The complete guide to managing your money

According to a 2019 survey, 9 in 10 adults say nothing makes them happier or more confident than having their finances in order. This guide is your ticket to joining in.

　　

Another framework is the 60% Solution, which divies up spending and saving targets a bit differently — but with the same focus on making sure you don’t shortchange saving for long-term goals.

If your own pie charts look wildly different than either approach, that’s your cue to spend some time considering how to adjust your spending or increase your income. (Hello, side gig! Or push for that promotion or raise already.) That will get you on a solid path that helps you meet short-term and long-term goals.

You can fire up an Excel or Google Docs spreadsheet to help you create a budget and track your progress. There are also budgeting apps you can sync with bank accounts that can make it easier to track spending in real time.

Build an emergency fund

Okay, you likely need no convincing that having some money tucked away for life’s endless stream of financial curveballs — pandemic layoff, the deductible for an MRI on the knee you wrenched, replacing whatever the mechanic tells you is the reason your car is acting up — is perhaps the ultimate money stress reducer.

But how to create your safety cushion? You’ve got plenty of stressed-out company. A survey by Bankrate.com found that 60% of people say they don’t have enough money saved to cover a $1,000 emergency bill. And just one grand isn’t likely even enough. Bankrate said that, among survey participants who had an emergency in 2019, the average tab was $3,500.

Building an emergency fund starts with setting a goal for how much protection you want to build. At a minimum, it’s smart to have at least three months’ worth of living expenses saved in an emergency account; six is even better.

Even if you have decades to go until retirement, the time to get started saving was yesterday.

Pay off costly credit card debt

The unofficial term for the interest rate charged on unpaid credit card balances is “insane.” While it’s common for banks to pay savers less than 1% interest these days on savings accounts, the average interest rate they charge credit card users with an unpaid balance is pushing 17%.

Paying off high-rate debt is one of the best investment moves, and the average 17% interest rate charged on unpaid credit card balances is a big roadblock to building financial security

If you have a solid credit score, you might consider checking if you can qualify for a balance transfer deal to a new card that will waive interest payments for an initial period. Not having to pay any interest for a year, or more, gives you a chunk of time to make a big dent in repayment without interest continuing to pile up.

If a balance transfer isn’t in the cards for you, there are two popular get-out-of-debt strategies you might consider.

From a financial standpoint, the “avalanche” method makes the most sense. You pay the minimum due each month on all your credit cards, and then add more money to the card charging the highest interest rate. When the balance on your highest-rate card is paid off, you start shoveling the extra payments to the card with the next-highest interest rate. Rinse and repeat.