Every year in January I hear all the talk about it being a new year and time for new you, but are you really going to become a NEW you or just a BETTER you? I would hope that the second one applies to most of us as we truly don’t want to become new people, just a better version of ourselves. This applies to all areas, especially when talking about our finances.
It is a new year and there are definitely a few things all of us can apply to make 2024 a better year financially for us.
When it comes to our money, many of us have developed bad habits throughout the years that are not easily changed. I want to share a few ideas that can help everyone become better this year financially.
With the cost of practically everything going up, now is the time for all of us to take a look at our spending. One task to help each of us develop better financial habits is to track our spending. Take a minute or two each day and write down what you spent. For example: gas $50, coffee $5, lunch $15. Really think about anything else that you spent on something. When we take the time to reflect on our day and physically write down the amounts we spend, our awareness factor jumps significantly. Awareness makes the money you spent that day more meaningful. When we mindlessly swipe or tap our cards, we truly don’t pay attention to the amounts. Taking the time to reflect on them can help us to realize where we are overspending mindlessly.
Another simple method for becoming a better financial you is to choose one activity or purchase you make each month for self-care purposes. We all spend some much time and money on everything and everyone else, it is necessary to take care of yourself. Focus on that one activity as the true self-care you deserve and cut out the ones that don’t make you feel good. For example, if you love working out, paying for the gym membership is true self-care, but if you never go to the gym and could use a good massage each week, it might be time to stop paying for a membership you don’t use and put the money where it will do more. Self-care can be anything that makes you a better you. For some, it is quiet time reading a book, for others it’s getting your nails done. The lesson here is that we spend a lot of money on things that are supposed to provide self-care, when in reality we can simplify and focus the spending on what truly provides that for us. Generally, I find most people who do this save money when it has a purpose.
Every day, we are all bombarded with financial pressures. We all have bills to pay and wants to meet. Take time today to really work on becoming a better financial you and work towards ultimate financial health.
For more financial tips, contact Deanna O’Neal, AFC® with Ki Financial, LLC today! Find Deanna at www.livewellkitsap.com/live-well.
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