This post originally appeared onThe Simple Dollar.
Sarah and I hit our financial bottom almost a decade ago.
Were still saving a large portion of our incomearound half of it each year since 2012.
Were still debt free.
We have no interest in changing our direction, either.
Financial improvement can be much like that.
Maybe your financial goal is a short term one.
Do these things sound familiar?
Perhaps youre trying to figure out a plan to make it possible to buy a house.
The fear that many people have of that change, however, is a sensible one.
Theyre afraid of just losing all of the progress theyve made.
Its a fear not too different than someone who has seen great progress on a diet.
The same thing is likely true for many people who hit financial bottom and work hard for a turnaround.
It justhappensand the money is safely saved.
Having those kinds of automatic contributions in place is a great way to protect yourself against changing life interests.
Here are several potential ways it’s possible for you to do this.
Set up automatic savings for any life goals that you may have.Are you saving for a down payment?
A move across the country?
Focus on Better Daily Routines
Human beings are creatures of habit.
Here are a few such routines that you’re free to implement.
Shop there every time until youre familiar with the store and where to find all of your usual items.
Do it for a month or two.
These things are one-shot improvements that reduce your ongoing energy costs, fuel costs, and other expenses.
Here are four of my favorite changes along those lines.
Both of those things can reduce the cost of your energy bill.
When I went through this period, I rediscovered my passion for reading rather than collecting books.
If youd like to dabble in some low cost activities, here are some good places to start.
Check out the bulletin boards and the pamphlet section of your local library for more information.
you’re free to also check out your citys local parks and recreation programs.
For some peopleand Ill include myself in thisthis kind of social interaction is easier said than done.
Introverts like myself tend to build a handful of strong friendships and just stick with those relationships.
However, its often the friendships that you have that are causing you to spend more than you should.
Here are some strategies for building new friendships that have a more frugal bent to them.
Host dinner parties.Invite a few people to your house and make a low-cost dinner for them.
Quite often, the first part of that question will stump you.
What exactly are you getting out of this purchase?
Why are you even considering spending your money in this way?
Are we really attracted by the packaging?
Are we really buying this item because our friends are buying something?
Are we doing this out of some sort of weird guilt that makes no sense?
There is no purchase on earth that will do that.
Only you might change who you are.
The second part of the question often catches you in situations where youre overspending on something.
Is there a way to get what you want out of this item without spending as much?
If so, why arent you tackling that avenue?
This second part often comes as an encouragement to shop around on all of your purchases.
Is this an item that will actually provide a real benefit in your life?
Or is it just something you wanted in the whim of that moment?
Final Thoughts
The full path to financial independence isnt a path that everyone will follow.
Regardless of where you are on your path, the tools described above will help you out.
When Financial Improvement Is Just a Phase| The Simple Dollar
Trent Hamm is a personal finance writer atTheSimpleDollar.com.
Image bySentavio(Shutterstock).
