How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Living paycheck to paycheck is just plain exhausting.
Do you feel this way? You’re certainly not alone. Most Americans are living just one paycheck away from financial disaster. The constant stress of worrying about your financial situation has a not-so-fun ripple effect. Finding more margin in your money is nice not just for your bank account, but also your health, welfare, and general outlook on life.
So how can you break free of this stressful cycle and stop living paycheck to paycheck?
How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
When a situation feels impossible, it’s easy to go into avoidance mode. And when money gets tight, it’s easy to reach straight for a credit card. That’s not the move if you really want to break the cycle.
Here’s how to plump up that savings account and still have money left at the end of the month:
1. Start Tracking What You Spend
You’ve gotten to a point where you want to stop living like this: stressed about your finances, and that’s a crucial first step. Next, you want to bring more awareness to what you’re spending money on.
- How much do you spend on groceries?
- What are your monthly expenses?
- Have you racked up subscriptions you don’t use anymore?
- Are you still paying for a gym membership while your sneakers collect dust?
- What are you spending on living expenses?
- What is your car payment?
- How about a few too many late-night scroll sessions on social media where you just can’t help it but click and buy?
Track it all! Because more tracking means more awareness, and more awareness means changing behaviors.
Chances are, some of your spending probably doesn’t actually line up with what’s important to you and your financial goals. Pay attention to where your dollars go and start taking notes about any overspending you want to cut down on.
2. Learn to Budget
It’s silly to say you’re never going to spend money again, but the key is to make a spending plan that fits you. Put another way, You Need a Budget.
You’ll take all those expenses you tracked, plus any car loans, student loans, and credit card payments, and add all your expenses into a budget.
Here at You Need a Budget (or YNAB for short— we’re a budgeting app and method) you can do that really easily! And it’s not just an app, we’ll teach you EXACTLY how to master your money management and it starts with the Four Rules.
YNAB’s Four Rules will help you save more money, get out of debt, and get a month ahead.
Rule 1: Give Every Dollar a Job
If you have $500 in the bank, that $500 should be divided between your different budget categories based on what needs money before you get paid again.
Rule 2: Embrace Your True Expenses
Effortlessly save for large, less frequent expenses (like home maintenance and holiday shopping) by including them in your budget as manageable monthly funds.
Rule Three: Roll With the Punches
Budgets that don’t bend break. When life changes, adjust your budget—without guilt or shame.
Rule Four: Age Your Money
The longer you budget, the longer your money stays in your bank account. Before long, you’ll get a month ahead on your bills.
Ready to use the Four Rules in your own budget? Start your budget in YNAB for free!
Making a budget will help you make sure you have money for your essential bills and keep your priorities top of mind for the rest of your dollars.
3. Start Building an Opportunity Gap
With the help of a budget, you’ll know exactly how far your monthly income will take you (and YNAB does this math for you in the app!). All of a sudden you’ll see if it makes sense to pick up a part-time job, try to negotiate payments with your providers, or trim down your spending habits. Knowledge is power!
By following the Four Rules, you’ll also be saving for those non-monthly expenses like car repair (you know it’s coming), holiday gifts, and a good ol’ emergency fund. By saving for these in smaller monthly chunks, you not only make them more manageable, but the money will be there waiting when it’s time to spend it. That means fewer surprises and less opportunities to go into credit card debt.
4. Start Living on Last Month’s Money
The more you follow the first three rules of YNAB, the more extra money you’ll see in your account, and you’ll be on the path to financial freedom. Woohoo! That sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
You’ll get to the point where you are living on money you made last month. That means you’ll slowly start funding next month’s bills (and you can keep your progress tracked and organized in YNAB).
What you make in January, you fund February’s categories. During February, you’ll start funding March categories. Eventually, you’ll have so much extra cash in your checking account, you’ll be a month ahead…forever! It’s a beautiful thing.
Check out our comprehensive guide to learn how to break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.
Life After Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Imagine the long-term financial security you would feel from having a one-month buffer built into your financial system. By following the Four Rules, you’ll go far beyond just breaking the paycheck to paycheck cycle. You’ll:
- Be able to get out of debt
- Save money faster
- Improve your credit score
- Get better interest rates (because you’ll always be able to pay bills on time and in full)
- Reach your savings goal
- Experience financial freedom
Don’t stand teetering on the edge of financial ruin. You owe it to yourself to get out of this trap—stop living paycheck to paycheck now!
Budgeting can help you break the paycheck to paycheck cycle forever. Stick around, learn about personal finance in a fun and easy way, and take control of your money.
YNAB has helped hundreds of thousands of people that started just like you—stressed about when bills were going to hit. Sign up for a free 34-day trial of You Need a Budget, learn the Four Rules of YNAB, and we’ll walk with you every step of the way. Yes, you really might even forget it’s payday.
