We all have things we’d like to save for – whether it’s an addition to the home, a retirement plan, or post-secondary education for the kids. Reaching these goals can be a complicated and challenging process. Often, we get a little off track with our savings and need some help to get them back under control. If this rings true to you and you feel like it’s time to re-visit your savings plan, check out these 5 ways you can start getting back on track with your savings today.
Create a Savings Strategy
Once you know what your financial goal is, it’s important that you create a savings strategy. First, figure out how much you want to save each month to reach your goal, and then decide on what the deadline is to achieve your goal. By dividing the total amount you need to save by the number of months that it will take to complete your goal, you will get the total of how much you need to save each month. If the amount looks too high, you should look at your expenses to see if you can find ways to save more money. A financial planner can help you find better tools and ways to reach your goal without burdening your lifestyle.
Review Your Options
There are plenty more options to save money than just through a savings account. Saving tools like Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP), Tax-Free Savings Plans (TFSA), and Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC), are just three of the most popular methods available in Canada to help you save. By talking to a professional advisor, you can get the guidance you need to help make a decision that is right for your financial goals.
Track Your Expenses
Once you have a detailed strategy and savings plan in place, you need to start tracking your expenses. By tracking how you spend your money like your monthly bills, entertainment, and lifestyle expenses, you will be able to see more clearly where you spend the most money. This will, in turn, help you find ways to trim down your expenses and free up money for your savings, like cutting back on eating out or switching to a more affordable gym membership.
Pay More Than Just Credit
With credit being easy to obtain, many people have gotten away from the habit of saving and instead, focus only on paying back their credit. Without any money in savings, you are just living off of debt. To get back on track with your savings, you need to put a proper payment strategy in place for both your credit accounts and your savings accounts. One method is to set up an automatic payment to your savings account, so you are paying a little bit each month, instead of just paying your credit back. You will be surprised at how fast it adds up.
Look For Better Deals
If you’re spending too much on your insurance, mortgage, and bank fees, you could be losing out on saving opportunities. To find better deals, hire a professional advisor who can look through all your expenses and help determine what better options are available to you. A new bank account, re-financed mortgage, or new insurance policy can help you to free up some of your money for your savings accounts.
When your savings need to be resurrected from the dead, talk to us at The Beacon Group of Assante Financial Management Ltd. Our professional advisors can help you better organize your expenses and get your savings back on the right track.
