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Are you tired of living paycheck to paycheck? Would you like to learn how to control your finances instead of letting them control you? It is possible to get on track financially. By following these tips not only will you show your money who is boss, but you will get piece of mind. Get a credit card that rewards you with frequent flyer miles. This is a great tip only if you are diligent about paying off your card balance monthly. These cards usually give you a big bonus miles bump on your first purchase, plus miles for every dollar you put on the card. You could be earning free flights very quickly. Enlist the help of a friend to cut the fat from your spending. Let a trusted friend or family member look at your budget and spending habits. Sometimes the unbiased eye of another person will bring to light an area in which you can but back or are overspending. Take the time to establish a budget for your family. Your budget should cover small daily expenses, as well as, your bills. You should have a clear idea of how much money you absolutely need to spend, and what kind of expenses you could avoid by changing a few habits for instance. You should buy items that you use a lot in bulk. Often times it's cheaper to buy things like toilet paper, paper towels, plates, mustard, canned good, etc. in bulk from places like Sams Club or BJs. Eventually you'll use everything, and in the long run you'll safe yourself some money. Every time you get a raise, set aside at least half of the new, after-tax increase for saving more each month. You will still enjoy a higher income and will never miss the extra money which you were never used to spending. It is even better if you set up your paycheck or checking account to transfer the money to savings automatically. Sit down and add up all the money that you have coming in to the house each month. Then sit down and add up the amount that your monthly bills cost. Subtract the money you spend on your bills from your monthly income. The number you come up with is the amount of money you have to spend on everything else - food, clothing, medicine, luxury items, etc. Don't go over this amount. This will insure that you have enough money to pay all of your bills and aren't spending more than you're earning. Learn to cook a few dishes from your favorite cuisine. When you have a craving for Lasagna, Pad Thai or Fajitas, you can pick up the ingredients yourself and cook the meal for a fraction of the cost of ordering it in a restaurant. Make more than you need and pack it for lunch the next day. When you are dealing with finance and money management, there is going to be a lot of hype that you will have to try to avoid. Do your own research and try not to be influenced by friends and family. This will help you to form logical opinions and avoid simply going with the crowd. Find out how long you need to keep certain financial papers so they don't clutter up your life. For instance, pay stubs are only necessary for the year until you get your W-2 form and then they can be tossed until the next year. Don't hold on to paper unless you need to; you want your financial life to be organized, remember? Set up your bank account to transfer a predetermined sum of money from your checking to your savings once a month. You will forget you even have this money or see it as a bill, just like any other expense. Your savings can add up quickly by doing this. Get the right kinds of insurance, if you want to remain secure, financially. If you own a home, but do not have the proper type of insurance, your home will be at risk if a lawsuit follows. The same is true for any of your vehicles or other property. Insure yourself as well as you can, in order to avoid financial ruin, in case of an accident. As you can see, it is extremely possible to be in charge of your financial life by making small changes here and there. You can stop worrying about finances and find peace. So what are you waiting for? Start making changes today and your wallet will thank you tomorrow. The Retirement Group educates corporate employees that are transitioning or retiring with Hewitt Resources.
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