Financial Symmetry News & Views

Posts Tagged ‘budgeting’

Now that you have been tracking for a few months or longer, are your budgeted items realistic? We’ve complied a few tips to help you get back on track.

If you think back to your childhood, what were the biggest influences on how your view of money developed?  If you’re anything like me, this question triggers memories of the struggle between saving my hard-earned allowance and spending it on the newest pack of baseball cards in hopes of obtaining the rare 1989 Ken Griffey [...]

Many of our clients ask us, “is there a better way to track our budget?” Our answer: “Yes!”

When we start working with a new client, one of the first steps is typically consolidating the number of accounts they have outstanding.  In our experience this makes your finances easier to manage by reducing the mental accounting that needs to take place every time a financial decision is made.  While this has always made [...]

With the end of the first quarter of 2010 behind us, now is a great time to review your budget.
When checking up on your budget, it is important to look over a specific amount of time for comparisons to actual expenses. Comparing expenses on a monthly basis can be a source of frustration as there [...]

As many of you know, it can be hard to create a budget and even harder to stick to it. To do so, we generally recommend using software like Quicken that is designed specifically for expense tracking.

Looking for a way to better track your budget? Throughout the upcoming weeks, we will be bringing you personal reviews of some of the budgeting software available. Some will be free, online websites, while others will be computer software programs available for purchase or download.

Our first review comes from Heather Zaczek, our Operations Specialist, who [...]

A key aspect of financial planning is managing expenses.  However, setting a budget and consistently monitoring it is easier said than done.  That is why we recommend using an expense tracking software to keep track of your spending.  Mint.com is a relatively new personal finance website that takes a lot of the work out of [...]

Need a new appliance? You may be able to find the best deals on large appliances during September and October.

Sometimes certain purchases can put a strain on your budget, like a new refrigerator, furniture or computer. While there is not a ‘best time to buy’ guide for everything, there are certain categories of goods and [...]

Finding the motivation to save can be just as difficult as motivating yourself to diet and exercise. In both cases you know the outcome will be worthwhile — financial security and better health. However, taking the steps to get there is easier said than done.