This is the second part in a multi-part series about getting a handle on your finances.
Sample fixed expenses
Yesterday, we looked at getting an overview of your income and spending habits. Hopefully you signed up for one of the online finance utilities that I mentioned yesterday. In my experience these have become an invaluable tool for my own financial awareness. They have helped me become a conscious spender, much more mindful of where my money is going. Ultimately, I can thank Mint.com for saving me money. I always know what is in my bank account. I always know what the last thing I bought was. More importantly, I always know what I have left to spend thanks to my budgeting and awareness.
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Personal Finance
budgeting, Money, paying yourself, Straightening out your finances
This is the first part in a multi-part series about getting a handle on your finances.
Image Credit: http://www.cs.miami.edu/
Everyone needs a starting point
If you’re just starting to try and get a handle on your finances it can, at first, seem overwhelming. The best first step you can take is to step back and examine your finances. Get an overview. If you don’t already use online banking, this is the perfect time to switch over. With online banking you’ll better be able to track your spending rather than writing down every expense in a register (do people even still do that?!), or just waiting for a monthly report to be mailed to you. An added benefit of online banking is that you can transfer funds between accounts at the click of a button. Even better though is the capability of interfacing with some of the best financial programs out there, such as Mint, Wesabe, and Quicken Online. Read more…
Personal Finance
budgeting, financial overview, mint, quicken, wesabe
Beginnings
Back in February of this year, I made a stupid decision to close out my oldest credit card because it had a rate higher than the card I used more regularly. Why did I do this? Because I felt the account was cluttering my online banking screen with something I was never going to be using. So, I called up Bank of America and closed out my account. This was perhaps one of the dumbest financial moves I’ve ever made. Read more…
Personal Finance
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