Action Planning involves identifying outcomes to work towards, and the steps that the family can take to achieve those outcomes. In money matters, like other family support action plans, it’s important that outcomes are meaningful and realistic.

Meaningful outcomes are:

  • Motivating

Family members are more likely to achieve outcomes if they can see how they will benefit. Keeping to a budget will be easier if the result will be a reward for the parent or family.

Just having kept to the budget is unlikely to be a motivation in itself.

Try to write the outcome statement so that it emphasises the positive. The concept of ‘paying yourself first’ can help families develop more motivation for sticking to a budget. This means identifying a personal goal, such as saving for a special purchase and using this to build motivation to follow a budget.

  • Reflect family priorities

Just because we want something for a family doesn’t mean it will be a priority for them. Outcomes are more likely to be achieved if they reflect something the family have chosen.

  •  Time limited

Set a time frame for reviewing progress. This enables you to review strategies, and build on achievements.

It’s better to take a series of small steps than to try to achieve everything in one go. If families become overwhelmed they are less likely to put plans into action.

  • Measurable

State outcomes in specific terms so that you will know whether the outcome has been achieved. For example, saying “Jo will manage her money better” is very general.  “Jo will use a budget plan to reach her savings goal” is measurable.

Realistic outcomes are:

  • Achievable

Families are easily overwhelmed if the bar is set too high. Break down goals into steps that are small enough to be achievable, but not so small as to be trivial.

  • Consistent with the family’s supports and resources

It’s not helpful to set families up to fail by establishing outcomes where the necessary supports aren’t available.