Work and windfalls

Assign part of a raise before you spend it

If lifestyle costs rise as fast as pay, the raise never becomes savings.

1 minute

When pay increases, decide the split on paper before the first new paycheck arrives. Send a portion of the increase to savings or to the expensive debt, and let the rest improve daily life if you want it to. Doing this the same week as the raise is easier than cutting back later.

A similar split works for overtime and side income. If every extra dollar is already spent in your head, it will be spent in the account. Name the share that stays.

Start this week

If a raise is not coming, practice with the next small windfall: keep half, and give the other half a job.