When ‘Money Wisdom’ Starts Becoming A Must

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We all know the slow ascent of our age, and the responsibility that comes with this. It takes time to develop into a fully crown and functional new adult, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible in the least. So far, you’re sure to have made some wonderful strides into becoming the fully grown version of you that you are supposed to be.

However, sometimes things can get in the way of this goal. Things that do annoy you and cause you concern when it comes to getting your life together. These usually emanate from habit. Of course, not everything affects you in the same way. Of course we’re not talking about little habits, such as how you enjoy a cheeky glass of wine at the weekend, or how you enjoy vaping a little when noone is looking. These are simply preferences, and the vice isn’t that affecting to your life.

However, some things are much bigger. Some things truly do limit your entire method of moving forward. This can really be quite sad, because having your potential limited in the prime of your life is something you’ll likely regret for years in the future, especially if it’s within your capacity to change. What could we be talking about regarding this? Well, your money habits of course.

Money is the one thing that will determine the quality and general ability of life on this planet. Of course, money is not something that should ever, ever determine your happiness, but it can help to understand that without any of it, you’ll be getting nowhere fast. You have to play the game of society in order to achieve your dreams and goals. This doesn’t mean heading for the highest paycheck of course, but at minimum it means keeping your budgeting and monetary discipline in order.

When you reach the tender age of twenty-five, making many life changes to get your act together is likely something that will happen naturally. It will also make sense for you to prioritize the behaviours you change. We’d recommend finances first. Getting this in order provides the backdrop of discipline that will help you make other, more profound decisions.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Track Your Spending

It’s amazing how this step can make some people realize they have not been performing it. Simply the act of tracking your spending can help you build a bigger mental picture when it comes to understanding your outgoings. This is especially true in the modern ‘subscription culture.’ Almost all services these days allow for a subscription auto-renew model, which means that potentially hundreds of dollars could be leaving your account each month. It might even be as silly as two Spotify accounts you own, forgetting to delete the payment information of the last one.

It could also  be that your old subscriptions are no longer being used, and could do with you finding what they are and cancelling the payments. We all know the joke about owning a gym membership that we never use but pay for anyway, but when you add Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, YouTube Red, Twitch Subscriptions, Now.TV and a bunch of other services into the mix (which are incredibly easy to sign up for,) it can cost you quite a lot in silly expenditure. Whenever starting a new payment plan like this be sure to note it down and try to justify its continual use. Write down all passwords and usernames so you can log in in the future and delete your payment information. Your future bank balance will thank you.

Limit ‘Generosity’

We all know how it is to be generous with our finances when we shouldn’t be. We might feel pressured into starting to buy rounds for everyone at the bar, or to spot our friend fifty dollars when they are otherwise struggling. However, neither of these things are your absolute responsibility to take care of. Neither are the thousands of other examples that could be put in this place. In order to work well towards your goals, you need to limit your generosity as well as you can. This doesn not mean being heartless. You are the author of how you spend your money, meaning that giving to charities or other good causes are of course redeemed if you choose them to be.

However, if you really want to pinch the pennies from now on, getting out of the habit of lending money and purchasing things for people on impulse can give you more of a standing regarding your general financial flow.

Become More Discerning

When we’re young we often buy products with abandon. You might not turn your nose up at replacing your computer monitor if a line of dead pixels seems to present itself on your screen. However, instead of instantly replacing the unit out of convenience, maybe going through the effort of repairs, or checking the warranty and putting the claim in can help you save more money. It might be using services such as Dealdash Facebook to discern your future large scale purchases. Wisdom abounds in putting your money in the right places.

Some companies might even send you a free unit while they are sent yours to refurbish. It all depends on the firm. However, an additional financial tip might be to use firms like this, that respect your purchasing habits and wish to retain your business. After all, the consumer is not always guaranteed, so if you push a little and make your demands as a customer known (within reason,) you might get better service than you had originally planned. For example, if you tell your internet provider that if the speeds do not increase you will take your business elsewhere, it’s likely that they’ll bend over backwards to try and incentivize your stay. This will only happen with select products and services, so be sure to be responsible with how you handle yourself.

Also, as some extra advice for this tip – remember to be courteous. The people working and dealing with your claim are not the people who set the policies (at least in 99% of cases,) so it’s important to keep in mind the person on the other end.

Saving Feels Better

Save money when you’re a little older, and it’s likely you’ll keep that feeling of wonder you used to have when purchasing large items. This might sound contrary to wisdom – but try it yourself and you’ll see! Saving money feels better when you have future financial goals because it allows you to move towards the goal you have chiselled out in interest. This also means that developing yourself as a solid person becomes that much more easy, because financial discipline often precipitates discipline in many other realms of life.

We needn’t tell you about what those savings could be put towards. It’s likely however that your entire life will become a lot more satisfying and well run if you had a little extra financial cushioning, even if it’s only a lack of worry and guilt whenever you make a purchase that you would otherwise be better off not making. Saving money feels better, and when you make the purchase you truly need, it feels amazing. The only way you’ll know this is if you try – so why not do so?

In conclusion, there are many things that can contribute to exercising good financial sense. It takes a little practice, and you can’t expect to make wonderful decisions at every opportunity of your life. However, if you’re wise enough to stay disciplined, stay discerning, track your spending and generally stay protective of your funds, you can expect a rosy financial future – even in the hard times.