Planning for retirement can seem a bit complicated with 401Ks, allocations, investments, taxes and other confusing terms and concepts. Saving money, though, is a concept that anyone can understand, and that is the bedrock for retirement planning. The good news is that it is never to late (or too early) to start planning. Read on for some tips on how to start.
A penny saved is a penny earned is a good saying to keep in mind when thinking of personal finance. Any amount of money saved will add up after consistent saving over a few months or a year. A good way is to determine how much one can spare in their budget and save that amount.
When you need to borrow money, ensure your personal finance stays safe by never going over 30% of your income. When people borrow more than 30% of their income it can drastically reduce your credit score. So as long as you stay within these safe parameters you can enjoy having good credit.
Home equity loans are tempting but dangerous. If you miss a payment on a home equity loan, you could lose your home. Make sure that you can afford the monthly payments and that you have a significant emergency savings built up before taking out any loans against your home.
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.
Over the course of your life, you will want to make sure to maintain the best possible credit score that you can. This will play a large role in low interest rates, cars and homes that you can purchase in the future. A great credit score will offer you substantial benefits.
If feasible in your area, try getting around without a car. Between car payments, gas, insurance, and parking, the dollars spent on owning a car can really add up. It isn’t possible for everyone, but if you can try using public transportation or your own two feet to get around.
Managing your finances can be especially difficult if you have children. Reduce unnecessary expenditures by setting aside a predetermined amount that is to be spent on each child for the month – you may want to put it in an envelope labeled with the child’s name. Fast food, treats, and entertainment are limited to the amount set aside in the envelope; once it’s gone, it’s gone.
If you are traveling overseas, be sure to contact your bank and credit card companies to let them know. Many banks are alerted if there are charges overseas. They may think the activity is fraudulent and freeze your accounts. Avoid the hassle by simple calling your financial institutions to let them know.
Get a savings account with a higher yield. The idea is to be liquid and safe while receiving some interest. Chances are that you’ll get better rates from online banks, so start searching the web for the higher-yielding, FDIC-insured savings accounts. Bankrate.com may help. You will periodically transfer money from your emergency savings or checking into this account.
Don’t lie to your spouse about your spending. Not only is it bad for your marriage, it’ll mess with your finances. For instance, your spouse may be seriously considering buying a new car or taking a trip. Those thoughts could be dashed because of your covert spending. Come clean to minimize the damage.
You should always be up front with your spouse about your spending if you want your financial situation to remain steady. Lying can not only cause a rift in the marriage, but you might be locked out of the account or be knocked off of the credit cards. And if you manage to pile up the debt with secret spending, you’re hurting the entire family’s financial situation.
Just because you’re out of school doesn’t mean you should stop learning. Take the time to learn more about finances regardless of what your major was. You need to stay ahead of the game here, and there’s no better time to start than when you’re fresh out of school and ready to enter into the workforce.
Buy tires for your car, two at a time. They aren’t cheaper that way but it will be much easier on your pocketbook than buying all four at once! For safety reasons, it is often advisable to ask your mechanic to rotate the tires that were on the front of your vehicle to the back and put the new ones on the front.
Be sure to use valuable coupons. Some coupons aren’t really worthwhile because they may be for brands that are more expensive, even with the coupon, than the brand you normally buy. However, there are other coupons for a percentage or set amount off your entire purchase at a store or for a significant amount off a product your normally purchase that can save you a tidy sum. Be sure to take advantage of those.
To discourage yourself from spending recklessly, start tracking all of your expenditures. This works in the same way as a food diary does for dieters. By making you more conscious of what your small slips are costing you in the long run, this strategy helps you to stop money problems at their source.
To get the best deal when purchasing a car, get a gently used model instead of buying new. A new car depreciates in value the second you drive it off the dealership’s lot, so purchasing a model that has seen even a little use can save you big bucks on a car loan.
As you can see, saving for retirement is not exceptionally difficult. The tips in the article give you a few ways to start, but talking to a qualified financial planner, accountant, tax preparer, and/or lawyer will also help you get a better picture of the best way to save for your retirement.