When it comes to your financial situation, it’s important to set goals and keep tabs on your progress along the way. If you aren’t setting goals, then what are you really working towards? And, if you aren’t keeping tabs on your progress, how do you know if you will actually reach your goals? The ability to pulse check your money at the end of each month will help!
I am a firm believer in pulse checking your money and progress at the end of each month. I do month end money pulse checks myself, I help clients complete their month end money pulse checks, and this past January, I started to go live at the end of each month to share my results.
Every month, I quickly break down exactly how to pulse check your money, and share my month end money pulse check results. If you want a more in-depth overview of how to pulse check your month, watch the How to Pulse Check Your Money video. I hope this encourages you to start pulse checking your money each month. It’s a great way to pinpoint areas of opportunity, celebrate wins, and make sure you are on track to reach your goals.
Here is a quick recap on how to pulse check your money:
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Refer to your budget
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Refer to your spending
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Refer to your goals
Then, ask yourself the following questions:
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Did anything unexpected come up to throw off my budget? Should I budget for it moving forward?
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What areas did I overspend in? What areas did I under spend in?
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Did I spend more money than I made this month?
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How much did I contribute to my goals? Am I on track to reach my goal savings amount by my deadline?
Your answers will help you plan your budget better for next month! You may even realize spending patterns you didn’t know you had. This will allow you to make changes to help you save more and manage your money better.
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My Q1 2018 goal progress:
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Create a new challenge for City Girl Savings members (all created, check it out here: Get Ahead Challenge)
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Go live once a week for the quarter (I did 11 out of 12 – so I’m happy)
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Save $2500 this year for a second home ($210/month) – I was a little short, but hoping the return on investments can help
My March month end money pulse check results:
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Overspent in the “Fun” category – I had to book a hotel for my 30th birthday trip!
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I overspent in the “Food” category (again) – I had more meeting and outings than usual this month. It was sxsw in Austin, my brother’s birthday month, and I had a networking event.
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I saved $400 more than planned this month.
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Overall, I spent more than I made this month. It has been my worst spending month of 2018 (although it was expected). My win? A nice tax refund is coming my way!
Like I mentioned earlier, I hope my pulse check tutorial and results helps you to start this habit on your own! I will be going live at the end of each month on the City Girl Savings Facebook group to recap how to pulse check and sharing my results for the month. More money pulse checks are coming!
