NO get rich quick schemes, not even multi-level marketing but things you can change and/or do now to help make a better future.

1)     Consistency- From tithing to budgeting; be consistent.  Too often our budget and financial situation is like one’s dieting sporadic and all over the place.

2)    Balance your Budget – Not the same way Congress balances a budget, but find balance in your budget.  Example: restricting yourself from too much all the time will only make you binge on spending at some point when you break your budget.  Save at yourpace, spend on your level and splurge when you can.  Find a balance and stick to it.

3)    SAVE – You cannot afford to skip this step.  If you make a dollar save a dime at bare minimum.  Operating without any savings is a huge mistake.  Set a system for saving like taking $50 per check; keep the system in tact even if you have to borrow it from time to time.  Never stop saving in it lies a discipline and the building of a thought pattern that will help you break the cycle of spending all you earn.

4)    Track Your Spending – I have mentioned this one often and will continue to do so.  Most individuals cannot put a dollar amount on what it cost them to live.  Some provide unreasonable amounts either extremely high or low that aren’t true but rather guesstimates.  That doesn’t help or impress.  However to actually track your expenses and evaluate them once a month, minimum will help you keep on track to reach financial goals and to end decisions you may make that aren’t profitable.

5)    Re-evaluate Your Position – No need to track spending and not evaluate it.  See where you are spending and when you are spending.  I have said it before and will say it again, money comes with a spirit.  Most times a spirit of urgency to spend and that doesn’t leave until it is all gone.   Then and only then clarity arrives.  So see what you are doing wrong as to correct it and not continue into a destructive financial pattern.  FYI:  SAYING I WILL DO BETTER ISN’T A REAL PLAN OR EVALUATION

6)  Strategize – No plan can work effectively without strategy.  Plan on things going wrong.  Sometimes situations arise just to see how committed one is to the plan.  Budgets in the beginning stages will always be broken or at least it will appear that way; the key is not to break with the budget.  Just because a plan takes a while to be effective doesn’t mean it isn’t a good plan.   Plans, structure is always important and never forget that.  So strategize on how to budget and then how to get back on track if the budget is broken.

7)    FOCUS – Applying discipline at any time in any area is difficult.  Self-discipline is even more difficult.  Remind yourself why you have a budget, what you seek to accomplish.  In other words write the vision, make it plain and keep it somewhere that you can see it.  This will help one to remain on track and resist the urge to do things or make purchases spontaneously and/or without thought.