Long Road Towards Financial Freedom, Starting With Financial Governance Early

Learning to manage finances needs to be done early on. (Pixabay)

JAKARTA Having financial freedom or financial freedom is everyone's dream. According to experts, financial independence is not the same as being rich and soaring in wealth.

Financial freedom is not new for the people of Indonesia or the world. Achieving financial freedom has been echoed by various financial planners in recent years.

To make it happen is not an easy thing, because it takes a lot to finally achieve financial freedom. Starting from discipline, patience, to strategies that must be used in order to finally achieve goals. And most importantly, to achieve financial freedom requires good financial planning.

However, difficult does not mean impossible. If done consistently, then achieving a social freedom is a necessity.

According to Robert Kiyosaki, financial freedom is not the same as being rich and in wealth. Financial and investment expert who writes the bookRich Dad Poor Dadini says someone can be called financial free when they have enough income or savings to meet their needs, both now and in the future.

While quoted from the Ministry of Finance's website, financial freedom is the ability to live according to desire without having to worry about financial problems.

Another definition of financial freedom is the condition when a person has adequate savings, is free from debt burdens, and can achieve passive income.

Although it has a slightly different meaning, it can be concluded that financial freedom means giving flexibility to a person to make financial decisions without anxiety regarding financial limitations. Simply put, financial freedom is when a person can live a comfortable life without worrying about financial limitations.

As the saying goes, there are many ways to get to Rome, to get to financial freedom can also be pursued in various ways and each individual has a different way. However, one key step towards financial freedom is to start investing early on.

Generally, humans hope to achieve financial freedom at the age of 50 or when they are no longer of productive age to work, but can still have income.

Financial planner Annisa Steviani divides the stages of managing finances into three stages, namely structurally trying to manage finances, maintenance or manage finances with terstructure, and building future assets little by little.

Annisa said that managing finances can start at the age of 20 years or even less than that. At this age, it is usually an important phase for someone to start living independently or not depending on other people.

The challenge is that many people at this age do not have a stable job or income. However, Annisa explained that financial management must start slowly from small things such as saving and not being tempted by online installments.

There are many obligations that must be programmed by yourself. From a financial perspective, if you are still struggling at this age, it's okay. In addition, there are still many temptations to use 0 percent latercilan pay. Don't worry, everyone has been in that phase, but slowly you have to try," said Annisa.

The next stage at the age of 30 years, Annisa emphasized the importance of being able to maintain finances well or maintenance. Not comparing financial conditions with those around you can be one of the keys so that the maintenance stage goes well.

Then at the age of 40 they entered the building phase, namely starting to build future assets little by little. But Annisa emphasized, not to feel the need to feel the FOMO (fear of missing out) or to be afraid of being left behind when they see that many people have invested at a younger age. Feeling ready and financially enough to build assets is more important than investing just because of FOMO.

By managing finances with an age range of 20 to 40 years, Annisa believes that a person can achieve financial freedom or financial freedom in their 50s or when he enters retirement. Therefore, he again emphasized the importance of saving since a productive age, his hope is that after retiring we can continue to enjoy living in an adequate financial condition.

"There's no need to work but the money is there. If it's sick, we don't have to be confused about who will pay, our targets are all here," concluded Annisa.