Dos and donts of personal finance

Every single one of usno matter our location, age, gender, hair color, family background or racehas to manage our personal finances.

For some, it’s an exciting passion, a never-ending game of “how much can I accumulate in one lifetime”.

For others, it’s just part of life, something that needs to be dealt with but doesn’t border on obsession.

And finally, for many of us, personal finance is nothing but drudgery at best and an emotional trigger at worst.

Fortunately, there are a few simple rules that will help anyone stay on track, and reduce the amount of stress involved when it comes to making sure personal finances are well in order.

DO get organized. Even if you’re a “messy”, this Do is crucial. You’ll miss important due dates, pay exorbitant late fees and possibly get into serious debt (or credit trouble) if you don’t have a handle on what you owe and when you owe it. A simple rule of thumb: the messier you are, the simpler your system.

DO draw up a spending plan. Every dollar that comes into your household goes out in one way, shape or form, even if it’s to a savings account. Know where your money’s coming in and where it’s going. Without this information, you can’t possibly make wise financial choices.

Overwhelmed by the thought? Ask a financially responsible friend or relative (whom you trust) to do it for you. You can’t argue with successand they can help you make the hard decisions when it comes to having to “trim” spending in certain areas.

DON’T cut out all your fun. Decide, along with your family, what’s most important to you in terms of living a happy life. Then divide up your budget accordingly. If your family really enjoys eating out, plan for it. Just keep in mind you may have to spend a lot less on groceries or clothing. If none of us are the same then our spending plans shouldn’t be the same. If you love to read then cutting back on cable TV wouldn’t be a problem. If you love to watch sports, then cutting back on cable TV would be a serious problem.

DO allow impulse spending. Yup, you read it correctly. Unless you plan for a certain amount of miscellaneous, unexpected expenses in your spending plan, you’ll always feel as though you’re blowing your budget when you pick up items you weren’t planning to buy. Just like anything else, give yourself a “buffer”. A side benefit: you get to skip the guilt when you pick up that neat velour Elvis on the boardwalk.

DON’T use your local bank unless