Paying yourself first is a particularly effective strategy for people who don’t have a budget. In an ideal world, everyone would have a budget that is reflective of their goals and values.
Most banks allow you to easily set up an automated withdrawal from your checking account on every pay-day and have that money placed into a savings or investment account. By doing this you are taking the concept of paying yourself first and automate the process.
– How much do you need to save to retire by 65?– How do you make sure you are out of debt in 5 years?– How do you build a 3-month emergency fund over the next two years?
Step 2: work out how much you need to save each month to achieve these goals.