7 Top Financial Tips to Handle Your Finances Better

  • Updated on: 10 Apr 2023
  • Published on: 11 Dec 2019
7 Top Financial Tips to Handle Your Finances Better

Financial management is crucial in helping you tackle uncertainties. Becoming financially disciplined is a gradual process that requires efficient planning. It’s a new year and time for some new resolutions. Taking new resolutions is as important as planning your finances. In fact, it should be one of your resolutions.

As the saying goes, the sooner you learn how to manage money, the better you become at handling finances and building wealth. Having a solid grip on your finances is the best way to take advantage of new opportunities and handle unexpected emergencies. 

So, if you are looking to enjoy your finances better, here are a few crucial tips for personal finance to help you prepare for unexpected situations. These personal finance tips can inculcate financial discipline and help you accomplish your goals in 2023 and fore coming years.

Establish your financial goals

The first step towards financial planning is to determine your goals. It is essential to understand your personal finance goals and be clear about them. List out your major expenditures such as house purchase, wedding, children’s education, etc. and prioritise these goals. 

Follow the golden financial tip of not letting your expenses exceed the total income you receive and make sure to track your spends as well. Then, make a list of what you are saving for and prioritise accordingly. If you have already started saving, map your progress and start investing to build your wealth efficiently. 

If you face a sudden dip, analyse the reasons and learn to combat them. While this doesn’t mean that you re-establish your financial goals, you may have to get better at budgeting. Always plan specific, measurable, realistic and time-bound goals so that it becomes easy to achieve them.

Plan your retirement funds

It is important to work towards building retirement funds in advance. For specific retirement goals, you may have to increase your savings and investment and let the interest generate more earnings for you. However, certain factors can restrict your ability to save or accumulate enough retirement funds. For instance, the total amount you can save depends on the age at which you begin making contributions and the type of retirement account you have. 

Setting aside even a tiny sum regularly can help build a substantial amount gradually, which is a cushion in emergencies such as job losses, medical emergencies and many more. This is one of the most important tips on finance you need to consider for good financial health.

Pay off credit card debts

Being overly dependent on credit can harm your financial wellness. Using credit cards judiciously should be the goal in your journey towards financial growth. This is because it can be easy to lose track of the money you spend while swiping the card. Follow the magical 30-day rule that asks you to wait a month before spending on luxurious items. 

To clear your dues with ease, follow these four pointers:

  • Check your credit card bill outstanding regularly
  • Minimise your debt burden by using cash wherever possible
  • Review prevailing interest rates
  • Strategise a prudent debt management strategy after analysing all the factors

To come up with the best route to clearing your dues, consider the opportunity cost. If there are ways to reduce your interest outgo with debt consolidation instruments, you should consider them. For instance, by availing an instant cash loan from Fibe, you can borrow up to ₹5 lacs at interest rates as low as ₹9/day. The instant loan option from Fibe is significantly cheaper than the cost of credit card debt.

Prepare for taxes early

Tax planning is an important financial advice one should follow to secure sound financial health. Not only does it minimise tax liabilities, but it can also help you plan your investments in a better way. Gathering tax receipts, determining reductions, income proof and tax consultation to avoid the last-minute tax preparation hustle can help you get an earlier refund. 

This also gives you ample time to discuss any discrepancies with the authorities before it becomes too late. You can optimise your tax efficiency by making the most of allowable deductions for contributions to retirement savings before the financial year ends.

Invest in a diversified portfolio

‘Not keeping all your eggs in a single basket’, is a crucial piece of financial advice to consider. With investment instruments such as equity markets, mutual funds, fixed deposits, annuities, real estate, etc., flooding the market, you can invest your corpus in a scheme that best aligns with your financial goals. However, consistency plays a key role in this. 

Being consistent and careful with your investments can help you accumulate wealth easily. However, remember that as you near retirement, the weight of equity investments can change. It is vital to have thorough knowledge before investing in market-linked plans. Choose the best investment option to grow your funds securely and reliably.

Secure your and your loved ones’ health

Sound financial advice from experts and wealth planners may lead you to pick options such as health and term insurance. Comprehensive coverage not only protects you against unexpected risks but also covers your medical treatment costs. While you can enjoy tax benefits, the comprehensive coverage safeguards your wealth from a significant dip in times of crisis. 

This is a strategic approach towards becoming financially disciplined. However, analyse the term and health insurance plans thoroughly to understand their features before investing in a specific plan.

Create a financial safety net

It is important to build an emergency fund to help you sail through challenging financial situations. The easiest way is to create realistic short-term saving goals and contribute on a monthly basis. Ideally, you should divert these funds into a separate account. As you slowly progress, these emergency funds can come in handy to help you achieve your financial goals. 

You can get financial advice from many sources, and it helps to consider all options, while also seeking expert guidance. Assess what’s best for you and allocate money in a way that allows you to enjoy value. It is important to not just buy into the conventional wisdom but also take the time to think about your financial situation. Re-evaluate your financial goals every year and make sure that your financial aspirations do not slip through the cracks.

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