When your LGBT finances have a Pride hangover
Your plan to not eat for two weeks before Pride was not only a last-ditch effort to shed the five pounds you haven’t been able to burn off since Christmas 2017, but also to spend three days preparing your LGBT finances at each one offered Event, party and parade to express your love on Pride weekend.
Now about your LGBT finances after Pride
Yes, Pride was born out of years of oppression and the stigma of deviance. It was a groundbreaking demonstration of personal acceptance and intolerance of intolerance. Now it’s a three-day, non-stop tour de force of your relevance, awesomeness and superiority over a horde of gays with more opinions than a demon spawn of Sean Hannity and Kellyanne Conway.
But your plan of not overindulging and spending every pink dollar plus a few didn’t work out so well, did it? Your bank account is now so red that even Donald Trump thinks it’s too fascist. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Was there. Did that.
How do you overcome this bout of household flooding? What do you need to do to restore budget balance? Don’t worry, Debt Free Guys™ is here. Below are five smart ways to get your post-Pride finances back on track that doesn’t lead to a beer bust.
1. Look within to understand your queer finances
First, take some time regularly to think about your finances. The reality is: what we think, we improve. It doesn’t have to be hours. We recommend that you take about 30 minutes a week to check in on how you are doing.
This might be the perfect time to think about what brings you long-term happiness and when you spend on things that give you a temporary high.
2. Take your LGBT finances with you on summer vacation and reduce them
That’s right. Summer has just begun and offers plenty of opportunities for inexpensive fun. Ride a bike. Take a hike. Take your dog for a walk. Sleep outside at night. Read under a tree. Complete your group for a game of kickball. Enjoy the sun or sit on your veranda and wave to passers-by like an honorary member of the imperial court.
Just being outside and not sitting on the sofa or on your stomach at the bar is fun in itself. It gives you the opportunity to find something free or NSE (Not So Expensive) to do outdoors alone or with others. And when it’s over, you won’t understand why you thought spending money could only be fun.
3. Sign up for free tools at Gay Finance
There are a tremendous number of free tools and apps to help you become more money conscious. “The more you know” also applies to your money.
4. Expand your knowledge to expand your LGBT finances
When the energy flows where the attention goes, you must take the time to lay the foundation for financial success by nourishing your spirit. All too often, our approach to money resembles the proverbial frightened ostrich. Such an approach may work for some, but only for a limited time. At some point you’ll literally get your ass burned.
Read personal finance blogs and listen to financial podcasts like Queer Money™ to find out what we and our colleagues know. Many people have gone through or are going through the same thing. Learn from them.
5. Do a financial check of your queer finances
Finally, take the time to evaluate your spending regularly. If we don’t actively monitor our spending, things get out of control, like too many stops at the Stoli tent. See what you do well and what you don’t do so well. Course correct as needed and soon your accounts will go black.
If you’ve never done a financial check before, Sign up for the credit card payout plan here. We’ll provide you with three tools to help you figure out where you currently stand financially, where the heck your money is going, and ultimately find your Magic Money number.
These are just five recommendations to cure your Pride hangover. As mentioned, there is a wealth of information available. If this post has sparked even a little interest in you about improving your personal financial situation, come back regularly and get more tips for your LGBT finances from us. With the right habits, you will be able to overcome future temporary disruptions to your mental health.