THE new year is almost upon us and we’ll all the setting our resolutions for the next 12 months.

Perhaps you want to improve your diet, quit smoking, learn a new skill or hobby, or pick up an old hobby that you’ve let slide over the years.

But have you thought about improving your financial habits too?

The new year could be a perfect time to get to grips with your finances, so you can set yourself up to achieve your ambitions and achieve the financial freedom you want.

That’s why I thought it might be useful to highlight a few common mistakes that people often make when they’re trying to get their finances in order, so you can hit the ground running from day one.

Not setting goals

If you’re investing your money in a particular market or asset type, it’s important to have a clear idea in mind of what you want to achieve.  

For example, are you looking to reduce your tax bill?  Are you focused on generating additional income?

Only by having a clear goal in mind can you measure success or failure and make changes where necessary to maximise your returns.

Not managing your debts properly

Many people have debts and financial obligations, from mortgage repayments to paying off your credit card bill.

Staying on top of these commitments is one of the best things you can do if you want to put yourself on a firmer financial footing.

Not only can it help you pay down debts and free up cash, it can also improve your credit score, so you’re more able to borrow money in the future, should you need or want to.

Not putting money aside for a rainy day

We can be hit with sudden and unexpected expenses at any time.

Perhaps a costly appliance breaks down and needs replacing, or your home suffers serious damage that has to be fixed.

So, it’s well worth being prepared, in case of just such an emergency, with a pot of money completely separate to any pensions or savings accounts that you can use if needed.

Missing out on compound interest

Compound interest means that you effectively get interest on the interest, so if you invest a sum of money, it can snowball into a much larger amount over a period of time. 

However, you only benefit if you don’t access this money during this period, so if you’re tempted to withdraw from time to time, you won’t enjoy as much compound interest as you would do otherwise.

Not checking your credit score

It’s easy to avoid checking your credit score until you actually need to borrow money or apply for a credit card. 

But if your credit score is low, your application could be rejected, which could potentially put your wider financial plans into jeopardy.

With that in mind, it’s worth keeping an eye on it regularly, so you can address any factors that might be lowering your credit score, and therefore increase the changes of your credit application being accepted straight away.

These are small steps you can take to help you on the path to financial freedom, but they can each yield significant benefits and results.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Future Life Wealth Management Team HERE at any point if we can ever help you plan – and then safeguard – your own financial future.