There’s a high chance you’ve heard a financial expert say, “You should review your finances at least once a week!” To which you may have sighed and responded, “Yeah, but how do I actually do that?” Enter: a weekend routine for your finances!
Why is a weekend routine for your finances important?
The key to success is to set up a weekend routine that is within your financial means – without feeling like you’re actually working.
1. A weekend morning routine helps you stay on top of purchases
Before I started my usual weekend routine, I was notorious for getting into the second week of every month feeling completely disappointed by how much I had spent.
The issue is that I was too busy with my purchases to review them. Instead of looking at the spending that I incurred, I spend all my time waiting for my paycheck to arrive and then “hoping” and “praying” that I will have enough money to get it.
Starting my morning routine on Saturday or Sunday mornings is one of the most important things I do, because it allows me to stay on top of purchases. And I know that it will also help you.
2. A weekend routine keeps you on track toward your goals
Women are ambitious because they have life goals they want to achieve. For example, many women would like to build houses by the beach, pay off their student loans early, or make guilt-free vacation packages.
Whatever it is, a weekend routine lets you update yourself on your progress at least four times a year, every month. The more you check in, the more you can adjust your program as you get off track.
3. A weekend morning routine sets the tone for the week ahead
“It’s easy to not think about something if you don’t look at it every day.” It is easy to continue doing the same ole, same ole with your money if you don’t review your spending.
But budgeting is also good for setting the tone for the week. It helps you make clear your goals and keeps them in the front of your mind.
4. A weekend routine can reduce your money stress and anxiety
Financial stress is at a record high for women. In fact, a survey by FINRA found that 65% of women felt anxious about personal finances compared to 54% of men.
What causes the most anxiety? These issues include low income, increasing debt, money management issues, and insufficient financial literacy.
Most importantly, implementing a weekend routine will help you gain valuable knowledge about finances, allowing you to face difficult financial challenges head-on. In addition, it may help you reduce your stress and anxiety.
How to create a weekend morning routine for your finances in 8 steps
You don’t have to make a big deal out of the weekend by spending a lot of money. And, perhaps, it can be fun!
Here are eight easy steps to getting started.
1. Grab your favorite drink and crank up the tunes!
Your weekend routine should be enjoyable if you want it to actually be done every week. Otherwise, it will become just another unpleasant task on your to-do list.
Start the weekend off right with your preferred beverage. Whether it’s a chilled latte, a hot cup of tea, or a chilled wine, uncork a favorite bottle as soon as possible. Add some upbeat songs to set the tone for the challenge. Get into a pleasant mindset for managing your budget.
2. Go over last week’s spending to spot what worked and what didn’t
To dig for that honey, now’s the time for your money. Begin by checking your most recent bank statements. Your purchases should be consistent with your wishes and values.
As you review your purchases, consider these seven reflection questions.
If you’re using a budgeting application, it aggregates your spending into a single place, making it simple to just view everything here. But if you keep track of spending manually, you’ll have to pull up your bank accounts and credit card accounts separately.
3. Review your budget and make adjustments for the week ahead
This data will help you direct your budget for the upcoming week.
4. Pay any bills that aren’t on autopilot
If you haven’t already automated your financial accounts, now is the time to do it! It is the best way to prevent getting hit with exorbitant late charges in the future. In addition, it ticks another thing off the list.
Even when you are on autopilot with your finances, things can still come up that require some financial flexibility. You may have to make a car repair payment, pay your doctor’s office, or send a birthday card to your niece. Your weekend routine is when you have time to do all those things.
5. Plan out your meals for the week and do a grocery run (with your updated budget in mind)
By this weekend, you are 100% in the budgeting mindset. You reviewed last week’s expenditures. You have created a plan for next week. You’re all fired up and ready to meet your objectives.
Now is the time to do a grocery run while motivation is high. Similarly, we have a bunch of suggestions on grocery shopping on a budget if you require inspiration. In addition, the 25 cheapest dishes and 35 tasty cheap meals are featured in the list.
For budget-oriented menu planning help, check out the eight frugal meal plans you see here or create a monthly meal planner for your budget.
6. Make a list of any financial wellness “to-dos” you want to check off this week
Do you have any financial tasks that you want to do this week?
There are plenty of financial wellness programs to choose from to help you improve your health and wealth. You don’t have to participate in all of them. However, by picking one task for the week, you can get 1% better each day.
7. Spend some time in prayer or meditation reflecting on past money wins and future successes
Financial independence is important for women. It gives you the flexibility and freedom you need to lead a fulfilling life. It pays you what you’re really worth. Most importantly, it busts the most common money myths.
So, when you finish your morning routine, pause and reflect upon all the great things you’ve done so far. Nothing is too trivial.
Perhaps you had a talk with your partner about splitting bills. Perhaps you’ve canceled an online subscription you never use. Whatever it may be, be sure to appreciate these victories and focus on pursuing the lifestyle you really desire.
8. Stick to your routine and have fun!
Repetition is key to creating a successful weekend morning routine. Science says that it can take 66 days on average to form a brand new habit.
One way to make your weekend routine automatic is to do it on the same day of the week, every week. So, on Sunday mornings, the kids can wake up first, on Fridays you can go to sleep earlier, and whenever the weekend begins, you can anticipate it.
Designate that time period on your calendar and repeatedly set it to repeat. If you miss a week, that’s perfectly all right! Be gracious and promise yourself that you will not miss two weeks in a row.
2 Pro tips to help you stick with your weekend routine
I’ve been doing my weekend routine for many years now (or at least something vaguely similar).
1. Use “temptation bundling” to turn your weekend routine into something fun
Have you ever heard of the phrase “temptation bundling?” It’s a method experts propose trying to speed up the rate of creating new habits.
The process is easy: You pair an activity you enjoy (such as reviewing your budget on weekends) with something you want to do (such as listening to music or sipping coffee on a leisurely Sunday).
However, you only allow yourself to do the enjoyable task while simultaneously doing the not-so-enjoyable task. This tactic has been very beneficial in my life. So, give it a try yourself.
2. Blast away roadblocks with a weekend morning routine checklist
Another option is to create a useful checklist to help you out with your routine on the weekends.
Rather than sitting there for 20 minutes trying to remember, “Okay, where should I start?”, you can create a weekend morning routine checklist to eliminate the guesswork.
This checklist should list any regular tasks you should perform each week to save money.
I always prepare a checklist for my free time so that it is easy to follow my routine.
Now you’re ready to create a handy weekend routine for your finances!
That’s wrapping up a weekend budget plan for the weekend. Once you’ve created a routine, you can relax and rejoice knowing you’ve done your best with your money.
For your new weekend routine, your life planner is the perfect companion. It has numerous pages for setting goals, paying down debt, creating a monthly budget, recording gratitudes, and much more. In other words, it is perfectly in keeping with everything we covered in that article.
As always, we have plenty of completely complimentary classes to help you manage your money. After all, building financial literacy should not cost you a cent.
