Do you remember the first time you tried to cook something from scratch? You tracked down a recipe, grabbed the ingredients, mixed and stirred, waited for the timer to go off, and voila! Your fancy new dish was done.

So why is a financial planning firm blogging about cooking, you ask? Because, you guys, financial planning is the same as following a recipe for the first time. Don’t believe us? Check it out!

Step 1: Find the right recipe.

There are loads of financial services companies, and they all do some variation of the same thing. So who’s the right person for you to work with? Research your available options, and sit down to meet your favorites. Ask tough questions, and make sure you feel good about the answers you get. You should be comfortable with the advisor, and get a sense that he/she is really looking out for your best interests.

Step 2: Collect your ingredients.

Now that you have an advisor, you need to figure out what you want to accomplish. There are unlimited goals and possible achievements to put into your financial plan. Do some soul searching and decide on what you want out of life. Then, you’ll be able to start down the path to making that list of awesome things a reality.

Step 3: Read and follow the directions.

Yep, it takes effort on both your financial advisor’s side and yours to set those goals into motion. You have to create a plan together. If you’re thinking “How do I create a plan? Hello! I don’t know the first thing about financial planning.”, no worries. That’s why you have an advisor! She/he needs your input to come up with a solid roadmap to get you where you want to go. After all, this is your future we’re talking about!

Step 4: Wait for it…

Financial planning is a lot like baking pop-overs. If you open the oven door to poke around in there, all your hard work could go down the tubes. With a financial plan, you do the leg work up front, but it comes to a point where you just have to stick to the path you and your advisor laid out, and be patient. It’s difficult sometimes, because you want to reach your goals as quickly as possible. But doing what you set out to do (putting savings aside each month, paying down debts, socking away retirement funds, etc.) is the best way to achieve what you’re striving for. So don’t peek! Don’t panic and open that door! You’ve got this.

Step 5: Enjoy your creation!

You’ve done all the hard work. You’ve followed your financial plan, and now it’s finally time. You will be rewarded for all your efforts in the end. Way to go you!

Wondering how you can get started on your own financial plan? Reach out to schedule a time. We’d love to hear from you!