Happy New Year and welcome back, I hope and pray that you had a wonderful festive season and that 2025 will be your best year yet.
January is already half-way and if you have not yet set some goals, this week is a great time to get going.
New Year, New Financial Goals
It is always a good idea to have goals to ensure a great year. The staggering reality is that most people give up on goals by the second Friday in January, and 88% of people give up on them by the first of February.
Don’t be part of the statistics. Make your goals stick by creating habits that you cannot shy away from. Make things easy to do and hard to avoid.
- Use the SMART goal framework to make things real (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Automate your financial goals as far as possible. Set up debit orders, and make use of budgeting tools that make things as easy as possible (22seven/Vault22 is great).
- Review your financial plan and make sure it still fits into your plan (schedule a meeting with me using the button below).
Key Changes in 2025
- Interest rates should come down in 2025, and expectations are 50 basis point cuts up to March, putting Prime at 10.75%. Lower interest rates mean people in debt will pay less, but people saving money in things like the money market and guaranteed investments should see lower returns.
- Inflation rates expected to remain around 4% for the year ahead.
- Currency (ZAR) is expected to remain volatile, and under Trump, the USD should remain strong.
Financial Wellness Check-up
Key things to consider as the year starts:
- Your beneficiaries on your policies (are they still relevant and correct)
- Where is your Will, and is it up to date?
- Reviewing your insurance and retirement is crucial – book a meeting with me using the button below.
Review your budget:
- What areas of your budget are outdated?
- What services and products no longer make sense in your life? Can you cancel them?
- Are any significant changes coming, such as purchasing a house, a car, or a new family member?
Review your emergency fund:
Do you have one? Remember, the rule of thumb is to have at least 3 months’ worth of expenses saved up.