In life, money will come and go, and learning how to use it well may help you along the way. It’s not about how much you earn; even people who make a lot of money can make good or bad spending decisions.
Check out All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow’s views on spending money:
Quick tips for budgets
- Track your money – record where you spend your money. This will give you a good idea on where your money is going each time you get paid and help you make better decisions in future.
- Cash is better – it’s proven that we’re more likely to be wiser with cash than an eftpos card (probably because it’s easier to tell how much has been spent!). Each pay period, use your spending money in cash and leave the rest in the bank.
- Make a wish list – make a list of the things that you need or want, look up the value of these items then make a budget. You will be able to see how long it will take you to achieve it. If the shoes you want are $60, you can save $10 every week for 6 weeks and then the shoes are all yours.
- Control impulse buying – think about a purchase before you buy, then go away and come back. If you still want it later, remember your budget. Can you afford it now? If not, save up and get it later.
- Start saving – it’s easier to save when you have a head start. Ask around if there are any jobs you can do to kick-start your account. Think of it as the first contribution to your savings and put the money away before you can be tempted to spend it.