Everyone makes mistakes in their life at one point or another, and that’s part of the human experience. Making mistakes with money and financial decisions is also normal, but because having a healthy financial life can make or break the way you’re able to function, it’s important to acknowledge the kinds of money mistakes that can be made before it’s too late. Research shows that more than 60 percent of college graduates have outstanding student loan debt, regardless of age, and that kind of debt can follow you for the rest of your life. In order to avoid making financial mistakes that can shape your life, take a look at some of the biggest ones to watch out for.
- Mistake #1: Not keeping a budget. This is one of the biggest mistakes one can make, as a budget lets you keep track of your income, your necessary expenditures (rent or mortgage, bills, groceries, credit card payments), and any additional disposable funds. However, keeping a budget also allows you to work toward your savings goals, and when you see your monthly expenditures lined out along with your income, you can more easily calculate how much you can save each month.
- Mistake #2: Not saving for retirement. Every working person should have some kind of goal for retirement, and if your workplace offers retirement assistance options or a 401K, you should be taking advantage of that. As a Polam member, you also can work toward building a retirement nest egg with our traditional IRA accounts. These accounts offer one of the best ways to save for retirement, with terms to help you maximize your earning potential and reach your goals. Visit one of our branches and one of our team members can help you get started.
- Mistake #3: Not maintaining control over your credit card debt. Most Americans have some degree of credit card debt, but one thing to remember is that it’s easy to spend “money” that isn’t necessarily there. A big mistake many people make with credit cards is using them to buy big ticket items rather than taking the time to save up for those items, leaving a large amount of debt to pay off with interest. Keeping track of your credit score not only can help you monitor and review your credit card expenditures, but it can also keep you on track to continue to build up your credit and make note if it goes down.