14 Life-Changing Goals

1. Create a system to organize your bills. This could be a 3-ring notebook, a spreadsheet, a 3X5 file box, or something else. You will gain control of your expenses by doing this.
2. Create a budget for your household. This can be done with pencil & paper, a spreadsheet, an online budgeting program, or something else.
3. Cut all unnecessary spending. Sell anything you don’t need, use, or love. Bring in as much money as you can. It’s time to appreciate every dollar you earn.
4. Catch up on any housing, utility, or vehicle expenses you’ve gotten behind on.
5. Evaluate your life insurance situation and your Will situation. I DON’T sell either of these, but I can direct you to professionals or websites that can help you at affordable prices. Both of these are important enough to have landed on this list of goals!
6. Fund any expense categories you will be short in because you haven’t had enough time to save up for them, but they are coming due soon. Example: License plates are due in 4 months. You only have 4 months to save up for them instead of 12 months. Start saving for that now!
7. Save for small emergencies. ($1,000-$5,000) This will give you something to fall back on for now. I know it might not seem like much, but it might be more than you have now.
8. Save up what it would cost you to pay your expenses for 1 month. You will then be able to pay next month’s expenses with this month’s income! ☺ At this point, you can finally breathe!
9. It’s time to start paying down your debts. We will make a plan to pay extra on certain debts. NOTE: Your mortgage isn’t included in this list. We will work on that later.
10. Save up 3-12 month’s worth of expenses in case your income stops or slows down for ANY reason. This money will be added to the money you saved earlier for small emergencies.
11. Start putting 15% of your income away for retirement every month.
12. Save for children’s college. If you choose to pay for some or all of your children’s college expenses, begin putting money away for this now.
13. Start chipping away at your mortgage until it’s paid off. Get set up to pay your mortgage every 2 weeks. Imagine life without a house payment!
14. Have fun giving generously and investing. You've earned it. Way to go!