Survive tough economic times by living within your means

Staying out of debt is easier said than done but it’s one of the keys to financial survival as you grow your home staging business. It’s also where the old adage “live within your means” comes in.

Start by creating a monthly budget-and then stick to it. Set up a way to continually track and review your spending so your expenses don’t creep up on you each month. This also means putting your children on a budget and standing firm when they’ve reached their maximum for the month.

If you don’t already know how much you’re spending each month, try keeping track of your expenses in a journal or a spreadsheet before setting up your budget. You’ll be surprised how quickly everything adds up! Once you’ve established some spending trends, you can create a realistic budget. If your budget isn’t realistic to start with, you’ll feel as if you’ve failed after your very first month.

If you have a penchant for shopping sprees, ask your significant other or a trusted family member to hide all your credit cards. Not having easy access to plastic will help you make more conscious decisions about your spending habits. Better yet, try going on an all-cash diet for day-to-day expenses and “impulse” purchases. It hurts a lot worse to spend $100 in cash than it does to charge it!  If you dislike carrying cash, use a debit card so your purchases will be deducted directly from your bank account.

It takes diligence and determination to change your spending habits and lifestyle, but it is possible to live within your means and save the money you need to start your exciting new career as a home stager.

“Can I grow a home staging business in a depressed economy?” contains many articles like this one including 16 ways to get money right now to help start your home staging business. The report is free and I recommend that anyone in the home staging industry or considering entering the home staging industry read it.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould developed the Staging Diva Training Program to create opportunities for others to grow their own profitable home staging businesses. There are currently over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates around the world. Debra encourages anyone concerned about starting or growing a home staging business in today’s economy to download her free special report: “Ask Staging Diva: Can I grow a home staging business in a depressed economy?”

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Home Staging Resources

“Staging Diva Home Staging Consultation Checklist with Room-By-Room Client Planning Forms” by Debra Gould takes the guess work out of how to do a home staging consultation and lets you fill in the blanks as you go through a home. You’ll learn the techniques and process the Staging Diva has used successfully in hundreds of homes, and how to avoid doing time wasting and unprofitable reports. More about Checklist

"Staging Diva Sales Script: How to Avoid the Free Estimate Trap and Turn Homeowners into Home Staging Customers in One Phone Conversation" by Debra Gould is THE script she used to go from zero to $10,000 a month in sales within two years. Learn word for word what she says when a homeowner calls and why she never does free estimates. More about Sales Script