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Grace and Callie at Cala Coffee — Smart budgeting still allows for occasional treats, like a much-deserved coffee with your bestie. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Living paycheck to paycheck? Not sure where all your money goes each month? You’re not alone—and the fix might be simpler than you think.

Niki Mathews, financial education program lead at AmFirst in Birmingham, has spent nearly 20 years helping local residents build better money habits. Here are four things she wants you to know.

1. You don’t need more money to start budgeting (or saving!)

birminghamshuttlesworthinternationalairport 20 4 simple money habits that actually work, according to a Birmingham financial coach — (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Budgeting isn’t about having a certain amount, Niki says, it’s about telling the money you already have where to go. The same logic applies to saving.

Don’t wait until you can set aside a significant chunk—even $5 moved to a savings account is progress.

“A lot of times we correlate savings with a large dollar amount making a major impact, and that’s not really the case. If you can save $5, that’s $5 more than what you had yesterday.”
Niki Mathews, Financial Wellness Coach, AmFirst

2. Stop comparing your financial journey to others

Kate Spade at The Shops of Grand River — Everyone has a different financial situation—try to stay focused on your journey. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

It’s human to measure your progress against others, but it’s one of the fastest ways to get discouraged and quit. Where someone else is financially has nothing to do with where you need to be right now.

“Your $5 may not be the next person’s $100, but their $100 is also not the next person’s $500.

You just have to do what you can to better yourself, one step at a time.”
Niki Mathews, Financial Wellness Coach, AmFirst

And when life throws a wrench in your plan—a car repair, an unexpected bill, a month where saving just isn’t possible—don’t scrap everything! Just pick back up where you can. Missing a month doesn’t erase your progress; it’s just part of the journey.

3. Build a solid money habit + stick to it

AmFirst Pocket Change — The best trick for budgeting? Build consistent financial habits + let yourself indulge every once in a while. (Nathan Watson/ Bham Now)

Consistency beats perfection every time—rather than overhauling your entire financial life, find one repeatable habit that fits your budget and automate it if you can.

Niki’s approach: an automatic $70 transfer to a savings account she can’t easily access every pay period.

“Out of sight, out of mind. I know I easily spend that much on coffee in a month, so I know I can sacrifice it.”
Niki Mathews, Financial Wellness Coach, AmFirst

Other small moves Niki suggests building into a habit:

Buy your “cheat” grocery item only when it’s on sale
Whenever you get a raise, increase your 401(k) contribution by the same percentage + you never notice the extra income (but your future self will!)

AmFirst’s Pocket Change account works on the same principle—every debit card swipe rounds up and the difference lands in savings automatically. Before long, you’ve got a few hundred dollars you barely noticed saving.

4. Don’t avoid credit—just be mindful of your debt

alabamagoodwill 19 4 simple money habits that actually work, according to a Birmingham financial coach — Don’t be afraid of credit, find out how it can work in your favor. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

You’ve probably heard your parents and grandparents tell you to simply pay for everything in cash or avoid credit cards altogether. That advice is outdated, and for a lot of people, it’s actually doing harm.

“Your insurance looks at your credit. Your employer looks at your credit. You need to buy a house, buy a car… all of these things require credit! It’s not the credit that’s bad, it’s the mismanagement of it.”
Niki Mathews, Financial Wellness Coach, AmFirst

A few rules to keep you on the right side of it:

Don’t open store cards just for a one-time discount.
Keep your balance below 30% of your available credit limit. For example, if your limit is $12k, keep your balance below $4k.
If you can’t pay it off in full, pay at least twice the minimum—or your minimum plus whatever interest accrued that billing cycle. Small shifts that keep you from feeling like you’re treading water forever.

Ready to take the next step? Get financial advice through AmFirst

AmFirst financial coach — Aside from financial coaching, Niki Mathews volunteers with local organizations like Girls Inc. to grow early financial habits in local youth and teens. (AmFirst)

According to Niki, one of the biggest misconceptions about financial coaching is that you need to be wealthy (or have all the answers) before seeking help. In reality, financial coaches can help at every stage of life, from navigating a new job or move to creating a plan for long-term goals.

AmFirst has more than 21 certified financial counselors across its locations offering free one-on-one sessions—even if you’re not yet a member. Whether you’re building credit from scratch, recovering from a setback or thinking about retirement, there’s no situation too early or too late to get help.

Learn more about AmFirst’s Financial Wellness or stop by a local branch to learn more about FREE financial coaching opportunities + start building a plan that works for your goals.

AmFirst is federally insured by the NCUA.

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