It should not be surprising if the news would announce that personal bankruptcy had broken the record and reached an all-time high. Nowadays, personal budget and keeping with it have become more of an exception rather than a rule. Very few people practice self-control in terms of spending habits which then later on find themselves deeply entrenched in their own web of loans and debts.
To manage personal finances properly, it is best to come up with a personal budget. Through this simple financial planning, one can analyze on paper what he can purchase with his resources and how much resources he can earn over a period of time.
To start making his personal budget, he must first list down all his current accountabilities. These may include the debts he owes, bills that come regularly and expectantly, and routine expenses that he cannot get away with if he has to continue living with peace of mind. Afterwards, he must list down the resources of finances that can offset partially or fully the accountabilities that he has already noted down. If there is a deficit on the available finances, he must make a crucial decision on how his current funds will be allocated among the competing items that he must settle. For the remaining unresolved red figures on the list, he must decide on how to cover these soon before they bloat further.
There are two ways how one can clear out his credit list. It is either he pays off his creditors little by little, assuming the lenders or the banks would agree on such payment restructuring, until he has them all settled for good. There are more affordable consumer loans which provide lower interest rates for even a longer repayment schedule. It is also wise to consider the offer of some credit card companies for balance transfer programs where the installment rates are lower. If all else fails, he has to expand his revenue source in order to get more cash. In short, he has to get a second job.
Managing one’s personal finances entails anticipating future needs as well. There will be unaccounted for situations where the savings or current cash on hand might not be enough to see through the day. That is why it is also important that a person looks at good financial investments and banking instruments.
He may consider depositing a fixed amount regularly in a bank savings account. There are time deposit accounts that provide better yield for the money deposited. However, be wary of the bank’s reputation and its possibility of bankruptcy. He will be better off spending time to scout for banks which are more stable and have larger coverage of branches network. It is best to shop around and compare rates and benefits among the banks in the area.
Another option for him to consider is investing his money on assets that appreciate or depreciate returns over time like stocks, bonds, securities, paper assets in money market, to name a few. As opposed to savings in banks that earn a fixed amount of value over a length of time, investments are assets where returns can fluctuate.
There are also safer investments that can be made part of one’s personal financial planning. This can take the form of insurance, retirement plans or even real estate ventures. Depending on how wide his funding source base is, he can allocate and distribute his assets among the many financial instruments out there than put all his eggs in one basket.
Personal finance management is indeed a chore not too difficult if one has the discipline to follow the appointed personal budget or just simply live within his means. Start your personal finance budget today.
You must be logged in to post a comment