Successful women know money. They might not be perfect, but they all have one thing in common. Fantastic financial habits.
Success is something that most of us dream of. But success isn’t a one size fits all kind of goal. Oh no! Dreams come in a wide range of dress sizes – whether they’re designed around work or home or love or life. But one thing’s for sure, successful women have killer financial habits.
If you want to be successful, you’ve got to get your financial life in order. Good money habits and the right attitude to your finances is the key to reaching your goals – and successful women know that. Here’s exactly what they do to make it happen.
1. They Take Their Financial Health Seriously
Finances seem like a bit of fun. Currency you earn to trade for the things you want, right? But successful women know it’s so much more than that. It’s power, it’s security, it’s a ticket to fun. And they take it very seriously.
A successful woman will put her financial health above short-term comfort. She’ll save for a house over splurging on dinner out. She’d pay down her debt before booking a trip.
She doesn’t tell herself she deserves to spend; she focuses on her financial future. Her long term goals and her attitude to finance is paramount.
Your takeaway? Get your money mindset ready for financial success.
2. Their Financial Goals Are Everything
Successful women attribute their wins to goals. Goal setting is essential to success. And these women are specific about their financial goals. Whether it’s saving a set amount to buy a house, paying off debt by a deadline, or creating earnings goals, they’re committed.
But they don’t just have goals. Putting an action plan in place is the way to win. A successful woman keeps her goals at the front of her mind. She spends in line with those goals and allocates her money accordingly. Then, she checks in with them regularly. She even knows a few ways to make quick cash, should she need to boost her income a little in order to fund her next big spend, whatever that may be.
And because of that, she always knows what she has in the bank, how much she owes, and what’s going on with her credit score too.
Your takeaway? Get specific about your financial goals and create an action plan to help you achieve them.
3. They Know What They Earn & Where It Comes From
Her most regimented financial habit? Knowing what she earns inside out. A successful woman keeps a close eye on her earnings. She can tell you what she earnt that month, down to the last penny. For the whole year too!
She knows her complete salary payment, how much interest she accrues, and what comes in from side hustles too. Because keeping track of your finances is the first step to making them more of a priority.
Your takeaway? Look deeper into your income and track it. Map out what comes in and when – including the exact amounts.
4. They Know Their Expenses Inside Out
The flip side of that? Knowing your expenses. And a successful woman can account for her budget in the back of her mind. From her groceries to her bills, insurance to social events – she’s got it all planned out.
She knows exactly when her bills are due, and she automates them. That way, she never pays late. Everything is organised. Because it has to be.
Not only that, but a successful woman is flexible. She knows her budget will change from month to month. Bills change, holidays are booked, Birthdays and Christmas and special occasions occur – so she’d realistic. She budgets for them, so she’s always on track.
Your takeaway? Track everything! Bills, groceries, and whenever your swipe your card or take out cash. You'll soon get serious about your spending.
5. They Live Within Their Means
A successful woman has her eye on actual wealth – not the appearance of it. She doesn’t live a life on credit and never spends above her means. Building real wealth is more important to her. She doesn’t just want to look the part.
One of her proudest financial habits is living within her means. She’s not an impulse spender either. She lives the lemonade lifestyle now to create a champagne lifestyle for her future. And she never gets swept up by the women that live like that.
Your takeaway? Use your new expense tracking process to be more responsible with your money. When you're detailing it all, there's no excuse for going over.
6. They Pay Themselves First
Yes, you read that correctly. A successful woman knows she deserves the money she earns. She doesn't spend it all and leave nothing for herself. After all, she works hard for it.
She doesn’t pay her bills, go for dinner, splurge on possessions and THEN put money into savings – or nothing at all. She allocates a part of her earnings to savings first and makes it a priority. Everything else is a luxury!
Your takeaway? As soon as you get paid, allocate a percentage into savings first. Of course, make sure you have enough for the essentials, but don't put luxuries above saving.
7. They Have A Safety Net
And while we’re on the topic, she loves to save. No seriously. A successful woman is smart with her money. She makes sure she has a stash of cash in emergency savings before she does anything else.
Yes, paying off debt is important – so is buying a house. But she knows that things happen in life. So she has a safety net to protect her and contributes to it regularly.
Successful women are always prepared.
Your takeaway? If your goals are to buy a house or get out of debt, don't rush to do these first.
8. They Pay Their Debts Off First
Successful women do sometimes have debt. Maybe it was a past mistake before she got her money mindset together. Or maybe it’s a mortgage. Either way, she makes paying it off a priority.
Of all her financial habits, this is the one she is insatiably incentivised to work on – and fast! She doesn’t like that she’s in debt, so she deals with it. And she starts by paying off the ones that cost her the most first. Then, she moves to the next debt until they’re all gone!
Your takeaway? If you have any debt, no matter how big or small, make paying it off a priority. Get your safety net in place to stop you getting further in debt, then put as much as you can towards your debt with the highest interest and so on.
9. They Know How To Stay Sane
You know that successful women are smart with their money. But don’t think they don’t spend. They do. A financial habit she loves is treating herself. And she does it regularly!
She’s not frivolous, of course – but she knows it’s hard not to spend on herself at all. So she plans in little treats, rewards that keep her on track.
It might be a manicure here or drinks with the girls there. Nothing too lavish, just something to look forward to. A successful woman knows that having a selfish section in her budget is essential to keep her sane. And it’s okay because it’s all allocated in the budget!
Your takeaway? Let yourself live a little. A little being the most important part!
10. Their Frugality Always Wins
One thing you need to know about her financial habits is that her mindset manages them all. She lives and breathes frugality. She doesn’t waste her money – she’d never dream of it. After all, she works so hard for it.
A successful woman saves on the small stuff. She avoids unnecessary expenses and cuts back where she can. If you want to save like her, why not try these out?
She knows that a week’s worth of takeaway coffees cost a fortune, so she makes it at home instead. She buys her favourite higher-priced products on sale or finds a dupe. She’s an expert at hunting down better buys and making her own alternatives – like her most-loved takeaway or that fancy dinner.
She’d much rather spend the money on learning a skill and saving more for the future!
Your takeaway? It's time to train your brain. You have to adopt a new mentality with regards to your money. Being able to save here and there can make a huge difference to both your situation now and your goals.
11. They Invest
You already know that saving is important to successful women. But this is one of the financial habits she loves to level up on.
She knows that instant access savings aren’t going to give her the best return. So, she ties her money up. She reads up on things like the lucid stock forecast and then invests in long-term stocks or bonds and leaves it be.
Maybe she even loves to day trade every now and again. But she loves nothing more than knowing her money is there, doing its thing, lapping up the advantages of compound interest!
A successful woman knows that investing is the smartest way to build wealth.
Your takeaway? You want savings, sure – but if you want to get the best return, it's time to time your money up. When you are debt-free and you've secured your home, it's okay to tie money up for five or fifteen or twenty-five years when you know compound interest is on your side.
12. Their Careers Are In Their Complete Control
Successful women leave NOTHING to chance. Not a thing. And this couldn’t be any truer when it comes to their career.
A successful woman knows her worth. She knows she works hard and is always willing to push for the pay rise she deserves.
She’ll negotiate with the best of them and get the percentage increase she’s after. Or, she’ll find a better position for herself.
Her career is within her complete control. She has goals and she’s determined. She gets the salary she aspires to because she puts the work in – she deserves it.
Your takeaway? Push. If you want to earn more, set goals. Work for that promotion – and ask for it. Get serious and make sure you are always growing – financially and mentally.
13. Their Future Is Already Covered
The future can seem so far away. But a successful woman knows she needs to plan for it now. And she knows the earlier she starts the better.
Saving for retirement can seem like a waste of time when you’re twenty or thirty or forty years off. But starting now means retirement will be fruitful. It’s one of her most bountiful financial habits.
Her workplace pension or 401k is maxed out. If she’s self-employed, she’s got a killer private pension in place – maybe even a retirement savings account too.
She knows she wants to enjoy her golden years. And the time to plan for that is today.
Your takeaway? Make sure you're adding to your retirement savings. And max them out. Before you invest or allocate money to different goals, cover off your retirement so you get the maximum you can set away and don't have to worry.
14. They’re Creative With How They Add To Their Income
When you want to be successful, you have to be proactive. These women know that. And their financial habits follow suit.
A successful woman actively looks for ways to increase her income. And not only that, but she has multiple streams of income. Just like the statistic.
She doesn’t just have her salary, she gets interest or dividends from her savings and investments. She also has a side hustle – or two.
Maybe she rents out a room in her house or owns a rental property? Maybe she consults or writes a blog? Whatever her thing is, she’s determined to get that additional income – particularly passive income – to set herself up in the future.
Your takeaway? Think outside the box. Don't let your salary be your only source of income. Consider what else you can do. Consult or write or create a product or start any other kind of side hustle.
15. They Know There’s More To Life Than Money
But the best thing about successful women? They know money isn’t the be-all and end-all.
A successful woman does not rely on money for her happiness.
She spends time with her friends and family. She practices gratitude. She journals or enjoys a bubble bath or goes for a walk. And she knows that the best things in life are free.
She is grateful for what she already has. She stays humble. She knows that there’s more to come if she keeps her money mindset in check and works hard.
She’s never sad about her financial situation – no matter how dire things look from time to time. She doesn’t worry that there’s ‘not enough’.
She controls her money; her money doesn’t control her.
Your takeaway? Be intentional about your financial situation but don't obsess over it. Working through each point should mean you live within your means and cover off your bills and savings and retirement. So now you can let go. Find pleasure in the smaller things in life. Everything else will fall into place.
Do you love to form good financial habits? What are your tips for keeping your money mindset on track? Share your hacks with SOCIÉTÉ community in the comments below.
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