Personal Finance Guru 2nd Edition

We’ve all been told to take things one day at a time, and this is of course the best way to live. Unfortunately, many people think that the ‘one day at a time’ theory includes their financial standing and future – and it doesn’t. When it comes to money, you really can’t take things one day at a time. You must look ahead to the future, and set financial goals, and then create a plan to reach those goals. Once that is done, you start meeting those goals – one day and one step at a time. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will ‘cross that bridge when you get to it.’ When it comes to money, you simply cannot do that, or you will find that you will never reach your goals. You must look ahead and see where those bridges are, and start working out how you will cross them long before you get to them! When you finish your education and go to work, you must look ahead to when you will marry. When you marry, you must look ahead to when you will buy a home and have children. You must look ahead to your child’s education and their wedding, and you must look ahead to your own retirement – even if it is fifty years away! All of this takes money, and it is money that you need to start gathering right away…not on the day that you need it.

In order to plan your financial future successfully, you really must make a basic plan for your life. That plan will most definitely change over the years, but the main parts won’t change. For instance, the chances are very good that you will marry and have children. You will almost definitely reach a point where you want to purchase a home. If you have children, they will absolutely need to be educated, and will most likely marry. You will definitely want or need to retire at some point. Those things are not likely to change in your life’s plan.