Smarter Loans Inc. is not a lender. Smarter.loans is an independent comparison website that provides information on lending and financial companies in Canada. We work hard to give you the information you need to make smarter decisions about a financial company or product that you might be considering. We may receive compensation from companies that we work with for placement of their products or services on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of products & companies listed on our website, it does not influence our evaluation of those products. Please do not interpret the order in which products appear on Smarter Loans as an endorsement or recommendation from us. Our website does not feature every loan provider or financial product available in Canada. We try our best to bring you up-to-date, educational information to help you decide the best solution for your individual situation. The information and tools that we provide are free to you and should merely be used as guidance. You should always review the terms, fees, and conditions for any loan or financial product that you are considering.
Are you making sound financial decisions?
Maybe! This is the situation that most Canadians find themselves in after an impulse buying spree.
Making informed financial decisions is an integral part of wealth creation.
Whether you want to pay off your debts, save for retirement, or save for a family vacation, setting achievable financial goals can help you become a smart financial consumer.
The ability to set and implement smart financial goals is what sets apart successful people from people who struggle financially. Successful people have solid financial habits that help them preserve their wealth while creating additional wealth.
A smart financial consumer is a consumer who makes sound financial decisions relating to their spending and saving habits. The process starts by creating a budget before spending money on unnecessary purchases or expenses. They must also evaluate their financial decisions to determine if an expenditure is necessary and if there are better alternatives.
If you want to be smart with your money, there are certain actions you can take to help you save more, spend less, and create additional income. Here are the smartest actions you can take to properly manage your finances:
The first step to becoming a smart financial consumer is to figure out your financial goals. Do you want to buy a home or start a new business? The ultimate financial goals that you want to achieve should be specific, clear, and non-ambiguous. You should write down your financial goals, and create a clear plan on how each of these goals is going to be achieved.
If your expenses exceed your income, your finances are headed to a big crash. You need to have a sound budget to guide your spending habits. When creating a budget, you should first figure out your monthly income. If you do not have a fixed employment income, you should examine your bank statement to determine your average income (based on your deposits) for the last two to five months.
Next, track your spending by reviewing your credit card transactions or receipts from the gas station, grocery store, or coffee shop. You should figure out your spending every week or month for a period of two to three months to get a clear picture of how much you spend on average. Once you have an estimate for the monthly income and expense, create a budget and follow it. Gradually, you will need to adjust the budget items to fine-tune items that are above or below the initial estimates.
Are you comfortable with your debts?
Taking too many debts can keep you awake all night. They will damage your credit scores and deplete the little finances remaining for emergencies and other important needs. On the other hand, being responsible with your debts will help you meet your short-term and long-term financial goals.
If you are struggling with your debts, you should start paying debts with the highest interest. Short-term debts such as credit card loans mature quickly, and they should be paid as they fall due. When taking debts, ensure that you hold good debts that help you build your wealth by investing in a business or making capital investments.
If you are planning to spend on a high-value purchase or expense such as buying a car or home, vacation, roofing installation, or a donation, start saving for them in advance. You can have several saving accounts for each financial goal, and start saving several months or years ahead. This will help you pay for the purchase in cash, instead of going back into debts or piling up more debts onto your existing loans.
In the age of technology, there are dozens of tools that you can use to automate your finances. Create a list of all bills and payments due every month, and create a system that automatically pays these bills on time.
The human mind is bound to forget paying certain bills, and you may end up getting penalized for delaying or forgetting to make payments that could otherwise be automated. Automating your finances will help eliminate any temptations to spend outside your budget. You will also have more time to perform other duties.
In the current age, there are endless opportunities to create a second income without quitting your job. For example, you can start a business from your garage, get a second job, become a consultant, start selling products on Amazon and eBay, start a freelance business, etc. Creating multiple income streams can help you pay your debts quickly, and create surplus income for investment or retirement saving.
One thing that rich people have in common is that they always read. Knowledge has no limits, and you have to continually learn and read financial books and magazines to add new knowledge. Keep track of the best-selling financial books or the latest releases from your favorite authors.
The best way to improve your financial success is to set clear financial goals that you want to accomplish. These goals should be well articulated, with a well laid out plan on how each goal is going to be achieved.
Being a smart financial consumer is more than just accumulating more money. It is about making sound financial decisions about your savings and spending habits and justifying each line of your budget.
Start by paying all the loans with the highest interest rate and with a short maturity period. Once short-term debts have been paid, you should increase your mortgage loan payments by splitting the monthly payments into weekly or bi-weekly payments.
You can earn more money to spend and save by creating additional sources of income. You can get a second job, have a garage sale, become a fitness coach, sell a service, sell items on Amazon and eBay, sell photos online, etc.
