Personal finance is all about making choices. There are, of course, right choices and wrong choices. Sometimes, of course, right verses wrong is dependent on the particulars of the situation. More often than not; however, when it comes to personal finance, some choices are more likely to be wrong than they are right as it is noted in this article.
Taking note of each and every expenditure is a great way to discover where your money tends to go. However, if you write it in a notebook that gets closed and set aside until you open it again the next day, it might become a case of “out of sight, out of mind”. Try writing things down on a whiteboard in your kitchen or somewhere else that is visible. You will pass by it all day so it stays in your mind.
Not only can you insure your own medical costs, but pet owners may want to investigate pet insurance. These policies can pay for or kick in to pay for vet services once you reach a deductible amount. Veterinary costs can be expensive, so it make sense to insure you pet, the same way you would a member of the family.
Try to refrain from keeping a lot of money in your checking account. Typically, you will not need to have more than a thousand dollars to pay your bills and expenses. Instead, invest your money so that you can build on the money that you already have in your account.
If you live near a group of employees that you work with, form a carpool. This will allow you to save money on gas, reducing one of your expenses dramatically over the year. Carpooling is not only fun, but a great way to implement as a money management tool for the year’s expenses.
Avoid disaster by saving money for emergencies before those emergencies happen. You should also put money away for long term spending goals like college tuition, or a relaxing vacation.
Have your premium payments automatically deducted electronically from your checking account. Insurance companies will generally take a few dollars off of your monthly premium if you have the payments set to go automatically. You’re going to pay it anyway, so why not save yourself a little hassle and a few dollars?
To reduce credit card debt completely avoid eating out for three months and apply the extra cash to your debt. This includes fast food and morning coffee runs. You will be surprised at how much money you can save by taking a packed lunch to work with you everyday.
Lower your total monthly grocery bills by nixing the habit of shopping for meals every day, afterr you leave work or school. This approach makes you more susceptible to costly impulse purchases and fast food runs. Instead, plan your grocery purchases for an entire week at a time. Save even more money by shopping only once every other week.
When saving money, most experts agree that it’s best to have at least 3 months’ salary put away for an emergency. This can help you cover all kinds of disasters like car accidents, medical bills, driving tickets, a fire, expensive equipment like a computer or refrigerator needing to be replaced, or any other expensive unfortunate event.
Deciding if a debt is good or bad can depend on the purpose of the debt. Real estate can be good debt for example. Usually, houses and commercial property will appreciate in value and the interest from the loans are tax deductible. Another good debt would be a college loan. Student loans are good because the interest rates are low, and they have a longer repayment schedule; one that generally is deferred until graduation.
Get yourself an emergency savings account. Stuff happens and you need to be prepared. An internet account won’t do because you’ll need as immediate an access as possible, so find the nearest local bank that has terms that you can live with. Have a portion of your pay, or from even your checking, be automatically deposited into this savings account.
Set a financial goal to work your way toward financial security. Your goal can be small initially, such as paying off one credit card. Later, you can grow that goal to something like being a millionaire by retirement age. Setting a goal gives you something to work toward. It also allows you to outline specific steps that you will follow in order to get there. Both are important steps toward improving your financial situation.
Determining what is right and what is wrong is, in most cases at least, an intuitive process. This is even true in regards to personal finances. Most of us know when we are wasting money. It is sometimes a bit harder to understand when we are wisely investing it. However, we can attain that understanding using the tips noted above.
