Getting your personal finances under control is key to long term success. This involves incorporating effective budgeting strategies into your lifestyle. So, why does living on a budget feel like such a strain on your lifestyle? It does not have to feel this way. Living on a budget, while still living well, is possible. In this article, we will discuss some practical advice.
To stay on top of your money, create a budget and stick to it. Write down your income and your bills and decide what needs to be paid and when. You can easily create and use a budget with either pen and paper or by using a computer program.
Selling some household items that are never used or that one can do without, can produce some extra cash. These items can be sold in a variety of ways including many different online websites. Free classifieds and auction websites offer many options to turn those unused items into extra money.
Always look for ways to save. Audit yourself and your bills about once every six months. Take a look at competing businesses for services you use, to see if you can get something for less. Compare the cost of food at different stores, and make sure you are getting the best interest rates on your credit cards and savings accounts.
Take a look at your investments. If it’s been a while since you did any financial shifting of assets, it might be time to do that. With the changes in the economy, what used to be a good safe bet, and what used to earn lots of interest per year, has changed.
Rewards credit cards are a great way to get a little extra something for the stuff you buy anyways. If you use the card to pay for recurring expenses like gas and groceries, then you can rack up points for travel, dining or entertainment. Just make sure to pay this card off at the end of each month.
Always pay your credit card bill in full! Many consumers do not realize that paying only the monthly charges allows the credit card company to add interest to your payments. You may end up paying much more than you were originally quoted. To avoid these interest charges, pay as much as you can up front, preferably, the whole amount due.
Stick to your goals. When you see the money start pouring in, or the money flying away, it can be hard to stay the course and stick with what you originally planned. Before making changes, keep in mind what you really want and what you can really afford; and you’ll save yourself money.
A little maintenance, such as keeping the proper tire pressure or changing oil and other fluids at proper times, saves a lot of money by preventing damage. Tires and engines last longer and the mechanic may spot other problems while they are still small and relatively easy to repair. Your car runs better, gets better gas mileage and you save money.
Consider having a savings account that automatically debits from your paycheck each month. One of the hardest parts of saving is getting into the habit of saving and having it taken out automatically, removes this step. Also, automatically refilling your savings account means that it won’t be depleted if you do need to dip into it for any type of emergencies, especially if it’s more than once.
Sit down and add up all the money that you have coming in to the house each month. Then sit down and add up the amount that your monthly bills cost. Subtract the money you spend on your bills from your monthly income. The number you come up with is the amount of money you have to spend on everything else – food, clothing, medicine, luxury items, etc. Don’t go over this amount. This will insure that you have enough money to pay all of your bills and aren’t spending more than you’re earning.
Try setting up monthly bill pay with your bank to make sure all of your credit cards are paid on time. Credit card companies would rather see you make regular payments than pay your balance off completely. You are sure to make your payments on time every month if you have an automatic payment set up through your bank. Any month that you have some extra money, you can always make an additional payment on the credit card account.
You should start an emergency savings account! It is the best way to ensure that you have extra money for emergencies such as car problems, health issues, or family emergencies in which you may have to travel. Have part of your paycheck set aside to put in the account and do not touch it!
Be energy efficient! Change all of the light bulbs in your home to CFL lights, use energy efficient appliances, even if you have to buy new ones! This will save you money on your electric bill and perhaps even get you tax credits when tax season rolls around! Check tax laws to find out!
Discuss financial goals with your partner. This is especially important if you are thinking about getting married. Do you need to have a prenuptial agreement? This may be the case if one of you enters the marriage with a lot of prior assets. What are your mutual financial goals? Should you keep separate bank accounts or pool your funds? What are your retirement goals? These questions should be addressed prior to marriage, so you don’t find out at a later date that the two of you have completely different ideas about finances.
Having a strong grasp on your personal financial situation is key to long term success. As we have discussed in this article, getting your finances under control requires budgeting. Budgeting can feel like a it puts a cramp in your lifestyle, but it doesn’t have to feel this way. Follow the simple tips we have discussed in this article and you will be on your way to budgeting success.
