How do you know if you have fit finances? I would imagine that there are many answers to this question! Indeed, what would determine if you are in a healthy financial state?
It cannot depend on how much “stuff” you own if you owe money on the stuff. Owning fancy cars and houses and other luxury goods without debt will determine how fit your finances are. Owing a lot of money on your luxury vehicles or having a home which is heavily bonded to the bank, or both, does not bode well for truly fit finances. Added to that the clothing and furniture accounts that many people have, leading you even deeper into debt.
Furthermore, f you wanted to send your children to college and you did not save enough or have a policy for it, it means that student loans are also part of your financial burden. Small wonder that many people today feel that they will have to work until their dying day! Being in a financial squeeze situation is a great cause of modern life stress, leading to anxiety, depression, heart disease and other lifestyle diseases.
To me personally, “fit finances” means having little to no debt! The assets you own will be yours alone. In addition, you will have savings in the bank and be able to survive in a crisis, even for a short while. You will, very importantly, have money to retire!
Ideally, once you reach the midlife stage of life, you should be on a stronger financial footing than when you were younger. Sadly, due to some poor financial decisions or lack of planning, this is very often not the case and you may be struggling and wondering how to save money for retirement. Indeed, you may wonder about the possibility of ever retiring.
What are your options to earn some extra cash for retirement or just to get by? As you age, you may feel that your opportunities are limited or that time is running out to achieve your goals. The good news is that as long as you draw breath, it is never too late to improve your circumstances! There is always something that you can do. The bad news is that it probably won’t be easy. Anything worthwhile seldom is. However, the people who are currently in their midlife years and beyond are made of sterner stuff and are used to an ethic of hard work.
If you have made sound financial decisions and have a fit and healthy financial situation, well done to you. For those who need to save money for retirement or college fees, or just to survive, you will find information in this section to give you some options. Onwards and upwards!
