by Hanna Stevens
For millennials, managing work, family, financial, personal, and social responsibilities all comes down to being able to compromise on their lifestyle in order to find the perfect balance. They are entering an important stage in their lives when they are getting married, renting or buying homes, having kids, and meeting growing demands at work - all the while having to keep up with their social lives!
That’s why it’s vital for millennials to have at least a few solid survival guidelines to help them strike a balance between all the different areas of their lives.
Preparing to Buy a Home
This is an extremely important question. How can millennials prepare to buy a home - especially if they have no desire to do so? As a millennial, it often feels like the deck is stacked against you with regard to finances. But you can make a few key decisions that will tip the scales in your favor so you can prepare to buy a home:
● Set realistic expectations for a home you can afford
● Consider the location carefully - it’s the one feature of a house you can never change
● House-hunt for your current lifestyle - you don’t need a 5-bedroom house yet, do you?
● Do your homework - find out about loan programs, both State and Federal
● Don’t forget about debt - your student loans and credit card repayments may get in the way of saving or getting a loan for a house, so don’t neglect them.
Travel Lifestyle and Financial Burdens
Yet another issue millennials face is how they can keep their traveling lifestyle while staying on track with all their financial responsibilities. They seek more authentic experiences, but that often comes at a price that they are not in a position to afford easily.
Planning is everything, so make sure you have a clear roadmap. In order to keep up with millennial travel trends AND stay on track with your financial obligations, here are some useful tips to help you crush your travel goals:
● Work backward - first, figure out your top 3 destinations then start to work in logistics. This will help keep you motivated to achieve that goal.
● Plan your budget - do ample research to find out the total cost of your intended trip and then break it down into monthly or weekly amounts to save.
● Plan your time off early - nail down dates and request time off well in advance.
Networking to Advance Your Career
As a millennial, building connections can prove to be one of the most effective ways of advancing your career. Many young adults find the concept of networking a bit forced and unnatural, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of thinking of it as a sort of transactional, tit-for-tat experience, you can rather view career networking as a way of forming friendships. Here are some tips to help you make the networking process a lot easier:
● Do career networking anywhere and everywhere
● Try to meet as many new people as you can
● After meeting someone, find ways to connect with them online
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