A big worry for many people and families is how to save money. Not buying books or software is not the way to learn how to save money. Not about signing up for programmes. Saving money is all about how you think. If you find it hard to save money, you need to change the way you think about it.
This means that you need to figure out how you get in the way of your own money goals. Do you think that money can buy love or happiness? Many people in this group spend money on themselves or on people they care about to make them happy. Money can't make you happy, and it can't take the place of love. Keep your wallet in your pocket and focus on giving of yourself and your time. These gifts are much more important. Do you think you're worthy of the best? Just get over it. You do deserve to eat every day, but that doesn't mean you deserve lobster or fillet mignon. You do deserve and need clothes, but they don't have to be made by a famous designer. You have the right to food, clothes, and a place to live. Anything else is a luxury. You don't deserve it just because someone else has it.
Think Before You Spend is the first key way to save money, and it will help you a lot if you know why you are having money problems. This is all about figuring out what your needs are and how they compare to what you want. You need a winter coat, but that cool leather jacket is what you really want. When I was in college and living in London, I didn't have a lot of money. I had to buy food and pay my rent. But I also wanted to go somewhere. So I cut my food budget all the way down, stopped eating meat, and only ate out when I was travelling. So that I could go to Paris, I chose to eat peanut butter. What kinds of decisions are you ready and able to make? It can sometimes help to wait to buy those "wanted" things. You might decide after a month that you don't want that leather coat as much as you thought. And sometimes the wait pays off, making the purchase even more fun.
A simple but important way to save money is to keep track of your money. Credit cards, debit cards, and chequebooks are all great ways to make things easier, but the problem is that unless you're handing over cash, it's easy to lose track of where your money is going and hard to know how much you have left. You should never be surprised by your credit card bill, and your bank balance shouldn't catch you off guard. You might not know how much money you have to the penny, but you should have a pretty good idea.
Last but not least, the most important way to save money is to "earn it before you spend it." This means that you know you have enough money to pay for everything you buy, whether it's something you need or something nice. You might use plastic because it's easier or because it gives you rewards, but before you hand the clerk your card, you should make sure you have enough money to pay the bill when it comes due. Once you start carrying balances on your credit cards and paying interest on them, you lose the ability to save money.
If you save money by doing these three things, you will be ahead of the game. To save money, you should think before you spend, keep track of your money, and make it before you spend it.
