Have you ever heard the financial experts say to pay yourself first?
I’m going to explain how we do that, but first,
How many years could your maintain your current lifestyle if everything stopped right now?
How many months?
Days?
It is the second month into our busy season and although we stay busy all year long, we have our busiest and most profitable time from May to November. If you are in another part of the United States, your most profitable six months may vary.
It is month two of the Cash Cow: Crews are busy working crazy hours and calls are coming fast and furious.
The bank account that was getting close to sub zero numbers is now rising and breaking records. We are feeling great, WE ARE RICH or at least it feels like we are. It is amazing how we can soon forget the quiet times and break-even jobs we seem to attract in the colder months.
As we sit in the cold dark months in the middle of the winter, we find ourselves reminiscing of our once large bank balances and when we would walk into the local store and purchase that shiny piece of equipment without even thinking twice.
We spend money like we are the Rockefellers, as we know when we get back to check our mailbox, there is a good chance there will be more checks to deposit.
Now, let us flip the calendar about six months forward. The calls are slowing down, we are taking long weekends as it is getting pretty quiet, the bank balance is slowing getting smaller and smaller.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Would you take your family on a vacation without looking at a map and have a plan? Would you wait to the day of that vacation to check your bank account to see what you had to spend? I hope not.
Here is what we, the DYB Community also does, and can too…
It is called the AUTO DRIP.
How is an Auto Drip going to help you through the leaner times for your company? You will set a daily transfer (drip) from you business bank account to a savings account that will be small enough to not effect your business in any way.
If you are not use to saving money, start with a savings of a $1 a day. Everybody living and operating in America can afford $1 a day. If you are comfortable with savings and have a larger bank account start with a larger amount, but not to be a burden on cash flow. Start with $1 a day and then turn the drip up just a little bit each time an done day you will be at $200 a day. You will be amazed at how much and how fast an untouched savings account will grow.
You will be amazed at how much and how fast an untouched savings account will grow.
At first, you may find yourself transferring that $7 bucks back into the checking account at the end of the week. It’s okay. It’s automatic and you will do better as you do this.
Then move it up to $10 a day. Then $20 a day. Then $50…$100…$200…and so on.
Here’s the Key:
It must be automatic.
Because we are busy. I’m busy. You are busy, right?
What we do is set up weekly automatic transfers for each day of the week.
$1 weekly on Monday,
$1 weekly on Tuesday,
and so on…
What’s most important is, not the amount, but that you have the Auto Drip going.
Once you have taken the first step to set up your Auto Drip, then after some time you turn the drip up just a notch increasing the amount.
What we are doing is leveraging Parkinson’s Law to our advantage. The law says, expenses rise to meet income.
The Way the Law Works
This law says that, no matter how much money people/businesses make, they tend to spend the entire amount and a little bit more besides. Their expenses rise with their income. We spend what we make, in other words.
So, by Automatically Dripping income out of our expense account, we unconsciously make due with what we have to work with.
So, let it grow all through the busy season, and if you have an abundance of monies or receive that surprise unexpected check or windfall, then transfer some or all of the monies to that same savings account. Slowly the amount will grow and hit milestones and you ill want to increase daily savings.
Side note: If you already have online banking, setting up a savings account is as easy as a few clicks in most cases.
What if you need the money that is in the savings?
You are waiting for checks from customers,your operating account is getting low and payroll is due, then transfer the money back into the checking account from your drip savings account.
It’s there for a reason, use it if you need it, but move the money back when the checks finally arrive, you will be glad you did at a later time.
Do you pay quarterly Taxes or have a large Workman Compensation bill that comes due every year and it is always larger than expected? Start a separate Auto Drip savings labeled TAXES or Workman’s comp.
Are you planning on a new vehicle? Auto Drip.
Are you purchasing a new shop? Auto Drip
Missed last years convention as you did not plan? Auto Drip.
Maybe move to San Diego on a moments notice like Steve and April did? They started with an Auto Drip many years ago.
(Steve and April love to tell this story. It started with a Thanksgiving roadtrip to Alabama. On the way back, they listened to an audiobook called, Automatic Millionaire. It inspired them. They started it as soon as they got home and never looked back. They taught it to us and we love it. Now we want you to have success with it as well.)
The uses are endless and you, too can Double Your Wealth, Starting with Just $1 Day!
And this is what all of the finical experts are referring to when they say to “pay yourself first.”
What to Double faster…, join the rest of the DYB for about the cost of a gallon of paint, here!