Achieving Financial Security
You graduated from college and started your career. However, the field you chose is not providing you with the financial security you imagine. This is a scenario that plays out all too often in the world today. The good news is that it’s never too late to pursue your goals of achieving a comfortable lifestyle by making some changes.
Earn More Money
Many people find themselves switching career paths after college. If you fall into this category, there are opportunities available for a fresh start by taking a different path. If you have a degree in computer science and now wish to earn a degree in law, you can use the skills acquired to bring in income while taking classes online. Once you finish the required undergrad classes, it’s time to get into law school. It takes work, but you can take an LSAT practice test to see what areas you need to work on prior to the actual test.
Importance of Budgeting
In order to achieve a sound financial future, you need to manage money responsibly. Creating and sticking to a budget will benefit you immensely. Write down your debt and then deduct it from your net income. A budget reveals your spending habits and the areas of weakness. It also lets you allocate money for things such as purchasing a home, establishing savings and saving for a vacation and your retirement.
Practicing Good Money Management
It’s easy to get into debt. You buy a home, a new car, and run up thousands of dollars on credit cards on frivolous purchases. When you have too much debt the money you earn goes straight towards making the required monthly payments. Instead, respect your money and learn to save for large ticket items. For instance, you want a new car. Instead of buying one and financing it in its entirety, save up several thousand and buy one off a two-year lease. The combination of contributed savings and a less than new model will make the monthly payment affordable without reducing your quality of life.
Paying Down Debt
Debt is only good in small amounts. Once you get in over your head, your credit score starts on a downward spiral. You also put yourself at risk for making a few late payments which will also lower your credit score and end up costing you more money in added fees and interest. Consolidating your debt into one lower monthly payment will free up monies allowing you to live and make it easy to keep up with the payments helping to increase your credit score.
Why Your Credit Score Matters
Life happens and in many cases not at an opportune time. If you have a major home or auto repair and you have good credit, securing the funds at the lowest interest rate is easy. However, if you have a poor credit score, finding a sizable loan from a lender with a decent interest rate is not likely.
How to Raise Your Credit Score
Your credit score is determined by several factors including your length of existing credit, payment history, debt-to-income ratio, and inquiries into acquiring new credit. While they all play a part in the final number, paying down your debt and making payments on time will help boost your score the most. However, this is not a process that happens overnight. It will take several months to see an improvement and more than a year to get the number up to where you need it.
Think About Each Purchase
Whether it’s a coffee on the way to the office or a new gaming system, you should weigh the pros and cons of each item prior to purchase. Thinking it through will help you learn to say no to wasteful spending and allow you to keep debt down and your bank account healthy.
