5 Ways to Better Manage Your Budget | St. Johns Bank

Whether saving for a dream home, planning for retirement or just aiming to lower financial stress, a well-managed budget is critical to financial success. Financial stability is a great goal that can lead to a more peaceful life, and having the tools you need to handle your budget correctly is critical to getting there.

Here are some valuable tips on how to better manage your budget:

1. Set clear goals. The first step to effective money management is setting clear and achievable financial goals. Determine what you want to accomplish and how much it will take to get there. Be specific with your goals, think thoughtfully about them and create a time frame for reaching them. This inspiration for achieving what you want will give you the motivation to stick to your budget.

2. Create a budget. Creating a budget is the next step once your goals are laid out. List your sources of income and your bills and expenses and then allocate how much money needs to go in which bucket, and whatever is left should go into savings or have a comfortable amount for “fun money” for eating out or shopping—but don’t overspend!

3. Cut unnecessary expenses. Identify and cut unnecessary expenses from your budget. This might be eating out less frequently or canceling subscriptions. Small changes can add significant savings over time and help you stay within budget.

4. Save more. Saving more doesn’t have to be so difficult with the helpful technologies and apps we have today. Set up automatic transfers to your savings account as soon as you receive your paycheck, or there are even finance apps that will transfer money into an account, so you don’t even have to think about it.

5. Build an emergency fund. This one goes along with saving, but it is more specific to life’s unpredictable expenses, which can throw your budget off track. Try to build up an emergency fund to cover unforeseen events like medical bills or car repairs. This way, when the unexpected happens, it’s not coming from your monthly budget. Aim to save at least three to six months of living expenses.

Managing your budget effectively is a journey that requires discipline, but once you have the habit down with these tips, it is easy.

At St. Johns Bank, we have checking and savings accounts that will help you reach your goals! Reach out to us today.