Have you ever experienced this feeling? As you get older you will likely begin to wonder if all the money you have saved up in the bank and investments is really enough to carry you through retirement.
Rest assured, you are not the only one. This is a question all of us will struggle with, no matter the amount of wealth we have. Ultimately, the best way to ensure that you can live out your golden years completely stress-free is to obtain financial independence as soon as possible.
What is financial independence?
Traditionally, financial independence means having enough passive income to pay all of your living expenses. For the most part, those seeking this sort of lifestyle do not want to rely on income from being employed or being dependent on others. As such, passive income is necessary to fund their lifestyle. Generating that income stream thus becomes a priority.
While this might have defined the term early on, the meaning has changed over the years and can mean various things. The truth is that there is no solid definition of financial independence today. Instead try to look at it as a term that encompasses one or more of the following goals:
- No longer having to depend on others for meet your financial needs
- Living debt free
- Having the financial buffer that allows you to afford a certain lifestyle
- Working because you want to, not because you have to
- Relying on savings, investments, and other forms of passive income to pay the bills
- Being able to retire early through the FIRE movement (Financial Independence Retire Early)
How to be financially independent ASAP
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Define your goals
Every plan starts with identifying what your end goal is. The same goes for financial independence. You have to have a clear idea of where you want to go and what you want to achieve.
Once you know what your goals are, you can start working on a plan to achieve them. If you’re not sure where to start, there are plenty of resources out there to help you. You can easily find books to advise you, or look up websites, and even courses that can teach you how to get started on the path to financial independence.
The key is to stay focused on your goals and not get side-tracked by shortcuts or get-rich-quick schemes. The road to financial independence is long and difficult, but it will most certainly be worth it in the end.
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Plan out your spending
You have probably heard this before, but it cannot be stressed enough how important planning and budgeting is for your financial success. Without a plan, it is very difficult to save money and make progress towards your financial goals. Having a clear cut budget gives you a visual indicator of your spending and expenses.
This in turn can help to motivate you to save more and cut unnecessary spending. You may not be able to plan out your expenses from now, all the way to retirement, but having a budget plan for the next few months or year can greatly improve your spending habits.
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Live below your means
Of course, the most efficient way to ensure that your wealth grows is to spend less than you earn. It is tempting to spend most of your income, especially for those who are just starting out in their careers. However, it is generally a good idea to put aside a portion of your income into savings and investments. After that, you should pay off any outstanding bills and loans. The remainder is yours to spend.
Even then, holding off from just using up all your leftover cash may help you reach your financial goals faster. It may require making some changes to your lifestyle, but it can be worth it in the long run.
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Invest in yourself
It is a no-brainer to put some cash into savings and investments every month that will help you earn income over time. However, you can also get some extra mileage for investing in yourself. This means taking the time to learn about personal finance and investing so that you can make the most of your money.
If you are not sure where to begin, you can start by taking the time to learn about personal finance and investing. There are many resources available online that can help you to understand the basics of these topics. With this, you will gain a better understanding of how money works, allowing you to make better and more informed decisions about how you use it.
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Invest wisely
There are thousands of investment options available to you today. The key to financial independence is to invest your money wisely into the best option for you. This means taking the time to learn about different investment options and then choosing the ones that best fit your goals and risk tolerance.
There are many different types of investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, robo advisors, property, and more. Each of them have their pros and cons, so adequate research is required for you to determine what is best for you.
Once you’ve decided what types of investments you want to make, then it is time to start investing. The sooner you start, the more time your money has to mature and grow. If you’re not sure where to start, maybe you could try having a look at robo advisors. They are a relatively low-cost and beginner friendly investment that helps to automate your portfolio, offering a more hands-off approach to investing.
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Give your money time to grow
Investing is a marathon, not a sprint. The same can be said of financial independence. There are no real shortcuts to achieving this goal. It takes time to save up enough money to live off of, and it takes even longer to build up a decent stockpile of funds that can support you through retirement.
If you are just starting out in your career, start by saving some extra cash every week. Once you start earning more, you can start budgeting whilst increasing the amount you save. Over time, the money you are putting away will start to add up, and you might find yourself being able to set aside some cash for investments.
There is no magic number as to the amount you should save or invest each month. What is important is that the amount aligns with your financial goals, your lifestyle, and other factors. Start small and work your way up over time.
