Once upon a time I was an extremely disciplined person. I ate a spartan lunch of a Tina burrito and a yogurt. Not the healthiest option, but it helped me lose 60 lbs and save on my weekly expenses. I also was much more motivated to save money during that time. I set goals like "save $500 for your trip to England" and would put money in an envelope every week until I had saved far beyond the initial amount and didn't even spend it all in the UK.
The past three years have been challenging, though the last year I've been back on the upswing. Still I can't get my discipline back. I've transferred some of that energy to biking and the gym (although the latter has been waning as of late), but I need to reapply it to food and finances.
I just watched this video detailing the "envelope system" of saving and I hope to replicate starting with my next paycheck. It's good advice, if you can get past the yokel accent.
Does anyone else out there have any tips? Especially for getting back on track?
What I aim for in dealing with saving for our family is 10%. But I make it the first money that comes out of each paycheck. Immediately transfer it to a savings account, then never look at it again. As soon as I dip into savings for something, it's all gone. If I have cash on hand, I spend it, so I limit my wallet to $10 a week, or whatever. I can do whatever I want with that money, but that's all I'm getting.
ReplyDeleteStill not perfect, but with those two aims, it's getting a little easier. Now I just have to figure out how to save for Warren's college. *eep!*