Dude,

I have so much experience with being poor. It’s taken some time to figure out how to not be really and truly poor. I mean, I’m still a broke ass bitch.

However, the money situation is not as bad as it used to be. In fact, my credit score has improved enough that I could buy a new car. At a real car dealership instead of from some guy on craigslist or down the road.

Here is what I know. Maybe it will help you get your house in order.

If you know the secret to making money, you can let us all know.

1. Take a close look at your finances on a weekly basis. I know it’s scary but you have to work through the fear. It’s the only way.
2. Most banks have an app for your phone. Use it.
3. Budget. Budget. Budget. For awhile, I stopped writing down what bills and how much. Huge mistake on my part. You might think you have extra money and forget to pay the water bill. Big oops. So now I have a little binder with a folder for each month.
4. If you have a subscription to anything that comes out of your checking, don’t forget about it when doing the bills. If you subscribe to something for a time when it’s free, don’t forget to cancel it before you have to pay or remember that it’s going to cost money.
5. Be aware of your credit score. Also terrifying but necessary. If you want a house or a car, you need to know what is going on with your credit.
6. Sustainability. Can you survive on your income? What can you do to make it work? How much can you do for yourself? Some people make their own coffee instead of going to Starbucks. It’s delicious coffee. Can you afford $25 a week on coffee?
7. Side hustle. Everyone probably has a side hustle – blogging, eBay, Etsy, etc.. You have to decide if it’s worth it. Does it make money or waste time? Personally, I have never, ever, ever made money from doing surveys. So for me, it’s a waste of time.

I have a budget board on Pinterest. Take a look, there might be something that helps you figure out the disaster that is your financial health.