Money Habits: How to Build Good Ones

We all have money habits - some good, some bad. This brief article will give a few tips on how to build up the good ones and squash the bad. It all starts in your mind and heart - what you think and feel about your money habits. Lots of people feel very guilty about their overspending habit, their eating out all the time habit, or some other bad money habit. If this is you, give yourself a break right now - they're just habits and habits can be broken.

The way to break any habit is to realize that it’s only there because you're on auto-pilot - you're not making active decisions. Your bad money habit started probably because it made you feel good in some way. So you did more of it - but then, pay up time arrived and you started to beat yourself up about that. Guess what? Beating yourself up about a bad money habit will actually increase the likelihood of it continuing. Why? Because you're focusing on it and what you focus on increases in your life. Instead, focus on what you want - which is a life free of bad money habits. You simply need to decide that you're going to build a new habit that will take the place of the old habit. Researchers say that you can build a new habit in as little as 3-4 weeks.

Focus on your new life pattern that incorporates the money friendly habits you want to build. An example: If you're stressing your budget with eating out every night, build a new habit to eat at home a few times a week. Make it fun. Focus on learning to cook something you enjoy but have never made. You may find yourself enjoying the food more, having more fun with your family, as well as saving money! And improving your life is what building good new money habits is all about.


Brad Homer is focused on helping others achieve their personal and financial goals. His website hosts personal finance articles like this one and his free-to-try software, Millionaire 2020â„¢, which can help get you on the path to good budgeting fast.