Lifehacker readers know that goal setting and New Year’s resolutions don’t always work out (resolutions, specifically, have a high potential to fail).
But if you there’s something you want to achieve, it’s also undeniable that naming it, making a plan and taking specific and consistent steps is the best way to accomplish it. And the new year is as good a time as any to start doing that, assuming you’re lenient with yourself and understand that everyone faces setbacks at some point. Particularly with money.
So, last year around this time, we asked if you had money goals for 2018. You said paying off student loans, keeping an emergency account funded and maxing out retirement accounts were at the top of your list. Now we’d like to know: Did you accomplish yours? If not completely, did you make progress?
My straight financial goals were to build up my savings and figure out how to live on my own. I focused on the latter, and that certainly hindered my ability to do the second. I also paid for a big trip, one of my general life goals for the year, which meant my bank account took another big hit. Basically, I did the opposite of saving this year.
But I’m OK with that. Travelling outside the U.S. has been on my “list” for five years, and every year I would tell myself I needed to save just a bit more to really be able to take a trip and enjoy. This year, a friend’s casual comment transformed into a trip that we’ve been anticipating for months. Turns out I could swing it after all.
I also checked off another item that’s been on my list for years that I just never got around to: Opening and funding a Roth IRA. It’s crazy it took me so long, particularly given how often I write about it, but that’s life. In terms of checking goals off my list, this year wasn’t half bad.
So, what about you? How did 2018 treat you? And if you’ve started planning ahead, tell us: What’s your financial goal or target for 2019?
Comments
One response to “Did You Accomplish Your 2018 Money Goals?”
My financial position changed dramatically towards the end of the year, so its hard to give a solid yes or no, but on balance, I’m going with a yes, I did meet my goals.
Basic goal a year ago was to be on track to pay my mortgage off in ~5 years. Not complicated, that’s what my repayments will do by default. I pay extra as savings though, and have paid enough over the years that I’m $100k ahead of schedule.
That’s $100k less capital to attract interest, which translates to more redraw. That’s effectively interest, and because its on the loan, not taxable.
But my position changed late in the year. I was offered a redundancy, and the numbers mean I pay out all my debts immediately and can access my super. The pension from that is more than what I live on now, so ultimately I get to retire early.
I call that a win. It means my goal of retiring at 55 has been brought forward a number of years, and while my pension is a little lower than it would have been then, I can live with that.
My goal for 2019 will now be something basic, like not NEEDING a job come this time next year. Doesn’t mean I wont have something in place, more moneys always nice, but I expect it to be a bonus, not a necessity.