How to Achieve BIG Financial Goals

I love the start of the new financial year (July for Aussies). It feels like a chance to refocus on any goals that have gone by the wayside, get a system in place to ensure I maximise my tax for this financial year and review how everything is going.

Over the past five years, we had massive financial goals for health, family and my kid's chosen extracurriculars. Each year cost about $40,000 extra to achieve those goals and we managed to make it happen. Some of the tips for that are in the article how to make and save an extra $10,000 in a year.

So how can you achieve those big financial goals you set yourself?

Anything you are saving for, from dental work to a house deposit can feel like a big financial goal and sometimes feel too hard. Especially with rent/mortgage payments as they are, interest rates increasing and it seems every other expense we have has gone up drastically too.

Here are a few things we do to achieve our financial goals (this includes what my teenagers do too!)

Be clear about the goal, what is it, what do you need to do to achieve, what is the timeframe etc.
Break it into achievable actions and do something every day to help you get close to your goal. Make habit changes to help you achieve your goal instead of trying to tackle it all at once. Small, consistent steps will ensure success more than random big gestures. Check out these 9 frugal habits to save thousands and these 5 habits for financial freedom and success.
Have visual reminders such as pictures, affirmations and quotes up around your house to help you stay motivated. You could change your passwords to be a coded version of the goal and change your screensavers etc too.
Look for opportunities to help achieve it faster e.g. find ways to increase your income without working more, try a side hustle such as one or more of these 24 ones for 2024. Consider doing one of these 9 savings challenges to help stay motivated.
Monitor your progress
Celebrate!

What I Did to Achieve Some of Our BIG Financial Goals

To get more specific, here are some of the goals I have achieved in the past 5 years and how I did it.

2019 Custody: I secured full custody of my older kids after a long and expensive custody battle (abusive marriage). I shared tips on my other site including: how to afford legal fees and custody, how to get full custody and tips to help you win in court.

2020 Health and Emergencies: We faced extreme obstacles with bushfires, lockdown overseas, a cyclone etc. Check how how to handle emergencies and tips to prepare here. We had to repatriate, set up a house again, found out I was pregnant and had numerous health issues plus we were arranging his residency visa as he was only on a tourist visa.

Here are 9 tips for a pregnancy on a budget, more tips for having a baby on a budget and how to upgrade your life if you're broke.

2021 Baby + Pregnancy #2 + Course: My son was born in the January, I fell pregnant again soon after and Justin was doing a commercial diving course in Tasmania for the second half of the year which cost $30,000. We did everything we could to make extra money (read all my articles on how to make money here).

2022 Baby + Interstate Move: My fourth child was born Feb 2022, we moved interstate in July 2022 and then moved house again in November. With 2 teens, a 1 year old and a newborn, it was tough! Check out how to get your family on board with saving money for tips on managing that.

2023 Vanuatu + Championships: We visit Vanuatu often as we have family, real estate and business there. As such, we have ways to make money while travelling and loads of tips to save money with travel.

2024 Multiple Championships + Travel: Wrestling championships and robotics championships (in Australia and overseas) are expensive, I mean more than $10,000 each every time! With things like that, you can do fundraising though which their teams are encouraged to do. Read how to fundraise without asking for donations to see things we did.

With all of the above, we had to be disciplined, practice frugality, watch our spending and jump on opportunities. Since I had no daycare or help most of the time, it was not easy and I did not do as much as I would have liked.

Goals for the 2024/2025 Financial Year

My goals for this financial year are broken into 4 segments, 1 for each quarter plus each one focuses on a different area I want to improve. Feel free to respond to this email or comment on our social channels/tag me in a post with your goals to tell me yours! I love hearing what you are doing.

Quarter 1 is Health: We are monitoring my health closely due to a few issues in the past and this year. Ultimately, if you don't take care of your health now, you will pay for it dearly later! Check out how to afford medical expenses and how to manage your health and wealth when you are sick.

Read these 12 habits for a healthier, wealthier life with more free time to see some of the changes we've made and how to lose weight and get fit for free or super cheap.

Quarter 2 is Education: There are some courses I want to complete, books I want to finish and some things I want to experiment with which all take time. These 12 books are ones I recommend for everyone to educate themselves on various topics from health to wealth.

Also read how to afford school expenses, it's aimed more at kids but useful for anyone.

Quarter 3 is Business: I have some big business plans but my health and the education I want to do are key to this being successful. Check out how to start a business for under $100 for some ideas.

Quarter 4 is Family: My family is always my number 1 priority so when I say family, this quarter is strongly focused on my teens/soon to be adults, helping them get the next stages of their lives set up and deciding where we will keep a home base in Australia as we set things up more in Vanuatu. Look at 11 life skills I want my kids to have and how to get your kids to help at home for some tips on this aspect of life.

Our Meal Plan

Meal times can be tricky and since I have 4 active kids who eat a lot, if I don't plan my meals, the budget can get blown. I have 20+ tips to reduce the cost of groceries plus how to reduce waste/what to do with scraps and leftovers.

To save time and headspace, we use discounted meal kits and rotate through the discounts. Meaning, we use one discount, when that has finished we cancel it and use the next meal kit service and so on until we've used them all. During this time, the first meal kits will send discounts again so you never have to pay full price for them.

Here are the discounts we use (note they are for new customers only):
Up to $200 off QuiteLike (which we are currently using and LOVE): They are newer, so fresh, you can accrue FlyBuys and they have an amazing selection of meals.

1 Free box from HelloFresh: Up to 6 main meals for the family you cook yourself plus they have readymade options you can add on
Up to $180 off EveryPlate: Up to 6 main meals for the family you cook yourself plus add ons you can choose from
Up to $190 off MarleySpoon: Up to 6 main meals for the family you cook yourself plus Everyday Rewards
Up tp $144 off Dinnerly: Up to 6 main meals for the family you cook yourself plus options such as a fruit box

Our breakfasts are usually eggs, toast, cereal or smoothies. Lunches are leftovers, sandwiches, rice dishes etc and snacks are mainly fruit and veg, sometimes crackers.

What I Am Reading

For 2024, I have a list of books I am reading, some of which I have read before but know I can learn more from as I read them during times of stress.

The list is split into finance and business, health, self-help, new age/spiritual, parenting and relationships since these are the areas of my life I am always striving to improve.

I share what I am reading on my Instagram account and would love to hear what you are reading, what you recommend and why.

Discounts For You!

There are loads of freebies and discounts on the site here but I have listed a few popular ones below.

Money Bonuses

$14 instantly from Up Bank who are backed by Bendigo and fee-free

$10 from Ubank when you use the code S7VL6WF and complete 3 transactions in the first month

$5 from WeMoney, an Australian budgeting app

The highest paying online survey site in Australia is Octopus Group.

Get cash back and a bonus offer with Cash Rewards and Shopback.

Earn cash with your receipts and get a 200 point bonus with ReceiptJar if you use the code KYLIT3Q2H.

Food Discounts

$15 off Celebrity Slim weight loss shakes

Up to $200 off HelloFresh one of Australia’s most well-known meal kit options and the one I have used the most

Up to $200 off QuiteLike

Up to $180 off EveryPlate for new and returning customers

Discounted fresh produce with Funky Food

Up to $144 off with Dinnerly one of Australia’s cheapest meal kit options

Up to $180 off with Marley Spoon a meal kit option great for those who are more health conscious

1,500 bonus points + 10% off every month with Everyday Extra (Woolworths)

The Whisky Club: Discounted high-quality whisky every month. They have a whisky of the month at a great rate. You choose if you want it every month so won’t be charged on months you don’t want what they have.

VINOMOFO: Save up to 70% on wine!

Other Discounts

$25 gift card with Red Energy

The Body Shop: regular discounts on all their products. This is our preferred skincare.

ModiBodi: Get high quality period underwear, swimwear and other items at a discount.

EyeBuyDirect: Discounted glasses that are the same as you buy in store.

Tangerine: Discounted phone and internet options

LoveHoney and Wild Secrets: Up to 70% off their clearance sections (adult items and lingerie)

Ryderwear: 10% off for new customers (activewear). Sign up for their newsletter for the discount.