BOOST your MONEY MINDSET

The new year is the perfect time to sort out your bank balance, says our finance expert Faith Archer

- Faith Archer

Many of us worry that we're not 'good' with money. We may find organising our finances boring or stressful - something we mean to do but end up putting off. But your money mindset is key to your motivation, says Laura Ann Moore, host of the Mind Money Soul podcast. 'When you identify your money beliefs, you can start to reframe and reshape them,' she explains. 'For example, if you have always believed that having money makes you greedy or selfish, ask yourself, "Is this really true?"

Improving your money mindset may also boost your mental health. One in three women feel their financial situation over the past five years has had a negative impact on their mental well-being, compared with one in four men, according to research by Fidelity International.

So make 2024 the year you reflect on your deep-seated attitudes to money. Seize the chance to take charge of your finances, build your confidence and transform your financial future.

1 Learn from past mistakes

Don't beat yourself up about past money mistakes. Think about what you can learn from them instead. 'Who hasn't stumbled on their financial path?' says Laura. 'Every financial setback is a lesson in disguise, and each lesson brings you closer to financial mastery.

2 Build a budget

Start by drawing up a budget. Work out how much money you have coming in each month, then go through your bank statements and credit card bills to tot up all the money going out. Money Helper and MoneySavingExpert both provide useful free budget planners. Differentiating between what's essential and what's nice to have, and setting targets for different types of spending, can help you to free up cash to spend, save or pay off debts.

3 Ditch unwanted direct debits