Friday, October 12, 2012

Personal Finance Tips That Everyone Should Know

By Herman Fivee


Managing your personal finances is not always easy and it is rarely fun. If you are proactive and keep track of all that happens with your personal finances, you will be able to save yourself from getting in trouble later on. Keeping track of things online, such as banking, makes it easier.

If you want improved personal finances, avoid debt whenever you can. Some debt is normal, such as education loans and mortgages, but try your best to avoid bad debt such as credit cards. You will lose less money to interest and possible fees if you borrow less money.

If you are thinking about getting a car or home, it is crucial to have a good credit score. You could either take small loans and pay it quickly or get credit cards and pay them every time. Try paying more than your minimum on every bill.

If might take you some more time, but it can save money by using ATMs from your bank instead of paying fees. Financial institutions often levy hefty per-transaction and monthly fees for using the ATM of other banks, and these fees can add up very quickly.

If you'd prefer for your finances to remain in good shape, don't take on more credit lines than you need. If you have too many lines of credit, it will be easy for you to overspend on high-interest credit accounts and then you could find yourself in a lot of growing debt.

One way to save money is to cook more meals at home, rather than eating out. It is almost cheaper to eat at home. A nutritional meal for an average family costs less than $30 at home. You can easily spend that much on a couple of fast food burgers and some soda.

Read any mail that your credit card company sends you. Creditors are legally obligated to give you 45 days of notice prior to any policy changes. Decide if the changes negate the value of having that account. If they are not, then close it!

Be mindful of your finances by creating financial plans for your future. An effective tool is a financial plan, it keeps you on-track and will help curb impulse purchases.

You should start saving money for your children's education as soon as they're born. College is expensive and by waiting to save money until your child's teenager years, chances are you will not enough to send them to college.

One easy way to earn a little extra money is to make use of an old, unused computer or laptop. If it still works, or can be fixed, it will sell much better than one that is broken. You can still get a little money for a laptop that doesn't work.

To make sure your credit cards are paid on time, set up automatic bill pay at your bank. You may not be able to pay off the card completely, but pay what you agreed to on time to improve your credit rating. Having an automatic debit assures you won't have late payments, and when you have extra money you can supplement the payment.

Taking small steps towards growing your personal finances can add up quickly. Opt to brew your own coffee instead of purchasing from the coffee shop every morning. The savings are endless if you consider the many things you buy that you do not need. Take the bus to week instead of driving. That's up to $200 or so every single month. Each bit of money adds up, and can go toward an investment or add to your retirement fund. This will certainly have more value towards you than a single cup of coffee.

It may be more beneficial for you to use credit cards than debit. Once you have a credit card, put it to use for daily expenses like food and gas. Often times, these purchases provide great cash back rewards.

It's only natural that a good money manager can make more money, avoid financial pitfalls, and be free from worry. Common sense combined with this helpful advice can allow you to create a budget, lower your debt, put money aside and control your finances.







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