If 2020 and 2021 have proven anything, it’s that we cannot predict a thing in life. We can do our best, keep up head up and think with optimism, but none of us can predict the challenges that will come our way. Of course, there’s a nice flip side to this. We also can’t predict the amazing things that come into our life, and if we stay grateful, we’ll be more likely to see them.
Of course, it’s best to be optimistic and to work hard, but to also prepare for the worst. This way, we have our priorities set and our motivations balanced. For that reason, it can be worthwhile for any adult individual to put a few backup plans in place. If X were to happen, in that case, then you have Y set up to help with that, and to move forward with confidence.
But what ‘backups’ do you need? How much should you spend on them? How likely are they to actually take form? Fear not, we’re going to go through the most likely consideration below, and show you how this might be a worthwhile use of your time:
Financial Backups are important to curate a life backup plan.
Having a small financial blanket to cover you in times of strife can be important. Of course, that’s easier said than done most of the time, because to assume you have money to save is also to assume you have money to spend on such a practice. Many people find their paychecks being stretched from week to week, especially when it comes to difficult times such as these, where work isn’t guaranteed and debts can mount.
However, it can often be quite healthy to do what little you can in this direction. There are many free financial apps you can use, for instance, that save up to the next dollar when making a purchase. This means that each time you make a transaction you can round up, and be certain that at least a little bit is saved. This adds up over time. Even saving 1% of your paycheck each month in a savings account will also add up incrementally.
It can also be worthwhile to have a little bit of cash tucked away that no one knows about. Who knows? Perhaps one day a little consideration like that could help you escape a bad situation or use it for a necessary rainy day.
Emergency Care
It’s important to have an emergency plan figured out, even if you never need it. Thinking about worst-case scenarios is often a tough and emotionally fraught effort, but it can certainly help your long term peace of mind knowing you’ve thought out your plan.
For instance, it might be that your parents are getting quite old. You may be worried about what to do from here on out, and how to take care of them. Browsing retirement communities with your sibling just to know what options are out there, even if you don’t take them to see them as of yet, can be important. The same goes for choosing a family doctor you can trust, who can advise you of your options should their health issues get worse. Emergency care could also mean knowing there’s a particular clinic in a particular state that you could always call on if your child’s relatively unique health issue needs further attendance. It may mean always having a backup in mind for rehab if your cousin falls back into their bad habits.
A backup plan should divvy up responsibilities to take, and not only that, but who is responsible for what, and perhaps a couple of contingency plans in that regard. Think of this as the main purpose espoused by a Godmother or Godfather, but in that responsibility for a wider range of issues are divvied up, discussed, and understand. Having those conversations can’t hurt, and it might help you out of a real bind one day.
Home Maintenance
Home maintenance is often something we think little about unless we want to make aesthetic renovations, or a fixture begins to break down or fall into disrepair. A simple technique to protect against emergency situations is to have the number of two reliable tradesmen in your contact list, this way you can call them out if you encounter a plumbing or electrical issue, or if you encounter a flood.
Of course, not all home maintenance issues are your fault if they take place, nor can they be expected. Natural disasters or difficulties, like the aforementioned flooding or thunderstorms, can really cause damage – and there’s not much you can do to negotiate with these events. What you can do is negotiate the cleanup, as well as using the most reliable public adjuster to get the most (or what you’re owed) out of your claim, without having to worry about incentivized professionals minimizing it.
Social Relationships
It’s good to know someone has your back. It’s also good to know you have someone elses’ back if they need you. Often, this is by its very definition inconvenient, but still something you care for because that person is important to you, or because you feel that caring for them is important. For instance, it might be that you live near one of your best friends, and you’ve both worked out an agreement to ensure that if you’re not up to it, or if life circumstances are getting difficult, you’ll take their children to school, and vice versa. Having a favor you can call in from time to time not only helps solidify our bond, but they can really help us out.
Remember – this doesn’t have to be some grand plan or set up to make sure you’re both able to pull off heroics. Sometimes, it could simply mean knowing you can come to someone with anything, and them you, talking about the troubles you feel or the help you need in your personal life. Simply running a consideration by someone before you make a decision is an important life ‘backup’ from time to time.
With this advice, we hope you can feel backed up and as if you have contingencies in place, which leads to peace of mind, and a happier, healthy, more stable life.
Do let us know in the comment box below what your thoughts are on this topic.
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