Friday, August 31, 2012

Biggest Money Mistakes - Personal Finance Basics

People make mistakes all of the time when dealing with personal finances basics. Some of the most wealth people in the world make mistakes, people in the middle class make mistakes and the poor make money mistakes. It is an almost unavoidable issue. The more poor you are, the more those mistakes can hurt you. What are some of the money mistakes people make? Let's learn more why this happens.
1. Neglecting Your Credit Scores
Credit scores or ratings are more pertinent today than ever, especially today with all kinds of people defaulting on their debts. Money lenders are incredibly cautious about to whom they will lend money.
Banks often look for low-risk customers. If you have a great credit score of 750 or above, banks will do almost anything for your business. A good credit score also means that they will give your excellent rates on mortgages, vehicle loans, personal loans and credit cards. Insurance brokers and possible landlords often times use credit ratings to determine potential applicants, for this reason it is crucial to maintain your credit.
Do you know your credit? There are many resources that can give you an idea of where you stand.They will help with your personal finances basics.
2. Carrying Credit Card Debt
If you carry a balance on your credit card you will end up paying ridiculous interest rates but you may also be affecting your chances to get a mortgage or some other type of loan , plus you are lowering your credit rating. If you hope to fix your personal finances you must eliminate any or all credit card debt. If you need help in eliminating your credit card debt get it.. Leverage is important for you if you want to get a loan and you need to have good credit. The more quickly you eliminate your credit cards the less likely you will ruin your rating.
3. Too Much Home or Auto Debt
In an ideal world you should never exceed thirty percent of your gross income when it comes to how much you are paying for your mortgage. On that same train of thought, how much you pay in transportation expenses should never be greater than 10% of your income (that includes insurance, fuel and repairs). If you are paying more in one or both of those categories, you are likely paying too much with regards to home or auto debt.
What should you do? You may need to rethink your living arrangements. If you are unable to afford a home or apartment that has a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, you can't afford the house. If you are unable to pay the sixty month loan for a vehicle, you should be driving that car. These are easy personal finance basics you must know.
4. You Tapped Into Your Emergency Fund or You Don't Have an Emergency Fund.
The importance of having cash in hand has become increasingly valuable with each passing day. You should have an emergency fund. It can assist with paying for unexpected expenses such as car maintenance and it will even cover your bills if you lose your job. Most people aim to create an amount that will cover 3 months living expenses. If you have a family that fund should cover six months. Clearly the more, the better. If you don't have an emergency fund, it's time to start making one. A way to get started is to have a goal of creating an amount of ,000 and then increase it to more.
Making mistakes with your finances is often inevitable. The less often you make those mistakes the better off you will be. If you are able to avoid these four crucial mistakes, you will start to enjoy the financial freedom you desire. Trying to live within your means, keeping on top of your debts and your credit are the personal finance basics you must take care of. If you start to set goals and tackle one of these things each month you will be rewarded financially more quickly then you think.

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