In this day and age many people are looking for ways to manage their personal finances better. Since many people are barely making enough money to survive and trying to save money they are looking for ways to manage it better. This article contains ways you can better manage your finances.
Don't bother with store credit cards. Store cards have a bad cost/benefit calculation. If you pay on time, it won't help your credit all that much, but if a store account goes to collections, it will impact your credit history just as much as any other default. Get a major credit card for credit repair instead.
Even in a world of online bank accounts, you should still be balancing your checkbook. It is so easy for things to get lost, or to not really know how much you have spent in any one month. Use your online checking information as a tool to sit down once a month and add up all your debits and credits the old fashioned way. You can catch errors and mistakes that are in your favor, as well as protect yourself from fraudulent charges and identity theft.
Concentrate your loans into one simple loan to fortify your personal finance goal. Not only can this make keeping track of where all your money is going, but also it gives you the added bonus of not having to pay interest rates to a variety of places. One simple interest rate beats four to five interest rates at other places.
Spread your purchases across several credit cards instead of using one that is nearing your credit balance limit. Multiple card interest should be lower than paying back the maxed out one. The lower amount will be less of a burden to your credit, as long as you stay in control of both cards.
If you absolutely need a credit card, search for one that offers you rewards to gain an added personal finance benefit. Most cards offer rewards in various forms. The ones that can help you best are the ones that offer little to no fees. Simply pay your balance off in full each month and get the bonus.
If you work or go to school full time, try to bring lunch every day. Making a sandwich will save you 6 to 8 dollars on the food that you would buy if you went out to eat at lunch. Bring your lunch to work or school every day to avoid extra spending.
Energy management is the best way to save your family money during the year. By making some simple changes you will find a good bit of savings on your utility bill each month. The quickest, easiest and most affordable way to start saving is by replacing your light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs.
It is imperative that one is able to draw from an emergency fund when emergencies arise. The first baby step is to save up 500 dollars of an emergency fund, and then as you can, increase it to 1000 dollars. After you are used to not touching your emergency fund and you start building, you should end up with three to six months worth of living expenses as your emergency fund.
Realize that budget is not a four-letter word. It's tough to plan for future expenses if you do not plan ahead, and that's all a budget is -- a little advance planning. Everyone needs a budget, regardless of their income level. Companies pulling in millions per year make budgets. Plan where you want your money to go, and then stick to your budget. You'll thank yourself later.
To get rid of your debt as fast as you can, pay off high interest credit first. It may be more psychologically satisfying to pay all of your debts equally, but paying down the highest-interest debt first makes the most financial sense. This is very important, since credit rates are expected to rise soon.
Take advantage of rewards cards offered at stores. You can get free gas or money off of gas if you buy groceries at certain stores. You can also buy gift cards for other purchases you may make at retail stores and save even more on gas! You will be happy you thought about it!
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.
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Don't apply for credit that you have no chance of getting. Every inquiry into your credit history that is authorized by you can affect your credit score. If you are applying for what is considered too much credit, your score can be lowered and this could prevent you from getting credit that you would have otherwise qualified for.
Money affects many aspects of our lives. When you're in poor financial shape, it can feel as though you're trapped. However, if you spend and save wisely, you'll be able to work through money problems and come out ahead. Be sure to use the advice in this article so that you can keep your finances in excellent condition.
majesticgatheri83 Community Member 
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