How To Achieve Financial Freedom

What is financial freedom? Financial freedom is the ability to make choices without high financial stress. For many people, it involves being able to choose whether they want to work, when they retire, and make purchases when they want. With financial independence, you can take control of your life rather than be controlled by your […]...
David Roberts
December 14, 2022
Home » Financial Planning » How To Achieve Financial Freedom

What is financial freedom? Financial freedom is the ability to make choices without high financial stress. For many people, it involves being able to choose whether they want to work, when they retire, and make purchases when they want. With financial independence, you can take control of your life rather than be controlled by your financial situation.

While financial independence may sound like a far-off dream, it might not be as difficult as you think. In this article, we’ll look at how to achieve financial freedom with seven practical steps.

Steps To Financial Freedom

When looking at financial freedom, it’s important to set goals that are realistic and achievable. These goals can help you plan your long-term finances, and meet your short-term financial needs. Many of these steps can be slowly implemented over time too, helping you to reach the financial growth you desire.

Set Your Personal Financial Freedom Goal

In order to start planning for financial independence, you need to identify clear goals for yourself. First, identify what your long-term goal is. This can include retiring early, having enough saved to meet any unexpected emergency, or having savings to take vacations each year. Next, decide how much you need to save in order to make this goal a reality. Finally, you need to decide what date you want to reach your goals by. 

By doing this, you can set intervals of time and the amount you want to save at each interval. This will make the goals feel more achievable, and you can keep track of your progress using goal sheets.

Track Your Monthly Expenses

Expenses can add up quickly, and you might not even notice what some of your highest expenses have become. Financial planning and analysis of monthly expenses can help you keep up with your spending habits. By identifying your highest expenses, you’ll also be able to cut expenses down as needed to meet your goals and move the next steps to financial freedom.

Pay Off Credit Cards in Full

Credit card debt can be tricky to handle. While you can recover from it, it’s easier to get ahead of credit card debt before it begins. Be intentional about paying off the full credit card balance in full each month. If you’re in credit card debt or struggling to avoid it, seek professional financial and investment advice to help with your financial situation and begin your journey of financial freedom.

Have Sufficient Savings

The next step to financial freedom is having sufficient savings. You’ll want to make your cash flow plan work so you can have enough savings to meet any anticipated or emergency expenses you can have. This can include saving for college, a dream vacation, retirement, and more.

This is another way that tracking your monthly expenses can be helpful. By tracking your expenses and cutting down on excess spending, you can put that money toward saving for your financial independence. 

Look For Additional Sources of Income

A quick search online will come up with dozens of articles about side hustles. Additional sources of income are a great way to grow your savings and meet your financial goals. These sources of income can be in addition to your full-time job or your full-time course load if you’re a student.

Choose a side hustle that interests you or that you feel you can make time for. Some examples include freelance writing, becoming an Uber driver, selling designs on Etsy, and more!

Educate Yourself On Financial Issues

Understanding your financial situation and being educated on financial issues is important for you to be financially prepared. This can include being aware of what emergency expenses could come up, learning about investment opportunities, and determining what you need for retirement. It can also include learning about national economics and keeping up with them to be prepared for any financial situation that occurs.

Get a Financial Advisor

A financial planning advisor is a great option if you want financial independence but need help identifying or meeting your financial goals. A financial advisor can guide you in how to achieve financial freedom on your own timeline, making the process easier. They can also help you make smart money decisions and remove the stress that surrounds financial planning.

Financial Freedom Key Takeaways

Now that you know what is financial freedom and the steps to financial freedom, it’s important that you begin working toward these goals. The sooner you begin on your financial freedom journey, the more time and flexibility you will have to reach your intended goals. If you need financial planning consulting services or advice, schedule a free financial review with us today!

Get in Touch

Plan For Your Goals Logo

Many have no financial plan for retirement. At Plan For Your Goals, my mission is to help both the newly retired and the nearly retired take control of their finances with an evidence-based plan so they can retire with confidence.

Contact

Branch Office: 5954 E Bay Blvd, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

(850) 786-3400

david@planforyourgoals.com

Check David's background on FINRA's BrokerCheck

Plan For Your Goals, LLC is a state registered investment adviser. Plan For Your Goals, LLC may only transact business in those jurisdictions in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Plan For Your Goals, LLC’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of Plan For Your Goals, LLC’s web site on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Plan For Your Goals, LLC’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet. Any subsequent, direct communication by Plan For Your Goals, LLC with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. For information pertaining to the registration status of Plan For Your Goals, LLC. A copy of Plan For Your Goals, LLC’s current written disclosure statement discussing Plan For Your Goals, LLC’s business operations, services, and fees is available at the SEC’s investment adviser public information website or directly from Plan For Your Goals, LLC:  Click here to download a PDF copy.

This website and information are provided for guidance and information purposes only. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy. This website and information are not intended to provide investment, tax, or legal advice.

Plan For Your Goals, LLC throughout this website has provided links to various other websites. While Plan For Your Goals, LLC believes this information to be current and valuable to its clients, Plan For Your Goals, LLC provides these links on a strictly informational basis only and cannot be held liable for the accuracy, time sensitive nature, or viability of any information shown on these sites.

The SmartVestor program is made up of financial advisors and other investing pros from across the country. SmartVestor is an advertising service that Plan For Your Goals, LLC pays a monthly fee for introduction to potential clients. Our firm utilizes this service as a lead generator. SmartVestor utilizes the “Ramsey Values” and uses the Ramsey Solutions as a paid promoter of SmartVestor Pros. SmartVestor has a vetting process that includes a certain number of years of full-time experience as a registered securities professional, and agreement to the Code of Ethics. Potential clients can use this matching service at no cost.

Insurance products and services are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed insurance agents.

 Copyright © 2023 Plan For Your Goals, LLC. All rights reserved.