Practical money tips

 -limit going out.. make a yummy meal at home, get a Redbox movie, play a card game, have some friends or family over. You don’t always have to have BIG PLANS to enjoy yourself! 

-have a budget! This sounds like a no brainer but I’m shocked by the amount of people who walk into a store without any limits for themselves. Sit down at look at your income, bills, necessities- and from there make a budget for shopping/spending/entertainment.. etc

-When times are tough, reign it in! Don’t add more water to the sinking ship! Do your future self a favor and say no! Or at least “not right now”

-don’t spend as much as you make.. put some back! There’s no way you’ll get ahead in life until you learn that “extra” money doesn’t mean spending money!

-pay attention to how much you are paying for convenience.. make the cup of coffee at home, make the snacks at home, don’t pay for overpriced gas station items when they are cheaper at the grocery store.. don’t let yourself pay a bunch of fees- easier isn’t always better!

-use a cash system when you go out- give yourself a set amount of money and when it’s gone, it’s gone! It’s too easy to swipe a card and not think/worry about how much you’ve spent. When you only have a set amount of money it’s soo much easier to keep yourself on track!

-stop using your credit card for things you have the money in your checking account! Use YOUR money, not borrowed money.. interest is a good way to waste your money!

-get in the habit of tracking your spending.. make a note of how many times you have used your card and then assess 1. Did I really need that? 2. Do I have the money for that? 

-don’t just buy things because they are on sale

-make a list when you go into the store.. don’t fall victim to impulse shopping. Know what you need and try your best to only leave with that!

-pay your bills first.. again, seems very simple.. but a lot of people go out and spend the second they get paid! Make. Sure. You. Pay. Your. Bills. First! They aren’t an afterthought.. you know you have bills! Come on guys, we do this every month!

-savings.. you can count on bills- but you can’t count on your car breaking down or a water leak.. your heater going out, medical expenses.. etc. that’s where it’s good to have a savings account to fall back on. It is 100% better to take from your own “rainy day” fund than it is to use a credit card and then pay all that interest!

We all possess the power to make our lives better. What we do with that power is completely our choice. Some will gamble away their money and wish for what others have- but it doesn’t have to be you! It’s never to late to make good financial decisions, learn self discipline and fix your past mistakes.. better yet- keep from making them again in the future and succeed!