Save more money and smash your financial goals sooner in the new year

How will you achieve your money goals?

Got new money goals you want to achieve in the new year? Save up enough for a house deposit, take up a course, tick another dream destination off your travel list, or simply to have some savings? When it comes to setting your goals i.e. the ‘what’, it helps to have a solid strategy i.e. the ‘how’. It’s good to have a plan for the whole year. Set out a timeline and list the goals you want to achieve. Factor in your income, liabilities, cost of living and expenses, etc. Don’t forget to put aside some money for emergencies too.

Break your goals down into achievable, measurable bite-size pieces. You don’t want to make it so hard that you’ll give up in a matter of weeks. Make this plan visible to remind you of your goals every day – print it out and stick it on the wall, set it as your mobile phone screensaver, etc. to help you stay focused. Make it a habit to remind yourself of your goals every day.

Create your savings plan with these tools and refer to it throughout your journey.

  ANZ Budget Planner       ANZ Savings Calculator

Can little things really make a big difference?

What’s your guilty pleasure? A packet of chips from the vending machine at snack o’clock? This kind of habit can not only be hard to break, but can cost a lot when you add it all up. To develop healthy money-saving habits, you could start with something easy, like bringing your own water bottle wherever you go (to avoid buying bottled drinks) and progress from there. Have a cup of tea or take a walk when you need a break. Imagine all the money you could save and how much healthier you could be just by making a few small changes.

How do you resist the ‘irresistible’?

Avoid saving your credit card details on shopping sites at all costs (pun intended) to give yourself the chance to take a step back and reconsider before you buy. Ask yourself, “Do I really need this? Can this wait? Will buying this now radically change my life?” Chances are: you don’t, it can and it won’t. And give yourself a nice pat on the back every time you’re able to walk away from temptation.

How do you spend less, yet get more?

When it comes to big ticket purchases such as a fridge, consider holding off until the sale period. End-of-financial-year sales and stock-take sales may offer customers higher discounts. And if you need to enrol in a personal development workshop for instance, search for a discount code (early bird, first-timer, etc.) before coughing up the full price. A significant discount on a $1,000 fridge or a $300 workshop could be well worth the waiting and the effort.

Here’s a suggestion for presents – plan ahead, budget and buy in advance. At the start of the year, make a list of all the people you want to buy gifts for throughout the year, and make the most of sales periods and special discounts. This way, you could not only save money, but you also save yourself from frantic last-minute shopping and settling for alternatives should you run out of time.

Can you have a great time without spending a fortune?

Let’s face it. Going out can be a costly affair, especially if you live in the city. A movie (plus popcorn) could cost you $30 in Australia. Taking your family to watch a movie could cost 3 times that. As for eating out, well, let’s just agree that nothing fancy comes cheap nowadays. So what if, instead of going to a movie, fine-dining or bar-hopping, you went for a hike or had a picnic instead?

The latter options cost less and are healthier for your body, plus you get to enjoy the great outdoors. Double win if you’ve also set health goals for yourself in the new year. Alternatively, plan a night in – organize a potluck with fun games (charades, anyone?) or throw a fancy dress or karaoke-themed party. Winning!

Want less stuff and more money?

Take a look at your closet now. Are there clothes and shoes you haven’t worn in the last year? Chances are, you’re not going to wear them in the next 12 months either. How often do you get to flaunt those cocktail dresses? And do you really need 12 pairs of sneakers? Now take a look around the house. Are you ever going to read those novels again? When was the last time you used those inline skates, extra bike gear and hoola hoops?

Why not sell them and put the proceeds into your savings? Then consider keeping your closet (and life) lean. Buy only what you need, not what you want. Think about renting instead of buying if you’re only going to use something once – you can rent pretty much everything now. You’ll be amazed at the amount of money (and space) you could save by decluttering. The only thing you should make more room for is your savings.

A lot of people make new year resolutions and fail to keep them, often because they set unrealistic goals and lack proper planning. Hopefully, you’ll be able to stick to yours and achieve your financial goals with the help of these good saving habits and by staying focused. Remember, change takes time. And if you stumble from time to time, don’t fret. It happens to everyone. The key to success is to keep focusing on your goals and never give up.