3 Essential Budget Tips As We Head Towards Christmas 2020
In just over 3 months it will be Christmas 2020. For many, 2020 has been a year of personal struggle, grief, loss, tragedy, but also many successes along the way. For some, Christmas 2020 will look very different to how it has ever been before. Will you be able to meet with your family? Will you be allowed to gather? It’s a very weird time right now, and so many common questions around our civil liberties remain unanswered.
The traditional Christmas in Australia would see retail boom as parents, aunts and uncles would flock to the shops to purchase gifts for their children, nephews and nieces, and end up with a Christmas debt hangover in the coming year. This year, many shops are closed, with limited amounts of people being able to go into shops at any one time due to COVID restrictions. Knock off day on the last Friday in December would see pubs getting inundated with patrons blowing off steam after working all year and enjoying the nice “knock off brew,” and a two week break that follows which traditionally occurs in 40 plus degree heat too.
For some of us, having been laid off – maybe our knock off drinks on the Friday before Christmas won’t be happening because you have had to tighten the household budget. Perhaps you are living off JobKeeper, or JobSeeker and uncertain of the way forward for you and your family. Maybe 2021 will be a “better” year for you… a year that you can finally get ahead…
What if it isn’t?
What will you do if life remains “as-is” and JobKeeper and JobSeeker were to disappear tomorrow? How would you and your family cope?
It seems to us that a lot of people are hoping, wishing that things would be better. Wishing and hoping is one thing, KNOWING where you are and that things will get better is an entirely different kettle of fish! So, what can you do to KNOW that things will be better?
1 – Make a budget and stick to it!
You don’t have to do this with us – there are a myriad of providers out there who can help you string a budget together, and even you can do this yourself. All you need is the right plan, the right tools and have the right skills in place to ensure that you have safety and security of your numbers.
2 – Live below your means!
Just because you are earning $800 per week, does not mean you need to spend $800 per week. Consider saving 10% or even 20% of your income before you spend, meaning that $800 income becomes either $80 or $160 savings before spending.
3 – Know your breakeven numbers!
On a weekly basis, how much does it cost to be you? Really, please actually think about this. How much per day, per week, per fortnight does it cost to be you? Once you have identified this amount at the core minimum of what you truly need, your life can change for the better.
By implementing the 3 steps above you are no longer wishing and hoping that things will be ok, you are knowing that they are, and that going forward you and your family will be safer.
If you are struggling with the 3 steps above please reach out. We have clients on our program whose businesses have been shut down, and one partner is bringing in the entire household income. In the first 3 months (prior to JobSeeker and JobKeeper being available), these clients had saved between $3000 – $6000 without limiting their lifestyle.
Quite often a budget is seen as “non-essential,” or “not-required,” however you will find that by having an effective budget in place that this is just the start of your journey towards wealth creation. When a budget is implemented into your families household it becomes an essential part of your structure. A budget can help children to learn positive money habits from a young age, and we have experienced this with families on our programs, whatsmore, budgets are fun! If you aren’t having fun, living life your way, without financial stress – If I can say it nicely – you are doing it wrong!
What is your way forward? Do you have a plan in place? Do you have a plan for an excess?
