Put Your Best Financial Foot Forward

Are you tired of living paycheck to paycheck? Bring yourself—and your finances—back to life by learning better money management skills.

Manage Your Finances

While the following money management tips seem simple, it’s easy to get back in the habit of making bad financial choices. The key to making these management tips a success is sticking to it. No matter how much you want that instant gratification, the purchase is just not worth a life of debt and living paycheck to paycheck.

Start by tracking your spending this month. You probably don’t realize how much money you’re wasting, since swiping a card is so easy! Therefore, for a month, your task is to write down every single purchase you make—whether you’re paying a bill or purchasing a 99- cent pack of gum. Every penny counts!

After a month, look at your list. Total up the amount you spent. Is it more than what you make each month? Where can you cut costs? Are you eating out five days a week? See where you can stop spending and places that you can take a little off. There’s always room for improvement in your budget and the way you spend money.

Next, develop a budget, and stick to it! Account for all your costs, such as cell phone, mortgage/rent, groceries and school fees. Leave no dollar left unturned. Let your family in on the budget. There’s a safety in numbers. By working together, you can each hold one another accountable and can make your budget a success. Before you know it, you will no longer be financially sweating while waiting for the next payday, because you will have a savings nest built!

Contact us today to learn about how our online banking services can help you manage your money and stay on budget with your finances.