At the beginning of a new year, most of us are still clinging to resolutions to stay healthy (and desperately dodging the post-Valentine\/pre-Easter chocolate-crammed aisles). No one wants to lose momentum when it comes to physical fitness, but as the year gets into full swing, the same could – and should – be said for financial fitness. We set out to discover how advice from a personal trainer may help get your 2018 budgeting and saving on track, so you can create good habits that build a strong and lasting foundation.<\/p>\n
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Joe Dorrington is a local personal trainer. With 18 years\u2019 experience, Joe\u2019s no stranger to the game. He\u2019s worked with super-fit rugby teams and over 70 retirees, overweight young professionals, injured athletes and the odd celebrity in-between (he doesn\u2019t train and tell). It was easy to draw some parallels from the advice he shared:<\/p>\n
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\u201cStart simply. Walking leads to running, running leads to marathons.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to be fit to start training, but you need to train to get fit. The same goes for investments; you don\u2019t need to be rich to do it. In fact, even if you can start small, your friend compound interest will help you along the way. Joe says 90% of it is mental; the most important thing is to get started and stick to it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThere are no quick fixes and no short cuts. It\u2019s up to you to do the hard graft.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe emphasised the importance of discipline as a way to establish routine, which ultimately becomes a way of life. Sure, no one likes waking up at the crack of dawn, but just like pitching up to those weekly gym sessions, it\u2019s important to be consistent when it comes to committing to monthly savings or investments. Consistent effort is more likely to yield consistent results.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf you keep doing the same things every day, you\u2019ll only stay good at those specific things.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe bases his clients\u2019 goals on their body type and what they want to achieve, but to really make things work, he says you need to adapt the training programme, up the intensity, and mix up the exercises over time. The same could be said for the way you approach your financial goals – whether it\u2019s paying off a loan, saving for your first set of wheels or that road trip with friends. Don\u2019t be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone \u2013 why not challenge yourself to increase the amount you put away or change up your investment approach if it\u2019s going to do you good in the long run?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNever compare yourself to your younger self or older people.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Everyone in Joe\u2019s gym is different; he says the key is focusing on each person\u2019s own abilities and working within their specific parameters. It\u2019s hard not to compare yourself to others, (especially if skinny Sharon has a coveted thigh-gap or Thabiso is rocking abs of steel). Similarly, other people\u2019s lifestyles aren\u2019t always a good refection of their financial situation – who knows what debt is hiding under the hood of that new 4×4. Avoid going down the \u201ccould have, would have, should have\u201d route and stay focused on your personal journey.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMake it a lifestyle, not an obsession\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tracking progress is important, but Joe says he sees lots of people getting caught up on what the scale says, forgetting that there\u2019s a much bigger, long-term picture at play. Weight, like your savings account, may fluctuate. So of course, keep tabs on interest you\u2019re earning, money you\u2019re saving and spending, but don\u2019t make it such a big part of your life that it becomes an unhealthy obsession.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLook after your body when you\u2019re young, and it\u2019ll look after you when you\u2019re old.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe explained that in many cases, the long-term health benefits of an active lifestyle can result in a better chance of beating cardio-vascular complications or illnesses like diabetes. Developing muscle memory over time also makes it easier to get back in the game if you happen to fall off the wagon. Your future-self will thank you if you get a grip on your budget now so you can build money habits that\u2019ll last.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you have any questions about budgeting and saving \u2013 and how you can do them both better – \u00a0speak to your Indwe BlueStar adviser on 011\u00a0831 8000.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Indwe BlueStar is an authorised Financial Services Provider. FSP 2759<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At the beginning of a new year, most of us are still clinging to resolutions to stay healthy (and desperately dodging the post-Valentine\/pre-Easter chocolate-crammed aisles). No one wants to lose momentum when it comes to physical fitness, but as the year gets into full swing, the same could – and should – be said for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"yoast_head":"\n