Have you ever had one of those moments when you’ve wondered how on earth someone can afford to live so well?
It is in our nature to compare what we have to what our peers have. But when your friends appear to be doing so much better than you, it can leave you wondering what you’re doing wrong.
Those that appear affluent may be creating artificial wealth.
By spending everything they have on material possessions that look good, they may be leaving nothing left for an emergency. Worse still, they may not have anything put away for retirement. Living well now could prevent you living comfortably later in life, so spend wisely. It can help ensure you have a good credit rating too.
Some people use credit cards to balance their household budget each month. This provides you with the option of paying only the minimum repayment if you have a tight month. However, if you are finding that you need to do this frequently, it might be time to review your household budget.
It is always worth checking over your household budget every quarter. You might be able to find some ‘wriggle room’ in your figures. However, when a big expense comes up, it might not matter how much you have tucked away.
There are some bills that can cause sleepless nights. Your boiler might need to be replaced, or your home may need an urgent repair. A new job may require you to buy a car to commute. Covering big expenses like this requires some creative thinking.
If you’re a homeowner, then you might be able to secure a loan against your house. This is often the only way to raise thousands of pounds quickly. Evolution Money secured loans are offered for almost any reason.
When you don’t have enough in savings but you need to cover a big bill, borrowing the money is often the only answer. The advantage to this is that you can repay the loan amount over many months. The repayment amount is small, saving you from overstretching yourself.
Other ways to raise some cash can include taking on a second job. Perhaps you can earn some money teaching someone a special skill you have. Over the holiday season, there are plenty of extra temp jobs about to put a few extra pounds in your pocket. Often people choose to avoid this route because of the negative impact on the work-life balance. But for some, it’s the only way to afford the nicer things in life.
Selling things you no longer need can be another way to inject some cash into your life. Technology moves rapidly. If you want the latest thing, you may need to sell the outdated model first to be able to afford it. For larger purchases, you may consider a loan or finance so you can spread the cost. This makes paying for things possible in smaller chunks.
Everybody is different. We all spend our money in different ways. We have different priorities or interests. If you’re left wondering how your mates can afford the latest tech, then you could always ask them. Just remember, sometimes that rainy day money comes in very handy!