22 January 2024
Margo Lestz
Head of Communications
Are there any dark corners of your financial house that you haven’t ventured into for a while? If there are, don’t worry, we’re here to help with our tips for a financial spring clean.
Step 1: Get Organised
Organise all your financial clutter. Gather all your financial documents (bills, receipts, bank statements, credit card statements, etc.) together in one place so they are easy to locate. You can organise them in a folder on your computer, in an app, or in a physical folder – whatever you are comfortable with. The main thing is to have them together and easily accessible.
There are only two ways to have more available funds: decrease your expenses or increase your income. Both these options can seem overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin. But don’t worry, we’ll give you some easy tips to help you on your way.
Step 2: Decrease Expenses
First let’s look at how you can decrease your expenses. By having a good look through the documents that you’ve just gathered, you can get a picture of your spending habits. You can use Genistar’s Fat Finder form to locate the excess ‘fat’ that can be cut out of your spending. This form lets you enter all your income and expenses in an easy to see format.
Be sure to revisit your budget on a regular basis. As your circumstances change, you may need to make adjustments.
Tips:
Look at each expense and ask yourself whether you can reduce it or even get rid of it.Are there any subscriptions or memberships that you no longer need or use but have forgotten to cancel?
Try keeping track of everything you spend for one month. This will make you more aware of your spending, and you may spot ways to save.
Small expenses add up: coffees, lunches, movies, etc. Enjoy life, but make sure the necessities are provided for first.
When you see something you want to buy, give yourself some ‘cooling off’ time. Leave it for a day or two, and you might discover you don’t really want it after all.
Reducing your energy usage is another way to save money. With rising energy rates, everyone needs to make an effort. Genistar offers a free course aimed at families and helping children get involved in saving energy. Go to Genistar.courses.
Check to see that you are not paying too much for your mortgage or insurances. If your rates seem too high, talk to your Genistar rep. They should be able to help you by referring you to our product experts.
Step 3: Earn Extra Income
One simple way to tidy up the house and make a bit of extra cash at the same time is to sell unneeded or unwanted items. You can do this through eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or a local car boot sale.
If you want to earn extra income on a regular basis, you might want to look at getting a part-time job or changing your career. At Genistar, we offer the opportunity to start your own business on a part-time basis. A major benefit of working with Genistar is that you learn while you earn. You will learn how money works and discover many principles that could change your financial future.
Tip:
Whatever extra money you earn, you can put toward building up your emergency fund. You’ll be glad you did the next time the car needs a repair, the boiler goes out, or some other unexpected expense crops up.
Step 4: Set Up an Emergency Fund
Having a fund to handle life’s little emergencies, is very important. Unexpected things such as car breakdowns, home repairs, or even job loss can throw our finances out of balance and sometimes send us into debt.
You need to have a cushion, so these things won’t throw your finances into a tailspin. You can start by saving a small amount on a monthly basis. As long as you are consistent, your savings will grow. As you see your money accumulating, it will give you comfort, peace of mind, and a feeling of accomplishment.
Tips:
You might not think you have anything to save, but after looking at your expenses, you will probably find some expenses you can cut, and this money can go into your savings.
You can start small, but your goal should be to build this fund up to an amount equal to 3-6 months’ worth of expenses.
Make it easy by automating your savings. Set up a standing order to automatically transfer money into a savings account each month. It will be one less thing to think about and you won’t need to worry about forgetting it.
Step 5: Get Out of Debt
It’s easy to let your debt get out of control and feel overwhelmed. But with a bit of knowledge and a plan, you can conquer it. We have a service to show you the fastest way to accelerate your debt. Ask your Genistar rep about the free Financial Game Plan Debt Accelerator.
Step 6: Keep a Positive Mindset
Keeping a positive mental attitude toward your finances is so important. Remember that other people have come this way before and conquered their financial challenges. You can do it too.
You might like to have a look at:
A Winning Mindset course (this course is accessed through genistar.courses. You will need to register on the site and enrol in a membership to access this free course.)
Free e-book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom. You can get a copy of this helpful booklet by subscribing to the Genistar newsletter at the bottom of this page.
If getting your finances in order seems a bit overwhelming, your Genistar rep can help. It might be a good time to call them and have a review of your Financial Game Plan. They can help you identify any areas that might need some adjustments.
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The information provided on this website is for educational or informational purposes only. Please refer to our legal disclaimer for further information.
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