7 Mental Money Traps That Keep You Poor

7 Mental Money Traps That Keep You Poor

Crystal Mayer   Thu, September 28, 2023

A recent study shows that over 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. If you are like one of the millions of people struggling to find financial stability, you might be stuck in the wrong mindset. Avoiding certain mental money traps can help you adjust your spending and start saving for your future.

Creating a budget and sticking to it can help you achieve your financial goals, but you will also need to rethink how you spend money. Prioritizing your spending can help ensure that you have money left over each month to invest. If you are tired of seeing a miniscule balance in your checking account, reconsider these 7 mental money traps that keep you poor.

You Need To Spend Money To Make Money

You have likely heard the old adage, “you need to spend money to make money.” While this may be true for startup businesses, it isn’t a good mindset for most people.

Many people feel that they need to live a specific lifestyle, spending well more than they make to give the perception that they are wealthier than they are. Overspending will only leave you frustrated and won’t help you make money.

Almost all money experts agree that the key to wealth is investing. If you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, take a look at your non-essential spending and start investing. Even small investments can pay off significantly over time.

Retirement Is Far Away

Many young people fall into the trap of thinking that retirement is far away so they don’t need to worry about it. Unfortunately, waiting to start saving for retirement can cost you big. Fidelity Investments recommends that you have at least 1x your salary saved by the time you are 30 and 3x your salary by the time you are 40.

The longer you wait, the less likely you will have the money you need when you retire. The good news is that even if you haven’t started saving, you can start now. The best way to go about it is by meeting with a financial advisor. Make sure you are also taking full advantage of your company’s 401(k) matching if they offer it.

You’ll Be Happy If You Buy Something

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