So, what gets people to have a serious look at their finances and take some concrete steps towards assessing their financial position and formulating a plan for their financial security?
Of course, there are some people who are “born” meticulous and organized and hence have their plans all chalked out. But for most of us (based on our experiences), it usually doesn’t happen gradually, rather needs a trigger of some sort in our lives. The trigger could be some sort of personal experience or something that has happened with someone close, or even the sudden unpleasant remembrance of some childhood memory.
But until this happens, managing your own money takes a back-seat, while prioritizing work, family, current needs, perceived emergencies and in the absence of all this, pure lethargy. So, here are six reasons why many still haven’t got around to putting their finances in order, and one reason why some have.
- “Whats the hurry? My goals are far away, I have enough time on my side” – THE CAREFREE
Some of us typically think we have a lot of time, and many a times mistake urgent for important. We avoid contemplating the future, thinking that it has a way of sorting itself out. We usually need some unpleasant shock to make us realize that the future is something that doesn’t just happen, but needs to be planned for.
- “I know I have to save, but I don’t have any savings left after I pay my EMIs!” – THE OVERSTRETCHED
Some of us love running after material acquisitions. We hanker after the latest gadgets. We usually also end up having a lot of unsecured debt (either a personal loan or revolving debt on our credit cards) because we keep running into sudden cash-flow issues. For us, planning horizons are not long.
- “I know it’s important, but am too caught up right now, will do it as soon as I can” – THE ALWAYS-ON-THE-TREADMILL
Many of realize the importance of putting our finances in order, but somehow never seem to think it important enough to be top of the list. We would be putting in 12 hours at work and still think that’s not enough to meet our commitments. Somehow, crises have a way of finding us and keeping us always in fire-fighting mode.
- “I have checked with my friend, colleague as well as online, I just don’t know whose advice is right!” – THE CONFUSED
Then there are some of us who will ask, then validate, then re-validate and then re-re-validate. We will seek inputs from the colleague, the friend, the neighbourhood uncle and maybe then go online to check whether we are missing a point of view. Trusting someone and taking decisions doesn’t come easy to us.
- “I am sorted, I have invested my savings in some hot stocks and I also have these 2 apartments” – THE KNOW-IT-ALL
A few are us are those who are both knowledgeable and also proud of our knowledge. We will be clear on why things are and how they are going to unfold. We usually have strong views of our own on money and investments eg. owning multiple houses through leverage since we believe we “understand” real estate, buying some stocks because “they are tipped to do well”, and so on.
- “I think this is not the right time, market is too high, it might crash” – THE PERFECTIONIST
And then, there are some of us who understand both the need to keep their finances in order and can see the benefits of doing so, but just are waiting for the “right time”. For us, the market is either “too high” and likely to fall, or “too low” and therefore may not go up in a hurry. Strangely, we don’t have a problem seeing our money idle in the bank while we make up our mind.
- “I know time is important, every day lost is lost forever. I am in it for the long haul” – THE MARATHONER
Then, finally there are a few of us who understand the value of time and the benefits of long-term-investing. At the same time, we take our time to ask the right questions, understand the value of financial planning, and then quickly get into action mode. Lastly, we are disciplined, at least about money, and once we make up our mind, we trust our judgement and get on with it. Truly, we are called a “planner’s delight”.
So, do some of these “reasons” seem familiar? Which one is yours? Most people we see have more than one, sometimes even a few of these. But importantly, it is when you put on the last “reasoning hat”, that things start moving for you on the personal finances front. For some its timely, for some late, but as the popular saying goes, better late than never.
Image credit: Anemone123%, Pixabay
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