3 Vital Steps To Planning Your Personal Finances
Life can be unpredictable, but your finances don’t need to be. Live the life you want with a degree of certainty by planning your personal finances and letting your personalized financial plan guide you.
Start planning your personal finances now; building a solid foundation will increase the likelihood of reaching your goals.
Wherever you are on your financial journey, it is best to prioritize planning your personal finances.
You can avoid the financial regrets that others have if you start planning your personal finances.
What Is A Personalized Financial Plan And Why Planning Your Personal Finances Matter
Finances are personal, and never one size fits all. Your personalized financial plan considers your values, goals, risk tolerance, current finances, and the life you want to live. A personalized financial plan is everchanging and always a work in progress.
Let your personalized financial plan be your essential guide along your financial journey. Implement your plan—implementation results in positive change in your net worth, money mindset, and financial confidence.
These steps simplify planning personal finances and provide pointers on how to be better with budgeting and build a solid foundation for your personalized financial plan.
Step 1: Creating Your Expense Plan As You Start Planning Your Finances
- Create a spreadsheet with google sheets or your preferred spreadsheet
- At the top column, note your monthly net income (how much you take home after taxes, monthly benefits, etc.)
- Use the last three months of bank and credit card statements to determine your expenses.
- Below your net worth, itemize your monthly expenses and account for annual expenses by dividing them by 12 and noting them as monthly.
- After subtracting each expense from your net income, you will see how much money you have leftover or not at the end of each month.
- Copy and paste the column alongside it; reflect any potential changes to your expenses in the second column.
You Can Make Your Expense Plan Even Better When Planning Your Personal Finances
You already have your expense plan and have a better understanding of how you spend your money. Yes, there is more! You can “find more money.” These steps will help you manage your personal finances:
- Eliminate and trim unnecessary expenses, including recurring subscriptions and memberships.
- Increase your income
- Determine if there are any tax-advantaged money moves that you can make, such as donating appreciated securities to a charitable organization or using a health savings account to fund and pay your health expenses.
- Call your insurance, internet, and other providers, ask for their customer retention or loyalty department, and see if there is a better deal. Also, compare to new providers, and negotiate.
- Determine your return on investment on each of your expenses. Ask yourself if something is a need or want. Is there a less expensive alternative?
Schedule the time and reminder on your calendar for each provider you need to contact.
Celebrate your wins along the way!!
Determine your net worth :
Step 2: Determine Your Net Worth As You Are Planning Your Personal Finances And Your Personalized Financial Plan
- Use a Google Sheet or preferred spreadsheet by adding the following:
- bank accounts
- brokerage accounts
- retirement accounts and
- the value of your other assets that are not as likely to depreciate (home and rental properties)
- then subtract the total amount of debt from your positive net worth
The total is your net worth. Your net worth can give you insight into your current finances: where you might want to implore your money, how to get rid of credit card debt, and your saving for retirement goals.
Step 3: Living The Life You Want, Below Your Means
Did you just read a typo? That was not a mistake.
Are you thinking, “I do not want to live below my means, and how can that help me live the life I want?”
Read On!
Yes, it is that simple; Live below your means, spending less than you make.
Living below your means takes discipline. Developing new habits and adjusting your mindset will help you live below your means more easily and amplify your wealth. Increasing your cash flow can help you improve your net worth even sooner.
You Are Ready To Live The Life You Want
Determine what you value most in life. Time with family and friends, do your favorite hobby, travel, read, or volunteer? Or, possibly, you have something you want to save up for, such as school, a home, a boat, eliminating debt, or becoming work optional?
Whether you prefer a list or mood board, it is essential to recognize what it would take to live the life you want, revisit your expense plan and make sure that it reflects the life you want.
Save this blog post. Also, set a reminder in your calendar to repeat these steps quarterly and celebrate your wins. You are ready to implement these steps and strengthen your financial foundation. Ensure you are less likely to suffer from financial uncertainty and instead become more confident.
Rich Friends And The Wealth Game: Should You Play It
Recently, I was a guest on The Stacking Benjamins Podcast, where we discussed the importance of your friends and their potential impact on your wealth. Listen here for worthwhile insights.
Start Planning Your Personal Finances & Personalized Financial Plan
Planning your personal finances can be manageable. You can have a trusted fiduciary partner helping you on your financial journey to live the life your want regardless of your net worth. I will meet you wherever you are, whether you are a millionaire, or living paycheck to paycheck, trying to eliminate credit card debt.
Planning Your Personal Finances & Personalized Financial Plan
Find out how partnering with a fiduciary partner advising you and having a personalized financial plan can help you reach your goals even sooner. See The Services Amplify My Wealth Offers.
I am a licensed attorney and registered investment advisor providing women and young adults with financial advice and a plan that embraces the life they want. As a fiduciary, I put your needs first and empower you with guidance, knowledge, and a financial plan that aligns with your vision so you can make financially confident decisions.
My approach eliminates the traditional “waiting game” for clients who otherwise would be unable to avail themselves of having a fiduciary financial advisor putting their needs first.
