Basic Stage of Financial Management
Basic money management is a process in which you:
1. Plan the ways you intend to use your money and
access to credit—creating a flexible budget to guide
your spending, saving, and borrowing;
2. Keep track of the ways you actually use both cash
and credit; and
3. Adjust your spending and saving plan to help you
achieve more of your day-to-day financial goals. (See
Extension publication HE-345, Making a Budget &
Making it Work!)
In the beginning, try to set aside at least a little
money, in a checking account or other system that is safe
from fire, theft, or temptation—to make sure there is
enough money each month to pay all your bills and meet
your family’s basic needs. Then begin setting aside a little
more money regularly (say, in a savings account that
earns interest) for a “rainy day” or emergency fund for
such things as car repairs or medical bills. Try to set
aside enough each month to cover predictable periodic
expenses, such as insurance premiums, taxes, and gifts