Well, you’ve decided to better your personal financial situation. That is very good. Though there is a lot of information out there, don’t worry because helpful personal finance tips are here! Listed below are some tips that will help you get started and organized so that you can improve your overall financial situation.
To save money on your real estate financing you should talk to several mortgage brokers. Each will have their own set of rules about where they can offer discounts to get your business but you’ll have to calculate just how much each one could save you. A smaller up front fee may not be the best bargain if the long term rate it higher.
To avoid debt, you should keep your credit balance as low as possible. You might be tempted to accept the offer you qualify for, but you should borrow only as much money as you actually need. Spend some time to determine this exact amount before you accept a loan offer.
In order to avoid personal finance disasters, make sure you have at least three months equivalent of your salary in the bank. This will mean that if you do run into difficulties, for instance losing your job or facing other unexpected expenses like house or car repairs, you’ll be able to cover the cost.
To save on college costs, strongly consider enrollment at a local community college for the first two years and then transfer to a four-year institution for your last two years. With annual tuition cost savings of 50% or more over traditional four-year universities, going to a community college for your first two years can make a whole lot of sense. Many community colleges have direct transfer programs to four-year institutions that ensure the relevance of the credits you have earned towards your degree. You will get the exact same diploma and credentials at the end of the four years, as your classmates who attended the four-year university straight-through, but your costs (and possible debt) will be so much less.
Quite often it is said that if you make more you spend more. The biggest tip I can offer in that case is to try to live below your means. If you can afford that luxury $1000 apartment, don’t! Live at a more modest $700 dollar one and pocket the difference perhaps to use as a down payment on a house.
A good tip when it comes to personal finances, is to not buy impulsively. A good majority of all retail spending is on impulsive purchases. Rather, if you see something you want, analyze it on a scale of want to need and then give yourself a 24 hour cool down period before buying it. This should stop a lot of impulse buys.
Department stores will feed on their customers purchasing items at retail price, which can drain a bank account very quick. Instead of falling for this, go into all of your favorite stores and find the sale or clearance rack. Typically, you will find great deals on quality items in this section.
Make sure that you set a goal for how much you want to save per month, whether it is a percentage or dollar amount. Setting this goal will prevent you from extra spending at the end of the month, knowing that you have to hit a certain benchmark to succeed.
If you want to get rid of debt fast, you have to pay off your credit card debt with high interest first. Credit cards with high interest rates will cost you tons of money if you do not pay them off. With rates expected to increase, this is a very important tip.
Recycle your old VHS tapes and even plastic bags into yarn! They call it “plarn” and avid craftspeople all over are recycling anything that they can twist around a crochet hook or weave through a loom to make useful water proof items out of one-hundred percent recycled products! What can beat free craft material?
A great personal finance tip that can help you save money is to take some of your unused clothing to a consignment shop. If you have any clothes that are just sitting in your closet, you can make a little bit of money by selling them to a consignment shop.
Find the financial institution that meets your savings goals. Avoid paying monthly transaction and maintenance fees by finding local credit unions, banks or thrifts offering free checking accounts. If no completely free checking is offered in your neighborhood find an institution where you can make your account free by signing up for direct deposit or you using your debit card a few times a month.
Now, don’t you feel better after reading all those tips? That was a lot of information to think and read through, but at least now you know what to do and where to begin with your personal finances. Also, you can always refer back to the above list of tips if you forget.
