Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bob Proctor's '6 Minutes To Success' Program - Becoming More Savvy With Your Financial Goals

For over 40 years, Bob Proctor has focused his work and teachings on helping people use the power of their mind to achieve lives of prosperity, rewarding relationships and spiritual awareness. In his new program "6 Minutes To Success", he provides a daily dose of inspiration and positive affirmations to help you achieve your life's goals. Here are a few useful snippets from his lessons on achieving your financial goals:

Keeping track of your personal finances can be a confusing and arduous process. By taking preemptive action and keeping track of every tiny thing that goes on in your finances you can save yourself a lot of trouble down the road. With newer tools such as online banking you can streamline this process pretty easily, but you still need to be aware of where exactly your money is going.

Resist buying something just because it is on sale if what is on sale is not something that you need. Buying something that you do not really need is a waste of money, no matter how much of a discount you are able to get. So, try to resist the temptation of a big sales sign.

If you rent your home, make sure you get renters insurance to cover you in case of a loss, such as fire, wind damage and theft. Renters insurance is extremely inexpensive. If there is a natural disaster, the owner of your home is covered for their loss of property but you are not covered unless you have your own policy.

Take a second look at dealer financing with a very low APR. While it may seem like a good idea to save on interest charges, the term of these loans is often a very short 36 months. This means the payment will be very high. If you lose your job or encounter financial difficulties, this increases the chance that the car will be repossessed.

A good personal finance tip - that can help you save money - is to purchase groceries, so that you can cook more meals at home. Eating out can get expensive, especially when you do it a lot. Cooking meals at home, instead of eating out, can save you a ton of money!

If your employer matches your 401k contributions, maximize your contributions to take advantage of this "free" retirement money. You do not pay taxes on the money you contribute until after you start drawing it as income, so you are actually reducing your tax load in the short term by investing more for the long term.

Many people think that unreasonable fees and minimum balances are a normal part of banking, but that is not the case. Most banks actually offer free checking accounts, and some offer accounts that become free if you use a debit card regularly or sign up for direct deposits. Avoiding those pesky fees will help you save money.

If you want to cut down on your hot water bill, consider using cold or warm water when doing your laundry. Cold water uses less energy than hot water which will save you money in the long run. Only use hot water when you have to.

Get a better checking account. Many people stick with the checking account that they've had for years, even though that account is charging them hefty monthly fees. Find out what fees you are being charged at your current bank and make an effort to find a checking account that charges you less, so that you can keep more of your own money.

If you are lucky enough to have it as an option consider increasing your contributions, or starting an IRA or 401k. Many employers will even match however match you put in at three or four percent, so it's like free money.

Fishing, believe it or not, can be a way for you to supplement your personal finance. You can eat the fish that you catch and save yourself from having to buy food. You can also sell the extra fish from your catch or even trade it for other things.

Car maintenance is essential in keeping your costs low during the year. Make sure that you keep your tires inflated at all times to maintain the proper control. Running a car on flat tires can increase your chance for an accident, putting you at high risk for losing a lot of money.

Repairing your credit can lead to paying less money in interest. A lower credit score means higher interest rate on your credit cards and other loans, which means you end up paying more in finance charges and interest. Repair your score and drop these rates in order to save more money.

To get the best deal when purchasing a car, get a gently used model instead of buying new. A new car depreciates in value the second you drive it off the dealership's lot, so purchasing a model that has seen even a little use can save you big bucks on a car loan.

Shop the dollar stores. You can often buy the same products in dollar stores for a fraction of the price you would pay in bigger department stores. Whether you are buying toothbrushes, over-the-counter medicines, cosmetics or any one of hundreds of other products there are big savings to be had in dollar stores.

Get out of debt by concentrating the bulk of your monthly credit card payments only on those cards that you are paying interest on. If you happen to have cards that are interest-free, simply pay the monthly minimum. Focus your finances on clearing out the cards that are regularly contributing to your overall debt levels.

If you are currently paying for your checking account, it's time to find a new one. Banks compete for your business, and so many offer free checking with amenities and services similar to those you used to have to pay for. Shop around and find one that won't charge you on a monthly basis.

A great personal finance tip that can help you save money is to be mindful of how much water you're using in your household. Water can add up, especially if you're using it carelessly. Make sure you fix any leaky faucets so that you aren't wasting any water.

Use these tips as guidelines for keeping your finances running smoothly. Once you have your finances worked out, you can breathe more easily and begin to truly enjoy life. Make sure that your financial life is worked out and you can make the most of the days yet to come.

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