Everyone always says ''I want to be rich''. Fair enough, but how does one go about getting rich? If it were so easy we would all be millionaires. Your goal should be financial freedom that ultimately leads to personal freedom, which is what all people want, regardless of where they are in this world. It is the tie that binds all of humanity. The great thing is even if you aren't rich, you can still be financially free. It requires a lot of discipline and will obviously depend on your standard of living. That being said there are numerous things you can do to achieve this goal and it can be attained before you are too old to enjoy it. Obviously it will not come without a solid plan, focus, and sacrifice.

Take action now to secure your finances because nobody will do it for you. Unfortunately financial smarts are not taught in school like other subjects and I feel this is a terrible mistake. We would not be in this debt-ridden society with an economy in tatters if people understood money better, and didn't fall into the trap of living beyond their means because glossy magazines tell us what material things we must buy, and the banking elite are there, lying wait, ready to pounce. There is nothing wrong with wanting nice things. We all want to live comfortably. The important thing is to not overextend and bite off more you can chew with the multitude of financial products/services that bankers dangle before you on a stick. The entire sub-prime mortgage debacle in the US was built on this premise and totally run amuck.

Considering we spend a good chunk of our lives earning an income to support our family and lifestyle then you might want to consider getting your financial health to where it needs to be. With the cost of living always on the rise, it would be a shame to look at your life in a few years and be struggling to stay afloat

Here are some useful tips to improve your financial health.

1. Live within your means. If you can't afford to pay for something that is not essential (essentials being food, rent/mortgage, utilities, etc…) don't buy it. Simple as that. Too many waste necessary funds on luxury items that they have no business buying. If you absolutely need to make the purchase, do so in cash so you know you can genuinely afford it, and feel the loss of that money immediately and re-assess your budget. Using credit cards unless you are absolutely sure you can make your payment in full within 30 days is risky. Not only will it make your purchase ''out of sight, out of mind'' but when the balance is due you may not have anticipated it and begin the devil's dance of paying high interest on your card.

2. Pay off your debt. If you have enough money to pay for everything out of pocket, or have great discipline with paying your credit cards in full each month you are among a very select few. For those who are not, you can’t possibly improve your financial health if you are loaded with debt. Prioritize your debts as both good and bad. Good debts are those that are ultimately helping you acquire assets (mortgage for a property, loans for investments, etc…); bad debts are those that you have incurred to purchase liabilities (car, computer, entertainment costs, etc…). Try to get rid of bad debt first and attack the ones with the highest interest rates.

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