Ways to Improve Financial Situation Long Term
Are you constantly running out of money? High living costs, poor wages, zero-hour contracts, and a lack of opportunities to progress are often to blame.
It can be frustrating and stressful living in that paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, but there are some things you can do that can help alleviate some of your financial issues.
Not only will this make life easier and a bit more pleasant, but it can also improve your mental health- worrying about money can cause significant stress. Here’s how you can go about it.
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Go back to ‘school’
Did you leave school without the qualifications you wanted or needed?
There are lots of reasons that this might have happened; maybe you dropped out of school due to bullies, or you might have had problems at home that made dealing with school impossible to face.
Maybe health or mental health issues meant you didn’t take your exams or do as well in them as you could have, or it could have been a case of going through a rebellious teenage phase where you skipped classes or didn’t bother with exam revision- not realizing back then the impact this would have on your future.
There are plenty of reasons why you’d return to education as an adult; for a start, you can study just about anything these days with very few restrictions, right from the comfort of your home if you want to.
Alternatively, as a mature student, you could go down the traditional university/ college route. One of the main reasons people return to education later in life is to improve their job prospects, and this is because having a degree will often open the door to many better-paid jobs.
Having the career you want can make you happier, as you’re doing something at work you’re passionate about and don’t feel as though you’re stuck in a dead-end job.
And, of course, a better-paid position means less financial stress; money might not be the answer to all of our problems, but it definitely can alleviate many of them, so a better-paid job is no bad thing.
If making more money long-term is your primary motivation to study again, make sure that the course you’re doing will open the door to jobs that will pay a salary you’re hoping for.
Education could be the answer if you’ve been feeling stuck in life and career and not knowing what your next move should be.
It makes you feel good, ignites your interests and passions, and allows you to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.
Stop wondering ‘what is an IT security degree?’ or ‘how do I become a counselor’ and start researching courses and the job prospects they lead to; take action within your life and improve your long-term financial situation.
Startup a business
Are you looking to improve your skills while earning some extra cash? If so, starting a home-based business is an excellent move as it’s convenient, flexible, and can be a lot of fun.
Since it’s from home, you get to save on a lot of overhead costs, and there’s no travel time meaning it’s something you can easily fit in around your other commitments.
The extra money you make could go towards anything from debt to savings, making your life easier month to month with a bit of extra cash in your pocket.
The first thing you’ll need to do is work out what your company will be doing and selling; if you’re considering this seriously, then chances are you have a general idea- but it’s essential to refine it.
For example, if you know that you want to sell homeware, sports gear, or medical equipment, ask yourself precisely what kind of shop homeware, sports, or medical shop you will be.
You can do this by working out what style, what budget range, who your target market will be, and what problem you’ll be solving for the customer. For example, if you sell medical equipment, will you focus on a particular type of illness or group of diseases?
If you sell sports clothes, will you specialize in men, women, or children, or will you focus on a certain kind of sport? You’ll need a niche to stand out in a crowded retail market.
Things like blogging, Youtube, and freelance writing are other things you could do to earn some extra money, too; these put you in control, as you only need to take on projects you want to do.
Make sure to register, so all of the legal sides of things are covered- you’ll usually need to set up as either a sole trader, partnership, or limited company, depending on your business.
This also tells the tax office of your company’s existence so you can register to pay the proper taxes.
Get your finances in check if you want to improve your financial situation
Keeping control of your finances can be difficult, regardless of who you are and what your financial situation is. It’s easy to think that you’ve got the balancing act just right, and then suddenly, your vehicle or washing machine breaks down, or an unexpected bill drops through your letterbox and puts you back to square one with money.
These things always come out of the blue, so it makes sense to plan and budget for future expenses. Squirrel away some cash in into a rainy day savings account and only ever touch it if you’re desperate and a high cost comes up that you can’t cover any other way.
Getting out of debt is one of the most innovative ways to futureproof your finances, so many people find themselves in a pickle with money due to store cards, credit cards, payday loans, and other kinds of debt.
If you have debt, make paying this off a priority; the quicker it’s paid, the less interest you’ll pay overall, so it works out a lot less expensive.
In the future, avoid all kinds of debt unless you have to, except for things like mortgages and student loans since these allow you to increase your money over time.
Spend some time reducing all of your bills, and once a year use a price comparison site to shop around for the best deals on things like utilities, insurances, and services. Work out where you’re currently overspending and make some cutbacks.
Everyone needs a budget; it doesn’t matter if your earnings are small or large; a budget puts you in control. It ensures that all your bills and necessary expenses are paid and covered, and nothing is accidentally spent.
There are lots of ways to manage your budget, so come up with the best method for you; you could use a calendar or a notepad, a budgeting app, or a spreadsheet.
It’s often a good idea to set up a bills account that separates from your regular bank account, so money for bills never overlaps with cash in your account that’s easy to dip into. What kind of steps have you taken to improve your improve financial situation and money situation long term?
