Half-Year GOAL Checkup Point

For the month of June, my goal for the blog was to help you reconnect with the goals you set for yourself in January, and to get you to refocus on them, to check on your progress and to recommit or modify them accordingly. As we are starting the second half of the year, I would like to talk about some strategies on achieving your financial goals for 2018. And since we are getting a bonus Monday in the month for July, what better time to focus on your goals and to highlight some of the finer points from June than right here, right now?!

If your main goal for 2018 is not tied to money, don't worry! You can apply some of these strategies as well. I will also state that all goals you set can help you improve your finances in some way. For example, if your goal is related to health and fitness, once you achieve the level of health and fitness you want, you will feel better about yourself and be able to monetize your business at a higher level. Even if you don't have a business and bring home a regular paycheck, you will be able to stand tall when you ask for a raise when you feel better about your self-image.

With all that said, let's move into some quick ideas on how you can raise your balance in your bank account by the end of the year. If you are already doing some of these things, congratulations! Please share this post with a friend and help her build her savings, investments and financial serenity.

1. If you are already saving 10% of your revenue for retirement, or for a big goal, make sure you are also setting aside 10% of any bonuses you receive, or from any other unexpected income - such as: tax refunds, refunds from stuff you may return to stores, little side jobs you may do while you grow your business, etc. 

2. If you handle cash, make it a practice to set aside in an envelope a certain denomination banknote (like $10, $20 or $50) anytime one comes to you, and then periodically put that cash into your savings account - and don't touch it until the event happens that you are saving for. This can be for your retirement or for a big purchase goal. 

3. If you want to teach your children how to save, consider starting them with setting aside the change they get anytime they spend a part of their allowance. That money can be then added into a savings account for them. Or if you are more determined and can shoot higher than that, veer a percentage of the allowance straight into a savings account.

If you have plans to take time off this week and spend it with your family, I hope you enjoy that time. I also hope you find a few minutes in the mornings to look over your 2018 goals, refocus and plan the second half of the year, so you can achieve those goals. Make 2018 the last year when you set these particular goals, so that 2019 can build on them and you (and your business) can get to the next level. 

Happy 4th of July! See you here next week for more ideas on how to build your financial serenity.