Investment is probably not the first thing that one mid-20-year-old has in mind, let alone a retirement. Millennials can easily get distracted with here and now while letting the adult responsibilities away. Seems like spending the youth in the era of snapchat and other social media does not do us any good. Millennials need to stop being resistant to being an adult, and we should start investing in our future today.
We are not saying that being a millennial is easy – they are used to quick fixes (as they live in a super quick-world), and impatience is their biggest enemy. Both of those characteristics not leading them anywhere.
Here are some easy tips that can help you build your own financial independence today.
1. Start Today!
Or in other words – today. There are probably two main reasons why millennials are lacking interest in investment. One of them is their focus on today, and another one is that they think they don’t have an income high enough (or income at all, if you are a student) to start saving. But that is just not true. Even if you have only 5 bucks in your pocket, it is enough for a start. Some of the saving’s bank accounts for students and youth will let you start your saving’s account with as little as one dollar, so not having a high income is definitely not an excuse.
2. Pay It, Seal it, Forget It
Best advice for saving the money would be to put it away and forget about it. It is very tempting to take a little bit of the saved money for the new trip you’re planning, or for your boyfriend’s birthday present. And while sometimes it really is necessary to lend yourself a part of your savings for some unpredictable emergencies, the best way to stop yourself is to seal it in a bank account which wouldn’t let you withdraw the money until a certain time period passes. At least not without some penalties. There are also a lot of automated saving’s apps which would automatically put a portion of your paycheck to your savings. And let me tell you, they are your best friend. That way not only that you will not be in a temptation to buy something unnecessary, but you will also most likely even forget about your savings.
3. Plan Your Budget
A budget plan is not reserved for those who are earning 5 or more figures salaries. In fact, the smaller your salary is, the smarter your ways of dealing with daily and monthly needs will have to be. Most of the times you probably don’t even know where all the money went. And it is hard to make sure that you are spending less than you are earning if you don’t even know where you are spending your money. That is why tracking your spending and creating a budget plan is essential.
4. Beware Of Credit Card Debt
It is easy for a student or a youngster to fall into the trap or credit cards debt, thinking that “You will pay it back later”. The thing with credit cards is that your debt only multiplies during the time. And it multiplies at a much higher compound interest rate than your saving’s account money would, which is the way compound interest works. Either for you, or against you, and it is up to you to make the best out of it.
If you are sure that you can pay off your monthly balance on time, there is nothing wrong with using credit cards, but if you’re not – avoid them big time.
5. Not So Ordinary Investments
For some of you who like to do things a bit more unconventionally, this is the perfect (and smartest) way to go. And it has to do everything with so-called girls’ best friend – diamonds. Maybe it surprised you, but investing in movable assets, such as gold and diamonds, is not that unordinary, especially for the more mature population. The best thing about diamonds and gold is that those are very rare commodities that don’t change value across the world, and they aren’t subject to tax. They will secure you in tough times, protect you against inflation, currency reforms and market collapse.
Sure, making such a big investment is only possible if you have some money saved. But if you are on top of your saving’s game, consider investing in pink diamonds. These delicate pink colored gems are on the rise, and not only that they will look great on your finger, but their price is likely to go even higher on the market. If diamonds aren’t really your thing, you can always invest your money in gold, as they are also a very smart investment (plus a lot cheaper). This way you will be sure that you won’t be able to “steal” from your “piggy bank”, and you will also have a beautiful piece of jewelry.
As the old saying goes – the best time to start investing was 20 years ago, and the second best time is now. If you are in your 20s, even if you started behind, you still have plenty of time for progressing your career. But only if you start taking it seriously right now.
