At what point are you finally going to prioritize changing your money situation? When will you decide to stop doing the things that hurt your financial situation? For about 99% of us, there is no winning lottery ticket. There is no Prince Charming sugar daddy. There is no $200,000 salary around the corner. Instead of wishing and hoping for outside sources to help us improve financially, we have to prioritize managing money better ourselves.
I hope I didn’t kill your dreams! While I wish you all the lucky success in the world, I do believe we have to put ourselves in a position to succeed. Do good and good comes. Sitting around waiting, while doing nothing in the meantime, is a recipe for disaster. The time is now. Not sure where to start? I’m sharing how you can prioritize managing money better right now, so you can start seeing the results you deserve.
How to Prioritize Managing Money Better Right Now
It’s more than just money (you’re prioritizing your dream life)
I think it’s so important to recognize that when you prioritize managing your money, you’re prioritizing your dream life. You’re focusing on what’s important now, so that you can reach your goals and desires in the future. Managing money isn’t something you do just to do. You do it so that you can make progress towards the end goal.
If you’ve never taken the time to think about what you want your life to look like, I want you to dedicate 30 minutes to brainstorming. Picture yourself in a mansion. Picture yourself working on a laptop in front of the ocean. Picture yourself staring at smiling kiddos! What things bring you the most joy? Your dream life should include those things.
Once you know what your dream life looks like or includes, you can start working towards it. If you know you want to own a home, you can create a budget that allows you to save for a down payment. The key is to know what you want, that will make managing money a priority naturally.
Schedule time to focus on your money
For me, if something’s not on my calendar, it’s not happening! The only exception is once something becomes a normal habit and routine. For example, on the last day of every month, I take the time to complete a month end money review. I look at my budget and spending for the month and then create my budget for the next month. At first, I had to remind myself to do this. Now, it’s second nature.
If you want to prioritize managing money better, you must build habits and routines to help you do so! Some common money management routines to implement include:
- Tracking your spending (daily or weekly)
- Creating a budget at the start of the month
- Checking in on your accounts every morning
- Setting money goals
These are just a few examples to get you started. Once you’ve determined your money management routines, get them on the calendar! Schedule reminders in your phone. You’ll need that constant reminder until the routines become a normal habit.
Work with a coach or get an accountability partner
Sometimes, putting your time and money up is the best way to make sure something happens. If you’re at a point where you can’t seem to prioritize managing money on your own, invest in a coach or recruit an accountability partner to hold you to your word.
My financial focus coaching program is a 12-week, one-on-one program that starts with creating a budget, introducing clients to my spending tracker, then meeting weekly to ensure the client is sticking to the budget. For 12 weeks straight, my clients are tracking their spending, looking at their money, handling budget wins and setbacks and ultimately learning what it takes to do it on their own.
This can be a great resource for building the priority of money management into your life long-term.
Align money goals to your values
Remember that dream life you thought out in detail? It’s time to act on it! If you want to prioritize managing your money better, you must align your current money goals to that dream life. Each goal that you set and accomplish should be getting you closer to that ideal world. This is how you guarantee you reach that life you desire.
As you set money goals or things you want to happen, ask yourself if they align with the end vision of your life. For example, if your dream life consists of being debt free, then setting a goal to obtain a Peloton on credit is not in alignment. Instead, set a goal to save for your Peloton and purchase it in cash.
Let go of the excuses
I’m going to deliver some harsh words: Stop blaming outside influences on your current situation. Take ownership and learn the skills you need to manage your money right. Most of us, myself included, didn’t learn finance from school or our parents. That didn’t stop me from figuring it out! That didn’t stop my clients from investing in me to learn what it takes.
To make money management a priority, you have to let go of the excuses that kept you weighed down to begin with. No more blaming someone or something else. No more saying “well I don’t know how to budget”. Decide to take ownership and move in the direction of learning what it takes to manage your money.
Aren’t you worth it?
My final piece of advice is this: you are worth learning how to budget. Your dream life is worth sacrificing right now. Your end goal is worth working towards. I need you to understand that those things are worth it. When you know it’s worth it, you will put in the work. You will learn how to act. You will implement what you’ve learned. Now, go forth and conquer!
Related: 7 Hacks to Manage Your Money Better
At the end of the day, the ownership of our own situation lies in our own hands! We have to take steps forward. We have to spark change. No one else is going to do it for us – nor should they have to! I hope I’ve convinced you to prioritize your finances and get started on your money management journey. The tips above will help you get started…and trust me, the journey is worth it!
What do you do to prioritize improving your money situation? Share your tips or questions in the comments section below!
