Motivation Time Tuesday: How to STICK to Your Money Goals

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Do you ever wonder what can make you stick to your financial goals?

I can think about it until I’m blue in the face.

That could be just how I am.

As a person who has read many personal finance books,

I’ve had many opportunities to exercise what I have learned.

And most importantly, to let you know what really worked for me.

And I want to share with everyone while writing this post, there are two things I kept at the forefront.

I want to be completely truthful and  highlight tips that were incredibly useful and share what has allowed me ( a regular person) to meet certain goals.

So here it is…

Motivation: Get Pumped Up to Meet Your Goals

1. Challenge Yourself.

I sign up for challenges to have structure to what I am trying to accomplish and you get a little bit of hand holding and reminders that come to your inbox to keep you on track. Try the 52 Week Money Challenge from Good Financial Cents to boost your savings to $1,378. You will quickly see how a little bit away goes a long way. You will get practice at flexing your savings muscles.

 

2. Read personal finance books.

One of my favorites is Fight For Your Money: How to Stop Getting Ripped Off and Save a Fortune by David Bach. After reading this book, I felt extremely motivated to pull out all of my bills and see where I could save. The book covers the big money pits that rob our hard earned dollars like buying a car, a home, and other big purchases. There’s a wealth of information on every topic you can think of  such as banking, credit, family matters, retirement, taxes, shopping, and loads more.

He also tells you exactly what to do to guard again overpaying. It’s a great resource. A must-have in your collection of personal finance books. I also like how the book is organized. There are blue tabs on the right side of the pages to help you easily access the information you want to find.

Whenever I book a hotel or make a big purchase, I quickly reread the book to get a refresher on the tips I need to not get ripped off. Last year I went to a conference. I was scheduled to come on a Thursday and the conference started on a Wednesday. The room I booked was taken. I paused and nicely asked how I could be accommodated. I got upgraded to a suite. I probably wouldn’t have done that if I hadn’t read the book.  If you want a practical guide for how to live a financially sound life, this is for you.

 

3. Listen to personal finance podcasts.

I’ll admit that I’m a podcast junkie. I like to get the inside scoop from experts. If you like being a fly on the wall, consider finding a podcast you like. One of my favorite podcasts is the Financial Mentor podcast by Todd Tesidder.

He is the author of  How Much Money Do I Need to Retire? (60 Minute Financial Solutions)
and anexperienced money coach. He features financial professionals and showcases their expertise on his show. I enjoyed the episode with Jesse Mecham from You Need a Budget. It was titled How to Budget Your Way to Wealth.

I figured out how to budget more effectively. I would make a budget at the beginning of the year and never change it. I thought it was set in stone. In the podcast, Jesse recommends checking in monthly. That made a big difference in how I keep track of my money. I knew I needed to tweak something but couldn’t pinpoint it on my own.

Our gas bill is a variable expense so we have to keep our eye on that and adjust other expenses accordingly. It helps me stick to my budget versus getting frustrated and giving up.

I also enjoyed the same podcast with James Clear. This one dealt with How to Master Your Habits. I found all of the information very useful and quickly decided to blend the ideas into my routine.

 

4. Your Money is Your New BFF.

Saying no to people is hard especially if they’ve been accustomed to you saying yes. When you decide to set goals, sometimes saying no to someone is okay because you are saying yes to what is important to you. Your money is mutually exclusive. You take care of it and it takes care of you. Don’t spend money that you don’t have to please others. Are they going to pay your bills? Is that person going to take care of you when you are old? I doubt it. I felt validated after reading this post by Yes, I am Cheap. She explains why she stopped buying Christmas presents.

 

5. Become a money rockstar.

Find cool websites about personal finance. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out Rockstar Finance. The blogger J. Money features fabulous posts from a variety of websites highlighting different financial topics. Think of it as a website sampler that serves up some great financial information on a regular basis.

 

You may also like:

Goal Setting the Right Way

Goal Setting the Right Way Part II

Motivational Quotes on Motivation Time Tuesday

Get Hyper-focused with this Pre-Budgeting Activity

If you some how feel wealthier just by reading this, admit it on social media. It’s good karma. I may just give you a virtual high five too.

“I like your blog. I especially like this latest one on how you use your receipt on your fridge. Brilliant!”-Sylvia Martinez of SMartinez Media, former Editor-in-Chief at Latina Magazine

This post may include affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.