TIL that paying myself first means nothing if I do it after the bills

For two years I felt good about moving $50 to savings every payday, but it always came out after rent and groceries, so some weeks it just didn't happen. A teller at my credit union in Columbus pointed out that $50 times the 14 paydays I skipped in 2024 was $700 I never saved, and she was blunt about it. Now the transfer goes out the same morning my check lands, before I can touch anything. How do you all order your transfers so savings isn't the last thing in line?

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oscarmurphy10h ago

Guilty as charged over here, because my savings account has been the human equivalent of the kid picked last in gym class for years now. Turns out the trick is just flipping the order around so savings goes out on payday morning and the bills get whatever's left. Wild how that one change makes the money actually stick instead of being a nice idea I forget about by Thursday. My budget spreadsheet is still ugly, but at least the savings line isn't crying anymore.

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