A simple system to plan and project your monthly expenses to keep yourself out of the red. Little computing knowledge required - designed to be easily compared with your bank statement on a regular basis. Great for the self-employed as well.
One of the things that is true of many of us is that we could do a better job managing our finances. We are not all captains of industry, but we are the masters of our monthly household budgets, or at least we would like to be. If you are willing to admit you need help, then taking a finance course at a local college may be just what you need. Here are some of the things that will help you choose the right course or courses to take.
As you look over the range of courses that are involved in finance, you may be a bit intimidated by the course names and descriptions. To help you wade through all the options, take a quick look at the core curriculum and make a note of what the college considers to be the basic courses associated with the degree program. That is where you will find information that will be helpful to you. Focus on those courses and contact an advisor at the college. Explain to the advisor what you are looking to do and ask questions about those core courses. The advisor should be able to direct you to one or two courses in particular that will teach principles that will translate well into running a household.
Keep in mind that even though you are not looking to take over the financial operations of a multinational corporation, a finance course that are geared toward the operation of a small business might have something to offer you as well. After all, your home is a lot like a small business. There has to be income that counts as revenue, there is upkeep and maintenance, each of the persons involve receive some benefits from their association with the household and there are bills to be paid. Learning how small businesses function may provide you with some valuable tips on how to manage the household budget.
If at all possible, take some time and audit one or two of the courses that you think would be of interest to you. Many colleges allow persons to audit classes for a very small fee. Since you would not be earning any college credit for the auditing, you would not be subject to taking exams, nor would you lose credit if you could not be in class for every session. However, auditing a finance course or two would give you the chance to get the meat of the class and perhaps be just enough to get you on the right track with your household financial arrangements.
James Woodley is the writer for the website http://finance.webinfo-site.com.
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How in the world could I have allowed my household finances get to this point? If this is a question you are now asking yourself, then you are financially miserable in your marriage. You have allowed yourself to become so financially dependent on someone else's money that you can no longer pay your bills, believing that he always would, things do have an uncanny way of changing. If the marriage is already in trouble the added burden of finances isn't going to help and the bills aren't going away without being paid.
A good marriage is hard enough to hold onto without finances getting in the way. Finances play a very important part in a marriage and responsibility of them has to done by one of you. If one or even both of you work, at least meet each other half way with money management because if you don't you will eventually run into financial despair. The tension will start then the arguments and fights over who spent what on what and why will be next.
Money may be the "Root Of All Evil" but the bottom line is still you need it to Survive.
Bills need to be paid and paid on time on a regular basis. When this fails or someone stops making an attempt to pay or stops paying altogether Look Out, it just Hit The Fan. Whatever the cause, yelling, name calling or finger pointing will not solve the situation. Financial stress can be overwhelming, it has been known to cause in my case, serious health problems from the worry. You will become a bundle of nerves, unable to eat or sleep from that worry. Financial worry can cause turmoil, tension, heartaches and unhappiness leading you to live in a miserable marriage.
Mostly all problems can be worked out, finances can be too, if you both work at it, cut spending and try budgeting then saving, working together may save you from financial misery in your marriage.
Melanie Meyers gives tips on Marital finances in an Unhappy Marriage in her ebook and on her blog at http://www.blog.miserableunhappywives.com
Why is it that the word "Budget" seems to create such fear in so many people? It's as if using one will take all the fun out of life because it's some sort of draconian money management scheme that ties up all your money. Fortunately setting up a personal budget is not that complicated and if done correctly it can free up money to the point that it looks like you are getting a raise.
If you've thought about making a household budget but have reservations or just haven't taken the plunge there is no better time then now. The first thing to do is understand that it isn't all that complicated. All a budget is is a listing of expenses and income. It really is that simple. You don't need the latest book, spreadsheet, or budgeting software to get started all you need is a notebook and pencil.
Once you have you pencil and paper ready go back through all your bills for the past three months. It is also helpful to have your checkbook register handy because on your sheet of paper you are going to write down by expense how much you spent. Add up each expense and then divide by 3, which is the amount of months you have gone back. This will give you a monthly average for each expense. Add up all the expenses and write this down at the bottom of the page.
Now on a separate piece of paper write down all your monthly income. Include income from regular jobs, part time jobs, investment income, or any other income you might have coming in each month. Add that up and write it down at the bottom of the page.
Now's the time when most people look at the income and the expenses and a huge gasp of disbelief leaves their lips because they are spending more money then they are making. If this is you look at that number closely and then use that budget of what you have been spending to create a budget for the next month of what you will be spending. This is what a personal budget is, a spending plan that tells your money what to do and where to go.
Look back over your expenses and start finding things you've been spending money on that just doesn't make sense. How often do you eat out? Trips to Starbucks? This is the time to stop the bleeding and recoup all that money that just seems to disappear every month because you don't want to wake up one day and wonder why you don't have any money for the future.
Here's the crux of the budgeting process. You have a snapshot of where your money has been going based on the expenses you have written down. Now instead of looking at the past let's translate these expenses to the upcoming month. If you write down all your expenses for the upcoming month and allocate funds for these upcoming expenses you have won half the battle. This ensures that your bills are paid and every dollar you will have coming in has already been told what to do before the month even begins.
One last word about setting up a personal budget. Be patient, the first couple of months you do it it will not work out quite as you had planned. It will take some tweaking to get the process down but by the third month you should start to get the hang of it and before long you will have control of your financial future.
If you seriously want to take back control of your money you need to build a Personal Budget. To learn more about creating a budget please visit the website Household Budgets by clicking here.
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Attending money management seminars can be a good first step in the wise handling of personal wealth. Some of the topics that are frequently covered at these seminars could include investment strategies, handling tax issues, conscientious budgeting practices, creating a savings plan, and any number of other financial concerns. Issues such as credit card fraud and identity theft could also be covered. Families can have a wide variety of goals ranging from the education of their children to home ownership. Others dream of early retirement or starting a small business. The wise handling of finances is necessary to make any of these goals or dreams possible. In addition, many consumers wish to avoid common mistakes that can be made in dealing with personal economic issues. Classes on such concerns as taxes, inflation, retirement income, insurance, and estates are frequently offered. There are also many money management seminars that pertain to specific individuals and groups. Workshops and classes that are geared toward the financial issues that many women struggle with are available. Students can have very specific areas of interest, particularly pertaining to educational debt and setting good fiscal habits right from the start. Seminars that are geared specifically toward the concerns of university students are frequently offered on college campuses. In addition, there are many classes and workshops that present a Christian view of financial concerns.
Anyone attending money management seminars can expect a variety of classes that can teach anything from the basics of financial growth to complicated issues such as estate planning and tax minimization. Learning about such skills as investment allocations or effective retirement planning can be very beneficial for anyone who attends one of these workshops. An individual can learn about how to draft a strategy for reaching personal financial objectives and goals. Gaining the ability to understand and minimize insurance costs is another helpful benefit of these workshops. Retirement planning is an area that many families struggle with. Learning to prepare now for the years ahead can be a very valuable asset. Estate issues can seem complicated and overwhelming to many families. While these money management seminars will turn a willing student into a certified expert in one weekend, learning about where to begin and how to move forward with professional help can be very useful. In addition, learning to handle risks and avoid stagnation in the area of investment planning are also important topics. Generally, attendees at these seminars will receive workbooks, reference tools, and practical exercises that can be used as helpful resources after the workshops are over. Many seminars will also offer attendees the option to set down for a consultation with professionals at the close of the seminar.
Workshops that a specifically geared toward students can be found at many money management seminars. Usually held on college campuses, these seminars address a variety of issues including the dangers of credit card debt. This area of concern is particularly important for university students. Many students become overly dependant upon credit cards during their educational years. The charge account habit can lead to significant unsecured debt by the time a student reaches graduation day. Many students will graduate with a large amount of indebtedness thanks to student loans. Beginning a new life outside of school can present many challenges. Dealing with overpowering debts while just starting out in the work force can seem insurmountable to many graduates. Upon graduation, the opportunity to consolidate student debt can be tempting. There are many lenders who offer legitimate loan consolidation opportunities. But there are other lenders who will seek to take advantage of anyone who is struggling with multiple student loans. Quality money management seminars that cater to the needs, concerns and questions of university students could help prevent graduates from falling prey to unscrupulous lenders. The Bible has many strong admonitions against mistreating others. "Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate." (Proverbs 22:22)
There are also money management seminars that are geared specifically to the interests of Christians. These seminars specialize in applying Biblical principles to personal economic issues. Some of the topics that might be covered could include a Biblical attitude toward stewardship, trusting God for financial needs, creating financial strategies that honor the Word of God, and handling estate issues including any donations to religious organizations. Basic issues such as wise investing, and consulting financial professionals for help may also be covered. In addition, the answers to many pertinent questions will generally be provided. An attendee at such a seminar might wonder what to look for when selecting a money manager. Or they might have questions about how the stock market works. What is asset allocation? How does diversification work? What is the difference between taxable and tax deferred investments?
Educational opportunities that are geared specifically for women can be found at many money management seminars. These seminars will often address the needs of women who wish to start their own businesses. The success stories of other women in business can be very encouraging for budding female entrepreneurs. For this reason, many of the guest speakers at these events will be successful female business owners who can provide guidance and advice. Other topics that could be covered might include investment strategies, building a portfolio, planning for retirement, and drafting a budget. Whatever area of interest an individual might have, there are many workshops and seminar opportunities that can provide education and answers regarding financial concerns.
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