 months and you will see a lot of changes in your life. Most of your smaller debts should be paid off by this stage, which means you are saving more money each month and investing more. Subsequently, you earn more from your investments too.
It is time to solidify that brighter future you’re aiming for by making one final transformation. You can choose to start a business or invest in an existing one to better strengthen your cash flow. Alternatively, you can pursue a higher degree such as an online MCE degree from Norwich University.
A master’s degree will substantially increase your salary, but it takes 15 to 24 months to earn one. Nevertheless, a degree in rewarding fields such as the online masters in civil engineering mentioned earlier is a rewarding investment to make.
Don’t forget; be consistent. Stick to the plan and tackle the challenges you face one at a time. In just 24-months, you can reshape your future completely.