Millennials adore not thinking about the future with their hip acronyms like FOMO or YOLO, whether it be saving money for retirement or not spending extravagantly on clothing. But when it comes to planning for the future, people frequently point the finger upon others rather than themselves for their poor money management.
However, millennials do have one point regarding sound financing that is very true: “I’m not a financial expert, so how can I make smart judgments in that area?” That is true, I suppose. In terms of personal finance and cost-cutting, nobody is genuinely an expert. But you don’t need to be a financial expert to make wise judgments about your money in everyday life. You won’t need much to avoid having an empty wallet and being unhappy—just a few straightforward, well-known realities about personal finance.
1. Millennials assuming that little expenses don’t matter
Don’t try to tell me you haven’t done this now. We’re all guilty of saying, “It’s just a few dollars right, no big issue,” at least a few times in our lives. It’s a Big Deal, which is the issue!
When we claim that taking a cab home or getting a coffee on the way to work won’t break the money, we all too frequently make a fool of ourselves. In actuality, they all add up. It is true what is said in the proverb: “Saving every penny now and then doesn’t truly hurt our lifestyle but does make the future a lot better.”
2. Ignoring the possibility of tomorrow
Journalist, broadcaster, and financial expert: The worst error you can make is delaying retirement savings. “It seems absurd to worry about money for your retirement when you are just beginning out in the workforce and have just graduated from college. But because to the wonder of compound interest or investment growth, a little set away today quickly turns into a lot later. If you wait until it’s too late, you’ll have other expenses that will be depleting your income and a steep hill to climb to save up enough money for your old age.
3. Lack of Investment
Attempting to make timely payments on our student loans may be the only thing we can do at times. But it’s still a good idea to prioritize investment. A person who is unfamiliar with the entire investing process may feel overwhelmed, despite the fact that you may be saving money. They could decide to forgo it totally as a result of this. However, if you don’t use your money in a more productive way, it will sadly go to waste.
4. Not caring about your Credit Score
Returning, what’s a credit? Let’s talk briefly about credit ratings, my buddy, shall we? A credit score, which consists of three digits, measures your likelihood of repaying debt. In order to determine whether or not to provide you a credit card or a loan, banks and other lenders look at your credit score.
Your credit scores demonstrate your history of timely payments and the number of accounts that are in good standing. As an illustration, it will have a negative effect on your score if you frequently skip auto payments or experience defaults on school loans. For want of a better analogy, think of it as a battery indicator for your financial well-being. Scores usually lie in a range of 300 to 850. The higher the score the better.
5. Failing To Analyze Options For Renting Versus Buying
Everyone has a different viewpoint on this, therefore it’s imperative that you do your research before taking on a significant financial obligation.
I’m referring to houses and vehicles. Both purchasing and renting/leasing have advantages and disadvantages. Buying a house is good since it may be an asset. If and when you decide to sell, there is also a sizable up-front payment and it is entirely your responsibility. Renting is wonderful since it’s less expensive, but you’re effectively throwing money out the window each month for something that’s not really yours.
6. Putting Life and Health at Risk
Your health, quality of life, and relationships are not worth sacrificing for any amount of money or fortune. Even if it makes sense to put in a lot of effort and attempt to make the most of your youth and vitality, ignoring your family and health might make your job more stressful, anxious, and frustrating.
The biggest error that millennials make is probably believing that money comes first and everything else follows afterwards.
Unfortunately, no matter how unstoppable you may feel because of your youth, it does have consequences. While working continuously for 70 to 80 hours a week may enhance production and efficiency, it may also quickly and significantly damage your relationships and health.
7. Not keeping Spending Records
If we were only more conscious of where our money was going, so many of these financial blunders might be prevented. When we use a card to pay for the majority of our transactions, this may be difficult to accomplish. For some of us, our money are a mystery, especially when you take into account the payments that are set up to be paid automatically but that we never even have to touch.
You cannot understand the fate of the revenue you generate if you are unaware of where your money is going. A massive financial mess might easily result from this. It’s not difficult to keep track of your expenditures. Use a spreadsheet, or Hell, just jot it down on paper or add it to the notes app on your phone.
8. Making a premature Financial Commitment
According to the 2018 The Knot Real Weddings Study, married couples only spend an average of Rs 800000 on their weddings, which is a significant amount less than what they would have spent together.
It is expensive to start a life and a home with someone else, and the cost rises once the couple has children and takes out a mortgage. According to research, millennials have a propensity for getting married young and purchasing their first house too soon.
You shouldn’t feel terrible for delaying such decisions if you are not yet financially capable of leading an independent life; instead, concentrate on the present and create financial stability first.