There is no denying that most of us strive towards financial freedom, being rich, and finally achieving financial success.
Unfortunately, not all of us are born rich, and not all of us are lucky enough to win the lottery.
So, we end up tricking ourselves into thinking that the only way to achieve financial success is by earning more and making more money.
Yes, that’s partially true but it’s not always the case (at least for me).
For years, I worked in a stressful job that pays well but regardless of how much I was earning, I still had no savings, I was still living paycheck to paycheck and the worst part is, I was still buried in credit card debt.
I’ve realized that building wealth is not always about how much money you’re making. We may not realize it, but our daily spending habits is vital in helping us achieve financial security and success.
That’s why I’ve decided to gather the best financial tips and habits that will not only help you build wealth but will certainly help you be rich and achieve financial freedom.
Here are 5 habits that’ll help you be rich at any age…
Live below your means
I can’t even stress this enough – living below your means is a vital step in helping you get out of debt and achieve financial security.
I was working for years but I still had zero savings and I was still stuck living paycheck to paycheck and it was all because I was either living within my means or most of the time, I was even living above it.
If you’re so used to overspending and living above your means, getting your finances back on track and doing this may seem overwhelming, it’s important to start small, take baby steps, slowly work your way up and keep your focus on your financial future.
Save. Save. Save.
Saving money for the sake of just saving can be difficult and can easily be demotivating.
That’s why it’s important to always set intentions and goals for your savings.
Setting intentions and goals does not only give you a clearer vision of the things that you need to do in order to achieve those goals but it also pushes you to stick with it.
Because let’s face it, saving money just for the sake of saving is not always fun and easy, right?
And once you find that goal, always make sure to make saving a priority and not just an afterthought.
Related: 5 Habits that are Keeping you Poor without even Realizing It
Create a budget that works for you…
Regardless of how much money you are making, creating a budget is necessary for helping you effectively manage your finances.
Creating a budget does not only allow you to keep track of your money but it also helps you focus on your financial goals and do the work necessary to achieve them.
But with so many budgeting techniques, it’s so easy to get caught up with the wrong one.
After having to quit my job because of mental health reasons, I needed to do everything that I can to save money and spend as little as possible.
I tried so many budgeting techniques but most of them just didn’t work for me and my family’s needs that I just ended up sabotaging it.
Remember that in order for you to budget effectively, you must create a budget that will work for your needs.
You don’t have to follow any rules or any techniques, as long as you understand it and it works for you then you’re doing great.
Create an emergency fund…
It was so foolish of me to think that an emergency fund is not really necessary.
I thought that as long as I was paying all my bills then I’m good.
But after having to quit my job, I realized just how vital an emergency fund is.
Since I didn’t have any savings, no emergency fund, I had to rely on my credit cards for the first few months, which eventually lead me to even more debt.
We are not hoping for an emergency but just in case a large purchase pops up, having that safety net will not only prevent us from debt but it will also save us the stress and worry.
You don’t have to start big. Start with a small amount and work your way up from there.
Trust me having an emergency fund is really a lifesaver!
Related: 5 Effective Ways to Live Below your Means without Feeling Deprived
Don’t spend money you don’t have…
One of my biggest financial mistakes was constantly relying on my credit cards.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we often think that the credit limit on our cards is money that is easily available for us to spend.
I used to be big on making impulse purchases using my credit cards, maxing out all of my credit cards for things that I didn’t even need.
I thought that was okay but that behavior was the exact thing that lead me to financial ruin and so much debt.
Your small impulse purchases may seem harmless but those can easily add up and sabotage your finances — keeping you from achieving your financial goals.
Managing our finances and working our way towards wealth and financial freedom is not always easy, you might hit a few bumps along the way.
The important thing is to start small, so you don’t overwhelm yourself and keep going.
You got this!
