Treat Yourself To The Greatest Gift Possible: Financial self-care tips for a new kind of self-care routine in 2025!
Susan Diamond, MSW, CFSW
Certified Financial Social Worker / Medicare Specialist/ Founder Herfinance Club | Speaker | Author | Money Mindset | Money Story | Financial Freedom | Financial Wellbeing | Health & Wealth | Medicare Mastery.
First, of course, the best thing you can do for yourself is take care of your finances. The ultimate self-care gift will?boost your mood while also giving you the financial stability and sense of security?that many people lack.
There are several ways to practice self-care, such as taking a bubble bath, using a face mask, reading a book, or receiving massages. However,?self-care isn't just about the glitzy moments you create for yourself?here and now. It should also be about setting yourself up for long-term financial wellness.
Even though financial self-care may seem like a harsh exercise regimen and early bedtimes, it is all about safeguarding your money and giving you a sense of security. Therefore,?keeping the momentum is as important as doing what's good for you regarding self-care.?
For many of us, financial anxiety significantly impacts our day-to-day activities. And a shift in financial mindset can have a long-term impact on your overall well-being.?In fact, feeling in control of your finances is one of the strongest predictors of happiness.
So how can you get started on your journey to financial self-care??Here are a few tips:?
Most people have mixed feelings about their money. On the one hand,?we require financial resources to survive and enjoy our lives.?On the other hand,?our financial situation can cause us anxiety and tension.?Negative money thinking can often prevent us from taking care of our money in a healthy way.
Before making any changes to your finances, it's important to think about how you feel about money. Can you relate to any or all of these statements?
"I feel overwhelmed by my finances." "It's hard to decide what direction I should take." "I never received any financial literacy training." "I don't have time to focus on my finances." And finally...' I have hit a financial brick wall?' If so, then don't be discouraged! You're not alone in this struggle; many women find themselves in the same place.
The key to overcoming negative thoughts and feelings?is to?self-reflect and explore why you might be behaving in certain ways with your money.
This could be the catalyst for a fresh start.?For instance,?if you worry about your finances?because money is tight and you have credit card bills to pay off, this might be something you need to work on before anything else. On the other hand,?if you feel financially secure but tend to spend too much money shopping?online when you don't really need anything, that's another habit worth changing.
Self-reflection helps?us identify our motivations and reasons for thinking and acting the way we do with money. Identifying these thought patterns will?help break old habits that aren't serving you well.?This can be as simple as writing it down in a journal or discussing it with a partner, close friends, or a financial professional.
2. Plan ahead and set aside time for it
It's important to remember that self-care doesn't come at the expense of your other responsibilities?so try to set aside time at the end of every week. Find an hour in your schedule that can be dedicated solely to self-care. For example, you might want to block off time on Saturday mornings where you allow yourself some extra time to plan out your finances.?This will help you make progress?instead of letting all of your plans sit on hold until next week (or worse, never). Also, if something comes up and you need more time, don't be too hard on yourself. Just do the best you can and pick up where you left off the next time around.
3. Set up rewards
Along the way,?rewarding yourself helps you stay motivated and inspired.?So whether it's a new dress, manicure, or glass of wine that motivates you to keep going, this is the moment to spend a little more money!
Calculate how much you need to save until your "goal" has been reached and set aside small amounts every month so you can buy yourself something nice along the way —?don't forget tip #4...
4. Track everything
Keeping track of your income and all your expenses and savings?will help ensure no slip-ups as you work toward achieving your goal. So, even if it feels tedious, take the time each month (or week) to review your bank statements and write down where those funds went.
Visualizing your income and expenses is a tried-and-true approach to gaining insight into where your money comes from when it goes out.?As such - by visually representing this data in the form of an excel spreadsheet or app like YNAB (personal budgeting program based on the envelope method), Mint (seeing how I'm spending right now) ;-) etc.,?you will be able to make better financial choices for yourself!
5. Set a budget
Once you know how much money you have to work with each month,?it's time to set some boundaries.?First, determine the amount you can spend on groceries, entertainment, bills, and other monthly expenses. This doesn't mean you can never go over budget, but it will help keep you accountable and on track for your overall goal.
The 50/30/20 ratio is an excellent starting point?that you can tweak to meet your needs. The basic idea behind the numbers is spending no more than 50% of income on rent and essentials (such as bills), 30% for daily costs or so-called "enjoyable" items, with 20 percent set aside in savings accounts or investments -?this means if one makes $50K per year you will have about three grand left over each month?after paying off their monthly necessities!
An alternative to staying on track with your finances is the?kakeibo?approach.?This budgeting technique focuses heavily on writing, which gives you insight into why you spend what you do.?It also allows for reflection at the end of every month or week to see any changes in your spending habits over time and?make better decisions moving forward.
The budgeting journey can be bumpy, but it's worth the ride.?And if you are a newbie - be prepared to be surprised by your behaviors!?Moreover,?you'll feel empowered and confident in your abilities soon enough, so don't worry if this all feels confusing now--you will quickly see results that make any learned knowledge worthwhile.
6. Prioritize your debt
Debt may seem like the antithesis of self-care,?but the feeling of paying off your loans and credit cards is almost as relaxing as a facial.?In addition, prioritizing what you need to pay first will make paying down other debts easier if they are tracked properly with a budget and goals.
The key to getting out of debt?is paying more than the minimum each month. So first, start with loans with high-interest rates and work down from there until everything is paid off in full - either way, you'll be ahead! You can also consider consolidating your debts, so it's easier for you to manage them while working on reducing how long this process takes too.
7. On your path to financial wellness, set realistic goals
Financial stability may seem like a long way off. However, if you have a predetermined budget, you can set clear goals that motivate you in tough times and reward you when things are going well!?Write down some short-term (like paying off your school loans) or long-term financial objectives (five years from now?)?What do YOU want??Make your goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).
Here are a few examples:
We all know that we should plan for the future,?but it's hard. Financial planning isn't easy and can be intimidating if you don't feel like your finances are in order -?I get ya!?But as long as those fears exist, they might stop you from taking action today, which means lost opportunities later on.?So how exactly does someone go about financially preparing themselves?
The more specific you are about what you want, the more likely you will obtain it.?You don't have to fear financial planning when breaking it into manageable chunks.?Tape your list of goals to the bathroom mirror or inside the cover of your planner for an added dose of confidence and to keep it at the top of your thoughts.
8. Automate your finances
One way to ensure that everything goes as planned is to?automate your finances as much as possible. For example, have your bank automatically deduct payments from your checking account each month and ensure that all of your bills get paid on time. This leaves?less room for error and also frees up time for you to focus on other things.
9. Invest in yourself
Investing in financial literacy/education is?one of the most powerful steps you can take to set yourself up for financial success! Whatever your interests are, taking time out of each week to learn something new that will improve your financial literacy?will help you make smart money choices time and time again.
And?don't be afraid to ask for help?when it comes to your finances. Suppose you don't understand something or feel lost. In that case,?there are plenty of resources available, including financial professionals, budgeting apps, and online calculators. Don't be shy!?Taking care of your finances is an important part of self-care,?and there's no shame in admitting that you could use a little guidance. Click HERE for resources to manage your finances.
Follow these nine easy tips, and you'll be on your way to achieving your personal finance goals! Just remember to?take things slow and steady?so you can enjoy the journey along the way.
Now download our free Financial Self-Care cheat sheet?and see if a new kind of self-care routine doesn't change the game for you and your financial situation (and?set you up to get started in 2025.)
Sometimes the best self-care rituals are the ones that are not the most Instagram-worthy. But if you incorporate these now, your future self will thank you for it!?The sooner we start taking care of ourselves?and investing in our long-term (SMART) goals--the more time there is to work on them—and try out new green smoothie recipes, too (I hear they're really good).
If you've made it this far but still feel overwhelmed or don't know where to start, don't worry! Have you read my book? It’s called The Money Belief Formula: Mindset + Behavior = Financial Success. Get your copy now by clicking here.
Sue Diamond, M.S.W is a Certified Financial Social Worker and Founder of The Herfinance Club, a virtual platform that provides financial coaching and resources for women to secure their future for years ahead.
Susan is the author of The Money Belief Formula: Mindset + Behavior = Financial Success. She can be found at herfinanceclub.com. To find out more about Susan visit here!
As a Speaker and author, Susan is on a mission to?socialize the idea that it’s OK for women to talk candidly about money and?inspire ONE MILLION women to start the money conversation with spouses, friends, or colleagues because when women are stronger financially, everyone’s better off.
Whenever you’re ready …
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