Basically, personal finances can be divided into two broad categories, namely wealth management and household budgeting. As we all are aware about the importance of personal finances in our daily life, below are eight “MUST but DON’T” quotes related to basic personal finances to make it become effective tool in achieving our whole worth life.

Borrowing the term introduced by well known person Stephen F. Covey, I call it “8^th habit on implementing Personal Finances in Daily Life”.

Good personal finances shall consist of following actions :

1. MUST set up definite personal finances goals, but DON’T be unrealistic

Freely defined, personal finances is the way to create well organized financial actions, and to implement such actions, we need some blue print or map. The first thing to do is determining financial goals as a grand platform of all action. Budgeting deals with regular income and expenses, meanwhile wealth management deals with creating assets to financially secure ourselves. We must set our own realistic goals anyway, otherwise the platform will be useless just because too far to be reached out.

2. MUST establish certain timelines, but DON’T be too rigid

Once some future goals already set, for example: having standard house, plan some amount of cash / savings, do some investment, retirement planning, and so on, next step is determine certain timeline of each goal. The sentences may become: having $ 30,000 standard house within 5 years, save for extra fund every month with certain target amount $ 5,000 within 3 years, will make some initial investment in bond / stock amounted $ 4,000 starting from next 8 years, calculate expected fund on hand at pension age (55 years old). With this timelines, we will exactly know what action to do. But, as the future is uncertain including our financial situation, we cannot too rigid stick on that timelines. Periodic review is necessary to re-setting those goals related to future real financial situation.

3. MUST arrange positive monthly household budget, but DON’T be self-imposed

Positive result of monthly household budget is a must condition, means our monthly revenue should exceed our monthly expenses. Its important to list up all current revenues and expenses as a part of personal finances, to have clear financial picture. Once the figure is negative, try to arrange less planned spending. If after arrangement the figure still negative, means we have to create additional revenue, from whatever reasonable way. However, we have to wisely arrange our monthly budget. For instance, too much stressing for unreasonable target of saving amount will lead us to unhappy life to do, and at the worst bring us to stressful life. Be reasonable, life is not only for money.

4. MUST be serious, but DON’T be ambitious

Yes, we have to plan and do it seriously, but use our passion, not our ambition. Make personal finances become some enjoyable process, instead of focusing to ambition. Once again, life is not merely money, don’t be getting trapped.

5. MUST have some investment, but DON’T become a speculator

Investment is important. Please allocate the highest portion in liquid cash/savings which has the lowest risk, after that we can think about investment in house, gold, bonds, mutual funds, stocks, forex. Don’t become a speculator, just put the smallest portion in assets with the highest risk.

6. MUST have a credit card, but DON’T lost control

Credit card is important as a tool of payment, but don’t consider it as loan facility, otherwise we will suffer in debt trap. Make sure we can allocate some significant amount to pay our credit card bill at the end of the month.

7. MUST take some loan facility, but DON’T create bad credit record

If we are worker, quite impossible to buy house by cash, so take loan facility to buy it. Take other loan to buy vehicle. In case we have established certain prospective business, get loan to make it grow faster. But before we take some loan, carefully calculate our capability, since we have to avoid bad credit record. Reputation is important to maintain trust from our society.

8. MUST have life and health insurance, but DON’T forget to keep us fit

Health insurance is important to protect our wealth from elimination caused by unexpected occurrence (hospitalization, medical surgery, etc), and life insurance is quite important for person with dependence (wife, children). We cannot expect our destiny, so we have to secure ourselves and the ones who we love. Anyway, don’t forget to maintain our fitness with regular enjoyable sport.

Life is valuable thing, and personal finances is important pillar to make it enjoy. So, just enjoy our valuable life with good personal finances planning.

Tags: Household budget, Personal Finance Management

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