Finances are tricky. No matter how prepared you try and be, there’s always something that sneaks up on you and catches you off guard. It could be an emergency boiler repair or your car’s broken down just before you were about to leave for work. In financial emergencies, you may look at taking out a payday loan to help you through. These situations (hopefully) don’t happen to you daily, so really you want to become an expert in managing your finances. Here are some top tips so you can do just that and feel in full control of your accounts.
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Assess Your Situation
Firstly, you need to take a look at your situation. That includes your ingoings, your outgoings, any expenses, and your lifestyle. Your lifestyle should reflect your finances so that you don’t live beyond your means. Try looking at the bigger picture and seeing how you lost control of your finances. That way you’ll have a clear view of what you need to change or work on.
Create A Budget
Managing your money requires a strict budget. You don’t have to give up every tiny luxury in your daily life, but you need to make sure that you aren’t overspending regularly. Creating a daily budget will force you to live within your means and save money at the same time. Budgeting can also make you more aware of the value of money and it can be a wake-up call when you realise how easily you were throwing away money. Once you have your budget, make sure that you stick to it and you’ll soon have a handle on your finances.
Save Little And Often
You might think that moving a lump sum from your wages is the best way to save money. But in reality, you could be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, you should take a little and often approach. Try popping any extra money you don’t spend from your daily or weekly budget into your savings account. This way you’re not missing out on anything, nor are you cutting your finances too short for you to survive off f. You could even round up your spending, so if you spend £3.60, you could put 40p into your savings. These smaller amounts may not seem like much at the time, but they soon add up and create a nice little savings fund.
Check Your Accounts
As well as managing your actual spending, you need to keep track of your accounts. Checking them daily may seem excessive, but it can help you see every penny and make it easier to stick to your budget. Checking your savings accounts weekly is also a good idea, especially if you’re putting aside little amounts throughout the week. Knowing exactly how much is in your accounts is also a good way to stop any untoward transactions and protect yourself from any financial crimes.
Have A Money Calendar
If you find it hard to remember what you need to pay and when, try creating a money calendar. Grab a daily planner that is designated for your spending. You can then pop down all the important dates you need to remember when it comes to your finances. They can also be useful when saving, particularly if you’re saving up for a specific thing. For example, if you’re saving up for a holiday in 5 months’ time, have a count down to the end date and mark down how much you’ve saved each week. That you can physically see the fruits of your labour and all that you’ve achieved.
Shop Smarter
We tend to get into the habit of shopping and buying what we like, but if you’re trying to manage your finances better, then you need to pause and reassess if you’re going about it the right way. Shopping at cheaper supermarkets is an easy way to cut down your expenses, but so will buying only what’s necessary. Typically, you won’t end up using every single thing from your latest shopping trip as it will tend to go out of date before you get to it. However, choosing products with a longer shelf life or only buying what you need, can be a great way to cut down on food waste, and save you money each week.
Cut Down Your Expenses
Nowadays, most people have multiple streaming subscriptions that they pay for. Before you know it, you’re spending more on television and movies than you do on anything else. Why not do a check of everything you’re subscribed to and see if you can cancel some of them. The saving may be small, but it will make a difference. Try popping the money you would have spent directly into your savings account. You might think that £10 extra to spend isn’t a lot, but when it’s put into a savings account that accrues interest, it suddenly becomes worth a lot more.
Managing your money doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Small changes here and there can have the biggest impact, so don’t feel like you won’t be able to enjoy things like you did before. Budgets are designed to help you, not hinder you, so make sure you use them to your advantage. With these easy tips, you’ll soon find managing your finances a breeze and wonder why you never did it before!
About Carson Derrow
