 by Phylecia Jones
What exactly is financial freedom? Financial freedom is a buzz term, or rather a buzz achievement, that many Americans refer to as a milestone in their financial life. With a simple search of the internet, you can instantly find over 250 articles all with varying definitions of financial freedom. Some see it as quitting a job to travel the world or reaching early retirement to spend more time with family, while others see it as generating passive income through entrepreneurship or having a lot of money to buy whatever they want. As you can see, it can be a bit difficult to define this coveted goal, but there’s a simple way to look at it. At its core, financial freedom is reaching a point in your finances where you have “enough” in order to have the option to live more and work less. According to The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, most people believe they need $1 million in order to retire comfortably but with the average fortysomething only having $63,000 saved, that goal can feel unachievable. So what will it take for you to reach financial freedom? The principles of reaching financial freedom are quite simple. It relies on your ability to prioritize your spending and save a lot of money. In order to reach this milestone, you will have to make it an absolute goal and do the following: Define what financial freedom would like for you Since financial freedom looks different for everyone, it’s up to you to determine what your life would look life if money was not an obstacle. Travel? Spending time with family? Starting a business? Launch a passion project? This is the time for you to dream about the life you want to live. Determine what is enough Based on the life you want to live, do some research to find out how much money it would take to get there. Connect with people living your dream and find a well trusted CFP (Certified Financial Planner) to help you run the numbers. Get, and stay, out of debt Debt and financial freedom don’t mix. The path to financial freedom requires getting rid of debt and never getting into it again. Create a debt repayment plan where you can track and pay off debt as quickly as possible. Master the art of managing a budget This is one of the best ways to stay on top of your finances to see what is coming in and what is going out. Budgeting may seem like a chore, but once you put it on your calendar and stick to it, this will give you permission to live the life you want. Cut your expenses If you read any article on reaching financial freedom, it will always come back to cutting expenses. This is the moment where you will have to decide what stays and what goes. It’s a hard task, but revisit the first step. If you want the life of your dreams, you will have to be willing to make sacrifices and prioritize your spending along the way. Save more money Unfortunately, there’s no way to put this lightly. You will need to save a lot of money in order to achieve financial freedom. Start maxing out your 401k, open an IRA, investigate other pre-tax saving options to get you on the right track. Learn how to invest and grow your money The key to having money to support your lifestyle during financial freedom is investing. Search for local investment clubs, classes, or workshops so that you can understand the many options available to building your wealth. While the average American household has a median savings balance of $4,830, according to The Motley Fool, financial freedom can seem like a pipe dream for most, but it is absolutely achievable with a bit of work and focus. It doesn’t matter how much money you have; it really matters how much you value the money you have. Following the steps to reach a point where you have more options to live more and work less will require a dramatic shift in your mindset, your lifestyle, and how you view money. In short, achieving financial freedom will require you to be consistently vigilant to reach a milestone that many can only dream about. |
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