8 Ways To Master Your Money

(📷 : Vitaly)

“Be your money’s master, not its slave.” -Publilius Syrus

Take a moment to imagine your life without financial woes and worries. Envision what you would do and feel like if money was not a barrier in living your life the way you want to.

Would you travel the world? Would you spend all of your time with your family and friends? Would you finally be happy?

Money is not meant to be the master of mankind, rather, we are meant to be the master of it. Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten how to shift from being financially unstable to financially well. A journey of one thousand miles (or dollars in this case) begins with one single step. Are you ready to take that first step?

If you are, here are 8 ways you can master your money: 

1.) Ditch Your Attachment to Items

 Three out of four Americans impulse shop due to boredom, sadness, anger, excitement or other emotional states of being. Our emotions, like our money when we impulse shop, are fleeting states of being. Depending on purchases to make you happy is like expecting alcohol to make you sober.

Save yourself money, and the disappointment impulse purchasing leads to, and learn to detach yourself from material things. Money might buy comfort, but it most certainly does not buy happiness.

2.) Become Financially Literate

By 2020, 35 percent of American jobs will require at least a bachelor’s degree. Higher education in this country is like a rite of passage into the working world. Why should financial literacy be any less important? It shouldn’t.

So how can you become financially literate?

Set aside 30 minutes each week to learn about debt reduction, smart investing, how to make more money and have to save the money you currently have. Use resources such as your local library or bookstore to find how-to books (check out Unshakeable by Tony Robbins), online articles and tutorial videos. 

3.) Use Cash and Leave Your Card(s) at Home

Whether you are going out with friends, grocery shopping or running errands, set a budget for yourself and bring a set amount of cash. This will keep you from overspending and impulse buying.

For example, if your weekly grocery budget is $35, bring exactly $35 to the store. Believe me when I say, you will add up every single item before you place it in your cart, and you will focus on necessities rather than cravings.

4.) Follow Your Money For 30 Days

In order to understand where your money is going, you need to see it written out in detail. That $5 coffee you get three times a week might not seem like a big deal in singularity, but when you add it up and see you are spending $720 a year on coffee to-go, that ends up being a big deal.

Invest a few bucks in a notepad, and start journaling your daily expenses down to the penny. After 30 days, review your purchases and figure out the unnecessary items you can do without and let the savings begin!

5.) Have Two Separate Banks

This is where #4 comes in handy. Those unnecessary expenses you journaled now become instant savings that you can use in emergency cases, or for future investments. Open a savings account at a separate location from where you do your checking.

As the saying goes, “out of sight out of mind.” Put your money where it’s not easily accessible so you are less likely to unnecessarily dip into it.

6.) Create Opportunities to Earn More Money

Chances are you already have a full-time job that eats up the majority of your days. However, there is more than enough time in every single day to do everything you want to do and there are a plethora of ways to increase your income during your free time.

Think about your passions, desires and interests, and find ways to maximize them. If you do this, it won’t even feel like you are working, instead it will feel like you are being financially rewarded to continue pursuing that which you love.

Perhaps this means freelancing on the side for various companies, or making your own soap from scratch to sell on Etsy. Whatever your interests are, there are always ways to capitalize on them if you really look.

For me this means scouring freelance writing sites for paid opportunities and applying for jobs and writing articles as I wait for the yea or nay. Do I hear no more than I hear yes? Of course. But, that’s all part of the game, and in my first year as a freelancer (while still maintaining a full-time job) I am already seeing financial success as I now earn between $500-$600 per month off of my freelance writing jobs and I get to spend my free time doing what I love to do!

7.) Set Goals

Every week write out a list of goals for yourself, and put them somewhere highly visible such as the bathroom mirror or refrigerator. Perhaps you want to find new ways to make money or save for your dream vacation. Whatever your goals are, write them down and read them Every. Single. Day.  Repetition will instill belief and therefore, inspire action.

A goal I had recently was to cut back on my transportation costs. I live in NYC and we have great public transportation, but it still adds up. I have been spending upwards of $120 a month on the subway alone. So I started walking to work every day (six miles there and back) and now I am saving money, and feeling healthier!

8.) Put Your Money To Work

Once you have a healthy savings (at least six months worth of your total expenses) and you have an understanding of financial literacy, put your money to work by investing it. High-yield savings accounts, credit cards with rewards programs and market and real estate investments are all good ways to get back more than you put in.

Money, like everything else is this world is energetic. Once you understand how to master it, it’ll be your loyal companion for life assisting you whenever you need to call upon it. 

Xx,

Antasha

 About Antasha Durbin: Antasha is a spiritual writer, life-long student of the universe, and psychic tarot card reader. Her website, cajspirituality.com, is dedicated to casualizing the spiritual experience and making it attainable for anyone, anywhere, anytime. Follow her for free, easy-to-digest and highly actionable advice on spirituality, mindfulness and empowered living.