Everyone is curious about how to make their money work for them, but there are many theories on the subject. In an attempt to figure out what “works” and what “doesn’t,” we created a list of some of the most popular personal finance tips.

Here are our findings, ranging from list of Australian Forex brokers to things that are going to influence your financial goals: 

Pay off high-end

Paying off high-interest debt is the answer to good money management, the basics in life are essential – like eating and sleeping. These three principles apply to the financial world, too.

• Start by setting a goal: Do I want to pay off or reduce the amount of interest on my debt?
• Choose how much you’re willing to sacrifice for each goal: Do I want to pay more or less than minimum monthly payments?

Money challenges are real

You’re not alone in your money struggles, and it’s not because you’re lazy. The truth is that most Americans are living with debt.

• 1 in 3 households has a credit card balance of $10,000 or more;
• The average credit card debt per household is $15,799.

Life events affect the finance 

A major life event weighs heavily on finances, but you should focus on the new opportunities ahead. Just like the seasons – they change with time and provide a reason for celebration or reflection – life has its ups and downs. Your finances will change as well.

Delay the house purchase 

There is never a good time to buy a house. Put it off until you’re ready for it. For the average American couple, buying a house is more expensive than renting one in more than half of the U.S., according to “Housing Affordability in America” by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies and the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Social security benefits 

Social Security benefits aren’t secure; your money may go up (or down). The average monthly Social Security benefit was $1,323 in 2015, down from $1,425 last year and $1,474 in 2013.

Being extravagant is easy

It’s okay to splurge – just not all the time. There are a lot of things that we want but don’t need, and some of them aren’t as satisfying as we think they’ll be.

Save for retirement 

Start saving for retirement early or you will end up paying more for it later in life. Delaying retirement savings until the last minute will likely result in a lower future income.

Follow good money habits 

You’re working hard, but your spending habits may not be keeping up with your earnings rate. 

Conclusion

It has always been said that personal finance is one of the most important things you can learn. Find your bank and credit card rates. Paying off balances in full each month isn’t the only way to accumulate wealth. 

It’s also possible to save on interest by paying a card balance off in full before the due date, using a 0% introductory rate, transferring balances from high-interest cards, or even taking advantage of rewards points programs!

George Rossi

George is the Chief Market and Broker Analyst at brokertested.com. Prior to being recruited by brokertested.com, I served SVS Securities as Chief Market Analyst for two years. Earlier, he joined Morgan Stanley in Nov 2013 as Research Analyst.

George is a well-rounded financial services professional experienced in fundamental and technical analysis, global macroeconomic research, foreign exchange and commodity markets and an independent trader. 

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