Here is the Secret to Accomplishing Your Saving Goals without Straining your Brain
I'll admit it. I don't like working out, or at least don't like the idea of working out. When I was a kid, I was active and full of energy – able to take on any athletic challenge. However, this happy childhood gave way to the inevitable; college, career and life. With those transitions, all my time seemed to disappear, almost like magic! When time is short, it's easy to skip the gym, crash on the couch and grab another doughnut.
I always thought to myself, “I'll be better about getting active, when I have more time.” Talk about ignorant and naive!
The dangerous thing with lack of activity is it doesn't make a dramatic change immediately. I didn't see a huge change in my health, wellness, or emotional happiness right away. Over time, the easy temptation of not doing it “this time” got stronger and stronger until I was hardly active in any capacity. Some people are slowed by injury, others by dramatic life changes. For me, it was the worst enemy of all: apathy.
I knew that if I didn't change my habits while I was still young this sort of lifestyle could significantly impact my health, both physical and emotional, down the road. Even though I knew that, one more day couldn’t hurt, right? I thought, “I'll deal with it tomorrow.”
But tomorrow didn't seem to come. At least it didn't until someone new entered my life.
My wife McKenzie wears a lot of hats in our relationship; best friend, emotional therapist, and a fantastic chef. However, one of her most amazing roles is that of a fitness enthusiast. As I dated and then married McKenzie, I had no idea she had a plan to turn this lazy former jock back into a healthy human being.
It all started when I'd meet her in the evenings after work. As soon as I got to the house she would have a fitness regimen ready to go and invite me to join her.
What else could I do? There was really only one option. If I wanted to hang out with my best friend, it was time to get a sweat on!
Almost every afternoon, the routine repeated itself. I soon realized I didn't hate working out as much as I hated the thought of starting to work out. When the choice wasn't presented to me on a daily basis, I didn't dread the actual action nearly as much. While there are still days that our routine is thrown off, or my wife is not at home to motivate me, my overall habit has been changed.
Many people have the same beliefs about saving money as they do working out. Saving money takes discipline. Saving money is hard. Saving money takes an enormous exertion of willpower. Just like with working out, that is only the case if you don't have a plan.
The truth is, saving can be easy. The answer is very similar to my story. Take away the daily choice and automate your savings. You can set up weekly, monthly, or annual transactions to put money into a savings retirement or investment account that can continue on autopilot without your constant decision making. When you don't have to regularly choose to save money, when you set it up to have it happen automatically, it can make an amazing difference!
Not only does automating your savings help you save more money, it also saves you the pain, headache, and stress of making the decision. We all do things these days to simplify our lives. Whether it's grocery shopping online, having a CPA do our taxes, or outsourcing the lawn project to a buddy down the street. We all like to do things to save our time and effort. Why not do the same with your money?
At the end of the day you have important goals you want to accomplish for your family, your career, and your life. Just like my goal to live a long healthy life, you know what you want but the difficulty is figuring out how we get there. Automating your savings can remove that difficulty and get you on the path to success!
To discuss how to implement this savings strategy, you can schedule a time to meet with us by clicking here. Also, take advantage of our FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES such as Five Tax Strategies Retirees Often Overlook and Six Mistakes Grandparents Often Make.
And remember, education is worthless without the willingness to act, so be proactive and plan your financial future with confidence!