{"id":42486,"date":"2020-03-09T13:53:36","date_gmt":"2020-03-09T05:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/?p=42486"},"modified":"2020-04-01T13:51:05","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T05:51:05","slug":"healthy-financial-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/healthy-financial-habits","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s The Extra Push You Need To Stick To Your Financial Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Having trouble sticking to your financial goals?<\/p>\n
You\u2019re not alone. Although 76% of Malaysians<\/a> have a budget, two in five have trouble keeping to it. According to Bank Negara Malaysia, a majority of Malaysians \u201cfocus on instant gratification<\/a>\u201d over long-term financial planning.<\/p>\n One in five working Malaysians<\/a> did not save anything in the past six months. More than half<\/a> of urban households in Malaysia do not have any savings, and 20% would not be able to survive for more than three months if they lost their sources of income.<\/p>\n In short, many Malaysians don\u2019t lead a financially healthy lifestyle.<\/p>\n Having great financial habits isn\u2019t about hoarding money \u2013 it\u2019s about living life on your own terms. Being in control of your finances allows you to:<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t practise healthy financial habits, you may have a lifelong relationship with money that\u2019s riddled with stress and anxiety. You may not reach your life goals, and you risk having to work past your retirement age.<\/p>\n So, what do healthy financial habits actually look like? Here are five habits that can transform your finances:<\/p>\n 1. Budget and save<\/strong><\/p>\n When it comes to budgeting, the question does not lie in how important it is, but in how one can stick to a budget. We all know tracking your spending will give you an insight into your finances so you can trim unnecessary expenses and channel that into your savings.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s easier said than done. The first rule of budgeting is to make sure it is realistic so you don\u2019t set yourself out to fail.<\/p>\n A popular rule of thumb is the 50\/30\/20 rule<\/a>, which suggests that you should spend 50% of your income on necessary expenses, 30% on \u2018wants\u2019 like shopping or dining out, and save the last 20%.<\/p>\n To ensure your savings don\u2019t take a backseat, consider setting up automatic monthly transfers to a separate savings account. This way, you won\u2019t forget to set aside your savings, and you won\u2019t be tempted to spend the money.<\/p>\n 2. Invest<\/strong><\/p>\n To truly grow your money, you\u2019ll need to invest part of your savings. This gives you a potentially higher rate of return compared to a savings account or fixed deposit. The power of compound interest means that just a slightly higher rate of return could translate to a much larger portfolio over time.<\/p>\n 3. Review your insurance coverage periodically<\/strong><\/p>\n As you grow older, your life circumstances may change. You may have higher lifestyle expenses, more financial commitments or more people who depend on your income to survive.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to review your insurance coverage periodically to make sure that it is keeping up with these new circumstances. For example, if you\u2019ve just welcomed a new child into your family, check if your life insurance plan can still take care of your family\u2019s higher living costs in your absence.<\/p>\n Having adequate protection gives you a financial safety net in the event of certain emergencies or unfortunate events; this is crucial to being financially healthy.<\/p>\n 4. Look for value<\/strong><\/p>\n When you\u2019re trying to be frugal, it\u2019s tempting to always go for the cheapest products to save money.<\/p>\n But this can backfire on you. Sometimes, buying the cheapest items could mean compromising on quality. These items can cost more money in the long run, as they break more often and require frequent replacements.<\/p>\n Whenever you purchase an item, consider how much value they provide. A higher-quality item could be pricier but give you better value for your money. For example, a RM30 pair of shoes could last you three months, costing you RM10 a month. But a RM300 pair could last five years, costing you RM5 a month.<\/p>\n 5. Always consider the opportunity costs<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a trade-off in every decision. For example, spending RM10,000 on a down payment for a car means that you can\u2019t use that money to pay off high-interest debts. This trade-off is known as an opportunity cost \u2013 it\u2019s the value of the choice you\u2019ll have to give up in order to choose something else.<\/p>\n Whenever you make a financial decision, consider the opportunity costs. This can help you avoid impulse or unnecessary purchases. For example, instead of buying a new sofa that you don\u2019t need, consider the opportunity cost \u2013 you could instead put that money into your retirement fund instead and get closer to your retirement goals.<\/p>\n Opportunity costs also help provide frames of reference when making big financial decisions. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re deciding between buying and renting a home. The opportunity cost of renting a home is the potential appreciation of the property, while the opportunity cost of buying a home is being able to invest the money you would have used for the down payment.<\/p>\n Make it a habit to apply this concept \u2013 it will help you become more aware of what you stand to gain and give up in each financial decision, allowing you to maximise the value of your money.<\/p>\n Humans are funny creatures. Although we know some things are good for us in the long run, we still get sidetracked by instant gratification. This is why having a bit of motivation to stay on track is important to ensure we reach our end-goals.<\/p>\n A-Life Wealth Care<\/a> is a unique investment-linked insurance plan that rewards you for healthier financial habits. On top of giving you a financial safety net in times of need, it can provide the support and motivation you need to make better decisions with money:<\/p>\n When you sign up for A-Life Wealth Care, you\u2019ll also be a part of AIA Vitality. This is a science-backed programme that empowers and motivates you to lead a healthier life. As a member, you\u2019ll enjoy an additional benefit called the Vitality Wealth Booster<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Depending on the healthy choices you make, Vitality Wealth Booster rewards you with even more cash value when your policy matures. You could also get rewarded with discounts with participating partners like GrabFood and Shopee!<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been wanting to transform your finances, but have struggled with sticking to your goals, A-Life Wealth Care plus AIA Vitality could be the motivation you need.<\/p>\n Motivation and rewards can help you achieve your goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[133,1,218,236],"tags":[219,208],"class_list":["post-42486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insurance","category-investment","category-money-management","category-sponsored","tag-bi","tag-featured"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/span>Why do healthy financial habits matter?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/span>These habits can transform your finances<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Need more motivation?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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