This is an incredibly helpful checklist, Chris -- thank you!
I have done that 'fake unsubscribe' trick with the New York Times, and it works every time. They increase my subscription to more than $20 a month, I cancel it, then spend about 5 minutes in an online chat with one of their reps and invariably get it down to the $6/7 month range for the next year. Feels like such an accomplishment ; )
So agree with the idea of looking at paying bills/managing finances as being opportunities. I also make the actual act of sitting to do them as pleasant as I can. Find a quiet, nice space. My desk works for me because I love my desk and the room it’s in. I make sure I have everything I need right there. I make it even more pleasant by having coffee, a little treat, etc. right there too. I think when you make the environment something a little special it helps get over the avoidance more easily. If there’s one bill that is especially difficult, for whatever reason that might be, I pay it first. Get the hardest thing off your plate so the rest of the bill paying is easier. Thanks for sharing all the tips. You’ve reminded me of one thing I have put off doing, which is not paying a bill but filing insurance claims for reimbursement! That brings money in, but for some reason I avoid it.
Lifelong money nerd here. Unsure if ND but I was in the gifted & talented program in middle school in the early 80s, so probably lol. I came up with a great minimalist way to budget/track that basically suits people who tend to plan and set up and start...then fizzle in a week or even a day.
Anyway, the one thing I don't see in your list is a twice-yearly Day of Reckoning, when you make calls to your cable company, car insurance, etc and try to get a better rate or change providers. That's the kind of stuff that can really save you hundreds a month.
My downfall are subscriptions, most of which auto renew. My practice now is to put a note on my calendar or a reminder, for a week or two before expiration. That’s when I make the decision whether to renew or cancel my subscrption.
Words of affirmation I love to repeat to myself (from Your A Badass At Making Money) are "I love money because I love myself!" It helps with those moments of needing to see bills as opportunities. Thank you for sharing this checklist!
I'm definitely trying to find better employment. Recently, I've been working on a couple of online certificates to fluff my resume since finishing college a couple of months ago. Hopefully that'll lead to better income. Wish me luck!!
This is an incredibly helpful checklist, Chris -- thank you!
I have done that 'fake unsubscribe' trick with the New York Times, and it works every time. They increase my subscription to more than $20 a month, I cancel it, then spend about 5 minutes in an online chat with one of their reps and invariably get it down to the $6/7 month range for the next year. Feels like such an accomplishment ; )
I definitely need to review my subscriptions - thanks for the reminder. I'm sure I have things I pay for that I no longer use, or barely use.
So agree with the idea of looking at paying bills/managing finances as being opportunities. I also make the actual act of sitting to do them as pleasant as I can. Find a quiet, nice space. My desk works for me because I love my desk and the room it’s in. I make sure I have everything I need right there. I make it even more pleasant by having coffee, a little treat, etc. right there too. I think when you make the environment something a little special it helps get over the avoidance more easily. If there’s one bill that is especially difficult, for whatever reason that might be, I pay it first. Get the hardest thing off your plate so the rest of the bill paying is easier. Thanks for sharing all the tips. You’ve reminded me of one thing I have put off doing, which is not paying a bill but filing insurance claims for reimbursement! That brings money in, but for some reason I avoid it.
I love these ideas, Chris! Money doesn’t have to be a struggle if we set up an effective system like this. Thank you!
This is exactly what I needed to read to start my day. Thank you for your amazing advice!!
Lifelong money nerd here. Unsure if ND but I was in the gifted & talented program in middle school in the early 80s, so probably lol. I came up with a great minimalist way to budget/track that basically suits people who tend to plan and set up and start...then fizzle in a week or even a day.
Anyway, the one thing I don't see in your list is a twice-yearly Day of Reckoning, when you make calls to your cable company, car insurance, etc and try to get a better rate or change providers. That's the kind of stuff that can really save you hundreds a month.
My downfall are subscriptions, most of which auto renew. My practice now is to put a note on my calendar or a reminder, for a week or two before expiration. That’s when I make the decision whether to renew or cancel my subscrption.
A spending tracker has been life changing for me. We use Pocketsmith and it's just so good to have an overview of where the money is actually going.
Words of affirmation I love to repeat to myself (from Your A Badass At Making Money) are "I love money because I love myself!" It helps with those moments of needing to see bills as opportunities. Thank you for sharing this checklist!
The author of the second book Dana Miranda is here on Substack too :)
I'm definitely trying to find better employment. Recently, I've been working on a couple of online certificates to fluff my resume since finishing college a couple of months ago. Hopefully that'll lead to better income. Wish me luck!!