Yes those shoes are a little piece of heaven on earth, but could you slowly put them down and back away in order to go a little easier on your bank account?
Saving money can give you a sense of security and freedom to do things you wouldn't otherwise be able to do. At the same time we work hard, pay our bills and you should be able to take a little away to enjoy. If you can find a balance of having a little financial back up, but you are still able to treat yourself- then you will be pretty happy with your financial situation.
In life I believe you are a saver or a spender. If you are an over spender, it is possible to change old habits and start thinking about how you can plan your finances better.
Instagram, blogging and being able to shop online means temptation is absolutely everywhere. It is important to be realistic about what you have, credit card companies are so eager to push offers on you, that it's now easier than ever for people to live way above their means.
I have listed some of my top tips on saving money away, whether it be for a house deposit, a new car or simply to have something spare for a rainy day.
1. Make a plan. Draw out your income and outgoings, be honest and realistic. Sometimes it isn't possible to know what's around the corner, but you can try plan as accurately as possible. Decide what you would like to put away without if affecting the essential outgoings, and leave yourself some left to play with. If you don't leave some disposable money, you will just find yourself constantly dipping into your savings when it comes to the non-essential spends, which will only set you back.
2. Lay out your goals. You may be saving for something in particular, or you may just want something in the bank. Whatever it is, have a goal in mind so you know what you are working towards and can stay consistent. Calculate how much you want to save and by when. Dividing your goal amount by the number of months you have will show you how much you need to save each month. Play around with your calculations until your monthly payments are going to be achievable and realistic.
3. Countdown. Showing yourself how much closer you are to achieving your goal each month will spur you on even more. You will feel a sense of reward and more importantly, the motivation to continue to save. Knowing you are one step further each month will keep the excitement going.
4. Stop and reflect. It's easy to get carried away in this want, want, want, must have society. Next time you see something you really want, leave it for a few weeks.. do you still want it as badly when some time has gone by? Secondly there is a difference between wanting and needing. If your foundation has totally run out, then you need to re-purchase. But if you already have 6 bottles in your drawer, do you really need that new YSL foundation?
5. Treat yourself. My next point totally contradicts what I just said. But it's important to clearly seperate these situations. If you have some money aside purely for your enjoyment, then treat yourself! Knowing when to treat yourself is important. It may be once a month you buy yourself a little present, but this shouldn't be happening every other day.
6. Live within your means. I see so may people that live way above their means. Always remember that people's lives aren't always what they seem. On the outside people can seem to be living the high life living with luxurious material items, bragging about them online or to friends. But behind closed doors they are struggling with out of control credit, monthly payments and living way above their means. I know people who constantly live in their overdraft, which doesn't seem like an appealing place to be, It's important to remember that what your friends are doing with their money isn't important, because it doesn't affect you.
6. Paying with credit is a choice not a necessity. Getting a good credit score is important if you are thinking about applying for something such as a mortgage, but using credit should be because you are in a position to pay it back fully. Not because you financially depend on it.
7. Surprises happen. I know I mentioned dipping into your savings can create set backs, but it's important to know that sometimes the unexpected just knocks on your door. Your washing machine could break, your car could be written off. It's great that you will be in a position to sort these situations because you have savings. So it may mean breaking your saving payments for a month or two, but stay focused and don't feel disheartened- these things happen to everyone at some point.
jessica d x
All photographs are our own. We own all rights to our photographs.
No comments:
Post a Comment