Here are some tips to keep your financial world in order:

• Keep your fixed costs low
• Keep it simple: 1 bank, 1 or 2 accounts, 1 or 2 credit cards
• Make a basic budget sheet*
• Monitor your budget every couple months**
• Stick to cash if you get into trouble with credit
• Use automatic debit for payments & savings
• Make a shopping list for food or clothes***

* Basic, basic – group fixed costs where it makes sense to focus on the spending that’s easy to lose track of. For example, group utility bills to 1 category, food in another but separate meals out into entertainment.
** Check what you’ve spent versus your budget (plan) and your income too if it’s not always the same.
*** If you go shopping with a plan you are less likely to buy ‘off the list’ or spend more than you intended on impulse purchases.