The Best Personal Finance Tips

This list is a recollection of all my posts and I have selected the best personal finance tips of all time. I am looking back and analyzing those little things that made an impact in my life financially speaking. I want all of my readers to take a second after reading this list, and just pluck out those things that resonate with your life and your money habits. I am really anxious for the next few months as I am looking to expand on my personal finance capacity by reading more and asking for advice from older wiser individuals with greater experience in this field. What does that have to do with the best personal finance tips I will share with you today?

Well it all comes down to what I know regarding Personal finance, and I can either stop learning or continue to learn. That means staying current with the best money management topics. Which in turn will help me share more with all of you guys in the future. If I learn more, then I can reciprocate that back towards you with great content.

See below for The Best list you will ever come across regarding money management and personal finance:

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Save 30% for Retirement

If you are one of the lucky few who can save a large portion of your income applaud yourself, because it is a great opportunity for you to set yourself up for the future. But many of you are thinking how can anybody save that much with all the numerous bills in our lives? I have known personally a few people who actually save 30% for retirement and still been able to live life happily. Granted their situation might have been better than the average person and it might take you a while to inch up to that savings level, but believe me you can do it to.

Listed the below are the reasons I feel individuals with certain money scenarios can manage to save 30% or more for retirement or emergency savings. See below for a list of examples how one can save 30% for retirement.

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Money Habits I am Doing Right

Life is a balancing act.

Many times I think back and I re-read some of my past blog posts and think to myself I might have used some harsh words to incite change upon myself and my readers. But my intentions were not to scold down or to say you are doing very badly at money management skills. I get caught up at times with my own short comings that I am my own worst critic, and I admit I use it to fuel the fire for this blog with great content. This time I am trying something different, and it is a post that probably has been around the block more often than not. But I am still going to share with all of you, what things I have been doing right financially speaking. I will answer for you all the money habits I am doing right.

When I do things right I am actually happier, because these things are in my happy go lucky financial rule book. No not really a book, but just good ideas I have in my mind at all times. Did all of you know that finance and money management is 80% behavior and 20% math? If you can maintain this balance in life you will always win with money. Given this I am going to share with you all the behavior rules I use in my life to stay in my personal finance lane.

Money Habits I am Doing Right:

1. I write this blog which keeps me accountable for my actions. (I can’t Believe it’s 1 Year already)

2. I am saving a good portion of my income. (About 15% soon to be about 20%)

3. I am on top of my investments and assets. (Mostly monthly and sometimes daily.)

4. I am thinking in a long term perspective for my money. (Not what can I buy with my next paycheck mindset)

5. I take the advice of other PF blogger’s / financial guru’s if it benefits me or awakens a need to an improvement change.

6. I look at time in a productivity mindset and look to maximize my efforts. (Always finding a balance between family and work)

7. I hate debt and am working on eliminating my school loans while not going into any other future debt.

8. I am always looking for a new book to read on finance as I still find it intriguing to expand my personal finance horizons.

9. I am excited to help others improve while helping myself become a better communicator. ( Face to Face and written)

10. I see options and opportunities that investing gives me now and can give me in the future. (Passive Income)

These are some of the things I am currently doing to better myself every day and improve my finances. I hope I can lead by example with these steps and help any willing person with a desire to improve their personal finance picture in these uncertain economic times. Will these steps increase your income? No, but with time and effort it can help anyone improve financially and with goal setting. Behavior modification is not very easy, including how to manage finances. That can be one of the most important things you can do to help yourself achieve life’s basic money goals. Goals were made to be accomplished and surpassed.

In an uncertain world we have to do our best to help us be better prepared if another recession, depression or emergency were to occur in our lives. A layoff or a reduction in income can pop up at any time for anybody working for somebody else. Can you live on less than you make if it were to happen to you today? If you can just get over living the paycheck to paycheck syndrome you have succeeded in a personal goal that many people find too daunting. I will do another post in the near future and list all the bad things I am doing because nobody is 100% perfect in this life. But remember to keep striving to achieve a better more balanced you in this life.

What are some of the things you are doing right with money behavior that you would like to share?

Rich Uncle EL

Pic is credited to the movie called Man on Wire.

Spending is not the root of Happiness

spending money is not the root of happiness — Hey you if you spend more than you made today, it doesn’t make you any Happier.

I have come across a few people who like to live for the Now in life. They are always going out and doing everything in their power to be present at numerous events while negating their future security. I ask myself when I see this happening, what kind of void are those individuals trying to fill? Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a good party from time to time when it’s important to me, but all that spending those people are doing strikes me as a red flag. Twenty years later those people are going to be wondering and most likely regretting why didn’t I prepare for my future.

Continue reading Spending is not the root of Happiness

What I did to save a buck

An unfortunate event took place on my way to work on a recent Friday morning. I make my usual stroll to my car about two blocks away from my apartment building and that’s when I saw the travesty right in front of my eyes. My 1999 Camry was hit and my driver side mirror was shattered in pieces and hanging for dear life. Well you know, what was my first thought when I sat down in my car? How much is this going to cost me? See picture below for your viewing pleasure.

During my lunchtime chat with a co-worker I reveal my recent incident and he quickly tells me a story of a similar situation he went through several years ago. It cost him about 200 bucks back then to fix. Now my mind is checking off the dollar signs to the tune of $400-500 because:

1. His accident was a few years ago and Inflation will get the best of me.
2. His car is a newer Camry and I figured newer parts should be cheaper to find.
3. His mirror didn’t need a complete replacement with some body work / painting involved.

NOW I am freaking out because as you already know I am not fond of spending money on miscellaneous transportation costs. It’s the next day and now I have a plan to get at least three estimates from local body shops and go with the best price and customer service I receive. It’s more important to me for the work to be done quickly and efficiently than the overall price.

Now for the Details:

Estimate 1: Body Shop closest to my house- $225 to order part, paint and Install.

Estimate 2: Body Shop about a mile away- $210 to order part, paint and Install.

What did I actually Spend: $35 for a driver’s side mirror found at a local junk yard, 55 to paint and Install part at body shop number 2. $90 dollars total.

So there you have it folks I saved about $120 because I took matters into my own hands and tracked down the exact auto part I needed and hustled my way to getting some huge savings. I stopped at the second body shop because the owner was cool and very open and honest about the details of the job. Because of this I gave him my business.

These tactics can be used by anybody if you just take the time and make a plan to negotiate and save some dollars. I could have just given in to the first body shop estimate, and been happy with the first quote given. But luckily for me that I am never 100% trusting with service quotes, plus I love to shop around for better deals. Never ever forget to get a second opinion in anything you need to get done service wise. Because different people charge different prices at different times, and it may help you tremendously if one of those individuals is in a good mood.

Examples of Price Quotes/Estimates to save a buck:

Car Insurance
Life Insurance
Home Insurance
Home Repairs
Car Repairs
Car Loans
Mortgage Loans (Good Faith Estimate Docs)
Any type of tutoring / lessons
Financial Advisor Fees
Cable / Cell / Internet Services

Now is the time to Comment if you have a cool story on how you saved a buck by taking matters into your hands.

Watch your Money!

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RichUncle EL

Richer by 288 Times

Have a 150 grand lying around?

Can you believe this? The Super rich have 288 times more savings than the normal American. Compound that by 4% and you have a pretty decent interest income. I must say I didn’t fully agree with all the hoopla surrounding the top 1% and all the wall street protesters, but the facts are very clear and right in front of our noses. The Super rich are richer by 288 times the median income. How can the top 1% be so abundantly prosperous and the average person not be? The economic system if taken to extremes will not sustain another meltdown.

Did you know that the system is based on good faith and that most of your money is not all accounted for in banks or brokerage firms. Let me explain a little further for those of you who do not know. Most financial institutions use about 80-90 % of your money to lend out to others or to re-invest again for their future gain. If the system were to collapse it could be the end of monetary policy as we know it. The actual figure the computer displays out to you and millions others just like you, is a figment of your imagination because guess what, you’re actual money is the mortgage of some other person and the bank is the administrator of your assets and another person’s debt.

I am not telling you all this so that you can run over to the bank tomorrow and hit the eject button on your money, but to get you to think a little bit about what is actually occurring behind the scenes. Things are not as rosey as the media is making it seem. One day it’s OMG we might go into another recession and the next day the media is all about how great of an economy we have. They can not seem to make up their minds or just maybe the powers from above and the ultra rich are making the media outlets run the happy go lucky stories so that a political / monetary uprising do not occur.

Richer by 288 X the median Average article: Net Worth Article

So if you can sit down and digest the article you just read in the link above about the super rich and the income disparity affecting our nation, How do you feel? Do you now feel a bit of compassion for the wall street protesters? Do you even care that somebody has 288 times more savings than you do?

RichUncle EL

Pic above is credited to Icon Airplane Co. Toys of the Super Rich!

Top 10 steps for Money Growth

Warren Buffet

Money Growth Steps

Protect your income- Save those dollars
Live for tomorrow by watching what you do in the present
Avoid debt like the plaque
Keep expenses very low and do not succumb to lifestyle inflation
Increase retirement and emergency contributions by 1% or more every year
Have piggy bank and every year cash in the coins for savings or debt repayment
Use as many rewards / cash back programs as possible
Work harder in finding side gigs
Buy assets that pay interest or dividends
Read PF Blogs and watch your Net Worth

These are all the steps I do to increase my nest egg and I think each and every one of you should do the same. I sometimes feel with simple steps, we all can see great results. These steps are things you may have already done in the past, but maybe you are too busy with life’s routine and have not adhered to some of the steps above in a while. Well I am here to set you on the right money path. Find the time and the energy to do what is right to make your wallet fat with dollar bills. Don’t be like that baby in the capital one commercial that turns down free money. Use the skills you have and follow your path to achieving a greater sense of financial freedom.

Personal growth comes from realizing who you are and then improving on your weaknesses. Thus changing bad spending habits into routines that will enhance your money mantra. A lot of you are already realizing that to make it in life is getting harder then folks had it back in the good ol’ days, but do not fret as you have the ability to change and improve. Follow the steps above while establishing a online financial system to really change your future.

The pic above is a shot of the most successful business person ever: Warren Buffet. He is a living definition of what it is to have money growth. As he grew up in the middle class and now is worth over 40 billion dollars.

Comment if you already follow the steps listed above or if you have another system you use to stay in tuned with your finances?

RichUncle EL

Pic provided by AP press.

Saving Money Tactics

As we all know saving money tends to be an extremely difficult task with all the bills and expenses we accumulate throughout the years. How can you fight back and defeat the non-savings bug? By utilizing smart money tactics and creating a barrier between you and your money.

Anyone can do it as the system is not prejudice to race, but favors towards stubborn minded people who stick to a system of always paying themselves first. Most people are set in their ways and do not want to embark on a mission to better themselves by trying new financial tactics. What new savings tricks have you done recently? If you have not gone out of you’re comfort zone, try a few of the tips below:

Saving Tactics:
*Open an online only savings account and direct deposit a set amount per paycheck (Barrier 1)
*Apply for your employers retirement plan with at least the employer match or up to 15%
*Open another checking, savings account and do not get checks/debit card(Direct Deposit Also, Barrier 2)
*Open an online brokerage account for scenarios if you see a cheap stock or mutual fund( For Investing )

This is system will utilize the two other accounts aside from your main checking account to use for 1. Goal Savings, 2. Emergency Savings. They will both have a direct deposit from your paycheck unless you can be diligent and transfer the money yourself every pay period. Most people will eventually forget or decide after three deposits that they need the money for something else. If you set it up for direct deposit through your employer then you will be less likely to remove the system. It will continue indefinitely and grow over time to help you achieve that emergency fund you have been dying to fund for a long while. A automatic system like this is just the beginning steps as you can add even more layers to the mix with DRIP’S and DSPP’s. (Dividend reinvestment plans and Dividend stock purchase plans)

Saving Money Tactics:

-Match your Friday spending and save the same amount

-When you go out to dinner, save the same amount of the bill in online savings

-Get the biggest piggy bank and attempt to fill it with all the loose change you can find

-Pay yourself first every pay period, even before bills.

-Sign up for all employer sponsored savings / retirement / profit sharing plans. (Start small, then increase)

If you do all these steps you will have a great online saving money system that can not be stopped easily. Systematic barriers will help you grow your accounts without you ever interrupting it. Simple steps can lead you to a better more relaxed financial life. Also very important to consider always set up a beneficiary for all your accounts just in case an emergency occurs.

Contact me if you have any questions regarding setting up a system like this. But really all it takes is a desire to begin by guiding yourself to complete all the Saving Money Tactics.

Rich Uncle EL

Pic is courtesy of moneywatch101.com of a typical Bank in the old days.