Tag Archives: New Years resolutions

Money Resolution #1: Make A Budget

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For many people, the beginning of a new year is the appointed time to get serious and make firm resolutions for positive changes in their lives. It is also customary for some of these people to give up on their self-improvement promises by the time month two or three of the year rolls around.

Very often, the reason that they fail to complete their New Year’s goals is that they did not outline exactly what they were required to do to accomplish them. It makes no sense for you to make nice-sounding resolutions without thinking through the requisite steps to realise them.

Lack of commitment to the hard work required for change to occur is another obstacle to goal achievement. If you wish to reverse an undesired behaviour, you must be willing to do whatever it takes, despite discomfort or inconvenience, to adopt new attitudes and actions. Continue reading Money Resolution #1: Make A Budget →

2015 Money Forecast

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Another year has arrived and I would like to wish all my loyal readers a Happy New Year! For me, 2014 was filled with new beginnings and break-through events. I also encountered delays in completing some goals and learned valuable financial and business lessons from my experiences.

One of the highlights of 2014 was the interaction with my readers. This column has given me an outlet to meet many persons who share my interest in personal finance or need assistance with their money concerns. I look forward to engaging with many more of you as this year progresses.

The wonderful thing about a new year is that it gives us all the opportunity to erase the mistakes and disappointments of the past twelve months and set a more positive agenda for the coming period. The past is history; now is the time to chart your course for a more prosperous future.

Try to visualise 2015 as a new day just before the dawn breaks. As you gaze out into the horizon, what kind of financial ‘weather’ do you foresee that the upcoming period will have in store? Does your money forecast for the New Year feature dark, stormy clouds, or bright, sunny skies? Continue reading 2015 Money Forecast →

Twenty-Day Money Challenge

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As the year winds down to a close, this is a good time to reflect on the items on your ‘must-do-in-2014’ list which you may not have accomplished as yet. Although we are heading into the busy holiday season, you still have a few weeks to try to clear up some of your important, unfinished business.

As you may have discovered, making plans and executing them are vastly different undertakings. It is easier to write down what you would like to get done, than to actually do the steps required to carry out your goals. Procrastination, doubt and indecision are usually the main causes of this failure to finish.

Instead of giving up and declaring that it’s too late, aim to make the last twenty days of the year really count. Let’s look at some strategies that can help you to refocus and re-energise yourself, and get moving on this year-end goal challenge which will allow you to head into 2015 on the right footing. Continue reading Twenty-Day Money Challenge →

Money Mission: Focus On Your Primary Goal

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If you had created a New Year’s Resolutions list for 2013, your agenda may have included several financial objectives which you had hoped to achieve for the year. It’s a smart idea to write down clear, specific goals if you really want to accomplish your personal and money targets.

However, if you include too many items on your to-do list, you can actually retard your ability to successfully carry out your objectives. When faced with too many options, sometimes your brain can get confused about what is required to be done, and it will short-circuit the action process.

Your brain is a sophisticated computer, which absorbs all the instructions it receives and decides the appropriate course to take. If you provide it with competing requests such as “get out of debt,” “save aggressively,” and “start a side business,” it may not be certain which route to take first. Continue reading Money Mission: Focus On Your Primary Goal →

Money Mission: Lose Your Excuses!

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We’re now at the halfway mark in the year, and it’s incredible that six months have already passed us by. Time marches steadily on and it certainly isn’t waiting on us to join the parade! The year 2013 will disappear before you realise it; how successful have you been at keeping your resolutions?

In assessing the actions you have taken thus far towards achieving your goals, how would you rate your progress? Are you enthusiastic about your development, underwhelmed with your results, or have you simply resigned yourself to yet another year of missed opportunities?

Six months to succeed
The good news is that you still have the ability to make this year count; there are still six months left to pursue your objectives. It’s now a great time to identify the recurring issues which may prevent you from moving forward, and refocus your energies towards success. Continue reading Money Mission: Lose Your Excuses! →

MoneyAir Flight 2013

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard MoneyAir Flight 2013, with non-stop service to Money Success! It is my pleasure to be your financial flight attendant who will guide and assist you for the duration of this 12-month journey.

Your trip on MoneyAir will be customised to fit your needs, as all passengers must create individual flight plans to achieve their personal objectives. It is important that you make a directional map that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. If not, your journey will be aimless and frustrating, and you will not be able to reach your desired destination.

On MoneyAir, we put you in the pilot’s seat, as you are actually the designer and driver of your own destiny. You will be required to adopt a persistent and determined attitude on this flight, as it will not always be a smooth or simple journey. As we prepare for take-off, please pay full attention as I explain the safety features of our special flight. Continue reading MoneyAir Flight 2013 →

2012 Money Mission Review

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This year, we started off on an optimistic note, asserting that it was possible to make 2012 your best financial year ever, despite the challenges that you may have been facing. To guide you along the way, I outlined a Money Manifesto with 12 commitments that were essential if you wished to achieve financial success.

Recognising that many people abandon their new year’s resolutions by the end of January, I thought that it was important for us to make more regular declarations if we really wanted to improve our financial well-being. My monthly Money Mission suggestions were designed to help keep you focused on carrying out your money goals.

If you have been reading my recommendations every month, how successful have you actually been in carrying out the advice? Has your year been a ‘Mission Accomplished’ or has it been yet another 12 months of ‘Mission Impossible’? Let’s review all the money objectives that we proposed during 2012. Continue reading 2012 Money Mission Review →