Mind Set

 

Think about how long it takes you to make the amount of money you are about to spend.  Think about all the work you do to earn it and you may start to put more value on your hard earned dollars.

 

Think about the freedom that comes from not having debt.  Not having a financial burden to carry on your back everyday can really add to your quality of life.  When you remind yourself of this freedom, it should help to keep those bad purchase and spending decisions to a minimum.

 

Learn to live with less stuff.  The things you own could end up owning you if you don’t take it easy.  Having stuff means taking care of and protecting those things.   View buying new clothes you don’t need as just one more piece of clothing you’re going to have to wash and find space for.  Remind yourself of the work and responsibility that goes into owning certain items.  Then decide if it’s something you really need or truly desire to possess.  Paying a huge monthly payment on a home, car and other items can start to dictate how you live and what you do with your time.   Nothing wrong with having these things, but there is a point when they can start to control every choice you make going forward.

 

If you don’t have a car payment and your current car works fine then don’t rush to buy a new one.  Think about all the things you could by yourself each month with the car payment money.  These days the amount could easily be $400 a month and that does not include the extra cost of insuring a newer more valuable car.  Learn to enjoy what you have and get over impressing everyone with superficial items.  If you need the car for work or safety then the new car purchase makes sense. If not pass on it and enjoy the extra money every month.

 

Allow yourself more time to think about how you spend your money.  Don’t feel guilty or bad saying no to the sales person.  Just thank them for their time and walk away when it’s something you don’t absolutely need.   Many people forget that they even wanted the item from that shopping experience after a few hours or days.

 

Remind yourself that things usually get more affordable over time.  If you can wait a few months to get your hands on the latest gadgets you will likely realize some nice savings.   $400 for a new mobile phone today or $200 for the same phone a few months later is the type of question you should always ask yourself before buying items.

 

Help those that are less fortunate than you.  Take time to volunteer at places that help these people.  Pay attention to the details of a life that truly has needs.  You could find a new appreciation for all the things you already have and realize just how good and full your life really is.

 

Think about how great it would be to save and grow all those wasted dollars.  Become a collector and investor of your own money.   As you start to see the rewards from saving and investing your money, it starts to become an exciting breathing thing that you want to continue feeding and building on.  When it gets big enough you can take little pieces from it and start to grow those little pieces into bigger ones.  Investing and saving is not as complicated as it may seem on the surface.   Take some time to learn about all the different ways this can be done.

 

 

Spend less than you earn.  Reduce stress and get your financial future in order by controlling spending habits.  Learn to enjoy what you already have and only buy things when you have the money to pay for them.  That’s cash money, not credit.