Goodbye Bad Habits - Hello Good Money Habits!

It may be February already, but some of us are still falling back into the bad money habits from December. STOP! Set your finances up for success in 2016 by starting to create good money habits today with these tips!

Save Your Money

Believe it or not, you do not have to keep living paycheck to paycheck. In fact, you can actually save more money this year if you just watch your spending and start making healthy financial decisions with these tips.

First, keep it simple. If you make your budget or savings account—or whatever financial issue—too complicated, you are not going to stick to it. Do not make things harder on yourself than they have to be. By simplifying your budget, you will make it easier to follow the goals you set for yourself financially.

Second, use your kitchen! Whether you rent or own, you have a kitchen—use it! You pay rent/mortgage every month for it, so why waste that money by going out all the time. Yes, running through a drive-thru after work is a lot easier than slaving over the stove. But, it is a lot more costly. If convenience during the week is what you are looking for, meal prep for the week over the weekend. Make easy freezer meals that you can just place in the oven and heat up once you get home. Or, throw some ingredients in a crockpot in the morning, and your kitchen will be smelling delicious by the time you get home for supper!

You also want to put your bills on automatic payment plans. This way, you don’t have to worry about late fees, which can end up costing an arm and a leg (or at least feel like it) if you are not careful. Plus, you can use the money you save on late fees and eating at home to pay off any debt you may have; or if you have no debt (good for you!), start a savings account or retirement fund!

Contact us today to see how we can better help with your finances, whether through a personal checking or through a savings account.