financial management – SarawakYES!

After spending years on completing a formal education, you’ve finally left school.

So now you may be thinking, what’s next?

Moving on to the next step seems like the hardest thing to do as most of you might still be clueless as to what to do in the future.

Here are some things you should consider now that you’re a fresh school leaver.

Explore new environments

Education goes beyond the four walls of a classroom. Among the skills that students do not get to learn in the classroom includes social skills in different environments.

So, it is important for you to make your own discoveries and develop these skills in new environments such as in part-time jobs, internships, and if possible touring universities.

Venturing into new environments outside your comfort zone can be intimidating.

However, experiencing new environments will be rewarding in the long-run.

Make new friends

After graduating from school, naturally you and your friends will go your separate ways.

Some might pursue higher education, while some might choose to take a year off before deciding on what to do next and others may enter the workforce.

Whatever your plan is, it’s always good to meet new people and make new friends outside
of your network of school friends.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to keep in touch with your school friends because it’s too easy to drift apart.

Your school friends may be some of the most meaningful relationships you could have, and could also last the longest.

Talk to more people

It is normal to not know what you want to do after graduation and that is okay since you have a long way to figure it out.

For this, try to talk to more people from different professions and fields.

Their experience might provide you with some insight on what you might want to do as a career.

Learn to save money

Saving money may not be high on your list of priorities right now, especially since you’re probably not earning anything at the moment.

However, it’s crucial that you start to make saving a habit as it will definitely help you throughout your life; whether in college, at your first job and beyond.

This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2PeD5i0

As a young working adult, managing your finances may seem daunting and even impossible at times.

It’s easy for people to blame this situation as simply a case of millennials having a lavish lifestyle or spending excessively.

However, the rising cost of living is among the challenges that could affect how you manage your personal finances.

While some factors may be out of your control, you can still determine how much you save and spend every month, and this could be crucial in helping you accomplish your financial goals.

First of all, you have to be honest with yourself every time you’re about to spend your hard-earned money; make sure you analyse whether you really need something or if you just want it.

For example, do you really need to drink that fancy coffee which costs RM12?

As you start your career, try to stretch your ringgit as far as you can. You don’t have to spend a small fortune to have fun so look for and take part in activities that require little to no money.

Remember, by spending less, you will have more to save and invest.

Speaking of savings, before you think of saving for that vacation you’ve always wanted, make sure you save for something more important first: an emergency fund.

This emergency fund, which you should save in the bank, should be at least six months’ worth of your monthly spending.

You never know what your financial situation will be next year or two years from now, but having an emergency fund in place will at least be of help to you when getting back on your feet again.

Worryingly, according to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), 75 per cent of Malaysians find it difficult to save RM1,000 for emergency needs.

And if you’re now in your 20s, it may seem like forever before you reach retirement age.

However, it is never too early to consider planning for that time when your days of working are over.

EPF once again provides another sobering statistic as it estimates that 55-year-old retirees would need at least RM228,000 in their EPF savings to be able to withdraw RM950 a month, based on a life expectancy of 75 years.

The good news for millennials is that you still have a long time to save and invest for a comfortable retirement, and there are also a lot more resources now to learn about managing your own finances.

This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (Azam) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2xsvq6M

Image Source: Parade

Tag: financial management

School leavers – things to keep in mind

Millennials and money matters