Living paycheck to paycheck feels like running on a treadmill that never stops. No matter how hard you try to budget or cut costs, it still feels like there’s never enough to breathe. If that’s your current reality, financial educator Berna Anat wants you to know that the problem isn’t always your budget.
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In an Instagram post that resonated with thousands, Anat dropped a truth bomb most personal finance advice tends to avoid. She shared what helps you break free from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle isn’t penny-pinching, it’s earning more income — we share why below.
Survival Mode Isn’t Sustainable
If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, you probably already know what it’s like to be in survival mode. Every week, you’re counting down to payday while juggling rent, groceries, gas and a ton of other bills. You can’t afford an emergency, much less a vacation or a spontaneous night out.
And that’s exactly the issue. Anat said even though budgeting is important, you can’t budget your way out of an income problem. You can only cut so much. At some point, you hit a wall.
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Having More Breathing Room Is Important
Personal finance advice often focuses on behavior, like tracking your spending and meal prepping to save money. Those things can help, but they’re only one part of the picture. What really moves the needle, according to Anat, is earning more.
You need more money coming in to start building the kind of life you actually want. When your income grows, so do your choices. You can pay down debt faster, start saving for a home, invest, take time off work, help family or simply stop stressing about money.
More income gives you breathing room so you can start making smarter financial decisions.
It’s a Systemic Problem
Living paycheck to paycheck isn’t just the result of poor choices. It’s the outcome of wages that haven’t kept up with the rising cost of living, unaffordable housing, student loan debt and financial systems that weren’t designed to support everyone equally.
That doesn’t mean you’re stuck, but it does mean you shouldn’t blame yourself for struggling to stay afloat financially. In many cases, people are doing the best with the resources they have. But at the end of the day, we live in a world where money gives you options. And like it or not, you have to learn how to play the game if you want to achieve financial freedom.
How Do You Actually Make More Money?
This part looks different for everyone, but here are a few paths to consider:
- Ask for a raise: If you’ve been at your job for a while and consistently perform well, it might be time to negotiate. Come prepared with your accomplishments and market research.
- Start a side hustle: You can make extra money each month by freelancing services, selling digital products, tutoring or running errands.
- Learn a new skill: Free or low-cost online courses can help you move into a higher-paying industry. For example, data analytics, project management, copywriting and coding.
- Build a personal brand online: Pick something you actually care about, like money tips or career advice. As you keep posting and connecting with people online, that small audience can grow into a community and into an income stream through brand deals, affiliate links or digital products.
Cutting Your Budget Even More Isn’t Always the Answer
If you’ve trimmed every expense you can and still feel like you’re barely getting by, you’re not doing it wrong. Budgeting has its limits, especially when the system is stacked against you. You’re doing what you can in a world where the cost of living keeps climbing and wages can’t keep up.
If you’re making minimum wage, you can only save so much each month, no matter how hard you budget. What actually helps you get closer to financial freedom is shifting the focus. Instead of trying to save every dollar, start thinking about how to bring in more. More income means more choices, more space to breathe and more money to invest toward your future.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 1 Thing To Do If Living Paycheck to Paycheck, According to a Financial Educator
