10 Rules Piggy Lives by Financially

10 rules that I live by in financial aspect (I didn’t know I could come up with 10, yay!):

1. Spend less than what you make.
2. Use credit cards wisely – pay off credit card bills each month, make use of 0% APR offer for financing, use reward cards that accumulate points or have % cash back.
3. Pay off “bad” debt – this includes any high interest rate debt that is not tax deductible, which is credit card debt for most people (there are pay-day loans which should be avoided at all cost anyways because of outrageous interest).
4. Contribute to and fully utilize 401k – Most employers provide 401k these days, so contribute some or at least the % of employer matching (free money!) but also educate yourself of the available funds and pick wisely (hence the “fully utilize” part).
5. Contribute regularly to saving.
6. Develop your own investment portfolio – whether it be individual stocks or funds, but educate yourself first and invest in a style that suits you. I said “your own” because you should never just follow what others do because our needs, situations, and personalities are all different, so understanding yourself is essential here.
7. Have a spending budget – this allows you to afford hobbies, gadgets, travelling, etc.
8. Distinguish “want” vs. “need” – this is the most important to keep myself from spending too much because of how I LOOOOOOOOVE gadgets :)
9. Invest in ourselves – classes, books, or things that contribute to our general well-being.
10. Remember the ultimate goal – a reminder to be frugal and financial-smart but yet not becoming cheap :) In other words, balance is everything.

Originally posted 2007-04-12 21:40:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter