Discover easy steps to stay a month ahead on bills with my FREE Month Ahead Template. I’ve also included simple tips to boost your bank account and help you manage your personal finances with ease.
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Living paycheck to paycheck can be incredibly stressful. Just a single untimely due date before your paycheck hits your account can put you in the negative, with ridiculous overdraft fees there to kick you while you are down.
This post explores seven creative ways to help you break free from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and achieve the financial stability of being one month ahead of your expenses.
Being one month ahead is especially important for those with an irregular income. This approach gives you the benefit of knowing ahead of time whether you will fall short, allowing time to adjust for the gap, like picking up an extra shift at work or selling something to cover the shortage.
Ultimately, the goal is to have an emergency fund with 3-6 months of your expenses for any small or large emergencies that may set you back.
BUT everyone starts somewhere, and helping you get just one month ahead is already a step worth taking.
What does a month ahead mean?
Being “a month ahead” means you have saved enough money to cover all your upcoming expenses for the next month.
To do this, the goal is to put away any extra money you do not use by the end of the month into a separate account or place like a jar or an envelope. If you historically tend to run out of money by the end of the month, then it might be time to adjust your budget or increase your income.
Being one month ahead may take you some time. This is ok.
Rome was not built in a day.
Once you reach your savings goal, you can efficiently budget for upcoming bills. No more waiting for money to hit your account.
This approach is also referred to as the jar method. You fill a jar with the total of the next month’s expenses, sealing it until the new month begins.
When the new month begins, you can open the jar and pay for your monthly bills.
For instance, if you start in November, all your November earnings go into a jar labeled “For December.” This jar remains unopened until December 1st when its contents cover all your December bills.
Any income generated in December starts filling the “For January” jar.
Here are 7 easy ways to stay a month ahead on bills:
Regain Control
When things are not going well, you may feel like you have lost control of everything around you. The bills keep piling up on your kitchen counter, and past-due notices make you feel like you will never get back on track.
Before anything else, you need to regain your mindset and your confidence. You are STILL in control.
Sit down, clear your mind, create a plan, and practice replacing negative thoughts. This is going to feed everything else. Your mental state is crucial in managing your finances effectively.
Once you have set the mental stage, it’s time to take practical steps to regain control of your financial situation.
Budgeting and Setting Goals
You do not need another $30 budget planner to do this. You do not have to spend money to save money.
Pen and paper should be all you need, but in case you don’t want to pull out your calculator, click on the button below to download a simple month ahead budget template for FREE.
Now, review your expenses.
Better yet, pull up your previous month’s bank statements. Sometimes we don’t realize how much we spend without seeing the evidence.
How much are you spending every month? How much do you NEED to spend?
Separate your expenses.
Write down fixed costs like rent/mortgage, cell phone, internet, and utilities. These will go into your fixed expenses column. Fixed expenses often have a due date, and you can get penalized for not paying on time.
Next, write down your variable expenses like groceries, gas, pet expenses, and maybe subscriptions or a trip to the nail salon. While these can be necessary, they are also things you have more control over and can adjust if needed.
Determine what you can temporarily go without for a few months to get you a month ahead as soon as possible.
After calculating the final total, let’s explore areas where we can cut back. Here are some suggestions:
Do Not Eat Out for a Month (No Food Delivery Either)
For 30 days, commit to only buying groceries and cooking at home. Plan your meals, explore budget-friendly recipes, and consider one-pot meals to simplify your cooking routine.
This commitment not only saves money but also encourages healthier eating habits. Consider incorporating frozen goods and preparing meals in batches to make the process more manageable.
Spaghetti is always a good one, and it is often even better on the second day.
Meal planning is so important for your budget. Sometimes, simply opening your pantry to see what you may already have can save you some money on your next grocery trip.
Shop Store Brands
I love a successful Aldi trip. And if there are no Aldi stores near you, Lidl is a close second. These stores always offer fantastic prices, especially when you’re in a crunch.
Consider how much money you spend on food each month. Now think about being able to save 20 to 25 percent by simply adjusting which products you reach for. This Consumer Reports article argues that is how much you may be leaving on the table by staying loyal to brand names.
So next time you’re at the store, try the store brand substitutes. If you can truly taste the difference between the brand name Cheerios and the store brand, fine. I also won’t argue with you about the Oreos.
But some substitutes are worth experimenting with.
Sell things
Time to declutter your home! Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Take advantage of online platforms like Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Mercari, Poshmark, or eBay to easily sell items you no longer need. Selling things has never been more convenient.
The best part? These are all safe websites and apps that I use for selling my stuff.
Say goodbye to those awkward Craigslist meetups. Does anyone even use Craigslist anymore?
Got old phones lying around? Sell them. That Apple Watch collecting dust? Time to let it go. Furniture not bringing you happiness? List it.
And here’s the bonus: direct the proceeds from these sales toward your month-ahead fund to expedite your journey.
Cancel Stuff You Don’t Use
Completing a budgeting exercise can be eye-opening, revealing money spent on things you don’t use. If this is the case with you, it’s time to make some changes!
The streaming landscape has exploded with options in recent years, and prices seem to keep increasing. Do you need all those subscriptions? Consider keeping only 1 or 2 that you use the most.
Let’s look at some examples:
Gym membership
Cancel that gym membership you haven’t fully utilized in the last 6 months.
Yes, I know I know – you were going to go tomorrow.
Let’s be real, no you weren’t and neither was I when I finally decided to cancel.
Exercising doesn’t have to come with a monthly expense. Check out these fantastic adjustable dumbbells for $100. It might seem pricey, but it’s only 4 times the $25 monthly gym membership you’re not using.
If you live in a small apartment like me, these dumbbells are the ultimate space savers.
Audiobook streaming service
Another $15 is gone – cancel that audiobook streaming service. Try free library services like Libby. I recently did this, and was so excited!
You might be thinking, who has a library card these days?
You do! Open a FREE library account ONLINE through your local library, and voila!
In most cases, you won’t even have to leave your bed.
Cancel annual subscriptions
Your Amazon Prime account is costing you $14.99 per month – that’s $179 annually ($139 if you choose the annual option).
Many believe you must be a Prime member to shop on Amazon, but you don’t. Sure, you’ll miss some perks like Deal Days or Prime Day, but think about how often you use them or how many of those “Deals” are saving you money.
Evaluate if you’re truly getting your money’s worth.
Also, consider this: if you often shop over the $25 threshold, shipping is free, member or not. Waiting to reach that threshold might also help slow down some impulse spending. Another win in my book!
Avoid Buy Now, Pay Later Cycle
High-interest debt is becoming more accessible than ever.
In the past, people used to caution you about credit cards being the sole enemy. Nowadays, numerous websites entice you with options like Klarna, allowing you to pay later or in four installments of $25, making that $100 purchase seem much more manageable.
It’s all a psychological trap. These Buy Now, Pay Later providers (BNPL) aren’t necessarily trying to help you afford the things you love, they are trying to make more money.
This psychology keeps you trapped in a dangerous cycle because the sense of relief after making your last payment can be enough to justify another shopping spree as a reward.
While $100 might not have passed our affordability filter, $25 easily does.
Have you ever heard of retail therapy? It’s not a question of whether shopping gives us a dopamine boost – it does. However, to break this cycle, we need to be aware of it, stop it in its tracks, and avoid taking on more debt than we can afford.
Final Thoughts on Staying a Month Ahead
Breaking free from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle requires a combination of mindset shifts and practical adjustments. By following these seven creative strategies, you can work toward achieving a one month buffer, providing financial stability, and reducing stress. Remember, the ultimate goal is to build an emergency fund for both small and large, unexpected expenses, and getting a month ahead is a significant step in that direction.
UPDATE
If you achieved getting a month ahead using the spreadsheet shared in this post, check out this post on How to Budget Using 50 30 20 Rule Spreadsheet in 3 Easy Steps that can help you with maintaining a well-balanced monthly budget.
This includes another FREE download!
As always, don’t be a stranger! Share your thoughts in the comments below. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated. Bye for now!
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