by Ajay Oberoi | Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal, Credit Counseling, Credit Repair, Debt Management, Social Media
It is your payday and it feels so great when you get money isn’t? You can see money in your account to again buy things you need or dine out in a restaurant etc. if you are someone who loves going out and spending money after every payday then you may fall in short of money even for the essentials at the end of the month.
If you fall short of money because you do not have any savings then even your bills will be due. Now, here is how you can get rid of falling in short of money at the end of the month with simple tips.
Keep a check on your expenses
It is essential to manage your money properly and keep track of where the money is going. Just take a notepad and a pen to write down your expenses and remember all of them which also includes the hidden expenses that occur throughout the year. They can be travel expenses, gift expenses on holidays, subscriptions, and other medical expenses.
You can divide the list of expenses over twelve months which will help you find out the actual cost of your living standard. Now, you can categorize these expenses to know which ones are essential and which are not. The list will help you know the two categories that are essentials and nonessentials. This will also help you reduce your expenses on nonessentials or completely eliminate them like salon trips, coffee shop visits that you may be indulged infrequently.
Remove the unnecessary expenses
It may be the most difficult thing to do while planning a budget, but it works, and is necessary to stop spending money on unnecessary things. Once you check your inventory and list out the unnecessary expenses try to eliminate them as they cost a lot in the long run.
If you are not very keen on eliminating them completely then look for economical options like coupons or discounts, which can be used while dining out or for any entertainment activities.
Keep a track of your money
After sorting out the expenses and removing the unnecessary items, you can keep a track of the money for which you can check the bank statements, receipts, etc to check where the money is being spent the most. This will help you set a budget and follow the same. You can also use online tools that help you monitor your budget.
Some people follow the traditional pattern of keeping track of budget expenses that is by writing on a paper. This works too as long as you stick to your budget goals.
Liability is important
Taking responsibility is important. You can also let your friends remind you of your goals and keep a check on how much you spend. You can also go with a cash envelop old method. You can keep an envelope for each category that belongs to spending. You can keep some cash as per your budge in the envelope. When you end up spending the money placed in the envelope it means you have to stop spending now.
Make sure you reduce the spending every month which will automatically save money and you won’t run out of money before the end of the month.
Money for Emergency
When we discuss money to be saved for emergency it means you will have some funds for emergencies. It is the best practice and an easy way to stick to the budget and do not fall short of money before the month gets over. Make sure you save some money for emergencies but do not try to spend the money from this fun just because you end up spending more on other things like buying shoes or groceries etc. The money saved for emergencies means for emergency situations only like an unexpected visit to the hospital, car repair, etc. The emergency funds help you cover the unexpected costs without affecting your budget. In case you use your emergency funds to handle emergencies, then make sure you fill in the money taken back to the emergency fund so that you do not face problems in the future.
Do not worry or blame your income which may be less as a properly planned budget can help you deal with low income as well. A budget can help you find out if you are earning enough to pay for your basic necessities like food, bills, etc. In case you feel the income is really less do not waste time thinking about it, just upgrade or shift to a better job. Try to learn new things that will help you earn enough money to bear all your expenses. Your proactive approach can help you fulfill your goals.
Some people earn more still they are short of money before the month ends, this is because they are spending more money on unnecessary things like eating out often, buying things that you do not need or planning frequent trips that cost a lot. All these things lead to problems at the end of the month. Make sure you pay your bills on time so that you don’t have to pay extra for late payment.
Do not keep any bills pending. Once you pay your bills you will be able to evaluate how you can spend money on necessary things and save money in the end. If you think you want to buy something, start saving money to buy the product so that you don’t have to disturb your monthly paycheck to buy the product. Determine whether you need a particular thing before you place the order. It is always necessary to determine whether it is a want or a need before you make a purchase.
Make sure that you remain true to yourself and money saved is money earned so do not waste your hard-earned money to buy unnecessary things. Any help for financial problems contact gtacredit.com or call 416 650 1100
by Ajay Oberoi | Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal, Credit Counseling, Credit Repair, Debt Management, Portfolio, Social Media
Some people do not get a steady income like salespeople, freelancers, or people who are self-employed. They actually face a lot of problems due to fluctuating incomes. It is a nightmare to plan a budget when you have no idea about how much you are going to earn each month. This is a serious problem for those who work on a commission basis or are self-employed.
The income they get depends entirely on their monthly sales or projects they get. Well, if you are among those who earn a fluctuating income and find it really difficult to plan a budget, then read on to find out how you can still plan a budget.
Identify the minimum amount you earn
Before you start creating a budget with fluctuating income, you need to identify the minimum amount you earn. Also, determine your minimum expenses on a monthly basis. For all those who earn a fluctuating income, plan their budget keeping in mind their expenses related to basic necessities like house mortgage or rent, groceries, utility bills, groceries, childcare, transportation, etc.
While following any budget plan it is really important to find out how much you need to make to bear your bills. But, in this case, this step won’t work as the income is not steady. To create a budget for fluctuating incomes just write down the list of essential things and monthly expenses on a paper.
Out of the expenses you have listed there are some fixed expenses like rent, mortgage, etc. Now, try to figure out the expenses that change. They can be grocery bills, traveling expenses, utility gas, etc. Also, write down debt repayments, savings, investment, etc. You may think that these bills aren’t crucial to survive still they are quite important.
Calculate monthly expenses that are optional
After you filter out the essentials then try to list all other things. While writing down the optional expenses consider the bill for cable television or any other payments you make for entertainment, hobbies, cash spent on sports, or money spent to dine out.
If you are unable to find out the approx spending on non-essentials then pull out some credit card or bank statements to check. Also, try to find out something that had overburdened your pocket in the last few months.
Create emergency fund
In case you hold some savings already then nothing like it. It is always better to have savings of money for 3-6 months. It helps especially when you have a fluctuating income.
It is always better to create an emergency fund to fight days when you don’t earn a sufficient amount or say nothing. Savings can bridge the difficulties in crucial times.
Staying on income from last month
Once you created a budget for your fluctuating income and included your unnecessary expenses then you will come to know the amount of money you need for the month without disturbing your savings. You can deposit the money you get the previous month to your savings account.
You can start putting whatever you earn in short term or long term savings whichever suits you. This helps you stay on income from last month.
Credit a salary for yourself
It is again a step ahead of how you were advised to put your money in a regular savings account in the very first month. Here you will be paying salary to yourself. You may be wondering how is that possible isn’t it? Think about times when you were working hard and earning a fluctuating income but here you will award yourself with a salary.
You can follow the budget for fluctuating incomes and eliminate optional spending which will save money for you. Now you will not end up spending more than earnings.
Pay bills depending upon the income you earned last month
The money you need for your fluctuating bills, as well as nonessentials, is there in checking account. The right budget that comprises of your expenses and bills for the month is what you have now.
Now you will start paying your bills as per the budget you created that consists of debt payments or paying savings. If you need an individual account for long term savings then go for it. You can also put some cash back to the regular savings accounts every month and see how money grows.
Mark all your bids as paid and put a zero at the end
As not all bills will be due at the start of the month, you need a proper system to keep track of your spending as the month passes.
Make sure you pay every bill right at the beginning of the month. Pay your mortgage or other bills in the second week of the month. If you are planning to spend on entertainment then make sure you do not spend more. Keep your bills marked as paid
It is not easy to plan a budget with a fluctuating income, but with a proper budget, you can accomplish the task. While you create a budget for fluctuating budgets make sure you find ways that can help you get a steady income. Also, if you succeed to earn more in between, try to save money for the days when you either earn less or absolutely nothing. Do not rely on monthly income; try to save for 3-6 months to have a stable amount in your bank that can back you for at least a month during no or less work.
If you can find income coming from more than one source, it will help you earn a stable income or constant money incoming to your account. Try not to spend on entertainment or things that are not essential. You have to go slow and figure out things that need money on a priority basis. You can create a budget plan for fluctuating income and follow it too. With little dedication and smart planning, you can achieve your goals with irregular income too. It may sound a bit difficult, but it works and with the time you will get used to it. Any help for financial problems contact gtacredit.com or call 416 650 1100
by admin | Consumer Proposal, Credit Counseling, Debt Management
Do you know how much is the average American household credit card debt? It is $5,700. If that didn’t worry you then this surely will: the average debt for households that don’t make regular credit card payments is over $15,000. For many households, paying off their credit card debt is a challenge. Nonetheless, debt is a financial reality and something households will have to deal with. You don’t have a choice: you have to manage your credit card debt just like you manage your other financial expenses and obligations.
Most Americans and Canadaian struggle to manage their credit card debt. However, before you start losing hope, determine whether your credit card debt is even a problem. After you’ve determined that, you need to develop a plan to manage and ultimately pay off your credit card debt. Depending on how you use them, credit cards can be a good or a bad thing.
A truly helpful financial tool, a credit card is a good way to meet your immediate financial needs such as performing car repairs, paying medical bills, and dealing with unforeseen disasters. However, if you use them inappropriately, credit cards can lead to financial problems in the long-term. Basically, you need to use your credit card (s) sensibly and develop smart strategies for managing your credit card debt. So what are the appropriate ways of managing credit card debt? Here are 3 smart strategies for managing credit card debt that credit counselors recommend.
Change the lifestyle causing debt
The first and foremost thing that you need to do to manage your credit card debt is moving away from the lifestyle that causes debt. Often, debt is caused by immoderate spending and lack of checks and balances. One of the best thing you can do control your credit card debt is avoid impulse buying.
Stop the use of credit card
If you’re among the American households with over $15,000 credit card debt then stop using your credit card right away. You will only add to your credit card debt if you continue buying things on credit. If you continue buying things on credit, there will eventually come a time when pay off your credit card debt is no longer possible. Surely, you don’t want that! If you’re buying grocery or other ‘important’ things for your house then use cash to pay for them. Also, avoid buying something you don’t have the cash for.
Re-adjust your budget
If you don’t have a household budget then develop one right away. On the other hand, if you have a budget but still find it difficult to manage your expenses then consider re-adjusting your budget. Basically, you need to re-adjust your budget to get rid of unnecessary expenses such as the evening coffee at Starbucks until you’ve paid off your credit card debt.
