Take Control of Your Household Finances

By Gary Lim

Maintaining a regular assessment of your family finances is essential to the family's financial welfare. Here are some guidelines to control your household finances.

Use of Credit Cards

If you have a credit card, use it, but don't forget to pay the entire sum, not the minimum amount, at the end of the month. Use your credit card wisely.

Rule of Thumb

If the total household expenses is higher than 33% of your household income, it's time to cut down on expenses. Below are useful tips to cut down your household expenses.

1. Cleaning of air-conditioners should be done regularly.

2. When you do the laundry, do it full load.

3. Place thimbles on your taps

Assign Book Keeping Duties to Your Children

If you have kids, share them a simple task in book keeping, like data-entry. This will make them understand basic financial principles. Moreover, it will also give them a sense of responsibility and promotes good financial practice.

Keep a File of Your Financial Statements

List down your finances. Have a notebook or a ledger. If you have a computer, put everything into a spreadsheet. You don't even have to pay up cash for a spreadsheet.

Here are some tips in organizing your financial statements.

1. To save time from entering data, get soft copies of bills and statements, if possible.

2. Back-up all your files, save them into CD-R or thumb drive. Then keep them in a secure place.

Financial Planning

If there is only one in the household is working, and there is not much sources of income, consider an insurance plan for the breadwinner. This will help you from financial problems when the breadwinner become disabled

Make It a Routine

When you are not doing your task, it piles up. Give at least half an hour each week to analyze your finances. - 23200

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