Saving money is the new cool. The day where men and women go out on a Friday night and blow their cash, resulting in them having to live on beans on toast for a week is long gone. Knowing your ISA’s, being able to charm the pants off of a retail assist whilst haggling, and knowing your financial limits is now insanely suave. Nobody is effortlessly cool, despite what they’d have you believe. It takes determination, commitment, and a whole lot of confidence. But once you get your finances in check, everything else seems to fall effortlessly into place. So it’s time to get things done. Instead of putting things on the backburner, you need to take action and put self-administration on full throttle. To be at your optimum best for 2012, you need to whip yourself into shape and, contrary to other predictable advice you’re likely to receive from trashy magazines this winter, save those pounds!
Financial Do’s and Don’ts for 2012
DO quit your gym. Release that primal instinct and start appreciating what is outside of your window. The world would be a far better place if we all left our inhibitions on the couch and just ran around, swinging, stretching, and jumping from lamppost to park bench, wouldn’t it? Take the lead and get a breath of fresh air rather than being stuck in a sweaty top-floor gym where everyone is competing for the biggest biceps.
DO use money-saving iPhone apps. Most of us have probably got some kind of smartphone now and you can be the alpha male of the mobile world if you can find the very best money-saving apps. Most money-saving apps now work on a geo-location basis and can provide you with discount vouchers on everything from restaurant meals to those fine leather loafers you’ve been eyeing up.
DO say no. As much as your friends might moan at the time, they will actually have a lot of respect for you if you know when to say no. You don’t have to go out every week. You don’t have to go to every work night out. Be your own person and let people see that you make your own decisions and aren’t swayed by anyone else.
DO repair your credit if necessary. Remember it’s not about focusing on where you’ve fallen, but where you’ve tripped up. Take a look at your financial history and seek out ways in avoiding any previous mistakes or pitfalls. Use the New Year as a new opportunity. Research bad credit credit cards or speak to your bank about other ways of improving your credit rating.
DON’T leave things until tomorrow. The guys that do it best, do it at the moment. It’s cool to be efficient and organized. Open up those envelopes as soon as you get home, fill in that credit card application that’s been sitting on the kitchen side for 2 months, phone your bank and make sure you’ve got the best current account.
DON’T upgrade your mobile phone early. Wait until the end of your contract and you’ll get the best deal. The iPhone 5 is likely going to come out in the middle of 2012 and that would well be worth waiting for. Upgrading your phone early just tells everyone you’re all about style and not about substance.
DON’T buy lunch at work every day. Sure, it’s okay to treat yourself, and the modern man is a busy man who doesn’t always have time to prepare his own meals. However, bringing in your own food will not only save you money but it will probably be healthier it will subtly highlight to others just how independent you are.
DON’T take your car to work. For the majority of us who work full time, it’s far too easy to jump out of bed, into your car, onto your work seat, and then back into your car at the end of the day before rolling onto the sofa and then crawling into bed. There’s not a whole lot of exercise in that routine. Mix things up a little. If you’re within cycling or walking distance, say under 5 miles, then consider cycling or jogging home from work a couple of times a week. You’ll save money on petrol and be doing a favor for your ticker in the process.
Leave a Reply