Finance For Beginners: Learn To Spend Your Hard Earned Dollars Wisely

Failing to plan is planning to fail. You don’t want this to happen when it comes to money that you work so hard to earn. Having a financial plan in place and a nest egg to fall back on is critical when it comes to your personal wealth and well-being.

This is why our experts have written about everything from personal finance software to mortgage lenders to retirement planning. Don’t leave cash on the table, and protect your future with these must-do’s.

Know Where Every Dollar Goes Thanks To Personal Finance Software

At the end of the month are you asking yourself where your paycheck went? Stop wondering and start telling it where to go. Using personal finance software can be your savior when it comes to following your paper trail and getting your finances in order.

Personal finance software can track everything from your bank accounts to your investments and loans. Get a summary of spending habits broken down by category, as well as help with budgeting and planning. You can even get reminders to pay your bills on time, or have them automatically drafted from your bank accounts. These services are a small upfront investment but can pay for themselves in how much of your time and money they save.

You can read about them all and compare them to each other in our comprehensive best personal finance software article.

Strapped For Cash? Get Additional Funds With These Lending Options

Is the low balance in your bank account drilling holes in your plans? Credit cards are one way to build your credit and get perks, but they can be dangerous too. You might get carried away spending more than you should, and racking up some serious debt and interest charges in the process. Find out which credit card might be a good fit for you in our review of the best credit cards. We compare rewards, interest rates, annual fees, and more.

Depending on how much money you need and what the money is for, a loan may be a better route than a credit card. You can borrow from a traditional financial institution or perhaps a peer to peer lending site. We can even help you decide the best route for your mortgage. We cover all of this in our loan section.

Investing In Your Future – Reach Your Finance Goals

Having short and long-term financial goals are essential. Whether it’s planning for retirement or saving for a purchase you want to make, planning is crucial. There are other retirement options asides from a 401k, and there are additional savings account options with higher interest rates. We dive into the various types of retirement accounts and savings accounts in our investing area.

Protect Your Assets & Wallet

Your home, vehicle, and self are three of the most commonly insured items. In the case of an emergency, it’s nice to have insurance as an option to protect us from costly expenses and to give us peace of mind. Types of insurance you should consider include health, life, homeowners, auto, and event insurance.

In addition to homeowners insurance, you may want to consider a home warranty. Home warranties can help cover the systems and appliances within your home whereas a home insurance policy covers the actual structure. Home warranties can also help reduce appliance repair costs and are commonly purchased (and sometimes included with your mortgage) with a new home.

Being Charitable Can Benefit Your Bank Account As Well

Donating to charity can be rewarding personally, but did you know it can also benefit you financially? We show you how to make sure your hard-earned donations are going to legitimate charities and not into CEO bank accounts in our which charities are the best and worst to donate to article). Not only are you making a positive impact on others, in most cases, but you can also deduct charitable contributions from your taxes. Find out how to write your donations off on your taxes.

Do You Have A Will?

As you build your wealth and grow your income, you should consider drafting a will. It can guarantee your wishes will be carried out should something happen to you. And if you have children, it can help secure their future. Discover how to set up a will (the right way) and what should be included in our how to create a will article.

Beyond A Will: Our Estate Planning Guide

If you want to make sure all of your bases are covered when you die or become incapacitated, you may want to consider estate planning. An estate plan usually begins with a will, but it also incorporates other directives that are important for you and your family, including a power of attorney, medical and guardianship directives, trusts, and other legal issues. We encourage you to read our guide to estate planning to make sure you’re considering everything you should protect your family.

For the legal geeks among us, we occasionally write in-depth pieces that cross over from the finance world. For example, in our what is a structured settlement article we show you a smarter way to receive a court award for damages other than a lump-sum payment.