Since January, I've noticed my spending has been a little less organised than I'd like. Not me who has been conscious and always managing my money, now found myself going into impulse spending; not actually on myself this time around but into dashing out every moment without looking back like some sort of a Father Christmas thing?
The truth is that I have been so tempted to make purchases for other people and when I looked back, I realised how quickly those small costs add up and how they can pull me further from my bigger goals, like planning for retirement. This realisation has made it a quick one for me to take a step back and reassess my finances. I'm re-orienting my priorities, re-organizing my budget and making a commitment to re-prioritise what truly matters.
I've been thinking a lot about the future lately. I said to myself, "I do need an accountability partner." This is because this would make everything faster for me, and for those things, I don't think of, it would be easier to have someone help in reminding me of what to do, how to do it and making sure everything is going as well as I'd wanted.
Where do I even need this accountability, more like a great transformation to me?
One of those topics that I do not give time to think about because I'd brush it aside thinking there is more time, but how old am I again? I keep asking and trying to remind myself that time is always running at full speed. I always knew I would retire one day, but I'd never sat down to think about what that actually meant for me. Then recently, my sister and I started discussing our financial goals and dreams for retirement, including different investment options we're considering.
"This is my accountability partner", I said, because I was sure she would do great and one I could trust to always remind me of the goals we are building.
This journey towards planning for retirement has been an eye opener especially when I think about it through my minimalist perspective. For me, minimalism is all about simplifying every area of my life including my financial approach. Realizing how a minimalist mindset is helping me in ways I hadn't even imagined is always a great opportunity for me.
So, instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the investment options or pressured to quickly reach a certain financial milestone, I'm able to prioritize what truly matters. A reminder in this minimalism journey is to keep things straightforward and prioritize what will bring values that last, rather than getting caught up in distractions with material stuff or short-term gains.
With minimalism, I am feeling this transformation by shifting how I think about spending, being more intentional with every purchase, and making it easier to save. Doing this would make me believe I am building a future I will be grateful for.
Saving with purpose doesn't feel like a sacrifice because I know I am working towards something meaningful. With my sister's discussion, I feel transformed knowing there is a sense of freedom that I am not in this alone. We are sharing insights, learning together and holding each other accountable.
Now, each decision I make is focused on building a future that is so secure and a retirement I can feel confident about.
Both images belong to me
