Even before the confetti settles and the glow sticks lose their shine, we as a human race agree that next year will just be better. No more chocolate. No more 10 am wake ups. No more frivolous spending. Yet more often than not, we’re breaking through the crust of February worse for wear. Hiding chocolate wrappers in the bottom of the bin. Rolling through alarms and ruining our sleep schedules. Bending to the thrill of a good boxing day sale. Let’s not kid ourselves this year. We’re probably not hiking Everest or eating salad for every meal. The more likely story is that these large goals will buckle under the weight of our own expectations. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to make a change in our lives. The secret is to make them manageable, not herculean. 1. Budget, Budget, Budget. If you’ve ever blacked out in a Myer and returned home with new bed sheets, a lemon squeezer, and a cutting board shaped like a boat--you’d probably benefit from a budget. A budget can help you:
Don’t let the unending blank slate of a new Excel sheet get you down. Evergreen can assist you with our comprehensive yet accessible budget template, which we fill in for you and can provide after your appointment. 2. Learn the Lingo. An important part in attaining financial freedom is understanding what your money is actually doing. There are many ways that your super accounts, insurances, and investments interact, and gaining a fuller view of these is important to making informed financial decisions. A few questions may include:
Our advisers aim to answer all these questions while providing further context on the meanings of commonly used phraseology. From indexes to indemnity policies, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of what your money is doing. 3. Update Your Beneficiaries Most people are looking for a fresh start to the new year, so it’s a great opportunity to review who is listed on your account as a beneficiary of your super or insurances. Throughout the year we may have quite a few changes in our lives, including new family dynamics as children grow up or marital status’ change. Our team can assist in reviewing who you have listed and ensure that it reflects your true intentions. We can also update these beneficiaries for you while reviewing your insurance coverage to save you the hassle. 4. Set a small, specific goal! While it’s great (and vital) to look at the future, sometimes the most satisfying resolutions are the ones we can knock out early on. I’m talking about those small jobs we always say we’ll do later, but (let’s be honest) never do. These could include:
Imagine how many bed sheets you could score at Myer with those extra savings! Or, for the particularly motivated, a shiny new investment account. 5. ...Or a slightly larger one! Then, once you have those small wins under your belt, you can work on the big ones. Start by reviewing your insurance covers, especially if you’ve made a large purchase or paid off a lot of debt. Our advisers can review what covers you currently have and compare these to your current lifestyle, debts, and assets. This is particularly useful if you haven’t reviewed your cover in a while, as premiums can add up as cover and fees auto-increase, leaving you with large premiums. While you’re at it you can consolidate your super accounts to serve your best interests. Multiple super accounts can eat away at your balance with fees and may not be the best option for you. You might also find that there are higher earning funds which would be a better fit for your financial goals. Okay, that sounds great, but how do I achieve it? Delving into your finances can be a truly daunting task. The benefit of a financial adviser is that these tasks can become much more manageable to accomplish. It won’t just be you, plodding away on that empty spreadsheet, or drowning in an endless sea of Reddit posts. Let our advisers help carve out the path to achieving your financial goals, and look back on 2025 as the year you finally fulfilled your resolutions! Comments are closed.
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