A WALLET FULL OF PROBLEMS: HOW TO GET YOUR FINANCES BACK ON TRACK
Call me crazy but no matter how prepared I am for the festive season, come mid-January I always start wondering where it all went wrong. With a wallet full of problems, overusing that credit card causes sleepless nights and countless regrets that make you cringe at the fact that your started the year off on a binge and not a budget.
Well, lucky for you I have a few tips on how to get those balances balancing again, without you having to sacrifice your health, dignity or platter for one sushi on Friday nights.
Jam Jar
No, I am not referring to that huge cocktail jars you order at your favourite sundowner spots – get yourself an empty jam jar, coffee pot or container suitable to hold a year’s worth of cents. Making cents now? Hahaha. Saving as little as 50c a day is enough to make a big enough difference of R3,50 a week, R15,50 a month and R182,50 a year. R182,50 being the minimum – start saving small and eventually you will see the big difference it makes.
Swipe don’t withdraw
I personally don’t like carrying cash on me so following this tip has never been an issue for me. However I am always in need of cash, sometime or another, for parking at the mall or even just to genuinely thank the car guard who helps with unloading the grocery packets from the trolley into the boot of the car. So to prevent yourself from having to withdraw money from the ATM ten times a month – unnecessarily may I add – draw once and substitute to swiping. You will save a lot of money by not paying the bank fees everytime you withdraw.
Don’t be lazy and pack that lunch
Whether you a full-time student or employed, it is so easy to blame the alarm clock for spending that R50 – R100 at the cafeteria on a sarmie and coffee you cheekily had to buy yourself during lunch. Imagine all the one hundred rands you save if you actually just wake up ten minutes earlier than you bargained and pack in your own damn lunch! I love me a cup of hot coffee when I get to work in the morning – but what is the difference between the coffee machine in the office and the coffee machine in the coffee shop downstairs?! NOTHING – Nada. No difference at all.
These three tips might seem very easy and some might say ‘oh I can do this no problem’, but the results take commitment and dedication to wanting to make a financial difference for yourself. Don’t live life with a wallet full of problems – get your finances on track this year by making small but meaningful changes.
IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU!
HAPPY SAVING...
xoxo
Comments