Graduating college? You probably already know money does not grow on trees, and student loans aren’t going anywhere either. The best way to ensure your financial future is to have a strategy. Learn how to build wealth and grow your money tree for financial stability.
Use ACCC’s tips to build wealth.
Build Wealth- How to Grow Your Money Tree Video
If you have student loan debt, you are not alone. With a proper strategy in place you can get your finances organized and goal-oriented. Watch this video to get started.
Steps to Build Wealth
First, it’s time to “Dig in.” This means learning from your mistakes and changing course. You won’t get ahead if you continue to make the wrong choices. The worst mistakes are the ones you repeat! Additionally, you need to have an accurate account of your current finances.
- Organize your debts, accounts, and paperwork. Staying organized will also help you keep track of your bills and their due dates and stay on top of important tax documents.
- Eliminate debt as quickly as possible. The longer you wait to pay off your debt, the more interest you’ll be paying. This makes it even harder to build wealth. If you pay off your debt as quickly as you can, you could potentially save yourself thousands of dollars!
- Change your buying habits. If you’re an impulse shopper, try to be more conscientious of your purchases. Ask yourself before you buy anything if you really need it or will use it.
- Don’t open any new lines of credit. Opening too many new lines of credit in a short time period can hurt your credit score. Applying for new credit results in hard inquiries on your credit report.
- Don’t repeat any past financial mistakes. Everyone makes financial mistakes from time to time, but it’s important that you learn from them. If you made a mistake by not sticking to your budget, don’t do it again!
The next step is “Growth.” As you move past student loan debt, focus on how your day-to-day finances will help you achieve your future goals.
- Create and follow a budget
- Track and reduce spending
- Start a savings plan
- Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely)
Finally, all these student loans, car loans, and all the like will be gone. As a result, you will be able to “Harvest” all your hard work and dedication. Enjoy the sweet rewards in retirement. Here are a few tips to manage your finances once you build wealth.
- Protect your assets with insurance
- Be mindful of identity theft
- Have regular financial check-ups
It does take time and effort to build wealth. However, your future self will thank you!
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.
