It seems whenever we get near the end of a defined time period we find ourselves letting up and just waiting for the beginning again. We get to the end of an hour, maybe around the 45 mark (ex:11:45am) and we say we will get back to it after lunch. It is Thursday of the work week and we mentally are already in our bed on Saturday morning. Everything that could be done on that Thursday and Friday has been pushed to the following Monday. We do this hour after hour, week after week, but where we are the worse at it is during the end of the year.

When November 1st hit we immediately start saying “in the new year I am going to do…..” We are looking to make things happen on January 1st and ignoring the magic that can happen the last two months of the year. With your money you can’t just ignore the last two months of the year and just pick it up in the new year. You want to get a jumpstart in November and December so that you can be in full stride on January 1st and not just starting like everyone else.

So what areas can you focus on in the last two months of the year?

Career Prep

What type of salary increase or bonus do you want at your job next year? Salary and bonus negotiations with your manager usually happen at the end of the year so you have to plan ahead if you want to be making more money. The last two months of the year is your time to write down what steps you are going to take in the new year to show your value. To show that you add to the bottom line of the company and that they should pay you more money.

Write down what projects you are going to take on. How much money you plan to make for the company.

Once you have your plan in place start working on it in November and December. This will give you an advantage because everyone around you who are your competition have already decided that they are going to coast the last two months of the year which means on January 1st you will be already two months ahead of them!

Household Prep

Whether you live on your own or with others the last two months of the year is the time to get your household financially prepared. It is time to look at how the current year has gone financially. Was there times during the year when things were tight and you felt financial pressure. During those tight times try to remember if your household felt stressed. If you did not like that feeling what are your plans to make sure that in the next twelve months you do not feel that way. Look at how the household can bring in more money to save in an ICYABF (In Case You Are Breathing Fund) so that if tight times come you will have money saved that can give you space financially.

You Prep

This is more about the people around you and how you are going to do a better job with your money. Your money that is affected by those around you. You may be thinking “no one affects my money!” Yeah right! When that co-worker convinced you to go out to lunch even after you said you were not going to spend money. They affected your money! When that family member begged you for money, you gave it to them and they never paid you back. They affected your money! I will bet $1000 someone else affected your money this year and it is up to you if the same thing will happen in the future.

I don’t care if it is :45, Thursday, or November 1st don’t ever put off improving your financial situation. No time is better than the present!

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