budgeting & organizing
Budgeting + organizing are vital to a broke girl’s survival.
In between being a responsible adult with our finances, we like to spend our money on things that make us happy: makeup, traveling, clothes, etc. It is our personal right to find happiness within the struggle. I am able to splurge on certain things thanks to a budget I created for myself, keeping track of my finances and, let’s not forget… good credit. Never let your salary limit you; it is truly about how you manage your finances and build your credit. There are various ways to save, based upon personal preferences.
Organization for Budgeting
Manage your due dates and amounts due by documenting them on a calendar. I use a blank weekly/monthly agenda purchased at Walmart for about $2, which is extremely convenient.
There are a few pages of empty monthly calendars, spaces for notes, and unmarked weeks/months so you can start at the date of your preference.
It’s compact, so it fits in most small spaces. I carry mine every day, and you can tell by how faded it is in the photo above, lol!
I document everything—from what I did that day, to my last checked credit score, and even jobs I have applied to. It really helps you keep track of everything you’ve done and the goals you set for yourself.
Tracking Due Dates & Payments
Marking your due dates and amounts due allows you to visualize and calculate your monthly total money spent, in addition to helping you decide how to break down your payments.
For instance, I pay the bills due between the 1st and 15th with my first check, and then decide if I want to save 30% of my remaining check or a particular amount based on what is left.
I repeat this process for the bills due the next two weeks.
It doesn’t matter how much you’re saving—just make sure you’re saving something, because it adds up!
Set Budget Goals
If you want to buy something, make sure you’ve saved up enough for that item in addition to money to save or pay a bill. You always want to have extra, not less. As broke girls, we HAVE to make smarter financial decisions.
Budget Tips for Retail Addicts
For my broke girls who are retail addicts, here are some budget tips for being a better shopper:
Subscribe to shopping outlets you frequent often to receive information on sales and promotional events. Just signing up gets you a percentage off on most sites!
Subscribe to shopping sites that update you on sample sales. If you’re not familiar with sample sales, you’re missing out!
Everything doesn’t have to be designer for you to be stylish. Fast-fashion retailers (Forever 21, H&M, Zara) have plenty of quality pieces that, when styled right, can look pretty damn high fashion.
Pace yourself. Don’t buy everything at once. Set a goal of how many items you’d like to buy over a certain amount of time. For example, one designer or quality garment every month.
Work in retail! Choose somewhere you like to shop so you can enjoy the discount. Lol.
jassy