Setting A Healthy Life For Your Future

Sometimes it is hard to plan ahead. We often live in the now. Planning only the next weekend’s plans, birthday parties and holidays. Living paycheck to paycheck or month to month. But the future will be here before we know it, and we will no longer be young hipsters, traveling and working and kids running around the house.

We have learned about self-care over the last few years. For myself, I go on walks, get massages, make time to spend reading a good book. But what about later in life? We forget about taking care of future-selves. We can not rely on our children for this. Planning ahead, with a good retirement account is a great start. Also having life insurance is important to take care of your family. Especially if they are young and dependent on you. This is even college-kids. I know mine aren’t self-sufficient yet and I am still taking care of them and helping them.

Something else you can do is plan by making some short-term and long-term goals. This not only includes financial, but where you are going to live, trees you might want to plant, do you live in the city you want to retire in? I know, for myself, if I moved that I would not want a house with stairs, since in the future they might be harder for me. I know some places of employment also match retirement funds. This can help someone that doesn’t have a lot of extra money but wants to plan for the future. If you have debt you need to pay off, check out Dave Ramsey. I love his 10 steps program to financial freedom. 

Once you have a little extra, you can start planning ahead. Grow vegetables for the spring. Plant fruit trees for the next few years. Remove that bathroom vanity and install a new one. Replace your old flooring. I’m happy with my house. I only wish my yard was twice as big. I hate when I run out of space for plants, since I like growing them and enjoy spending time in the yard. You can look on Youtube, follow large gardening groups or bloggers for gardening tips.

Here is a great website for fruit trees- Pomegranate Trees Don’t forget to check your garden zone before purchasing, to make sure the plants will survive in your area.

• Something else I don’t know a lot about, but am learning, is investing in the stock market. In the past you needed to be rich to even put money into the stock market. Now there are cell phone apps with stocks you can buy and trade. I use Robinhood. It is just one, of many, to choose from. I’m not sure the pros and cons of different competing sites, but with them you can start with just a little bit of money and have some investments.

It doesn’t matter where you are at now, but now is the time to start planning out the future you want. The retirement you want. The life you want for your children.

You have ideas? Please share with others. What ways have you started planning for the future?