Your gut is where all the good (and bad) stuff happens. It’s where your immune system and mood for the day get marching orders from.

But if you’re not taking care of your gut, it can get out of whack pretty quickly—and while you wouldn’t want to know how it gets when it’s neglected, know that your gut plays a significant role in how you feel, how your body functions, how your skin appears, and even how long you live.

It requires effort to keep your gut healthy; sometimes, it starts with what you eat. That’s why we’ve rounded up five probiotic-rich foods that will help keep your digestive system running smoothly and streamline all other areas of your health.

Here are five probiotic foods you should take seriously in your healthy gut diet plan.

 

1. Yoghurt

 

Yoghurt is one of the best sources of probiotics, which can help improve digestion, aid weight loss efforts, and reduce bloating. The two basic cultures used to make yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

One study shows yoghurt consumption is associated with reduced visceral fat mass, a type of fat stored in the belly that makes up to one-tenth of the fat stored in your body.

Add a spoonful to smoothies or yoghurt parfaits for an extra boost of benefits!

 

2. Kefir

 

Kefir is well-regarded as a probiotic superfood. It contains up to 61 strains of bacteria and yeasts. In fact, it’s known to be more potent than yoghurt. It’s made from fermented dairy products, so it’s easy on the stomach and has tons of vitamins and minerals to boot!

Research reveals eating kefir is a low-cost and easy way to prevent and treat non-communicable diseases due to kefir’s probiotic activity and bioactive compounds, which presents antimicrobial, anticancer, and immune-modulatory activities.

 

3. Sauerkraut

 

If you’re looking for something crunchy that’s packed with probiotics, sauerkraut is where it’s at! This vegetable dish is super-easy to make at home (or pick up at the store), so try it out next time you’re craving a snack!

Researchers have previously identified four species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that are present in sauerkraut fermentations: Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus brevis, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus plantarum; although, recent studies contend a more diverse species than formerly reported.

In addition, a bibliometric analysis suggests the regular consumption of sauerkraut can contribute to a healthy digestive flora. Nonetheless, it must be eaten with caution as it may cause an allergic reaction in high-risk populations.

 

4. Kimchi

 

Kimchi is made by mixing cabbage with salt and letting it sit for several days so that the bacteria in the cabbage culture will start to break down the vegetable cells. The fermentation process also helps preserve kimchi for more extended periods.

Kimchis are available commercially, but they’re often loaded up with preservatives and artificial flavors that you may want to avoid if you’re looking for good probiotics in your diet.

Research has shown that three Leuconostoc mesenteroides and one Lactubacillus plantarum strain in fermented cabbage kimchi are useful as probiotics. In Korea, adults suggest eating fermented foods like traditional Korean kimchi to reduce the risks of eczema.

 

5. Pickles

 

Pickles are cucumbers preserved in a solution of salt and water, left to ferment for some time, and then made sour by their naturally present lactic acid bacteria.

A study reveals that the Lactobacillus strains in fermented pickles contain high probiotic and antioxidant potential, which are generally good for gut health and for preventing various diseases.

 

Takeaway

 

If you are looking for an easy way to add more probiotic-rich foods to your diet, adding a few of these options into your daily meal plan can positively impact your gut health.

Follow us on Instagram for more health tips, or contact us for a no-obligation sample of our delicious and gut-healthy meals.

 

Exercise isn’t just about getting physically fit— it’s about strengthening your mind, too! Working out your body can have a positive effect on your mental health, including reducing anxiety and improving cognitive function.

Here are the 7 exercises to give your brain a workout and keep it charged like a battery. So, get ready to flex those mental muscles and outsmart your brain!

 

1. Squat Your Way To a Smarter You

 

One study shows that weight-bearing leg exercises, such as squats, provide neurological signals necessary for the growth of young, healthy brain cells. These cells can then improve your ability for critical reasoning as well as your overall cognitive function.

 

2. Knock Out Some Planks For a Clear, Refreshed Brain

 

Planking is a low impact, full body exercise that has been shown to improve mental clarity, focus, and energy levels. Not only does it help you stay physically fit— but it also helps to strengthen your cognitive and mental focus. So, if you’re looking for a quick, refreshing way to clear your mind, try planking!

 

3. Get Your Synapses Firing With Good Old-Fashioned Jumping Jacks

 

One research shows that High Intensity Intensive Training can help increase mental alertness and focus including jumping jacks. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious— take a few minutes out of your day to do some jumping jacks. You may be surprised at just how much better you feel afterward.

 

4. Unleash Your Inner Zen Master With ‘Sole’ Searching Runs

 

Research has revealed that running on a regular basis has a variety of advantageous psychological effects on people with assorted backgrounds. The majority of them began running to better their physical condition, but nearly all of them observed mental and emotional advantages.

 

5. Brisk Walking Can Give Your Gray Matter A Workout

 

One study has found that hitting the pavement for long-distance walks can not only give your physical health a boost but your mental well-being as well. And the best part? It’s a budget-friendly way to promote your mental health.

 

6. Give Your Brain A Lift With Weight Training Along With Resistance Exercise

 

Weight training combined with strenuous movements that require intensive muscular contractions demonstrate that they can significantly enhance memory and reasoning in people, especially those with slight cognitive disabilities.

One research discovered a correlation between consistent physical activity and better psychological well-being.

 

7. Inhale Peace, Exhale Stress

 

Last but definitely not least— breathe. By regulating your breathing, you can help to reduce stress and anxiety and increase feelings of relaxation and peace. In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, breathing techniques and mindfulness can enhance cognitive health and good feelings.

 

Takeaway

 

Regular physical exercise has many benefits for your mind. A balanced diet, adequate sleep, and stress management can also help promote overall well-being.

Contact us today for a hearty and healthy meal that will keep your brain boosted. At Hearty Health, we don’t just create appetizing meals – we also guarantee that they are nutritious and will help keep your mind charged.

 

Are you tired of feeling like a slave to your appetite? Or do you find yourself constantly reaching for snacks, even when you’re not really hungry? It can be frustrating and overwhelming to constantly feel like your appetite is in control of you, rather than the other way around.

The culprit for this is the hunger hormones. These little guys are responsible for controlling your appetite and when they’re not functioning properly— it can lead to constant cravings and overeating.

Fear not! There are ways to tame your hunger hormones and keep your appetite— in check!

 

What are hunger hormones and how do they affect appetite?

 

Hunger hormones play a significant role in regulating your daily life, including your appetite, energy levels, and weight. These hormones, including ghrelin, leptin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones, can influence how much you eat, how you store energy, and even how much you weigh. If you’re experiencing fluctuations in weight or energy or problems with appetite, it’s possible that your hunger hormones may be the cause.

• Ghrelin – It is a hormone that makes you feel hungry. It is released when you are low on stored energy, fasting, or starving.
• Leptin – A hormone that is secreted by fat cells that suppress appetite, telling you that you should stop eating. It also has a role in long-term weight regulation, going down in periods of starvation and being higher in the obese.
• Cortisol – Cortisol has many functions in the body, including regulating salt, insulin, blood pressure, and immunity. When you are stressed, your body releases more cortisol, increasing your blood sugar by breaking down carbohydrate stores and inhibiting insulin. This can lead to diabetes, weight gain, and fat storage.
• Thyroid Hormones – People with thyroid conditions like hypothyroidism often have weight issues because thyroid hormones play a role in weight regulation. Hypothyroidism can cause low appetite, slowed metabolism, and weight gain, while hyperthyroidism can cause increased appetite, increased metabolism, and weight loss.

 

Primary dietary interventions

 

Here are some basic dietary strategies that can assist in maintaining your hunger hormones, and helping you to accomplish your goals, including remaining satiated, enhancing your energy, or keeping your weight in check.

 

• Exercise – Evidence shows that exercise is crucial for maintaining good health because it works to prevent obesity. Leptin sensitivity, insulin sensitivity, and ghrelin levels can all be improved with regular exercise.
• Don’t Consume Too Many Simple Carbs – Consuming a lot of carbohydrates in your diet will cause your ghrelin levels to surge after eating and you will experience a quicker feeling of hunger.
• Avoid Crash Diet – Crash dieting, which involves severely cutting back on calories, will cause a rise in ghrelin levels, making it difficult to maintain the diet long-term.
• Sleep – One study shows that sleep restriction may adversely affect changes in body composition. Regularly getting a good night’s sleep will help to lower your cortisol levels and maintain stable, controlled levels of ghrelin.

 

Takeaway

 

If you’re struggling to control your appetite, it can be helpful to understand how your hunger hormones work. Keeping your appetite in check, regular exercise, a proper diet, and enough sleep will help to regulate your hunger hormone.

Contact us today for a hearty and healthy meal that will keep your hunger hormone in line. At Hearty Health, we don’t just create appetizing meals – we also guarantee that they are nutritious and will help keep your hunger hormones in check.

 

 

Do you wake up feeling refreshed, with a spring in your step and a song in your heart?

Or maybe, you’re just like the rest of us—you wake up feeling like a basket case who needs to eat an entire pizza and then go to sleep for 18 hours.

Good news for those who are the latter, Science confirms there is hope! Research reveals that you can wake up feeling refreshed every morning by paying attention to three key factors: sleep, exercise, and breakfast.

Curious about how they work? Scroll down to find out.

 

The 1-2-3 of Sleeping Like A Baby & Waking Up Ready To Take On The World

 

Basically, it’s something everyone can do. Get a lot of physical activity the day before, sleep longer and later into the morning, and eat a breakfast high in complex carbohydrates.

It might sound like an obvious combination, but something that requires discipline and dedication!

 

High Levels Of Physical Activity During The Day + Low Level Of Physical Activity At Night

 

The more you move, the better your sleep! But only if you move more during the daytime.

Research found that people who were more active during the day and less at night tended to have more continuous and less disrupted sleep, which in turn predicted superior morning alertness.

Conversely, higher activity levels late in the day into the night can result in worse next-day morning alertness.

 

Sleeping And Waking Up Later Than Usual

 

Sleeping longer is no brainer. Sleep duration has been long associated with next-morning alertness. But did you know that going to bed later than what’s typical for a given individual is also linked with higher morning alertness? And it’s the same as waking up later than your normal wake-up time!

Sleeping later increases your likelihood of obtaining REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep, which is associated with reduced sleep inertia or that groggy feeling when you wake up.

Meanwhile, waking up later in the morning can increase your chances of waking up during REM Sleep. When you wake up during REM, you still have high melatonin levels, making it hard for you to get out of bed.

 

Eating A Breakfast High In Complex Carbohydrates

 

The final factor predicting morning alertness isn’t something you do the day or the night before, but your food choices for breakfast that morning. So if you’re feeling meh and not at your best, it might be time to change up your breakfast routine.

Studies have shown that eating a breakfast high in complex carbohydrates can help increase your alertness and improve your cognitive function throughout the day. Additionally, reducing your protein intake during breakfast is also beneficial for optimal alertness.

Eating whole grains, vegetables, and fruits is the best way to get a healthy dose of complex carbs. Need a hand tailoring a hearty and healthy breakfast? Leave it on us!

At Hearty Health, we offer a range of diverse meal plans that are not only great-tasting but also nutritious and premium quality. Contact us today and experience our no-obligation sample, prepared and cooked by our professional chefs.

 

Bottomline

 

Well, there you have it—a simple 3-step process to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Now you don’t have to drag yourself out of bed feeling like you’re moving through a pool of warm peanut butter.

If you give it a try, let us know if you notice a difference in how you feel, both mentally and physically.

 

Going out for dinner is a notorious diet saboteur.

At least you could console yourself by thinking this dine-out would be a one-time treat. Then suddenly, it’s the new normal. It happens to the best of us, even those who don’t consider themselves ‘foodies.’

With more people living busy lifestyles and seeking out more fast food choices and restaurant meals over home-cooked meals, eating out has been a quick fix. But the same quick fix we are talking about is also a troublemaker.

 

The Downside of Eating at Restaurants

 

For starters, most restaurants serve huge portions that are hard not to overeat (even if they aren’t very heavy). Eating out also tends to mean eating fast food—which means less nutrition and more fat and sodium than homemade meals. And finally, there’s often no time limit on how long you can stay at the table. So even if you start with good intentions by ordering an appetizer or salad instead of an entrée, it’s easy for those good intentions to slip away as the conversation flows over dinner!

But should you resign yourself from dining out because you can never enjoy your food without blowing your health progress?

 

5 Quick Tips To Eat Out & Still Stick To Your Plan

 

I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times before……just don’t eat out. It never seems to be that easy, though, does it? I mean, we usually want to go out with friends or family or just wish to try a best-selling dish from a famous local restaurant.

So whether you’re trying to lose weight, prevent illnesses from creeping in, or just eat healthier in general, here are 5 ways you can enjoy dining out without blowing your progress.

 

1. Eat slowly.

Taking a few extra minutes to enjoy your food gives your body time to register if it’s full and satisfied. This means that you’ll feel less compelled to order dessert or more bread as a way of “finishing” your meal—even if you don’t really feel like you need it.

 

2. Skip the sauce.

Sauces are often loaded with calories and fat because they contain oil and other ingredients like butter or cheese, which add unnecessary calories. Instead of ordering extra sauce on your salad or entrée, ask if they can bring it on the side so you can use as much as necessary without overdoing it!

 

3. Pick the right restaurant.

If you know where you’re going, it’s easier to plan ahead and ensure that the menu fits your dietary restrictions. Look for restaurants that offer lots of healthy options, like grilled chicken or fish dishes with steamed vegetables and brown rice instead of french fries and white bread.

 

4. Ask for substitutions.

Don’t be shy. If there’s something on the menu that doesn’t align with your diet goals and you don’t love it anyway, ask if they can make it differently. You might get lucky!

At Hearty Health, we tailor your order according to your preference to guarantee what we serve satisfies both your taste bud and health needs.

 

5. Drink two glasses of water before you dive in.

A good rule of thumb is to drink two glasses of water before eating at a restaurant. That way, by the time your food arrives, you’ll be well-hydrated and less likely to be tempted by the high-calorie options on the menu! Drinking water before your meal also helps with portion control by increasing how full you feel before eating.

 

Takeaway

 

Trying new restaurants and enjoying your favorite food may be a good way to enjoy life. Still, it can also work against you when you are trying to stick to a healthy diet plan. That doesn’t mean that you have to starve yourself while dining out, or that you need to avoid restaurants altogether.

As long as you plan ahead, stick to your goals, and stay hydrated, you can enjoy dining out without having it derail your diet. It just takes a little extra thought, the right technique, and lots of self-control.

 

If you’ve been collecting spices and dried herbs in your pantry for some time now, you may wonder if they expire or simply defy time.

In the traditional sense, they don’t really “go bad.” They basically just lose most of their flavor, potency and color.

Most commercial or store-bought spices print best-by dates instead of their expiration to indicate the time frame in which they retain their most potent flavor and quality. This means it’s still generally safe to consume spices and dried herbs that are past their prime, just minus their maximum flavor and aroma.

 

Shelf life of common spices and dried herbs

 

In determining the shelf life of dried herbs and spices, it’s important to consider several variables including their type, level of processing and storage.

As a general rule, the more whole and less processed a seasoning is, the longer its shelf life.

Whole spices, for example, stay fresh for about 4 years. This includes:

• whole peppercorns
• whole dried chili peppers
• coriander
• mustard seeds
• caraway seeds
• cumin seeds
• fennel seeds
• cinnamon sticks
• whole nutmeg
• Cloves

On the other hand, ground or powdered spices typically last 2 to 3 years. Common examples are:

• ground cinnamon
• ground turmeric
• ground allspice
• ground cardamom
• ground paprika
• crushed red pepper flakes
• chili powder
• powdered ginger
• garlic powder

Meanwhile, most dried herbs have a shelf life of 1 to 3 years. Examples include:

• Rosemary
• basil
• oregano
• thyme
• bay leaves
• cilantro
• Sage
• parsley

Salt, however, is an exception. Regardless of size and shape, they can be kept and used indefinitely without spoiling or losing flavor.

 

How to know when to keep it or toss it

 

Consuming a spice that has “gone bad” is unlikely to make you sick. However, they will no longer flavor your food as intended which will basically defeat the purpose of having them in your recipe.

If you are unsure how long you’ve had your spice in your kitchen, you can test if your spice is still potent enough by crushing and rubbing a small amount in your hand and then tasting and smelling it. If the aroma is weak and the flavor is no longer obvious, the herb and spice should be replaced.

Fresh spices are supposed to have a fragrant smell and should have a kick of taste as they play the important role of flavoring your meal.

To maximize shelf life and save a few extra bucks, always store your spice and dried herb collection away from heat, light, air, and moisture.

 

Coffee is one of the world’s most consumed beverages — and it is a morning favorite!

Matcha, on the other hand, is a type of Japanese green tea which has garnered a growing interest from fitness-minded folks. It is now even lauded as an alternative to coffee and has obviously a bright future ahead.

Both have a lot going for them and you may wonder how they even compare. So if you ever have been curious about their nutritional profiles and differences, here’s an article to help you get started.

 

Matcha vs Coffee

 

To be fair, both matcha and coffee boast a kick of energy from caffeine. Coffee, however, has more caffeine than matcha per serving. A ½ teaspoon of powdered matcha has only 25mg of caffeine versus the 90mg in an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee.

On top of that, matcha is known to have a better “caffeine high” than coffee. Thanks to L-theanine, an amino acid found in matcha that puts you in a “calmed alertness” and gives you more sustained energy. It is said not to have the jittery side effects you get from the caffeine in coffee — no adrenal weirdness, no glucose spike and no crazy hungry pangs later.

In terms of calories, when prepared without added ingredients like milk, sugar, cream or flavored syrups, both matcha and coffee have minimal amounts of it. Coffee has 1kcal per 100g while matcha has 0kcal.

Taste wise and just to make a segue from their nutritional profile, if you love earthy or grassy flavor, matcha it is! But if you want to stick to the roasted and nutty flavor of coffee, you know what to do.

 

Shared Benefits

Despite being compared, coffee and matcha actually have many shared benefits. Here are 4 to list down a few.

 

1. Both may help you lose weight.

 

Caffeine , according to several studies, promotes weight loss by increasing your metabolic rate by up to 13 percent for 3 hours. Aside from caffeine, the chlorogenic acid (CGA) in coffee and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have been also both studied as potential aid to weight loss by inhibiting the formation of fat in your body.

 

2. Both are loaded with anti-cancer antioxidants.

 

The EGCG found in matcha helps promote the death of cancerous cells and prevents the growth and spread of tumors. Meanwhile, the CGA in coffee suppresses tumor growth, protecting you against certain types of cancer like oral, esophageal, gastric, colorectal, and liver cancer.

 

3. Both may boost heart health.

 

Polyphenols — a group of antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, tea and coffee — are known to reduce platelet aggregation and help prevent your arteries from clogging. Basically, this means a reduced risk of heart attack for you.

 

4. Both may enhance mood and brain function.

 

Caffeine does have its mood and cognitive perks. It acts as a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant which can help you feel more energetic, focused and productive. It also blocks the neurotransmitter adenosine’s receptor, increasing excitability in the brain. Nonetheless, if you are sensitive to caffeine or have certain mental health conditions, you may want to slow down on your consumption.

 

 

Before choosing one with the other, put your health needs in line and your taste preference.  Most importantly, if it’s not causing you any trouble, drink the one you enjoy most.

 

Every job has good and bad days, but sometimes we go through overwhelming periods where piles of work seem to require a lifetime to finish. You may have taken too much on your plate or maybe procrastinated on your way.

That’s when you realize you need to reflect and start looking at your work habits — on what’s working and what’s no longer serving you.

To help you manage your workload better and skip overwhelming work days, here are 5 strategies you should consider implementing.

 

1. Exercise your ability to say “no.”

 

Unfortunately and fortunately, you can’t do it all and you can’t do everything at once. You have to be realistic with the expectations you set for yourself and acknowledge you are human too.

It can be uncomfortable to say “no” at work in the beginning but it will help you produce more quality work. On top of that, it may seem counterintuitive but it will also make you more productive.

By saying “no,” you can focus more on what has to be done than add more to your to-do list and lower the quality of all your work.

Just be sure to say “no” politely and offer an alternative.

 

2. Estimate tasks.

 

Basically, time estimation will help you figure out how long it will take you to complete a task so you can set a realistic deadline and prevent tasks from piling up.

This will give you more confidence in your time management as well so you won’t feel intimidated with a long to-do list. You know you got your time managed!

 

3. Take time for planning.

 

It’s always a good idea to have a plan. It will help you work more purposely and make a move based on what you think will be the outcome.

Rather than rushing in to get started on tasks, take a pause to plot everything out. Having clarity on your tasks, your desired outcome, strategies, deadlines and possible roadblocks will help you in producing more quality work in a shorter amount of time.

Get a planner and create a list of everything that has to be done to plan your day ahead. Be careful, however, when it feels like you are already overdoing it. Sometimes, overplanning is a good disguise for procrastinating.

 

4. Focus on your biggest priorities.

 

Not everything on your list is urgent and a priority. You have to develop an effective system so you can focus more and have more time on the bigger tasks and stop consuming too much time on the smaller ones.

It will also help if you prioritize one task at a time so you can ensure full attention and work more efficiently before moving on to the next item on your list.

 

5. Get rid of distractions.

 

If you have trouble concentrating, you may need to look around or within.

Distractions hurt productivity and being unproductive leads to piles of work and eventually, stress or burnout.

Identify your distractions and work on eliminating them in your workplace. It can be your smartphone, your hunger pangs, a problem at home, a messy desk, or a noisy environment.

Leave the distraction behind so you can finish work early and have more time for yourself.

 

 

When you feel overwhelmed at work, you also slowly lose your confidence and belief. That’s when you feel intimidated to start even a very simple task. Eventually, your projects are starting to pile up and now you feel even more overwhelmed. It’s a cycle! Help yourself avoid or get out of this loop by practicing the five strategies on our list.

 

One day, you decide to take a social media break. It was going well at first and you have been holding to the urge to scroll and curate on your phone with all your self-control.

In the middle of the day however, boredom strikes and without even knowing it, your eyes are tied back again to your screen.

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. But have you imagined how your mental health will look like if you really take this social media break seriously and get through the day without logging in onto your accounts?

If so, you would know how well it will benefit your wellbeing.

Here are 6 things you can do to keep yourself occupied while on a social media break.

 

1. Make a new recipe.

 

If you have been at your work desk (or bed) all week, then it’s time to swerve to your kitchen table for a change.

Try out a new recipe that you can add to your weekly meal plan. Experiment and reinvent your regular meal and share it with your family. It’s also a great way to eat healthy and save money.

 

2. Meditate.

 

If you want to clear your thoughts and improve your mental health while on a social media break, meditation can bring you introspection and inner peace. It also helps with lowering stress, improving immune function and  slowing mental aging.

An added bonus, according to studies, mindfulness also taps into the pleasure center of the brain to help with social media addiction or cravings.

 

3. Be active.

 

Scrolling through your phone for hours could be an extremely sedentary activity. During your social media day off, take this as an opportunity to cut your inactive lifestyle and engage in physical exercises.

It could be as simple as walking, running, biking, lifting, swimming or more intensive activities such as hiking or trekking. As long as it keeps you active and you find fun in it, it’s worth the time of your social media break.

 

4. Listen to podcasts.

 

We have different goals for a social media break. If your objective is just to relax and rest, sit in a cozy corner, put on a pair of headphones and play a good podcast on your phone. You can still cut down on screen time if you are just listening to it.

Find a podcast host you like or try to ask for recommendations. You can find a lot of educational and entertaining content online.

 

5. Spend time with nature.

 

I can’t emphasize enough how wholesome time spent in nature is. It is associated with cognitive benefits and mood improvements. Being in nature may even reduce mortality, based on research.

Leave your phone at home if you are not expecting any important email or message. Just enjoy the outdoors and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen.

 

6. Have a friend come over to your house.

 

If you’ve been wanting to vent about a bad week at work or just catch up with a longtime friend, invite them to come over. We’ve gotten so used to online messaging and posting that we often miss the real thing.

Face-to-face conversations allow us to bond and connect deeper with another person without the damaging blue lights from our phone screen.

 

 

So, you decided to take a social media break. Now you are wondering what to do with all your free time. The good news is there is an endless option for you and the world has so much to offer to you more than just a good Instagram aesthetic. Consider our tips above and get the most out of your time on your social media day off.

 

Many of us don’t really realize the value of good saving habits until we are in our 40s. Some may have just materialized this concept a few years before their retirement.

Establishing financial security at a young age, however, will save you all the trouble in your later years. It doesn’t have to be very dramatic. In all honesty, grasping the basic saving skills will make all the difference in your pocket and will help you make informed decisions with every cent you spend.

Here are 5 money habits I personally swear by (and wish I knew earlier) to help you take control of your finances at a young age.

 

1. Create a personal budget.

 

Every month, money comes in and comes out of your bank. Hence, it is important to get your finances monitored so you can create a plan that prioritizes important expenses and stay on top of your bills.

By also doing so, you can also save yourself from impulse purchases or overspending on things that you don’t really need and eventually end up in debt.

Creating a budget may require extra work but if you can stick to it and become accustomed to living within your budget, you’ll find yourself less stressed and easily move towards your financial objectives.

 

2. Live below your means.

 

Jay-Z said “if you can’t buy it twice, you can’t afford it.” This is debatable especially if it’s really a very important purchase but it is actually a good rule for most items that you consider purchasing.

Unexpected expenses may arise every now and then so you should avoid putting yourself in a position of ruining your budget. There may be risks involved in spending above your means especially if you are on a tight budget. Thus, you should learn your needs vs your wants and spend accordingly so you can have enough money for your savings..

 

3. Build your emergency fund.

 

With enough cash available to cover emergencies or unforeseen expenses like home repair, broken car or job loss, you can avoid borrowing money and not go further into debt.

Start small depending on your current financial circumstances and keep it in a separate savings account. You can always work your way up and build a higher fund in case of emergencies.

 

4. Save first and spend later.

 

This is an essential habit to ensure you really achieve your monthly saving goals. As soon as you get your wage, put aside a set amount and deposit it into your savings. This way, you can minimize your risk of spending rashly and forgetting to contribute to your personal savings.

 

5. Map out your financial goals.

 

Knowing what you want in the now and in the long run will encourage you to be more disciplined in your spending habits. This will also motivate you to pursue a better career with better pay to match whatever your goal is.

Create a financial plan with short-term and long-term goals so you know exactly the direction of your efforts in savings.

 

 

When you start to earn, the temptation to splurge may be your automatic response to the excitement of finally having your own money. Your 20s, however, is a specially crucial time to educate yourself with good saving habits. Follow our tips and set yourself early for financial success.