Are you treating yourself to a financial rut?

By Melanie K

Financial resilience has been a recurring theme here lately, as well as really focusing on saving money and reducing debt. It's easy to talk about the technical stuff that helps you to do better financial management (putting together a budget, setting up an automatic savings plan, paying down debt every month). But, I think it's important to get into the details of what this means in your day-to-day life.

I'm big on visioning. You know, like athletes do when they are preparing for a competition. I think the same process works with financial goals. Think about what you're trying to achieve, and try it on in your mind.

Now, visualize this personal finance observation in your own life: What has become normal daily spending in many of our lives, should really be treats (I'll treat myself to lunch out, I'll treat my friend to a coffee). These spending habits have become so engrained that we don't recognize them as such. Treats happen occasionally (once a week or every two weeks); habits happen almost daily.

Women in Business: Have treats become a habit for you? How would your daily spending change if you changed those habits?