Clipping coupons and scoring flights with credit card miles can save a few bucks here and there, but achieving long-term financial stability requires a much more holistic approach.
Let's look at six big personal finance topics: budgeting, saving, debt, taxes, insurance, and retirement and discuss a helpful principle for each.
Number one: When budgeting, consider focusing on the big-ticket items.
You may have heard you'd be a millionaire if you'd just skip your morning latte, but it's likely that you can save more by cutting costs on the expensive stuff like housing and transportation.
According to Kelley Blue Book, in 2019, the average new car cost about $37,000. But buying the same car pre-owned could save more than $10,000 much more than a year's worth of lattes.
Number two: When setting savings goals, be specific about your plan to get there.
It's easy to say, I'm going to save $6,000 for retirement this year, but you also need to define your tactics for pursuing your goal.
Subgoals can help guide your savings strategy: if you want to save $6,000 this year, think about how you might save $500 this month by increasing your income or trimming your expenses by about $115 a week.
These mile markers can help you assess how realistic your goal is and help you monitor your progress.
Number three: Avoid high-interest debt and loans for items that could quickly lose value.