We all tend to be extremely focused on today and don't spend a great deal of time thinking about, or planning, for the future.

Experts point to our need for instant gratification which makes it difficult for us to think about next week, let alone the next twenty or thirty years or more. That is why car dealers focus on the monthly payment rather than the total cost of the car when trying to make a sale.

It is a key reason why so many people are deep in credit card debt because it was easier to think about getting the items they wanted that day by borrowing at high interest using credit cards, even if they couldn't really afford the expense, versus taking a long-term approach, delaying the purchase until they could save up for it, in order to avoid high interest costs.

Lack of proper financial planning for the future can lead to many problems including the need to rely on high interest borrowing to pay for things that we didn't plan to buy when we had time to save well ahead of the need. Retirement is one of those important areas where a majority of people simply fail to properly plan for their financial needs. It has been reported that 75 million people do not put any part of their annual household income toward retirement.

Right now, while you are in the heat of financial problems, it's even harder to think about the future when you are just trying to get through each day. 

Difficult or not, it is very important to plan ahead and manage money for the long haul. Modern medicine and healthier lifestyles will lead to longer lives in retirement which will be expensive.  Parents must provide for their children for at least eighteen years and, likely, longer than that. So those are two very good reasons to plan your finances beyond what you need to buy today.

And, as a bonus, taking the long view does some important things for you:

• Long term thinking makes you think more in depth about your financial goals and how you will attain them. You'll think more about your future lifestyle, where you will be living in 20 years, and how much you will need to earn in the future to live the lifestyle you envision. When we go on a trip, most people reserve a hotel room in advance so they have a place to sleep when they arrive. Start envisioning your living arrangements 20 years from now.
• Long term planning helps you realize all of the expenses you will be responsible for in the future. Food, cars, medicine, and so many other expenses don't disappear in the future. They only get more costly.
• Long term planning helps you avoid overpaying for purchases today which will require you to borrow at high interest rates. You should take a more patient view about buying things you want today. Remember, there is a difference between "wants" and "needs." You may "need" a car but you may "want" an expensive luxury car. Even if you can afford the monthly payments for the luxury car, long-term planning will force you to think about the total cost of buying or leasing the more expensive vehicle, and what effect it will have on your finances years from now.
• Long-term planning will empower you because you will feel more in control of your financial future.
• It will give you confidence to make other decisions in your life. Financial empowerment leads to a more confident overall approach to life in general. When we feel out of control, like when collectors are calling our home night and day making threats, we tend to make mistakes under the stress financially and otherwise. That is why personal relationships and marriages can get damaged under the stress of financial problems.

Your financial responsibilities go way beyond the present. To minimize financial mistakes the next time you are contemplating borrowing or spending money, think about where you'd like to be financially twenty years from now.

Take Action! Sit down and start by writing some very specific financial goals for the next six months, twelve months and three years from now.