The current economic and political atmosphere is making a lot of people anxious and unsure of how to proceed with their lives. Though it is now relative easier to get and hold lucrative jobs, people are less sure of how much they should be saving, and what challenges they can expect in the future.
Acquiring properties such as houses and cars has become easier for people who have the liquidity, and that’s the people who are pursuing careers in medicine and technology. Sellers purposefully target the young because of the relative liquidity of their cash along with their decisiveness.
Modern life takes more planning than it used to. If you’re just getting started, you may have some questions about the major financial decisions that you will be facing in the coming years. There are some questions you need to ask yourself that will help you put your priorities in order.
Should my job be aligned with my passion?
With the advent of social media and a growing awareness of the many thousands of ideas within them, the young men and women of today are given more freedom to express who they are. Looking for and living one’s passion has become a common pursuit.
While doing things that we are passionate about is never a bad thing, insisting that a job must be reflective of one’s passions can cause big problems. The world that we live in does not always sway in our favor. The jobs that we have and the companies that we work for might not always be designed in the way that we want. There is a need to adjust, and there is a need to fit in the world that we share with like-minded others.
But does adjusting and “fitting in” equal the total abandonment of passion? Not necessarily. If passion can’t be found in what you do, it can very well be expressed in the way that you do it. Passion is something that you carry wherever you are. Hence, the more important thing to aspire for is to learn how to express your passion even in the most remotely related situations. ‘Doing things with passion’ is a good alternative when ‘doing your passion’ is simply not possible.
Is it time to get my own house?
Just to be clear, getting your own place is one of the largest investments you will make in your life. The question here is about getting a house, that immovable property in a specific location, that you can legally call yours. Why is this an issue?
When you are young, you tend to have a lot of things that you want to do. You are basically in pursuit of a lot of things, and the chase might require you to be mobile to seize opportunities. Owning a house might tie you to a specific location. And your being tied there might limit the explorations that you make.
Getting a home is understandably a big investment. You have to think it through and plan it well, especially that it might put in you in debt for the next 10 to 30 years. Unless you are sure of what you’re going to be and where you’re going to settle, buying a house shouldn’t be on your horizon just yet. Living in a rented space is not at all a bad thing. In fact, given your current state, it might be all that you need.
Should I get my own car?
Having your own car allows you to travel at your own pace. No more waiting for buses to arrive or trains to drop and pick up passengers in designated stations. Basically, a car can give you a certain level of freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want.
But the value of that freedom varies with the situation. If your new car eliminates the need to take three rides just to reach your workplace, then the vehicle is indeed a good investment. But if your workplace is just one station away, then having the car doesn’t bring so much value at all. It can just become an added liability.
Nevertheless, a car is an investment. As such, you must learn to use it to your advantage. More than just a transportation tool, it’s also a means to get something that holds more value to you. It can actually serve as your mobile bank account. When times get rough, you can use it as collateral for bad credit loans that will help you sufficiently fund your various pursuits. All you have to do is to agree to put a lien on the car title and be rigorous in delivering your repayments to your creditor.
