Money Matters . . . And So Do Your Dreams

Our plan is to achieve our dreams but sometimes our dreams do not follow our plan.  Life happens! Our dreams may appear to wash away simply because life takes a different turn.  Because life is changing, your dreams may follow suit.

A favorite quote by Marcia Wieder, author of the book, Dreams are Whispers from the Soul, says, “There are the dreams we have for our life and then there are the dreams that life has for us.”  Life zigs and zags.  While we’re forging ahead, we should put precautions in place.

Although obstacles may stand in the way of your dreams, knowledge is powerful in terms of overcoming these obstacles. At the onset, you can start by developing a personal financial roadmap to drive your destiny.  Unforeseen events can occur so the best you can do is to build “protection” into your plan. When you look at the list of Ten Financial Items Every Canadian Should Have, having insurance is one way to protect your family and you. Drafting wills and power of attorneys ensures your intentions and wishes are known.  Creating emergency savings for those unexpected events will relieve financial stress.

This idea of taking the above precautions is not necessarily different than other precautions you presently take.  They are precautions nonetheless. 

• You carry a spare tire, jack, and tire wrench in case your vehicle has a flat tire.  
• You may carry a band-aide in your purse in case your children cut themselves.
• Before you leave your home, like my husband does, you ensure appliances are turned off to prevent an unnecessary house fire. 

Once you have built in safety features into your plan, then you can incorporate other strategies. These safety features, your building blocks, are like a stairway. You are making your plan sturdy to successfully reach your destination, your dreams.

Every dream is possible with the right strategy. With a dream list in hand, you develop a purpose for saving and making sacrifices becomes easier. It will no longer be a “have-to” but a “want-to” strategy. You may not know how to accomplish your dream.  A financial planner will be able to provide you with options to do so.

• You may want to further your education -- take a few courses, pursue a degree, or enroll in a certificate course.  However, you are unaware of the Lifelong Learning Plan to help pursue this avenue.
• You may want to purchase your first home. However, you are unaware that the Home Buyer’s Plan may be an option for your down payment. 
• You may think saving for your children’s education is a big feat. However, you may not realize the Government of Canada provides assistance with the Registered Education Savings Plan.

Always believe that anything is possible if the right strategy is built to enforce your dream.  Life happens so the best we can do is take care of money matters while we focus on our dreams.