What to do if you are always a little short of salary

A problem familiar to many: 2-3 days before the salary, the money ends. It happens that the income slightly increases, but the scenario remains the same. A couple of days before the next cash receipt on the card or in the wallet is empty, and it is not clear how to change the situation.

It's not about how much you earn, it's about how you spend it. Sometimes it’s enough to change a few financial habits to cut costs and comfortably distribute money for the whole month. Try following a few simple savings rules.

Get two bank cards for different purposes

Suppose you keep a record of all funds and plan a budget in advance. At the beginning of the month, you allocated most of your income for obligatory expenses, and left a smaller part, for example, 30%, for hobbies, cafes and other entertainment.

When all the money is in a single account, and you pay for purchases with one card, you can easily exceed the hobby limit and go beyond 30%. And it will be discovered late - when the funds have already been spent.

If you regularly encounter this problem, you can create a second account - specifically for optional expenses. Link a separate card to it and immediately after receiving your salary, transfer the 30% allocated by you to it.

For groceries, gasoline, internet, utility bills, clothes, you will pay with the main card. And the second will be responsible for all additional expenses. If the money on it is over, then it is worth transferring all the entertainment to the next month.

Evaluate whether all unnecessary spending was useful

At the beginning of the next month, review the purchase history for the second card. This can be done quickly in the banking application.

Perhaps you would forget about some expenses if they were not left in history. And other points can cause annoyance and bewilderment. This happens if you are disappointed in the purchase or received completely different emotions that you expected. But there will be third ones - those that you will remember with pleasure. They turned out to be necessary, useful, or just made you happy.

Evaluate whether you want to spend money again on purchases from the first and second groups.

For example, you went to an exhibition of the work of a fashion photographer. But the very next day they forgot about it, since the event did not cause any emotions. And then we went to a new cafe, but the desserts seemed expensive and too sweet to you.

Think about it: maybe you shouldn't go to an exhibition next time just because everyone is talking about it. And maybe you don't like sweets as much as you did when you were a child. Then next month you will save on such things. And the money saved may be just enough for salaries.

Try not to make unnecessary purchases on credit

Sometimes a loan can help. For example, your refrigerator suddenly broke down, and repairing it will cost a little less than buying a new one. If there is no free money, then you can use a credit card.

However, if we are talking about acquiring something optional, but pleasant, do not rush to use this opportunity. For example, you wanted to buy a new laptop, although the old one still works well. And you look at the credit card - isn't it time to use it?

First, calculate how much the interest will be. Estimate what expenses you will have to cut if you can't meet the grace period on your credit card.

Perhaps it is worth postponing the purchase for 2-3 months, during this time to save up some money and, moreover, wait for the period of discounts on equipment. Then there is a chance to do without a loan. Or to significantly reduce the amount of debt and pay it off for preferential 100-120 days.

Take a break before buying

We are talking about things for which you can pay immediately, without savings and loans. For example, you saw an amazing summer dress. You can immediately buy it and hang it in the closet. And in a month, when the time comes for light outfits, look at it and not understand why you liked it so much.

Try not to make spontaneous purchases. Promise yourself to come back for the thing in 2-3 days.

During this time, you will assess without unnecessary emotions whether you really really want to wear it. If you haven't changed your mind, buy it. But if it seems to you that you can do without it, set aside money for another thing - the one that suits you 100%.

If you refrain from even one optional purchase, it will become easier to live up to a salary.

Evaluate the desired product according to the principle "what will you choose - a thing or money"

This interesting trick will help you assess how much you need a thing that you urgently want to buy. Imagine that you are offered a choice: get it for free right now or take the cost of the purchase with money.

For example, you have new headphones in front of you, and you would definitely choose them, not money. So, it is worth considering buying. And if you were more pleased with the money and you already had thoughts about how you would spend it, do not rush. Most likely, you don't really need a new thing now.

Save every month, even if you can only save a little

We often hear advice to save at least 10% income. But you may decide that this is too much. Perhaps this is a significant amount for you, and it is difficult to transfer such money to the “Savings” section every month.

Then save less. For example, 5%. As a rule, such a part of income can be easily excluded from monthly expenses. Add to that the cashback you get for debit card spending.

And do not think that 2-3 thousand is a trifle that still does not help create a solid airbag.

Imagine that, for example, you urgently need to change the faucet in the bathroom, but there is no free money. Then a few thousand from the reserve will be very handy.

Even putting aside a little, in a year you can accumulate an amount that will definitely not be superfluous. And you don’t have to go into debt if you suddenly need money a few days before payday.

Do a money detox

If there are a couple of days left before the cash receipts, and the funds have already run out, you have to somehow get out and do without expenses. This situation, like any forced restrictions, is not encouraging and hits hard on self-esteem.

In order not to be completely without funds or not to spend money from a credit card, try to arrange a kind of “fasting days” for a month when you will not buy anything. Call them "store-free days" or "money detox."

Plan ahead and get ready: figure out what to make from the products that you have at home, pick up a series or movie for the evening. You can turn such periods into your personal or family tradition, learn how to spend them interestingly and comfortably.

3-4 days a month without spending will help save up to a salary, though a small but pleasant amount.

Buy expensive things not immediately after the salary, but before the next one

When we get a nice amount, it seems to us that we can safely spend a third or half of the funds on a large purchase. For example, for a new bike. And the remaining money will definitely be enough until the next paycheck.

Perhaps you will really be able to distribute the entire amount so that you can buy something expensive and live comfortably for the whole month. One way to test this is to set aside the money you want to spend on the bike of your choice and plan to buy it at the end of the month. And the remaining funds to spend as you see fit.

When the month comes to an end, take stock.

Did you manage, and the deferred amount remained untouched? So, you will spend it with pleasure and get a long-awaited bike.

But imagine that there was not enough money and you had to take some part from the stock. Then you have something to think about and maybe balance expenses in the future. Well, the missing amount that you spent from the deferred, you can already take from the new salary. And live the next month without fear that the money will run out.

Check how much you increased expenses after income growth

It often happens that a person, having started earning a little more, immediately decides: now I can afford not to save. And he begins to spend, without limiting himself in anything.

Going to a new financial level is a natural desire. But if earlier there was a little lack of money all the time, it is worth patching up financial holes first.

Try not to change anything at first. expenses and lifestyle. And the extra money - the one that you receive in addition to the previous salary, do not touch until the end of the month. When the "old" amount comes to an end, you can safely spend the bonus. Perhaps this increase is just the money that you lacked before the salary.

If at the end of the month you still have free funds, you can safely increase expenses. But exactly for the amount that was free. If you start spending more, there will again be a situation where the money ends before you receive your next salary.