We all have dreams, whether they’re big or small. Maybe your dream is to go on an awesome vacation, buy a house or upgrade your car, or perhaps it’s to pay down debt or simply have more room for discretionary spending in your budget. Each dream you have is valid and deserves a shot at success—and that’s where Interior Savings comes in.
Our expert advisors are here to help you strategize, budget and create an actionable financial plan—this is what turns dreams into goals, and how you can set yourself on the path to making those goals a reality. We’d be pleased to offer you personalized advice but in the meantime, we hope this blog post gets you thinking about what you really want out of life and how you’re going to get there. Please contact us if you’d like to connect with an Interior Savings advisor in your area!
Identify what you want
Before you can put the right financial solutions into place, you need to know what you’re working towards. Get specific—if you want to buy a house, when? In two years, five years or next summer? If you want to save enough money to cover the cost of a wedding, vacation or honeymoon, price it out to know exactly how much you have to save (and what your timeline is). Consider the ‘SMART’ method when setting financial goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. You may not be able to apply each of these qualities to every goal, but it’s a good approach to planning and may help manage your expectations.
Consider potential obstacles
Identifying potential obstacles and challenges is important for two reasons. First, it allows you to strategize and potentially avoid these challenges (or deal with them efficiently and effectively). Secondly, it may help manage your expectations—something we mentioned earlier but will bring up again because it’s so important. If your expectations are unrealistic, you’ll be set up to fail. For example, if you’re set on buying a house next year when a three year plan is more achievable, it’s better to adjust your mindset to the three year plan than to stubbornly cling to your ‘next year’ goal. The latter will only lead to disappointment and may derail your goals, whereas the former allows you to track your progress in a meaningful way and feel good about how far you’ve come each year. Speak to your advisor about potential challenges and how to plan for them. You’ll be glad you did!
Create an action plan
An action plan can involve a simple savings account, registered investment products, a personalized financial plan or all of these things in tandem. Your Interior Savings advisor can provide personalized recommendations that reflect your needs and goals, but here are a few examples to help get you in the right frame of mind.
- Planning a vacation? Set up an automatic transfer that puts $25 into a savings account every week. This will add up quickly without breaking your budget!
- Struggling to cover emergency costs like a car repair or new refrigerator? Set up an emergency fund with an automatic transfer that slowly builds savings.
- Carrying a large balance on your credit card? Create a repayment plan and/or consider a debt consolidation loan.
- Thinking about retirement or the cost of a child’s university education? Ask an advisor about RRSPs, RESPs, and how investing in a TFSA may support your goals.
- Want to put a down payment on a house? Speak to an advisor about various government programs and incentives. You may be able to borrow from your RRSPs with the Home Buyers Plan, take advantage of the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive or invest in a First Home Savings Account (a new registered account that’s currently rolling out across Canada).
These are just general examples—please reach out to an Interior Savings advisor for personalized guidance.
Contact us to learn more
A dream can feel lofty and far away, but a goal is something you can work towards with discipline and determination. We’re here to help you every step of the way and will proudly celebrate your accomplishment when those dreams and goals become reality. Please contact us whenever you’re ready to get started—we look forward to hearing from you!