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8 Never NEED the next paycheck

Read one book every month or listen to a weekly podcast that covers personal finance.

The more you learn about finance, the better you can do financially.

Expose yourself to unfamiliar topics, uncomfortable theories, and odd investment methods.

Cipher through diverse information so you can decide which path will work best for your finances and you can create new ones.

2. Downsize your lifestyle – temporarily or permanently

Once you get a taste of the downsized lifestyle, your eyes, mind, and bank accounts explode.

It feels good to save significant money by simply downgrading your lifestyle.

You also learn that you don’t need much in life except a few things.

3. Get a mentor

This mentor doesn’t have to be an in-person mentor; it can be an author, coach, podcaster, or vlogger that is an expert on personal finance.

If you want to change your financial habits, you need to surround yourself with new people, fresh ideas, and new knowledge that challenges your existing knowledge.

4. Stop buying dumb stuff

What classifies as dumb stuff is purchases you can’t afford and don’t need.

Ferociously question your purchases.

Before I impulse buy, I think to myself, “I didn’t even know this existed until I saw it. Do I genuinely want or need it? Will it add happiness to my life or more clutter?”

Often our purchases are frivolous ad unworthy of using our money on; learn to say “no.”

5. Implement boundaries

Learn how to say “no” to family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and people asking for donations if it doesn’t fit into your budget.

Because of guilt and pressure, people give way more than they should.

Just say “no.” If they get offended, who tf cares?

6. Only buy what you need at the grocery store

Americans have this nasty habit of wasting food.

We will buy too many groceries, or we will buy groceries and eat out the rest of the week and waste all the food we just bought.

Only buy the food you need. If it helps, buy small portions of food at once.

It might require making more grocery trips, but at least you can start learning how much you should buy on your grocery trips.

7. Start budgeting

How will you know where it’s going if you’re not tracking your money?

Track your money, or it will disappear.

Use an app, a spreadsheet, or something that works for you.

8. Never NEED the next paycheck

Always be months to years of paychecks away from needing the next one, so you’re never financially desperate.

Most people live above their means, don’t have emergency funds, and use credit cards and personal loans to fund their lives.

Do the opposite and save yourself years of financial slavery, anxiety, and unnecessary mental, physical, and emotional stress.

9. Think positively about money

People who think positively about money tend to have more of it.

People who stress about money tend to have less of it.

Focus on abundance, creating new income streams, consistently investing, and learning about money, and you will attract more financial resources into your life.

10. Don’t repeat the past

If you’ve sucked with money in the past, do the opposite.

If you tend to avoid saving, start saving.

If you tend to avoid investing, start investing.

If you tend to avoid learning about personal finance, start learning.

If you tend to live paycheck to paycheck, start needing every third paycheck.

It’s all about the minor tweaks to conjure significant tangible results.

This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.