Simple Ways To Keep A Budget And Live Within Your Means

Most of us are really bad at managing our money. We’re terrible in fact. From student debt and mortgages to credit cards and car loans, most people are in the red when it comes to their finances. Today we’re going to take a close look at how we can prevent ourselves from committing fatal financial errors. Budgeting is the obvious answer, but how you budget is even more important. You can’t just wake up one day, create a budget, and hope to stick to it. It’s kind of like a new year’s resolution to work out at the gym. They’re a dime a dozen but very few people stick to them. To follow your budget you will need to start living a principled life. This is hard because it will mean forgoing certain things that you want to do or giving up various desires. If you successfully implement everything that we talk about in this list you should be well on your way to living a more responsible life, at least in financial terms. Just remember, change doesn’t happen overnight, usually it can take a while. These are some simple ways to keep a budget and live within your means.
 

Before your buy anything, calculate how many hours it took you to earn that amount. This is another way to avoid impulse buys.
 

Try to limit the number the advertisements that you are exposed to. It can unknowingly affect your buying habits.
 

Don't shop at the mall. For most people there is just too much tempation
 

Pack your own lunch everyday. You can potentially save thousands of dollars over the long run.
 

Don't compete with other people. You don't need the same car/house/clothes that they have (this is much easier to do if you take our last bit of advice about remembering your financial goals)