Our spending can spiral out of control, we need to identify the causes of financial problems.
Be that something we payout for each week or month. Or finding yourself in unforeseen circ*mstances with little or no protection. These are the things that cost us.
This is why you need to tackle these finance draining situations head-on and be prepared.
Be that creating new habits and routines, or adding further protection.
This is why I thought I would explore some of them today and let you in on some of the ways you can be prepared or save money.
Avoid the following Causes of Financial Problems
financial distress after a home burglary
While a burglary can never be predicted. You can do things to prevent financial Problems on you.
The first thing would be to consider your security in your home. This might mean looking at a new alarm system or making sure all windows and doors have strong locks on them. But there are other things you can do that protect your assets.
There are insurance policies in place that you can have to help cover costs if anything is stolen or damaged.
This is when knowing the valuations and also keeping receipts for purchases can come in handy.
It might also be a good idea to increase your home security, and look at enlisting the help of CCTV installers to add cameras and new systems.
Burglaries don’t always just hit you hard on your finances but can affect your emotions as well. So do all you can to prevent them in the future.
Keeping interest costs low on debt
While no one intends to get into debt. It can happen.
This is why it’s worth looking into ways you can keep the overall cost down. This means you pay more off your outstanding balance than you do in interest.
A great way to do this is to look into comparison websites and check out what is offering interest-free deals.
This means you can get yourself out of debt quicker than you would leave the debt where it is.
Getting the best deals on your household bills
Many of us can get into the habit of letting our bills leave our bank accounts each month. But this is where many households are missing a trick.
You are in effect washing money down the drain. Like anything in life, deals can be made and are there to be taken.
This is why it’s good practice to compare your current suppliers to competitors to make sure you are getting the best deal.
If you aren’t getting the best deal, change over and make that saving.
Cutting your food shopping bill down
Finally, our shopping bill each week for food can spiral out of control.
If you don’t prepare, then you may as well accept that you will waste money and food each week.
This is where planning your meals and arming yourself with a list can save you money on your weekly spending.
All you need to do is invest a little time and plan ahead. You may also want to consider changing where you shop.
There are many supermarkets offering cheaper alternatives for the same products.
Three Ways to Change Your Lifestyle And Save Money
Many of us are striving to change our lifestyles and to feel healthier and better. But often this is associated with spending more money and not saving it, am I right?
You assume you have to buy organic or fresh ingredients with the perception this is more expensive.
You might think that being fit requires an expensive gym membership to help you get there.
The truth is, there are lifestyle changes we can make that can actually improve our lives and enable us to save money rather than spend more of it.
I wanted to share with you just three of the ways you could do it, but there are so many more to try. Once you start you may find you are making further changes.
Getting a pet dog
A dog is a commitment, I understand that, and it can certainly mean that there is some form of the cost involved such as dog food and essentials they may need like a dog collar and lead but actually there are further savings along the way that far outweigh the initial costs.
A dog will require you to perhaps not be out as much, but it will also encourage you to get outside with your dog and walk.
Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and eliminates your need for an expensive gym membership and gives you that saving straight away.
Your quality of life changes, especially if you live on your own as instead of needing to be sociable for the company, you have the company at home from your pet.
This could also be a saving that could be made.
Meal planning
Planning meals may be an obvious one when it comes to saving money.
After all, if you are armed with a list when you head to the grocery store you are bound to save money. But meal planning can also help you to be healthier and make healthier choices in terms of the food that we eat.
The perception is that healthy food is expensive, and fresh ingredients come with a price tag, but only buying what you need may mean you spend less than you would on the convenience food you may normally choose.
Cooking from scratch may seem like a chore, but it is far healthier than buying convenience and ready-made food, and it could certainly help to improve your bank balance and your waistline.
Ditch a bad habit
all of us have bad habits that could be one of the causes of financial problems in our lives. Some big, some small, but could ditching one of them save you money and improve your lifestyle?
The answer is a possible yes.
Try ditching one of your bad habits and tally up the savings you might be making.
I hope that this has encouraged you to change your lifestyle in small ways to see big differences in your wallet as well.
Give God Your First Fruits
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; (Proverbs 3:9)
It doesn’t matter how well we manage our money or how much money we have, we must give to God our first fruits.
Many people try to avoid this because they think their finances might be mishandled by the “church”. You cannot put your focus on the actions of man.
You have to trust God that if you honor Him with your money, with the right intentions, He will take care of you.
There is a saying we handle God’s business, He will handle ours. This is so true and I can testify to this.
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:10)
If you are not currently tithing, I encourage you to start with a small amount and watch God work.
