If you are like most people, you never received instruction on personal finance in school, and your parents probably did not discuss money with you either. After you moved out, you had to muddle along on your own, figuring out on your own how to best manage your personal finances. This article will discuss a few important concepts that you need to know, and will offer a few tips on getting the most out of your money.
If you rent your home, make sure you get renters insurance to cover you in case of a loss, such as fire, wind damage and theft. Renters insurance is extremely inexpensive. If there is a natural disaster, the owner of your home is covered for their loss of property but you are not covered unless you have your own policy.
One of the best ways to stay on track with regards to personal finance is to develop a strict but reasonable budget. This will allow you to keep track of your spending and even to develop a plan for savings. When you begin saving you could then move onto investing. By being strict but reasonable you set yourself up for success.
Don’t believe any credit repair service that says they guarantee they will repair your credit history. A lot of these companies will try to make a cover-all statement that they can repair your credit. However, this is a misleading claim because the cause of your poor credit may differ from the cause of someone else’s poor credit, and these varying factors require different treatment methods. Companies that promise to completely clean your credit are deceiving you.
Watch those nickles and dimes. Small purchases are easy to forget about and write off, as not really making much of a difference in your budget. Those little expenses add up fast and can make a serious impact. Take a look at how much you really spend on things like coffee, snacks and impulse buys.
Make sure to always pay yourself first. You should be putting at least 10% of your pre-tax income into a savings account. This is the money that is going to keep you from losing the house during an emergency. Do not skip on it and do not forget about it.
Don’t buy extended warranties on products. If your product already comes with a warranty that is more than likely when something is going to break. Extended warranties are basically just a huge profit making tool for a business. Don’t give them more of your money for no reason.
If you like bidding in auctions and enjoy a great find, buying items in abandoned storage lockers may be the thing for you. Buying these lockers offer the possibility of finding a potentially valuable item. This item can be resold for a much higher price giving you some financial gain.
One of the most important aspects of your FICO score is the balance of your credit cards. The higher your credit card balances are, the more of a negative impact they will have on your score. The score gets better as you pay off the balance. Always try your best to keep your balance below 20% of the credit card’s maximum credit limit.
Realize that budget is not a four-letter word. It’s tough to plan for future expenses if you do not plan ahead, and that’s all a budget is — a little advance planning. Everyone needs a budget, regardless of their income level. Companies pulling in millions per year make budgets. Plan where you want your money to go, and then stick to your budget. You’ll thank yourself later.
Be willing to shop around at banks. One bank might have a better interest rate, another credit union might have free checking that works out better for you. Don’t be afraid to have multiple accounts to take advantage of all the promotional offers that you are eligible for. But look around.
If you want to get your personal finances under control, try freezing your credit cards. Credit cards are good for emergencies, but are often used to buy things we can’t afford. Avoid this spur of the moment spending by literally freezing your card. Put it in a container of water and freeze it. You can still use your card in an emergency, but having to thaw out the credit card will give you time to rethink those impulse buys that lead to more debt.
Checkbook management, taxes, budgeting, and stock market investing are all equally important in your personal finance portfolio. Taking care of your personal finances isn’t difficult, but it does require discipline and a little education. Now that you you know the best ways to manage your money, you can put your money to work for you, turning it into a fungible resource.
