| Many Americans and people in countries | | | | Fund which works like a mutual fund only |
| where ready credit is available find | | | | that it just buys up the entire index of |
| themselves in greater debt then ever | | | | stocks. This way you do not need to work |
| before and this makes you wonder whether | | | | about over performing or underperforming |
| you are working for yourself or for your | | | | the market and the management fees for |
| creditors. This ends up being a problem | | | | these funds are really low. |
| of financial spending & control and | | | | Finally, now that you know how much |
| if you take a short moment to reconsider | | | | money you have left to spend each month, |
| your own financial health, you might be | | | | budget how much you want to spend each |
| able to correct your financial situation | | | | month. As terrible as it may seem, try |
| today. | | | | to pay for things with cash and with a |
| You will find that many people today are | | | | debt card so that you are kept in touch |
| living from paycheck to paycheck and | | | | with how much you are actually spending. |
| running from payday loan provider to | | | | Its so easy to flash a credit card and |
| another. This article suggests three | | | | then lose sense of reality and you only |
| simple & quick ways to improve your | | | | get hit with it at the end of the month |
| personal finances. | | | | when the bill arrives. So try to remind |
| Firstly, you might want to draw up a | | | | yourself constantly about the need to |
| Cash flow statement for yourself. This | | | | avoid spending exuberance. |
| is quite simple to do actually. Just | | | | In conclusion, doing a simple cash flow |
| take a blank sheet of paper and draw a | | | | statement ever so often helps to keep |
| line in the middle and consider how much | | | | yourself reminded of how your spending |
| money you are earning each month and | | | | and investing patterns are each month. |
| list all the sources on the left and | | | | Budgeting to save before you spend will |
| total it up at the bottom. Next on the | | | | ensure that you will retire quite well |
| right column figure out how much money | | | | off and budgeting before you spend will |
| you are spending each month, including | | | | help you figure out how you want to use |
| how much interest and debt you need to | | | | your available funds each month. |
| repay. Take your credit card statements | | | | Remember that the more credit you use on |
| out and use it to work through this | | | | consumer products which drop in value |
| section. Once you figure this out, then | | | | really fast, the most the credit card |
| you will be better able to manage your | | | | companies are going to make from you and |
| own finances or at least have a better | | | | the less you will have to spend in the |
| idea about your spending habits. | | | | longer term. Take control of your |
| Secondly, budget to save before you | | | | finances today and you will find your |
| spend. This idea is taken from many | | | | life starting to look brighter and |
| millionaires who recommend that you use | | | | happier. |
| auto-transfer each month a sum of your | | | | Copyright © 2006 Joel Teo. All rights |
| money and either save it or invest it | | | | reserved. (You may publish this article |
| into some thing like real estate. My | | | | in its entirety with the following |
| personal favourite idea is to take a sum | | | | author's information with live links |
| of money each month and use it to | | | | only. |
| purchase my favourite Exchange Traded | | | | |