Although money can’t buy happiness, it can help to provide a peace of mind. It certainly helps us to sleep better at night and greatly reduces the amount of stress felt in our daily lives. If you are feeling down, you might take a look at the condition of your personal finances, it can have a lot to do with how you are feeling and the quality of your life. Money does not buy happiness, but good money management can prevent excess stress.
Make savings your first priority with each check you receive. It’s too easy to spend now, and forget to save later. Knowing how much money is already used makes budgeting easier. There will be less temptation to spend it and more encouragement to save it.
Don’t sell if the time is not right for you. Leave your stocks alone if you’re earning money on them. You can watch your stocks that aren’t doing as well in the meantime.
You will need to pay off your debits before you can repair your credit. You’ll need to cut back your spending so that you can completely pay back all your debts. For example, you might want to eat at home instead of going out, even on the weekend. Little things, like bringing a sack lunch to work or avoiding excess spending on weekends, add up over time and can help you to save enough money to pay off your debts and repair your credit.
Be certain to pay utility charges in a timely fashion each month. Paying them late could ruin your credit rating. Not only this, but a lot of places will make you pay more. Paying late causes headaches that are not worth it, so pay on time or even early, when you can.
With the economy in its present condition, putting savings into varied sources makes good sense. Savings accounts, high-interest savings accounts or checking accounts, regular checking accounts, money-market accounts, stocks and gold are all sound places to keep your money. Look for new ways to invest your money, and make sure you keep it safe.
The balance you have on your credit cards make a big difference in your credit score. If you have high balances on your cards, your score will likely be lower than it otherwise would. Your score will improve as you pay off debt. Try keeping the balance below 20% of the total allowed credit.
Try setting up monthly bill pay with your bank to make sure all of your credit cards are paid on time. If you pay on credit card bills every month by the due date, you build up a good credit rating even though you are not paying the balances off in full. Having an automatic debit assures you won’t have late payments, and when you have extra money you can supplement the payment.
Keep an envelope with you on your person. Use an envelope to put all of your cards and receipts in. Keeping your receipts is a good idea, since they provide records of your transactions. It’s useful to have your receipts if you ever see double charges for a purchase on your credit card statement.
Explore online banking if you think this could help you manage your finances. There are websites out there that have software programs that you can use to categorize expenses, track cash flows, and calculate interest. All of which you can use to create a reasonable budget for yourself.
The only way to accumulate wealth is to make more money than you spend. Often people will spend more than is made. These same people then borrow to recoup the loss. This is a recipe for disaster, as no money is ever accumulated. Find out what you make and spend far less than what you bring in.
A credit repair company may guarantee they can improve your credit report, don’t believe them. Companies will make a statement and say that they can fix your credit. But what worked for someone else may have no bearing on your credit issues. It’s simply not a case of ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to credit repairs, so there can be no guarantee of success.
Make sure that you have a flexible spending account. You will not be taxed on this money, so it will be a savings for you.
National Brands
Avoid debt in order to improve your personal financial situation. Granted, there are certain debts that are necessary. However, there is rarely suitable justification for using a credit card to make daily purchases. The less loan debt you have, the lower the percentage of your income that you will have to spend on servicing debt.
Buy generic brands instead of national brands. A lot of the big national brands cost a lot because they pay excessive amounts to advertise their products. Spend less on store brands. Often, the generic brand will maintain the same quality as the higher end brand.
Think about what your feelings are towards money. Understanding your personal spending habits and the reason for these habits is the first step to transforming your personal finances. Write down your feelings about money, and consider your choices that you have made in the past. Make sure that you have the most positive attitude possible.
If collectors are harrassing you for repayment of debts, try and do some negotiating with them. They are likely a junk debt buyer who bought your debt for 10 cents on the dollar or less. Even if you only pay 50% of your balance, they will make money. Let them know you are aware of this and wish to negotiate a lower price.
Keep a record of your spending habits. Once you have this record in hand, create and follow a budget that takes your spending needs into account. Find and target areas where you are spending too much money. If you don’t do this, you could become bankrupt, despite the money you are generating. Using services such as personal finance software may help you find the process less stressful on yourself, and maybe even more intriguing. Any extra money each month should be used to pay off debts or put into savings.
The previously discussed pointers have, hopefully, helped illustrate a number of ways in which you can get your finances in better shape. Getting your finances in order requires you to change, taking time and effort, but at the end of the day it is worth it for your sanity, and a less stressful life. These two factors can help with your happiness!
If you travel by air frequently, it can be worthwhile to sign up for a program that rewards frequent fliers. Many credit card companies offer rewards made on purchases that can be redeemed for free or discounted air fare. The miles accrued through the frequent flier program can be used for free or discounted hotel rooms.
