|
Five Ways to Improve Your Financial Plan
Special to The Truth
Spending too much and
saving too little? Getting out of your current financial rut
can feel daunting without the right habits and tools. Here
are five ways to improve your financial plan now.
1. Set goals. What do your
plans include? A car or house? An expensive getaway?
Long-term retirement savings or a college fund for your
children? Start by identifying your goals clearly. Then,
figure out how to get there.
2. Plan smarter, not
harder. The right tools on-hand can make the business of
financial planning easier. Consider such tools as a
multi-functional desktop printing calculator, such as
Casio’s HR-150TMPlus, which features a 12-digit easy-to-read
display and can print 2.4 lines per second. With two-color
printing in red and black, exchange calculation and tax
calculation, it can help you stay organized and accountable.
3. Follow the money. Take
a deep look into your spending habits. While A $5 cup of
coffee or a lunch out with coworkers may not seem like much
at the time, indulging in these expenditures five days a
week will really add up over time. Think of all the money
that can be put towards savings by making small changes to
everyday habits. For example, pick one or two days a week to
enjoy a lunch out with friends, but bring your own lunch the
other days of the week. Skip the pricey latte and get
yourself a thermos, so you can enjoy coffee brewed at home
on your commute.
4. Analyze your expenses.
New apps and websites that connect to all your finances,
including bank accounts, savings, credit cards, student
loans and more, can help you track your expenses and create
and manage budgets. Graphs and charts help you understand
all facets of your finances, so you can be more in tune with
where your money is going, helping you navigate a plan to
use it more wisely.
5. Make a change. Want to
put your money to good, long-term use in a way that won’t
put a strain on your wallet? A selection of apps
automatically round-up the leftover change from purchases
made by you with your debit cards, and puts that change
towards something else -- like student loans or investments.
Courtesy StatePoint
|
