“To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe.” Anatole France.
Our goals and financial aspirations shift as we grow older and wiser. As we advance to the 30-40 age bracket, our thinking process, financial preferences and goals change, with events such as marriage and family responsibility dominating our lives. This can be thought of as the most important phase in one’s life cycle. You have learnt enough lessons from your 20s and now you can actually establish yourself.
Here are some of the goals you should work on actualizing at this stage in life:
Family
If you are thinking of marriage, there are a few things you need to understand. A young couple becomes interdependent with shared responsibility for day-to-day expenses as well as achievement of some common goals. The arrival of children very quickly changes the financial situation of the young couple. Each extra mouth to feed increases the family expenditure. Planning for children’s education comes to the fore as every parent would like to give their children a good education. They will have to accumulate money to pay school fees at primary and higher education.
You need to be aware of all these goals and learn to navigate them together without neglecting any.
Save for retirement
In this stage difficult choices have to made to cater for all the financial needs in the family bearing in mind that unlike in the twenties when the retirement age could have been considered very far in the future, it hits you that the future is getting closer and closer and that you need to save for your retirement dutifully.
There will come a time when you will not be able to work, and having enough savings will make all the difference in your quality of life.
Save for emergencies
When you get a family, emergency expenses become the order of the day. Sometimes, it might feel like you are always having an emergency. Having an emergency fund prevents you from having to depend on debt.
An emergency fund can also shield your family from economic hardship if your source of income is suddenly interrupted. Ensure that you save at least half a year’s income in the emergency fund, which should be earning interest and is fairly easy to access.
[Read More: Planning For A Financial Emergency]
Protect yourself and what you have
Consider the possible catastrophes that could occur and make a plan for them. A medical cover is important especially when you start a family. A life insurance cover is also essential as it would secure the financial stability of your dependents in the future in case of the untimely demise of the breadwinner.
Diversify
Diversify your investment portfolio and make a plan that will fit your long term and short-term goals and balance them as you may deem fit according to your financial position and plan.
[Read More: Four Steps for the Perfect Financial Plan]
Keep learning
Don’t stop investing in yourself once you get a stable job or business. Keep your earning power growing through continuous education, training, and personal development to advance in your career or business skills, and increase your chances of financial stability as the years go by.
Live your life
Be content with who you are and what you have achieved. Learn to live within your means and save for the good things in life instead of running into debt while trying to keep up with a lifestyle than you cannot sustain. Tune out the peer pressure around you and focus solely on what you know for certain: the state of your own personal finances.
Conclusion
Your 30s are the ideal time to establish yourself. You will need discipline and hard work to juggle between building your family and yourself. The goal is not to lose track of any of these goals.
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