The latest Ramsey Solutions State of Personal Finance report found that only 51% of American adults reported being happy with their finances, and 50% worried about money every day. Many Americans also reported problems paying for essentials and building their savings.
If you’re not disciplined with money, you’ll likely find yourself stressed and unhappy about your financial security and struggle to achieve your goals and grow your wealth. However, you can take steps to become more aware of your financial situation and avoid unwise spending decisions.
In a recent YouTube video, money expert Rachel Cruze discussed these six simple ways you can improve your financial discipline.
Deloitte data showed that 71% of Americans splurged in November 2025. If you’re guilty of losing money to this common habit, take Cruze’s advice to follow the 24-hour rule for unplanned purchases over a certain amount, such as $20. By making yourself wait and think through the purchase, you might notice the thrill is gone and decide against buying it.
Cruze added that this simple rule even worked for her daughter, who no longer wanted to buy a mini trampoline on Amazon after the short wait.
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While the thought of looking at your bank account daily might not excite you, Cruze explained it’s important for understanding what’s happening with your finances, both good and bad.
Checking your transactions allows you to recognize where you’re overspending, how much money is coming in and whether there are suspicious transactions to report. Plus, watching your account balance can help you avoid overdrafts, which can result in fees and other problems.
Cruze recommended using a budget, which gives you a spending plan for different expenses that you can track and helps with building wealth through saving and investing.
“When you actually track and know exactly what you spend your money on throughout the month, you’re able to really assess, look back and say, ‘Okay, what is needed, and what is not?’” she explained.
Whether you’re struggling to pay the bills, pay off debt or save money for a necessary purchase, avoiding nonessential purchases is a helpful move. Cruze suggested temporarily cutting back on conveniences like subscriptions, Amazon purchases and food delivery services.
You can look for substitutes that won’t drain your wallet. A Ramsey Solutions article suggested planning meals to reduce the temptation to order out and using library apps to save on entertainment, alongside many other cost-cutting tips. Also, if online shopping is the problem, consider temporarily uninstalling the apps.