You’re not the only person who struggles to manage their money. Most of us weren’t given lessons in financial planning at school. It’s something that we have to learn through a process of trial and error. But, even as you learn the ropes, you might still be making some poor financial decisions. It’s easy to waste money without knowing it because you’re unaware of your options. If you want to be sure that you’re doing everything in your power to protect your personal finances then here are some simple pointers to tidy up your money in 2018.
Reduce your basic costs.
The first step towards tidying up your money is to reduce your basic costs. And we’re talking about more than resisting buying luxuries when you go shopping; we’re talking about saving money on the essential things in life. You don’t have to cut corners to achieve this. You just have to find smarter ways to pay for the things you need. You could save money on your weekly grocery shop by using online coupons and discount codes, for example. You could also save money on your electricity bill by getting double-glazed windows; that could help to conserve heat and reduce your energy consumption.
You might also want to think about the less frequent costs you face. For instance, taking better care of your teeth will mean that you don’t have to worry about facing expensive dental bills. Taking better care of your car will mean that you don’t have to worry about costly repairs when things wear down. Additionally, you could save money on your insurance by seeking help from a car finance broker. With expert advice, you could save a lot of money on car-related finances. The point is that you should take another look at your basic costs if you want to tidy up your money in 2018.
Pay back your debt more quickly.
Most people have accumulated some form of debt by the time they hit their twenties. It can be hard to keep on top of your debt repayments, whether you’re trying to pay back fees for student tuition, a deposit for a house, or a car payment. But if you start prioritising debt repayments then you’ll save money in the long-run. By increasing your debt payments by even 1% on a monthly basis, you’ll pay off your debt more quickly and save money on the interest you would’ve paid. Plus, it improves your credit rating if you can prove that you’re a reliable borrower who pays their debts. The more quickly you pay lenders back, the better your score will be. And this will help you when you want to take out loans in the future; it might ensure that you get a better interest rate.
Set aside some savings.
Another way in which you could tidy up your money this year is to set aside some savings. And this shouldn’t be a “one-off” occurrence. If you want to make a big difference to your future savings then you need to put aside a percentage of your wage on a regular basis. 10% of your monthly income should go into your savings account. You might not think you’re setting aside much, but that amount will quickly add up.