Sunday, 12 August 2012

Simple Ways To Stay On Top Of Personal Finances

By Brian Ian


Personal finance is every part of your life that has to do with money. From how much you spend at the grocery store to buying a house. You will read some quick and easy tips on the best things that you should be doing with your money.

If you are not sure if it is the right time to buy or to sell, it is best to do nothing at all. When you are risking your money that you worked hard for, it is always better to be safe then to be sorry and lose your money.

A great personal finance tip that can help you keep your expenses down is to always make sure you eliminate services you have no use for. If you own a cell phone and you don't use text messaging, you're just wasting money if you're paying every month for text messaging.

An important thing to do when getting your personal finances in order is to come up with a solid budget. Knowing exactly how much you need to spend and how much you earn each month makes it much easier to control your money. Keep careful track of your expenses to make sure you do not spend too much.

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.

Plan for unexpected circumstances. Do you have a will? Many people feel like they do not need to worry about this issue and do not establish a will. You should go to a lawyer and establish a will to make sure your family will get what they are entitled to in case of an accident.

Protecting your financial records is important. These days, keeping a digital copy of them is a great idea. Take the time to scan your most important documents, and always save the financial information that you receive online. Once you have your records in an electronic format, burn them to a few CDs. You can keep one for yourself and give another to a friend or relative for safe-keeping.

Make sure to save for your child's college education now, even if they are not old enough to walk. The cost of schooling is constantly going up, so saving for your child's future now is a good way to stop them from having so much debt when the time comes.

A useful personal-finance tip is to investigate different funding sources prior to shopping for a new vehicle. Local banks and credit unions can be terrific sources for advantageous auto finance rates, often beating the manufacturers' captive finance arms. By arranging your own financing prior to visiting a car dealership, you can be certain of getting the very best rate possible.

To assure you always have money when you need it, create an emergency fund. It is best to have between three and six months income in a savings account that you can easily access. Doing this will assure you have money set aside in times when you absolutely need it.

Do not charge more each month than you can pay when the bill comes in. The interest adds up if you only pay the minimum balance, and you can end up paying much more for your purchase in the end than if you had simply used your own money to buy it outright. Bonuses such as airline miles or even rebates seldom make up for the additional expense.

Some banks offer great rewards if you are able to refer a customer to their location and they open up an account at a branch. Try to take advantage of this opportunity, as you can add anywhere between 25-100 dollars just for recommending a friend or family member to the bank.

While some of these tips may seem a bit complicated, deciding exactly what to do with your money may take some time and a lot of thought. Don't rush into any decision when it comes to money. Always make sure to do your research so you do not lose everything you have been working for.




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