Today's LearnVest Daily is dedicated to all the excuses we've ever made for why our finances aren't everything we've dreamed: Our jobs just don't pay enough. Our friends are bad spending influences. We're too deep in debt to ever get out. In response to those, we bring you nine reasons you're broke . . . 1. You Put Your Entire Paycheck in Your Checking Account Of course, you should have a checking account, but depositing all your income straight to checking sets you up to overspend and sideline your savings goals. After all, the money is right there, ripe for the spending, and socking cash away for the future requires transferring it separately to your savings account. A better solution? Set up automatic deposits straight from your paycheck into your various savings accounts. It's called paying yourself first. 2. You Spend on Stupid Stuff We actually think you should spend money . . . on the things that will actually make a difference in your life. Spending on a meaningful vacation or a clothing item that will revolutionize your wardrobe? Totally worthwhile. Spending extra on things like your electricity bill or your medicine cabinet? Totally stupid.Prioritize what matters most to you then cut out the rest of the filler in your budget. You're much likelier to save if you have something to save for, especially if it's something important to you. Get some emotions on the line by thinking of specific reasons you're working so hard at your finances. Are you trying to save up for a house someday? A family? A new car? A much-needed vacation? Put everything in perspective, and give yourself something to work for, by creating a vision board, which you can fill with images and words to illustrate your ideal life. 4. You're Scared of Your Own Power Your power to grow your money, that is. Investing may sound like an intimidating thing meant only for financial gurus, but you're missing out if you're too chicken to jump in. If you invested, then 40 years could turn $1,000 into almost $22,000. Meanwhile, that same $1,000 would leave you with only a little over $2,000 after 40 years if you put it in a savings account with 2 percent interest! That's not to say you should start picking random stocks. We recommend starting out with mutual funds or exchange-traded funds to make sure you have the most balanced portfolio to fit your goals. 5. You're Paying Your Debts Wrong Even if you're responsibly paying off your debts, you could be keeping yourself down if you're paying them in the wrong order. Don't divide your payments equally among all debts, like credit card debt or your student loans. Those with the highest interest rates grow fastest, so focus on the most toxic debts first. |
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