How to set financial goals correctly in order to achieve them

1. Conduct preparation

To set a goal, you need a foundation, otherwise it may crumble or turn out to be unattainable. In finance, certainty is important, and therefore you need to start with strict accounting of expenses and income. This will help you understand how much and for what purposes you are spending, what exactly "eats up" your budget the most, and what expenses can be waived.

Aina Aliyeva founder of Sky-Dacha startup

I prefer to write down expenses and income in my own notebook with colored pens. In the section "Income" I include gifts and pleasant surprises. After 2-3 months, a clear picture of spending appears. I divide them into categories: billing, entertainment, food, learning. I ask questions: “Why do I need to earn more? Where am I going to spend this money? " Planning is easier when you are aware of your future expenses and list them.

Once the preparatory work is complete, you can set yourself the right and, most importantly, attainable goals. It is possible that you will not have to start with saving money for a trip to Mexico, but small. For example, make sure that your expenses do not exceed your income.

2. Decide on the amount and terms

Any financial goal must be formulated as clearly as possible. This applies to both the amount you wish to save and the time you are willing to spend on achieving this goal.

Nikita Borisov professional financier

The wording “I want a lot of money” or “I want not to need anything” will not work. Regardless of what kind of income a person has, he always wants more, and the concept of wealth changes with an increase in income. Therefore, you need to understand exactly how much money you need. For example: "Save 200,000 rubles for repairs by the end of this year." This is an example of a defined and well-defined financial goal.

Oksana Kolchina Commercial Director of ATOL

“I want to be a millionaire” is a bad goal. It indicates a specific object of aspirations (1,000,000 rubles), but does not indicate what to do with this money later. Do you intend to keep them at home, invest these funds in your own business, or maybe spend? Do you need a million, or will 950,000 be enough too? Do you expect to receive the amount immediately or in parts? This goal raises too many questions and lacks specificity. This means, most likely, will not be achieved.

Financial goals that are well-defined tend to be boring. For example: to buy winter tires by November 1, I need 30,000 rubles. To do this, you need to set aside 5,000 a month.

3. Be realistic

Dreaming is not harmful, but dreams must also be achievable. If your income is 50,000 rubles a month, and your expenses are 40,000 rubles, you will hardly be able to accumulate a million in six months.

On the one hand, this situation is demotivating. On the other hand, it can push you on rash adventures like going to casinos for borrowed money, playing on stock exchanges or investing all your savings in cryptocurrencies.

This is why realism is important. After analyzing your expenses, you will be able to find out the amount that you can accumulate on a monthly basis without such an "extreme". It should be the basis for planning.

Maxim Sundalov Head of the EnglishDom online school of English

It's hard to get up to work every day, get additional education, save money when your goal is to buy a castle in Italy. Break a big and seemingly unattainable dream into small blocks. By achieving them, you will see your progress towards the goal every day.

Also, your financial goals should be personal. If you're afraid to drive, why save up for a car by denying yourself the travel you love? Or your parents want you to buy your home, and for this you need to take out a loan. You want to go to study abroad.

Important: financial goals should improve your life, not only in the here and now, but also in the long term.

4. Prioritize

You can plan the purchase of an apartment, a car and a trip to Cyprus at the same time, trying to save a little bit of everything. But you are unlikely to succeed. Prioritize. So you can understand what you need more - a car or Cyprus. And to save already for one thing, specific.

Avetis Vartanov Head of the QBF Training Department

The result will be a "road map" that will give a clear answer to the question of what deductions need to be made on a monthly basis. For savings, I recommend opening an individual investment account. The profitability from operations in the stock market is significantly higher than the profitability of banking products, and in addition, the owners of investment accounts are provided with tax incentives.

There may be more easy-to-reach short-term goals. But, as the experts recommend, no more than 4–5, otherwise the effectiveness of problem solving will decrease and you will start to scatter your strength over the little things.

5. Mark intermediate points

Be strategists: this will not only help you set your goal correctly, but also quickly achieve it.

Vladimir Shabason co-founder of the Fins.money service

Let's say you have saved up 100,000 rubles. This is the point where you are now. And there is a point where you want to go - for example, 1,000,000 rubles. The distance between these points must be divided into three parts, and for each of them, come up with a specific strategy. First, you move to the first intermediate point, then to the second and third. The final amount will not look too grandiose, and the dream will gradually become a reality.

6. Program yourself to achieve the goal

There are techniques to help you move your plans from formulated to programmed.

Sergey Lektorovich head of the group of companies "Innovative Fire Safety Systems"

Write on a piece of paper 100 of your wishes and goals that come to mind. After the list is ready, cut it in half. Then do this a few more times until you have 8-12 of the most important goals. At this point, the points that remain on your sheet will sink deep into your subconscious. And your brain and psyche will guide you towards these goals.

Evgeniya Movchan Chief Business Engineer of the Fins.money service

Visualize your steps. For example, determine how much you can save for an apartment worth 3,000,000 rubles. Let's say it's 30,000 rubles a month. Take an apartment plan, divide it into 100 squares and hang it on the refrigerator. Mark each installment (completed step) on the dream card (apartment plan).

7. Be prepared to make adjustments

Force majeure happens - it must be taken for granted. And it is important to be able to quickly change plans based on current conditions.

You may have to cut costs or stretch the time frame for solving the tasks. But even with this development of events, your goal will gradually come closer.

Important: after achieving one goal, immediately set another. Otherwise, there will be no motivation to save and invest money, and the money earned will be quickly used up.

Be guided by the principle: “If you have a dream, go for it. If you can't walk, crawl. If you cannot crawl, lie down and lie in the direction of your dream. The main thing is to believe that everything will work out.