How can I develop financial discipline in my life?
“Don’t skip leg day!”
We all know that one guy at the gym…
He stands in front of the mirror and curls the biggest dumbbells, but never works out anything else.
Picture his average-sized calves struggling to carry his ginormous biceps out the door.
It’s pretty obvious that he’s not following a balanced workout routine. You might be able to get away with that at the gym. But can you do the same with your money?
So many of us are consumed with contributing to our retirement accounts that it’s easy to ignore our budget and unleash our impulsive spending habits.
Are you ready to start laying a solid foundation for a balanced retirement? Here’s where you can start!
Discipline.
It all comes down to living within your means.
A client I used to work with is the perfect example. She didn’t make more than $30,000 a year, but because she budgeted strategically, she was able to take extravagant vacations and save up for big purchases without tapping into her savings.
Discipline is creating a doable budget and sticking to it. Here are a few ways to get your budget started:
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- Pay yourself first—Each paycheck or raise, set a little aside for your future. Start by saving a small amount to your retirement account(s) and increase your contributions over time.
- Use the envelope system—If you struggle with overspending, break down your expenses into categories. Either with real envelopes or separate savings accounts, budget a certain amount for each category and only spend what you have saved.
- Have a little fun—Build some fun into your budget. It will motivate you to keep working towards your goals and live your life with purpose.
Have A Solid Plan.
Work with a trusted fiduciary financial planner to design a road map to follow. Think about where you want to be in 3, 5, 10 or even 30 years. What do you want to have accomplished? You deserve to be successful, and working with the right professionals will help you get there.
Don’t skip leg day.
No seriously, don’t skip leg day. At the gym… Or with your finances. 😉
Don’t focus on just one aspect of your finances. If you want to be successful, there has to be a balance.
Building financial discipline is a lot like building muscle. You have to start slow. Add more reps and weight over time. You might be sore at first. As you push and stretch yourself, you will start to love the results!