Financial discipline is a huge problem. Societal, personal and family pressures have made financial discipline something that people find hard to grasp. The problem is not a lack of money, but how disciplined you are at effectively managing your money.
Discipline is the key to financial freedom. Staying disciplined to your finance accompanies happiness, is an escape route from debt, and it is personally fulfilling. Your willingness to change your extravagant lifestyle or break free from financial bondage is the first step to attaining financial discipline.
This article features practical ways you can stay disciplined with your money and stay free from financial pressure.
Stop living on credit
You cannot be living on credit whist you still have outstanding debt or live a debt free life. Using your credit card should be a last resort and its best to keep it somewhere safe, locked away.
Just because you can’t afford something right now does not mean you won’t be able to buy it later. Living on credit is usually born out greed and a lack of self control.
Make a budget
Your budget should cover your incoming cash and your expenses for the month. With your budget, expenditure can never be greater than your income, as long as you show some self control. But remember, your budget must be realistic and practical. Budgeting creates room for saving which will help you meet your financial obligations.
If your budget is rightly followed, you can begin to plan your financial future, meet other financial goals, and can even invest for retirement for which will help you safeguard your future.
Use the envelope system
Your budget may have been drafted on paper. Distribute your cash for expenses into envelopes and label them. This will really help in becoming economical with your finance. It is important that you do not refill the envelopes until the next pay check. Once you run out of cash in an envelope, you have met your budget for that pay period and are unable to spend any more in that category until the next pay period.
If you are only paying for things using cash, and you run out of cash, you cannot possibly overspend!
Try again
It may not happen straight away and you may start feeling frustrated, but failing is okay; so long you are not ready to give up. Perseverance is the key to getting it right. Financial discipline is not automatic, but it is possible. It only requires your readiness to make a change and persistence Gradually you will attain financial freedom!