After the holidays, it can feel downright painful when it comes time to facing reality and looking at your bank statements. The gift-giving season is always fun and carefree until you’re faced with the damage your wallet has endured. So, there’s no better time than now to start getting your bank account and budget back in shape.
Don’t stress over your holiday expenditures. You can easily get back on track with your budget in the New Year with some of these simple tips.
Face The Damage
Before you can begin any recovery process you first need to get an accurate view of your accounts after the holidays. Starting with an accurate number, and embracing it, is the best way to motivate yourself to kick-start that new budget and stick to it.
Calculate Your Current Budget
Before beginning your budget, you need to determine your current state of affairs. Tally up your expenses and monthly costs and figure out where you need to cut back. Be careful not to set yourself up for failure; be realistic with your budget and leave yourself a small budget for “fun” as well.
Figure Out Your Priorities
This is usually a time of the year to be more frugal about extra expenses for entertainment purposes. Once the holidays are over it’s time to really focus on your priorities – bills and debt – and minimize any unnecessary spending where possible. By really cutting back for a few months, you can place that extra money on paying off those high priorities much faster.
Create A Savings Plan For Next Year
The holiday season doesn’t have to go hand-in-hand with going into some form of debt. You just need to plan ahead and be wise about spending. Even if that means taking a small percentage of your budget (a portion that you can afford) to put away for savings next year, it can help alleviate this situation that you may find yourself in each New Year.
No one likes to face the reality of their bank statements after the holidays. But with motivation and discipline, you can get back on track and have that debt paid off in no time. Get your New Year started off on the right track by taking control of your budget. Try CLV Group’s First Apartment Budget Checklist Template to help you in effectively managing your money.
Is a new apartment on your list of resolutions for the New Year? CLV Group offers a wide selection of premium apartments for rent in Ottawa, from 1-3 bedrooms with varying price points to fit your budget. Learn more about CLV Group’s Ottawa apartments today!
