Are you not quite making it paycheck-to-paycheck? If the only thing in your pockets is lint and the late fees are piling up, you must change your habits. Study up on these 11 ways to change your finances if you’re barely scraping by.
If you have financial anxiety, this may not be what you want to hear. It’s what everyone will tell you, however. You need to see where your money is going.
Part of making a budget will be to look at your checking account and see what you spent your money on. If you haven’t been budgeting, you may be surprised you’ve spent quite a bit on fast food or other treats.
Once you know what bills you must pay, you should take note of the due dates and try your best to pay them on time. If you don’t want to fall behind on payments, you should pay your rent, utilities, and other important bills first.
Once you have a budget, you can look for ways to save money and start living cheaply. For example, cutting back could mean canceling subscriptions, going out less, or finding ways to save on food.
An emergency fund is crucial to help you pay for things coming out of the blue. Even if you can only save a small amount each month, getting started on an emergency fund is important.