Get Your Life Together - Finances
Finances may be one of the most difficult areas to get your stuff together in, but it’s one that may have the biggest impact, both short- and long-term.
Look, I am certainly no financial guru, but thanks to Google and people like Lydia Senn, I’ve figured out a few things that are really helpful when it comes to getting your finances in order. Just start with one thing at a time, and keep making those baby steps to get things in order, and hopefully you’ll find that you’re breathing a little easier when it comes to your financial situation!
BUDGET
This is the very first, and MOST important step you need to take when getting your finances in order. A lot of people shy away from budgeting because they believe it will be too restrictive, but a budget just allows you to have a full picture of what’s coming in, what’s going out, and where you’d like to see your money going. Knowledge is power, and getting the numbers down on paper is the first step in taking control of your money!
NEGOTIATE BILLS
Once you’ve got all your numbers in front of you, you may discover that you’d like to try to reduce your expenses, and negotiating your bills is a great place to start! Ask your internet provider what their current specials are, call your credit card company and ask to have your interest rate reduced, shop around for better insurance rates…most of your monthly bills can likely be negotiated! And even a small savings over a few different bills can really add up!
CANCEL SUBSCRIPTIONS
When you look at your budget, you may find that you have subscriptions that you aren’t using, or that you could live without, and canceling just a couple could save you hundreds of dollars every year!
SAVINGS
One thing I’ve find that people who are really good with money do, is automate their savings. They have money come out pre-tax for retirement, and automated transfers into savings for short-term needs. Consider what amount you could automate to start (or continue) building that emergency savings account!