Last Updated: July 30, 2025 by Michael Kahn. Published: June 4, 2025.
If you want to become more financially stable, then you need to first set some good money habits. If you don’t then you may find that you end up struggling and that you are also unable to give your family the security they need moving forward. If you want to help yourself, then take a look below.
Decide on a Budget for your Home
One of the first things you need to do is figure out your budget. Having a plan is important because when it comes to financial stability, you need something that works for you. Being realistic here will give you a way better chance of being able to achieve your goals. If you have monthly commitments that are out of reach, then you may find that you end up struggling and that you also lose a lot of confidence. A good idea here is for you to choose a budgeting plan with the flexibility to scale with your existing income. You never know what’s around the corner, so it’s a good idea for you to try and build a savings account if you can. The 50/30/20 rule is a good thing to follow here. The idea is that you put 50% of your money towards your obligations and then put 30% to one side so you can have fun with it. You also need to put 20% away into your savings as well. This should be enough for you to cover everything you need, and it will also give you some level of protection as you move forward. Percentages like this can be scaled, and they also give you the chance to be flexible with your income. You may also find that you can learn more rules online, as this is a great way for you to learn everything you need to know about becoming more financially stable and the changes you need to make.
As a general rule, when you have your budgeting plan set up, you can then automate your savings so you can keep everything in separate accounts. Setting up automated payments is the best way for you to ensure that you never struggle when trying to get to payday. ON top of this, it means that you can grow your savings, which will help you quite a lot.
Pay Debts
If you want to help yourself, then you also need to try and pay your debts as much as possible. If you want true financial stability, then this is one of the best things you can do. If you are paying the minimum on your credit card and your loan, then you may find that you end up wasting a lot of interest over time, when in reality, this could be used to grow your investment. There are also a lot of different things that you can do to help yourself with debt management. You can find the best one that works for you and your convenience online, so be sure to keep that in mind. If you want a starting point, then the avalanche system is one of the best ways for you to tackle a lot of debt at once. The idea of this is that you will use your smaller debts to pay off your bigger ones. As you make payments on the smaller debts that you owe, you will then clear cards, and instead of saving the money, put that towards your next lowest card, and so forth. This frees up cards quickly, and it also allows you to get the overall result you need.
You shouldn’t include your mortgage when paying off your debt, as this is a substantial amount of debt, and it’s classed as being good for you. After all, you are investing, and this is a good way for you to really make sure that you are putting yourself first. Mortgage debt should always be cleared after credit card debt.
Grow your Emergency Fund
You also need to make sure that you grow your emergency fund if you can. A great money habit is to build and grow your emergency fund. This is a pot of savings that should cover everything you need. Sometimes, you may find that life springs things on you, and when this happens, you may find yourself out of pocket. One way for you to combat this would be for you to use your emergency fund as a way to pay it, rather than going into debt. You never know when you are going to need your emergency fund, and sometimes, it’s a good idea to know that you are covered for everything. This is a great way for you to improve your financial well-being, and it also gives you the chance to focus on getting to where you need to be without any stress.
Grow your Credit
Your credit score will give you a very good indication of how trustworthy your credit rating is. It can also dictate how you appear to potential lenders. The higher it is, the more likely you are to be given the best deals and better interest rates. Of course, if your credit score is lower than you might like, then now is probably a good time for you to try and get that sorted out. There are a lot of ways that you can build your credit score, and when you do, you will find it easier than ever for you to achieve financial stability. If you want to help yourself, then make sure that you set your savings goals and that you also make monthly payments where possible. You can then check your credit score with multiple lenders as a way to make sure that you are not missing out on anything that could be influencing your score. Even though you might not be planning on taking out any extra credit right now, you do need to make sure that you are taking steps to achieve financial stability, and this often comes with you setting yourself up for success at a later date. Having a good credit score will make it easier for you to get more favorable loan terms, and it will also help you to appear as a more viable option when taking out a new mortgage, so you should make it a bit of a priority moving forward. If you believe that there is something on your report that you don’t agree with, then now is probably a good time for you to consult with a credit report error attorney. They can help you correct any misinformation, and they can also give you the representation you need to challenge things.
Build a Retirement Fund
Once you have a solid emergency fund in place, you then need to start investing in your retirement. If you don’t, then you may find that you aren’t able to put the money away that you need to safeguard your future. Of course, you may have a pension available through your current job, and this is great, as this allows you to pay straight into your pension. With that said, some employers will offer to match your pension, but you need to have this set up. If you have this option, then you need to make sure that you take it out. If you don’t, then you will be compromising your financial future, which is the last thing you need. Additionally, you can set up a personal pension as a way to give yourself a bit of extra money in your savings account.