Six Common Money Mistakes That Keep You from Building Wealth

If you’ve been trying to build wealth and falling short, it may be that you need to think about what decisions you are making that actually cost you money! I am an expert in these mistakes, as I made them myself, and I experience these with my clients, too!

Building wealth takes time-for some of us, a very long time! But by addressing some of these mistakes, you can enjoy an immediate upward trend in your net worth!

  1. Not having enough money saved: I am a huge fan of savings accounts! I recommend having your savings earmarked in several accounts, with the most important one being your emergency fund! The emergency fund is foundational in building a life of security, as we never know when the unexpected may happen. If you don’t have enough in an emergency fund, you may find yourself dependent on credit cards do get you through a time of crisis, which can lead to further stress in a time of overwhelm.
  2. Not having a budget: I have never liked the word “budget” as it sounds restrictive. Having a Saving and Spending Plan allows you to know how much you have to spend on your committed expenses, your discretionary expenses, and savings amounts. Following a plan will help you to feel empowered and stay on track with spending and
  3. Overspending: this is a biggie! We are all being subjected to marketing numerous times a day. We may have signed up for a discount from a retailer, and now get daily emails with promotional prices. Or maybe you’ve looked at a particular item online, and now are seeing those same items appear on your social media feeds. The temptation is real! Learning to recognize that you are making financial decisions when parting with your money and that each of these decisions will have a consequence is an important step in resisting temptation. Remember, you are in control-not the retailers!
  4. Using credit cards: Credit cards are not a bad thing if you use them and pay them off as you go. However, the mistakes I see happen when people use them, begin building a balance that they can’t manage and begin digging themselves into a pattern of increasing their debt because of the interest that is being charged on each purchase. If you do use a card, only charge an amount you know you can pay off! Otherwise, the money you want to go towards building your wealth is going to a bank and making them richer!
  5. Not Understanding Your Numbers: Do you know your specific numbers-your total income, debt, investment totals, and your savings amounts? All of these numbers are important factors in determining your Net Worth. Simply stated, your net worth is calculated by subtracting your liabilities from your assets. To build wealth, the assets should be greater than your liabilities and continue to grow, while your liabilities should decrease whenever possible! Understanding your numbers can help you stay motivated when building your wealth!
  6. Avoiding talking about finances: after working with a lot of couples, I can say that this is a very common challenge. Money is an emotional topic! If you have difficulty talking with your partner about your finances, start by talking about how each of you grew up with money. It will provide some clues as to the approach each of you has with money management. This can lay the groundwork for future conversations that will eventually involve numbers. Being able to have these conversations will help you to build wealth, as you can build teamwork around your goals.

We are all capable of building a life of abundance! It’s our everyday habits, lack of communication and denial around our numbers that keep us from accelerating the process of building the wealth you deserve!

Today’s Author: Jane Helm is the Principal of Money Mentor Group. As a wealth coach, Jane combines decades of financial services experience with a degree in social work and psychology to bring positive financial change to her client’s lives. She is a Partner Coach with the Wholistic Coaching Coalition and co-founded the Build Your Own Business networking group. Jane can be reached via email at [email protected]