For many of us, improving our finances is a major life goal, but it’s one that requires consistent work. Unfortunately, many people have trouble knowing where to start or how to stay on top of their finances, especially when it comes to debt and budgets. Whether you’re starting fresh or just looking to make a few tweaks, here are three areas to continue to be financially conservative in 2022 and beyond.
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What does it mean to be financially conservative?
Being conservative with your finances has nothing to do with politics. To be financially conservative simply means to be thoughtful about how you spend money, spending it with intention rather than impulse.
For some, having a financially conservative mindset means being frugal or even stingy, but that doesn’t have to be your definition. If you still want to enjoy the finer things in life while avoiding getting into debt, create your own “financially conservative mindset.” You can define it as investing in quality and not quantity or putting your money towards the things that matter to you instead of spending it in areas that are low-priority.
Here are three areas where everyone can stand to be a bit more financially conservative:
Paying off debt
If you’re in debt, you know how stressful it can be. In 2022, commit to getting out of debt forever as a way to treat yourself better, removing the mental and physical strain that stress causes.
There are many strategies you can use to successfully pay off debt, but you need to first know what sort of timeline is realistic for your situation. Start by using this loan payoff date calculator to determine how quickly you can get out of debt and the budget changes you can make to speed up the timeline significantly so that 2022 is the last year you ever make a credit card or loan payment again.
Budgeting
Your budget should be a living document that changes regularly to reflect your current situation. Any time there’s a significant life event, such as a change in your job, relationship, or living arrangements, you should review your budget to see what updates must be made. Don’t let your budget fall to the wayside, or just assume you’ll make the right financial decisions without
looking at it. The more attention you give to your budget, the better your financial situation will be.
Practicing intentional spending
Impulsive purchases can lead to credit card debt and feelings of regret. Instead of letting yourself spend recklessly and dealing with the consequences later, take action in 2022 to make it more challenging to impulse shop. You can remove your stored payment methods on e-commerce sites, log out of each website and set up two-factor authentication, remove shopping apps from your phone, or even put your credit cards in a box that’s far away from your computer. The more space you put between the shopping cart and your credit card, the less likely you are to buy something you’ll regret later.
The bottom line
2022 is a great time to save money, especially if you’re trying to pay off debt or plan for your future. Commit to being financially conservative in these three key areas for the new year and you’ll be able to stay on top of your finances and reach your goals.
