Gen X’s greatest financial challenge is now

I am staggering, limping, into Christmas. Happens every year.

Work like crazy through December … to end another year of crazy. Attend about 50 pre-Christmas catchups, leaving a liver in need of detox.

Just like you. It’s simply life as a Gen Xer. We’ve got a lot on our plates. Stuff falls off all the time. No time to bend over to pick it up.

Careers, midgets and monster mortgages are our “now” reality. Time to think beyond how to entertain the kids these holidays? You’re kidding!

Therein lies the greatest financial challenge Xers face.

Real wealth takes decades to create. And that means that your retirement finances need immediate work.

It requires sacrifice. Now. No matter how painful that sounds to your current finances. Many of you are shaking your heads as you read this. You think your current budget doesn’t have any wriggle room.

There always is. Something else needs to be sacrificed.

To build your super. Generally best done by salary sacrifice. Your super is growing and will become something worthwhile at 65, but give it some extra love now.

To invest in shares and property, outside of just paying down the mortgage. Your home won’t ever provide an income stream, but other property investments and share portfolios will.

If you haven’t started already, make your Christmas present to yourself, or your new year’s resolution, to start building prosperity for future you.

You’ll thank me. One day.

And from me, thank you to all who’ve read, and responded, to this column over the years. It’s been a blast. And have a wonderful Christmas.

Bruce Brammall is the principal adviser with Bruce Brammall Financial (www.brucebrammallfinancial.com.au) and author of Mortgages Made Easy.