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Are you ready to get your finances in shape this financial year? Our team of expert financial planners will give you the tools you need to start saving now.
Despite the fact it rolls around every year, the number of people who make new financial year resolutions only seems to grow.
And while some people may have difficulty finding areas of their life they would like to change, the vast majority men and women are pretty good at spotting bad habits and formulating a plan to overcome them.
Along with diets, lifestyle modifications and reducing stress, you might find yourself making plans to travel overseas or invest in property.
Retirees will often talk about their own desire to spend more time with family or learning new skills, while mums will usually be found shouting out for more me time.
In some cases, the decisions you make on or near to July 1 will have life changing repercussions and give you a new lease on life.
For others, it may simply be a way to help you to find your way after a stressful period and start to get back on track.
Getting your personal finances in the best shape possible might not sound like your typical New Years resolution, but then again it is July and the end of year celebration we are actually talking about is really Tax Time.
So you finally lodged your application after weeks looking for receipts and documents – and in the process of doing all this, you probably found a lot of areas where you could have made savings, but for some reason weren’t able to.
Making sure you get your tax right can act as a real boost to your personal finances and help to pay off debt.
For information on successfully filling out one of these forms, you are best to start by speaking with the Australian Tax Office and if you feel that more help is required turning to a professional financial planner.
Setting goals will also make it easy to start saving and it is something that you already have practice in from your personal life – which should help make things easier.
During the process or laying down plans for the future, you might find that you need to work on your budgeting.
Once you have figured out where you are spending money, you can start to formulate a budget that is based on realistic saving options. The most important thing after is to really stick to it!
Another tip for anyone who has trouble reigning in debt is to avoid putting purchases on credit. You can find debit cards that act in the same way as a credit card, but without the risk of overdrawing your account.
Starting a savings program with your bank may also help you to start the new financial year on the right foot. And while you are visiting the local branch, you might also want to take a closer look at different ways to can reduce any house and mortgage related stress.
Putting extra into your repayments will not help to pay off this debt faster, but it could also lead to significant savings during the lifetime of your loan.
New laws removing bank exit fees mean that it is now easier than ever to swap banks, which means that if you are stuck with a mortgage that is sending you backwards, it is now possible to shop around for a better option.
ipac is one of Australia’s largest financial advisory firms and has offices based across the country. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the AMP Group, ipac specialises in research and financial advice that helps clients lead happier, more fulfilling lives.