NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
Stop Scrolling, Start Saving: Better Habits and Budgets for 2025
Mon, 06 Jan 2025
Learn how to budget irregular income, set sustainable financial goals, and curb mindless spending for a better 2025. How do you create a budget when you're paid in large, irregular chunks of income? What are practical ways to curb unnecessary spending and stick to financial goals? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss how to break down irregular income into manageable monthly budgets and how to cut out habits that hurt your finances, like mindless phone scrolling. They begin with a discussion of financial New Year’s resolutions, with tips and tricks on identifying habits to stop, making sustainable changes, and focusing on small, actionable goals. Then, personal finance expert Kim Palmer joins Sean and Sara to discuss budgeting with irregular income. They explore strategies for dividing large paychecks into monthly allocations, using tools like high-yield savings accounts, and the importance of tracking expenses. Learn about NerdWallet’s picks for the best budget apps: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/best-budget-apps Use NerdWallet’s free savings calculator to understand how your money can grow over time: https://www.nerdwallet.com/calculator/savings-calculator In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: budgeting irregular income, budgeting tips, managing large paychecks, stopping bad habits, New Year financial resolutions, irregular income planning, budgeting apps, emergency savings, high-yield savings accounts, expense tracking, stopping mindless spending, cutting unnecessary expenses, sustainable spending habits, budgeting with fluctuating income, zero-based budgeting, cash stuffing, money-saving goals, personal finance for freelancers, budgeting for grad students, tips for budgeting with irregular pay, managing seasonal income, saving for large expenses, and breaking bad money habits. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend.
What are effective New Year's resolutions for financial health?
Sarah, we've talked before about how we're not big on New Year's resolutions.
No, we're not. And I don't think anybody else is either because I actually recently read the stat that fewer than 10% of resolutions are actually successfully completed. Sorry, guys. You know, that sounds about right. My one resolution would be I kind of want to be better about drinking more water this year, which feels like a measurable goal.
Yeah. And also, as far as resolutions go, that one's pretty painless and mostly good for your body. Just don't drink too much.
Exactly.
Also, you know, resolutions don't have to be about taking something on in the new year. It can be just as powerful to stop doing something.
Yeah. I'm a busy person, so I always like the idea of doing fewer things. Welcome to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. I'm Sarah Raffner.
And I'm Sean Piles. This episode, I'm joined by personal finance nerd Kim Palmer to answer a listener's question about how to budget when you earn an irregular income.
But first, Sean and I are going to indulge in a different kind of goal setting, picking one thing to stop doing.
Sarah, you presented this idea to me. What made you think of it?
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