Getting Started With a Budget
Using a budget is one of the smartest money management moves you could make. For guidance on using a paper & pencil system, read the Budget Quick Start Guide and make use of the Cash Flow Plan, Cash Flow Tracker, and Recommended Spending Guidelines, all found in the Resources section. For help using the online tool Mint.com, watch my tutorials here, here, and here. And for help with the Envelope system, read this article.
Remember, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” – Proverbs 21:5
Do you know your net worth? That’s how much is left after subtracting your debts from the total value of your cash and assets. At first glance, figuring out your net worth may seem pointless. You’re probably not going to bump Warren Buffett or Bill Gates from their spots on any “World’s Wealthiest People” list […]
Have you ever felt like a stranger living in a strange land? Like somehow you’ve woken up in a place where you don’t speak the language? I felt that way while watching a morning news segment about financial infidelity. The host mentioned the results of a national survey in which: 71% of married Americans acknowledged […]
More than any other document, a will puts you in touch with your mortality. That probably explains why, according to a survey by Lawyers.com, 65 percent of adults in the U.S. don’t have a will. However, if you care about what happens to your property after you die – and more importantly, if you care […]
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. Why are we such poor investors (The Financial Bodyguard). How our brains, and our hearts, often lead us astray. The thing that’s probably blowing a hole in your budget (A Wealth of Common Sense). It drives more of your financial life […]
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. You spend 41% more at the supermarket if you keep checking your phone (MarketWatch). Distracted shopping costs more. 200 random things libraries will let you check out for free—from instant pots to skulls (Money). When was the last time you checked […]
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. The seven factors: behaviors that lead to wealth (The Simple Dollar). Some people build wealth and some people don’t. Here’s what makes the difference. Thanks to Facebook, your cellphone company is watching you more closely than ever (The Intercept). Why marketers […]
I’ve reviewed lots of people’s budgets (or, as I prefer, “cash flow plans”) over the years. No two are exactly the same because people have different incomes, fixed expenses, priorities, and more. That’s to be expected. When it comes to budgeting, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. However, there are certain overarching approaches to budgeting […]
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. 10 secrets of the millionaires next door (Kiplinger). The great thing is how accessible/doable each “secret” is. How much is your education worth? Depends how much you make (Bloomberg). Ten years from now, how people pay for college may look very […]
Throughout their marriage, John and Jessica had maintained separate credit cards and apparently didn’t talk about how they were each using their cards. After 12 years of marriage, Jessica was shocked to discover that John had racked up $68,000 of credit card debt. Instead of asking for forgiveness, John asked Jessica to co-sign for a […]
Waiting can be tough. We seem to be hardwired to resist it. And our culture does us no favors here. Whatever we’re interested in buying, there are ways — and we’re strongly encouraged — to have it now. Paying for it? That can wait until later. But there are great rewards for those who learn […]
