We’re all aware of budgeting, but often we view it from a negative perspective. The reality is anyone can achieve their goals with the right budgeting tools.
The key to budgeting is to get the lay of the land first and look to the future. Calculate your weekly income and minus your essential expenses – whatever you have left over is yours to play with. Simple, right?
The smart option is to put some of this money aside, whether you’ve got a savings goal in mind or not – it’s never a bad idea to have a savings lump sum you can fall back on in an emergency.
The idea of a budget is to help you get ahead, and saving as much as you can is the only way to do this. Even if it’s as little as $50 a week, you’ll notice your savings growing and will enjoy peace of mind.
A Greater Bank Bonus Saver Account is a great choice for setting money aside for a rainy day. As long as you're able to make at least one deposit and no withdrawals in a calendar month, you'll enjoy a higher rate of interest on your savings.
Making sure your savings are working as hard as they can is just common sense. Open a high-interest savings account, which rewards you for your good saving habits so your money grows faster.
Do you really need to buy three coffees per day? What about taking a cab to cover a five-minute walk?
These are little things we do every day without thinking, because they’re part of our routine. Take the time to compile a list of the non-essential expenses you’re incurring. Give them the flick for one week, and watch what happens to your bank balance.
If you’re able to make more than the minimum repayment each month on your debts, it makes budgeting sense to do so. Doing this ensures you pay less interest over the life of the loan, saving you money.
If you have debt, the best way to limit its impact on your budget is to consolidate and pay it off early if possible. If you have multiple debts, you’ll save money on multiple interest rates and sets of fees by consolidating into one easy-to-manage loan.
