Making Sense Of Cents

Learn how to make extra money, how to save money, how to start a blog, and more.

JOIN OVER 300,000
MONTHLY READERS!
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • Make Money
    • best online jobs
    • passive income ideas
    • paid online surveys
    • How To Make $100 A Day
    • 80 side job ideas
    • More Extra Income Ideas
  • SAVE MONEY
    • Free Amazon Gift Cards
    • 16 Alternatives To Cable TV
    • best rewards credit cards
    • How I Paid Off My $40,000 Student Loans
    • More Money Tips
  • Categories
    • Income Reports
    • How To Save Money
    • Extra Income Ideas
    • Blogging Tips
    • Career Advice
    • College
    • Pay Off Debt
    • Retirement
    • Self-Employment Tips
    • Travel
  • BLOG COURSES
    • AFFILIATE MARKETING COURSE
    • MAKING SENSE OF SPONSORED POSTS
    • HOW TO START A BLOG
  • Contact
    • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Recommendations

Planning for the Future While Still Enjoying the “Now”

Last Updated: October 21, 2022 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

19 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

The following is a partnership with SELCO Community Credit Union. All opinions are 100% my own.

Planning for the Future While Still Enjoying the “Now”

Believe it or not, preparing for your future and making the most of your present life are compatible pursuits.

Really.

If you’re skeptical, I get it. I was right there with you once.

But even though I’ve been traveling full time for many years now, I still make sure to fund my retirement, save for emergencies, and generally keep the future in mind.

That doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

In fact, good things tend to take at least a little bit of hard work. But good things—like a happy present and comfortable future—are definitely worth it.

Related content: Why I Went With A Credit Union Over A Bank

How to plan for the future while still enjoying the now.

 

Analyze your current financial situation

No two financial situations are the same, which means financial plans won’t be either. So, taking detailed and honest stock of your personal financial situation is an important first step.

Some questions to get you started:

  • Are you happy with your current situation?
  • If not, what would you change?
  • Do you think you’re saving enough for the future?

 

Identify your goals for the near future

Now that you know where you are, where do you want to go? What would you like to do more of? What would make you happier? Think about your goals—not what others are trying to do or what you hear you’re supposed to do.

I recommend writing a list so you have something to look back on for motivation (it’s also fun to see how goals can change over time).

This list can include goals for your career, retirement, or fun milestones. Maybe you want to start a family, or buy a house, or visit every state (or country?). Whatever your goals, make them known! What you uncover in this stage might even surprise you.

In my case, I knew I wanted two things: to travel more and to pursue my writing side hustle full time. This meant paying off student loans, fully funding my emergency fund, increasing my income (building my business so that I could do this full time), and cutting expenses. I analyzed my financial situation and realized that some changes needed to be made.

 

Make it happen

There’s no one-size-fits-all to reaching goals—unique goals have unique paths. But for most goals, these two steps should be part of your journey.

1) Start a budget.

Having a budget doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. In fact, it may help you have more fun because you’re more aware of where your money is going. You may even find you have more to put away than you’d realized.

The big thing is to be mindful of your income and expenses. This way, you’ll know exactly how much you can spend on entertainment or dining out each month, how much you can save for later, and what spending areas may need to be re-evaluated.

Some tips I used (and still do!):

  • Put your budget in writing. I don’t recommend trying to budget by memory. Create something you can actually look at.
  • Track your income and spending. Don’t just estimate—know what you’re spending down to the penny. The problem with making estimates is that people are usually off, which means your budget won’t be specific enough.
  • Keep your partner involved. Even if one person manages the finances, the other person should have an idea of what’s going on. This is important so everyone can stay on the same page and work toward goals together.
  • Re-evaluate and tweak your budget when needed. Things change! And when they do, your budget should reflect those changes.

It may take time to find the right budgeting approach, and that’s totally normal. Be willing to evolve your approach, even if that means allocating more money to what you like to do now. Even the strongest willed among us are unlikely to stick to a budget they resent.

2) Give your budget breathing room.

There are many positives when it comes to saving (or making) more money, like:

  • Not living paycheck to paycheck.
  • Being able to pay off your debt faster.
  • Having money to spend on the things you enjoy.

By taking a close look at where my money was going, I was able to cut back on expenses without giving up the small things that made me happy. (Remember, we’re talking about being happy now and in the future.) I planned my meals better so I spent less money eating out, got rid of cable TV, and cut any membership I wasn’t making full use of.

Knowing I wanted to travel full time, I had to increase my business income as much as possible. This meant attracting more advertisers and creating products/services of my own to sell. I also wanted to pay off my student loans as quickly as possible, so I took a lot of small steps that added up, like mystery shopping, joining focus groups, selling items online, and taking on additional freelance clients.

Together, these changes made it possible to pay off my student loans so that I could pursue a digital nomad lifestyle. And because I knew each move I was making was geared toward the future I wanted, it helped put a few of my present wants and needs into perspective.

 

Don’t go it alone

Even for those with clear goals, it helps to have others who will cheer you on.

This could mean talking to family and friends to see what worked for them. Hearing personal stories can teach you new tricks and help keep you motivated.

There are also pros who can help you reach your unique goals—big or small—based on your specific situation. You might be able to do it on your own, but it probably won’t be as easy or effective.

Credit unions like SELCO Community Credit Union are all about helping you understand your overall financial picture, identify ways to save more, and get started with digital tools. They even have dedicated financial advisors ready to meet over video, by phone, or in-person to talk investments, insurance, and more.

 

Keep the more distant future in mind, too

As strange as it might sound to someone just beginning their career, it’s never too early to start planning for retirement. (And for those of us well into their careers, it’s never too late either.)

The good news: Retirement planning isn’t as painful as you might think, especially with an expert who’s excited to lend a hand.

SELCO’s advisors can help you understand investment and retirement options that fit your lifestyle, so you can start preparing today without feeling overwhelmed. There’s wisdom in leaning on a pro, especially when you’re just getting started. Whatever questions or concerns you have, they’ve probably heard (and helped with) them before!

What are you doing to plan for the future while still enjoying your present?

Related Posts

  • Legit Ways To Find Free Gas Cards + How To Save Money On GasLegit Ways To Find Free Gas Cards + How To Save Money On Gas
  • 9 Most Important Money Numbers You Should Know9 Most Important Money Numbers You Should Know
  • 20+ Best Jobs That Pay $20 An Hour Or More20+ Best Jobs That Pay $20 An Hour Or More
  • Pros And Cons Of Tiny Houses (Is It Right For You?)Pros And Cons Of Tiny Houses (Is It Right For You?)
  • Your 2023 Financial To-Do List (15 Things To Check Off)Your 2023 Financial To-Do List (15 Things To Check Off)
  • 10 Budget Friendly Meals (Easy, Delicious, & Affordable Recipes!)10 Budget Friendly Meals (Easy, Delicious, & Affordable Recipes!)
19 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

2 Comments
Filed Under: Budget Tagged With: Budget

About Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a blog about personal finance and traveling. She discusses how her business has evolved in her side income series. She paid off $40,000 in student loans by the age of 24 mainly due to her freelancing side hustles. Click here to learn more about starting a blog!

Comments

  1. Emenike Emmanuel says

    December 2, 2021 at 8:53 am

    Thanks for sharing, Michelle.

    Nothing supersedes planning for the future.

    Set smart goals, work towards them and you will definitely achieve them.

    The team at SELCO are doing a great job.

    Reply
  2. Angela Nellie says

    December 3, 2021 at 3:11 am

    Girl, this post is a gem. You know when you said enjoy now while still planning the future, I was ecstatic, it really spoke to me. Building a business can take a toll on how you view your now. I’ll learn to do that… Enjoy now. Thank you so much for this post.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Making Sense of Cents welcome page photo
Hello and welcome!
My name is Michelle and I'm the author/owner of Making Sense of Cents. Learning how to save money and make more money changed my life. It allowed me to pay off $40,000 in student loans, start my own business, and I now travel full-time.

As Seen On

as seen on
How To Start A Blog
making sense of affiliate marketing for bloggers
My Monthly Online Income Reports
My Student Loans Are Gone - How I Paid Off $38,000 In Student Loans
How To Prevent Financial Fraud From Happening To You
Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
How To Make Money Blogging Picture
How To Save 50% Or More Of Your Income Picture
How I Graduated From College In 2.5 Years With 2 Degrees AND Saved $37,500
75+ Ways To Make Extra Money

 

HOME
ABOUT
CONTACT
FREE FB GROUP

PRIVACY POLICY
TERMS OF USE
DISCLAIMER / EARNINGS DISCLAIMER
Copyright © 2011 - 2023. All Rights Reserved.

© 2023 Making Sense of Cents
Design by Lennox Creative Co.