In a prior post we discussed a recent report that says the majority of Americans do not have a safe amount of money in savings. There could be various reasons for having little in savings, but one theory is that so many of us do not have or do not stick to healthy saving habits.
USA Today provides a few pieces of advice that could help better pad your savings account and, therefore, potentially avoid the risk of having to dig too deep into debt:
Be glued to your phone for good reason
If you are like most, you probably rely on your phone for many things. Start to rely on it for a money-saving purpose. There are various app options out there that can help you create and stick to a realistic budget.
Have financially-fit friends
This doesn’t mean to only have friends who are rich. This means try to be with people who do not tempt you to violate your budget or indulge in unhealthy spending habits. It is similar to those who might be trying to stay sober: stay away from those who routinely trigger you to break your healthy habit.
Get your hands on some cash
How often do you actually pull cash out of your wallet to pay for something? It is a technological world we live in. Our reliance on mere digits, words, even relationships we see on a screen can delude us.
Spending money by hitting a “checkout” button online is so easy. And we feel little in terms of spending. Try having the money you have budgeted for certain items in your wallet. Hand it over to a cashier when you buy that coffee. Your spending will feel realer when you actually see your wallet becoming emptier.
This advice can help people create a safety zone of money in savings. However, as bankruptcy lawyers we know that if most people could prevent having to file for bankruptcy, they would. Even those who apply all of the best financial planning to their lives can land in a situation that is beyond their control.
If you feel that is where you are, we know you are worried and scared. Talk to a lawyer about bankruptcy or other possible debt relief options and start to try to ease the paralyzing anxiety with which you’ve been living.
