Turn your finances around

Believe in yourself! Believe that you have what it takes to turn your finances around. Here are some highly effective strategies to boost yourself, your state of mind and your finances:

• Draw strength from tough challenges you've faced and dealt with in the past
• Think about what you did to get through tough times and use those memories to remind yourself of your strengths and abilities. Negativity tends to spread, set an example in your household by being positive about the situation
• Keep in mind that you are not the only person who has ever experienced financial problems and millions of people have managed to become debt free
• Get inspired! Watch a movie or read a book about someone that has overcome a difficult situation. E.g. Nelson Mandela or Pursuit of Happiness
• Visualise your future. Motivate yourself by visualising that you are financially stable and enjoying the freedom that a debt-free life has to offer.
• Don't stay quiet. Share your financial troubles with close family and friends. This will give you relief and take a load off your shoulders.
• Boost your self-confidence by learning more about money. Take a basic finance class, or read a good book on the subject. Visit financial websites and get yourself clued up, knowledge is power!
• Be realistic. Don't expect to pay off your high interest debt, build your savings account and have extra money to spend by next week. Depending on your circumstances, tackling debt could take months or even years. As long as you're serious about your finances you will see gradual improvements.
• Redefine success. Society and the media want us to believe that buying ex equal will give us success. The true measure of success is on your personal relationships, being a good parent, friend and spouse. Being kind to others and helping out where you can. Money can't buy any of these things or bring you the happiness they do.
• Don't make excuses for having debt. Making excuses will only take you a few steps back, definitely not forward

For more information on how to turn your finances around, please read the following information: 1. Handling Setbacks 2. Family Contributions