Habits of financially fit people

Find your financial happy place. Start with positive lifestyle changes that will help you build a stronger financial future. Create a winning money strategy based on these habits of financially fit people.

Define your financial values and principles 

Focus on your values and principles to reinforce your priorities. Make a list of what’s most important to you in your life. Review your list when planning your budgets and creating your financial goals. This will help you filter out emotion and convenience from the choices you make.

Set financial goals 

Set goals for now, next year and into the future. Creating goals and committing to reaching them is a trait of people with fit finances. Make it your priority to get S.M.A.R.T. about your goals. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.

Have a clear picture of where you are right now. To determine where you want to go and how to get there, you need to know where you are today. Know the value of your savings and investment accounts, as well as loan balances to calculate your net worth. The financially fit commit to knowing these basics and are aware of where their finances stand.

Make a budget and stick to it

Limit monthly, weekly and daily spending with an eye toward saving money. You'll likely be in a better position to meet your financial goals. Your budget is a key building block for your financial future.

Track your spending as you go

Financially fit people keep up with their spending activities. They make changes to spending habits to remain on target with their budgets and goals. Whether balancing your checkbook or monitoring your accounts online, a budgeting app can help you keep track of your spending. 

Plan for the unexpected

You have many financial responsibilities and challenges that you plan for. Yet, what are you doing to prepare for the unknown and unexpected? Get covered with an emergency savings fund and appropriate home, auto and life insurance policies. Another cornerstone of financial fitness is preparedness. You never know when you'll need this just-in-case coverage.

Live below your means

Financially stable people live below their means. Embrace thrift, reject wastefulness and delay gratification if you want to build wealth. This means decreasing your spending and not taking on unnecessary debt.

These financial fitness tips can help you develop a clear view of your future financial security. Before you know it, you’ll be living a life that is more financially stable. For help reaching your financial goals, contact your local branch for financial counseling.