If you are one of the millions living paycheck to paycheck, taking control of your personal finances is absolutely necessary. This may mean learning to live in an entirely different way than you are used to. Follow the advice below to take control of your personal finances and ease the transition to the changes you must make.
Triple check your credit card statements the moment you arrive home. Make sure to pay special attention in looking for duplicates of any charges, extra charges you don’t recognize, or simple overcharges. If you spot any unusual charges, contact both your credit card company and the business that charged you immediately.
One way to improve one’s personal finances is to cut back on expensive restaurant trips and, in fact, to avoid all sorts of ready-made meals. Saving money is easier when the ingredients are bought and cooked at home; there is also appreciation for effort taken to create a home-cooked meal.
If you are fortunate enough to have any extra money in your checking account, be wise and don’t leave it there. Even if it’s only a few hundred bucks and only a one percent interest rate, at least it is in a traditional savings account working for you. Some people have a thousand or more dollars sitting in interest free accounts. This is simply unwise.
File important financial documents where you can find them quickly when needed. This includes loan and mortgage documents, tax returns, insurance policies, and bank statements. It is stressful enough to suddenly need one of these documents without the added anxiety of not knowing where to find it. To be extra safe, keep copies of essential papers in another location, such as a safe deposit box.
To best manage your finances, prioritize your debt. Pay off your credit cards first. Credit cards have a higher interest than almost any other type of debt, which means they build up high balances faster. Paying them down reduces your debt now, frees up credit for emergencies, and means that there will be less of a balance to collect interest over time.
Take a snapshot of your spending habits. Keep a journal of absolutely everything that you purchase for at least a month. Every dime must be accounted for in the journal in order to be able to truly see where your money is going. After the month is over, review and see where changes can be made.
If you love to shop, one tip that you can follow is to buy clothes out of season. When it is the wintertime, you can get great deals on summer clothes and vice versa. Since you will eventually use these anyway, this is a great way to maximize your savings.
Spend less than you make. Living even right at your means can cause you to never have savings for an emergency or retirement. It means never having a down payment for your next home or paying cash for your car. Get used to living beneath your means and living without debt will become easy.
People who find themselves with stray one dollar bills in their pockets might consider putting that money to good use. Use them to buy lottery tickets that can possibly win you the jackpot.
Teaching guitar lessons can help one support their personal finances as well as build ties both in the music community and with people from all walks of life. As one builds a customer base or finds a music school to teach out of they will increase their finances and network at the same time.
Check your credit at least yearly. The government provides free credit reports for its citizens every year. You can also get a free credit report if you are declined credit. Keeping track of your credit will allow you to see if there are incorrect debts or if someone has stolen your identity.
Keep track of your bank account and credit cards to watch for fraudulent activity. If you see any charges that are not from you, let your bank or other financial institution know immediately by calling them. They will be able to freeze your account and prevent further charges from occurring.
Sitting down with a financial planner can be a great tool for personal finance. Sometimes budgeting can be overwhelming. They can help you lay out your goals, figure out your expenses and start a savings plan. Make sure you are up front about your finances so that you can get the most from the experience.
You will begin to feel a sense of fulfillment once you take control of your personal finances. The advice above will help you achieve your goals. You can get through the worst of financial times with a little bit of advice and sticking to your plan will assure success in the future.
