Financial success is about more than income. A lot of people think that if you make a good income that you and your family are all set. If you are making money, what else is there to worry about? Financial success is often less about how much money you make and more about how you spend it and how you save it. So what do you need to do to become financially successful?
Remove Emotions from Your Spending Habits
Having a bad day? Don’t let retail therapy be your solution. Purchasing items, both large and small consistently that you don’t need can seriously drain your bank account. If you are feeling emotional (be it positive or negative) and you have a big financial decision to make like purchasing a home, try to take your emotions out of the equation. If you are feeling stressed and pressured to make a decision you could end up purchasing something that you don’t really want, or something that is not a good investment. Same goes for being overly excited. The house may look perfect, but have you done your homework? Does the house need work, is it in a good area, are you likely to see a profit if you sell in 5 years?
Surround Yourself with Financially Successful People
If your spouse is good with money, if your friends are good with money, you likely will be too. If the people around you are constantly looking to participate in events that cost money or go out to dinner, it is hard to spend time with them and not spend money. Choose the people around you carefully if you want to have a stable financial future.
Choose Activities that are Inexpensive or Free
You don’t need to spend money to have fun. Go outside, go for a hike, a picnic, a BBQ. If there are things that you like to do that don’t cost a lot of money, it is a win-win situation.
Know What You Spend Your Money On
You may not be financially successful now, but you can be in the future. Knowing what you are spending your money on is a great place to start. If you are spending a lot of money eating out, that can easily be fixed. Once you understand your spending habits, you can cut out the unnecessary and start saving more money.
Budget
Once you know what you have been spending your money on, make a realistic budget. You aren’t going to completely cut out all activities that you love, so include some money for these things, but be reasonable. Create a budget and task yourself with sticking with it. Each month, review your spending and see if you need to make adjustments or just stay the course.
What do you do on a daily or monthly basis to ensure your financial success? Do you have a tip or trick that has helped you gain financial freedom? We would love to hear from you!