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Importance Of Financial Health: Find The True State Of Your Money

Written by Plastk Canadian Financial Education Leadership (CFEL) | Feb 3, 2023 2:00:00 PM

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Have your finances stressing you out lately? Are you struggling to keep the money making and saving pace?

You are doing everything right, yet, you aren’t noticing any progress. Well, maybe it is your financial health that needs an in-depth look and a bit of fixation.

Ever think about it?

Yes! It can and has played a significant role in determining how well a person works on his:

  • Savings
  • Retirement plans
  • Expanding earning net
  • And improving his financial portfolio.

Curious to learn more and find the true state of your money? Simply scroll further and thank us later!

What Exactly Is Financial Health?

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Have you ever been told to,

Earn more money…

Get a high-paying job…

Achieve your monetary goal by a certain age…?

And, perhaps, this is all that revolves around your idea of financial health, right? So, let’s get it real today!

“Financial health is a multidimensional term that covers different aspects of your finances, be they personal or professional.”

These different aspects revolve around but are not restricted to:

  • Your monthly income
  • Your monthly and annual spending
  • The amount of emergency fund
  • Your investment in your retirement plan
  • How you are managing your loans

Moreover, your financial health is also determined based on how money lenders see you as a borrower.

See: How To Build A Lender-Friendly Credit Profile?

Therefore, the next time someone tells you that simply getting a high-paying job and then spending that salary as you wish will be enough for stable finances, help them know better about it.

Why Does Financial Health Matters After All?

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We are often told one thing again and again, “oh, money is really not that big of a deal.”

But, guess what?

You are only capable of saying that as long as you are not hit by uninvited life events, like

  • A sudden job loss
  • A sudden health-related emergency
  • An unannounced pandemic
  • Or a unexpected inflation

Which altogether can affect your income and you are now unable to pay monthly bills or make any good money decisions for your future.

And the list goes on.

So, what does a realistic perspective say? It simply states that:

  • Money directly impacts human’s ability to stay happy
  • Less productive financial system results in damaging personal relations
  • Zero to little money results in loss of self-confidence

And so on. Therefore, a healthy financial life can help you in endless ways. Some of these are:

Moreover, working on your finances and everything in between helps you fix your relationship with money and learn more about the world around you.

7 Questions To Determine Your Financial Health

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We get it; the very next question popping into your mind must be,

“Okay, I get it – what is financial health and why it matters, but what exactly is needed to determine it after all?”

Worry not, we have got you covered! All you need to do is ask yourself these questions below and you are already good to go!

  1. Are my expenses exceeding my income?
  2. Do I have something to buckle myself up in case of an emergency?
  3. Am I improving my financial literacy?
  4. Am I prioritizing my needs over wants?
  5. Am I paying the mandatory bills, CC payments, etc?
  6. How much debt do I actually owe?
  7. Am I improving my finances?

Questions like these and a few more might not result in a straightforward answer but will definitely help you connect the dots.

Moreover, it will give you a holistic idea of how serious you have been with your present self and future self.

Find The True State Of Your Money: 4 Pillars

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So, is there an easy way to know where you stand financially? Will it be beneficial to know your true state of money? Can it help improve your financial health? Let’s find answers by reading 4 pillars of finances:

1.   Spend

So, the first one starts with calculating how much you need to spend on every category you section (including needs, wants, extras).

You need a good budgeting method to ensure you do not overspend or underspend.

2.   Save

The next on the list is: save. The pillar that focuses on setting your future finances. The basic goal is to save at least 10% of your total income as it’s necessary to plan your retirement and clearing debt.

3.   Borrow

Here enters the alternative lending or bank loans as not everyone has a good source of income to cover all their expenses. Yep, sometimes, things can be too hard to handle and you’re only left with the borrowing option.

Nothing wrong with it as long as you pay back everything on time!

4.   Plan

The last pillar is the one that actually binds everything together. Yes! You can’t expect a good monetary result without a good financial plan. You need clear answers for the questions mentioned in the above section. Moreover, you need to know:

  • How much do you want to grow your finances in 2, 5 or 7 years?
  • Do you want to build a fortune?
  • Do you want to save your kid’s college?
  • Something to leave as inheritance?

Mainly, do you wish to retire early? Your answers will help you plan accordingly!

3 Ways To Improve Your State Of Money

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There are chances that asking the above-mentioned questions might not have resulted in pretty good answers. So, what should be the way out?

Should you start stressing out about your state of money? Or, should you start working on it right away because it is definitely not a daunting task?

Had we been at your place, we’d definitely have opted for the second option!

So, here are a few practical tips you can follow!

1.  Set “Your” Type Of Goal

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Not one but many adults have complained about not knowing exactly where to start with their finances?

Or, some explain how they are often unable to keep up with everything.

We’d definitely say that this is simply because you don’t have your type of goal.

This means that you need to:

Once done, you will automatically start seeing yourself getting back on track. Setting your type of goal is essential as only you know your current financial situation.

Of course, you can get inspired from the experts, but you can’t copy their goals.

2.  Stop Putting Things On Hold

To be very honest, when it comes to your personal finances and everything in between, there’s no such thing as “tomorrow.”

This is simply because:

  • A lender won’t wait until you are ready
  • Interest charges don’t come with a soft heart
  • Your Equifax credit score can drop even on the slightest mishandling

Therefore, whether it is your loan, debt, mortgage, credit card payment, or anything demanding immediate payment – just do it, at least as much as you can!

3.  Choose A Card That Supports Your Finances

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It looks cool having a bunch of cards in your wallet and flaunting it in front of your buddies, right? But, have you ever thought about whether these cards are hurting your finances or not?

Or,

Are these cards helping you improve your financial portfolio or not?

Therefore, choose your secured credit card when you want to

  • pay the lowest interest rate
  • have your credit limit as per your financial standing
  • improve your rather bad credit score
  • build a credit history that helps secure funding

Moreover, it will also help you use your credit card as mindfully as needed!

Bottom Line

Anyone can fall into bad spending habits, ultimately downgrading their financial health.

However, this is also something that can be fixed, all you need are expert tips to follow and you are good to go!