It used to be that people shied away from sharing intimate details about their financial lives.
Now, amid the rising popularity of social-networking services such as Facebook and MySpace, a crop of new personal-finance Web sites is letting users post their private personal-finance details and share advice with each other on tracking their spending and making better investment decisions.
Some of the sites, such as Wesabe.com and Geezeo.com, include many of the same features offered by popular software programs such as Intuit Inc.’s Quicken and Microsoft Corp.’s Money, such as the ability to track spending in different categories and from different sources in one place. But they also allow users to get feedback from peers that is tailored to their specific circumstances. Some allow users to rate the quality of other members’ tips or provide feedback on various products or services they’ve used. (more…)

Financial independence is just as important as physical independence. While you need to take steps to ensure that you are able to take care of your physical needs, the same goes for your money. Here are some tips to staying financially independent.

There are many things that can happen in life that can rock our financial world. Even if you have a cushion built up, nothing is for certain. Just ask those who invested with the stock market or other investors before the financial crisis erupted. What you can protect is your good name and financial standing.
This means your credit standing. Even when money is low, a good credit score and history can buoy you up in the interim. It is a perk that we can all have if we take a few notes.

The first tip is to have a budget in place. For moms or dads that leave the workforce to stay home and care for the children or pursue an independent business, finances can be crucial. You are losing one income where once there were two.

Before the time comes, live according to your newly amended budget. Cut entertaining to a minimum, limit eating out, lower utility bills and find other ways to save money. These are all examples of ways you can test your budget to see how well you can manage on less.

Before the final decision is made, carve out the basic structure of a budget. You will learn what bills occur on a monthly basis: car payment, insurances, mortgage, grocery bill and utilities. Tally up how much money you will need to have on hand for the essentials.

It has long been recommended that the average family create an emergency fund. This fund can then be used for car repairs, unexpected expenses and to stay afloat between jobs. Three to six months’ salary for you and your spouse is the usual recommendation.

Next, curb credit card spending. When you are short of money is not exactly the best time to run up the credit cards. It can add another financial burden to an already stressed budget looking for money.

Being proactive will help you to protect your credit to weather the changes in your lifestyle. After all, good credit will benefit you in the long run and open doors that would otherwise be closed if you were to suddenly fall on hard times and have trouble making ends meet.

Most people worry about their credit history. Like we said before, a good credit rating can make all the difference in many situations. If you know that money will be tight in the near future, do all you can to lower high interest rate bills, specifically credit cards. Placing emphasis on them can help you lower the bill or pay them off altogether before one spouse leaves the workforce. (more…)

It’s important to plan for your financial future beforehand so you have idea of what to expect. Once you get married, most newlyweds’ open a joint checking/saving accounts

Below is a list of 4 easy steps to take when determining your financial future.

Step 1-Determine your net worth

Net worth is the difference between assets and liabilities. Make a list to figure out your net worth, make a list of all the things that you own and assign approximate values to each one. Then make a list of all your debts. Subtract these two numbers and you will have your net worth. (more…)

Wise money management is essential for a balanced, happy life. Financial stress resulting from poor money management skills can affect our capacity to make good decisions, harm our relationships, affect physical and mental health, and ultimately to function well in life. It is no exaggeration to say that poor money management breaks up marriages and breaks down hope. Yet, money management is a skill which can be learned. Even if financial problems are largely the result of just not earning enough income, good money management skills can reduce the stress of these circumstances and provide a bit more mental room to focus on solutions. (more…)