This week we continue with our organization series and look at how organizing your finances whatever the amount can produce big results.

One of the benefits of embracing simplistic living and why you need routines in your life is in most cases you are able to manage your finances by living within your means and thus, achieve the big results you crave.

A few weeks ago, I shared about enrolling in Elite Blog Academy. Since the inception of this blog, it was clear I had to do this course. As a result, I got on the waiting list and started enjoying the free resources offered until the doors would next open. In December 2016, we were offered a huge discount if we preregistered for the course. Having set aside money for the course, we were able to jump on the offer when it came. Had we not organized ourselves in this way, we would have ended up paying full price when the doors opened to the world last month.

In most cases, when people set financial goals they tend to focus on how to bring in more money. I have shared how by using these simple organization tools, you can put more money in your pocket.

 

In the two stories that follow, you will discover how by making small changes in the way we managed our finances we were able to attain big results.

One By One Makes A Bundle 

My first job as a Legal Assistant in 2001, paid about $150 at the time. In total disregard of my parents teaching about saving for a rainy day, I lived hand to mouth. When I started dating my now husband, he asked about how I save. My response was the money was too little for me to save. I preferred to wait for the yearly bonus or if the year was good a mid-year bonus and then save.

My husband proceeded to share a story that changed the way I looked at money. He said every evening he used the same minibus as a gentleman who was vending doughnuts. This man often used the commute to reconcile his accounts for the day. One day he took out a very long bank statement that revealed he always took his meager earnings to the bank which had since accumulated. The next day, I went to a small bank and opened a savings account. Every time I got my salary I made sure some went to the savings account. Two years later an opportunity came for me to buy my first car. Using the small savings I was making, I was able to afford to buy a car of about $ 1,000.

Where There Is A Will There Is A Way

Fast forward, the year was 2005 and I wanted to go back and earn an MBA. At the time I wanted to go to Edinburgh Business School but unfortunately, we could not afford it. My second option was Eastern & Southern African Management Institute which was costing $6500.

When I made my wishes known to my husband he said we would be stretching ourselves too much. He suggested I instead go to the national university where I had earned my first degree. This is not what I wanted. I had since changed jobs and was now earning a little more. Having learnt that it does not matter what you make if you always set aside something you can achieve big; I worked out a plan, if I saved a specific amount every month I would be able to afford the quarterly payments. I made a standing order with my bank and this amount went off my salary account every month. By the time the two years for the course were over, we had managed to pay for the course without incurring any debt or late payment fees.

From these two stories, you can see that if you are determined enough you can always find a way to achieve the big results you want regardless of how much money you make.

Finally,

In order to take small steps but get big results, I suggest that you begin by instead of focusing on what you make, look at what you spend. Find a way to live on less than you make. If you do this, those dreams that now seem impossible will begin to come to pass because indeed one by one does make a bundle.

 

 

The Organisation Series

How Simplistic Living Helps To Avoid Stress

4 Reasons To Have Routines In Your Life

How Small Actions Can Produce Big Results (You are here)

How To Manage Your Life NOT Time 

3 Ways to Beat Procrastination