10 Ways to Improve Your Personal Finance: A Step by Step Guide

It’s never too soon, or too late to start planning around your finances. Sift through these very easy steps and start off with your money management right away.

Create a Budget

While all your bills and your savings are being looked at, also establish a monthly budget for yourself. In a perfect world you won’t have to refer to it, but it can be a good way to see how much money you can dedicate to things like paying off your debt. Examine Your Spending Habits Ask yourself where your money is going. Chances are, you spend money on a lot of things that don’t actually bring any tangible benefits to your life. Focus on what you want to get rid of, and cut down your spending habits. Look for Money Wasters Start asking yourself questions to make sure you aren’t wasting your hard earned money on things that you don’t need. For example, if you don’t need a wallet, try looking for a less expensive one.

 

Save for Retirement

Income can be tricky to track, so it can be hard to plan for your retirement. You’ll definitely need some retirement savings to make it through the years, and it can get really expensive to continue working after you have retired. Plan to start off by finding a way to save $200 per month, and try not to spend more than you make. Pay Down Debt In most cases, the first and foremost place to find money is from the money that you owe. With that said, you can’t pay off all of your debts right away. You’ll want to pay off your credit cards first, and any other type of debt. But, when you do that, put that extra money towards savings or investing. Keep Savings Refinanced The best way to avoid investing a huge chunk of money is to keep your savings at your credit card issuer.

 

Save for Emergencies

You never know when you’re going to need an emergency fund, so start setting aside funds from your monthly income for a rainy day. Pay yourself first, but never forget about the unexpected. Get a Side Gig Did you know side gigs are estimated to generate about $4,000 annually? That’s a lot of extra cash that can pay for an emergency fund or something you want. Read about 5 ways to get started with your side gig here. Get out of Debt If you’re in debt, it’s almost impossible to get out of debt unless you have a lot of money. Debt is bad for your finances. Learn how to get out of debt with these quick and easy steps. Know Your Limits What do you absolutely not want to spend your money on? Stop saying “yes” to everything you see because you don’t have any money for anything else.

 

Put Away Money for Big Purchases

The best time to spend money is when you’ve got money. This means that you should put aside some cash, maybe from each paycheck, to save for a big purchase you want to make. This can be your next big TV, or the dream kitchen you’ve been dreaming of. It could also be for your child’s college education or a vacation you’ve been planning. Whatever the case, start saving today. Pay Down Debt We all owe money, it’s how we keep track of how much we’ve got. The best way to not pay off your debt is to use credit cards, and just keep going over your credit limits. Eventually, you’ll start having problems paying your bills and making minimum payments. When you stop using credit cards, you have less of a way of “out of control” spending.

 

Reduce Your Debt

Consolidate all your loans, credit card debts, car loans and personal loans into one and make payments to your consolidated loan as soon as possible. Don’t worry about the interest as all your payments will be uniform and once you clear up the first chunk of debt, the process will be easier. Work Out Your Income & Expenditure Keep a written record of your income and your expenses. This will give you a clear picture of where your money is going. You’ll also be able to track your expenses better if you have a budget in place. Try Making Your Own Money It’s much better for you to keep the money and spend it wisely than dipping into your wages and pocketing your salary. You can always try making extra money by investing it and manage your expenses better to earn money.

 

Maximize Your Income

A spreadsheet or a spreadsheet with a calculator will do as well. Consider your biggest expenses and create a budget to see if you can make these (or have another source) cheaper. Some examples include your car payment, monthly rent, utilities, phone and monthly savings. Example: if you are looking to save $250 a month, try to cut your car payment in half. Consider changing the time you drive or shop to save more. Finally, ask friends and family if you can barter services. Can you mow their lawn for some lunch, laundry service or minor repairs around the house? Pay Down Your Credit Card Debt Now that you know how much money you have to spend, make a list of what you want to pay off first. The first is always the worst one.

 

Build Your Credit Score

Remember when you got a loan for your car and your mom told you to start paying her back? You probably ignored that advice. You were all like “Dude, don’t worry about it, my dad’s rich and I’ll just use that when I need it.” So not good. Not good at all. It’s not your fault. Your parents and banks were irresponsible. Not to say you shouldn’t go out and use debt in life but always go in with that intent. There is no shame in having loans and nothing at all in paying them back. As a starting point, check your credit score and if you’re out of credit, you should probably do this, even if it’s just to make sure you don’t go into collections. Then, start making the best choices to improve your credit score. Debt Free Forever You know that dream of traveling around Europe in a luxury car?

 

Get Rid of the Things You Don't Need

Does the fridge in your kitchen still hold milk and eggs? If the answer is yes, get rid of those things. A smaller home, a smarter car, a durable mattress, a decent, but cheaper place to cook, all of these things make life easier and look better on paper. Keep Track of Your Spending Overspending should be a key part of your life. Make a habit of recording every single expense. It's also a great way to track where your money goes. This helps you to be more mindful about your expenses. Make a Budget Don't worry about getting fancy here. A simple budget works just as well. Simply list out the expenses you want to keep track of, and stick to it. Remember to keep track of your budget daily, so that you have an idea of how much you're spending.

 

Invest Your Money

You are a businessman as well as a husband, so you should do all you can to invest in your own small business. Just about any business opportunity will earn you a good income. There’s also investing in real estate and stocks to think about. When you’re earning decent income, invest some of it into your personal finances. And invest regularly to compound your earnings. Track Your Finances Being aware of what you’re spending and earning is key when it comes to saving money. I recommend using an app to help you do this. For instance, most people use Personal Capital to keep track of their finances. They also have free calculators to help you to understand how to improve your money situation. Use these tips to learn how to save money, track it and save it as early as possible.

 

Conclusion

Personal finance is a challenging area of personal finance that you’ll have to develop yourself. All of the money making tricks that you learn will only improve your situation if you put them to use. We’ve identified some very effective techniques that you can use to develop your financial knowledge, and we hope that you find them helpful.

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