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5 Long-Term Financial Goals and How to Achieve Them

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The easiest way to get started is to calculate how much you need in savings to live comfortably in retirement—often between 70% and 90% of your preretirement income. While still making the minimum payment on all of your debt, focus on paying down high-interest debts first using extra funds in your budget.

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Travel Blogger Karen Akpan Shares How She Journeyed From Debt to Economic Freedom

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Karen Akpan, known as @themomtrotter across social media, started her blog in 2017 to document and share budget travel hacks for people. With an expensive California mortgage, car payments and student loans, the emergency fund she and her husband, Sylvester, had dutifully built quickly depleted. Then, in 2019, she lost her job.

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How to Create a Budget: 6 Steps to Get You on the Path to Financial Security

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According to a Gallup survey , only one in three Americans prepares a detailed household budget. And if you’re not a recent grad but someone who just wants to get those dollar signs situated, a budget’s a budget—it doesn’t discriminate, and everyone should have one. Calculate your total monthly income. Did you overspend?

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Travel Blogger Karen Akpan Shares How She Journeyed From Debt to Economic Freedom

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Karen Akpan, known as @themomtrotter across social media, started her blog in 2017 to document and share budget travel hacks for people. With an expensive California mortgage, car payments and student loans, the emergency fund she and her husband, Sylvester, had dutifully built quickly depleted. Then, in 2019, she lost her job.

Travel 246
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Using a Financial Planning Checklist Can Help You Meet Your Goals

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Keep a running tally or spreadsheet to help you quickly calculate costs in each category so you can compare them across the last three months. Using a personal finance app like Mint or You Need a Budget (YNAB), you can often review your spending by date and see charts and graphs of what you spent in multiple categories.

Goals 306
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How to Define and Plan for Financial Freedom

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Calculate your number. Once you have a target number in mind (be sure to add a cushion for unexpected expenses and then add 4-6% for inflation), you can start to fine-tune your vision and budgets. Your current budget is a great place to start and build on. This should be stream-of-consciousness writing , without judgement.

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8 Pieces of Financial Advice for New College Graduates

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Following a financial independence plan, which includes a savings system and budget, will be the key to chasing your goals while maintaining a roof over your head and food in the fridge. Before opening accounts or building budgets, spend a little time reflecting on your patterns. Start an emergency fund.