Tired of figuring out how to budget your personal expenses? Do you have an established business, but are baffled by your company’s finances? If so, you’re not alone, and it isn’t necessarily because you aren’t smart enough or organized enough to keep on top of your personal and/or business finances. The truth is that many people just don’t know where to start when it comes to learning about personal and/or business finance management . That doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to doing everything the hard way, though!
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Tips 1: Understand What Type of Cash Flow Is Normal For Your Industry
Before you can manage your cash flow, you need to know what’s normal for your industry. Look at your competitors and figure out how they deal with profitability and cash flow. Look at competitors that are similar, but outside of your industry as well. Comparing how these companies handle their finances can help you figure out whether or not a high or low profit margin is typical in your field. What’s more, it will show you if some industries have higher margins than others. This is an important part of getting financial management right; in order to succeed, you need to know what level of success is considered average for a business like yours. Once you understand average levels, it will be easier for you set goals and track them over time.
Tips 2: Keep A Daily Journal
The key to learning how to start a business and keeping your money in order is learning how to manage personal finances. Your income, expenses, and investments will be easier to keep track of if you keep a daily journal that documents every dollar spent. Even better: don’t just log your expenses; log any potential profit opportunities as well. That way, you’ll have a clear picture of where your money is going, plus an idea of where it could be going instead.
Tips 3: Prioritize Investments
Start with your personal investments and work your way up. Begin by setting aside money for an emergency fund, says Helaine Olen, a personal finance expert and author of Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry. Then invest in yourself, she says. If you’re going back to school or considering making a career change, now’s a good time to do it — that is, if you can afford it.
Tips 4: Stay Away From Excess Credit Card Debt
While credit cards might be an easy way to finance your business, make sure you’re doing it in a responsible way. As much as you want to make a name for yourself or boost your sales, do not let credit card debt get out of control. If you do decide that credit is right for you, at least try to pay off your balance monthly so that you are not being charged any interest charges. Don’t forget about other financing options either: small business loans and crowdsourcing can help fuel your growth with manageable payments and terms. Just remember that managing your money doesn’t just mean avoiding interest — it also means keeping an eye on cash flow as well!
Tips 5: Diversify Assets
Having some savings in an FDIC-insured bank account is a good idea. But your cash shouldn’t be all in one place. Consider investments like stocks, bonds and mutual funds, even real estate and precious metals. These things have different returns at different times; you might make less money overall in down periods, but your money will be safer across a variety of assets. Diversification isn’t just important for wealth management purposes—it also can help you sleep better at night because it removes some risk from your personal finances.
Tips 6: Make A Budget And Stick To It
It’s hard to pay off your debt when you’re taking in more than you’re putting out. Creating a budget is a great first step towards being in control of your finances and getting out of debt. Make sure your expenses are less than your income, and set aside money for savings. If you see yourself falling behind, figure out ways to trim or eliminate some expenses until things balance again. It’s tempting to keep spending in order to satisfy immediate needs but doing so is only going to make it harder for you later on down the road. Make a budget that works for your situation, keep up with it, and stick with it!
Tips 7: Recognize Red Flags
Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s important to learn from them. If you notice any warning signs that your business is veering off track, take action immediately—before things go too far. Pay attention to how much time you’re spending on one aspect of your business as opposed to another, or compare goals with actual performance. What are your current liabilities? How can you change where your focus lies? Work together with a financial advisor for specific answers for your unique situation. Or seek advice from mentors who have gone through similar situations and succeeded. The sooner you address these issues, the more time and money you save in both short-term and long-term planning.
Tips 8: Get a Second Opinion
No matter how great a deal you think you’re getting, get a second opinion. The last thing you want is to make a purchase that’s bad for your business in the long run. Even if it’s not immediately apparent that an investment won’t pay off, there might be hidden costs or other problems down the road. This can cost time, money and could result in major headaches. Don’t let your eagerness over-rule common sense; always get another perspective from someone who can give unbiased feedback before making a decision about anything with your business finances or spending.
Tips 9: Don’t Spend What You Don’t Have
This can be as simple as cutting out any and all expenses that aren’t necessary in your life. Go through your budget and see what you can cut back on – a gym membership, lattes, cable television, etc. Saving just a little bit here and there will add up over time. Make sure to build some kind of emergency fund as well so that if something comes up (car problems or an unexpected medical bill), you’ll have some money available to pay for it.
Tips 10. Save Money In Every Way Possible
No matter how big or small your company is, you should be working every day to save money in any way possible. This means finding new sources of revenue, implementing financial controls and tracking spending so that you never overspend. A small investment of time could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars down the road. Every month that goes by with no cost cutting measures in place is a potential month where your business won’t be able to make payroll or pay its vendors on time. Most companies don’t realize how easy it is to save a few hundred dollars a week until they actually try it; but with an eye for savings, you can shave significant amounts off your bottom line each year.