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Tips For Taking Control Of Your Personal Finance

By Randy Best


Most people say that money can't but happiness, however, it can surely purchase peace of mind. It helps us sleep better during the night, and it greatly lessens the stress we feel daily. A premier cause of depression is financial disarray. Having your finances in good shape will make you much happier, so use the tips in this article to take back control of your money.

Because the times are quite volatile, it can be a good idea to keep your savings in a number of smaller accounts. For example, don't put all of your funds into a savings account. Put some funds into checking or into stocks. The more diverse your investments, the safer your money is. Utilize all of these to help keep your financial position stable.

Keep very detailed records of your spending habits for one month. Use this information to make a detailed budget for yourself. Find out where you are spending a lot of money. Otherwise, you may end up broke no matter how much money you make. Budgeting and tracking can be make much easier, and even fun with personal finance software. Whenever you have extra money at the end of the month, put it towards any debt or in a savings account with a high interest rate.

If you can set it up, have your debit card make automatic payments to your credit card near the end of every month. This setup will stop you from forgetting about the necessary payments.

If you are in collections, then your debt will someday be written off, even if you don't pay. There are consequences to this, however, and you need to be sure you are ready to face them. Ask experts when your debt expires and avoid paying collection agencies that attempt to collect money for older debt.

Many spend significant sums on a weekly basis thinking they will win the lottery, but it makes more sense to put that amount into savings instead. This is a better option because it will grow over time versus being wasted on a gamble.

Do not borrow money or start new lines of credit unless you have no other option. In some cases credit may be needed, but it's better to save money for making large purchases and not incurring debt. A few of the things that take borrowed money are cars and houses.

Stay abreast of what's going on in the global markets. It's problematic to ignore international news in favor of U.S. news if you're trying to trade currencies. If you are aware of what is happening in the rest of the world, you can adjust your strategy so that you can make better predictions about the market.

Look to bargain stores for deals on all your bedding needs. You can purchase well made items at a lower cost and save yourself valuable time as well. You can make your finances better by researching products before you buy them.

Simply said, spend less, earn more, is the best financial advice out there. People who spend 100% of their income each pay period, or worse, 110% of their income, never increase their net worth since they are spending everything that comes in. Calculate the amount that you bring home, and design a budget that spends less than your total take-home pay.

If you need to save some cash, disconnect your cell phone. Many people don't like this advice, but people did not have cell phones years ago. Having a cell phone is a convenience. If you feel that you can't ditch the phone, then review your usage history to determine if you can switch to a cheaper plan.

Go over your bank statements carefully. This way you can keep an eye on any increases in monthly rates or fees. People often forget to review their bank statements and pay more than they realize. Read your statement carefully each month for the reason.

With any luck, this article should have helped you learn more about personal finances and how to turn them and your life around. Getting in good financial shape may take time, effort and require you to make a few major changes, but in the long run, having manageable personal finances will lead to more peace of mind and much less stress. You will find that you are happier in the long run!




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