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In January, to get the year off to a good start, we decided to share our best practices for building good financial habits: little tips to implement easily and quickly, for more positive personal finances 👌
Resolution n°1: BETTER BOOKKEEPING
Even before talking about savings and saving, the first good habit to get into is to do your accounts regularly. Keeping a notebook, using software, a specialised application, or classifying all your expenses on your bank's app: many people talk about it, but few do it...
The most important thing is to stick to the rhythm you have set yourself: every day, every week, or at least once a month. For example, taking stock before the 15th and 30th of the month can be interesting 😊
You don't realise the charges that accumulate when you pay several small amounts daily. It is at the end of the month that we realise that the account is empty: it is then too late to save. By keeping track of your accounts, you can see which unnecessary expenses could be avoided or reduced. This is how you can put more money aside!
The next step is to create a personal budget, which gives you an overview of where your money is going. On this basis you can calculate realistically how much you can and want to put aside over the year (after deducting fixed expenses, emergency funds and leisure expenses). The important thing to remember is that a budget is successful when you can stick to it for a whole year.
RESOLUTION N°2: MINIMISE IMPULSE BUYING
Our resolution #2 turns a bad habit into a positive one: this year, instead of buying on impulse when you're shopping or surfing the net, take the time to think and wait 48 hours before deciding, answering the question: "do I really need it?"
The promotions that tempt you on a daily basis always try to create a situation of urgency in your brain, to provoke an impulse purchase. Be aware of this and you will see that you have plenty of time to think about your purchase! 😊
As well as saving you money, making this resolution will also combat over-consumption and all the negative impacts it causes. Also, think about upcycling, second-hand or even reconditioning to save money! An economical AND ecological habit 🌿
Resolution n°3: AUTOMATE TO TAKE YOUR MIND OFF IT
This good habit is particularly useful for people who don't take much pleasure in handling their money. So to save time while avoiding risky or emotional decisions, the solution is to automate your financial movements as much as possible!
- You can set up monthly payments and direct debits for all your fixed expenses to a dedicated bank account.
- Set up an automatic transfer to your savings (passbook or Birdee account 🌱 ) according to your savings capacity previously calculated as follows: income - fixed expenses - variable expenses = monthly savings capacity.
- You can also use a separate account for your variable expenses by putting in only the amount that covers your needs, not forgetting to add a little for unexpected events.
Automating these movements does not mean that you don't need to check your accounts regularly 😊
REsolution N°4: OVERCOMING FEAR OF INVESTING
The right resolution to make to overcome your fear of investing? To train, and to start by making it simple!
Indeed, think about training: it's accessible, it doesn't cost much and it avoids many mistakes. Good training material can be found on YouTube, in books, blogs, podcasts... Free content is often sufficient and is a real gold mine of information!
Also, start with simple, manageable investments. By focusing on one or two well-chosen investments, you will already do better than the majority of the population 😊
By investing on Birdee, you will benefit from delegated management: that is, our Investment Managers take care of everything!
All you have to do is invest the amount you want (from €50 initial amount), define and choose your risk profile and let your money grow. We advise you to set up a recurring payment to your Birdee portfolio to be sure to invest regularly, which allows you to smooth out your risk. You pay 1% annual management fee, and you can withdraw your money whenever you want in 3 clicks!
REsolution n°5: INVEST EARLY AND BE PATIENT
If you invest in your projects too quickly, you have to make a larger initial contribution and the return on your investment is smaller. The earlier you invest, the more compound interest and time will work in your favour.
The best method if you are afraid of investing a large sum at once, is to invest the same amount every month and remain regular.
Starting to save early is the key to success in achieving the coveted financial independence. Making your money grow as early as possible by investing it in good investment products will give you the best chance of making profits to help you achieve your goals.
Remember that saving €50 a month for 20 years is better than waiting and saving €100 a month for 10 years. It's the same amount of money saved, but time works in favour of compound interest. For example, by investing €10/week from the age of 18, you will reach €38,000 by the time you are 38 (i.e. €24,000 invested and €14,000 of interest, starting from 0, with an average interest rate of 8%).
So, are you ready to make new good resolutions in 2023?
