Financial Mistakes You Make

Most people think that the only way of becoming more well off is earning more money. That’s not always true, though. We are going to convince you that changing a couple of your habits will make a significant difference in your financial life. Here are some mistakes that you should steer clear of. 

1. Not Having a Financial Plan 

We start planning our expenses only when we are almost out of money. This habit of being too vague about your finances can literally ruin all your chances of saving any cash. Even with a strong intension to build an emergency fund, we tend to prioritize immediate expenses more than what we will need so much in the future. Thus, most of the time, we just address all the costs that come our way during the month without a clear vision of what we really want. 

The first step into a financially more organized person is tracking your expenses and knowing where your money goes. This is a simple hack, but it will give you a better understanding of what can be modified in your monthly outflow. However, if you feel you cannot control your spending, consulting your problems with a financial planner is always a good idea to start with. 

2. Immoderate Spending 

First of all, every dollar matters. Keeping that in mind, remember how many times you have spent $5 or $8 here and there on unnecessary things. When it comes to minor expenses that cost a dollar or two, we don’t even give it a second thought before getting a new notebook we won’t use, or a phone case we don’t need. Not surprisingly, these are usually unplanned expenses that we don’t even pay attention to, but they end up emptying your wallet more than anything else. 

We turn bigger purchases over but the desire to get a specific thing may not allow you to make an appropriate decision. Overall, frivolous spending is one of the main reasons people live paycheck to paycheck. 

3. Not Having an Emergency Fund 

If you manage to go by a strict financial plan, control your spending, you can also build a reliable fat emergency fund. Everything is correlated and you need to go step by step. One rule about being sustainable with saving is putting away the amount you want the moment you get your salary. What we usually do though, is saving what’s left in the wallet at the end of the month. Most commonly there is no money left more often than not. Thus,  taking care of that important investment in your emergency fund should be the number one priority. 

4. Not Considering Maintenance Costs 

We have already learned how to get more organized, get rid of unnecessary costs, and create an emergency fund, but how to prepare for necessary purchases? What to consider and when to decide on buying what you want. Most of the time, when we plan to buy a house, a car, or something else that big, we only consider its actual price. However, maintenance costs can be huge, and not considering them can create unpleasant cracks in your budget. So, do some maths and calculate how much house or car you can afford, taking into account their maintenance costs too. Even if you have dreamt about that car and have enough money to get it, it may become a huge financial burden, if you cannot afford at least fueling it daily, let alone regular checkups it requires. 

5. Not Investing in Your Personal Growth/Health 

This tip may be surprising, as you are suggested to actually spend money. However, there are costs that insure us against future bigger costs. One of such mindful expenses is investing in your health. It includes taking up yoga classes, buying quality fresh food, paying a little bit more than usual to get comfortable shoes, buying some cute outfits to keep you motivated to work out and so much more. Everything that is going to make you stronger, fitter, and healthy is worth it as it’s going to cost you much more once you get terrible back pain, or gain too much weight and want to fix your problems. So, it’s time to take the famous quote more seriously. You know “Prevention is easier than cure.  

The same applies to taking care of your mental health. If you struggle with stress or feel demotivated, consult with a psychologist, and don’t try to ignore those problems. Stress is everywhere now and it creates a false impression that it’s something normal. It’s not, and if you want to be productive, work really well, and reach your goals, you have to be happy and stress-free for that. So, whatever problem you have, be it mood swings, depression, regular headaches, or feeling tired without doing something, address those issues first.

Investing in your self-growth is another tip you should take seriously. If you want to be successful, you need to become more and more competent in whatever you do. So, buy whatever you need to learn new things and obtaining new skills. Enhance your professionalism and always try to improve your abilities. Just adopt non-stop self-education and your efforts will definitely pay off.

6. Concentrating on Money too Much 

The last tip is finding the right balance of being cautious about your money but not thinking about it too much. There is a risky level of excessive concentration on cash, and when people get there, it becomes hard to tell if there is anything else they care about. So, looking at money as a means to reach your goals and make a comfortable living is probably the best perspective.

Key Takeaways

No matter how financially savvy you are, it’s easy to make money mistakes from time to time. However, realizing what habits harm your budget the most and addressing them one by one may lead you to a healthier financial lifestyle. Make the best out of your income and use it to enjoy life without having to feel guilty for unnecessary purchases.