Personal finance is easier said than done. Common money mistakes are made all the time, and they might even ruin your finances. Here are 10 common money mistakes that you may be making.
1. Underestimating your insurance needs and not getting enough.
Insurance is very important, and there is probably a good reason for why you may need it: health insurance, life insurance, car insurance, home insurance‒you name it. You need to value the savings that you are getting and weigh them against how much insurance that you actually need.
2. Not saving enough.
Not saving enough is another common money mistake that you may be making. You should always strive to spend less money than you earn, it would be impossible to save if that was not the case.
3. Not paying your mortgage on time.
You should always try to pay your mortgage on time. Yes, something may come up which might mean that you don’t have enough cash to pay your mortgage that month. However, this is why it is always important to have an emergency fund.
4. Ignoring your partner’s bad money behaviors.
If you have a partner, then I’m going to guess that their finances and money behaviors at least somewhat affect you, whether you have joint or somewhat separate finances. You should try to be on the same page, or at least in the same book.
5. Carrying a balance on your credit cards.
Carrying a balance on your credit cards is a big money mistake that many people make. You don’t want to do this. If you have a balance on your credit cards, it means you are paying high interest charges on your credit card, which means you are paying more than you have to for the things you are purchasing.
6. Lending other people money, or cosigning on a loan.
Lending others money or cosigning on a loan is not often a good idea. You do not want to be stuck in the middle and lose money, so it is usually best to not let money get between you and a relationship.
7. Going without a budget.
No matter how much money you make, you will probably need a budget. If you make $100,000 a year but spend $95,000, are you really any better at finances than someone who makes $20,000 but spends $15,000? A budget can help you control your spending and show you where you need to make improvements. A budget can help a person think about their money a little bit harder so that they can reach their financial goals.
8. Not caring about what you say in public.
You are probably wondering how this can be a common money mistake. Well, you might over-share on social media websites such as Facebook or Twitter. Something like sharing an unprofessional picture of yourself could prevent you from getting the job that you want
9. Not having a plan.
You might think that you don’t need a plan, but most people need at least some kind of a plan. You need to think about your goals in life, and actively work towards achieving your goals. For example, it is extremely important for you to have some sort of retirement plan. Do you want to retire early? Or are you interested in paying off a certain amount of debt this year? Make a plan so that you can achieve these goals.
10. Not paying attention to your credit score as much as you should.
Even if you like to think that your credit score is not important, there are many cases in which a good credit score is better than a bad credit score. A good credit score may mean that you can get a better interest rate and maybe save hundreds on dollars each month in interest charges. A bad credit score may mean that you are completely denied for the loan that you want.
