How To Free-Up 10% to 15% of Your Income
Would you be interested in freeing up 10% to 15% of your current income? Just imagine what you could do with this money. You could pay down your debts, increase your savings, or work toward that next important purchase that you have in mind. Wouldn't it be exciting to actually have money left over at the end of the month? I know what you are thinking: "That would be nice, but not if I have to budget every dollar". What if I told you it could be done without budgeting? What if you could accomplish this in a week's time without too much effort? Would you take a few steps in order to improve your finances? If you answered "yes", let's go through the simple steps required to make this possible. Step #1: For a total of 7 days we need to track every single expense. This includes credit card, check, and cash purchases. For this program to really work you will have to track everything (even pocket change). The easiest way I have found to accomplish this is to use a blank check register and write down every transaction that you make for the next 7 days. And I mean every expense, even if you give your child a quarter for a gumball, track that expense. We need to collect the date the purchase was made, and the item that was purchased (this part of the exercise is actually most of the work, and really isn't all that time consuming ? especially when we keep in mind the possible benefits). Step #2: Once we have tracked every expense for the last 7 days, we then need to go through each of those expenses and evaluate them. What we are looking for is which expenses fall into the "wants" category, and which expenses fall into the "needs" category. As you try to identify these, let me give you some coaching? Is that Diet Coke habit every morning really a "need", or is it actually a "want" that could be cut back in order to improve not only your finances, but also your health? The idea is not to identify how many things that you enjoy that will need to be sacrificed, but to identify the items that you really could do without ? and not suffer? Once you have identified the "wants" that you don't really "need" in order to be happy, add these expenses up for the week. If you are the typical American you will find that these unnecessary "wants" will add up to approximately 10% to 15% of your take home income. In fact most people who do this program, are shocked to find that they really do waste a lot of money on things that they had no idea would affect their finances so dramatically. Step #3: Commit to saving. This is probably the hardest part of the program, and within reason you have the freedom to choose your "wants" for the day or to choose your "needs". Now I know that some days that "Diet Coke" (or fill in your own vice here____) is an absolute "need". When you are having that kind of day, go ahead and reward yourself for being so good the rest of the week. But make sure that you keep your objectives in mind for the long run and commit to saving that money for the next day. Now before you give up on putting these steps into place, lets realize the fact that the benefits of this program really do add up. In fact the average American making the average wages will find that they are able to free up $200 to $300 each month. You are probably thinking "sure, but that won't work for me". In all of our experience in teaching this program we have not yet (knock on wood) found anyone that was not able to identify and free-up a portion of their take home income. This newfound savings can go a long way in making your financial picture much brighter. It can help you extinguish debt in a fraction of the time, put money away for a better retirement, and get you out of the month to month budget crunch that so many of us deal with all of our lives. And remember this: If you save only $1 per day and invest it at 10% interest ? in 56 years it will grow to $1 million. Every dollar counts. Make sure you get the most value out of every dollar you earn, by focusing on your financial goals instead of the wasted "wants" of life that put most of us in financial bondage. © 2005 DebtGuru.com®. Michael G. Peterson is the Vice President
of American Credit Foundation, an IRS 501 (c)(3) non-profit
consumer credit counseling organization that has assisted
thousands of individuals and families with their financial
situations through seminars, education, counseling services, and,
debt management plans. For more information, and free consumer
resources visit http://www.debtguru.com This article may be freely distributed as long as the signature
file and active link are included.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Origins of Check Writing
People haven't always written checks to buy goods and services. But you know that right? So how did people transfer money from one place to another in times of old?
Estate Planning Basics
You have probably accomplished a great deal with your life. Over the years you have worked, planned and saved. Perhaps you have even made some sacrifices to achieve your current level of success. It's a sure bet that you will want to pass along your accumulated assets rather than hand them over for court costs, taxes or attorney fees.
How You Feel Affects How You Shop & How Much You Spend
Have you ever stopped to think about how your "mood" affects the way you shop, not to mention the amount you spend? Think about it.
Avoiding A Nightmare On Renovation Street
You've decided you want a bigger, better and more desirable house. How do you determine when to renovate, what to do and importantly, how much will it cost and will we get our money back?
Why We Are Never Satisfied with What We Have
I have to admit, I do it too. I complain. Seek better. Complain again. Ridiculous cycle. It's more of a condition really. A humanity disease, I think we are born with it. It is almost as physical and useful as a regular appendage. Don't get me wrong, being dissatisfied with here, has got us all to a lot of great theres. Otherwise America would still be in dreary old England and we wouldn't have the 4th of July.
Debt Management ? Watch Out for Bank Fees!
During the last twenty years, banks have offered a number of improvements in the area of being customer-friendly. The old 9 AM ? 2 PM "banker's hours" are gone, replaced by a schedule that makes it easy for most people to visit when the bank is open. Automatic teller machines are ubiquitous, making it easier to obtain cash even when the banks are closed. And the debit card has made it easier than ever to pay for an item ? you don't even have to write a check anymore. Such conveniences come with a price, however, and banks are charging additional fees for all sorts of services. Some of them can be quite steep, and consumers should watch how they manage the money they have in the bank.
College Expenses: Seven Ways to Save on an Education
Many people graduate from college owing thousands of dollars in student loans. It isn't uncommon for students to graduate owing $30,000 to $40,000. For people that get married shortly after graduation that means starting out with around $80,000 in debt. Thats a lot of debt for a young couple just looking to buy a house and possibly replace their aging vehicles.
5 Ways to Absolutely Destroy Your Finances!
Ben Stein has a book called How to Ruin Your Finances. To be honest, I'm not sure an entire book is needed on the subject-there are some fairly quick and easy ways to accomplish the task. (Before continuing, let me be clear that I do not actually recommend such activities-This is a reductio absurdum argument, meant to spur an opposing realization.)
How To Reap The Rewards With Rewards Programs
Recently, many of these loyalty rewards programs have come to the realization that they must change how they put these programs together if they are going to increase their share of the market.
A Fresh Start for Family Finances in 2005
While 40% to 50% of us make New Year's resolutions on January 1-a ritual that has existed since ancient times-approximately 60% to 80% of us have already broken them by the end of February, according to researchers.
Portfolio Planning can Lead to Irreconcilable Differences
The judge had to ask the question, and we had to answer it in order to get our divorce finalized. It was all supposed to be pro-forma.
"Why are you getting divorced?" the judge asked, his head buried in legal file folders.
Strategies for Success
Holy Shenanigans! More STUFF?
The Wonderful World Of Address Labels
Ever wonder where address labels come from? Avery® is perhaps one of the most well-known manufacturers of address labels. Rightly so in some respects. Avery® contributed much to the world of professional labels. Stan Avery, founder of the company started the company in 1935. During that time the company, named Kum-Kleen Products, produced self-adhesive labels for many purposes.
If I Had a Structured Settlement, I Would Use It to Pay for Gas
Has anyone been to the gas pumps lately? Soon $3 a gallon will be the asking price and we'll either have to become cyclists or create some additional income. I plan to do both of course because you can balance thrift and greed pretty well as you ride your bike to work.
Financial Security
1) HOW TO LOOK FOR A JOB
Bank On It: Places to Hide and Invest Money
Today I passed a thermometer at a bank that read 110 degrees, but I am not telling you that to show you how hot it was. I am telling you that because this bank really needs to fix their thermometer. According to their thermometer, it was also 110 degrees in December. There are a lot of people, places and things that can be more accurate with the weather, and as I've never said (but have always wanted to), "Whatever I trust with the weather is what I also trust with my money." Here are some examples:
Take Control and Master Your Kitchen
Those who keep a watchful eye on where their money is spent, have long conquered the kitchen woes. No last minute panic trips to the market. No longer needing the "give-the-kids-$20-for-fast-food" solution. This is no longer a problem or even a concern for the "Kitchen Master".
10 Quick And Cheap Ways To Cut Your Heating Bill
When you received an energy (heating) bill last winter, were you afraid to open it? Granted that we have a home with a lot of really big windows, but we saw energy bills last winter in the hundreds of dollars. Your bill probably wasn't that bad but I'm guessing that it was a lot higher than you would have liked.
How Check 21 Affects You
The Check 21 Law is the new federal law for financial institutions and has taken effect last October 28, 2004.
Help With My Annuity
The cries are heard from the distance, "I need help with my annuities." Nothing has changed...just a lonely senior who can't trust anybody with her annuity because every time she asks for advice, someone tries to make her invest in a different annuity...Sound familiar? Well you are not alone.
|
