10 Tips to Make Finances Your Friend

Suzan E. Zan
Nov 1, 2021
3 min read

When my husband moved out in 2008, he left two grand in our joint checking account, our mortgage was $1800, my leased Jeep Commander was $450 a month, I was unemployed, and I didn’t have a personal bank account (but he had one—both in the U.S. and overseas).

Color me in trouble with fat broken crayons. As a woman and mother, I had to reestablish my relationship with my finances. But how to reclaim my financial footing I let slip away when I got married?

Here are 10 quick tips I used to help regain my financial footing and make friends with my finances.

Budget. First, I put together a list of all my expenses on paper. I highly recommend this to anyone at any age. It’s simply not enough to have some vague idea of where your money is going each month. Write or type it all down. Then put in for the unexpected: repairs for home, vehicle, body. This helps create your roadmap.
Swap when you shop. In advertising, brand loyalty is king, but if you’ve got monetary constraints, why pay for a label? Contrary to what brand x’s marketing team wants you to feel you can’t live without, generic products often come close to the real thing. Start small by swapping out basics such as rice, beans, and condiments when you can. Often, there’s little difference and you’ll save money by forgoing fancy packaging.
Change the label when able. This goes back to item number two of swapping when shopping. Consider putting generic ketchup in the Heinz bottle, store brand syrup in Mrs. Butterworth’s bottle, or some Cinnamon Toasters in your empty General Mills cereal box and see if anyone notices. I’m just saying.
Let it go, let it go… Frozen theme song aside, learn to let go of “stuff.” We’re programmed to collect and consume stuff of the world from the moment we’re born. But she who dies with the most stuff doesn’t win. Not by a longshot. It’s a lie. If there’s an item you no longer want, serves no purpose, or has bad memories attached, why keep it? Nowadays, you can easily and safely sell items from several social apps or websites. Let it go and make some dough!
Repair and repurpose. If there’s something you want to hang onto but needs repair, repair it. (Gorilla Glue is a godsend.) Look at things in a new way. Can a broken laundry basket be flipped over with a sheet draped on it to make a coffee table? Is someone throwing away something you can repurpose and/or spruce up to sell? Getting creative and crafty while repairing and repurposing also boosts dopamine levels. More achievement hormone? Yes please!
Get thrifty. If there is something that you must purchase, consider buying it secondhand. Thrift stores, garage sales, and friend swaps are all good ways to keep your expenses down while acquiring what you need. Yes, new clothes, furniture, and toys are the dream, but the last thing you need to do right now is get into debt (or more debt). Some thriftiness and forgoing now will pay off later.
Trade, borrow, barter. Dog sitting, babysitting, housekeeping, and errand running are all good ways to earn some money and/or trade services for expertise. For instance, I can’t rebuild a computer, but I can make you a brochure to promote your business. I was lucky to find some freelance work from home until I found something more stable.
Put pride to the side (just a tad). This one can be hard. “I need help” is among the three most difficult words to say. Do you cringe a little too at the thought of saying it? Unlike what you see on the news most nights, many people are generous and kind and want to help others—they just need to know how. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with your family and close friends. This leads me to my next point…
Get a support system. No one can go it alone for very long. It’s important to surround yourself with supportive people. Reach out to those you trust—family, friends, coworkers, church group, whoever—and let them know what’s going on in your world. Even better, ask them if they’re willing to help, even if it’s to pray for you. By the way, The Beatles had it right: “I get by with a little help from my friends.”
Rescue yourself. Lastly, the best and quickest way to get back on your feet and make friends of your finances is to shuck the dream that someone will rescue you. It is your life. You got this! Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not capable. Because you are.

What tips or suggestions do you have for taming your finances? I’d love to hear from you!

Suzan E. Zan is a passionate communicator who explores life’s quirks, pains, and heartbreaks, and the beauty found in them. Learn more at www.suzanzan.com