The usual ones are giving up smoking and loosing weight, but what about your finances and savings? Over the years I have met too many people who neglect these issues. So my advice this New Year is to tackle your finances head on with real attention and focus.
Debt is about facing up to it and not continuing to sweep it under the carpet hoping it will go away. There are no magic solutions, but talking to others and receiving help will bring a light at the end of the tunnel. A good starting point would be your local Citizens Advice Bureau. They will not judge you, they are there to help.
If debt is not a concern, other common areas in need of a full service are pensions, savings and investments. Pensions are currently in the news, and I am not talking about the benefits of a final salary pension, but the lack one, which thousands of us face. If you have a normal pension it has to work hard for you. I constantly meet clients who should have questioned the performance of their pension fund long before reaching retirement age, don’t let it be you!
With savings and investments the same applies, there are too many people with low interest savings account and poor performing investments. Two very common examples are deposit accounts and Cash ISAs. These are easy to move, so don’t be afraid to question your provider who will not always offer the best returns without you seeking it!
Act before its too late – and Happy New Year!