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
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. An essential budget query: Is this spending aligned with my values? (NY Times). How a little awareness can help you get more for your money. This is what happens when you get rid of 75% of your stuff […]
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. How to graduate from college debt-free (and regret-free) (Time). Practical advice from one who did just that. 7 401(k) rules you should know by heart (USA TODAY). Good guidance for getting the most from your workplace retirement plan. […]
In a recent post, I described the process of financial life-change as circular, not linear, and I emphasized the importance of knowing what the Bible teaches about money. However, I only quoted a handful of verses. This is the first of several posts taking a deeper look at some of the verses that most clearly […]
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. One simple thing you can do to start budgeting today (Wise Bread). How the big picture of your financial potential can motivate you to sweat the details. Pursuing the right goals (A Wealth of Common Sense). What are […]
You probably have financial goals. Maybe you’ve even turned them into SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound). But have you taken a brutally honest look at your current reality? Learning From Great Businesses In an earlier post, we began exploring lessons from the business classic “Good to Great” and how they could be applied […]
In a recent article in which I highlighted eight benefits of credit cards, a reader named Wayne asked a great question: “What about the extra 10 to 15% most people spend using credit?” There have been numerous studies demonstrating that people do, in fact, tend to spend more when using plastic instead of cash. One […]
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. I used an app to set up my first-ever budget and it changed the way I look at money (Business Insider). Nice first-person account of the benefits of using the most powerful personal finance tool available. Do you […]
No one has ever accused an insurance policy of being a page-turner. However, those packets of boring legalese are essential for financial success. Let’s look at some of the most important types of insurance so you can determine how to get the right coverage at the right price. Life Insurance Do you need life insurance? […]
If you’ve been following this series of instructional videos on how to use Mint.com, the hard work is now done. You’ve opened an account, connected it with your bank or credit union and credit cards, and set up a budget. As you’ll see in the following video, now you’re ready to start truly managing money […]
Using a budget is not a one-size-fits-all sort of deal. You could use a paper & pencil system, the envelope system, an Excel spreadsheet, software like Quicken, or an online tool like Mint.com. For those interested in giving Mint a try, I’m showing how in a series of short instructional videos. In the video below, […]
