5 Steps to gain clarity when getting your money sorted out

Budgeting is the basic foundation of being in the driving seat of your money. Any good Financial Advisor will strongly suggest you do a budget as they say, and is my heartfelt belief, that having a budget for your home & your business are life changers.

Hiding away from your finances is like driving around the M25 with no idea which junction you want to take.

It's like the background scenery of 1970's cartoons when Scooby Doo & Shaggy are running, every few seconds it's the same picture, the same plant & the same window going past!

There is simply no point in not making a plan - how hard do you work for your money & how focused are you putting your earnings to work to build a life that you want?

Or are you Scooby Doo...

Here are 5 steps you can take, thinking steps, to help you gain self awareness & let the clouds part showing your clear next steps.

Step #1 - If you were on top of your finances right now, what would this mean to you?

Oooh that's got you thinking hasn't it?

How different would you feel?

What would be different?

What would your daily life look & feel like?

Step #2 - How do you feel about money in general?

Cautious? Anxious? Scared? Fearful? Excited?

Or a mixture depending on what's going on?

Do you enjoy earning it, do you enjoy spending it?

Are you on the same wavelength as your partner? Do you talk about it? Do you both take an active role in your home finances?

Do you teach your children about money?

"By teaching kids about becoming wealthy from a young age, they are more likely to look after their money" Will Rainey Author of Grandpa's Fortune - Fables & jolly nice colleague of mine.

Step #3 - What do you really want to change?

I always want more money don't you?

When I look around my home, in my wardrobe apart from a few new updates & replacing a few holey jumpers I've got lots of lovely things.

What I really want, is to be ABLE to choose new goodies without it stripping my monthly food budget.

To have the kitchen & bathroom of my dreams & the squashiest comfiest sofa.

To be able to go out for lunch or dinner without looking at the prices to choose which wine I want or dish I fancy.

I really want quite a few thousand in the bank so that I feel safe.

My life has changed a lot in the last 10 years, like it should of done, & my needs & wants are different. I see a different future for myself & my blended family so my finances need to flex & change with these.

So, what is it YOU really want to change about your finances that will give you the ability to have what you want, even if it means it takes a little while to work towards it?

Step #4 - There are arguably 5 big areas of focus for our financial lives. Which one is your most natural next focus?

1. Day to day, month to month, year to year foundational money management. Getting the basics right, on a strong footing will enable you to build on top.
   

2. Property Ladder. Getting on it as well as changing what you've got potentially adding chunks onto a shared ownership or creating a buy to let business.
   

3. Protecting what's important - income protection, life insurance - what would happen to loved ones if something happened to you or your partner? What about a Will, or Lasting Powers of Attorney for older parents both for health & finance reasons?
   

4. Something deliciously exciting like a wedding, new baby or travelling the world?
   

5. Modern Retirement Planning - it's changed so much over the last 10 years or so. Do you know what you want to do when you're able to retire? Do you want to be ABLE to retire at 50 & do something fabulous with your time? Have you got your pensions in places you're happy with & are they generating good returns for you? Do you need to speak to a pension expert for some advice?
   

6. Bonus question - what about later life care? For you or for your loved ones? This is a big, emotional topic. A very expensive topic! It might be time to start some research & talking to each other.

Step #5 - Have you got a budget in place that you love?

This sits really with all of the above as our lives & lifestyle are underpinned by how well we control our income & outgoings.

Choosing a set up that works for you isn't easy, there are thousands online you could choose from including tons of free ones.

I've put soooo much thought into who might want a particular style so that it's easy, simple & a pleasure.

Lots more to come but please do take a look at the selection to see which would work for you. Here's one:

Budgeting for Your Financial Wellbeing

Buy Now

So how much clearer are you feeling about getting your money sorted now?

Catch the live video in my private Facebook group on this exact topic here: Group

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Love from

Lucy x