Tag Archive: Personal


Managing Personal Finance is Key for Long Term Financial Health

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November 3, 2010

Managing Personal Finance is Key for Long Term Financial Health

The ability to manage your personal finance is key for successful long term financial health and stability. Regardless of how much you earn, being able to make your income work for you is essential. Not everyone requires a large salary and an expensive home and car to be happy, but they do need to be comfortable in terms of being able to eat and sleep in a healthy environment, and provide adequate clothing and shelter for their families as well. This can only be achieved through sensible personal financial management, that is, only spending what you can afford, not borrowing money over and above what you can realistically afford to pay back, and ensuring you and your family will be comfortable and able to maintain the standard of living when you retire.

Banks are often very willing to give credit to customers, which is where you need to be careful – they are not so easy going when it comes to paying the money back. Overdraft interest can be very expensive, and you end up paying back much more than you originally borrowed. On top of that, they charge high prices for going over the agreed amount, whether by accident or not, so customers need to be extra vigilant when approaching their limit. On the other hand, when the need is only short term, an overdraft is a very viable option. If you know in advance one month you will be caught short, then having an overdraft facility can be a big help. Similarly, simply setting up and overdraft but not using it until/unless there is an emergency will give you piece of mind that you will not struggle to suddenly raise any money unexpectedly.

Credit cards can be very useful, especially when using them as opposed to debit cards purely to take advantage of any spending bonus points/offers gained by regular use – which will only happen if the balance is paid off fully at the end of every month. Having a credit card for emergencies is again a sensible idea, especially for larger, unexpected bills such as car repairs. Many credit cards offer a 0% interest on the balance for a set period, often 6 months, and this can be manipulated so that you change company every six months to avoid paying any interest. Of course, this just keeps the interest rate down; it does nothing to shave the amount of what you owe. It is a common mistake to see credit as an extension of your wages – nothing could be further from the truth, it is not your money. You will have to pay it back at some point, and the sooner the better. Therefore, the best advice is again to only borrow what you can afford to pay back.

Finally, to secure your future when you eventually settle down and retire, it is an extremely advisable idea to set up some form of pension scheme, whether that is with your bank, or your employers. Pension schemes can move from company to company in the event of job changing, and your employers simply take a percentage of your wage each month and put it aside, to be given to you in a lump sum as and when you are retired, so you can maintain a good living standard when you are no longer working.

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General Personal Finance Advice

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November 2, 2010

General Personal Finance Advice

Personal finance is an individual’s financial status. It’s about how much money you have, and how much you need. It is about managing your money – today and for tomorrow.
Money is the currency on which all world economies function. Income – expenditure -bills- debts – savings: These are a fact of life. A constant for most is the endeavor to tip the scales in favor of savings.

Successful financial management includes planning and keeping records of income and expenditure, budgeting, balancing your check book, insurance and investments – whether in real estate, the share market, funds or any of the other available mechanisms. You cannot overlook the necessity of planning your savings, your tax savings and your retirement.

A very interesting way to look at Asset and Liability is in the following terms:

An Asset is anything which brings in money or does not change the status of your money in the bank. A liability is anything which causes money to flow out – whether under the pretext of taxes, interest or fees.

Budgeting – This ensures that you are financially healthy and flourishing. It is a good idea to create and use a budget worksheet which allows you to make a detailed expenditure plan and helps you discover any shortage or unplanned expenditures.

Some useful tips in planning your finances:

- Handle your own money. If you choose a financial consultant, ensure you understand how your money is being managed.
- Save a huge amount in interest by opting for a shorter tenure of loan term – home/ car/ personal.
- Debt: Should ideally not be indulged in, or repaid at the earliest.
- Savings: it is easier to save more if you start early – you can put aside small sums and over the years watch it accumulate and earn interest for you.
- Retirement planning: don’t wait till you are 40 to start. Begin today – and ensure a comfortable lifestyle in your old age.
Avoid cashing out your PF or breaking your Funds.
- It’s a good idea to do an Annual/ Quarterly financial health check up.

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5 Action-Ideas To Manage Your Personal Finance

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November 1, 2010

5 Action-Ideas To Manage Your Personal Finance

It’s unbelievable that schools does not teach us everything that we have to know but left out one important subject, that is Personal Finance Management. No wonder we see rising cases of people with bad debts and bad credit.

Here are 5 ideas to better manage your personal finance.

Build a savings account
Your money is something that you work very hard for. If you want to build a savings account for yourself, and for your family, you can do it – but perhaps a little slower than you might like. You can get started by saving all the change you get from shopping at the grocery store, from the gas station and from anywhere else you might go. Putting all this change into a container, you can then fill the container, day by day. As the container is full, roll the coins and deposit this money into your new savings account. You might be surprised, but in just two weeks it is possible you saved twenty dollars, or even one hundred dollars. Your savings account will grow, and you will be managing your money at the same time!

Paying bills on time
Paying your bills on time is going to be a something you need to make a habit for your entire life. Your credit report, your credit rating and your personal credit worthiness is going to depend on how often you are on time when paying your bills. Paying your bills on time is important for a solid financial future. As you pay bills on time, you are less likely to pay higher interest rates, you are not going to pay late fees, and you will build a good credit rating at the same time. To pay your bills on time, all the time, use a system that will have all your bills put into a pile in the same place. Put the bills that are due first on the top of the pile. Put the bills that are due at the end of the month in the bottom of the pile. Look at the pile every day, or at very least every other day. When you have the money, pay the bill on the top of the pile and work your way through all the bills for the month, and then you can start on the bills for next month!

Building good credit
To build good credit you want to pay your bills on time, and avoid paying those higher interest rates. If you have good credit, you want to keep it. What some people do not realize is that you can hurt your credit if you are moving often. Moving every month, moving every year, and moving more than needed it going to lower your credit score. If you live in the same house, the same apartment for over five years this is going to help your credit. Avoid moving when possible. Get a copy of your credit report; review the addresses that are listed for you. Remove addresses that are not applicable to where you have lived in the past.

Use coupons and save money
If you are not using coupons now, you should be. With the price of everything going up, and up, you need to learn to make your money ‘go further’. To make your money last longer, and to get more for your money seek out coupons for the goods and services that you always purchase. The secret to using coupons is this: don’t use, clip or keep coupons for items that you don’t usually use in your home. Coupons are enticing to get you to try other items, and sometimes can cost you even more money. Clip coupons from the Sunday paper, from the Internet online coupon sites, and look for coupons on the products you already purchase. This is going to give you the best savings possible, stretching out the money you have, and that you want to make last much longer for your household budget.

Money management involves working for a living
Money management is a budgetary thing, meaning you need to know how much money you have, and how much money you can spend. If you are spending more money than you are earning, you are most likely relying on your credit cards just way too much. If you are relying on your credit cards, your payments are going up and you will never pay off those credit cards. Money management involves your earning money, and spending the money you earn, and not more than that. If you need more money in your home budget, you can do a few things: get a new job with better pay, ask for a raise, get a second job, or build a business of your own. Relying on others for handouts, making minimums payments on credit cards you can’t afford, and living beyond your means is only going to come back to cause you trouble later in life.

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Get control of Your Personal Finance with a Budget

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October 31, 2010

Get control of Your Personal Finance with a Budget

It is fairly common knowledge that money matters can be simplified and controlled with a budget. One of the keys to personal finance management is creating and using a household budget. It is not a really hard task, but one that many people avoid. The reason is that it can often be hard to avoid overspending and having a budget really puts spending problems out there.


A budget is basically a list of expenses and income. It should include all expenses, even the seemingly little expenses like a morning coffee purchase. The budget can be made out weekly or monthly, whatever way is best for the household. For someone who gets paid once a week, a weekly budget may be best. For someone who gets paid once a month, a monthly budget would work nicely. Although, it is really a matter of personal choice as to how the budget is made out.


The income section of a budget is usually fairly simple. Most people can easily track their income. Some people choose to list their income after taxes, while others list the income before taxes and include taxes as a expense. That is strictly a matter of choice.


The expenses section is where most people have trouble. It can be hard to see our spending habits in black and white. It is really important, though, to be honest and list everything. You may find it is helpful to keep a spending log for a week. Your spending log is where you will write down every purchase you make. This can be a good way of tracking all the little expenses you incur throughout a week.


Your expenses section of your budget should also include utilities and housing expenses. If you have a car payment, include here as well. You need to include money spent on gasoline, bathroom items, food and any other thing you spend money on. You do not have to include large, one time purchases, though, as they are not a routine part of your expenses.


Once you have your income and expenses listed you need to add each up. The total of your expenses should not exceed the total of your income. If it does then you need to cut back on your expenses. You may have to stop some spending or try to find creative ways of reducing your spending.


The whole idea of a budget is to ensure that you are not spending more then you are earning. Your budget is a blueprint for how you should be spending your money. Once you have your budget made out and it is balanced you need to stick to it. Only spend as much as you have allotted in your expenses and you should find your personal finance situation becomes much easier to deal with.

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Tips On Personal Finance And Debt Management

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October 30, 2010

Tips On Personal Finance And Debt Management

If you are in debt, you need to reduce and eventually clear your debt first before anything else. The key to debt reduction and elimination is your own commitment and discipline. The steps for debt reduction and elimination are very simple. The challenge is to stay the course.

Stop Further Debt

Excessive borrowing is the cause of most debt problems. You should only borrow what you really need. Keeping proper records of your debt and do not lose sight of your objectives. Your debt should be for the short term and you should aim to clear them within a few months. Do not let your loans balloon into debt problem.

Reduce Your Expenditures

Make this an obsession. If you take the bus or train to work instead of driving, congratulate yourself on the money you are saving on gas and parking. If you have packed lunch instead of spending money at the cafeteria or expensive restaurant, congratulate yourself. You would have saved up to 00 a year. Money which will go some way to reducing your debt.

Reduce Your Debt

Try to consolidate your debts and secure a lower interest rate. Start paying more than the minimum sum and set a target date to clear your debt. This is the only way to reduce your debts. To achieve this, you need a proper budget.

Make a Monthly Budget

One of the most effective and important money management tools is the budget. Coming up with a budget is fairly simple but you need to have the discipline to stick to it. A budget is simply a schedule of your earning and what you need to spend. The key words here are “what you need to spend”. Be prudent and frugal with your money, you are already in debt, what other reason do you need? The key to good personal finance management is to spend within your means. To curb impulse spending, try leaving your credit cards at home.

Get Into a Debt Settlement Program

If you a huge debt, think about getting into a debt settlement program. If you want to do it yourself, you just need to contact your creditors to inform them about your plan for debt settlement. Most financial institutions are open to debt settlement proposal so you should not hesitate to ask them for better terms. Most financial companies will allows up to 40% to 60% reduction on loans amount payable. Negotiations can be quite tricky so you can consider hiring a debt settlement company if you are not up to it.

Proper personal finance and debt management will allow you to get ahead in life. So make sure you are dedicated and motivated to do what it takes in order to provide a sound financial life for yourself and your family.

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Reform Aimed At Personal Finance And UK Savings

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October 29, 2010

Reform Aimed At Personal Finance And UK Savings

The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) has issued a report which supports the Pension Commission’s recent demand for reform in the structure of the basic state pension. In fact the report goes further than simply backing the report, it calls for reforms to be implemented more rapidly than the Commission has recommended.

Essentially, the reforms that are proposed are for simplifications to be made to the current variations in available state pensions for those who are eligible. Means testing, currently used in determining eligibility and the extent of the pension available, would be dropped in favour of an across the board pension rate. Additionally, tax breaks for those who try to save for a personal pension would be put in place to encourage saving.

These reforms would serve to make pension availability, and budgeting for retirement, much clearer to understand and buy into, thereby preventing nasty surprises for the individual late in life, or the government as a generation becomes dependant on a state pension. A recent survey by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) concluded that very little provision is being made for the future by those aged 18-40 and that a very large number of UK citizens could well become dependant on state pensions.

Personal finance has become a boom sector amongst that same generation, with online access to personal finance databases such as Moneynet (http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) and Motley Fool (http://www.fool.co.uk ) providing a wealth of options for UK consumers. However despite the fact that many of those options include savings and pension schemes, it appears that they are rarely taken up, with consumers opting for credit card deals, mortgages, insurance, and personal loans instead.

Pension experts have showed their backing for the proposed Pension Commission reforms with their overwhelming response in the PPI report, and it is to be hoped that the simplifying of the state pension will bring the importance of the issue to the attention of the age range identified by the FSA.

Disclaimer

All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

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Using A 15 Year Mortgage In Your Personal Finance Plan

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October 28, 2010

Using A 15 Year Mortgage In Your Personal Finance Plan

Because of economic conditions, personal finance plans are changing, including home financing. A more practical view now is to see your home as a long term place to live, while thinking ahead to prepare for a financially secure future.

When buying or refinancing a home, most people will take the path of low payment over a plan to eventually be mortgage free. The idea of owning a home free and clear of any mortgage may be a far off idea to many people, but it’s only a matter of time, 15 years, or maybe even less.

A 15 year fixed rate mortgage can provide a realistic goal of being mortgage free, while saving thousands of dollars on interest payments, instead of a 30 year mortgage. For example, on a 0,000 loan, a 15 year mortgage could save as much as 0,000 over the life of the loan when compared to a 30 year mortgage term.

There has been an ongoing debate about the pros and cons of paying off a mortgage. Behind the argument for not paying off your mortgage is the reasoning that you could invest the extra money and earn a higher return, while keeping your money more liquid. That may have been a good reason in the past, but the rate of return on investing is questionable, compared to the fact that every dollar paid to reduce a mortgage balance provides a guaranteed return equal to the interest rate.

Another debating point about keeping a mortgage has been the tax deduction benefit. In order to get an accurate picture of the tax benefit, compare the standard deduction allowed to itemized deductions with mortgage interest. If you paid ,000 in mortgage interest for the year and received a ,000 net tax write off, is that a good reason to prolong your mortgage?   

What are the benefits of a 15 year mortgage?

Provides a fixed term strategy to eliminate your monthly mortgage expense. Incorporates the retirement of your mortgage into your overall retirement plan. Long term investment that guarantees a rate of return by reducing your debt. A future with less financial stress and the security of really owning your home. Saving a large amount of interest expense on a 15 year term instead of 30 years.

A personal finance plan of living without a house payment is attainable. If you can afford a 15 year mortgage, you set a timetable to one day enjoy the benefits owning your home free and clear. You also have the option of shaving a few years off the term by paying a little extra towards the principal balance each month.

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Handle Your Personal Finance Easily

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October 27, 2010

Handle Your Personal Finance Easily

All too often people make the mistake of thinking that they are capable of handling their own finances without any worries at all. However, in most cases people learn rather quickly they cannot handle their own finances without help or assistance from anyone else. However, with some simple tips and advice people can now be assured that they can handle their personal finances quite easily.

College students are usually the worst people at managing their money and they need the most assistance. Some college students are away from home for the first time and they are eager to start spending their money on the various things that they want. Here are some tips that can help these people handle their money better and make it last longer. When you are in college it is very important to make your money stretch as far as it can.

There are some simple rules to personal finance that are intended to help and if used correctly they will lead you on your way to financial comfort and freedom.

1. You should always put money away for an emergency. The recommended amount of time that you should save money is anywhere between six months to a year. This should be put into an account in which you cannot withdraw money for a specified amount of time or for a specific reason. By having the money in such an account you know it will be there any time you need it.

2. You should always pay off credit cards that have the highest interest rates first. While doing this you can continue to make the minimum payment on the card that has lower interest rate while paying a little more each month on the higher card.

3. If you are not sure where you are spending all of your money then it might be a good idea to start keeping a diary of some sort where you record your spending each day. You should record everything that you spend than at the end of the week or month you can sit and determine where you spend the most money and if there are any areas that you can cut out.

4. While you are trying to save money people sometimes make the mistake of thinking that charging things to a credit card will help them save. This is completely wrong. If you want to save money then you need to stop charging and pay cash whenever you can. The cash may be gone but you don’t have to worry about making continuous monthly payments.

5. Avoid pressure to spend money. IF you do not want to spend the money then don’t. That is the simplest of all rules. Do not let others pressure you into spending money unnecessarily.

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5 Key Personal Finance Problems – Which One Do you Want to Overcome?

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October 26, 2010

5 Key Personal Finance Problems – Which One Do you Want to Overcome?

You can take control of your personal finances by applying the lessons listed below.

Problem #1. Spending Without Knowing Your Limits

As in business, you will not last long financially if you spend without regard to your income. Knowing your spending limits is not hard to do. Just find the answers to these 4 easy questions:

Question #1. What is my take-home income per pay? (that is your total income less taxes)

Question #2. What do I need to spend to live?

Question #3. What is the difference after taking spending from income?

Question #4. Can I save enough for my future from the answer in Question #3?

There are many tools to help you gain answers to these questions. You can find many on the Internet. Helpful Hint: Find one that helps you set your savings targets, checks your ability to meet the targets and then shows your progress towards your goals.

Problem #2. Spending Without Setting Savings Targets

It’s OK to spend to the limits of your income but that does not provide you with any buffer for urgent purchases, or protect you from a financial emergency. Urgent purchases could be renewing a broken fridge or stove, calling a plumber to fix a broken pipe or having to spend for major car repairs. Financial emergencies could be temporary loss of income or hospitalization of a family member. How would you survive financially in any of these situations?

You can begin to save today, it’s easy. What if you went without your bought lunch each day at work? That saves you ,000 per year on /day. What if you reduced your Starbuck’s coffee by 1 each working day? That’s another ,000 per year on /day. Just those two amounts alone can mean a holiday for you, the beginnings of a savings plan, or an emergency buffer.

If you set a target of 10% of your take-home pay each payday that would be a good start. If you think creatively, you are sure to come up with ways to achieve this. Think of the peace of mind that would bring.

Problem #3. Spending Without Knowing How to Save

There are many easy ways for you to save money that allow you the freedom to spend when you see something you really want. Some of these are:

1. Don’t buy on impulse. Ask yourself 2 or 3 times “Do I really NEED this?” before you buy. If you cannot answer with a resounding “YES ” let it go.

2. Don’t buy things JUST because they are on sale. Only buy things you need. If you do need them wait a few weeks the price may fall even further.

3. Don’t buy the latest fashion items at the height of the season. Just wait a while. The prices usually reduce.

4. Don’t compare yourself with others and what they have. They may have purchased making the same finance mistakes as you.

5. Set yourself a savings target. Put this money aside each payday BEFORE spending any of your pay.

Problem #4. Spending Without Feeling Satisfied

Spending can leave you feeling pretty shallow and unrewarded when you purchase on a whim or fancy when you really know you cannot afford the item. What’s more you may not even use it. What a waste!

To really FEEL GOOD ABOUT SHOPPING and spending you need to know these 4 things:

1. My budget allows me the freedom to purchase this item

2. I have the cash put away already for this purchase (even though I will use my credit card for the transaction).

3. This purchase is something that I really want and will use.

4. I have purchased this item at the best possible price, saving as much as I can.

Problem #5. Spending Without Caring About Your Future

Unless you are planning for your future and financial security, you cannot be really happy. There are always worries lurking in your mind about how you would survive in a financial emergency if you have no savings. It can be very rewarding to see how quickly your savings multiply over time with only a small investment each payday.

Did you know that by saving just every day this would grow into ,867 in 12 months at 5% interest and then it grows into a whopping ,343 in 5 years? Isn’t your future worth investing in?

Why not start to overcome your personal finance problems today? Looking back you’ll be so glad you did!

If you click on the links below you will be taken to a great budget solution. It helps you set your savings targets, checks your ability to meet the targets and then shows your progress towards your goals.

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Online Personal Finance Can Help You Keep Your Spending Low

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October 25, 2010

Online Personal Finance Can Help You Keep Your Spending Low

For many people the goal to be financially successful is a goal that is very important in their lives. There is only one problem that people deal with when trying to become financial successful, and that is that they don’t know how to deal with money. There have been a countless number of tools that have come out to help people become better at handling their finances. One of the new ways to do this is through online personal finance software programs.  Online personal finance software programs  are online programs that have been invented to help any individual keep track of their money.

One tip that is important to keep in mind when trying to become financially successful is to have more than one source of income. This is very important because if something were to go wrong and you only have one source of income then you are left struggling to make ends meet. The additional source of income doesn’t have to be a serious job but even a small job like babysitting, or writing an article weekly for a newspaper. It is there just incase if something were to happen and your primary source of income is gone. Also, if something were to happen to your primary source there is a possibility that your second source of income could accommodate you if need be.

Another thing that is important to keep in mind is to keep your spending as low as possible. Through personal online banking your weekly spending can be looked up immediately so that you know how much you have spent already, doing this can help you to decide if you are willing to spend that extra dollar when you are in a store. Before you make a purchase it is very important for you to think about if it is something you really need, if the answer is no or you are unsure you may want to look into it to see if it is money worth spending. Also, to go along with that you have to keep in mind what you need to spend money on, whether it is clothing, food, putting money away towards savings for a child’s education. Do not let the importance of these things slip away from you.

It is also very important to be wise when using credit cards, for many people credit cards can be very helpful, but for thousands of others it is the sole reason why they have fallen so far into debt. It is very easy to go shopping and just swipe your card and purchase something because you aren’t seeing the actual money leave. This is another time when it is useful to have personal online banking, this is because before leaving to go shopping or to go out you can check your balance and see if you have the money to spend on unnecessary goods.

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