To be a successful property investor, you need to learn how to budget like one.
Whatever it may be – luxury homes, less work, more holidays – most people know what their dream life looks like, but most have no idea what it’s going to cost or how to start planning to achieve it.
Being an accomplished property investor is knowing your magic number, which is the amount of money you need to live your dream life. Once you know your magic number, you can develop a smart strategy and investment plan to get there.
But first, do you have a budget?
SUCCESS STARTS WITH A BUDGET
As a word, budget has got a bad reputation. It’s a bit like a diet. While our diet is simply what we eat, the word is mostly used in terms of weight loss or restriction.
“I’m on a diet” is usually a phrase said through gritted teeth. It’s the same for a budget.
When we talk about budgets, people immediately imagine restriction, a lack of something, or going without.
What budget actually means is knowing where and how we spend our money. Too many of us spend without thinking or keeping track of what’s going out vs what’s coming in.
This leads to what we call “fritter factor”, meaning we’re mindlessly spending on things that add little to no value to our lives or capital wealth.
HOW TO BUDGET
Start by keeping a spreadsheet of everything you spend. Over two to four weeks you’ll get a good sense of “big ticket” items that you really need, vs the little bits and pieces that add up (the fritter!).
Once you start to analyse your outgoings you might be surprised at how much you’re spending on things you get little to no joy from, and that add very little value to your life or capital wealth.
Seeing it all in black and white will help you prioritise the spending that you appreciate and get joy and value from, vs the “fritter” that you could do without. Cut the fritter and your personal wealth can grow faster as you’ll have more to invest in assets that appreciate.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
A good budget is linked to the bigger picture of achieving your ideal lifestyle.
Once you understand your spending patterns and have allocated your finances to specifics areas, you can then concentrate on putting away a certain amount or working out a creative plan around how to bridge the gap from where you are now to where you want to be.
A smart investment strategy and plan won’t only give you clarity and control over your finances. It will help you grow your capital wealth that much faster so you can live the life you’re dreaming of.
If you need help figuring out your magic number, or how to understand your budget and spending patterns, so that you can be a successful investor, come to our free property investing seminar.
You’ll learn the traps that investors fall into, and how to protect your assets from the pitfalls and most common mistakes that people make in real estate.
Spots are limited so book now.
Sue Irons
CEO – Positive Real Estate NZ