You’ve probably heard that, when changing a habit, it helps to focus less on your goal and more on the process — the steps you take to achieve that goal. This makes your goal immediate and actionable. To build that process, think about the cause and effect of your habit.
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Over at I Need Money Asap, writer Thomas explains that it’s often hard to stick to a budget because of our spending habits. To change a habit, think about what causes you to spend and what effect the spending has on you afterward.
He uses the famed latte example. If you want to cut out your daily $5 latte, ask yourself what causes you to buy it everyday:
Perhaps you buy your $5 latte on the way to work. You buy it at a coffee shop you walk by every morning. To change your latte buying habit you may need to change the path you take to work. Take a different route to avoid that particular coffee shop. By altering your habit of walking to work you make it easier to change your habit of buying a $US5 latte every morning.
But also consider the effect of spending money on that latte:
Or perhaps you buy your $5 latte because it gives you a little boost of energy afterwards. In this case you need to find a new (and cheaper) way to get that energy boost. Buy some healthy treats in bulk and keep them at your desk for an easy and less expensive way to get a quick energy boost.
It’s one example, but it’s a smart way to frame your thinking when you’re trying to change your spending habits. Head to the link below for more insight.
3Reasons Why It’s Hard to Budget [I Need Money ASAP]
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