How To Be Financially Stable: Easily Navigate Challenges

Man holding piggy bank

Do you have a goal to become more stable in your finances? Like most goals, you need to plan to develop good money habits. Financial challenges can occur at any time. With some help, you can overcome these issues and remain financially stable. Good financial habits will help increase your savings, eliminate debt, and boost your financial security. Let's look at how you can use these financial changes in your life. 

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Becoming Financially Stable

Here are a few pointers to become more financially stable, even when facing those unexpected challenges. 

Make Savings a Priority

If there is one tip to follow, always have savings. A solid emergency fund can help protect you from financial ruin. On every payday, make it the first bill that you pay. You can set up an amount to be automatically transferred from your checking to savings - almost all banks allow you to do this. You don't have to think about the transaction. Auto bills make sure it is deducted for every pay period. 

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Control Impulse Buys

"Treat yourself" might be a catchy phrase, but it is not a good idea for those who want to become financially stable. Yes, you can make a few personal purchases, but you should never go on an impulse shopping trip. Eating out and online purchases can put a drain on your finances. Those purchases could put you in financial straits if you are not careful. 

Live Frugally

For those who have never evaluated their expenses, now is the time to start. There are many tools out there to help with these tasks. You will want to determine how much money you are spending to cut out any unnecessary expenses. Take time to decide what is essential in your life. Everyone has costs that they could reduce. You might want to skip the gourmet coffee or cut back on a streaming service. It is vital to make frugal decisions with your money. 

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Invest in the Future

Many people do not think about retirement, but you should. While you can plan for retirement in the future, it can be more challenging if you wait. When you start investing in during 20s, you can see exponential growth in your investments. Check out if your company has a 401k match. With that, the company will match your contributions to a certain level. If you don't know the difference between a Roth IRA or a traditional retirement fund, take the time to start researching. It will save you from headaches later down the road. 

Family Comes First

You always want to keep your family secure. The first step is to keep a monetary fund for emergencies. If anything happens, then you have the money to cover it. Think about drafting a will and buying an insurance policy for those who have dependents or a spouse. You will also want to research other safety nets, such as renters or homeowners insurance. It is always good to keep your family and belongings protected from the unexpected. 

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Eliminate Debt

Start a debt elimination plan for personal loans, credit cards, or other debt. You will want to list your debts and arrange them from smallest to largest. Focus on those smaller debts and pay as much as you can. Even $40 more a month can help to lower your debts. Work on the next one on the list after paying off the smallest one. Take the amount of the last debt payment and add it to the next one on your list. This process is called snowballing, and it can help pay off your debts. Yes, it can take several years, but it is a necessary and rewarding process. 

Use the Envelope System

There is an easy way to keep track of your spending money - use envelopes. You might want to set aside three different envelopes for each payday - groceries, gas, and eating out. Withdraw that money on payday, and place it in the envelopes. This method allows you to use that money for those expenses. You will not overspend in any of these categories with the envelope method. If you are overspending, it is time to rethink your weekly (or monthly) budget. 

Pay Bills Immediately

One healthy financial habit is to pay your bills as soon as you receive a paper or eBill. Always set up the automatic deduction with your bank. You don't have to worry about sending a check or scheduling other payments. This process will cover your regular expenses without any work from you. Just make sure you know when the automatic payment goes out, or you could overdraw your bank accounts. 

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Read Up on Personal Finances

You never want to stop learning, especially regarding personal finances. Read the latest news and get tricks from the industry's experts. The financial world changes all of the time. Your finances will become more stable when you educate yourself.

Girl holding money

Examine Your Net Worth

Take a close look at your net worth. Increasing your savings, boosting your income, and reducing debts will help to improve your net worth. Never feel complacent with your financial situation. You can always find more ways to make money and get paid more for your work. Your net width will constantly change, and you will want to continue calculating every month. When you see those numbers rise, you will feel accomplished. 

With these tips, you can become more financially stable. Financial challenges can occur at any stage of life, and you will want to be prepared for them. Following these tips can help you sort out your money and debt so that you are not on a rollercoaster with your money. 
Do you want to make a difference on your finances? At The Impactful, we have the support and tools to help solve your problems for a better life!

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