Better Money Management
How well do you manage your money? Ultimately, your
financial success depends on your ability to take better
control of your financial affairs.
Here are 5 positive habits to help you become more
effective in managing your money, no matter how much you
start with:
1. Start by involving your whole family in the learning
process.
Engage your whole family in learning about how to
effectively manage money. Don’t keep your financial
affairs or investments a secret. Ongoing communication
about your financial matters is an absolute must if you
would like to establish trust, accountability and a
sense of financial peace within your household.
2. Reduce your debt load and expenses while increasing
your savings.
Could you decrease your expenditures and be content with
getting by with a little less? List three to five areas
you could cut back on right away that would allow you to
reallocate the money not spent to increase your savings
over time.
Reducing your debt load may be a long-term goal, but
once you eliminate the heavy burden of bad debt, you can
begin accumulating wealth.
3. Gain peace of mind with your emergency fund.
There is nothing like being worry free of knowing how
you will pay for the next crisis down the road. Your
goal should be to build up enough reserve funds over the
course of the next year to cover three to six months of
your normal expenses.
Start by opening a savings account or money market
account that doesn’t penalize you for deposits and
withdrawals. Eventually, you will also be able to set
aside additional savings for long-term projects such as
vacations, post-secondary education or projects around
the home.
4. Create balance in your money management plan.
The following money management plan allows you to build
up your savings and rewards you every month for your
efforts. Start by setting up separate accounts for each
of the following categories and allocate funds in
accordance with the recommended amounts:
10% of your net income for investing in your
financial freedom - Your goal is to set aside money
every month, building up your capital in various
investments.
At no point in time should you spend the capital that
you have already invested. You may reallocate capital to
finance a project that is going to create wealth, but
avoid the temptation to pay off any expenses.
10% for your education - Your financial literacy
is fundamental to becoming a wise investor. This
knowledge may be gained from a variety of sources, such
as home self-study courses, workshops, seminars, books,
CDs, websites and investment clubs.
10% for giving - Giving not only brings joy to
others; it also brings you a sense of gratification in
knowing that you are adding value to other people’s
lives. Get into the habit of supporting your community
and helping those in need.
10% for your emergency fund and future projects -
As outlined already outlined, set aside money to cover
any unforeseen expenses.
10% for lay - Life should be enjoyed now and
through retirement. A secret to managing money well is
establishing balance between hard work and rewarding
yourself. Your play account should be spent each month
on ways that rejuvenate your body and spirit such as a
weekend getaway for two, a meal in a classy restaurant
or a day at a health spa.
50% for necessities - The majority of your
monthly financial obligations or expenses fall into this
category. Make a concerted effort to reduce your
expenses in the early goings by cutting back on certain
luxuries or desires. A key factor to getting ahead is
coming to an agreement with your spouse about how you
will manage your financial affairs, including your
long-term financial goals.
5. Track your cash flow and your net worth.
Your cash flow analysis - An important aspect of
controlling your money and being successful in the world
of finances is keeping tabs on your cash flow on a
regular basis. Your cash flow analysis is a written plan
of how you spend your money. It is a simple
cost-breakdown of your expenses, as seen in most
budgets, and involves tracking your income and expenses
on a monthly basis. Your cash flow analysis should take
into account several important factors, such as:
• your budget priorities as a family, based on your
passions and dreams
• the impact of your specific family values on your cash
flow
• specific short-term budgeting plans, as well as
long-term projections over a six-month to one-year
period.
One easy way to keep track of your cash flow is to use
an electronic spreadsheet.
Your net worth
Besides monitoring your cash flow, it is important to
periodically assess your net worth. To calculate your
net worth, you need to total up the assets you possess
and subtract your liabilities. Assets typically show up
in categories such as:
• investments,
• bank accounts,
• pension plans,
• chattels or
• equity in your personal residence.
On the other hand, liabilities include such categories
as:
• credit card debt,
• long-term loans,
• home mortgage,
• taxes owing or
• unpaid bills.
Calculate your net worth right now and then monitor your
net worth every three to four months. The simplest way
to keep track of your net worth is with an electronic
spreadsheet.
In summary, by implementing these 5 positive money
management habits you will begin to realize your dreams
for a better future. Keep in mind that what you focus
your attention on will increase.
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