- Prioritize! Prioritizing your bills and staying disciplined in paying in order of priority is a good place to start with a budget. The “must pay” expenses such as mortgage/rent, car/transportation, and insurances should top the list. After that, if you have high-interest debt, paying that down should become your next priority.
- Use a schedule and stick to it. The more bills you can have automatically paid out of your bank account, the less likely you are to miss a payment. Try to have as many of your high-priority bills paid automatically.
- Pay yourself. If you don’t have an emergency fund of 3-6 months expenses saved up, this should become a top priority. Sometimes it can seem daunting looking at a lofty savings goal, but it’s important to start small, stay diligent, and keep the big picture in mind. Having small daily savings goals instead of a monthly goal can help breakdown the savings process and get you to your goals quicker.
Having a better handle of money in vs money out is the first step in gaining financial peace of mind. Having a budgeting system can help get you on the right track.