Managing your money is central to meeting your financial goals. The problem is many folks have hectic lives that leave them short on time. A few simple tips can streamline your money management process.
If your life is busy, you might feel just making ends meet is a victory. But a few simple tweaks to your financial habits can help you regain control of your money and advance your long-term goals.
Befriend your calendar. Time, or lack thereof, might make you regard the calendar as your enemy. Here’s a better idea―put it to work for you. Jot down reminders to pay bills, or better yet, set up recurring bills on an electronic calendar. Also, set a monthly appointment with yourself to check your bank and credit card statements, update your budget, and review your retirement contributions.
Apps can help. You can automate many chores with a personal finance app, and a little time invested upfront can save you lots of time every month. Computer programs and mobile apps can help you reconcile your accounts, automatically pay bills, track your spending, and warn you when your bank balance is too low. But remember―you still should review your monthly statements to avoid unwelcome surprises.
Divide and conquer. Vital financial tasks can eat up a ton of time. For example, you’ll need more than a few minutes to switch to a new financial institution, roll over a retirement account, dispute a credit card charge, change payment information, or update your beneficiaries. Procrastination isn’t the answer. Instead, tackle these tasks separately at a steady, sustainable pace. Setting a goal to complete a financial chore every week or two is an eminently workable approach.
Consolidate your credit cards. Using several credit cards sucks up the time needed to reconcile and pay multiple accounts each month. It also makes it more difficult to track your spending. You can save time, and maybe some money, by transferring all your current credit card balances to one card. Consider getting a new card offering an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 to 18 months. You then will have to deal with only one monthly payment, and you’ll cut interest charges, at least for a while.
Lean on me. As a financial professional, I’m here to help you with your financial goals. If money management has you flustered, call me for an appointment. Together, we can work out strategies to save you time, lighten your load, and help you implement your financial plans.