As you grow old, you may need to have or you really need to have funds for your own expenditures. You should not just rely on others to help you, especially in the financial aspect.
It is better to have your own personal funds that came from your own savings instead of helplessly asking for money for those people that are younger than you. Believe me, it is really a pitiful scene since I have already seen some old engineers asking for money from the current engineers that are working from the government office I have worked at before.
It is not too late to save money. It is better to save more than to spend more. Here are some ways for you to get motivated into the world of savings. This is a very fruitful activity since whatever you sow, you will really reap.
If you are the typical eight-to-five income earner, you must learn how to compute your hourly rate in your job.
Why? This will make sure that you are really going to pay for an item that you want which is worthy enough for the hours that you have worked for. Think before you wink on a new gadget if you really want to work for a number of hours which will be equivalent to the amount of that new gadget. You must learn to value your time in relation to the amount of money you will spend. Instead of spending it haphazardly, just save some of your hard-earned money first.
You must have a goal on why you are saving.
It is good that you save but it is even better to have a goal while you are saving. Contemplate before you go to sleep. Wake up by having a goal with regards to your savings. Without any goals, you will really be going to be lazy in saving. With goals, you will be actively involved in saving. You can write your savings goal or use an electronic method if you do not want to write it. Just make sure to have a savings goal so that you will be able to appreciate any movements on your savings.
You can also create a sheet list using Excel or Google Sheets or any tracking list software or mobile application so that you can monitor what is already happening on your savings. At the end of every month, you must update it so that you will be motivated to add some more especially if it is not yet close to your savings goal. Your ultimate savings goal is the total amount that you want to have in the future. This total amount can be equal to any goal that you have such as having enough savings to buy your own house. Create a savings goal with an estimated target value of your new house and then for it. Save, save, save.
You must force yourself to save by investing it on legitimate investment opportunities.
You can easily automate a part of your income to a trust fund or stock investments. Nowadays, automation is a process which can be easily done for your income. You can even ask your payroll officer to automatically deduct a portion of your income to a particular investment. There are many software or mobile applications that you can use in automating your savings system or investment activities. You only need to force yourself into saving by asking the right person on how automation proceeds. Banks can automatically deduct a portion of your bank accounts and then automatically credit it to your investments. This will force you to save and think twice before you spend.
You should also be aware of your own health.
We all grow old and we do not live to become young unless you have the genes similar to Benjamin Button based on the movie entitled “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” who had an extremely rare genetic disorder called Progeria which makes our physical body age backward. Anyway, health is wealth. You must also save for your own good. You may not know it but sickness befalls everyone. Once in a while, each of us can get sick. You must save so that you will have funds for your emergency sickness.
You can save by avoiding unnecessary junk foods that will be a cause for getting sick one day. You can also save your money by not buying soft drinks but instead drinking water will be much better. Avoid drinking too much. You can drink but do not make it a habit. You can also save by engaging in sports to make you strong and healthy which is better since you are investing in your health.
Why not name your bank accounts or savings goal?
This is a better way of reminding you that you are saving with a goal. You can make names corresponding to your goal. Remember to be “S.M.A.R.T.” when it comes to setting your goals. This is an acronym which is usually learned during goal-setting sessions. It means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. So you need to have a specific goal so you can try naming your bank accounts. An example for your savings account can be “Trip to Disneyland” or “Trip to Jerusalem” which is really specific. This way, you will be motivated to save more since you are already visualizing yourself on that specific place.
The “Law of Attraction” really works especially if done in a visual way.
You can put images on a board or your wallet such as a new car. This will be your target for your savings goal. Instead of just thinking of this new car, visualization will help. The more you see your goal in front of you, the more that you will save and later, you will be able to buy this new car. This is just an example but you can put any picture of any savings goal that you want since any picture that you will use will be your ultimate reminder in achieving your ultimate savings goal.
These are just some of the ways to force yourself to save. These days, social media and mobile applications are really influencing you to spend more. You are tempted to buy more because of social media reviews and because of the enhancement features of mobile applications. Yet, it is still better to save even though it is really hard and boring. You must learn to be determined to save because, in the end, your savings will save you.
