Page 63 - Book10E
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haven’t set goals at all, your happiness will be minimal because you won’t have a true sense of achieving what you set out to do.
How do you save? That’s easy — spend less than you make. You will never have the money you want until you have learned and accepted this truth and planted it firmly in your mind. It can become a source of great delight every time you are faced with a purchasing decision as you ask yourself “How can I make this purchase and spend the least amount possible?” It’s much more fun to see the dollars add up in your bank account than it is to watch them disappear into someone else’s.
Have a Plan
Unless you are independently wealthy, you can’t just muddle through life and expect to have the income to finance your retirement dreams. You must have a plan. This could possibly be the most difficult part since it’s human nature to put things off. You might have many years before your retirement, which makes getting a plan in place seem unimportant, but you’ll be surprised how quickly the years pass— really, you will.
The reality is, you can’t have freedom, you’ll never be independent, and you won’t be able to help anyone—whether it’s your family or your favorite charity—without the money you need to take care of yourself. Knowing what you want your money to do for you is the first step to a successful retirement. Statistics show that people who sit down and write out a financial plan end up with a higher net worth than people who don’t. That alone should motivate you to make a plan.
Since retirement is different for everyone, there’s not a plan that works for everyone. But here are some tips that will help you start creating your plan.
1 . Take a Look at Your Current Financial Situation . If you currently have a lot of debt, it is likely you are not preparing for retirement.
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