When you became a parent you suddenly realized you had a lot more on your plate than before. You have a tiny person to care for; they rely on you for everything. There is an underlying pressure for every breadwinner to save money and secure a good financial future for their family. You are worried that you won’t be able to live up to these expectations as cash is always running low. You need a way to fix your family’s finances and climb out of the debt you have been buried under for the past few months. Here are a few ideas that might just solve your problems sooner rather than later.
This is a contributed post and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Meet The Harris Family.
Credit Consolidation
Your debts have piled up into an unmanageable heap, but there is no need to feel defeated and overwhelmed. If you haven’t already considered credit card consolidation, then this could truly be your saving grace. Pulling all of your credit card bills into one manageable place will really take the strain off you. You can talk to the experts and receive advice on how to pay off your debt on one simple monthly payment. Having all of your credit card payments in one lump sum will ease your mind and give you the ability to pay them off much more quickly.
Reduce Your Costs
Your rent and bills often take over your monthly paycheck completely. There is very little wriggle room when it comes to saving money in the long term because your costs are so high. If you can reduce these outgoings it will benefit you massively in the long run. Call up your mobile phone provider and ask them to reduce your tariff. If you don’t use all of your minutes and texts then you are essentially wasting money. Value your money more and only pay for things that truly matter to do.
Don’t Panic
It is so easy to enter into panic mode when you’re trying to scramble together some savings for your future. The pressure heightens even further when you have a big family. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself; you already do enough to help your family survive and thrive. Remain calm and cool headed at all times; you will find this is a much more effective approach to handling your finances.
Be Patient
You won’t find yourself sitting on thousands of savings overnight. These things take time, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Manage as much as you can and discuss it calmly with your partner. If you are feeling overwhelmed then talk about it. Money can get in between couples far too often, so don’t let that happen to you.
You won’t find instant financial success overnight, so try not to panic about the state of your bank balance too much. Over time you will notice small improvements to your credit score, your bills will be lower and you will feel less pressure to save money each month. Money is an unpredictable thing, so there will never be a finite solution to your problems. Eventually the dust will settle and you will feel more relaxed when it comes to your family finances.
