I have Lost my Goals

When trying to forge a financial path through the wilderness of money management, it is important to have a goal. A goal gives you a place to work towards and a place to know that you have achieved something in the end. When my 4 children were younger, we had a goal. I wanted to be home with them as much as financially possible. In order to do that, we had to pinch every penny so I wouldn’t have to work full time. In the past few years, as my children grew up, the goals shifted to getting a full time job with benefits and to buying a house.

Today, I realized that I had several vague financial goals. They are not clearly defined. They are also my vague goals. I am married and my husband and I have yet to discuss our goals since we bought our house last year. I don’t know what, if any, financial goals he has. (I tend to think about these things and he doesn’t until I bring up the subject.) We are just floundering around and that isn’t good for us.

Financial goals change over time as your life changes. The goals you had at 25 aren’t the goals you will have at 35 (or even 30). Life is a very fluid, series of events, many of them life altering, and your goals in life, and financially, will change over time. If you are in a committed relationship where you share finances, then it is a good idea to sit down, every so often, and discuss with your partner/spouse what goals you both have. Forging a financial path together is the way to get both people committed to the goals. (It also creates good harmony)

This weekend I hope to sit down with my husband and talk about our financial goals, both short term and long term. When this is done, we will know what must be done to set us on our chosen path.