There is something empowering about being a financially savvy woman. Take it from someone who has not always been on the path forward to financial freedom and someone who has lacked financial literacy.
I’ve created a short, and not all-inclusive, list of habits that I feel are essential to building the foundation to a solid financial future.
Begin with an End in Mind
Define the type of life you’d like to live. Are you someone who wants to travel multiple times per year? Do you want to live in a tiny home or a mansion?
Do designer clothes excite you or do you prefer basic threads that won’t cost you an arm and a leg?
Do you want to budget for a family someday? What do you want retirement to look like?
There’s no right answer here.
The goal is to define what your way of living will cost you so you’ll have a good idea of the type of money you’d like to earn to fuel your lifestyle.
This is very personal.
Make sure when you’re thinking about your lifestyle, you make choices that are authentic to you and not to try to impress others.
Create an “Earn” and “Budget” Plan
Now that you know what kind of life you want to live, it’s time to create a budget. Figure out what you’ll need to earn and to save and then create a plan of action to reach your money goals in a defined timeframe.
You can break this down into daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly targets.
What talents do you have that will allow you to earn money to fuel and fund your life?
What connections do you have? What connections and relationships are you willing to nurture to build a network to help you achieve your goals?
Take the time to create a budget. I don’t personally find this “fun” but it is very necessary.
This budget doesn’t have to be perfect but you do need to have a solid idea of what you’re earning, spending and saving.
The more you do this, the better you should become at it.
Try different ways of budgeting. You can break this down into a weekly or bi-weekly budget or go for a full month.
I find that a 2 week budget works best for me but you may feel differently.
Don’t beat yourself up if your budget is not perfect. This is a work in progress (especially in the beginning)!
If you miss a target, get back on track as soon as possible and don’t beat yourself up about it.
The idea is progress, not perfection!
Learn When and How to Say “No”
For some of you this will be easy and for others it will be more challenging. Either way, this is a very important skill to master.
Of course you’ll want to celebrate with friends and family and splurge here and there. Be sure that you set a budget aside for these types of things.
But essentially, learn to speak up and to say “no” when a plan doesn’t fit within your plan.
Personally, I can relate to not saying no because friends and family expected me to show up and to participate despite my money being a little “funny” at times.
It is NOT ok to use a credit card for a situation you can’t otherwise afford just to show up and support something when you really can’t afford to do so.
Use your voice and politely say “not this time”.
I promise, the world won’t stop and you’ll feel better in the end.
Be disciplined and focused on the financial goals you’ve set for yourself.
It’s ok to share why and it’s also ok not to. It’s your choice.
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Work Smarter not Harder
Use your talents and skills to create passive income.
Whether you’re consulting, creating digital content or leading others, figure out ways to leverage your time and skills to earn passive income.
There are many ways to create passive income during this day and age.
What do your friends and family think you’re good at and constantly coming to you to solve for them? Are you good with styling or art? Are you funny and creative?
There are many different ways to earn money via ad revenue, blogs, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok etc where you can use your talents and expertise to teach and help others and also earn income.
Don’t limit yourself. The sky is truly the limit!
Live Below Your Means
This is an oldie but a goodie!
Living below your means is not only practical but it’s smart and a commonsense approach to not overspending and ties directly into budgeting.
Some of the worst things you can do is rely on credit cards and payday loans to help you get by.
I understand that everyone financial situation is different and there’s a huge wealth gap in America for sure. The idea is to make sure you’re making reasonable adjustments and working towards your bigger financial goals one dollar at a time.
Think about why you’re making certain purchases. Is it because you truly need the item or do you just want it? If you want it, can you afford it without putting it on a credit card or sacrificing your retirement or taking away from your savings goals?
Take the necessary time to consider your purchases before jumping in wallet-first!
Final Thoughts about Financially Savvy Thinking
In conclusion, this short list is by no means a comprehensive list of how to become a financially savvy woman but it is a good start.
What are some of the ways you’ve been able to stay on track with your financial goals? I’d love to hear from you!
Love these tips and tricks!! Will definitely use!
I’m happy you like the suggestions!