How can I create a healthy money mindset?
Creating a healthy money mindset comes from first understanding and developing a healthy relationship with money. It’s not something that we often take the time to do, but if you sit down and trace back where your money habits first came from, you’ll have a much better understanding of where you might be heading financially.
To start this process, take out a pen and paper and jot down the answers to these questions:
- What is your earliest memory of money?
- What is your parent’s attitude towards money like?
- Did you live with a scarcity or abundance mindset?
- When did you start to become more financially independent and how did this feel?
Now it’s time to read back and reflect on what you’ve just written.
Does it make sense? What realizations did you make? How did it feel to think back to your childhood? Can you see more clearly now where your attitude and behaviours towards money have come from?
More often than not, our behaviours are ingrained from a young age and this usually comes from our parent’s or primary caregivers. Adults often think that kids “don’t understand” or “won’t notice” issues or certain behaviours around money – but this isn’t true! Kids are like sponges – absorbing everything around them and by the time they’re just 5 years old, they’ve already picked up on your attitude towards money and are likely to repeat your habits.
So now is a great time to start making those positive changes towards a healthier relationship with money to change your money mindset!
So what now?
Now that you’ve identified where your money habits have come from and where they could be heading – it’s time to assess how money makes your feel.
- Does your current financial situation make you feel empowered or stressed?
- Do your financial goals seem like a distant dream or a reality on the horizon?
- Overall, are you happy with your current spending patterns or do they make you feel secretly guilty?
The answers to the above questions will give you an understanding as to how positive your money mindset is right now. And don’t worry if it doesn’t feel good right now – as there are ALWAYS steps you can take to regain your financial power and to get you on the right path.
Mindful purchasing
Whilst this might sound like a party-pooper, taking a mindful approach to your expenditure really can make the difference between reaching your financial savings goals and staying “stuck” in money limbo. It’s so much easier to control your expenditure that it is to control your income (unless you have a super awesome boss who wants to keep giving you a payrise!) and the easiest way to approach this, is to stop yourself every time you’re about to buy something that you might not really need.
If you’re susceptible to impulse purchases, online shopping or chucking in extra treats at the checkout, then you may be using your money to make you feel (temporarily) good – which isn’t good for you long-term, or good for your bank balance either.
Instead, look for “treats” that are low-cost or free that can give you the endorphin hit, instead of another magazine, pair of trainers or that expensive award-winning bottle of wine.
If you’re tempted online, delete the apps that make it way too easy to buy, take off one-click purchasing and DO NOT SAVE your credit card details on your shopping accounts! AND NEVER, EVER, USE AFTERPAY (or other similar services!)
It’s time to take action
Being truly honest with yourself about your finances and how you feel is one of the hardest parts of getting started onto the path of financial happiness and creating a positive mindset. Now, it’s time to take action! Every month, the Wealthy Self team hold our Budget & Biscuits meeting and we schedule this in for the 1st of every month to talk about our budget and expenditure from the month before. By doing this, it makes each of us accountable for our collective spending and allows us to dive deep into where our money is actually going (and whether we did really need to buy everything on our list!).
Some things you can do right now, to feel financially empowered and to start putting yourself on the right path are:
- Get real about your expenses and book in your own monthly Budget & Biscuits meeting
- Sign up for the Free Grow Your Future Guide (complete with extra Budget & Biscuits guide too!)
- Give yourself an expenditure (not savings) goal each month and stick to it
- Think about your ultimate financial goal and create a vision board to keep you on track and inspired
- Book in your Free Discovery Chat with David to get your finances optimized and organized!
- Delete all the shopping apps, take off your credit card details and delete one-click payments
By using these first small steps, you can start to create your long-term positive money mindset and completely re-frame your relationship with money!
General Advice Disclaimer
This blog contains general advice only. You need to consider with your financial planner, your investment objectives, financial situation and your particular needs prior to making any strategy or product decision. InterPrac Financial Planning Pty Ltd and its authorised representatives do not accept any liability for any errors or omissions of information supplied in this document except for liability under statute which cannot be excluded.