We all have our goals and dreams. When we were children, we probably saw ourselves in specific situations many years down the road. As we grow older, though, priorities change and many times, these dreams do not materialize exactly how we envisioned them to be. If you are in your early or mid-20s, why don’t you take a step back and examine your life with regard to your finances. Are you living the life that you always dreamt you would? If not, have you set and reset your goals and have you taken certain steps to reach them? I hope that this can be a wake up call – take a look at some things that you might want to achieve before you turn 30 (or 35 or 40 – it depends on you).

…I want to be able to NOT depend on credit cards.
When you’re young and single, with less responsibility, it is easy to amass large amounts of debt on your credit cards. It is easy to say that I can pay this off later. But as you get older, you will realise that having to live off your credit card is not fun, it is not smart, it is not productive. As early as now, why don’t you try paying off – seriously paying off – your cards and keep only a couple for necessary expenses.

…I want to own a home or at least execute a plan to get there.
Purchasing a home, to me, is the biggest sign of settling down. Having your own property means that you have something as your base. More than having something to call your own, it is a huge investment on your part. I guess settling down and investing on something that lasts is a big sign of maturity – financially and otherwise. I understand that not everyone can afford their own home by the time they reach thirty but having a plan and actually working on it will work just as well, don’t you think?

…I want to know for sure that I have marketable skills.
Times are different now. I was mulling over this over the weekend. My parents went through perhaps one or two – at the most three – different jobs during their working years. They started out with their first job and eventually found one wherein they stayed for the rest of their working years. They had stability. They didn’t need to find other jobs. These days, it is different. Not everyone stays with the same company for many years. One can get fired more easily than before. If I were you, I would make sure that I learn and get the most out of each experience so that I can develop a set of skills that I can use as leverage should I need to find a new job OR even better, start my own business.

These are some of the most important things – at least for me – that can help me live an independent and fulfilling life in terms of finances. Do you have other goals that you would like to share with us?