2018 New Year Resolutions
It’s that time of the year when, after excess shopping, boozing and food consumption, we all turn our attention to self-improvement New Year resolutions. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Don’t go making tech companies rich: learn to cook, find a way home that doesn’t involve Uber (be safe!), don’t fall for “sales” and for goodness sake don’t buy “lives” in a viral-this-moment game.
2. Don’t be a sucker: phone upgrades are rarely (read never!) worth the £800!
3. Do consulting/freelancing on the side: better to add money than cut it plus this way you gain some of that much-coveted experience that employers crave!
4. Get learning: putting time (and occasionally) money into learning new skills is the best investment you’ll ever make.
5. Don’t channel the Kardashian or Lewis Hamilton’s of the world – Kylie can afford the £45 Lippie, Lewis buys Burberry with little consideration. You can’t so don’t.
6. Don’t worship at the insta-alter: that double-matcha skim latte you’re sipping while standing next to your brand new bike may look epic on insta tagged #fitspo but social currency won’t pay for sourdough! Be careful what you buy to impress others.
7. Don’t be so down on yourself: no one is living the life they portray through tinted filters and feeds. Snapshots of perfect moments in a sea of mundane living is enough to make anyone upset. Be careful who you follow and be mindful of how often you follow them!
8. Be generous: if not with your money then with your time.
9. Start saving: anything that you want to do, or buy will start with needing some money so start stashing some away. Set up an ISA and keep the taxman away from your money!
10. Don’t buy into hype: if you don’t understand bitcoin, or shares or spread-betting don’t put your hard earned cash into it. If you’re hearing about bitcoin from the barista chances are the smart money has already made much of the profit.
11. Be the smart money: learn, read, engage! The most valuable commodity in the world is time – how are you spending yours?
12. Look after your body; whether it’s caffeine, drugs, junk food or no exercise or sleep make a commitment to the temple that is your body to respect it. It’s the only one you got and getting sick is expensive and unnecessary.
13. Look after your mind: tune down social media, get enough sleep (yes it’s a mind thing too!), watch the stress, practice resilience so you are more sturdy and surround yourself with people who are generous in mind and spirit, kind and trustworthy.
14. Look after your money: do all those things you always say you will; start budgeting, save a bit (even £10 each month will make a huge difference to your life – esp if the $hit hits the fan! – and get you in the habit). Money isn’t about the stuff you can buy but the opportunities you can create.
15. Jettison bad “financial” moves; payday lenders and gambling are two things you should avoid. Don’t dabble, don’t flutter, don’t just-this-once… just don’t.
16. Figure out your time value: how long do you need to work to pay for that coffee or takeaway? By knowing how much your time is worth you become more aware of wasting it. An average earner makes about £11 an hour and that means you work 38 minutes for every avocado toast. Is it worth it? Only you know.
17. Get money smart; the trig you learned in school is generally useless to 95% of us but the stuff about taxes, mortgages and risk that you never learned about will have a huge impact on the path your life takes. Get educated and ask questions. Lots of questions. All the time!
18. Stop talking about fair; life’s not. Get over it.
Have an epic 2018!