Managing money can be a headache, especially when it comes to finding the best ways to budget and save that suit your lifestyle.
Wonga offers some great money-saving tips and tricks to help you discover your biggest spending culprits at home, work, and more. A lot of money saving comes down to how you think about money already, so check out our tips for smart finance below.
Money Matters
Money affects everyone to some degree. It can be hugely helpful to talk to friends, parents, and relatives, and find out what they feel they did right with money, and what they would have done differently. You can use the successes and mistakes of others to help inform your own spending and how you feel about material possessions and the debts that can accompany them.
What does happiness mean to you?
Achieving balance in your life can help lead to balance in your spending. Wanting nice things is normal, but constantly chasing something new, or something you can’t afford means you may never be fully satisfied.
Try to strike a balance between your personal goals and your financial goals, and try to practice appreciation for what you already have. Reducing your dependency on having more “things” can allow you to stretch your money and simplify your life, leading you to greater happiness overall.
Meeting short-term money goals rather than long-term money goals is a constant battle. Saving to meet your long-term goals can be tough, so it’s important to work on reminding yourself what happiness really means to you.
Resist peer pressure
Peer pressure is real. A lot of it can come from within us too, as we struggle to keep up with others. However, peer pressure is something we will struggle with for the rest of our lives. It is natural to want what others have, but allowing it to rule us leaves us without confidence in our own choices and decisions. Always ask yourself ‘what is best for me?’ before you decide to follow in someone else’s footsteps.
Understand need versus want
It’s important to understand yourself and the difference between your wants and needs when coming up with a financial plan. To satisfy all your wants, you may find yourself sacrificing your money goals by getting into debt for items you can’t really afford. This will ultimately have a negative impact on other areas of your life.
To determine your needs versus your wants, ask yourself: Are trying to impress anyone with your purchase? Are you trying to feel better about yourself? Finally, how much will the purchase really cost in terms of time and effort to make up the amount you spent?
Answering these simple questions honestly can help you determine how much something is really worth to you, and help you keep your finances on track.
