So your new year’s resolution was to learn personal finance, make a budget and stick to it. And you’re finally ready to save some money for the empty travel funds you keep wishing to fill.

But now when January has passed, how well do you think you’re sticking to your personal finance goals?

A little splurging to deal with the holiday blues is FINE, but if it crosses all boundaries and you keep tapping on ‘Buy Now’ buttons ever so often, then it’s a problem.

And if you’re feeling guilty every time you spend on something you don’t necessarily need, it’s time for a change.

Here’s the kind of financial management you could be aiming for, to stick to the budget you make! (All while treating yourself once in a while.)

1. Let’s start by creating a budget

Okay, memes are funny. But when you have no money left by every 10th of the month, you don’t really feel like laughing, do you?

So let’s start financial management by creating a budget.

Assess your necessary spending for every month – and how much you have left once you’ve deducted all of it. Don’t worry we’ll come to the ‘treat yourself’ section too! But first thing’s first, start being accountable for the money you have!

2. Set aside some treat yourself dough and let it rest and rise!

So when you’ve deducted the necessities including rent, food, toiletries, etc., now it’s time to decide how to treat yourself. We told you we’d come to it soon!

The best way to manage your personal finance is to know where you like to spend money the most. Is it meals, drinks, or shopping for a cute tee every now and then?

Even if it’s multiple answers, set aside an amount of money that you can afford for your splurging habits.

But don’t go over and above it. Remember to treat yourself in a way that your future self doesn’t have to suffer. That’s how simple it is to manage your personal finance and stick to your budget!

3. Track your expenses

This one’s a must for personal finance management. Because mostly what happens is, we make a budget at the start of the new year or new month. And then, we conveniently forget about financial management when there’s an ‘oh-so-adorable’ thing of our fancy on sale.

No matter how much the website says you’ll be saving, remember that you’re going to be spending, and NOT SAVING if you give in.

So to manage personal finance better, write each of your expenses down. Even the ones you carry out on a whim. This will help you understand where you’re going wrong, and how you can improve your financial management skills.

4. Stop saving your card details online.

Yes! Even on Amazon. The thing is, the easier it gets to pay for something online, the tougher it is to stick to a budget.

When we have no sense of how much money is slipping through our hands, it might seem harmless to make a $1 buy every now and then. But remember that the $1 you let go of, will come back to bite you on your broke arses.

So, remove your card details from shopping websites, and let the laziness of getting your card, putting in the details, etc. get the best of your personal finance!

5. Split it up in the name of financial management!

Talking about debit cards, (we don’t even want to talk about credit cards here), here’s something you could do to make sure your personal finance goals are accomplished.

Get multiple bank accounts and cards to split up your money!

Have a separate savings account where you transfer the money you need to save, right when you get paid. Then put that card in a drawer and don’t enter its details anywhere – using only for emergencies!

Trust us, financial management will become a lot easier this way. You’ll only be using the money that is purely for spending! So you can go crazy with it.