What is
most important aspect of getting your finances in order? In past articles I've written about how important discipline, organization and sacrifice are to solving your money problems, but this all comes later.For years I would write my bills down, figure my income and subtract bills from my paycheck to see what was left. It was a real good start but by payday it was either forgotten or something would happen to mess it up.
It finally dawned on me that way I was going about this wasn't going to work. I needed a different plan. Something that would make me understand problem and help me come up with a solution.
What I came up with was a little surprising, at least to me. I had been trying to solve my problems without being willing to make some major changes that needed to be made. I really wasn't serious about fixing problem.
After several years of counseling a lot of people about their finances, I've come to conclusion that this is what keeps many people from overcoming their financial woes. There are exceptions of course. In some cases there isn't much that can be done short of bankruptcy.
Before you sit down and try to develop a budget or decide what your future plans are, you need to decide if you are willing to follow it through to end. If you aren't, you will be just spinning your wheels. Here are few questions you need to ask yourself:
~~Are you willing to do without joys of what those credit cards can buy? ~~Are you willing to have your family sacrifice as much as you do? ~~Can you make hard decisions that will be necessary?
Remember, this is only first step, however, this is absolutely most important. If you can't cross this hurdle then going to next step is futile.
On brighter site, if you are determined to get your finances in order, rest is relatively simple. You first have to decide what it is that you want. Set your long and short term goals. Do you want to retire early, buy a house, send kids to college? Will you need a new car in near future? This will take money and it is absolutely necessary that you start saving as early as possible for these goals.
