3 Reasons Why an Automated Budget Will Help You Crush Debt

I know what you’re thinking: As soon as I start earning more money I’ll finally become debt free!

In reality, the moment you start earning more money you’ll start spending more and end up in the same position you’re currently on.

Don’t feel bad; I have the same problem. After all, we all work hard and it only seems logical to reward ourselves for our hard work.

But after discovering the power of an automatic budget, I’ve maximized my income’s potential and stopped accumulating bad debt.

If you’ve had enough dealing with debt and want to increase your odds of becoming debt free, then keep reading. Here are three reasons why an automatic budget can also help you crush debt and maximize your current income:

An Automatic Budget Is The Solution

So what’s an automatic budget? Simply put, it’s an ordinary budget that funds itself automatically each pay cycle; the moment your direct deposit comes in, your money is automatically transferred to separate accounts. For example, you’ll fund your retirement, weekly expenses, and pay off debt simultaneously.

Setting up the transfers is easy, but funding your accounts appropriately without touching other budgets isn’t. But anything worthwhile in life takes work, right?

Now that you know what an automatic budget is, it’s time to get to work.

Understand Your Cash Flow

Before you consider paying any more money towards your debt, it’s crucial that you understand your cash flow.

And no, I’m not referring to checking online banking and skimming through your expenses; I’m talking real understanding. The type that involves calculating total monthly expenses, reviewing financial goals, and reducing debt.

So why is this important?

Chances are you’ve built bad spending habits throughout your life. It’s not enough to just pay down debt, because it’ll only be a matter of time before you have more debt to pay off.

There are many great tools out there to view your cash flow, but I recommend using Personal Capital. Once you sign up, link all your checking, savings, and retirement accounts. One key feature that Personal Capital has is allowing you to easily view your net worth.

Use your net worth as a motivator to help you stay out of debt and prepare for retirement.

Under the “Banking” tab in Personal Capital, select cash flow. Then use this as a guide to determine how much money you’ll need to budget for your expenses.

Remove The Temptation To Spend

Many people get into debt because they use credit cards or loans to pay off something they can’t afford.

As much as we’d like to believe that we can stop wasting money on unnecessary items, it’s only wishful thinking.

However, since you’ve allocated most of your money towards automatically paying off your expenses, saving for retirement, and paying off debt, you’ll have little to no room to spend money on anything else.

Remain Consistent Every Time

The only sure things in life are death and taxes. But what if consistently paying your bills, saving for retirement, and achieving your financial goals could also be guaranteed?

I know, I know; but we can all dream, right?

Due to unexpected life occurrences, it’s impossible to pay off debt, save for retirement, and achieve your financial goals 100% of the time.

So what’s the solution?

Automatic budgets.

Here’s what I mean: You’ve already taken the time to thoroughly understand your cash flow, set up recurring transfers to pay off debt and fund different saving goals. The moment you get paid, all of your money is dispersed automatically, leaving little room for error.

And the best part is, you’ll become more confident about your finances while eliminating debt and growing your net worth.

Break Free From Debt

Picture this: You haven’t earned more money but you now feel wealthier than ever. Not because you’re being delusional, but because you’re now maximizing your income like the wealthy. You’ve stopped accumulating debt, increased your savings for retirement, and have set long-term financial goals.

And on top of that, you’re now experimenting with new ways to earn additional income.

It wasn’t too long ago that you’d hoped to earn extra money to finally become debt free. Now, you have a deadline to paying off all your debt.

Don’t you wish this was you?

Well, it can be, you just have to hustle. You now understand the power of an automatic budget, and how it can help you crush debt.

It’s easy to quit, but you’re no quitter. It’s easy to keep budgeting the old way, but you won’t settle for mediocracy. It’s easy to read this article without taking action, but you’re an action taker.

Apply the knowledge you’ve just learned to start crushing debt and live a financially stress-free life.

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About the Author: Chris’s passion for writing is to inspire other working millennials to not just settle for “retirement someday” but to reach financial independence faster than most. Grab your FREE 5 Essential Money Management Strategies Checklist.

Photo Credit: heyjohngreen