In this day and age many people are looking for ways to manage their personal finances better. Since many people are barely making enough money to survive and trying to save money they are looking for ways to manage it better. This article contains ways you can better manage your finances.
When you are saving for an emergency fund, aim for at least three to six months worth of living expenses. This is not a large amount, considering the difficulty in finding employment if you ever lose your job. In fact, the larger the emergency fund, the better position you would be in to ride out any unforeseen financial catastrophes.
If you are looking to repair your credit going through a credit repair agency might not be a bad idea. Often times they offer the opportunity to buy something like a flat screen TV in exchange for weekly payments. In this way your credit is slowly restored and you end up with something nice.
Stop charging a credit card that you have issues paying off. Reduce your expense as much as you can and find another payment method to avoid maxing that card out. Before using the card again, pay off the balance in full.
Always negotiate with debt collectors. The debt collector likely bought your debt for much less than you actually owe. Even if you only pay a little bit of the debt you owe, they profit. Take advantage of this to get rid of any old debt at a low price.
If your finances are such that you can’t afford to put a sizeable down payment on a new car, you can’t afford that car. Cars depreciate extremely quickly, and unless you make a large payment up-front, you will end up upside-down on that loan. Owing more than the worth of your car makes it difficult to sell the car and can put you in a bad position if the car were to be wrecked.
As a college student, you will want to reduce the amount that you spend on books and supplies. Instead of purchasing books at the campus bookstore, which is usually at retail price, make friends with upperclassman who can give you these books at a discount. This can save you hundreds of dollars per semester.
Instead of going to a car dealership and signing a lease for a new car, take a look at all of the used cars in the lot. Sometimes it is better to purchase a used car, as you will pay a much lower price and have resale value in the end.
Pay off your high interest debts before saving. If you are saving in an account that pays 5%, but owe money on a card that charges 10%, you are losing money by not paying off that debt. Make it a priority to pay your high interest cards off and then stop using them. Saving will become easier and more beneficial as well.
Try to stick to your budget as best you can. If your expenses are increasing considerably, take a moment to reconsider your renovations. You may have hired the wrong contractor or may be straying away from your original idea. It is easy to get carried away when making changes, but stay focused.
If you’re trying to improve your personal budget, one easy way to get yourself in the mindset is to get your paycheck put directly into a savings account rather than checking or cash. This will help get you in the habit of saving money and not thinking of it all as disposable income.
Make sure you are carrying cash or your debit card for small purchases. You do not want to have to put small purchases on your credit card and end up paying interest on them. Some merchants also put restrictions on purchases made with a credit card not allowing you to put under 10 dollars on it.
If you’re opening up a savings account to put your emergency money, always look for a low-risk account, like a high-yield account. Here’s an oversimplification: The bank spends your money and then pays it back with interest, but your money is also guaranteed to be there. It’s a win-win situation.
A great way to ensure that you won’t suffer in the future is to start a retirement fund now. If you already have one, then use what you can to boost your retirement portfolio. Unfortunately, the cost of living is still increasing and the dollar is continuing to go down. You will need a larger retirement fund.
Negotiate your salary to increase control over your personal finances. This is best done when you are first accepted for a position, as you will have the most bargaining power at that time. Negotiating the salary you deserve means more income to pay off those debts, save for the future, and spend on things you want.
The easiest and most obvious way to give yourself more financial breathing room is to ask for a raise. If you have been with your company for over a year without a raise and research shows that their competitors are paying as much or more to their employees in comparable positions, then use this information to negotiate your way to better pay.
Grocery shop once a week. Most people want to keep expenses low and go to the store a few times a week to get the essentials. Over time though, costs add up, not to mention the gas mileage. Make a shopping list, stick to it, and only spend money for food once a week. You’ll save.
To truly take advantage of an emergency fund, keep it close but not too close. Three to six months pay should be sitting in an account somewhere so that an unexpected expense is not the end of the world. However, it should be money in an easily accessible interest bearing account, but not in your primary checking account where you can kill it with your debit card in one day.
Since money is tight for a good majority of people, they are looking for ways to manage their finances better so they can save for their future or just try to survive for now. After reading the article above you should know ways to better manage your family’s money for a better future.