Now we’ve covered the mindset and convictions, having a proper buffer is the next best thing to do to reduce money stress. If you can take a punch, then you will never ever be stressed about an incoming bill. If you were able to establish a sufficient buffer in the past, you know you will be able to do it in the future. Your mind is like a muscle. If you train your mind, you will be able to do everything.
If you were able to save in the past, your brain is used to saving. It’s a neuro pathway in your brain. I can’t prevent you from stressful events happening in your life. Events that are costing you money, maybe even a lot of money. Now it may even look like the longest line of bills you’ve ever seen. But you also know you can handle it as well, based on the past. The only thing you have to do is remember the times you were successfully saving money. Try to get all the senses back into your system. How did saving make you feel? Take another look at an old bank statement you were happy about. Even smell a banknote. Use all your five senses to bring the past to the present. Relive your successful past. You can do it again. Reminding it is training your brain muscle.
The most frequently asked question I get during trainings it “What should the size of the buffer be?”. You may be disappointed about the answer because I can’t tell you how much money you should have as a buffer. It all depends on your desired lifestyle. Let me list a couple of questions you can answer for yourself. There is no limit to the list, it’s impossible to list all the things in the world that you may spend money on.
Do you want to:
Live in a big house or is a tiny apartment ok for you?
Drive an expensive car or not? (Do you need a car?)
Wear designer clothes?
Go out for dinner on a regular basis, or do you cook your own meals?
Go on holiday to exotic destinations or do you stay close to home?
Have an expensive hobby or not
And so on
These are general questions. I don’t know the country or area you live in. There are so many individual decisions you can make. Therefore putting an amount on the size of your buffer is impossible. But it is important to have a buffer.