Kaylie: Helpful Habit!

Editor's note: We challenged all of our finalists to "Write a post about a good financial habit or tip that could help others."

Typically, the term ‘habit’ makes you think of bad things, right?  Biting your nails, picking your nose, texting while driving—oh wait, that last one has been officially upgraded from habit to illegal.  Nonetheless, I’d like to bring to your attention something that is a good habit to get into!  Even better, it’s a great financial habit that can help you heaps!

Everyone ready? Can I get a drum roll?
Puhththththhththtt (drum roll sound)…

--- KEEP A LIST OF ALL YOUR PURCHASES ---

Lunches, Clothes, Coffee, Gas… write it all down!

It’s as simple as that!  Keep a pad of paper in your car, desk or nightstand and write down the things you spend your money on each day!  It may seem like a small or tedious act but doing so will allow you to easily see where your money is going and will jump-start your budgeting skills!  It also forces you to admit—in writing—when you drop 100 big ones on a Bench sweatshirt or tenbucks at Starbucks!

It’s also handy to keep your receipts because at the end of a week, you may take a look at your lists and realize that you spent way too much and want to return a few things you don’t actually need.  

Believe it or not, this is actually a major step in proper budgeting as well!  Your list transforms to a chart, you start setting weekly/monthly spending limits and BAM—before you know it, you’re a mean, green, money-saving machine!

Imagine how nice it would be to look at your statements at the end of each month and NOT think to yourself, “Where the heck did all my money go?!”  Try this easy tip of mine and you’re on your way!

Kaylie