This is a post by NY Money Coach, Carrie Birgbauer. Carrie is a member of Moven’s Financial Wellness Community.

Are you one of those people who unnecessarily keeps receipts hoping that one day you’ll do something with them? That is precisely the kind of clutter that can lead to a state of money fog or financial unconsciousness. While on one level, you feel good about asking for a receipt, the effort is absolutely futile unless you do something with it. If you’re a messy wallet person, chances are that your personal finance department is not the only area in your life in which you are avoiding something. Ideally, you want your wallet to be in good shape and to fit your personality and current style. I give you permission to upgrade!
It was a momentous occasion when I was shopping in Union Square in San Francisco with my dear friend Kate. I had known for a while that it was time to buy a nice, new, grown-up wallet. We walked into Kate Spade and I spent over $200 on a gorgeous gold checkbook sized wallet with a hot pink leather interior. This was a game changer and now I experience more feelings of joy, pride and abundance every time I use the wallet.

My suggestion is to go to any lengths to prevent negative thoughts and feelings related to your money including how you store your cards, those pesky receipts and your cash. This is about taking responsibility on multiple levels to care for your money and therefore yourself. Tracking your money does not mean letting your bank do it for you nor clicking once to download your transactions. Create a system that works for you, one that feels personal and inspiring. Unless you do, you’re at risk for not following through or worse, not doing it at all. Note: change your system when it stops working for you. As you evolve, your self-care routines will need to change also to help further align your insides with your outsides.

Ideas for upping your financial game:

Buy a new wallet – highly recommended!
A daily manual check-in on the day’s spending and earning
A weekly maintenance date – “Money Mondays”
Clean out your wallet
Carefully review your bank statement
See how this week’s spending and earning affect your monthly plan
A monthly state of the union conversation with yourself and your loved ones
See how this month’s spending and earning affect your annual plan
Take a snapshot of your net worth
Plan ahead for next month

Benefits of being proactive and having money systems include:

Feelings of confidence and control
Preventing overspending
Allowing for opportunities to review and analyze your spending
Creating a healthy and sustainable relationship to money

The bottom line is that how we take care of our money is truly an expression of how take care of ourselves, our relationships, and the world.

Image Source: Donnygalella.com.au