4 Personal Finance Habits of the Financially Healthy

Everyone wants to be physically healthy over the course of their lives, but what about being financially healthy?  The definition of being financially healthy may look different for everyone, but there are some habits that you can adopt that will help anyone get back in financial shape.

Setting Goals

Most people who are financially healthy have an ultimate financial dream.  This could be anything from being debt free or having a certain amount in savings to being able to retire early.  When you have a goal set, it helps propel you to carry out the tasks necessary to reach that goal. Most successful people set goals for themselves regularly.  It’s important to write your goals down and display them in a place that you frequent. That way, you will be able to daily see the goals you have set for yourself.  It’s also a good idea to review your goals yearly to see where you are at in completing it, or to change the goal if it isn’t relevant anymore.

Avoiding Debt

Another habit of a financially healthy person is that they actively avoid debt.  This means, in a lot of cases, that person has to develop self-discipline and patience.  If they see something they want to buy that they can’t afford, they have the patience to wait it out until they have enough money that they don’t have to finance it, or until the price comes down to where they can afford it.  The simple truth is, you can’t be financially healthy if you are riddled with debt. So if that is your situation, the first step to financial health is to learn to stop the debt cycle once and for all.

Budgeting

If you are financially healthy, you more than likely have a budget of some sort.  Some people have incredibly detailed budgets and others are very simple, but whatever the method, they accomplish the same task.  They help you see how much money you have and where it is going each month. Budgets will help you avoid debt and save money. They will be the plan of action for all of your spending.  If you can get into the habit of regularly planning out a budget and sticking to it, you will be setting yourself up for financial success.

Saving

Saving money is very important for your financial health.  When you have money in savings, you don’t have to worry about some unexpected expense popping up and breaking your bank account.  You have it covered! Savings also helps you achieve the big purchases you want to make over the course of your life without having to go into debt.  You can help send your kids to college and live well when you retire if you can get into the habit of regularly saving some of your paycheck every week.  Some people even set it up as an automatic draft out of their paycheck so they don’t have think about it–making it the easiest habit of all. Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you are putting some money back for a rainy day.  

As you can see, these habits are very basic.  They are actions you probably hear about all of the time.  If you can develop these habits and put them into your everyday life, you will be financially fit.

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