This article was published on 19 September 2019. Some information may be out of date.

How to set a goal for saving or debt repayment

  • Importance of setting a goal
  • Goals that work are SMART:
  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • (W)ritten
  • Time-bound

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Mary Holm is a freelance journalist, a director of Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL), a seminar presenter and a bestselling author on personal finance. From 2011 to 2019 she was a founding director of the Financial Markets Authority. Her opinions are personal, and do not reflect the position of any organisation in which she holds office. Mary’s advice is of a general nature, and she is not responsible for any loss that any reader may suffer from following it.