Relationships, careers, health and a million other factors affect the way we see the world. As those factors shift (or don't), it is important to take the time check in with yourself. What are your priorities? What do you really want? What have you been doing to get it?

Use this tool to Identify Life Goals - What's Important to You?

The way a person spends and saves money says a lot about the person. For instance, when you look over your monthly bank statement, do you see yourself reflected or does it look like the invasion of the visa snatchers?

I had one client who said that more than anything she wanted to own her own home, but when we looked over her spending and saving patterns, there was absolutely no evidence of that.  The statements read as though more than anything she wanted to eat in fabulous restaurants and talk on her cell phone. If your spending and savings patterns and your goals aren't in synch it can explain why you are having trouble living the life you want with the money you have.

Do your spending and saving patterns reasonably represent the person you want to be? Use this tool to Identify your Spending and Saving Patterns

Habits and patterns often form when we aren't looking. A couple who spend more on their cell phones than they contribute to their RSPs may appear to value their mobility over their financial future. More likely, they haven't noticed that their spending is out of whack with their priorities.

Remember, goals don't have to be sexy. Some people might have a round the world adventure on their list of goals. Some people want to buy organic groceries. And some people want to save for a new roof.  I grant you that planning (and saving) for a trip is fun, and organic bananas are better, but equity is a wonderful thing!  Paying down your mortgage can give you a better tax-free return on your investment when you sell. And being financially free is a goal that is fun to think about. When your spending and savings patterns are in synch with your goals, you are supporting yourself to make your dreams a reality.

Money Saving Tips to Achieve Your Goals

When you set your goals dream big! Being "practical" can hold you back from being honest about what you really want out of life. We need our dreams to motivate us. Your goals are the engine and the motivation that will encourage you to make changes and start to take steps to achieve them.

Pay for the life you want, not somebody else's. When you look over your monthly bank statement, do you see yourself reflected or does it look like someone with a serious coffee addiction? Use this tool to get in synch and Put Your Money Where Your Goals Are.

Spend less on things that are less important.  It sounds obvious but everyone has "priorities" to juggle. That is why it is so important to be honest with yourself (and your spouse) about what is really important.  Make conscious spending and saving decisions every day and start living the life you want with the money you have. Use this tool to Find Money For Your Goals.

Name That Savings Account They say that once you name a pet you establish an emotional attachment to it - it is the same with a savings account.  If you want to travel, refer to bank account #3498009 as your Asia Account. Some online banking interfaces allow you to nickname your account, so go ahead, name your accounts (i.e. "New House", "Trip to Italy").  The more you see your goal the more you will be reminded of its significance and the better you will feel as the savings add up.

Pay yourself on the 1st.  If you are contributing to a monthly savings plan, automatically draw the money at the beginning of the month. If you wait to see if there is any money left at the end of the month for your goals, it probably won't be there.  When you decide to put your goals first, you have less money to waste on the things that don't matter. If you find extra money throw it into the pot but don't wait for it - make it happen!

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