Hey Girl, hey!
Look… I’m best known for being a straight shooter. In fact, my witty honesty is one of the qualities most people like about me (well... some people don't.... I know I'm not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm okay with that!).
Anywho, it’s rare that I ever beat around the bush, because I’d rather just tell it like it is… and today will be no exception. Ladies… let’s get raw. Can you handle the truth?!
You get up… go to work… get your paycheck… and all your money seems to disappear in a few days. You find yourself in this never ending cycle of living paycheck to paycheck with very little to show for it... and to be quite honest, that lifestyle is played out! Girlfriends, if you’re habitually broke AF… these are a few reasons why:
1. You Don't Have A Budget.
Believe it or not, budgeting is an essential part of adulting. You wouldn’t believe how many people tell me (in fact they insist) that they do not need a budget because they just “keep it all in their head”. Listen Linda… even me being as disciplined (and tight) as I am with my money, I know there is absolutely no way that I can keep up with everything that needs to be paid for on a regular monthly basis in. my. head.
Not to mention those pesky surprise items that pop up and need to be taken care of… like the speeding ticket I got last week (yea... being a rebel will cost ya). But having a written out plan for your money will 100% increase your chances of knowing exactly where your money is going. If there’s more money going out of your account than there is coming in… see reason #2 why you’re still broke AF!
2. You're Living Above Your Means.
It literally kills me when I see individuals dressed head to toe in designer everything… with their luxury cars and ultra expensive homes or apartments. And to be frank, the first thing that always pops into my head when I see people like this is…”Hmmm. I wonder how much money they have saved up?” More times than not, the majority (if not all) of their money is going towards their material things. More times than not, they have very little or no savings at all. And more times than not, they are probably swimming in debt. Why?
Because they want to keep up with ‘The Joneses’ and girlfriend… ain’t nobody got time for that! Buying things you don’t need to impress people you probably don’t even like is the reason why you’re broke, boo! Let your friends who are living life in the fab lane do them… but you be smart and do you! Being able to manage your money and build your own empire is the ultimate definition of a bad chick. Why fake it… when you can actually make it?! RELATED: 4 Reasons Why Keeping Up with the Joneses is for the Birds!
3. You're Loaning Money.
At some point in your life, somebody is going to ask you to borrow money. If you’re smart, you’ll learn the art of saying ‘no’ early on in life (unless you’re okay with giving as a gift and not expecting to get paid back).
The truth of the matter is... maintaining your own financial household obligations is hard enough as it is, but to also have to consistently financially support another grown person who has the ability to work, budget, and provide for themselves (and their family) just like you’re doing is a whole other story in itself... and it’s keeping you broke!
So the next time someone asks you for money, remember this remix (I just made up) to the Meghan Trainor song ‘NO’ (ya'll remember that song, right?!): Can I borrow some…?... ‘No’ Can you loan me…? ...‘No’ Can I have some…? ...‘No’ “You need to let it go…You need to let it go. No, to the no, to the no, no, no!” Just me?! Oh okay... RELATED: Confessions Part II: The Loaner
4. You're Impulse Buying.
I totally believe in having some allocated spending money to allow for some of the wants in your life, however if you’re a habitual see it, want it, buy it type of chick… chances are you’re overspending! Impulse buying allows your emotions to get the best of you and clouds your financial judgement. So the next time you find yourself standing in line to purchase an item that you cannot pay for in cash and your bills haven’t been paid... snap back to your senses.... Put the item down and get out of the store fast!... Run, girl run! RELATED: Confessions Part III: The Swiper
5. You're Lazy.
Being lazy can cost you big bucks. I’ll give you a quick scenario.
It was a Monday night (ugh, mondays!) and I had been at work all day, but unfortunately I’d procrastinated on my weekly grocery shopping duties that I typically do on the weekends.
So there I lay on the couch with a huge decision to make… should I just go grab something to eat (costing me about $10 from my spending money) or should I just take my ass to the grocery store?
I knew the rest of my week was going to be crazy busy and if I didn’t get to the grocery store that night, I was going to be eating out a lot during the week!
So what did I do?
I got off my ass and went to the grocery store! Yes, I was tired… but I knew that not going had financial consequences, and I didn’t want to be wasting spending money on drive-thru or restaurant food when I had grocery money already budgeted in my bill pay account (no brainer).
But laziness can come in many forms… from constantly eating out because you’re too lazy to cook, to not earning extra income because you’re too lazy to get your hustle on, or to not making the time to actually create a budget to see where you’re money is going because you’d rather be scrolling Facebook or Instagram (side eye).
I say all this to say… laziness can lead you into a financial pit. If you’ve been meaning to start working on your finances, but keep pushing it off because you just don’t feel like it…. then girlfriend, this is a reason why you’re still broke AF.
It’s time to get off your ass and make some moves boo... just know we’re in this together. It's girl code!
*Ready to take your life and money to the next level? Schedule a free 30-minute Breakthrough call to discover how the GFB Team can help you on your financial freedom journey!
Until Next Time, Elle
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