Financial Wellness Plan
Pretender
There are a bunch of bills, but you cannot pay them all on time. Unable to cope you put the bills out of sight - but they are not out of mind.
How to fix it
Don’t psych yourself out by focusing on the big picture. Get a few smaller bills and pay them this week. That will make you feel more in control and motivate you to deal with the rest, says Maggie Baker PhD, psychologist and author of Crazy About Money. “Tackle your larger debts by calling creditors and working out a payment schedule,” she adds. “You’ll save on interest and protect your credit rating.”
Procrastinator
Despite more promises to pay more money into that IRA, 401(k) or 529 college savings plan, you continue to put it off.
How to fix it
Create a “consequence” for not doing the right thing. Baker suggests setting a jar on the kitchen counter and dropping in $5 or $10 every day you delay. “Sometimes pain helps break bad habits better than a reward,” she says. After a month, you’ll have a nice chunk of change to invest in your future.
Worrier
You fret nonstop about money, beating yourself up for poor decisions or silently blaming others (husband, boss, kids). Meanwhile, you’re not owning up to your problems or looking for solutions.
How to fix it
The best way to banish negative thinking patterns is to bring them out into the open. Discuss your concerns with your spouse or, if that’s too fraught, with a friend or financial advisor. “There’s a lot of vulnerability and shame about money issues,” says Chellie Campbell, author of From Worried to Wealthy. “But there’s tremendous relief in sharing your struggles.” It also breaks the logjam in your brain so that you can take positive action.
Splurger
Your days are filled with retail therapy, and your closet is filled with impulse buys. Although the immediate gratification is great, there’s serious regret when the bills come due.
How to fix it
Before leaving the house, decide what you need- not, want- to purchase that day, and stick to your resolve. Recruit a friend you can text when temptation strikes so they can hold you accountable and urge you to not backslide. If that fails, pay cash, which will hurt more than whipping out your credit card.
Hoarder
Socking away a decent portion of your income is no problem, but it’s gotten to the point where you’re deriving yourself of life’s little pleasures.
How to fix it
Make a short list of things to buy that will lift your mood, whether high-thread-count bed linens or a mini vacay. Then go for it. “Sometimes you have to tune out all the doom and gloom in the news about how we are not saving enough,” says Campbell. “Money is for spending, and it can bring us joy.”
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Created by Rebecca Webber, Family Circle