Are you bad with money?  It’s okay. No judgment here, we are all bad at something and honestly, many people are bad with money so you are not alone.  It’s hard, I get it. I have had my fair share of time being bad with money. I’m still not great, but I’m getting there.

I was raised by a single mom who was terrible with money.  No judgment on her, she was raised the same way and simply had no idea how to manage it or why she should even try.  I had no positive role model in my life that could show me the right way to deal with finances so it has been a tricky road to navigate, but to better my family, I am determined to weather that storm and come out of it stronger.

Here are some simple tips that I have learned to follow to be better with money:

1. Use cash instead of credit.  Credit cards can be beneficial, yes, but more often than not, it is smarter to use cash to pay for your items than credit.  You don’t want spend all of your money on interest charges, do you?
2. Set and follow a budget.  A budget is single-handedly the most important tool for a healthy financial life.
3. Set calendar alerts.  Be sure to set calendar alerts to pay your bills on time.  When life gets busy, it can be easy to forget to send payments so it’s important to remind yourself.
4. Learn to wait.  Instant gratification can be a big problem for those with spending problems.  Before you buy something, convince yourself to wait it out to see if you really need to have the item.
5. Meal prep.  For many people who are bad with money, food is a big expense.  It is very easy to blow your budget by going out to eat or not preparing your food budget properly.