28 TIPS TO IMPROVE OUR FINANCES

Las finanzas

 

Not having good financial health contributes negatively to physical and mental well-being. Economic problems can cause the onset of some disorders such as increased blood pressure, sleep problems, depression, and obesity.

According to an April 2020 study by the National Endowment For Financial Education (NEFE), nearly nine out of ten of the 4,000 U.S. citizens experience stress about their personal finances. Insufficient savings, not having a financial cushion, retirement, inability to pay bills, expenses, etc… are some of the main factors of concern.

To avoid financial stress and other disturbances, it is essential to have a good relationship with our finances, improve them and prevent them from becoming a problem for our health. For this reason, below we would like to recommend 28 keys extracted from the BBVA financial education blog, in order to have good management of our finances.

28 KEYS TO IMPROVING OUR FINANCES

1. Define financial goals

Establish what you want to achieve with your money and whether it is short, medium or long term.

2. Identify the total of our income

Value money by paying attention to the time you spend and the effort you need to get it.

3. Make a list of all our expenses

It helps to realize how much and on what we spend money.

4. Divide our expenses into fixed and variable

The fixed ones are the necessary ones (rent, supplies, etc.). Variables are related to lifestyle.

5. Plan how to reduce fixed expenses

Try to spend less on rent, electricity, water, food or gas. Look at other companies and rates.

6. Plan how to reduce or eliminate variable expenses

Keep those that contribute positively to our lives and eliminate those that do not.

7. Analyze at the end of the month whether there is a positive balance sheet

To be positive, expenses must be equal to or less than total income.

8. Prioritizing our total expenses

Of all expenses, create a list of priorities from highest to lowest so you know what to pay first and what to pay later.

9. Make a monthly budget related to our objectives

The budget to achieve a goal allows tracing the precise path to achieve it.

10. Set our limits and be realistic

If there are unnecessary expenses that are out of our budget, recognize that we cannot afford them. 

11. Create an emergency mattress

Because an unforeseen event can cause serious problems in our economy.

12. Identify our debts

Write down all our debts and visualize them together to become aware of them.

13. Prioritizing our debts

Either by the date by which they are due, interest, consequences, etc. 

14. Not getting into debt to cover other debts

Acquiring new debts to cover the ones we already have is not the best solution.

15. Do not over-indebt

Keep debts under control, trying not to get into debt beyond what we can afford. 

16. Avoiding excesses

Finding a balance is the key: no overspending or over-indebtedness. 

17. Be careful with ant expenses

Keep an eye on those small expenses that add up at the end of the month. Identifying them in order to eliminate them is essential. 

18. Avoid impulse buying

Those purchases that we finally realize that they are not necessary and that has an impact on our pocket. 

19. Distinguish between necessity and whim

Avoiding going over budget is one way to avoid unnecessary purchases. 

20. Planning purchases

If before going shopping we write down what we need, we will avoid going beyond what is essential. 

21. Trying to do it ourselves

We can avoid spending on everything we can do on our own, such as small home repairs.

22. Listen and share financial strategies

Talk to people around us about their tricks to save, compare supply companies, etc.

23. Pay taxes and fines when due

In this way, we will avoid surcharges that can end up doubling the initial total price.

24. Save if we can

Sometimes it is difficult to save if our salary is low, but it is important to keep in mind the monthly savings, no matter how small they may be.

25. Invest if we can

It is a possibility, which must be studied carefully, to make our money grow.

26. Learning about financial education

There are books, videos on the Internet, and different channels that allow us to constantly learn about personal finance.

27. Taking care of ourselves

Taking care of our physical and mental health is an indirect way of taking care of our financial health, and vice versa. 

28. Empower our talent

Learning and working in what we are good at can be an opportunity to use our talents to generate profits.