Any type of financial planning is a dynamic process that requires regular monitoring, and reevaluating. Here are some tips to get you started on your personal finance journey. If they seem a little complicated, take a deep breath and remember, you don’t need to follow every single tip, just the ones that apply to your personal situation.
Another great way to help your financial situation is to purchase generic alternatives to branded products. For example, buy the store brand corn rather than popular brands. Most generic products are surprisingly comparable with respect to quality. This tip could save you hundreds on groceries each and every year.
Balance your checkbook with a friend. Just as in all things, accountability can have its perks. You are less likely to overspend or make rash purchases you can’t really afford if you have to explain that purchase to someone else later. Make a pact with a friend to keep each other accountable and watch your savings grow.
Finance experts say it all the time. Pay yourself first. You should have at least 3 months worth of living expenses in an emergency savings account. From each paycheck you should have a specified amount of money that goes directly to this account before you ever even see it.
If holding a garage sale or selling your things on craigslist isn’t appealing to you, consider consignment. You can consign just about anything these days. Furniture, clothes, jewelry, you name it. Contact a few stores in your area to compare their fees and services. The consignment store will take your items and sell them for you, cutting you a check for a percentage of the sale.
There are a lot of electronic expenses that you will have to pay for during the month. One tip that you can follow is to merge your internet, phone, and cable into one payment plan. There are many providers that offer discounts if you join their company for all three services.
One piece of advice that you should follow so that you are always in a safe position is to establish an emergency account. If you are ever fired from your job or faced hard times, you will want to have an account that you can resort to for additional income.
One of the things that you need to take into consideration with the rising rates of gasoline is miles per gallon. When you are shopping for a car, look into the car’s MPG, which can make a huge difference over the life of your purchase in how much you spend on gas.
Personal Finance
In order to avoid personal finance disasters, make sure you have at least three months equivalent of your salary in the bank. This will mean that if you do run into difficulties, for instance losing your job or facing other unexpected expenses like house or car repairs, you’ll be able to cover the cost.
Make your personal finance record-keeping more efficient and easy to read by marking debits and payments in your check registry using a bold, red ink pen. This will make you less likely to overlook withdrawals and debits and will also allow you to quickly verify all expenses as you balance your checkbook.
Personal finance also includes estate planning. This includes, but is not limited to, drawing up a will, assigning a power of attorney (both financial and medical) and setting up a trust. Power of attorneys give someone the right to make decisions for you in the event that you can not make them for yourself. This should only be given to someone whom you trust to make decisions in your best interest.
If one is concerned about saving money for their personal finance then they should consider buying only essential items. By not purchasing unneeded things a person can make the most of their money and save what they have remaining from purchasing their needed items. This will allow one to build their personal finance.
Keep track of your monthly expenses and create a budget using those records. See in what areas you are spending too much money. Otherwise, you may end up broke no matter how much money you make. Using finance software can help make the process a lot less stressful and a little interesting. You should use the extra money to pay on debt or invest it.
A good personal finance tip is to keep an eye on your credit score and make sure it’s always in good standing. Using a credit card when you don’t have enough money in your account can damage your credit score. Having a good credit score can make a huge difference.
You probably read this article because you felt like you could use a few tips on how to manage your personal finances in a more productive way. Now that you have gained some knowledge and some easy tips to follow, you can look at what your situation is and put what you have learned into action.
