5 Key Factors When Determining How Well You Manage Your Finances
It can be super easy to get down in the dumps about your finances when things aren’t going according to plan. We assume everyone else is doing better, or isn’t struggling now and again, because we’re not privy to what goes on behind closed doors.
If you’re constantly stressed that things are awful, take heart: experts say these are some signs that things aren’t as dire as you think.
You have a budget.
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The first step to getting things back in order is to have a budget. It should, at a minimum, help you understand your spending habits and set goals for changing what needs work in the future.
There are many ways to set a budget, so make sure to find one that works for you – because the next step is actually sticking to it.
You know where your money is going.
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You should know exactly where the money you’re spending is landing every month, and one easy way to accomplish this is to go over your bank statement, line by line, for the past three months.
This should allow you to pinpoint areas of concern and places where you can save, which should also help illuminate a different path forward.
You’re extra aware of your debt.
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Know how much money you owe, because it doesn’t disappear just because you’re too afraid to look directly at it.
There are options out there that can help you pay your debt off quicker, so take some time to look through them if yours is getting out of hand.
You have an emergency fund.
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The rule of thumb for an emergency fund is to save one month’s rent/mortgage and your insurance deductible.
If you can keep this in savings without having to touch it, you’re definitely going in the right direction. A good goal is to have six months of living expenses eventually socked away.
You feel good about your relationship with money.
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Deep down, you know whether or not things are going ok or not. If you’re losing sleep and feeling guilty about what you’re spending, things need to change.
Don’t get too down on yourself, but make a commitment to making smarter decisions and, even if it takes a while, things will begin to improve.
There you have it.
I hope you could check off some of the things on this list, but if you can’t, well, there’s no time like the present to start to change!
