I’ll be honest, budgeting has never come naturally to me. When a spark of motivation happens, I’d get really into it—tracking every expense for a few weeks and feeling good about my progress. Then life would happen. Bills piled up, I spent more than I intended, and my budget felt useless. It wasn’t until I started automating my finances that I finally felt in control.
The first thing I did was identify fixed bills that I pay on a regular basis, like rent, car and utilities. Then, I set up automatic payments for these expenses so they come out of my preferred account on a set schedule. I remember the relief of seeing those bills paid on time without having to remember each due date. That small change instantly made my financial life feel calmer and more organized while I focused on other priorities.
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Next, I tackled saving. I set up a recurring transfer from my checking account into a savings account every payday. At first, I thought I would notice the money disappearing, but honestly, it didn’t have a huge impact! Over time, my savings started to grow, and I was still able to use the money in my checking account to support my lifestyle. Watching that balance climb little by little gave me confidence I had never had before and made me excited about reaching my financial goals!
I also automated payments for my credit card. Before, I would sometimes put off my monthly payments if money felt tight. Once it was automatic, I did not have to think about it. Every month, my payments went through and my debt slowly decreased. That steady progress made a bigger difference than any one-time effort ever could. I was also able to control how much I paid monthly and adjust in the event of unexpected events, such as an emergency trip to the vet (don’t worry, Milo is doing great!).
The more your finances run automatically, the easier it is to stay consistent. It removes stress, prevents late fees and builds habits that last—habits that you don’t even need to think about once your automatic payments are in place. Small, regular steps add up over time, and eventually your money starts working for you instead of the other way around.
If budgeting feels like an uphill battle, I highly recommend trying automation. It changed the way I manage money and can give anyone a sense of control and confidence over their financial future. BrightBridge offers several convenient tools for automating your finances that you cantailor to your unique needs.
Category: Budgeting & Debt Reduction
Need a smart strategy to save on essential school supplies? Planning your dream vacation or gearing up for the holiday season? With a club account, you can save for essential school supplies, exciting vacations, and joyful holiday celebrations, making your financial goals more attainable and stress-free.
Now is the moment to turn your attention to your tax obligations. With less than 60 days remaining until the tax deadline now is a good time to prepare your documents and file.
I’ll be honest, budgeting has never come naturally to me. It wasn’t until I started automating my finances that I finally felt in control.
Picture this: your college-age granddaughter calls, distraught, begging you to wire money because she’s “stranded abroad.” You had no idea she was traveling. In a panic, you send the funds, only to find out later that she’s perfectly fine. (No, this isn’t the plot of the 2024 movie Thelma, although it’s similar, and a highly entertaining watch!) Sadly, scenarios like this are all too common. In 2024, U.S. consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud*, a 25 percent increase from 2023.
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If you’ve been living paycheck-to-paycheck, you already know it can feel like walking a financial tightrope. That’s where an emergency fund becomes your safety net, quietly waiting to catch you before a small stumble becomes an expensive tumble.
