The Jamaican proverb ‘Dawg say if ‘im ‘ave money, ‘im would buy ‘im owna flea‘ is self-explanatory: some people just don’t know what to do when they get money, and well, end up wasting it on unnecessary things.

Jamaicans may be free from colonial slavery, but too many are still being held captive to age-old money habits which threaten to lower them into graves of debt.

This article is not here to discourage you from keeping your stashes under your bedroom mattress, but rather to increase your chances of having to move some dollars from under the sofa, too!

Here are four ways to financially emancipate yourself:

1. Abide by the 24-hour rule:

Maybe you are familiar with the five-second rule when your food falls on the ground—impulse spending is real, but so is bankruptcy.

So, to stay on track with achieving your future financial goals, anytime a temptation arises to buy something that you don’t really need, sleep on it for 24 hours before making a final decision on the purchase.

During this time, you can assess whether that item is a genuine desire and essential, or if it would be a future regret.

2. Skip the lunch line, at least occasionally

This might be a hard pill to swallow for some.

Eating out has become almost second nature to us, and there’s no shame in that.

But looking at the long-term effects of the pretty pennies all these restaurants charge, it wouldn’t hurt to chef it up once or twice from home and bring food on the go.

3. Invest today

Unfortunately, it’s not enough to only save what you earn.

Purchasing power declines with time, which makes investing proactive, even though risks are involved.

Speaking to a financial advisor or looking at available apps online as well as conducting personal research can help make investing more accessible and understandable.

4. Set up an emergency fund

Car repairs, medical bills, school expenses, you name it.

Anything can pop up at any time, and instead of scurrying to get a loan or having to carry a balance on your credit card, you can create an emergency fund.

This is the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to avoiding interest charges.

You will definitely thank yourself later for putting those three-to-six months of expenses together to make the fund.