"If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else." - Yogi Berra
This seems easy until you realize you can't do everything you wanted to. You won't be able to live that life you always dreamed of. I call B.S. If you have time until your "Retirement" date, you can achieve the result! I believe in you!
It will take some hard work, but it is possible. It is simple. The formula below explains everything:
SUCCESS = INCOME > EXPENSES
The trick in Yogi's simple statement is outlining a vision of the future you want to achieve. Make it realistic and achievable. Set out a path, starting from that future date. Outline the steps taken from that point, trace it back to now. Write out how you will achieve it.
Start with something simple. Example: I want a house.
OK so outline: "save for first house"
Money needed: $15,000
All After-Tax & Retirement Savings Income Now: $30,000
All Expenses Now: $30,000
-subtract Miscellaneous Expenses ex:) $20 bottles of wine/ $10 glasses of wine ($60 per month), dinners outside the house ($200 per month), cable TV ($100 per month), new car payments ($300 per month), $2 cups of coffee ($40 per month)
Savings of $700 per month = 22 months to get $15,000
I have outlined simple steps like this before and some people get it and others don't. The ones that don't are actively making the decision to NOT change their lifestyle. It is a CHOICE for their current lifestyle.
Hey, that's OK. Choose your current lifestyle. Choose a better future lifestyle.
The choice is yours. You can do it!