Protecting your financial situation is important no matter how well things are going right now. It only takes a couple of major incidents in your life for everything to suddenly not look so bright anymore. There are several main ways of giving yourself a financial ‘Plan B’ which we are going to discuss in more detail in this article. Not only could these help you out significantly in the future, they will also help to give you peace of mind right now. So, let’s run through each of them in detail right here.
Put Up a Savings Safety Net
When things are going well, instead of simply upgrading your current lifestyle, you should be looking to put some money away in case there is a time when things aren’t quite so great. If you are looking for a specific figure, you should aim for three months living expenses – though six would give you even more security. Though you hope it doesn’t happen to you, it is pragmatic to prepare yourself for negative life events such as losing your job or being unable to work due to illness. The bonus is that when you don’t need to draw on this money, it will be earning you interest in a savings account. If you don’t feel that you have any cash to spare, it may be time to make one or two lifestyle adjustments to allow you to build up that savings safety net.
Take Out Some Insurance Policies
If you don’t have any insurance policies, now is the time to consider getting one or two. First of all, income protection insurance will provide some salary replacements if you have an accident or illness that stops you working for a sustained period of time. The best policies should keep paying you until you are ready to return to work once again. However, be aware that this kind of insurance won’t protect you in the case of unemployment. As with all insurance policies, make sure that you read the small print before taking out a policy. Another potential option is mortgage protection insurance if you own a property. Critical illness cover is another type of insurance that will give you reassurance if you are hit by a period of unwellness. Weigh up the different options available and decide which is right for you. If you suffer a workplace injury, contacting a law firm that deals with compensation may be your best course of action. Ultimately, you should think in detail about the different situations which could affect you so that you are ready to act accordingly in case they do.
Set Up Some Extra Income Sources
If you have more than one income stream, you always have something to fall back on in the event that one of them falls through. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to get a second job. There are plenty of ways to make money online these days. For example, you could do some freelancing work on the side such as writing, translating or graphic design. Another alternative is to get involved in the sharing economy. Perhaps you have a spare room that you could put on Airbnb. If you don’t, you may be able to make some cash offering driveway space, storage room or renting out some of your things. Maybe you could even set up your own business on the side. Even if you don’t make a huge amount of cash from these income streams, just setting them up is a great starting point. You could always make more if you need to focus on them because your main source of money has been affected in some way.
Take Some Training Courses
When was the last time you undertook any sort of training? If the answer is a long time ago, it is time to do something about this. The more transferable skills that you have, the more employable that you are going to make yourself. Perhaps you could start learning a second language, some extra IT skills or undertake a management training course. Even if you think that you don’t have the time or money to spare on training, there are so many free resources online that you can easily develop your skills in your own time. Who knows, you may even open up a new career for yourself or at least a way of making some extra cash on the side.
Set Up Passive Streams of Income
Establishing a passive stream of income is never going to be a quick fix for your financial issues, but it could prove to be invaluable in protecting yourself in the future. One common way of doing this in the modern age is setting up your own web business such as a blog. Once you have generated enough of a following, there are various passive income streams such are worth looking into. Another option is to invest in shares. Of course, you need to do plenty of research and ideally get advice from someone who knows what they are talking about in this arena. Alternatively, if you are talented enough, you could do something creative like writing a book or taking photographs – anything like this that people are willing to spend their money on.
Protecting your income can be a challenging, but ultimately worthwhile task. To start off with, you should try to establish a savings safety net that you can draw on in emergencies. Next, look at the different insurance policies which could help to protect your income. The internet has opened up many ways of making money online which you could look into, and it also gives you access to a myriad of training programs and courses which may prove to be useful. Finally, look at the long-term passive streams of income which will keep money flowing into your account without you having to do anything at all.
