Guide to Personal Finance

The Guide to Personal finance throws light on the personal financial planning. It weaves in the principles of finance in the monetary decisions of different individuals or family units. It includes concepts like financial planning, spending and credit management, income and asset protection, income and money management, so on and so forth.

The guide to personal finance basically shows the path in which a family can formulate their budget. It also helps them to optimize savings and spending taking into consideration future financial risks.

The guide to personal finance shows how personal financial planning is accomplished.

Assessment: The personal financial status of an individual can be assessed by maintaining financial balance sheets and income statements. A personal balance sheet shows the personal assets and liabilities. The cash flow statement shows the personal income on one side and expenses on the other.

Setting Goals: One should set both long and short-term goals in any financial planning.

Formulating a Plan: After the goal is set one should formulate an appropriate plan to accomplish this goal.

Monitoring and Re-adjustment: The personal financial plans should be checked from time to time and necessary adjustments should be made.

The guide to personal finance highlights the following issues in personal finance:

Budgeting: One should keep an account of the income and expected expenditures to meet the different financial goals. For this budgeting is required to make use of every cent spent.

Banking: Money sitting idle would not earn any interest. Again one should avail the various lucrative savings options of banks. For all these purposes banking is required.

Investment Planning: For money to grow and protect it from the rising inflation, the best way out is to invest. The rate of investment should exceed the rate of inflation in order to benefit. Investment must be done early, at regular intervals and both for the long and short terms.

Retirement Planning: This process determines the amount of money that will be required at the time of retirement.

Credit and Debt: One should try to get out of bad debts and save. He should also keep track of his credit report.

Insurance: Death of any earning member in the family gives a severe financial jolt to the family as a whole. Such risks can be hedged by opting for a life insurance policy. Not only is the life of humans subject to accidents but commodities like cars, houses as well, they can also be insured to avoid any risk of their accidental destruction. This is another way of managing personal finances.

Mortgage and other loans: Property mortgage and other loans can be taken to pay back debts.

Tax: It is very important to plan taxes at the beginning of the current year rather than be burdened by the investment load. By investing in mutual funds one can save taxes.

Estate planning: Investing in real estate can also be very much beneficial.

The guide to personal finance also informs us about the host of financial services provided by banks and other financial institutions.