{A simply luxurious life, while full of the concept less is more, luxuriates in the decadence of high quality, complementary style and an appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us in decor, fashion, nature and people themselves. One does not need to maintain a balance in the bank that one might associate with a millionaire, however, it would be a mistake for me not to address the fact, that being secure financially – just the knowledge of this fact – brings about a priceless piece of mind that contributes greatly to a well-balanced simply luxurious life.

With that said, my new series every Friday will focus on sharing a bit of financial food for thought that will help you create a sound financial life that makes it possible to make the choices that will help you create the life of your dreams.  Because after all, simply having choices is a luxury – enabling independence, however we might choose to go about our every day lives. }

When saving for future plans comes to mind, often times it seems a bit daunting as though we may never reach our goals, but it is in the little things we do every day that will ultimately lead to financial security and a very nice nest egg. Here a few simple ways to always have money in your banking and savings accounts:

1. Save Half – Whenever extra money comes your direction, whether it be your tax return, a bonus, extra pay you hadn’t planned on – immediately stash half of it away in your money market account or savings account so that you won’t be tempted to touch it.

2. Cash Only! – Unless you are paying your bills, pay for your discretionary expenditures with cash.  By getting into the habit of planning for your daily spending, and forcing yourself to only use cash, you will eliminate those instances of quickly pulling out your debit or credit card.

3. Eliminate spending for a week each month.  This was one of my suggestions at the beginning of the year to curtail unnecessary spending that we feel we have to do.  While it will require planning, it still possible to go a week without paying for anything.