There aren’t many things that impact your life as much as your spending patterns. Understanding how you manage your money can decrease your stress levels, 帮你存更多的钱, 并为未来设定目标. 如果你不知道自己的消费模式, you won’t know which financial habits to change to make the most of your money. 

Why is it we often spend money on things we know we don’t need or can’t afford? There are three key aspects to the psychology of why consumers spend:

• 情感诉求 玩弄我们的感情. We often make purchases that we believe will make us happy, 会给他人留下深刻印象, 或者阻止坏事发生.
• 填补 with spending case is a common tactic when placed in unfortunate circumstances. The choices that are involved in shopping (and not just in browsing) can bolster your sense of personal control.
• 存在偏见 提出了一个及时的挑战. The appeal of acquiring something today is always stronger than the appeal of acquiring something in the future. 

每一种策略都被广告所强化. Advertising can be beneficial to consumers – introducing you to new products and showing potential discounts or deals. But if you’re not careful, advertising can also make a large impact on your spending patterns.  1990年，一个城市的消费者看到了 about 2,000 每天的广告消息. Thirty years later, consumers in a city see about 5,000 每天的广告消息. 零售商使用品牌忠诚度等策略, 重复, and glossing over costs to lure consumers and convince them to spend their money. 即使广告是下意识的, this can later have an impact on your choices when selecting products or brands.

How do you avoid making unwise purchases, influenced by advertising versus your own true needs? It’s important to understand these techniques and implement them in your financial life: 

跟踪你的支出

It’s impossible to know if you’re spending too much money until you know how much cash is actually leaving your account. Some common tactics used for tracking expenses are check registers, 电子表格, or budgeting apps –it’s most important to find the way that fits into your lifestyle. 

You should first include fixed expenses such as your mortgage or rent, 汽车贷款支付, 健身房的会员卡, 保险, 和育儿账单.  下一个, 你需要考虑可变费用，比如汽油, 食品杂货, 信用卡账单, 和娱乐. 最后, take your periodic expenses into consideration such as medical bills, 汽车维修, 礼物, 和休假制度. It’s important to plan ahead for these expenses to avoid unnecessary debt.

一旦你收集了所有的费用, compare those costs to your monthly income and see how your spending stacks up with your paycheck. Consider meeting one-on-one with a budgeting professional from 好的赌博软件推荐 to create a customized strategy that works for you. 

规划紧急情况

Setting realistic goals is an important part of any good savings strategy. A great starting place is to set the goal of saving $1,000 as a dedicated emergency fund. 然而, once you reach the goal it can be tempting to use that money for items that may not be a true emergency. 在元素, we recommend asking these three questions before taking any money out of an emergency account:

• 这笔费用出乎意料吗??
• 这笔费用绝对有必要吗?
• 这笔费用急吗??

如果你对所有这些问题都能回答“是”, you likely have an expense worth dipping into your emergency fund. 否则, consider other ways to pay for the item or put it on hold until you’ve saved dedicated funds for it.

构建你的储蓄

While being confident you have the financial stability to handle an unexpected expense is important, it’s also critical to plan for future life events and milestones such as your child’s education and retirement. 

We highly recommend creating two separate savings accounts so your emergency fund and standard savings account are in two different places. 给你的账户贴标签也可以帮助你走向成功. Most online and mobile banking tools (including at 元素) allow you to give each account a name to serve as a constant reminder of your goals. 

Some of our favorite strategies for building savings include:

• 直接存款: Send a portion of your paycheck to a savings account without even having to think about it.
• 48小时的规则: Take two days to consider making any large or unbudgeted purchase.
• 重新分配到期日期: Move due dates for your bills to align with your pay检查.

仔细记录你的开支, 为紧急情况制定计划, 建立一个储蓄账户, you’ll take better control of your spending and make your money work harder for you!

This information is provided for informational purposes only. 它不构成法律、税务或财务建议. Consult with your tax, legal or financial adviser before taking any action.