Better Ways to Manage Your Finances
If you have ever lost sleep at night over money, you know that getting your finances under control is crucial. Learning to deal with your money in an effective way is not as hard as you might think. Here are some excellent ways to keep an eye on your personal finances.
Maximizing Your 401k
If your employer offers a match to your 401K, make sure you’re contributing at least the amount they match. When an employer offers to match your funds, they are essentially giving you free money. The money you contribute will help you reach retirement goals and is tax free. It’s a win-win situation, all around.
If your employer matches your 401k contributions, maximize your contributions to take advantage of the “free” money for retirement. Besides that, you do not pay taxes on the money you contribute to your retirement plan until after you start drawing it as income, so you are actually reducing your tax load in the short term by investing more for later.
Many companies offer a matching program if you put money into a 401k. This is an excellent way to save money, and also gain some extra for the future. It is best to take free money whenever you can get it, and this is one of the best ways of doing that.
Do not borrow from your 401K. Consider this the same as robbing yourself, because you are taking valuable money from your retirement account. While you are using the funds for something else, they cannot be in the market gaining interest. In addition, you are likely to pay high fees and taxes.
If you work for a company that offers a 401k, contribute to it on a regular basis. Have a percentage of your paycheck drawn out every month (usually around 4-6%) and put into this account. Most companies are willing to match what you put into the account up to a certain percentage.
If you work a full time job, make sure that you are setting money aside each pay period towards your retirement fund. This will be extremely important later on in life after you have put in your last hours of work. Ascertain that money is being wired into your 401k, each paycheck for a stable future.
Social Security, which is an earned benefit (you pay into it), is now being tarred as an “entitlement,” just to give you a clue about what’s to come. Prepare for the worst and assume that psychopathic politicians will steal your Social Security. If your job offers a 401k, max it out. Also read If you are lucky enough to have it as an option consider increasing your contributions, or starting an IRA or 401k. Many employers will even match however match you put in at three or four percent, so it’s like free money.
Having a system in place for dealing with your money is an essential part of adult life. Use these tips as a foundation for a good personal finance system and you’ll be able to handle your personal finances better than ever. Best of all, you’ll be able to sleep better too.
For other ways to improve your finances, read The Art of Saving Money on Gas.