10 Simple Ways to Spark Better Money Habits

Keeping up with good habits feels harder this year, am I right? Getting back on the wagon with good habits, when you have neglected them for a while, feels even harder.

But money wants your attention.

When you ignore your finances it’s like a thick fog creeps in around you. And although you might still be trying to make healthy money decisions for yourself, you can’t see ahead far enough to know if you are headed in the right direction.

To clear the fog, you must re-engage.

I find the best way to re-engage with any habit I’m rusty (or new) at is to start small.

Get my feet on the yoga mat. Start with the 10-minute meditation. Walk around the block.

Money is the same way.

We start small. Feel accomplished that we did that one thing. Notice how it makes us feel good. Harness the spark of motivation it produces to do something else.

So today pick and item, or two, from this list and see if you can jump-start some money magic in your life.

One

Cancel a subscription: Cancel, pick a lower plan, switch to every other month. Ensure you are using everything you are paying for and that it adds value to your life.

Two

Log on to your active bank/credit card accounts and check your balances: Reengage with where you are at today.

Three

Start thinking about the holidays: Will you spend more this year? Less? How will you ensure nothing is paid for with credit?

Four

Declutter something in your house: When your home is simplified you know what you have, which helps you know what you need, which helps you know if you need to buy the new thing, or not.

Five

Make a small upgrade: Spending a little to upgrade something we use every day is one of the best places to spend your money. A fresh hand towel, the nice soap, what small gift could you give to yourself?

Six

Make a to-do list of all your bigger financial tasks: Brain dump, decide which top three take priority, and what the “next first step” is to get them done.

Seven

Move some money to savings: $10, $100, $1000 doesn’t matter. Just move some money.

Eight

Read a money article: It might feel dry and not connected to your life, but engaging with articles about the federal interest rate and market predictions around the election ARE part of understanding the complete money picture. Here is one article to get you started. And one more, in case you get on a roll.

Nine

Balance your budget: Nothing brings me more money peace than balancing my budget knowing exactly what I can or can’t afford for the month. I recommend YNAB to get started.

Ten

Want less: Stop shopping for a while, if you have been on a roll lately. Use this mantra: Do I have everything I need for today?

Small shifts create momentum allows you to build towards big shifts in your life.

And if you still aren’t making progress, or feel paralyzed in overwhelm with where to start, reach out. With a few key questions, I can help pinpoint your overwhelm and help give you some personalized action steps on how to move forward.