Are money worries getting you down? Finding it difficult to keep control of your finances? Don’t worry; there are simple steps you can take right now, getting you back on track with your monetary problems. Here’s how.
Register for online banking
You can check your bank balance wherever you are, be that through a mobile device or your computer. Simply download the app, or bookmark your bank’s website, sign up to
online banking, and you are away. Control your outgoing and incoming payments with ease, keep track of your bank balance so you don’t overspend ‘accidentally,’ and set up a text alert to let you know when you are nearing your spending limit.
Cut up your credit card
Sick of being in debt? Well, you aren’t going to get out of it if you continue to rely on your credit card. Take it out of your wallet, find a pair of scissors, and cut it up immediately. If you are reluctant to do this because you are reliant on credit for paying your bills, you have a problem. Blogger Chris Pivik has some advice on reducing your debt, so have a read, and start to climb your way out of the financial black hole that you may have found yourself in.
Start to budget
If you have a smartphone, you can download a budgeting app right now. Alternatively, pick up a notepad from your local store and start to keep track of everything you are spending. Whether you opt for the tech or paper version of budgeting, you will soon find out where your hard-earned cash is going each month, and if you are spending more than you earn, you can start to cut back.
Set up monthly payments
Bills are a nightmare and no sooner have you paid one bill, another one drops into your mailbox. Not only that but if you forget to pay a bill on time, you may incur a penalty for your absent-mindedness. Make life easier for yourself, and set up a Direct Debit to pay your utility and insurance providers. Hint: set the payment date just after payday. This way you will know your bills have been taken of and you will know how much extra money you have left for those other important things in life.
Use PayPal
With the rise in cybercrime, you may not want to enter your card details on every site you choose to buy from. Therefore, consider PayPal as an alternative way to buy. Most online retailers are PayPal friendly, meaning you can get through those online checkouts quickly, using your email address and password, rather than run the risk of entering your bank account details.
Go compare
There are price comparison sites for everything these days, so cut the ties with your current bank, energy, or insurance providers and find a better deal elsewhere. It will only take you a few minutes online. Simply enter your details, and the price comparison service will let you know if your current provider is still the cheapest around, or whether there is a better solution somewhere else. You can easily apply for these better deals straight from the comparison site.
Bottom line
They are just some of the ways you can keep better control of your money at home, or in your business. So don’t delay, make those changes today!
