When it comes to ideas about making more money, you might automatically think about big things like getting a new job or coming up with an entirely new life plan, and so on. In other words, something that totally resets everything and basically means you’ve got to start from scratch. However, the good news is that although you can do that if you want to (and it can be the best thing to do), you don’t have to if it’s not the right path to take. Instead you can do other things that bring you more money but don’t completely unravel everything you’ve done to this point. If that sounds like it’s worth a try, keep reading to find out more.
Look at what’s already there
Before you add anything new to your life, it’s definitely not a bad idea to look at what you’ve already got, at least in terms of your current income, how you make it, what you really need, and so on.
It could be that there’s more there than you think, and it’s just that you’re so used to spending a certain amount of money each month that you’ve convinced yourself there’s not enough and you need more. Just changing what you buy, or trying to have a few no-spend days a month, could give you the extra you’re looking for – and if not, then you’ll know you’ve got to do more.
There could be leaks
Everyone makes small payments all the time – just little things that barely seem to matter and you don’t even really think about because it’s not a big sum of money. However, if you take a look at your outgoings for the month and add all those little spends up, you might be quite shocked at just how much you’re really spending without feeling the pinch at the time. In fact, it’s so easy to spend a lot in little ways that you might even feel you’re saving money when you’re definitely not.
The fact is, the big purchases you make are the ones you’ll think about and agonise about. They’re the ones you’ll do lots of calculations for before you spend the money and really make sure it’s something you can afford. The smaller ones you spend without thinking, and that could be where the problem lies.
Be honest about what you’re keeping
Most people have a lot of stuff just lying about the place that they don’t use anymore (if they ever did) or don’t even like. It’s not rubbish because that’s easy to deal with, but it’s also not particularly useful, and that can end up being quite helpful.
If you’ve got things in your life that you don’t need, why not sell them? There are plenty of sites and apps where you can sell clothes and accessories, for example, and you can also sell books, DVDs, electronics, and pretty much anything else. You might even decide to sell something bigger like your campervan, car, or perhaps house, if that’s going to give you the money you need. Basically, if you’ve got assets you don’t need, sell them.
Add a little more
Perhaps you don’t actually earn enough to make ends meet, or at least not comfortably, and if that’s the case, adding some more income to your household makes sense. However, what you don’t want to do is go too far and end up exhausted and unable to work at all – that’s really not worth it and it’ll be too much too fast, and it’s not going to last.
Adding something small works a lot better, and that could mean a bit of extra work that fits around what you’re already doing but still gives you time to relax as well, for example. It needs to be flexible and not take over your whole life, and it doesn’t really matter what it is, it just needs to fit in.
Don’t immediately upgrade your life
It’s easy for this to unravel quite quickly, and that can definitely happen once you start earning more, whether that’s due to another job, a side hustle, or a pay rise, for example. The problem is that you start to earn a bit more, and then you’ll start to spend a bit more, and overall you won’t actually be making anything extra. Then, if something goes wrong, you’ll be spending more than you’re making and you could end up in a lot of trouble.
A nicer version of things, slightly better habits, and a few justified upgrades might seem as though they’re a good idea, but if it means the money isn’t going very far, it’s not worth it. It’s much better to hold back at this stage and that can make a huge difference. That way you’ll be able to properly benefit from the increase.
Keep it slightly boring
The truth is, the things that work are often the dull things, which could be sticking to the same good routines, and not making sudden decisions every time even the smallest thing changes. If you can do that, you’re going to be able to live much more sustainably, which is pretty much the goal you need to be heading for.
Think about what you actually want
Of course, everyone’s going to want more, but what does that really mean for you? And do you actually need it or just want it? It could be that more money would mean you could have more fun, be less stressed, or start saving for something important, for example, in which case, that’s the goal you need to have in mind.
However, it might be that more money wouldn’t make any difference at all, and it could even add to your stress levels, especially if it means having to do extra work or cutting back on things without needing to. So what do you really want, and is it actually more money or something else?
It All Adds Up
The strange thing is that when this all starts to work, no matter which options you’ve decided on, everything gets easier, so you’ll notice and you’ll know you’re doing the right thing.
