I get it! I really do. A lot of people who are entering their working years are starting to rebel against the idea of “SAVE EVERYTHING THING YOU CAN OR YOUR RETIREMENT WILL BE HELL!” Or the recent popular one of “WHY AREN’T YOU INVESTING! YOU’RE LOSING VALUABLE TIME!” They sound harsh and crazy, right? But that’s the mentality we’ve been passing on for generations. No one likes to be yelled at and even reading those “all-caps” is making me give squinty eyes at my own writing. The new work force wants something more than constantly feeling tired and stretched thin. They want joy and they want balance.
The big problem with all of this is simply communication. Yes, older generations are hard-working and they have high values plus a work-ethic that make most of us drop our jaws. They are dedicated, they see the project through to the end, they plan, they prepare, and they’re the ones that gave us those childhoods we enjoyed so much. They worked their tails off providing for their families. Did we see them complain, hardly. And that is where the chain breaks.
Younger generations saw the work ethic, but they also saw a lack of balance and joy.
Sure, younger generations had great childhoods, but their parents were always tired, exhausted, overworked, underpaid, and undervalued. They bled for their families and many of them expect the same thing from their kids. But, is that the type of legacy we should be passing on? All work and no play?
Enter “Soft Savings”. The concept that people are now putting away less savings for the future in order to experience more joy and mental health today. The chant of “Live Today!” is now the goal. Some people are panicking at this new trend and others are holding fast to it.
Is Soft Savings wrong? It’s only half wrong.
Should there be more of a balance between working hard and enjoying life. ABSOLUTELY! Enjoying today helps us to stay motivated, helps keep our energy levels up, helps us mentally, helps our families make memories, etc. And those should be important goals to work into your money plan. However, one thing it should never do is jeopardize your future retirement.
Money Plans need to have short-term goals (joy) and long-term goals (future needs).
Instead of “soft saving” and risking your future, try this instead:
- Create a list of short-term goals for you and your family (vacations, events, personal growth, etc.)
- Create a list of long-term goals for you and your family (think 5, 10, 15 years into the future)
- Now, let you and your spouse (if married), dream about what you want your retirement life to be like.
- Write all those down and make them general enough to be flexible, but specific enough to see the clear goal.
- Got it? Now we need to know what money you have to work with.
- Take the total amount of income you make in one month and minus your monthly bills, minus your debt, and minus all your expenses (gas, groceries, etc.)
- What’s left? That is the money you have to work with.
- Create some buckets of short-term and long-term goals, start filling them with that unallocated money.
- Don’t like the amount of money you have left. Start side-hustling! Or start working on getting a higher paying job. There are tons of certificates you can earn online for cheap to help you advance your career.
Money is emotional, but it doesn’t have to rule your emotions.
I see many people get anxious, concerned, frustrated, upset, and depressed when the topic of their finances comes up. They just want to experience JOY and HAPPINESS. They just want to BREATHE and know that everything will be okay. I want you to know that there is hope. Yes, money plans are work, but then they begin to work for you. You don’t have to risk saving for your retirement to enjoy today. You can prioritize BOTH. Sounds crazy awesome, right?! Start making a money plan today! Prioritize the things you love with the things you need. If certain things have to be trimmed away, do it equally. Don’t sacrifice all the things you love! If you need any help with this, I can help you navigate this road. Just click the link to get started. I’m here for you 🙂
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