Money Mistakes in Your 20’s That Can Haunt You

By: Michael Millington

When you’re young you might think that you are invincible to debt, but you aren’t. The millions of Americans suffering from debt, started racking up credit card debt when they were young and now they are paying for it, literally.

Young people believe that they can work and work and work and just keep making minimum payments on their credit cards for the rest of their lives but that is not true. At some point, you will have to make good on your debt and pay it all back. On top of saving for retirement and future expenses.

If you want to make sure you aren’t still paying off debts into your old age, you will have to make changes now.

Personal Financial Changes You Need To Make While Your Young

You Fail to Establish a Savings Account

Being young comes with some perks, one of them being time. However, time is not always going to be on your side and that why you will have to start saving now. The sooner you start saving, the more funds you will have for any emergencies in the future.

Savings accounts are vital for not falling into debt or worse financial ruin. You will be able to use this money for paying back any debts you might owe and for any unexpected financial situations.

Not to mention, that the sooner you get a savings account, the more time you will have for raising funds and having them to use for later.

You Don’t Establish A Line Of Credit

There is a misconception that opening credit cards is a bad thing, but it actually is necessary for you to be successful in the future. This will be your key to getting an apartment, car or even a house.

Creditors need to see a proven credit record in order to offer you a line of credit and without this credit score, they can’t evaluate your financial situation. Creditors use your credit score to measure your risk to them and the likelihood of you paying them back. If they at all, feel that you can’t meet their terms, they most likely will not offer you any type of credit.

The better your score, the better credit terms you will get. While you’re young you can build up your credit score so that it is really good by the time you go to use it for a big purchase.

You Neglect to Dedicate Money to Your Student Loans

Student loan debt is nothing to fear, thousands of college graduates have them and many struggle to pay them off. The important part about student loans is that you keep up with them and pay them off with monthly payments.

Student loans can be paid off in a reasonable time period but you have to manage them wisely. Knowing the type of loan and the loan amount are crucial for keeping up with the payments.

Be aware of the end date of your deferment and make sure to be ready to start making payments as soon as you can.

You Don’t Develop A Money Budgeting Habit

Planning your financial responsibilities is one of the first things you should do. A budget is not about limiting your spending habits but improving upon them. You want to be spending your money wisely and on necessities and items that you need.

A good place to start making a budget is by writing down all of your expenses and totaling it up. Include any extra items like clothes, going out and other leisure activities. Once you know how much you spend, you can start mapping out your plan.

This will be a useful tool in your older age when you get more responsibilities like a house, a car and possibly, paying for college.

You Think Retirement Is For Old People

Yea, you might be young now but you won’t be young forever and that’s why you have to plan now. Retirement preparation can start at any age and is key if you want to be debt free and stress free in your golden years.

Maintaining a good credit score and staying on top of your loans are the first things to do so you aren’t suffering later in life. Also changing your spending habits so that you save more is also important as well. It’s not just about saving a bunch of money so you will have funds when you are old but making the necessary changes in your personal financial lifestyle so that you won’t be struggling for funds later.

You Don’t Ask For Help With Your Money

You’re still young and don’t have all the experience in the world to know what you’re doing all the time. As a result, there are resources to help you manage your money.

You can get budgeting tools and resources from third party companies, who will be able to asses your personal finances and guide you to a successful financial future.

Part of being an adult is asking for help, so if you are ever in doubt or need financial advice to properly handle your money, reach out to a professional. They are more knowledgeable than you and will motivate you to work harder on your finances.

Don’t Wait Any Longer

The importance of financial planning always seems like something you never have to deal with until you’re much older. The truth is your financial planning starts from birth and continues all the way through your life. You don’t want to wait until you’re past the point of no return to try to deal with things like debt. Look to Guardian Debt Relief for your debt settlement solution. Have a professional handle your unsecured debt issues and give you the freedom to enjoy your 20’s without worrying about your future. Take the first step and put Guardian Debt Relief to work for you!