How To Break Bad Money Habits (2024)

Money a little tight these days? You might assume it’s due to rising costs, tightening credit and the fact you haven’t had a raise in, like, forever. But truthfully, if your basic needs are being met, problems you’re having are more likely a result of bad money habits you’ve picked up—behaviors you’ve repeated so often they’ve become almost automatic.

How To Break Bad Money Habits (1)

Don’t despair. In the same way you picked them up, you can replace bad habits with good ones: Stop the old behavior, and consciously repeat the new one so often that it becomes an almost automatic response.

Living without a spending plan

Spending money without a plan has to be the mother of all bad money habits. It’s like driving blindfolded. You don’t know where you are and can’t see where you’re going, so you don’t know when to stop. Pre-spending your paycheck on paper (also known as a budget) is the way to remove the blindfold so you can see what’s going on.

ALSO: Get Financially Fit With Good Habits

Paying with plastic

Depending on plastic—and I’m talking about both debit and credit cards—to cover your day-to-day spending might be very convenient, but it creates a bad habit. You stop noticing how much you’re spending, and that opens the door to overspending. Break this habit by figuring out how much cash you’ll need for the day, and put that much in your wallet. Leave your plastic at home, or put it in a less convenient place in your handbag or wallet.

Rolling a credit card balance

Credit card issuers know that once they can get you to cross the threshold where you owe more on your credit card than you can pay in a single month, they’ve got you where they want you—paying them interest month after month.

If you cannot pay the entire balance in a single month, you’re living way beyond your means. To break this bad habit, make it impossible to use it anymore until that balance is paid in full. Don’t close the account, but put that plastic far from you. Hand it off to a trusted friend or freeze it in a block of ice! Anything to help you break this bad money habit by replacing it with a good one. Then start paying down the balance as rapidly as possible.

READ: You Need to Kick Your Credit-Card Habit

Waiting to save

It might make sense to pay your bills first and then see how much you have left to put in savings, but that’s a really dumb idea. It will lead to a very bad result also known as no savings, because you will keep doing this same dumb thing month after month, year after year.

To break this habit, pay yourself first before you pay any of your bills. In fact, treat yourself as your most important creditor. Make up payment coupons like you have for your mortgage or car payment. Or set up an auto bill payment to “Myself.” Now move “Myself” to the front of the line so that the very first bill you pay each month is to You!

Even if it’s only $25—or even $10—to start with, do it. Over and over again. It won’t take long for that to become an almost automatic response and a very good habit!

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How To Break Bad Money Habits (2024)

FAQs

How do I get rid of bad money habits? ›

How to Break the Bad Money Habit
  1. Avoid shopping with credit cards. Shoppers typically spend less with cash or debit cards compared to credit cards, since it creates more of a sense of losing "real" money.
  2. Pause before purchasing. ...
  3. Resist sales. ...
  4. Slash extra costs.
Mar 29, 2024

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

How do I train myself to stop spending money? ›

How to Stop Spending Money
  1. Know what you're spending money on. ...
  2. Make your budget work for you. ...
  3. Shop with a goal in mind. ...
  4. Stop spending money at restaurants. ...
  5. Resist sales. ...
  6. Swear off debt. ...
  7. Delay gratification. ...
  8. Challenge yourself to reach your new goals.

How do you fix overspending? ›

You can stop the cycle of overspending in a variety of ways, including creating and sticking to a budget, planning your purchases (whether a big-ticket item or just weekly groceries), using cash, and going on a spending freeze.

What is a bad money mindset? ›

The lack of money or the presence of too much debt can cause a person to develop a negative and destructive thought process when it comes to finances. Once this way of thinking is instilled in a person's mind, it can affect their finances in ways the person might not even be aware of.

What is the unhealthy money obsession? ›

This behavior is characterized by a persistent urge to make purchases, an inability to resist the temptation to spend, and continued spending despite adverse financial consequences. Compulsive spending can result in mounting debts, financial instability, and a negative impact on one's overall financial well-being.

Is 4000 a good savings? ›

Are you approaching 30? How much money do you have saved? According to CNN Money, someone between the ages of 25 and 30, who makes around $40,000 a year, should have at least $4,000 saved.

What are the four walls? ›

Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey says if you're going through a tough financial period, you should budget for the “Four Walls” first above anything else. In a series of tweets, Ramsey suggested budgeting for food, utilities, shelter and transportation — in that specific order.

How do I separate money from my bank account? ›

When you've opened a separate account for each area of spending, you need to ask your bank to:
  1. set up standing orders that automatically transfers money from your main account into these extra accounts one or two days after you've been paid.
  2. set up a Direct Debit for each of your bills.

What is a person who is wasteful in spending called? ›

Answer. The word closest in meaning to what you want is spendthrift. Spendthrift is a noun that means "a person who spends money in a careless or wasteful way."

How do I stop buying so much stuff? ›

How to stop shopping: 12 ideas that will save you time and money
  1. Identify the real need. Before you buy something new because you are bored, sad, frustrated or even celebrating, identify the real need. ...
  2. Remove temptation. ...
  3. Delay. ...
  4. Try a shopping ban. ...
  5. Watch your excuses. ...
  6. Track your spending. ...
  7. Declutter. ...
  8. Location.

What is the root cause of overspending? ›

"Overspending is often more than just a lapse in financial judgment; it frequently signals underlying emotional or psychological triggers. For instance, some people may overspend as a form of escapism, temporarily distracting themselves from stress or emotional pain," Hathai says.

Is overspending a mental disorder? ›

For some, overspending becomes buying-shopping disorder, or compulsive shopping disorder (CSD), which is characterized by repetitive, uncontrollable spending that causes serious life difficulties.

What money should you restrict yourself from touching? ›

4 Generally, you should restrict yourself from touching the money you have set aside for savings, but you can adjust the amount you spend on each other category as you go.

Is the 50 30 20 rule outdated? ›

If the 50/30/20 budget was once considered the golden standard of budgeting, it's not anymore. But there are budgeting methods out there that can help you reach your financial goals. Here are some expert-recommended alternatives to the 50/30/20.

What is the disadvantage of the 50 30 20 rule? ›

It may not work for everyone. Depending on your income and expenses, the 50/30/20 rule may not be realistic for your individual financial situation. You may need to allocate a higher percentage to necessities or a lower percentage to wants in order to make ends meet. It doesn't account for irregular expenses.

What is the 40 40 20 budget rule? ›

The 40/40/20 rule comes in during the saving phase of his wealth creation formula. Cardone says that from your gross income, 40% should be set aside for taxes, 40% should be saved, and you should live off of the remaining 20%.

What is the 50 30 20 rule of budgeting examples? ›

For example, if you earn ₹ 1 lakh, you can allocate ₹ 50,000 to your needs, ₹ 30,000 to your wants and ₹ 20,000 to your savings, every month.

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