When you first join a gym, the trainer will often ask what your fitness goals are. It’s important to have these health and lifestyle goals in mind to help you track your progress and to provide you with a sense of reward as you go along. The same is true for your financial goals. These can be monthly or yearly markers to let you know you’re moving in the right direction. Whether it’s a dollar amount saved, or simply no longer relying on credit cards to make it through, these goals will help you track your success.
Your budget is like a financial diet and can help improve your overall financial health. Much like a nutritional diet, keep a daily log tracking how much you spend. Be realistic when deciding what expenses must be taken out, list what expenses are not necessary and then prioritize them. You can do this by categorizing your spending each month in your Arvest Online Banking with Blue IQ. Based on your budget and this list, remove the expenses that are the lowest priority first, even if they’re not the biggest ones. You’ll be more likely to stick to your budget this way.
When you’re finally at a place of comfort financially, everyone will want to know how you did it. Share your financial fitness story and encourage others to do the same. Not only will this help you stay on track for the future, but you can also help change the lives of those around you.