Being proactive means you’re less likely to be caught off guard. It allows you to mitigate risks and challenges rather than trying to solve problems after the fact, which is often more wasteful. It’s a skill that takes practice to master and requires an attitude of viewing everything as an opportunity for growth and improvement. You can only be proactive if you have goals, are solution-oriented, and know what needs to be done. If being preemptive with your budget is something you feel you should get to grips with, here are a few ways how.
1. Prioritize Your Health
You can only make money when you’re healthy enough to do so. That’s why it’s important to be proactive with your health. Self-care is a great place to start. It includes working to maintain your physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and mental health.
For your social health, avoid isolation and try to engage in meaningful social interactions whenever possible. Process strong emotions as they occur; don’t bottle things up. Adopt practices like meditation and journaling to strengthen your spiritual and mental health. Get enough sleep, exercise, eat a balanced diet, and hydrate with lots of clean water to improve your physical health.
According to Circle of Blue, 13% of Americans use wells for their water supply. In order to ensure it’s safe for your family, it’s important to have it tested frequently and to have a filtration system installed on your property. By taking these steps, you secure a reliable water supply for you and your loved ones.
2. Prioritize Your Safety on the Road
Whether you use a car, motorbike, or any other form of transport, you should never take getting from point A to point B safely for granted. Practice personal safety by wearing the necessary safety gear for your preferred transportation mode, like helmets, protective pads, or seatbelts. Have your car serviced regularly and address repairs as soon as possible.
It’s a good idea to regularly inspect your brake pads. According to Kruse Automotive, if you notice the friction material on the pad or shoe is less than a quarter inch thick, consider having your brakes inspected since it may be time to get replacements. This will save you money in the long run and potentially your car or, most importantly, your life in case of an accident.
3. Take Care of Your Environment
Ensure you’re trimming trees and hedges, mowing your lawn, and properly managing or disposing of your household waste. Doing this will wade off destructive rodents and pests. You also want to keep away bed bugs. According to Forbes, one female bed bug lays about 200 to 250 eggs in her lifetime of three to four months. Keeping your house clean will help you spot things like bedbugs early when getting rid of them is easy.
4. Manage Your Finances
Learning how to draw up a budget, tame your expenses, save for retirement, and make smart investments is crucial. It’s always best to live within your means, but taking credit for things you need and can’t afford at a go isn’t wrong. If you owe money, it’s better to communicate with your creditor and periodically devise paying arrangements that will work for you each time.
Ignoring phone calls from your original creditor because you’re broke can seem like the easy thing to do. However, when your case is turned over to debt collectors, it’ll cost you more points than the charge-off would. Open communication can earn you time and have your offer for pay-for-delete accepted if you can’t pay in full, which will save you a great deal should you need more credit later.
It’s impossible to avoid all reactive behavior since life is unpredictable. However, being reactive always means resigning to letting life happen to you. You can avert reactivity by being proactive. Taking this approach with your finances will save you money over the long run.
