Home 6 proven ways to get financial security
AFP News

6 proven ways to get financial security

Contributors
Investments
Photo Credit: Olivier Le Moal

If you’re young and just starting a job, what’s the greatest approach to get started on the road to financial security?  Working, however, is not the only factor to consider. You must also turn your money into wealth in order to acquire financial security that will not vanish if you lose your job.

So, how can you turn your paychecks into savings, investments, and other types of wealth that can help you better weather life’s ups and downs and, ideally, give you more spending flexibility while also allowing you to achieve financial independence?

1. Live within your means

Perhaps this advice is unwelcome in a society where instant gratification is the norm, and lenders will do whatever to lure you into debt so you can live the life you desire, even if you can’t afford it. However, you can never achieve proper financial stability if you spend every penny you earn (or more).

Put your savings on autopilot—that is, sign up for a retirement savings plan—perhaps your employer offers one—that automatically deducts money from your salary and puts it toward retirement. Previous to you have an option to spend it, put cash into an investment or savings account?

2. Don’t overcomplicate things

Read the financial news or listen to investing experts. You’ll get the impression that the best way to be a successful investor is to invest your borrow money in a bewildering array of options, the more complex and cryptic, the better.

But do you need to invest in pricey fixed index annuities that promise to provide you the benefits of growing stock prices without the drawbacks of dropping stock prices or a sophisticated ETF that aims to boost returns by moving in and out of different market segments? In any event, the more niche investments you make and the more market segments you cover, the more you risk ‘diver-worsening’ your portfolio rather than diversifying it. You can check Ikano in this regard.

3. Continue on your current path

It’s critical to go on the route to financial security, but it’s even more critical to stay on it. There will unavoidably be times in your life when you feel tempt to provide up. If you lose your job or experience a period of unexpectedly high expenses, you may feel compelled to abandon your savings plan or even dip into the funds you’ve saved.

In addition, excessive market volatility or a stock market meltdown may make you wonder if it’s better to sell your stocks and replace them with less volatile investments.

4. Consider taking sensible risks

On the road to financial security throughout your life (especially while you’re young when taking on extra obligations can be more challenging), which can sometimes involve taking risks.

These risks must be considered, and mistakes must be learned from for it to be a long-term wise option. The platform talks about the following assessed risks when it comes to financial decisions:

  • Change your location to a city with more job prospects.
  • Return to school for more training.
  • Accept a new job at a different company that pays less but offers better opportunities for advancement.
  • Begin your own business or work for a tiny startup.
  • Invest in stocks with a high risk/reward ratio.

5. Borrow money, but only to invest it.

Only two situations in which this financial expert considers taking out a loan and paying interest are acceptable: when it is required to exist and when you will earn more money with the financed item than with the money you paid to invest it.

Borrow money (lån penge) only to invest, whether in stocks, bonds, or on starting a business, and not to better your lifestyle (only leading to debt). Borrowed funds should only be utilized to invest when the rewards outweigh the loan fees.

6. Make the most of money ‘gifts’

Because there are few freebies in life, it’s best to take advantage of them when they come along. The platform emphasizes the necessity of utilizing financial ‘gifts,’ such as money provided by a company’s pension plan, and seeking (legal) ways to circumvent tax rules (such as contributing to an individual retirement account or investing in stocks).

Conclusion: Begin by saving at least 10% of your annual salary, and as your income rises, increase that amount by one percentage point each year until you reach 15%. If you stick to that approach for the rest of your working life, you might wind up with a good retirement fund.

Story by Sudip Mazumdar

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.