HOW far are you with your financial goals?
Or did you make plans at the beginning of the year and then forgot about them?
What can you do?
Check your financial goals
If you’ve been a couch potato all your life, you wouldn’t start a fitness programme by running a marathon. The same applies to your financial health.
Marlies Kappers, head of marketing at Direct Axis, said: “Whether you’re planning the equivalent of a financial marathon or just want to get fit and lose a few kilos, it’s helpful to set some goals and regularly assess your progress.”
Setting too many goals can be as bad as one, huge unrealistic goal. Rather set two or three small ones.
Check your credit score
Everybody, from banks to retailers, landlords to car dealers, checks a person’s credit score to find her or his financial dependability. Credit scores are based on three figures.
By law you’re entitled to one free credit report a year from any of the credit bureaus.
Review your budget
Reviewing a budget is so important even the finance minister does it; it’s called the midterm budget review. You should review your budget because some of the ideas you had at the beginning of the year may no longer be viable. VAT has gone up and the cost of fuel has increased.
This may mean you’re spending more than you planned for and might need to try and cut back further in order to reach your other financial goals.
Online financial tools, such as Pulse atwww.directaxis.co.za, allow you to learn your credit score and check your credit rating for free as often as you like.
