We’re pretty sure that most of us will be having the “new year’s hangover” well into February. It’s that syndrome of sorts where you’re still writing your dates with the year that passed. So even as we start the year and reset our habits to using “2011” instead of “2010,” we bring you our pics of great personal finance reading that’ll surely inspire you to renew your commitment to financial sensibility.
We start our list with 5 Bad Money Habits You Should Try To Break. This article discusses some of the negative financial habits that we may not be aware of, that could be killing our finances. You may be guilty of some of these. One thing I realize is that we don’t always have strong will power when it comes to certain matters (even if we are sturdy about things in general). For instance, you could be strong about resisting crazy investment schemes but could be weak when it comes to saying “no” to the impulse buy. So try to avoid your areas of vulnerability, and see where you need to beef up your control.
Speaking of taking control of your finances, credit card spending is one area that you should be vigilant and disciplined about exercising. Here are 5 Signs That Your Credit Card Spending Is Out of Control. If some of the items here hold true for you, then maybe it’s time to start thinking about making steps to change your credit card usage habits.
On that note, here are 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying On Credit. Yes, credit gone bad is the cause of a lot of people’s financial woes. However, like fire, credit is amoral. It is not essentially made for evil; rather, it is a resource. One that could be put to good use if it’s wielded correctly; but on the other hand, one that could easily burn the one who wields it, if abused. Thus, treat this article as brake fluid in the engine of a Ferrari. It helps you understand exactly when you need to put the brakes on your credit card spending. Incidentally, here’s how you can build good credit and clean up bad credit.
If you’re the type who knows how to handle money, then maybe this article wouldn’t apply to you. But if you’re like a great majority of people who may be in a bit of debt, then How to Build Savings While Paying Off Debt may point you in the right direction. Most financial gurus, such as Dave Ramsey, a debt fighting guru, advocates doing one thing at a time: build an emergency fund first, then pay debt next, then build a bigger emergency stash, etc. However, maybe, just maybe, it won’t hurt to try and kill two birds with one stone. After all, while you’d love to be able to build your buffer fund faster, your creditors are still going to come and collect. So, if you want to know how to do these two things at the same time, this article can give you some ideas.
And after all is said and done, when you’re done paying debt, the most logical step is either to give more or to invest more. So here we bring you a personal finance soul-searching question: Are You Ready To Invest In The Stock Market? When you have an extra windfall, you’ll want to see it put to good use.
Let’s end our picks with an interesting read: 21 Best Money Blogs of 2010 | The Scientific Results. It’s self explanatory, but with so many blogs and sites out there in the financial space, it helps to know who may be worthy of your attention. As they say, thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits and habits can lead you to your destiny. So learn about how to improve your financial strategies, take action and develop great habits, and see yourself move out of debt and into the financial fast lane!
Here’s to a better financial outlook for all of us in 2011!
And for a couple of awesome Carnival of Personal Finance links, please check:
Plus there’s more from the Carnival of Personal Finance page.