Financial Tips for Young Adults

Taking charge of your finances can seem an intimidating task. There is a long to-do list which means everything can seem complicated and overwhelming. As a result, some people neglect taking care of their financial situations until it's too late. 

Due to this, their dreams of being financially free, owning a dream car, or a lovely house for their families must be delayed. They have to make it up for the years of making bad financial decisions. 

For you to avoid being one of these people, we have compiled a list of 7 tips that will better your financial decisions. 

Plan your expenses

A problem found amongst many young people, the lack of planning, is one of the biggest causes of financial difficulties. When growing up, parents take care of us, and most kids do not have to worry about their financial situation. Subsequently, we do not have the practice of developing spending habits that are suitable for our income level. 

Hence, many young people start compiling debt as they attempt to sustain a lifestyle way beyond their means. To avoid this mistake, you should have a clear financial goal and a strategy to accomplish it. This plan will vary depending on each individual’s circumstances, but the general formula is your expenses must be lower than your income. 

Pay off high interest first

If you have already made bad decisions and now find yourself in debt, a good pay-off strategy will reduce the pressure and save you both time and money. 

The effects of interests when owing money are the opposite of investing. Hence, when you are in debt, you want to pay off the debt with the highest interest first. 

After this, it would be advisable for you to pay off any credit card debt because this can lead to bad credits. Having bad credits can prevent you from taking out loans in the future. If you are able to take out loans, there is a high chance the interest rate attached will be slightly higher than if you had good credits. Try to achieve good credit scores to save your future self some money!

Invest in yourself

You will be working for the next decades of your life. Therefore, invest in yourself in the form of knowledge. This investment will be in two forms: time and money. 

Take courses to learn the extra skills required for your job or will help you stand out compared to another candidate who would apply for the same position. After learning, make the time to ‘sharpen your tools’ and develop your craft to a higher level. 

Companies also tend to rate experience very highly. When you can provide value in your work, which often comes with experience, you will be paid well, and the investment in yourself will be completely worth it. 

Another way to invest in yourself is through reading books. This will educate you on a wider range of subjects. Many investment books include the blueprint for success, which you can learn from and implement strategies that are applicable to your situation.

Stay healthy

This is often overlooked, and it goes with the theme of the previous tip. Having a healthy body and a healthy mind will allow you to work more efficiently. Being sick may force you to take time off work and allow your competition to catch up and take over. 

Not only that, hospital bills are extremely costly, so you want to avoid them as much as possible. 

Explore insurance options

Insurance is an important investment to make. It protects the owner by covering parts of the losses if any unfortunate event occurs. Insurance companies are businesses. Hence each of them has different price strategies and policies. 

A mistake many people make is subscribing to an insurance company that their parents did or the one closest to them. Insurance is a life-long decision, so set aside some time to do research and pick the optimum option. 

Create an emergency fund

An emergency fund is a must-have for everyone. It is a sum of money that will be set aside for use in case of an emergency. According to some statistics, most Americans do not have $1000 saved in a case of an emergency. This means if they lose their jobs tomorrow, there will be huge financial pressures on their shoulders. 

Knowing that you have an emergency fund saved up will bring peace of mind. You can be more focused on investing in yourself or working on a passion project rather than focus on having to keep a sustained income stream. 

Compare prices

In today’s world, there are numerous different options available on the market as firms compete with each other. Vendors’ prices can be rather competitive. Take advantage of this by comparing the price of substitutes and analyse what the ‘best bang for your buck’ is. Saving money on items here or there will accumulate in the long run to help you save a lot of money.  

Also, look for discounts if you do not need anything urgently. A good strategy is ‘opposite season shopping.’ This is where you shop summer clothes in the winter and vice versa because in-season prices are often inflated due to high demand. 

If you use a credit card, do research on the stores that your bank is affiliated with. Many stores give special deals or discounts to their members or users of an affiliated bank. Use this perk to save more money when shopping. 

Conclusion

Personal finance is not easy. Stick to the basics. Firstly, save up by planning your expenses and picking the best-valued options when shopping. Use the money you save up to invest in yourself and the future in the form of an emergency fund, insurance, health, and education. If you ever find yourself in debt, pay off high interests first.