The key to financial freedom is not learning how to spend your money; but rather learning how not to spend it. Learning to say “No” can do wonders in securing your financial future. Here are some suggestions on how to do it.
First, you have to develop concrete financial goals. This means prioritizing your expenses. Include the timeframe in your plan. When you are tempted to spend beyond what you have planned, think about the repercussions. Remember that the benefits of sticking with your goals now far outweigh the grief you are going to face tomorrow.
Second, let go of expenses that you can actually get for free. An example would be the daily paper. You can watch the daily news from your television set or browse over the internet for the latest news. Another cost you could curb would be on your communication expenses. You can communicate with your friends and loved ones through Skype, Yahoo Messenger or even Facebook. The dollars you save by minimizing expenses like these already means a lot.
Lastly, avoid bringing your credit cards when you don’t intend to use them. When you go window shopping, you can free yourself from the burden of paying unnecessary bills when you avoid unplanned expenses which are normally incurred when you use your credit cards. Do not think that that plastic that fits your wallet is an instant access to cash.
In the final analysis, curbing your spending now can actually help you out of piling heartaches in the future.