The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

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5 Tips for Managing Home Finances the Smart Way

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Managing your home finances can be exhausting and a cause for constant concern. Learning how to manage your home finances smartly will decrease stress and allow you to avoid living paycheck-to-paycheck and build wealth over time. Here are five tips you can act on today to improve your personal finances.

1. Change the way you budget.

People often dislike budgets because they see them as being too restrictive. However, if you change your budget and how you think about your budget you’ll see a change in how you manage your finances. Create a new budget, starting with your bills and then adding your spending. Your bills are your set monthly expenses, while your spending is the variable expenses that you have more control over, such as food and entertainment. Open a separate bank account for your bills so that you can set them up on autopay.

2. Get smart to reduce expenses.

Smart home devices present an upfront investment but can save you money and frustration regarding your utilities. Smart home devices can allow you to remotely control the temperature of your home, as well as the lights and other electronics, so you can make sure everything is off when you aren’t home. You can control the temperature to ensure you are not wasting money when no one is there.

3. Focus on quality over savings.

When buying larger items such as electronics, cars, or furniture, people tend to look for lower prices or the best deals to reduce their spending. However, when the quality is equally low, the item will need to be replaced faster, which means you’ll be spending considerably more in the long-term. Choosing products for their quality will ensure they last longer, and you can get more out of them, making them a better overall value. For example, when you buy a car, you want to do your own due diligence to make sure you are getting the reliability, safety features, dependability, horsepower, and total price that you need for a reasonable price. Regardless of your budget, some cars will match your needs, while others simply won’t have the great fuel economy that will help you save on gas expenses. When you’re thinking about whether you want a Toyota or a Honda, keep in mind that insurance quotes will differ for various vehicles. Do your due diligence about insurance quotes so that you don’t save on great fuel economy but spend more on monthly auto insurance payments.

Lexus, Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, Mazda, Honda, and BMW all offer reliable, high-quality vehicles to choose from. You can look up consumer reports on each automaker to learn more about their records. Loans.com has compiled a list of reliable cars in 2020 to help get you started on your research for a new car.

4. Protect your belongings.

Protecting your belongings with adequate insurance coverage is critical to managing your home finances the smart way. If you experience a fire, natural disaster, or car accident, you can be devastated financially without the right insurance in place. Go to BuyAutoInsurance.com to give your personal information and get a quote for car insurance. Your insurance company will provide you with how much coverage you should have based on your vehicle’s value, driving record, and driver age to determine your monthly premium.

While you want to shop auto insurers to get the best price, you also want to choose a car insurance company known for being auto insurance experts. Insurance rates can change based on many factors, but the insurance company’s quality and customer service will not, so make sure you look into all the aspects of the insurance provider and make the best choice for you.

5. Invest in your future.

You may not think of investing as part of managing your household finances. However, your income and overall wealth directly impact your household budget. Working to increase your wealth over time is a smart strategy for personal finances. Yieldstreet is an alternative investment company that focuses on real estate and investment opportunities beyond the stock market. The Yieldstreet platform is easy to use, and yieldstreet investors have found great success with this investment type.

When investing, you want to look at the best companies for alternative investments and real estate. Check to see the minimum investment and the management fee, so you know exactly what you are going into. Yieldstreet offers a free online resource for investment information, so take advantage of that, and learn as much as you can about their investment platform and others to help you can make an educated decision about which alternative investment opportunities are the best choice for you.

By reading an online Yieldstreet review, you can learn how other investors could build wealth and increase their net worth utilizing their Yieldstreet account. It is never too early to start investing. Even if you have to start small, you’ll be making smart moves for your financial future and managing your household finances.

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