It’s the start of a new year and a new decade. People’s thoughts turn to regaining their healthy habits and make pledges about going to the gym for regular workouts. It’s a shame those promises tend to melt away with the ice and snow of spring. In fact, a recent study by Scranton University shows just 8% of people achieve their New Year's resolutions!
Our prescription for healthy living involves getting your finances in order. What’s the connection? Financial anxiety is the number one cause of marital breakdown, stress and high blood pressure. So, let’s look at a few really simple steps to relieve that anxiety and get healthy, all without raising a sweat – not that raising a sweat is a bad thing.
The first step is to track where your money is going. Keep a log of what you spend every day for 2 weeks. You’ll probably be amazed when you see it in black & white, and you’ll quickly see items that could be eliminated and put into savings.
This leads to the second step which is to determine whether what you are purchasing is a Want or a Need before you buy. Try going on an All Needs diet for a week: soap and toothpaste are Needs; magazines and candy bars are Wants. You could live without the Wants and put that money into savings or paying down debt.
Speaking of debt – get rid of it! If anything can drag you down, it’s debt. Paying the minimum every month can stretch even a small debt out for years. So, resolve to use any savings from the first 2 steps to upping your monthly debt payments.
Once you’ve relieved yourself of the burden of debt, keep the celebrations small and set up some savings plans. Start setting aside money for short and long-term goals. Maybe an inexpensive trip away with the kids? Start putting a little aside each week for that. At the same time, start planning for their college education or a down payment on a house, or your retirement. Having your bank take out a portion of your paycheck every week is relatively painless and you’ll be amazed how good it feels to see your money growing.
After taking these simple steps you will feel better. You start to feel more in control, and your stress and blood pressure will start to decrease. Fantastic! Now, continue the process by educating yourself about personal finance. Stop getting ripped-off by unscrupulous vendors selling things you don’t need. Learn how to avoid spending money needlessly with no return. It doesn’t have to be difficult or boring. All of our books and the online course, for example, were designed for the absolute beginner. People write to thank us for “changing their lives”. It’s very empowering. And, it’s not just us. There are loads of great resources out there, you just have to look. Find the voice that speaks to you, then relax and enjoy the new decade stress-free.