“A Life Message From an Old Bloke”
A MESSAGE FROM THE MONEY BUCKETS FOUNDER
A Life Message by an old bloke. (not too Old) To those starting out on their own.
Things I have found Satisfying
Alan Williams: Founder Money Buckets
As you progress through Life, there are Experiences, Milestones and Achievements that you will look back on with satisfaction. There are some things you may regret not doing or would have done earlier.
Here is a few of the Things I have found to be True.
Travel
Traveling when young is a real personality and confidence developer. (Or old) Your mind will become more creative and open as you see what others may be doing or have accomplished. You can be inspired by others, see that people can think differently, live differently and have different priorities to you, without conflict. Learn that there are Good and Bad people everywhere and not necessarily where you expect. Learn that there is always opportunity, if you look with an open mind and eyes.
Budget to save to travel early. By learning good savings techniques you can travel without debt. The same techniques can be used for a home deposit savings plan. This is a Life-Long Skill.
Having a Life Partner
If you and your partner have the same priorities it tends to work out better. You can have many differences, but the big things need to be on the same page. Wanting to work together to build a family of your choice, how they will be raised and how hard you are prepared to work to get what you want. These things need to align.
If they don’t, the load falls on one pair of shoulders and that seldom works. These days one Average wage will not support a family or buy a home, especially if you live in a Capital City. Life will be a major struggle if both don’t agree on the way forward.
At some time, you will want to move forward financially, the party will need to be tempered and the Budget set. Just because you have reined in the Budget to save a deposit, or pay off a house, doesn’t mean you don’t have a life. Find friends or couples with similar goals. A good time can still be had in the company of others of similar mind and there is a lot of satisfaction in making your family home.
Buying Your Own Home
Owning your own place is something special. Put things where you want. Paint it how you want. Change it into your place. But don’t get too carried away with Debt on fitting out your own home, because you are probably going to need room for:
Children
A little piece of you and your partner. Very exciting, very, very tiring, but a whole lot of satisfaction watching them grow.
Frustrating that they will actually copy what you do and not listen to what you say. Your actions will speak way louder than your words.
Keep a good budget, so you are not too stressed about finances. Financial Stress can really spoil this time for you. Coming into this situation with only a home loan is ideal, or perhaps a car loan as well. Not that you might get much choice on timing sometimes. Keep credit cards or loans for emergency only.
Take the time to enjoy the moment. Don’t Fret that you seem to have lost your old life. Embrace the new life with all its chaos and effort required. Many have regretted not relaxing a bit and having more fun with the kids while they were young. Because soon enough they will be:
Teenagers
Ok so now they don’t want to know you and they want to grow up too fast. They do even less of what you say and even more of what you do. Yes they will be following your example and not your advice, sorry about that.
But also know that providing them with a solid home and environment, a place they can be themselves (Yes relax, they tend to sort themselves out with a bit of space. Yes Really) will give them the confidence to go out and achieve things. Nothing like having a home base to fall back on.
It can be surprising how unsettled even Adult Children can be if there isn’t a family home there as a backstop.
Owning a family home is a big advantage for your children’s confidence.
Sorry, don’t have a lot of tips getting them to leave if they stay too long.
Maybe a good budget to get them their own place. Enforce a savings plan, equivalent to the rent they would have to pay outside of the home. You can put that away for them, only available to them when they leave.
You don’t want them to get used to living on unrealistically low living costs and not be able to leave.
Buying an Investment Property
Pretty exciting when you get your first investment property. You have now entered the world of wealth creation. Most of the people I know who are Financially Free , have made most of their money through the increase of property prices. In the long term, it can run much more than wages.
Keep your Budget affordable, with a bit of a backup plan if there is no tenants for a while. Most look back with satisfaction at the decision they made. Many look back with a “you know I should have bought that property when it was only….”
Long Term this is going to help with your desire for Financial Independence.
Going into Business
With Good Equity in your Home and a burning desire to do your own thing, many will launch into their own business. Many will not have done a Budget or added up the realistic cost and reward for what they are about to do. Whatever you do, throw some realistic numbers into our Money Buckets Business Budget. Look at the cash flow requirement plus or minus and the money available to draw. Set up your finances to fund this before you need it and start.
30% of all new starts in small business or as Sole traders (The numbers are similar for both) will fail in the first year. This will rise to over 60% in three years and over two thirds in 5 years.
Many will lose all equity in their home and have to start again. Many will lose their Super starting a small business after they retire.
If you go ahead it is imperative you budget and review your position at least every month. We see that No Provision for Tax on Drawings as a common mistake. At the 2 and 3 year mark you pay the price and are in trouble. Need help call Money Buckets on 1800 825 010 at any stage of the Business.
Get it right and it’s extremely satisfying.
Approaching Retirement
Ideally, if all has gone well you will own your own home or be close. If you have an investment property or two and have been taking advantage of the Tax breaks in topping up your Super, you are going to be in a really good position. If this is the case you can comfortably back off a bit, choose what you do and don’t do.
But if not, you may still need to use the same Budget system, to get into the best possible situation before retiring. It may mean you are working up to 70 years old and beyond. We have helped a lot of people in this very situation. There are still options open. (Have a look at our Blog “Are you 50 Something Now”.)
If you have had a major setback, it still may not be too late to buy property, especially if its investment related. It’s worth a look at your situation. You can generally move things along a bit quicker the second time around . The kids may have grown up and not be financially dependent on you. You generally will earn more money than when you just started out. You know more about life and generally are not spending as much.
If you have lost everything or perhaps done nothing to invest in the future, even a 10 or 15 year plan can build a better retirement, with a lot more Financial Freedom than you may have had. If you do nothing, nothing will change.
You can Contact Money Buckets on 1800 825 010 if you wish to discuss options or go to MoneyBuckets.com.au to see more articles and get an idea of what we do.
Grandchildren
There’s something special about Grand Children. If you are in a position to have more time to spend with them you will consider yourself blessed. Being in a position to help your Children raise their Children is indeed Satisfying. And seeing them start on their journey and build their own family base is something you strive to achieve.
To those who have come from overseas with nothing and worked themselves well into old age to give their children the chance to take this journey, I take my hat off to you. We have helped many who have sacrificed their lifestyle so their Children and Grand Children could take this journey. Many have had to try and support their parents left at home, while they gave their kids a chance. Please make them proud.
And for those of us who have been here for many generations, Don’t take the opportunity for granted. Have a life you can look back on with satisfaction and don’t forget to have some fun with the kids on the way.
