24 Sep The Secret To Reducing Your Spending
When paying off debt and focusing on your finances it can be very easy to forget why you are doing it in the first place. You pay off debt because you know that you’ll feel better once it’s gone. You want to get your finances in order because once you know exactly where your money is coming from and going to you’ll feel better about your life.
Some people don’t seem to think financial freedom is as achievable as everyone seems to say it is. It’s important to keep in mind that anyone can get out of debt no matter how much you owe, who you owe, or how long you’ve owed it.
It’s all a matter of focus, determination, and making it happen that will get you where you and your family need to be to achieve financial freedom.
Here are a few secrets you can use to help you reduce your spending, pay off your debt, and increase your overall happiness.
Budgeting
You’ve probably heard you should have a budget of some kind to keep your finances in order. This is truer now than ever before. However, some may not know where to start when it comes to creating a budget, and that’s okay. We aren’t all financial planners; we are everyday people with jobs and things to do.
The upside is there are tons of apps, software, and online programs that can help you build and maintain a realistic budget. These tools can help you keep track of your spending and let you know exactly how much you have to pay down your debt after your bills are paid each month.
Budgeting is also a great way to set aside some funds to enjoy some time with your loved ones. Once you’ve set aside the funds for the bills and the debt payment you set aside some funds to go to a movie or enjoy a meal out.
While the amount of money you’re able to set aside for entertainment will be determined by how much you owe per month, you can use it as an incentive. As you pay off more debt you’re able to do more fun things with your family.
Reduce Your Monthly Bills
There are tons of bills you could be saving money on you may not even know about. Of course there are the obvious cut backs such as Netflix or maybe an expensive subscription service you may have subscribed to but don’t use as much anymore. These are the easiest to let go of because they aren’t as necessary.
It takes true determination to focus on decreasing utility bills or trying to cut back on fuel costs by driving less, but it can be done.
Try monitoring how often you leave a room without turning off a light, brush your teeth while leaving the faucet running, or even forgetting to turn off a fan. You’ll be able to see just how much you do these things without even realizing it.
You can save money on your utilities by simply becoming more aware of how often you use them.
Thinking & Waiting
Another great way to become more mindful and reduce your spending is to think before you make a purchase. This doesn’t mean you have to think before you buy a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. When it comes to the big stuff like a new TV or new computer that’s where thinking comes in to play. It’s important when you’re trying to pay off debt, and even when you aren’t, you become more mindful of your spending.
When you pay attention to what you spend your hard earned money on you’ll start to realize how often you just waste it on things you don’t really need. Or, maybe you think you need then end up not using after a little while.
The best way to implement this is when you come across something expensive you really want to buy think on it for a month. If you can go an entire month and still be able to prove why you need the item then maybe it’s a good way to spend your money. If you don’t think that would work for you try making a list of pros and cons. If you can list 5x more pros than cons, of purchasing the item, then it might just be for you.
Getting your finances in order and reducing your spending can seem like a chore but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to cut back that aren’t quite as painful as others. This way you’re more likely to stick to whatever plan you may have for your finances and that’s the most important thing.
No Comments