A carpenter uses a set of house plans to build a house. If he didn’t the bathroom might get overlooked altogether.

Rocket Scientists would never begin construction on a new booster rocket without a detailed set of design specifications. Yet most of us go blindly out into the world without an inkling of an idea about finances and without any plan at all.

Not very smart of us, is it?

A money plan is called a budget and it is crucial to get us to our desired financial goals.

Without a plan we will drift without direction and end up marooned on a distant financial reef.

If you have a spouse or a significant other, you should make this budget together. Sit down and figure out what your joint financial goals are…long term and short term.

Then plan your route to get to those goals. Every journey begins with one step and the first step to attaining your goals is to make a realistic budget that both of you can live with.

A budget should never be a financial starvation diet. That won’t work for the long haul. Make reasonable allocations for food, clothing, shelter, utilities and insurance and set aside a reasonable amount for entertainment and the occasional luxury item. Savings should always come first before any spending.

Even a small amount saved will help you reach your long term and short term financial goals. You can find many budget forms on the internet. Just use any search engine you choose and type in “free budget forms”.

You’ll get lots of hits. Print one out and work on it with your spouse or significant other. Both of you will need to be happy with the final result and feel like it’s something you can stick to.
Like this article? The Budget – The Ultimate Financial Management Tool

How Can Credit Score System Works for your Financial Needs?


It is natural for us to resort to credit when we are in great financial need, yet we are running out of cash. Instead of pawning our precious assets in exchange for the amount that we need (which is commonly minus the applied interest), we can apply for different types of loans with convenient terms of payments and affordable interest rates. In addition, there are also instances when the lender provides rebates and other forms of financial incentives to their clients, thus making credit an advantageous alternative when you are in great financial need.

However, there are individuals who do not understand the limitations that must be followed when resorting to credit. Since credit allows them to make purchases in the absence of cash, they tend to spend more than what they can afford to pay later on, thus resulting to piles of debt at the end of the billing period. Though credit limit is strictly enforced, there are individuals who manage to slip away from their credit limits, thus they are acquiring more debts until the time comes that they cannot repay such debts anymore.

It is important that you are aware of your limitations when you avail of credit when making purchases or payments, especially with regards to their credit score system. There are many individuals who are practically ignorant of what credit score system is. As a matter of fact, they do not even know what credit score is and how it works. The credit score system has already been in effect for quite some time now, and many lenders use this as one of the basis to determine whether your loan application is accepted or rejected.

How can credit score system works for your financial needs? To start with, let us define first what credit score is, and understand the system itself as a whole. Keep in mind that it is a vital report that you must be aware of—that is, if you want to have your loan application to be accepted.

Credit score is a statistical manner of assessing the credit worthiness of a borrower. It possesses every inch of information about your credit experiences—your loan paying history, the accounts that you own, the age of each accounts, late payments that you have made prior to your latest loan application (if there is any), and existing outstanding debts that you failed to pay (if there is any).

The credit score system works through a statistical method which is used to make comparison of your credit profile with other borrowers with similar profiles. Points would be awarded for every factor that manifests debt repayment. These points will be summed up, and it will tell how likely you will be able to make the payments when it is on due. This will now be your credit score—a three digit number.

Each time you will borrow or use credit for purchases or payments, you will get a credit score which shows how you managed your past credits. Lenders rely on credit scoring system that gives grades to your credit performance. For instance, once you have an excellent credit performance on your previous loans, you will be able to attain a credit score of 600 or above. In case your credit rating is ranging from 500 to 535, expect that you will experience difficulties of securing loans with affordable interest payments.

Your score is recorded in your credit report, which is managed by credit reporting agencies such as Equifax and Trans Union. Your credit report is divided into four major sections, which is the following:

• Personal history;
• Identifying information;
• Inquiries; and
• Public records.

A good credit score needs continuous hard work. Thus, it is important that you understand what you are dealing with to avoid complications later on. Keep in mind that it is your limitation in terms of using credit—and you are bounded to stick with it. Or else, suffer the adverse consequences.

Like this article? How Can Credit Score System Works for your Financial Needs?