10 Ways To Create The Future You Want

Can you really create the future for yourself that you want?

Maybe you don’t like where you’re at in life right now, or maybe you love where you are.

Maybe you just had a child, and you’re thinking about their future.

Regardless, there is always room to improve your and the future of your loved ones.

You want to create the best possible tomorrow but don’t know where to start.

Maybe the thought overwhelms you, or you’re just not sure.

Don’t worry: you can do many simple things to lay the groundwork for decades to come.

Here are some ideas to create the future of your dreams.

For more inspiration, make sure you also check out our selection of wise quotes about the future.

10 Simple Ways To Create The Future You Want

1. Plan Ahead

Everyone wants a happily-ever-after future.

But if you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know how to get there.

If you want to create the future of your dreams, you need to figure out what that looks like.

Do you want to retire early?

Maybe you want to move to your dream destination.

Regardless of what you want in the future, it’s vital that you plan for it now.

2. Invest

Investing is a great way for your money to make money.

If you’ve never invested before, you’re probably nervous about starting – but you don’t have to be.

There are plenty of ways to do it, even if you aren’t a financial expert.

To start a portfolio, you don’t need to have $10,000 saved up in your bank account.

Thanks to the Internet, there are a good number of different sites that you can use to save for a brighter future.

One of these sites is Betterment, which is one of the best options for beginning investors to get their feet wet.

Investing your money can be confusing and scary.

You’ve never heard of the dozens of different terms and options.

Instead of tossing you into the deep end of the investing ocean, Betterment does everything for you.

All you have to do is set up an account, and decide how much you want to invest, how often, and how much risk you want to take.

That’s it.

Betterment will handle the rest for you.

3. Learn to Budget

If you want to create the future you want, it’s vital that you take control of your money.

If you don’t know where your money is going, you could throw away thousands of dollars yearly.

Your money is going to have a huge impact on your future.

It can either give you a future that is smooth sailing or one with rough waters.

Sure, the idea of creating (and sticking to) a budget sounds awful, but thanks to a smartphone app, it’s never been easier.

Several apps and sites make budgeting very simple.

One of the easiest and best apps is Mint.

Mint will sync with all of your checking, savings, and investing accounts.

It will display all of your money, investments, and transactions in one place.

You can set limits for certain spending categories (e.g., entertainment), which will send you alerts when you get close to that limit.

Personal Capital is another great option for anyone that is looking to take control of their finances.

It works similarly to Mint, but it focuses more on investing.

Basically, it gives you more control of your portfolio inside the app.

4. Get Insurance

You never know what the future is going to throw at you.

You can’t predict what’s going to happen tomorrow.

But you can plan for the worst.

If you want to ensure that your future is better than today, ensure you have the insurance policies you and your loved ones need.

What does insurance have to do with creating a great future?

A lot!

Let’s say you passed away tomorrow (cheery thought, right?), what kind of future would that leave your family?

More than likely, it would leave them with thousands of dollars in debt because of mortgages, funeral expenses, credit card bills, and much more.

Their future would be full of bills, financial strain, and frustration.

But if you have a life insurance policy, you will give them a more secure tomorrow.

5. Start Saving

Does your dream of an amazing future require money?

Of course, it does!

That’s why you need to save now.

If you want to create the future you’ll enjoy, it’s time to stop living only for today and start looking into the next few years.

Look at the budget you made in Mint or Personal Capital.

Find a few places where you can cut back and put that money into your savings account.

6. Give Money

The future isn’t all about storing money.

It also requires people to give back to their community and to those going through difficult times.

There are thousands of different nonprofits, charities, or organizations that you could donate money to.

Find one that you’re passionate about and start giving back to help create the future you’ll be proud to live in.

7. Give Time

Giving back to those around you doesn’t always mean money: it can also mean your time.

More than likely, there is a group out there that could use another pair of hands on the weekends.

Maybe it’s helping with a service project, or perhaps it’s doing some administration work for a local charity.

Doing community service is a great way for a family to spend weekends that won’t cost a dime.

8. Recycle

This one might seem simple and trivial, but it has a huge impact on your life in the years to come.

Recycling is one of the easiest ways that you can have a positive impact on the future.

The more you recycle, the more resources you save.

Instead of having to use more to make basic products like bottles or paper plates, people can save money—and the earth.

9. Be Involved in Politics

With this year’s presidential election, it seems like politics is everywhere.

You can’t turn on the TV without seeing a commercial smearing one person or another.

While it’s easy to get interested in the presidential candidates, your involvement shouldn’t end there.

Obviously, the president that we elect is going to have a HUGE impact on the future.

But your local elections can also make a significant difference around you.

If you want to create a better future for yourself and your kids, get involved in all the smaller elections that happen in your hometown.

10. Think Outside The Box

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve already got.”

It may sound like a corny phrase, but it’s true.

If you want to create the future you want that’s better than the present, it’s time to look at things differently.

Look at your job through a new lens.

Look at your free time from a different angle.

You may discover new ways to do things more effectively.

Or maybe you’ll find some serious changes you want to make for a better life someday.

Create the future you want today

These are only a few ways to pave the way for a better future for yourself or your loved ones.

You never know what will happen tomorrow or a few years from now.

However, you can give yourself the best chance of having a beautiful future by starting now.

Share some of your favorite tips for creating the future you want in the comment section below.

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