It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in times of uncertainty like these. The whole economic world seems shaken up, so it something as simple as budgeting may suddenly feel difficult.

Many individuals have lost their jobs, and even those that haven’t are considering how market instability may impact their bank accounts in the future.

Even with uncertainty, there are some moves you can make to set yourself up for success later on.

1- Consider money’s connection to your emotions
Whether you realize it or not, your emotions and sense of wellbeing have an impact on how you spend your money. Especially in financially insecure and emotionally rocky times, shame, guilt, and anxiety over money are common.

Don’t beat yourself up about not having a rainy day fund or the impulse purchase you made three weeks ago. You’re doing the best you can, and negative emotions don’t serve you as you budget for the future.

2- Revisit your emergency fund
How much do you have saved? How does that compare to your monthly expenses? The common advice is to keep three to six months of living expenses in your emergency fund.

but let’s face it, many of us don’t have that. Check in on what you have, and consider what you could go without if necessary to make that money stretch.

If you don’t currently have an emergency fund but do have stable employment, start to put away a little at a time to give yourself some cushion going forward.

3- Review (or make) a budget and see where you can make cuts
A good tactic to begin is to make the most barebones budget you possibly can, listing out the expenses that are unavoidable. After looking at the numbers, add back in the things that matter to you.

This helps you identify your priorities and see what you’ve been spending on that is excessive. As you budget in your food expenses, it may be especially helpful to create a meal plan.

This way, you’re not only keeping track of your spending on food, but also making sure you limit trips to the store by planning ahead.

Establishing smart money habits is difficult, but it helps you plan for the future and feel confident going forward, even if things are a bit rocky at the moment. Getting a handle on finances is not just empowering, but important. Good luck!