Start the year off right by getting your finances in order!
Many people underestimate the importance of financial planning. Although some may believe it is clear and simple to do, there is still a considerable number of individuals who may not be executing it effectively.
In fact, according to a StraitsTimes article (2021), one in every two Singaporeans cannot cope financially in the event of illness or job loss. Furthermore, Insider (2021) reports that one in every three Singaporeans is concerned about retirement inadequacy, and 45% have yet to begin planning.
If you take the time to do some financial planning, you can figure out where your money is going every month and devise a plan to get your finances in order. Here are four simple steps to get you started with better financial management.
Step 1: Make a realistic budget
Finding out where your hard-earned cash is going every month is the first step you need to make. You need to make a budget that accounts for all of your daily expenses, which is not limited to but can include the following:
- loans
- mortgage
- transportation
- house utilities
- groceries
- insurance
- taxes
You can think of these as monthly outlays that are always going to be there. The next step is to make a list of everything else you’re spending on that you don’t absolutely need to have. Among the many possible examples are:
- trip abroad
- cinema
- Restaurant
- subscriptions
- pamper (spa, manicure, pedicure, or massages)
- car loans
- shopping
- car loans
The majority of these outlays can be considered “discretionary,” meaning you can choose to forego them if you don’t feel like spending the money. You could argue that you earn the money for these luxuries because you work hard each month. That’s fair, but blowing your budget would be unreasonable.
Step 2: Get Protected with Insurance and Emergency Funds
If money is the most important thing to you, wouldn’t it make sense to safeguard your income?
In 2018, a report was published by the Life Insurance Association, Singapore (LIA Singapore) that estimated a $893 billion mortality and critical illness protection gap in Singapore.
Your ability to earn money could be severely hampered by one of three things:
- Death
- Total and permanent disability (TPD)
- Critical illness (CI) or early critical illness (ECI)
Statistically, the odds of experiencing one of these incidents increase significantly as one gets older.
However, it’s not always that straightforward.
The same data set also shows that these calamities can strike at any time, potentially leading to a financial disaster for you or your family.
This is why it’s important to secure your financial future with insurance and safeguard your means of support.
You may not like the idea of filing an insurance claim, but rest assured that you would never want your family to suffer financially because of your untimely demise.
For this reason, it’s crucial to have access to sufficient insurance coverage.
- Life insurance, whether in the form of a term policy or a whole life policy, can mitigate the financial fallout from the aforementioned calamities by providing a lump sum payment to replace lost income.
- Even in old age, having health or hospitalization insurance is as important as having life insurance. In the event of an accident or illness, you will most likely visit the nearest hospital. If you receive a hefty medical bill, you may have to dip into your savings, liquidate valuable possessions (home, car, investments, etc.), or take on additional debt to pay for it.
However, with adequate protection, you can drastically lessen your vulnerability to those threats. The Integrated Shield Plan (IP) and MediShield Life are still Singaporeans’ best bets for health insurance.
CareShield Life and ElderShield are two government programs that offer long-term care payouts in the event of a severe disability. If you pay extra for a supplement offered by your insurance company, you can enjoy improved coverage.
Even if you don’t think you need insurance right now because you’re young, single, and healthy, it’s important to remember that even a relatively minor health problem can have a significant impact on your ability to obtain coverage in the future.
The paradox of insurance is that you can never seem to get it when you need it most.
Make sure the premium for the insurance you choose makes sense (i.e., you can afford it) and is reasonable in light of the protection it provides. It’s A good idea for you to consult a financial planner and reassess your current situation.
After getting adequate insurance protection, you should then move on to your emergency savings. Make sure to put away at least six to twelve months’ worth of living expenses in case of an emergency. This will help you weather the financial storm caused by layoffs, medical bills, emergency car repairs, or the sudden need to replace expensive household appliances.
Step 3: Reduce costs wherever possible
Once you have written down your monthly expenses, you should be able to see exactly where you can save money.
When it comes to budgeting, it can be difficult to find savings among fixed costs. However, this is not an excuse for not carefully monitoring your spending here. Examine your subscription and Internet service bills carefully to see if your current plans are truly necessary. Your grocery bill probably also includes many non-essential items from your discretionary spending, like soda, ice cream, chips, and other snacks.
Although no one expects you to become a saint, you could significantly reduce your non-essential spending. Keep the things that bring you the most joy and let go of the rest.
Doing so would help you picture all the money you could be saving and investing for the future.
Step 4: Grow your retirement nest egg
Following Steps 1-3 will help you establish financial stability. Next, you’ll be able to focus on building your retirement fund.
It is preferable if you can start saving and investing for retirement as early as possible. This is because having more time to take advantage of compound interest and weather market or economic cycles is a major benefit.
A solid plan for retirement can help you earn the most money and give you the freedom to withdraw money when you need it for important life events like paying for college, retiring comfortably, and leaving a legacy.
Getting your finances in order need not be a difficult process. You can start the new year off right by following the four simple steps aforementioned to better manage your finances.