8 Tips for Financial Freedom

10 years ago today, I published "The Savvy Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom". Here are some key lessons from this and other books.

- If you find yourself spending money without really wanting or needing to or saying that "money burns a hole", then you need to turn up your financial thermostat. You can control it's power by being aware of its influence and by noting why holding on to more can serve you better.

- If you're setting money (or any other) goals, how would you know if you achieved them? Lots of people told me that financial freedom was an intangible feeling for them ... and thus they would never know if they had sustainable finances. As you set your goals for 2023, ask yourself if you would know if you achieved them.

- Use tech to get organized. Quick wins can make a big difference. For example Dashlane can securely store usernames and passwords. Airtable is a super database tool with great templates. Competition and Consumer Protection Commission offer handy product comparison tools.

- Talk to the people who influence your money and understand their motivation. The "RACI" stakeholder management model can be very useful for this. Determine who is "Responsible", "Accountable", "Consulted" and "Informed". (I give a case study of this in the video).

- Innovation is a great way to succeed but it's worthwhile knowing where to find it as an individual or a business. In "Innovation - A Very Short Introduction" by Mark Dodgson AO and Professor David Gann CBE explain that it comes from "the push from science, appreciating and responding to demand, better coupling of all contributors to innovation within organisations and collaboration with those outside, and enhanced strategic integration and networking using digital technologies."

- Lots of people talk about saving for a rainy day, but I ask what about the sunny day?! Great opportunities spring on us sometimes - an investment opportunity, a special offer on a cruise, a furniture sale, tickets for the cinema... Save to pursue the positive unexpecteds in life!

- Don't be a slave to sunk costs says Morgan Housel in "The Psychology of Money". If you've already invested time or money into something, don't be a slave to it and hold yourself back from putting new resources into better opportunities. As VectorVest, Inc says figure out what to buy, when to buy and when to sell. The markets look forward and so should you.

- Leave room in your estimates for the unexpected. Morgan Housel counsels "progress happens too slowly to notice but setbacks happen too quickly to ignore".

Thank you to several savvy women including Carol Glynn FCA for your book gift this year, Sheridan Ash MBE for our chats about innovation and Liting Zhou, our Principal Investigator at Dublin City University.