6 KEYS TO BETTER MONEY MANAGEMENT
Sometimes managing your money can seem very complicated. To manage money well you have to learn to simplify the process so you can keep your financial situation straight and easily understandable.
The biggest complications that keep things disorganized financially usually arise from not doing a few simple things. When you fail to do some or all of these things, it’s easy for your finances to descend into chaos and start causing serious problems in your life.
So, here are six things you can do to start simplifying how you approach managing your money and learn to more easily keep it under control:
TRACK YOUR SPENDING
Start writing down every penny you spend for 30 days. Once you do that you start getting the feel for what you’re spending on everything, then you can begin a monthly budget. I know a budget may sound complicated, but if you do it religiously it saves you a lot of time and money in the long run. It may seem a little difficult to manage at first, but it gets much easier the more you do it.
I wrote the book on how to make a budget that works. It's fun to read & easy to understand! FIND OUT MORE HERE.
IF YOU’RE MARRIED, COMBINE YOUR FINANCES
If you’re married there shouldn’t be “His” money and “Her” money or “His” bills and “Her” bills. All of it belongs to both of you. So always deposit all of the money into one central checking account and distribute it from there. Doing that fosters good communication and, along with a budget you have agreed on will eliminate money fights.
MAKE A “BILLS” CALENDAR
If you have trouble staying organized with paying bills, make a “bills” calendar showing when each bill is due. Review it once a week and pay the bills due for that week.
BUILD AN EMERGENCY FUND
When you have money set aside for emergencies, then you’re not tempted to go into credit card or other debt to deal with it. Everybody has the occasional emergency, and if you are already prepared when it comes, that’s one less thing you will have to worry about in a time of crisis, and you won’t have to spend months or years paying it off.
USE CASH
This goes along with doing a monthly budget. Once your budget is done, put cash in envelopes for each spending category and spend only cash, only out of those envelopes. This simplifies things because you have a set plan to spend only so much, so you don’t end up spending more than you make.
Here's how to get started using the envelope system and go “cash only”
SELL YOUR STUFF
Most of us have too much junk that we don’t need, don’t use, and just takes up space. If you never, or rarely ever use it, then sell it, donate it, or give it to someone that can use it. Those things don’t add value to your life and don’t bring you joy. All they do is take up space and drag you down. So, get rid of the junk and pass it along to someone that can enjoy it.
A final word…
Money Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
When you take steps to simplify how you manage your financial situation, you start being proactive with your money, and it becomes so much easier to deal with on a daily basis.
Money doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does take diligence and attention to what you’re doing. Finding ways you can simplify and streamline how you manage your finances will always pay dividends. It cuts out lots of time and effort that you can better spend doing something much more enjoyable.
Question: What have you done to simplify or streamline your finances?
Leave a comment and tell me about it.
