Paycheck to pay. Overdraft fees. Never making enough to cover bills and that extra monthly amount of miscellaneous expenses that always creep their way into your bank account and leave with more than expected. This is the “American Dream” we have been taught. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I believe in a different American Dream of true freedom. We live in a time where we have the ability to look around and see opportunity everywhere to change these circumstances. But first we have to be accountable!

Step 1: Track your expenses. You cant know how to change your current financial situation if you don’t know what your current financial situation is in the first place! Become aware of where your money is going!

Step 2: Analyze Expenses. I am not saying to give up the things that you enjoy or make you happy, but at least analyze your expenses. What is important to you and what do you feel you could do without? Rather, what are you currently paying for that in reality, you rarely use or utilize as a service? What is your largest expense? Could it be cut down somehow and if so, how much could that save you monthly/annually? You will find that the small costs can end up being big costs on an annual basis!

Step 3: Make the change. Once you have identified what is important, make the change to your lifestyle and even better, your finances! Negotiate a better deal on a service that you aren’t necessarily willing to give up! Shop around for services! Find hobbies that don’t cost money to enjoy! Or better yet, find a hobby that pays you! Now take that money that you have saved in doing this, and save it or invest it! Better yet, do both! Remember that old saying, work smarter not harder! Its time our generation started thinking more along those lines. Learn to let your money make you money!

Lastly, Look for a side hustle! You have free time! We all do! So why not make money in this spare time doing something you enjoy! We live in a day and age where you can literally make money walking someone’s dog for them, renting out your car/RV/bike, or you can even make money delivering someone their fast food! (Yes, people will pay you to bring them McDonalds). And if none of that interests you, find that something that does and offer that service or pursue the education needed to do something that interests you all the while making money! All of these things will put you into a more stable, positive financial situation! And while money does not bring nor create happiness, living a life without the stress of finances weighing on you can make living a happier, stress free life much more feasible! 

Equally important as all mentioned above, be sure to think about what financial freedom means to you. What would you do differently with your life if money wasn’t an object? What is your “Why” for wanting to pursue financial freedom? The answers to these questions will reveal a lot more about yourself and what you want in life that you might realize. And hopefully, they will spark a motivation to embark on the journey to change your life and never look back!

Not quite sure where to start when it comes to tracking your monthly income and expenses? Thats okay! Most people don’t! The good news is, there are several ways you can do so that will make your life and finances so much easier to manage!

Apps: There are several apps out there that can help you track your income and spending. They allow you to categorize expenses very quickly and easily through automated systems. It also allows you to personalize the categorization of your expenses, so that if it is misplacing a certain charge in the wrong expense category, you can alter the settings and ensure that the system correctly categorizes those expenses in the future. Some of the apps that are most popular include Mint or quickbooks online among several others. Another bonus that comes with these applications is the budget features, which allow you to set up a budget for each month while keeping you up to date on where you stand that month in regards to your budgeted amount. And the best part is, some of the best applications offered are free! All the more reason to go get this set up!

Spreadsheets: Another way you can track income and expenses is through the old fashion spreadsheet. Microsoft Excel is an option as well as Google Sheets. If you are the type that partakes in a lot of cash transactions, this is always another option. While it does consume more time and take a little bit more work on the front end to get set up, you can customize it just for you! This is the way I primarily track my expenses but I am currently working on getting set up through some of the automated systems offered. I currently use google sheets, which I prefer because I can access it along with all of my other spreadsheets wherever I have internet. Again, this way I feel is best if you are managing large amounts of cash, either through spending or income. But you can always add those transactions manually in the apps mentioned above as well.

Banking: Most people don’t realize that there are many budget tracking tools that come with your online banking system. Very similar to the systems mentioned above, they allow you to track your budget all the while categorizing your expenses. The only downfall to these tools is they often limited to the accounts associated with that bank and don’t allow for your to add other accounts/credit cards you might have that aren’t associated with that bank. They also lack many of the features and customization allowed by the aforementioned tools.

Obviously, these aren’t the only ways one can track their expenses. We live in a day and age where there are countless options to do one thing. But if you weren’t sure where to start, this should give you a good idea! The Mint app is a great option and is where I would recommend one should start. It is free with the option to pay for more features if one would like. However, the features that come with the free subscription are sufficient enough to start. Take that first step and get an idea of where your money is actually going for one month. It is a truly eye opening experience and often the beginning of the journey to financial stability.

If you are still feeling overwhelmed and need guidance or help in anyway, please reach out to me through the contact form or social media and I would be more than happy to help!

Thanks for stopping by! If you would like to see content on a specific topic, be sure to reach out to me! I would love to hear from you all!

Live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later. – Dave Ramsey

My name is Craig Tomlinson. I am a Registered Nurse, former Firefighter, and a Real Estate Agent/Investor on the path to pursuing financial freedom. My goal: Create wealth through passive income by obtaining rental properties and eliminate all my debts, enabling myself to live the life I want! I envision a life for myself that will allow me to spend more time with my wife and children and less time working for an hourly wage! Along the way, I hope to share some basic knowledge to help others do the same as well as gain additional knowledge from those further along in their journey who stop by and share their expertise through comments and conversation! Enjoy! All input and feedback is welcomed and appreciated!

Disclaimer: I am not an expert. No content on this site should be taken as legal or professional advice. These opinions are my own.