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When to Start Investing for Retirement (And How to Choose a Plan)

Investing for retirement

A recent survey showed that 70% of retirees would have advised their younger selves to save money sooner. Investing for retirement can feel pointless when you’re building a career and living week by week. But everyone deserves to live out their older years with financial security and freedom.

Retirement planning gives you more peace of mind and helps motivate you to keep working towards a new chapter in your life. Plus, it’s essential to think about retirement planning, as unexpected health costs can arise as you get older.

No matter your financial situation, this article will give you tips to invest in retirement and protect your future.

Is Investing for Retirement Worth It?

Investing for retirement is the best way to calm your nerves about the unknown. No one knows what could happen several years from now, so the only way to prepare is to take preventative measures. For example, it’s impossible to work forever, so you need to think about a time when making an income is not feasible.

Even if you stay in remarkable health until old age, there are restrictions to your quality of life if you don’t plan ahead. You can lose out on new trips or treating yourself to nice meals.

By law, the government offers social security to people past a certain age. You’ll likely receive a small amount every week if you pay social security. This is typically not enough to survive on a high quality of life, and you want to think about putting money aside before then.

If you plan with your own money, you have more freedom over traveling expenses, household items, and making memories with loved ones.

For people with younger family members, the responsibility of covering expenses will go to them if you don’t have adequate retirement funds.

The best investment for retirement will vary from person to person. It’s important to consider your priorities and what you want in retirement. Then, you can assess the options and find a solution that works for you.

How To Start Investing in Retirement

It’s never too late to think about retirement planning as long as you examine your finances and start a plan. Firstly, you should estimate how much money you’ll need for retiring and the timeline for reaching that saving goal.

Break down your income needs into two separate categories such as essential and non-essential costs. The essential section will include the living expenses like rent, food, clothes, heating bills, and general house maintenance. In the non-essential list, you must include hobbies, day trips, eating out, and leisure activities.

Even if your interests change over time, this estimate will give you an idea of how much you’ll need for this phase of your life.

If you want to retire in a different part of the world, it’s good to outline the cost of moving and other traveling expenses in your retirement.

Look at Income Options

Most people stop working as they reach their senior years, but it’s still possible to make money through passive income streams. This could be a real estate investment you made in your early 30s or a side business. Exploring the different investment options that can contribute to your retirement plan is good.

Some of the most common investment options besides real estate are stocks and bonds. But other options like Bitcoin can offer solutions to income worries.

A retirement IRA is a saving method created through traditional banking institutions. You can put money into these pots without tax and have a separate banking system for your retirement money. It’s an excellent way to keep track of your income when you’re young and avoids thinking about retirement.

Simply set up a retirement IRA and let the money build up over the years.

For people who want an alternative to traditional retirement IRA, you might want to consider a Bitcoin IRA. This allows you to invest in cryptocurrencies and maintain financial stability using technology.

Select a Retirement Plan

After you’ve researched the methods of making money in retirement and assessed your lifestyle expenses, it’s essential that you pick a plan. Always put your financial goals as a top priority when looking for retirement options, as it’s important to have control over your income streams.

Ask employers for more information on your retirement scheme if you already have one. Or, look at resources online to find reliable and trustworthy retirement schemes. Reviews are a good place to look when assessing which company is the right choice.

Hiring a financial advisor is possible if you handle large amounts of money from several places. This gives you an overview of where to save and if there are areas worth more investment.

Starting is the most challenging part when you begin financial planning and have no idea where to start. You’ll discover more tips and tricks as you start looking over your income records. So, it’s vital that you take those first steps and focus on creating a plan.

Automating monthly savings into retirement accounts is a great way to minimize the time spent dealing with transfers and juggling bills. Instead of organizing savings and checking numbers, this system moves your money on the same date every month.

When you have a retirement plan, it gives you more time to spend living in the present moment. And when you retire, you’ll be happy you took the time to think about how you’re going to make the most of your older years.

Future Retirement Planning Starts Here

Investing for retirement is the key to happy, long life. It avoids putting pressure on loved ones to cover your life expenses when you get older. And it helps you make clear decisions about your finances when you’re younger.

Being cautious about spending now means you have more funds to take adventures and make new memories in the future.

Our retirement IRA option is ideal for people who want to embrace technology and invest in their quality of life.

Find out more here about our retirement plans.

Changing Your Mindset About Money to Improve Your Life

Changing Your Mindset About Money to Improve Your Life

Money is a big part of our lives, and it can be hard to change your mindset about it. But if you want to improve your overall life, then you need to rethink how you view money. In this blog post, First Financial® looks at some of the ways you can start changing your mindset about money and improving your overall life today.

Changing Your Mindset About Money to Improve Your Life

How You Really Feel About Money

It’s important to understand the emotions that are attached to money. Acknowledge them and then take steps forward in a positive direction. This might entail Starting a Bitcoin Savings Plan at First Financial® or coming up with a plan for budgeting and saving. It will also mean being honest with yourself about debt and taking steps to pay it down.

It’s Not a Competition

It’s natural to compare ourselves with others, but it’s important not to focus too much on the financial success of other people. Instead, focus on making progress in your own life by setting goals, staying disciplined, and working hard towards achieving them.

A Business Can Be the Key to Financial Freedom

If you’re looking for a foolproof way to increase your income, consider starting a business venture and forming it as an LLC. This will give your business legal protection from liability, as well as tax advantages that will help save you money in the long run. Plus, an LLC will give potential customers more confidence in doing business with you.

Increasing Your Earning Potential

There are also steps you can take to increase income in your career. If you’re looking for a new job that pays more, start by creating an impressive CV. Make sure your most bankable skills are highlighted, as well as any awards or certifications you may have. Most importantly, make sure your CV is easy to read and understand so that potential employers can quickly get a sense of who you are and what you bring to the table. You can use a tool to create your template for a CV — a free, easy-to-use online option is a good place to start. You’ll be able to quickly customize your CV to show off your qualifications and help you stand out from other candidates.

Another way to improve both your earning potential and career prospects is by earning an online degree from an accredited institution. There are numerous online programs available today at different price points, depending on what kind of degree you want to pursue. Education can open doors for career advancement.

Practical Savings Tips You Need Today

Saving money doesn’t have to be complicated — it simply requires discipline. Here are some tips to try:

Changing your mindset about money takes time, but it’s worth it as it can improve every aspect of your life. Start by understanding the emotions surrounding money, then find ways to increase income potential. And don’t forget to save! With patience, dedication, knowledge, and consistency, you, too, can change your financial future for the better.

7 Reasons to DCA Bitcoin – Dollar Cost Averaging

Bitcoin DCA- Dollar Cost Averaging

DCA Bitcoin: The Benefits of Dollar Cost Averaging Bitcoin

Understanding DCA as it relates to Bitcoin. There are certainly some flashy, eye-catching methods of investing in bitcoin. Unfortunately, they seldom offer the rewards they promise.

You may have experienced disappointment after disappointment with these techniques. Now you’re looking for something that doesn’t overstate its potential but delivers consistent, reliable results.

What you’re looking for is dollar cost averaging or DCA. When you DCA bitcoin, you gain valuable benefits both financially and otherwise.

We’ll share seven impressive reasons investors say they found what they were looking for in DCA. Bitcoin Savings Account: 5 Important Things to Know

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Video: DCA Bitcoin – The Benefits of Dollar Cost Averaging Bitcoin

What Is DCA Bitcoin?

DCA or dollar cost averaging is an incremental approach to investing regardless of market conditions. In its most basic form, it means purchasing bitcoin at regular intervals, such as weekly, on an ongoing basis. You can easily automate the process, so you don’t have to remember to make your next purchase.

Now let’s look at DCA’s potential benefits.

1. It Prevents You From Trying to Time the Market

Timing the market is tempting to most new investors. On the surface, it seems simple. You watch the market until prices dip significantly and buy. Next, wait until prices rise as high as they can and sell before prices start heading downward.

One of the many problems with trying to time the market is you have to be right when most other investors are wrong. That would be a challenge for even the most brilliant, well-educated investor.

You are also putting yourself in a position where you must be right not just once but twice. You have to correctly predict the bottom of the market as well as its top.

Conversely, you’re not worried about being “right” or “wrong” with DCA. You’re looking down the road.

So, how effective is the approach? Let’s look at what would have happened if you had purchased $20 of bitcoin weekly beginning on the first day of 2014 and continued until November 8, 2022.

According to a bitcoin DCA calculator, you would have converted a $9,220 investment into $160,877.02. That’s an increase of over 1,645%.

2. It Prevents Decision Fatigue

Decision fatigue is the mental state after a person is overwhelmed for an extended period with choices to make. You may have experienced this if you’ve ever had to plan a wedding or remodel a house. The decisions can seem fun initially but become increasingly burdensome as the process drags on.

That’s why you’ve heard the oft-repeated story of people in power, such as CEOs and even the President of the United States, limiting their daily wardrobe. In the mornings, they don’t face a multitude of choices for clothing. Those who have adopted this approach say that it saves them valuable mental energy.

Dollar cost averaging your bitcoin likewise saves your brain from the exertion of having to make daily buy and sell decisions. You only need to establish your investment amount and the frequency with which you’ll invest. That’s it. You’re done.

3. It Makes It Easier to Stick to a Budget

You may be a person who believes it’s not necessary to set up a budget. Perhaps, you never experience a financial shortfall at the end of the month. That’s great. But there are other reasons why a budget is still valuable.

A budget helps you set priorities. Without one, you might find other ways of spending your money. But if you use a budget, you will mentally set aside a certain amount to buy bitcoin.

This leaves you and your wallet free. You can concentrate on pastimes, hobbies, and other activities.

4. It Gives You Immunity to Hype

Any asset can be the subject of the great hype machine, but bitcoin is a favorite target. Try browsing bitcoin newsletters, blogs, and podcasts without being told you’re in danger of missing out on the next big thing.

No one’s surprised when a small child is distracted by shiny things, but we’re disappointed when supposedly mature people are. You can avoid disappointing yourself by using DCA.

You would no longer have to scrutinize each new offering for fear of missing out. Jumping from one investment strategy to another is a sure way of losing momentum. As the old saying goes, the person who chases two rabbits seldom catches either.

5. It Reduces Your Risk

Market volatility frightens newcomers and even some longtime investors. Why? There’s a dread of losing money if the market tanks shortly after you enter it.

That fear is understandable for a new investor looking for somewhere to put a small inheritance. You don’t want to wake up and learn that you lost 50% of your investment overnight.

On the other hand, using DCA to invest a reasonable percentage of income regularly reduces risk. How?

You know that you’re not reliant upon the results of a one-time investment. You’re in the market for the long term.

Therefore, if your assets take a hit, you’re sure of two things: 1. history tells you the setback is only temporary, and the market will rebound, and 2. now that prices are lower, you’re going to purchase more bitcoin at a bargain as part of your regular investment routine.

6. It Reduces the Likelihood of Obsession

One of the reasons bitcoin trading can be obsessive is its availability. There is no off time. The market is constantly changing, which is an enticement to someone whose brain is geared toward finding excitement and novelty.

Seeing what a traitor thinks are signs of a bull run can release dopamine, a brain drug of anticipation and reward. The sensation can train the brain to chase that high over and over. Progressively, the anticipation and the reward have to become greater. That usually means risking more money.

Like any addiction, bitcoin obsession can lead to financial ruin. More importantly, it can endanger families and other relationships. Even your physical health is involved.

DCA can reduce the likelihood of your heading down the path of addiction because it doesn’t matter what the market is doing at three in the morning, during your best friend’s wedding, or during your grandfather’s funeral service.

Your Investments are on a set schedule, leaving you free to focus on the more important moments of life.

7. It Gives You Time to Work on the Rest of Your Portfolio

Even the most hardcore bitcoin investor will likely have a well-rounded portfolio that includes other assets. However, spending all day every day concentrating on buying bitcoin leaves little room in your schedule for researching other investment opportunities.

DCA gives you that time back. Now you can delve into other avenues that require learning about promising assets with which you need to become more familiar.

Let Us Take Care of Your DCA Bitcoin

Are you interested in getting off the never-stopping treadmill of timing the market? If so, you can DCA bitcoin to find the same comfort and peace of mind it’s given other investors.

Contact us today for more information about how you can get started with dollar cost averaging.

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