FINANCES
4 Right Steps to Save Money
Step 1: Create a budget
Create a plan for your money so that you can intentionally save without worrying about bills.
Step 2: Lower expenses
The less money you spend every month means the more money you have to save. Cut back on unnecessary expenses like eating out, cable TV, or shopping. Find creative ways to lower your bills or pay off debt.
Step 3: Increase your income
Extra income means extra savings; work a second job, find a side-hustle, earn a promotion, adjust your paycheck withholdings, or even sell things you own.
Step 4: Create an Emergency Savings Account
One of the biggest obstacles to saving money is when a financial emergency arises that depletes all of your hard-earned savings. Emergencies happen, so the best way to fight this is to plan ahead for them. Use steps 1-3 to create a special emergency savings with at least $1,000 to cover all those unplanned emergency expenses.
5 Right Steps to Create a Budget
Step 1: Write down your total amount of take-home income
Include all sources of income for your household; such as: Job(s), side hustles, social security, unemployment, child support, alimony, etc.
Step 2: Make a list of all your expenses
List out everything that you spend money on throughout the month. The best way to do this is to review all of your receipts, bank statements, and credit card statements for the last 1-3 months to get an accurate picture of how you spend your money.
Step 3: Put these expenses into categories
Organize all of your expenses into categories to make it easier to manage. For example: Combine all of your food purchases into one food category, your utility bills can be combined into a utility category, etc. See the free budget worksheet for ideas.
Step 4: Create the plan
Use this budget worksheet to create a plan. Start by putting your total income from Step 1 at the top. Then list out the categories and their total amounts from steps 2 & 3. Then subtract the total expense from your total income. The goal is for the amount to equal $0, which means that you have a plan for every dollar, including savings!
Step 5: Commit & Track
The budget you have created is useless if you do not commit to using it and using it wisely. To do that, you must track your expenses each month to ensure that you are staying within your category limits. Nobody creates the perfect budget on the first try, so be prepared to return to step 4 and make adjustments after the first few tries.
Free Budget Worksheet
CAREER
3 Right Ways to Become a Leader Now
1. Act like a leader
A leader does not come from a title, but rather a type of person. If you want to be a leader, then act like a leader now instead of waiting until you have a “leader-title”.
2. Be an Influencer
A leader knows how to influence those around them. Make an effort to encourage the people around you to become the best versions of themselves.
3. Be Confidently Humble
Be confident in who you are and what you can do, but always maintain a humble attitude.
3 Right Ways to Stay Organized
1. Use a calendar and/or planner
Stay organized with your time and schedule by writing things down in your calendar or planner. Nothing is worse than forgetting an appointment or double-booking yourself.
2. Use your phone to set reminders
Your memory can only remember so much. Utilize technology to help you remember by setting due dates and alerts. Important: Make sure to title your reminders/alerts/alarms so you know what they are!
3. Use lists or task management apps
Keep track of things you need to do in lists or task management apps. These will allow you to stay organized with your tasks and even set due dates or keep notes on your progress.
LIFE
4 Right Ways to Manage Your Time
1. Use a calendar or planner to keep track of your time
Plan out your day/week ahead of time so that you can stay productive!
2. Limit time on social media
The less time you spend scrolling, the more time you have for other things!
3. Use a block schedule
A block schedule can help you organize your day into sections that keep you productive and allow flexibility.
4. Leave margin in your schedule
Always leave room in your schedule for unexpected things. You never know when traffic will be bad or a kid will have to stay home sick.
3 Right Steps to Declutter Your Life
Step 1: Declutter your schedule
If your schedule is packed, then you will never have time to declutter the other areas of your life. Begin with decluttering your schedule to allow time for rest and extra time to focus on the next right step. See 4 Right Ways to manage your time.
Step 2: Declutter your house
If your house is cluttered, then it can be difficult to find the energy to take control of other areas of your life. Begin with one room at a time. If you have not used an item in three years, then it is time to sell or donate it (the exception is something that has sentimental value).
Step 3: Declutter your relationships
If you feel drained from people in your life, then it might be time to limit those relationships. Sometimes it is appropriate to completely cut people out from your life; however, you can also limit the amount of time you spend with those people. This will require setting clear boundaries in the time you spend with them and the time you spend thinking about them.