4. You’re Not Setting Goals. It helps to have concrete financial goals—in fact, writing them down can make you 42% more likely to achieve them. Rather than the abstract, “I’d like to have more money in my account,” define a concrete goal that you can work towards and measure your progress against. “Grab a pen and paper and set goals,” says Thakkur. “Goals like, ‘I want to have 50k in my savings account, or ‘I want to have 25k in the stock market by next year’ are great places to start. Start putting money aside, put fifty or one hundred dollars aside each month and let it grow. Have 6 month, 1 year, 3 year, and 5 year goals. Make financial goals and start saving towards them.”
5. You’re Not Investing For The Long-Term. Nearly 80% of millennials are not investing in the stock market. 69% of those say it’s because they think it’s too confusing. In Thakkur’s article, “Mutual Funds: As Explained Through Dating,” he assures us that finding the right investments is no more complicated than finding the right qualities in a long-term romantic partner. “Put your money into a longer-term goal,” Thakkur says. “Work with an advisor who will advise you to put money into something that will grow in the next 5, 10, 25 years. Invest your income to make sure you are getting your income back. As the money comes in, take that money and reinvest it.”
Enjoyed this post? Check out more of my tools for creating a life by your own design.
This article originally appeared on Forbes.com