How to Save More in 2019
Many people in their retirement years have regrets about not saving more during their earning years, but you don’t have to be one of them. All you need to do is be realistic and proactive about saving. It’s all about paying your future self. When you are decades away from retirement it can be difficult to start saving, especially when it is so easy to spend you money elsewhere. There is no secret retirement strategy that will work for everyone – except for getting started!
Circumstances can arise that can erode savings you hoped would be there for retirement. Some of those events include not being able to work due to poor health or a bad job market, unanticipated hospital bills, a divorce, overestimating Social Security benefits, bad investments, procrastination, and simply not realizing how much you need to live on.
The good news is you can prevent future regrets by making a strong savings plan now. As a small business owner, you may not have a retirement plan, so it’s essential that you create one for yourself. You earn an income today. Put some of that income toward paying your future self, and pay that “bill” first each month or each paycheck.
To be proactive and build as much savings as possible, take these steps:
Increase your financial skills by learning how to fund your retirement, including all that traveling you’d like to do.
Leverage Technology: Use personal finance apps like Mint, YNAB (You Need a Budget), or Personal Capital to track your spending, set savings goals, and monitor your investment performance. These tools offer real-time insights into your financial health and can help you stay on track with your savings plan. Additionally, consider using robo-advisors such as Betterment and Wealthfront to automate your investments according to your risk tolerance and goals.
Take care to manage your investment risk and be realistic about investment returns. In good markets, purchase rather than rent or lease so you are building an asset. Understand Current Investment Trends: Be aware of current investment trends such as ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing, which aligns your investments with your values and can potentially offer strong returns. Diversify your investments across different asset classes to manage risk and take advantage of various market conditions.
Put as much aside as you can, and try living just below your means. Adjust for Inflation: Factor in the impact of inflation when planning your retirement savings. Inflation decreases the purchasing power of your money over time, so it’s important to estimate future expenses accurately. Use inflation calculators to determine how much more you need to save to maintain your desired standard of living in retirement.
If you do have periods where you are out of work, try living frugally until your income is back to normal. Optimize Retirement Accounts: Take advantage of updated retirement account options. For example, Roth IRAs and 401(k)s have higher contribution limits now. Utilize tax-efficient strategies like contributing to a Roth IRA if you anticipate being in a higher tax bracket during retirement to maximize your tax benefits.
Optimize your business profits and apply some of them to your savings plan. Enhance Tax Efficiency: Explore tax-advantaged savings options such as Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which offer triple tax benefits. Contributions are tax-deductible, growth is tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. If not needed for medical expenses, HSAs can also be used for retirement savings.
Minimize taxes where possible so you can keep more of what you make. Diversify Investments: Ensure your investment portfolio is well-diversified across various asset classes, including stocks, bonds, and real estate. Consider low-cost index funds or ETFs, which provide broad market exposure and help manage investment costs effectively.
Make everything work twice as hard for you:
Get credit cards with loyalty programs.
Sign up for frequent customer programs to earn points.
Make sure your bank is giving you the best deal on interest.
Sell unused belongings on eBay and put the money in savings.
Cancel used subscriptions and memberships for both your personal and business needs and move the saved money to savings.
Periodically reach out to vendors to get a better deal on the expenses you incur. This could be for phone plans, utilities, and any other routine expense. Put the difference saved in savings.
Select cars and trucks with good gas mileage and also high resale value. Consider that using Lyft or Uber may be cheaper than maintaining a car, depending on how much you drive. Put the difference in savings. Consider Alternative Transportation: Depending on your driving habits, using ride-sharing services like Lyft or Uber may be more economical than owning a car. Evaluate the cost of car ownership versus ride-sharing expenses and save the difference.
There are many reasons to start saving for your retirement now. Even if you feel like you have fallen behind in your savings, it is not too late. With proper planning and preparation, realizing a comfortable retirement is possible. Get started now… your future self will thank you!
Comments