"If you don't know where you want to go, it doesn't matter which way you go." (Alice in Wonderland)
How to optimize your finances sustainably, reduce your costs and increase your income at the same time? Can I afford it? Where does the money always flow? Why is sometimes in the middle of the month already "end of money"?? You have probably heard such or similar statements before or possibly experienced them yourself. Here we would like to offer you some concrete, tried and tested solutions. With our decades of experience, we have always noticed certain behavioral patterns. We share the findings and the essence of them with you here.
Forget everything about the budget
Most of the time it is the consciously accomplished little things that make our lives sweeter. Here a frothy Latte Macchiato with Starbucks, there an extensive meal with its dearest ones… Often it is small things, which prepare an accordingly large joy in the everyday life for you. Exactly here often the "bad conscience" plagues that we spend too much money for unnecessary things. Budget is important, but there are more important things to consider. We will come back to this.
Professor Roy Baumeister, one of the most cited social psychologists in the world, has impressively shown in his recommendable book "The Power of Discipline" that it is better to define and automate certain areas consciously. Every time I consciously think about whether I should buy this or that or not, it consumes a lot of glucose in my brain. This costs some willpower until a certain self-exhaustion occurs. This can be thought of somewhat like a muscle that gets exhausted after too many workout repetitions. After that, nothing works anymore and we run the risk of making rash decisions. Side note: Now you know why Steve Jobs and other successful entrepreneurs always wear the same clothes. This way, one area of your life is already automated and your decision muscle can be used for bigger, more important tasks. This is exactly why you should also define concrete (partial) goals, follow them clearly and then automate them once and for all. The chances are so much better to pull through his project in the long term.
Some people receive their wages and can hardly wait to use them to pay the salaries of others. What is meant by? Whose salary do you pay when you go to the hairdresser? When you go to the bakery and buy bread, who do you pay the wages to..? The question now is, who is the most important person when it comes to you and your finances?? Exactly, yourself!
Practical tip
Always pay yourself first, preferably right on payday. Create systems and habits that support you to really achieve your goals and automate them.