Let’s face it, being an adult is hard work and it’s a never ending game of make it or break it. The biggest challenge most people face is keeping their finances in check and realizing they need to drop the big spender act when they find themselves broke when it’s only been five days into the month. Oh hello, welcome to #Adulting.
Saving money may seem like a daunting task but it’s a skill that you will most definitely need from now, till like, I don’t know, forever. I admit, I have a problem with money and I’m a joke when it comes to saving it and tracking my expenses. My inner Maharaja consistently makes an appearance and tells me to treat myself, I can’t help it. I mean, I work myself dry so I might as well enjoy the fruits of my labor, no? No! I finally came to the conclusion that I need to be more aware of what I’m spending my money on because I basically represent Titus Andromedon walking his pet peacock pretending to be in a Beyoncé music video. If you know, you know, I can’t explain swag, sorry.
Anyway, if you suffer with the same money eating disorder as me, by all means, please carry on and try to listen to my advice(that I will most probably not even apply to myself), thanks.
Stay up to Date with your bills and Payments
I am a list maker like no other and I literally write everything and anything down because my brain acts like Dory’s on most days. Make lists and notes to keep track of your pay days and when your bills are due. If you don’t enjoy planners and lists, just make notes on your phone. With so many payments to make each month, like, credit card bills, utilities, shopping, traveling, groceries etc. it’s incredibly helpful to see them all in one place. Mind you, my brother and I live in our own apartment and when it comes to the finances of my home, I run the show with an iron clad fist. I unfortunately cannot say the same for my personal expenses. Writing everything down has given me a much better grasp on my relatively fixed monthly expenses.
Take note of your daily spending habits
Being able to save money ultimately equates to holding yourself accountable and making a sincere effort to have a little restraint. Moving from monthly to daily tracking will surely help you see what your money is mostly going into. Not surprisingly, most of my expenses are food and Starbucks runs. I am always down to grab lunch or have a gorgeous dinner somewhere and what may not seem like a disaster at the time definitely racks up at the end of the month.
Bring your own lunch to work
One of my biggest money suckers is eating out and bringing my own lunch to work helps with two things actually. It helps save money but also assists me with eating healthier and contributing towards my fitness goals.
Map out your guilty pleasures
I would say one of my biggest issues is that I don’t know how to say no to myself and I absolutely love pampering myself. I don’t care if I’m broke in the first week of getting my salary as long as I’m happy and living my best life. Yas Kween! Again, I only think this way because it is my own personal money. I’m single, no one relies on me and I don’t have children to take care of, so if your life entails other people then thinking like this should be a big fat no. Okay, so here’s what I mean by mapping out your guilty pleasure. In one month for example I could want to do the following: Re-new my annual gym membership, go shopping, get a hair treatment done, go see a nutritionist, travel, buy my cats special treats and toys, get myself a nice piece of jewelry, get a massage, and the list goes on forever. Instead of doing all of it in just one month, I could be more practical and prioritize what I want to do first and map the rest out over a duration of several months. Get it? Okay, now flock off into the world and try to be more responsible with your money. Good luck!
