I’ll be honest, budgeting has never come naturally to me. When a spark of motivation happens, I’d get really into it—tracking every expense for a few weeks and feeling good about my progress. Then life would happen. Bills piled up, I spent more than I intended, and my budget felt useless. It wasn’t until I started automating my finances that I finally felt in control.
The first thing I did was identify fixed bills that I pay on a regular basis, like rent, car and utilities. Then, I set up automatic payments for these expenses so they come out of my preferred account on a set schedule. I remember the relief of seeing those bills paid on time without having to remember each due date. That small change instantly made my financial life feel calmer and more organized while I focused on other priorities.
Safety Tips to Remember:
Next, I tackled saving. I set up a recurring transfer from my checking account into a savings account every payday. At first, I thought I would notice the money disappearing, but honestly, it didn’t have a huge impact! Over time, my savings started to grow, and I was still able to use the money in my checking account to support my lifestyle. Watching that balance climb little by little gave me confidence I had never had before and made me excited about reaching my financial goals!
I also automated payments for my credit card. Before, I would sometimes put off my monthly payments if money felt tight. Once it was automatic, I did not have to think about it. Every month, my payments went through and my debt slowly decreased. That steady progress made a bigger difference than any one-time effort ever could. I was also able to control how much I paid monthly and adjust in the event of unexpected events, such as an emergency trip to the vet (don’t worry, Milo is doing great!).
The more your finances run automatically, the easier it is to stay consistent. It removes stress, prevents late fees and builds habits that last—habits that you don’t even need to think about once your automatic payments are in place. Small, regular steps add up over time, and eventually your money starts working for you instead of the other way around.
If budgeting feels like an uphill battle, I highly recommend trying automation. It changed the way I manage money and can give anyone a sense of control and confidence over their financial future. BrightBridge offers several convenient tools for automating your finances that you cantailor to your unique needs.
Category: Budgeting & Debt Reduction
Need a smart strategy to save on essential school supplies? Planning your dream vacation or gearing up for the holiday season? With a club account, you can save for essential school supplies, exciting vacations, and joyful holiday celebrations, making your financial goals more attainable and stress-free.
Now is the moment to turn your attention to your tax obligations. With less than 60 days remaining until the tax deadline now is a good time to prepare your documents and file.
Starting college is exciting, but it also brings new responsibilities, especially when it comes to managing money. Between housing, food, books and social plans, expenses can pile up quickly if you’re not careful. Whether you’re living on campus or commuting, building smart habits now can help you stay on top of your finances all semester long. Here are a few tips to make your money go further while you’re in school.
.png)
Grocery costs have been climbing and many of us are feeling it at the checkout line. According to the Consumer Price Index*, prices rose by nearly 3% over the past year. If your weekly food bill feels heavier than it used to, you’re not alone. The good news is that a few simple habits can help you stretch your grocery budget further.
.png)
With fraud and scams on the rise, we are taking extra steps to keep your accounts and personal information safe. As part of these efforts, you may notice that our online and mobile banking systems will now prompt you for multi-factor authentication more frequently.
Keeping your money and personal information safe is always our focus at BrightBridge Credit Union. Part of that commitment is helping you recognize the latest scams before they can cause harm. Recently, we’ve seen an increase in cases where fraudsters use alarming pop-ups or urgent messages to trick members into taking action that puts their money at risk.
Keeping your BrightBridge accounts safe starts with strong, unique passwords. Recent trends have shown an increase in people using the same password for multiple apps and websites including email, social media and online banking. While this practice seems like an easy way to remember your login credentials, it can put your accounts at serious risk.
I’ll be honest, budgeting has never come naturally to me. When a spark of motivation happens, I’d get really into it—tracking every expense for a few weeks and feeling good about my progress. Then life would happen. Bills piled up, I spent more than I intended, and my budget felt useless. It wasn’t until I started automating my finances that I finally felt in control.
.png)
The terrible teens. That’s the phrase, isn’t it? Your child’s teenage years are an incredibly important time for them to learn and grow as they prepare for adulthood. As your teenager starts to take on more independence, you can help them build confidence when it comes to managing money.
