In today’s world, financial security and stability are paramount. While these, and even the idea of the path to them, may seem daunting and overwhelming, it’s important to remember that every little step counts when it comes to financial independence.
Ultimately, it depends on the financial habits you develop, how early you start and how consistently you maintain them.
Here are some smaller, easier but effective steps that can help optimize their financial journey:
Create a foundation (goal setting) – Whether it’s financing your higher education, building a retirement fund, or even something as seemingly vague as wanting to take a holiday abroad once a year; Goals allow you to allocate resources effectively and motivate you to continue saving and investing your money.
Expense budget (management) – It is important to adopt effective budgeting and expense management strategies. Creating a budget can help you understand your income and expenses, allowing you to identify areas where you can reduce spending and direct those funds toward savings and investments. Tracking expenses, avoiding unnecessary debt, and making conscious spending choices are crucial steps in improving your financial freedom.
Start building an emergency fund (adaptation) – Life is unpredictable and financial planning must account for the unexpected. Creating an emergency fund can help cover unexpected expenses that are vital to financial stability. A savings fund acts as a safety net, allowing you to deal with emergencies without disrupting your long-term financial goals.
Start investing early (compounding) – Investment is your reliable assistant; It makes your money work as hard as you do. By saving consistently and investing wisely, you can benefit from compounding returns over time. Even small amounts invested regularly can turn into significant amounts due to the compounding effect where interest is earned on both the initial principal and accumulated interest. The sooner you start investing, the longer it will take for your investment to compound, leading to significant financial rewards in the future.
Growing with technology (automation) – Online banking services, mobile payment apps, investment platforms and budgeting apps have made it increasingly easy and convenient to manage finances effectively, removing the tedium often associated with financial prudence. With the digitalization of the ecosystem, there is now a fintech solution for almost every financial hesitation one may encounter today; This solution allows even beginners to streamline money matters and make more informed decisions.
Understand risk and reward (balancing) – To save money diligently, which is an important aspect of building wealth, it is equally important to invest those savings wisely. To do this, understanding one’s risk appetite and time horizon is also important to determine the appropriate investment strategy; This will help you accumulate wealth.
Learn about finance (education) – We often shy away and fear things that we do not understand well enough. A large aspect of financial freedom and financial success comes from actively and continuously seeking (reliable) information about personal finance, investment strategies, and economic trends in order to equip oneself with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions.
The important thing to remember is that every financial journey is unique because each individual’s desires, circumstances and motivations are unique. What goals you want to achieve, how much risk you are willing to take, or the means by which you want to receive financial education are personal choices for you. But the basics of financial stability remain consistent, and no matter the journey, it always helps to start early and take small steps consistently.
Satyajeet Kunjeer, Founder and CEO, Deciml
How to invest in your 20s to become rich in your 30s
