Sensible Spending: Put Your Money Here, Not There Money … it is a great thing to have, but often hard to hold on to when we find ourselves making impulse or unnecessary purchases on a daily basis. While a regular morning coffee or lunch out may provide immediate gratification, poor spending habits are not doing your financial situation any good. There are right and wrong ways to handle many financial decisions that life throws your way. You can make the right decision by simply tweaking your bad money habits. Here are some ways you can spend more mindfully and make a lasting and positive impact on your finances: Use cash, not credit. People are prone to spend more wisely when they have a limited amount of cash versus seemingly unlimited cash with a credit card. We are inherently more motivated by loss than gain, so going cash-only forces us to be more conscious spenders as we watch our cash dwindle with frivolous purchases. Stash savings here, not there. Avoid depleting your hard-earned savings by keeping your savings and checking accounts at separate banks. Doing this helps eliminate the temptation to take cash out of savings when regularly using your checking account. Save now, not later. Allocating a portion of your income to retirement now can make a significant difference in the years to come. If you put cash away now you could benefit from potentially decades of market gains and compounding interest. |
