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Originally Posted On: Steps You Can Take To Become More Financially Responsible – MyThirtySpot

Of all the things in life that can cause stress and worry – even serious physical or mental illness – it’s money. Money is at the heart of everything, even if we would prefer not to think of it that way, and although they do say that having money is not the route to happiness, not having enough money is certainly a route to unhappiness.

Although you don’t have to be wealthy to enjoy your life to the fullest, you do need to be financially responsible. If you are taking care of the money you have, no matter how much or how little that might be, then everything else will more easily fall into place. This is why it will pay (perhaps literally) to become more financially responsible. Here are some of the steps you can take that will help you.

Check Your Outgoings
When was the last time you looked at your bank statement and took notice of all the outgoing payments? If it’s been a long time (or you’ve never done it), then now is the time. There could be all kinds of different payments that are going out but that you don’t need to pay. It’s remarkable how many people still pay for a gym membership they never use, or for a TV package they don’t watch, or for bills that relate to a previous property. If you are still paying for things that you don’t use or you thought you canceled, make sure you cancel them now.

This is also the perfect time to look at the things you do need to pay for and ensure you are getting a good deal. Insurance is an excellent case in point; we all need insurance, but by shopping around, you can save a lot of money and still have the best homeowners insurance for you.

Pay Off Your Credit Card
Credit cards are useful for emergencies or big purchases, but if you find you’re using them for everyday items, it’s time to consider how to address this issue and become more financially responsible. If you’re using your credit card more often because you don’t have enough disposable income, could your credit card actually be to blame? The more you’re paying to service your card each month, the less money you’ll have for other things.

It’s a good idea to pay off your credit card as soon as you can, and to stop using it if possible (if you can’t and you need it for gas or food, for example, then you’ll need to consider how to improve your income). Once the card is paid off, you’ll have a lot more money each month, and if you don’t close your account, this can improve your credit score too.

Don’t Look For Get Rich Quick Schemes
Take a quick look online for ways to make money quickly, and you’ll see thousands of search results telling you how to do just that. Or rather, saying they’ll tell you but not actually helping in any way, and more often than not requiring you to pay to receive any information which, in the end, turns out to be useless anyway.

Get rich quick schemes are best avoided, no matter how tempting they might be. They will come with a lot of financial risk, and if you’re trying to be more responsible with your finances, paying into a scheme like this would be disastrous. If you want to make more money, you’ll need to do it the old-fashioned way with hard work and plenty of research. Not only will your finances be safer this way, but you’ll feel much prouder of the outcome too.