In our teens and 20s, most of us are irresponsible with money at some point. But eventually it’s time to grow up a little and learn about how better to manage your personal finances, and your 30s are a great time to do just that. The great news is that even if you made mistakes with money earlier in life, there is always time to change your behaviors and correct your mistakes. If you’re over 30, here are 4 things you should consider doing to become better with money. 

Invest 

Your parents or other family members likely tried talking to you about investing when you were younger, but you didn’t listen. Investing your money is a smart decision and one you should really start thinking about in your 30’s if you haven’t already. It can get a little confusing at first if you don’t know much about it, but there are plenty of free online seminars as well as professionals you can hire that can help you understand investing so that you don’t put your money in the wrong places and end up with less than you started with. 

Check Your Credit Score

Make sure you are checking your credit score regularly and monitoring any changes. This will enable you to do what you can to increase it when you can, and it is also helpful to have a general idea of what your score is at any given time so that you know what types of things you may qualify for and nothing any lender says to you will take you by surprise.

Cook At Home

If you’re serious about wanting to save up money and not live paycheck to paycheck ever again, it’s time to say goodbye to eating out all the time. Of course you can still do so on special occasions, but now that you’re in your 30s it’s really time to learn how to cook. 

Not only is this a new skill that you’ll be glad to have but it will also end up saving you a ton of money in the long run. Try looking up recipes online and asking friends and family for their tips and tricks. Almost anything that can be ordered in a restaurant can also be made at home. This goes for cocktails too! 

Track Expenses

Keep a log of everything that you spend, even the tiniest purchases such as coffee and gas. Having it all written down in one spot may help you to get a handle on your spending and allow you to see where you are overdoing it, but it is also a good idea so that you are never unsure of where money has gone, and if any fraudulent activity should ever occur with any of your banking accounts, you’ll notice right away because you will know exactly how much money you have at all times.