Friday, August 10, 2012

Budget Fundamentals: Getting Yourself In Good Economic Shape

Being smart about money starts with the basics. Doing the simple math involved is relatively easy for most folks. It's financial discipline that often poses a challenge. Get your financial house in order by reviewing the following article and making the necessary changes to your poor money habits, so that you can start living with less financial stress and more personal freedom.

Try to buy in bulk whenever possible, since the unit price is much smaller when you buy a lot of one product. Things that do not spoil easy and can be stored for long periods of time should always be bought in bulk. This includes things like brown rice, whole wheat pasta and wheat flour. If you use spices quite often you may want to consider buying some of those in bulk as well.

Delegate for all bills. Gather statements from every bill you have to pay, including annual or semi-annual payments for things like insurance or property tax. Divide those that are not allocated monthly by twelve in order to neaten your figures. Once you have everything in front of you, add them up to determine your total monthly expenditures.

Be timely with all bills. Prioritize all income to address the prompt payment of your monthly bills. Even if something isn't due until later in the month, allocate those funds now to avoid coming up short later. If the bill will be $100 dollars on the 25th, put two increments of $50 down for it or four increments of $25. No matter how you slice it, your income must be funneled toward your bills as a regular priority.

Enjoy more free things. Check out fun destinations near you that will only cost you the gas money to get there. Pack a picnic to a park, rather than dining out. Enjoy free concerts and movies instead of forking out all that cash for premier events. Invite friends over for games and a potluck buffet in place of the usual clubbing nights. There are countless ways to enjoy living life and having fun without breaking the bank.

Finally, a note about scheduling all of these different tasks. Doing your taxes is the least flexible item on this list; you have a deadline for that and a limited amount of time to prepare them before it. You have more leeway with all of your other financial tasks. Put them on a calendar to help you remember them at the appropriate time. Also, try to keep them from lining up. If the 15th of June rolls around and your calendar says it's time to review your checking account, your credit card statements, agreements, your insurance policy and your mortgage, something will very likely get neglected. Spread your schedule out.

Making the right choices when it comes to food is not always a simple task. Many times we eat what we can afford to buy as opposed to what is good for us. The key is to find a balance of the two. This article has given you a lot of information that should help you get food that is healthy for you and your family without spending more than you can afford.

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