GOOD MONEY HABITS

Why is money one of the most uncomfortable topics to discuss? You will never find people in a large crowd discussing their incomes, spending habits, debts or even openly talk about their savings. Regardless of our cultural differences, one thing we seem to have in common is to never talk about what our finances look like.

Just like religion or even politics, money is a subject that we almost cannot agree upon. When this “money” topic comes up, some get into an endless argument, others have simply decided to never talk about this topic and others would want to hear and learn but are afraid this could lead to them having to disclose their not-so-good financial habits. We always have different opinions, different attitudes, different priorities and that is okay. But it can be tempting to stick to your own opinions and lose the chance of learning from others. However, talking about money is very fundamental for change. The more comfortable you become at talking about these topics, the more opportunity to learn. By talking I mean an open discussion, genuine and aiming for change not complaining about your situation. Making good financial decisions is not something that will happen to you magically. You have to take the initiative to intentionally learn and this will require that you dedicate your time on this. This can be quite challenging in the beginning because when you decide to dedicate yourself to financial literacy, then this means that you are stepping foot into the uncomfortable zone; unlearning your financial habits and behaviors and learning new, good money habits.

Today let’s just talk about 1 thing that could help you on this journey.

1. You need support.

We have heard this uncountable times but surely, this applies everywhere. When you decide to change your money habits, you need support. When you have friends who have careless attitudes towards money, you will definitely encourage each other in the wrong direction. Yes, you might be the kind who is very decisive, but the truth is; all of us at some point feel unmotivated, therefore we need help with resisting the temptation to buy that designer shoe, buy the latest gadget, etc. The idea of a “money buddy” is great. If you want to make considerable changes like sticking to your budget, paying off a mortgage, credit card, car loan and any other bills, you need support. Someone to share your financial goals, someone who will help you, well, not necessarily help you but you two or three or a group encourage each other along the way and help each other build and maintain good money habits. The path will not always be easy, some days will be tougher and other days will be smooth. You need this support.

Your friends might not be on the same page as you moneywise but be sure someone out there is on the same page as you, start networking, find people around who share this goal and who will go through this with you. You are certainly not alone on this. Remember, your “money buddy” doesn’t have to necessarily know the details of your salary or income or savings, this can start off simply as a shared list of goals or things you would like to achieve so that you can hold each other accountable. You will thank your future self for making this decision.