3 Tips to Help You Design A Better Financial Future

Designing change or, put another way, designing your life is a big undertaking.  Cool concept and one that always comes up as we enter a new year.  People have made their resolution, which is great, but the real test is in the implementation.

I read a statistic recently that 47% of Americans are vowing to make changes to improve their financial situation.  Almost half – not bad, but I bet more than 47% should be considering making some changes this year.  None the less, for the people looking to do something different this year, read my three best tips to make the most of 2012, as you move to change your financial circumstances.

1.  Get Your Head On Straight

Changing your financial circumstances takes a certain mindset. For those of us who have overspent and overcharged, failed to save or invest, or don’t know where our money goes, rebooting our brain takes patience and a certain degree of kindness towards oneself.  To think you can suddenly, with little forethought, go from overspending to not spending at all is ludicrous.

Changing your mindset takes a certain realization that you have a problem and a problem that you find worth investing time, resources and energy into changing. Without this realization, you won’t get very far in your goal to change your circumstances.  It’s no different than the dieter who comes to understand that their overeating is destructive.

Ignoring your financial situation is just as destructive and needs to be addressed.  Before you attempt to revamp your finances, make sure your mindset is supporting you towards your goal of financial freedom.

2.  Track Your Spending

The majority of my clients who are struggling with debt can’t tell me where their money goes each month.  The money comes in and it goes out with little knowledge of what they are buying or bills they are paying.  If this sounds like you, then I encourage you to start tracking your spending.  You can get a copy of the exact same tracking form I use, by clicking here.

Tracking your spending is such a crucial and necessary step to designing financial change.  Tracking your spending will allow you to see where you can make changes in your spending habits.  Without this knowledge, it will be difficult to make much progress.

For example, if you want to save for a house and at the end of the month you have no money available to put into savings, then the plan fails.  If, on the other hand, you scrutinize your spending habits, you can readily see areas where you can cut back to fund the house you dream of owning some day.

3.  Vow To Get Out of Debt

I hate to tell you, but if you have debt, changing your financial circumstances will be difficult until you get rid of your debt.

Debt is like an anchor weighing you down and keeping you in the same spot.  Get rid of the debt, the anchor goes away and you can now move towards a new financial situation, one that you have created and designed according to your values, needs and wants.

Changing your financial situation doesn’t have to be difficult, if you follow my three strategies.  Start moving towards a newly designed money situation in 2012 – you won’t regret it.

Maureen Campaiola

Maureen Campaiola is a recovering over-spender, over-charger, and someone who was once teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Maureen faced her money fears head on busting through her money drama and now enjoys the freedom that only true money recovery can bring. Maureen understands the stumbling blocks, mindset problems, and self sabotaging behaviors many women engage in that prevent them from making AND keeping the kind of money they want. What she has come to realize is just how your money story has a direct impact on your ability to make and keep the kind of money you want each and every year. She changed her money story, and as a Certified Money Breakthrough Coach, she’s here to help you change yours!

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