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Personal Money Management Basics

Consider this Personal Money Management 101 - Tips from those of us who learned the hard way


By learning how to create a household budget and by following a plan to spend and save money wisely, you will be on the track for a lifetime of financial success.  I learned these concepts the hard way, but they have since provided a strong foundation for my success.

Managing your money effectively is one of the hardest things to do when you are young, and even harder to do as an adult because of ingrained bad money habits.  When I was a teenager, my mom taught me how to balance my checkbook, which is great, but I was unprepared for the bigger money management decisions when I went out on my own.

I faced issues like  "Why can't I afford that sharp new car?"  and  "Why do I need to save money?" and "What's wrong with going out to eat 3 or 4 nights a week?"  My problem was that I never really stopped to think about these things, I just did what I wanted.  I was not following a spending plan and I had no clue on how to manage my money wisely.


Want to remove stress from excessive debt?
 
I've learned that by having a financial plan and sticking to it is the best way to live a confident and stress-free financial life.  

A good money management strategy will allow you to:

  • pay off your debt effectively

  • spend money wisely

  • save for a financially secure future

Read through the following sections and use the tips to learn good money management skills to get a solid foundation for a lifetime of stability and success.


Budgeting
- Tips from an ex-spendthrift
Do you think a Fortune 500 company could survive without a budget?  No?  Well neither can you.  Learn why a following a budget is essential to financial success.  Pick up some tips on creating and maintaining a budget and sticking to your new spending plan.

Paying down debt quickly - Planning for debt-free living
There's nothing more burdensome than most of your budget going toward debt.  I've learned that there are some strategies that pay off your debt quickly but also allow some freedom and breathing room in your budget.  Getting out of debt is 10% planning and 90% will power!

Saving money - "Me? Why do I need to save?"
The simple rule of "Pay yourself first" is of utmost importance.  Regardless of your income, a consistent plan of putting aside money from every paycheck will reap you serious reward in the long run.  You'll be glad you did.

Manage Credit Wisely - It's not your money!
Credit Cards and loans can be a great blessing and allow you to afford things you otherwise couldn't, but they can also be a curse if they're not handled properly.  Learn how to gain credit and not go overboard with that credit-induced feeling of "I'm Rich!"

Organizing your finances

Have you ever considered ditching that cumbersome checkbook ledger?  When I first started getting my finances organized, it was the first thing to go.  Intuits' Quicken or Microsoft's Money software can make all the difference in the world when it comes to keeping everything organized.

Making Extra Money - Everyone needs a little breathing room
After creating a budget, most people look at it and say, "I need to make more money!"  It's amazing how just by putting it on paper, how clear your financial picture becomes. Whether you want to pay off you debt quicker or just be able to afford things for your children or yourself, there are a lot of things you can do to increase your income and make it happen.

Related Articles
Mvelopes Personal is an online budgeting system that makes it easy to create an effective personal budget and track every aspect of your spending as it happens. It will help you always know exactly how much you have left to spend, instantly know the impact of every spending decision, effectively manage credit card spending, and quickly create an easy to use household budgeting plan. Click here to learn more

Related Articles:

 

The Debt Snowball Method
Create an avalanche of debt relief and get rid of all your debt in about 8 years.  Start the snowball going by adding 10% of your income to every payment.

Family Budget Tips - Strategies to Help Make it Work
Knowing how to stretch your money will allow you to get more and do more for your family.

Looking for a easy way to succeed in budgeting?  Try the Envelope system.
The envelope system of budgeting is an easy way to follow your budget by using envelopes to allocate your monthly budget categories into physical envelopes.  Highly effective!

Recommended Personal Budget Category Percentages
Don't know how much you shoule be spending in each budget category? This will help you out.

3 Easy Ways to fix a Broken Budget
These 3 problems are the most common ways a budget end up not "working". Learn the 3 solutions and tips to keep your budget working for you.

Trim Your Budget - 7 Ways to Cut The Spending
Use these quick tips to help reduce your spending and keep more of what you earn.

How to Start a Household Budget
Use the information and guidelines here to easily create a household budget that will help you manage your family's finances.

5 Great Money Saving Tips
Take a look at these big money saving tips.  Save hundreds per month and stop those spending "leaks."

Better Ways to Manage your Money
Downloadable and printable budget forms, templates and worksheets, 5 great money-saving tips and ways to put extra cash in your pocket

Budgeting can save your (financial) life!
Learn why a following a budget is essential to financial success.  Pick up some tips on creating and maintaining a budget and sticking to your new spending plan.

Look at the free household budget worksheet
This worksheet will help you analyze your spending and how much money you should allocate to each category.  It's free!

Free sample household budget forms and templates
I've included here the one that my wife and I created and use on a daily basis.  Its a simple Microsoft Excel document, but it's effective and flexible.  Feel free to use it and modify it to your needs.

Basic Budgeting - 5 Tips to Get You Started
If you're just starting out in budgeting, you need to know where to start and what to include in your new budget. These tips will get you going in the right direction.

Learn the Benefits of Effective Recordkeeping
Storing all your important financial documents in a logical organized manner can save you a ton of headaches in the future

The Importance of Teaching Children to Save Money
By educating children about the value of a dollar and the importance of saving money, you will be giving them a solid platform on which to build their financial future.

Tips on Making a Family Budget Work
Practical tips on keeping a family budget realistic.

The Basics of Saving Money
Get into the habit of saving money NOW.  A little saving now will prevent a lot of headaches in the future, so master the basics and get the advantage now.

The Power of Compounding Interest
Learn how to use this powerful force to your advantage and don't let it ruin your life.  You'll be amazed at how simple interest can make you wealthy over time.

More Money Saving Ideas and Tips
Making those small adjustments in your life can mean getting more out of your budget each month.

Debt Free Benefits - 5 Great Reasons to Get Out of Debt Now!
Get inspired and find out what it’s like to live without debt.

Quicken or Microsoft Money Can Help Keep Your Finances Organized
These easy to use tools can really help keep your checkbook in order and give you an accurate picture of you finances.

Avoid the Monthly Payment Ripoff
Be aware of the total cost of the loan before you sign on the dotted line.  Paying cash instead can save you thousands.

The Scoop on Student Loan Refinancing
Student loan refinancing can save you a bundle of money and help to improve your cash flow and your credit.

Student Loan Consolidation - What You Should Know
Making the move to consolidate your student loan debt can reduce your payments and free up cash.

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Did You Know...

49% of adults, and 66% of US high school students got F's on a national test on their knowledge of basic economic principles.

Food for Thought...

 "I'd rather go to bed without supper than rise in debt."
-
Ben Franklin.


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