How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck – One Step At a Time…
Living paycheck to paycheck is no fun, and it can drain the life out of your well-being as it brings on anxiety and less wellness because of worry. However, if this is you, you are not alone. Zippa.com indicates 125 million Americans are in the same boat. Still, it is not the best way to live, survive, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
How to Begin to Change Your Money Lifestyle
One of the first steps in changing anything within your life is realizing the importance and the necessity. Your mindset must change to reflect a different outcome than what is present.
So, how do you change your mindset to accomplish the results in how to stop living paycheck to paycheck?
Slow down: Life gets too busy, and we forget how important our money mindset is to keep our finances in line. Habits are formed, done without thinking, and spending too much on too many things in life that are not a necessity. Therefore discipline is key, and changing how you think, what you know the necessities are and what is deemed paramount, is key.
Make a budget: If you cannot remember what the priorities are; it is necessary to have a budget. When you list the important factors that are required…
- Food
- Shelter
- Utilities
- Your transportation
Then you start with what can possibly be changed to reflect less spending:
- Clothing
- Cable
- Phones
- Internet
- Eating out
The necessities must come first, and then those things that are more optional must come last. Most people have changed from a home phone to a cell phone of some kind. You don’t need both to have a good life. You need to determine your total monthly expenses and your total monthly income. You need to determine your total monthly expenses and your total monthly income.
Credit Card Payments Can Drain Your Paycheck- leave you in financial peril- especially if you are only paying the minimum payment
If you are in debt, stop using your credit cards to pay your bills. That can be a disaster if you withdraw cash from your credit cards to pay the necessary bills. The interest is higher and if you are paying only the minimum payment, it will take you forever to pay off the cards.
More than likely you receive emails every day about applying for a new credit card or updating your income for a higher credit line. Yes, they want your business but they will not be there to help you when you consider having to file for bankruptcy.
You cannot lower your expenses by having credit cards and only paying minimum payments.
If You Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck-here are five more tips to improve your financial situation:
1. Remember When Your Paycheck is Deposited in Your Bank Account: Make sure that your payments that are set up on drafts are in line with when you receive your paychecks each month. Overdrafts are costly.
If you do not have direct deposit through your job, enroll immediately, if possible. Cashing checks at a check-cashing store costs on average anywhere from 1% to 5% of the amount of the check.
2. Education: Go back to school to further your education or take training classes to expand your skills at your current job. This will put you in a better position to get a promotion at work or a salary increase.
That money can be used to create a savings account, plan for retirement, pay down debts and/or pay for necessary expenses.
3. Reevaluate your spending habits as mentioned and reduce your expenses and shop at discount stores or outlets, use coupons, carpool, etc. to find extra money, which can be used to pay down debt.
4. Savings: Yes, we are talking about how to stop living paycheck to paycheck. However, for your financial recovery and future, you should make room in your budget for savings as soon as you can.
You need to have enough saved to cover 3 to 6 months of your bill payments. This way you will not go back to living paycheck to paycheck. Think ahead.
The interest rate at banks right now is low for savings at this time, but it is important to start somewhere. Then you can develop long-term savings goals such as planning for retirement, college education, homeownership, etc.
5. Seek Help: Don’t feel like you are alone. Talk to friends, or relatives who have gone through similar situations. Go to the library or do research and enhance your ability to reduce expenses, gain new skills, and shop on a budget.
Summary
Nothing last forever. If you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, you have to change your mindset, take a leap of faith and focus on your financial goals. You must make it a priority to get off the wagon of self-pity (if there) and start to accomplish your financial future and success.
Believe in yourself, and your abilities and set the goals needed to add dollars to your paycheck. You can do this!
There are ways to make money online. Read this.
This is what Bankrate states here
