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With the ever-increasing cost of living, it's natural to feel overwhelmed by the financial challenges we face. And so when it comes to managing our finances, it’s all too easy to focus on where we’re going wrong instead of taking time to appreciate all the things we're doing right.
That’s why, in this week’s blog, we want to focus on the positives & celebrate the overlooked signs that show you’re actually getting better with money and are on the right track to improving your financial situation.
Here are FIVE signs your financial skills are improving day by day:
1) Impulse Spending is a Thing of the Past
One of the best tell-tale signs that your financial habits are improving is whether your spending habits have changed for the better. For example, maybe you used to spend impulsively on a frequent basis. But now, after taking the time to identify your spending triggers, you've been able to curb this bad habit and impulsive spending is a thing of the past.
Whilst it's not realistic to cut out all impulsive spending forever, if you now at least think twice before purchasing something and wait either 24 hours, one week, or one month before buying that thing you think you need, you're on the right track!
Still struggling with impulse spending? Check out our blog post here on how to avoid it.
2) You're Adding to Your Savings Regularly
Did you know that 1 in 10 Brits (9%) currently have no savings at all? 😱
Having something in your savings (whether it's a bank account or jar of spare change) - no matter how small - is definitely something you deserve to give yourself some credit for. If by the end of the month, you have money left over, and you're adding that spare money directly to your savings pot or investments, you're displaying financial responsibility in the best way. Even better if you send this money directly to your savings on payday!
3) Paying Off Debt is Your Priority
If you currently have debts and are making a concerted effort to pay them off (or at the very least have sought out a plan or advice to pay them off) you're prioritising the most important goal in your financial journey and that in itself should be applauded.
It's easy to ignore problem debt and let it build into a bigger problem, but by taking action and facing the monster, you're showing great levels of financial maturity.
Need help implementing a debt payoff method that works for you? Check out this handy guide on the Debt Avalanche vs Debt Snowball method.
4) You're Still Learning
If you're making an effort to learn how to increase your wealth, improve your money management, or maybe even how to start investing - you're on the right path and your future self (and wallet!) will thank you.
The very act of wanting to improve your financial situation, in itself, is something to be proud of, and if your awareness of your financial habits and knowledge of financial literacy is continuously building, your money habits will no doubt improve too.
5) Your Mindset Around Budgets is Changing
When you first embarked on your journey to improve your financial habits, you may have believed that having a budget was either difficult, restrictive, or pointless.
Now, however, you're realising that a budget doesn't need to be restrictive and you no longer beat yourself up over setbacks you make along the way. A regretful purchase or minor mishap doesn't keep you down, and you use these opportunities as learning experiences to improve. You continuously make an effort to analyse your spending from the previous month, for example, and amend your budget accordingly to do better next time.
Want to learn how to improve your money mindset? Check out our other posts on all things money and mental health.
What's another sign that you're gradually getting better at managing your money? We'd love to hear your thoughts, so join the conversation with us over on the @ImageNPay Instagram and follow us for more!
Give yourself the tools to learn good money habits with the help of ImageNPay - the digital prepaid card app.
With an allowance you choose, you can top up your card with the peace of mind that you will NEVER go over budget!
Tap the button below to find out more & download ImageNPay on App Store or Google Play for FREE today! 👇
