We all build bad habits in our younger days. Some of us start to smoke. Some of us decide that working out isn’t a good fit for us. Others start jamming on the junk food. We all make mistakes that we learn from. Unfortunately, there are some mistakes that we don’t even realize. There are mistakes and bad habits that follow us for many years to come. Today we’re going to destroy some financial habits.

What are some financial habits you NEED to stop right now?

Not keeping track of your finances.

Do you keep track of your finances? Do you know where your money even goes? Do you know why your bank account’s always at zero?

I’m not a believer of writing down every single expense because that’s flat out boring and very tedious. Instead I have a general overview of where my money goes depending on my income and financial goals. Whichever way you decide to keep track of your money, it’s very important to see how you’re spending your money. This way you can try to spend money on what matters to you instead of wasting it.

Rewarding yourself for every little thing.

It’s great that you met a goal and lost 5 pounds, but do you really need to reward yourself with a new laptop? Do you always spend money on rewarding yourself? I find that young people are a bit too eager to spend money as a reward for every time they do something above-average. It’s good to reward yourself. There’s just no need to go broke trying to make yourself feel good all of the time.

Spending a fortune on girls.

I get it. Girls go for guys with money. Actually, wait a minute- do you really want to date someone that idly stands by as you foolishly spend money? I personally don’t.

I see guys spending a fortune on girls all of the time. It’s really sad actually. I’ve never been a huge fan of this. As much as I enjoy spoiling my girlfriend, I’ve never been one to spend my savings to impress some chick that only wants me for my money. This is a habit that needs to be destroyed right now, if you don’t want to be broke by 30.

Putting off looking over your finances.

It’s a harsh slap in the face when you check your debit card statement to see you pulled out an extra $100 for drinks late Friday night. Once again you don’t need to be meticulous with every single penny. It just helps to know what your balance is and what you’re dealing with.

Racking up your credit card debt.

Whether it be sheer laziness or a complete lack of spending control, your credit card debt needs to be eliminated, not increased. You already know that credit card debt is bad. I’m not going to nag on you. This is just another reminder to watch that credit card debt.

Checking your email constantly.

It’s great to be in touch with people and to respond promptly to messages. It becomes a problem when you are constantly checking your email all day. This is time and energy that can be transferred to other areas of your life. You won’t miss anything by not checking your email.

Not planning ahead.

Who am I kidding? Planning is boring. However, if you fail to plan you plan to fail (or whatever that quote is). I used to hate planning. Then I realized that there are many financial goals I would love to meet but couldn’t unless I set out a way to get there. It’s very beneficial to plan a little bit. This is how I’m able to go on trips pretty often.

Those are the main negative financial habits that you need to get rid of right now while you’re still young. Did I miss any?

Martin Dasko

Martin Dasko