Budgeting: The Critical Flaw That Causes Most Budgets to Fail

Budgeting. It’s a word we’re all familiar with. Everyone knows what a budget is, right? Yet how many of us actually make and stick to a solid monthly budget? The truth is that most of us begin out with the ideal of intentions, but an unexpected expense comes up and busts our budget. Then we give up and go back to juggling our finances and worrying about having too much month left at the end of the money. However, if you are striving to create a budget for the purpose of systematically paying off your debts or to begin a savings and investment program, then it’s critical to develop a workable and realistic budget.

So what’s the problem? Why do most of us change at the easy task of creating a budget so we can live within our means? The easy truth is that most budgets don’t work because they change to statement for irregular or variable expenses. Everyone knows how much their rent or mortgage payment is. It’s the same amount month after month. If your rent is $1,000 per month, that’s a no-brainer. The same is true of many other fixed expenses, such as auto loan payments, telegram television subscriptions, insurance premiums, and so on. It’s easy to budget for these expenses because the amounts don’t change from one month to the next.

Besides expenses that are the exact same figure apiece month, there are numerous types of expenses that vary a tiny from one month to the next, yet we still have a pretty good intent what we spend apiece month. A good example is our grocery bill. Most of us have a evenhandedly clear picture of how much we spend apiece week at the supermarket. So, we can insert a realistic figure into our budget-in-progress and not be too far off the mark. The amounts might go up or down slightly apiece month, but we usually know the range we’re dealing with. Other examples of this category include telephone bills, utility bills and gasoline (when prices are stable, that is).

The real culprit in busted budgets is the variable or irregular expense. How much will you spend on vehicle fixes over the next 12 months? What about medical bills? Home maintenance costs? It seems that bills for these types of expenses hit us out of left field, and there goes our budget. Before long, we’re using food money to cover a new set of tires for our vehicle and the whole budget comes crashing down.

So what’s the solution? There is no perfect answer to this problem. But we can come to a close approximation by using the easy technique of monthly averaging. Begin by gathering 12 months’ worth of checkbook registers, bank statements, and credit card statements. Write down (or enter into a spreadsheet) how much you spent apiece and apiece time your money went toward something that was not a fixed expense. Group these expenditures into categories, such as auto, home maintenance, clothes, etc. Don’t try to break it down too far. What you want is a handful of useful categories. Then keep listing apiece of these expenses under their relevant categories for the full 12-month period.

When you are done with this exercise, you should have an excellent intent of your total annual expenditure for these variable expenses. For example, if you add up all the vehicle repair or maintenance expenses for the year, and the figure comes to $1,200, then divide by 12 to get the result of $100 per month average. That’s how much you need to grant in your monthly budget in order to build up enough reserves to handle an auto repair when it comes up. Again, this method isn’t perfect, because an expense might come up that exceeds your estimated outlay, but at least it takes into statement a closer approximation to reality than simply guessing, or worse, ignoring auto maintenance in your budgeting.

The trick here is to set up a separate savings statement in which to set aside these “extra” funds. Let’s state the “extra” $100 goes into the savings statement for six months, and then you get hit with an auto repair for $400. You pull the money from your $600 savings that was purposely built up for this type of expense. This way, you’re automatically setting aside amounts intended to cover apiece type of irregular expense that you came across over the previous year.

Most people are shocked when they perform this 12-month analysis of irregular expenses, and it immediately becomes clear why their budget is always breaking down. This technique leads to the discipline necessary to recognize that “extra” money is seldom really extra. If we think we have our bills covered, and there is some cash burning a hole in our pocket, our tendency is to spend it on something fun. But if we know that there really is no cash left over, because we haven’t yet set aside the extra $100 needed to keep our vehicle on the road, then we’ll be less inclined to spend it on pizza, beer, and movies.

Budgeting can be successfully accomplished by this technique of monthly averaging, especially if we consistently apply it year after year. As we move forward, our understanding of our true expenses becomes clearer and clearer, and we are no longer surprised by the occasional unexpected expense.

The ideal way to implement this approach is to set up a regular savings program, where the amount you’re setting aside to cover irregular expenses gets automatically deducted from your paycheck and forwarded to your savings account. If the money is deducted from your paycheck before you even see it, then you will be less tempted to skip this critical part of the budgeting process, and you will greatly increase the chances of making a budget work over the long term.

Budget For The Future

Have you sat down and really thought about your financial future? I know people are busy these days and you think “well I’m young now and I’ll have time to do it later.” You’re dead wrong. You are NEVER too young to begin saving for retirement!

They state if a 25 year old puts in $2.00 a day into a savings statement ($60.00 a month), purchase the time he reaches 65 he’ll have a million dollars. However, what is a million dollars these days – really? It’s practically chump change with rising housing and cost of living expenses.

So you have to make a budget to save for the future. Don’t anticipate Social Security to kick in, they’re having problems already – much less when you get to be that age!

Here are some strategies to help you save for the future and your retirement:

1. Make a list of your monthly income. Include everything from your consequence to gambling winnings, child support receive, alimony, and any other income you get apiece month.

2. Then make a list of your expenses. List everything you spend from your utilities to your cell phone bill. Also your child’s violin lessons, pet expenses – everything.

3. Subtract your expenses from your income. Hopefully you are coming out ahead! If not, then you need to make smart decisions on which expenses are a necessity or a luxury. Do you really need a cell phone, or is it just convenient? Discipline yourself now and you’ll thank yourself later!

4. Do this for several months. And then at the end of apiece month, figure out where your money went that was unnecessary. Did you go out to take more than once a week? Did you purchase your lunch instead of making a sandwich from home?

5. Put 10% of your income into a savings plan. This is the “rule of thumb” amongst investors on just how much you should be saving a month. If you make $3000/mo. then you should be saving $300. Pay yourself first!

6. Think about other options besides savings. Perhaps invest in a 401k or an IRA savings plan. Check with your banker to see which one would suit your needs and financial situation the best.

Really that’s all there is to it! Never take money out of your savings for frivilous buys like a new pair of shoes or to go to a movie. That is for your future! However if your automobile needs a new transmission, this nest egg is there for you!

It just takes a lot of self-discipline and the desire to want to have financial independence. Just apply these simple techniques and you’ll be on your way!

How to Manage Your Money When Working Overseas

It’s a fact that employers look favourably on a resume that presents an independent, dynamic individual who has an open mind and has seen more of the world than their own back yard.

With this fact in mind a greater number of people are taking time away from their studies and careers nowadays and spending a period of time travelling or working overseas.

If you’re considering taking a similar path this article will help you get your head around managing your money when travelling, living or working abroad – once your finances are in order you can spend the whole of the rest of the time having fun, exploring the wider world and meeting many new faces!

Even if you’re planning a prolonged period of expatriation you should keep your local bank statement open. You can then manage money and expenses back home more easily if needs be, and maybe even send some of your overseas income back home to pay off student loans or to save up for a home buy one day in the future. Furthermore by keeping your statement open you’re keeping your credit history alive which is important if you ever plan to re-settle in your home country and maybe one day apply for a mortgage or credit card.

Next up you might like to think about opening an offshore or international bank account. Possibly your bank offers such statement services in which case everything just got even easier! HSBC for example offers domestic accounts all over the world and they also offer offshore accounts to expatriates and professionals living or working overseas for a period of time.

An offshore bank statement will grant you to access your money wherever in the world you’re located, you can have access to money from ATMs around the world, you can have instant access to your statement position online or over the phone and you can bank in multiple currencies. Furthermore you can easily transfer funds around the world and have one simple, central bank statement structure that grants you to manage all of your financial needs from one centralised location.

To reduce ATM and credit card fees think about opening an statement with one of the major financial institutions that have ATMs all over the world and who are recognised around the world. The benefits of going with one of the world’s leading financial institutions is that their credit cards are more universally accepted, they partner with many local banks around the world and customers enjoy lower or no charges at any of their ATMs which can be found all over the world. Always check out the charge structure on any statement though just to ensure there are no hidden fees.

As an expatriate you’re entitled to take full advantage of the offshore world and save money offshore thus enjoying superior interest rates, having access to more interesting financial products and benefiting from interest payable on savings and investments being made gross, i.e., before the deduction of tax. If you’re going to be earning more than you need to live on when working overseas you should think about taking full advantage of this fact and saving as much as you can while you can benefit from the offshore advantage. You will increase your savings power and give yourself a good financial begin over and above your peers back home.

Please note that you might still be liable for taxation on income derived from and interest attained on any offshore savings and investments and international taxation advice should be sought from a financial adviser or an accountant.

Retirement Savings Meltdown: 5 Things to Do NOW (Before Things Get Even Worse)

It’s a New Year, but few people are feeling optimistic in the wake of the global financial crisis. Americans have recently lost over $2 trillion in their retirement portfolios and $2 trillion in the value of their homes.

Baby Boomers are particularly affected by the economic meltdown. Since millions of Boomers are approaching retirement age, they have less time to resuscitate their dwindling bank accounts and achieve financial security.

Here are five things you can do right now to begin rebuilding your investments and weather these economic storms:

1. Revisit all the options offered in your 401(k) plan.

Re-balance your investment allocations so no one industry, sector, geography, company size, or type of investment amounts to more than 20% of your portfolio. (For example, you can divide up your money between a money market fund, bond fund, global massive cap fund, commodities fund, and an emerging markets fund.) Compare fund management fees carefully, and select exchange-traded funds (ETF’s) or mutual funds with low fees where acquirable — some charge only one-third what others do for the same service. Remember, these fees come off your annual return (or make losses in the market injured even more!).

Also, think three times about staying invested in your company’s own stock if it is offered in their 401(k) plan — remember, in no case keep more than 20% tied up in any one company’s stock. Finally, make sure you place in enough money in 2009 to get 100% of the matching funds offered by your employer (if any). If you are over 50, you should be eligible to make additional catch-up payments — take advantage of it.

2. Take extra precautions to measure your health.

Make time to improve your fitness and stress management or try yoga or meditation. Raise your awareness of what to do in the event of a stroke or heart attack (a fast response, including taking aspirin at the first sign of a doable stroke, can reduce any long-term harmful effects).

3. Get started on an accelerated debt reduction plan that also gives you a 10-year or less roadmap to financial security.

Whether you do it yourself, using widely acquirable budgeting or money management software, or invest in an automated debt repayment acceleration system such as the UFirst Financial Money Merge Account, make putting the power of compound interest to work for you a top priority this year. This system should be simple to update (at least monthly) and should give you a tiny flexibility, while showing the exact long-term cost in compound interest of your spending decisions.

4. Investigate and get a quote for long-term care insurance before you are shut out for health reasons.

Make an informed decision now about whether long-term care insurance makes sense in your situation. Then buy it as soon as it makes financial sense to do so, rather than inactivity for monthly premiums to increase.

5. Open a Roth IRA to hedge your bets against future higher taxes.

This form of IRA uses after-tax money to build it and gives you more options in how you take money from your retirement savings after your retirement. With both a regular IRA and a Roth IRA, you can select whether to withdraw either taxable or non-taxable income in a given year, or a mix of both, depending on the income and the tax rates you will grappling that year.

Finally, it’s important to have a stream of financial advice and resources you can trust from a source that acts as your advocate, with informed, unbiased perspectives and second opinions. While not always simple to find, the right sources can help you acquire confidence in the future, evaluate your investment options, assure continuing income, and take the needed steps to prepare for your future, without fear.

The Baby Boomers Retirement Club (BBRC) offers advice and resources that Baby Boomers need to stay afloat in the current economic crisis and in the challenging years ahead.

The Club provides a free, easy-to-use 10-step process everyone can use to clarify their priorities, develop confidence and create a sound action plan, regardless of the declining economy. The tools and calculators at www.mybbrc.com can help you develop an intelligent and workable roadmap and financial plan for your retirement years.

7 Online Banking Success Stories

You have seen their ads and you might have wondered if they are worth a second look. What am I speaking about? Online banks! Also known as world wide web banks, these are financial institutions who wage the majority of their banking services over the internet. Typically, online banks offer consumers high savings rates, low loan rates, and a mix of other services. Let’s look at 7 winners in this fast growing field:

1. E Trade Bank Part of E Trade Financial, the discount world wide web stockbroker. E Trade Bank offers checking accounts, money markets, and certificates of deposits as well as a VISA credit card.

2. Netbank Along with offering checking and money market accounts, Netbank provides mortgage and home equity lines of credit to customers. With tie-ins to affiliated companies Netbank also offers Auto, Homeowners, Condo/Co-op & Renters Insurance and Life, Health, Long Term Care & Dental Insurance.

3. Virtual Bank VirtualBank, a division of Lydian Private Bank, is a federally chartered bank regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervision. The bank offers checking, savings, and credit card services to customers.

4. Ever Bank This leading world wide web bourgeois of banking services offers the most extensive, and varied services of any online institution. Ever Bank offers business and individualized checking accounts, mortgages, home equity loans/lines of credit, reverse mortgages, a VISA credit card, and world currency accounts. This latter category is for investing in Deposit accounts and CDs denominated in any major world currency.

5. Emigrant Direct Part of Emigrant Savings Bank which traces its roots back to 1850 as a service bourgeois to Irish immigrants. Emigrant has $10 billion in assets and more than $1 billion in net worth. It operates as a full service bank through 36 branches in the New York metropolitan area, and through EmigrantDirect.com. Emigrant offers only consumer services online; their high paying savings statement is a chief investment vehicle.

6. ING Direct ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and quality management to over 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. ING offers mortgages, loans/lines of credit, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market mutual funds through another division.

7. MetLife Bank Yes, MetLife. A division of insurance powerhouse Metropolitan Life, MetLife Bank offers savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, mortgages, and IRAs to consumers.

If you are banking exclusively with a “brick and mortar” institution you might be missing out on high paying investment options or competitive loan rates that easily undercut many traditional banking entities. These online banking success stories are only part of a growing number of savvy providers, some of whom are definitely worth a closer look by you, the consumer.

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