Spend less than you earn. Take control of your money. These statements make sense but when it comes to getting more life from our income, there is a significant gap between knowing and doing that cannot be bridged by learning about personal finances alone. We know we should spend less than we make, but it’s much easier said than done. We want to take control of our money, but it seems to control us. To create sustainable financial changes, we need to account for our natural behaviors, so it’s difficult to continue with less desirable habits.
Our current bank account structure relies on a combination of accurate mental math and precise conscious spending to keep on track. Even with programs and apps that does not work for most people. There are too many moving parts to the average person’s finances for traditional budgeting and willpower to do the trick.
Our process involves helping people figure out how much is safe to spend each week on the things they can control. We prescribe a weekly spendable based on an individual’s unique financial profile. Your spendable number alone won’t turn into persistent financial change. The doing part is when you know your spendable number and set up an account to manage it.
This crucial step is required to get true control over your cash flow. If you are trying to stay on top of too many little changes, multiple expense categories, you probably won’t be able to stick to it for very long. A one time effort which supports a behavioral change is easier to maintain.
Sticking with your spendable number will generally free up money found to help fund financial goals, like investing in your future, saving for emergencies and protecting your family through insurance.