The principles of money

Money patterns develop very early in our childhood.  They create a set of rules that are followed throughout your life.  If your patterns are negative, then you will have poor experiences with money.   Don’t stress, patterns can be broken or altered.  It takes acknowledging your thoughts and creating new systems.

What’s Your Origin Story?

Bruce Wayne became Batman after his parents were murdered.  Losing his parents created a desire to fight crime in Gotham City.  You need to determine how your pattern was developed.  Did kids make fun of your clothes growing up? Did that create a pattern of using credit cards for the latest fashion?  Did your parents never have extra money growing up?  Did that create a pattern of hoarding money just in case?  Take a moment to examine your toxic money pattern and how it negatively affects you.  In examining my money pattern, I found out that I buy things on credit I can’t afford because I feel like I deserve it.  It has created a negative pattern of spending more than I have and living in credit card debt.

You Can Change

Now that you know your negative cycle let’s look at how we can create a new pattern.   Honestly, committing to a new pattern is difficult.  It helps to look at what it is costing you.  Is it creating friction in your marriage? Is it taking time away from your family?  Does it make you feel ashamed of yourself?  If a new pattern will create peace in your mind and in your life, it is worth it.  For me, I had to cut up my credit cards.  It was the only way for me to break the pattern of credit card debt. Now, I am forced to spend only what I have.  I was so dependent on credit cards I was unsure if I could create a new pattern.  I haven’t used a credit card in eight months.  I have been tempted, especially when, the cards were already saved to my shopping accounts.  I am learning to budget and save for the wants in my life.  

New Patterns, Positive Results

Committing to eliminating debt had such a positive effect on my life that my husband agreed to join in.  As of today, we have no credit cards between us.  Living on a budget has taught us that we can be disciplined and don’t need debt.  The mindset shift came when I started not to think about credit cards as a payment method.  If I didn’t have the money, I just didn’t buy it.  We even started to get serious about paying off existing debt.  So far, we have paid off over $17,000 in debt.  I am no longer worried about paying credit card bills. The relief I feel is worth it all.  When thinking about your new pattern think of actions that can bring you to a healthier place with your money.

Give Yourself Grace

It takes time to change a pattern.  You may fall once or twice, get back up.  With consistency and a strong why, you will reach your goal.  If your goal is to save more money, start with $20 every paycheck.  Set it to automatically draft out of your account so you don’t have to think about it.  Once you learn to live without it, increase it gradually until you reach your savings goal.  There is nothing wrong with starting small.  You can do this!