Cliffsnotes Managing Your Money

CliffsNotes™ Managing Your Money......Page 1
Table of Contents......Page 5
How to Use This Book......Page 9
Don't Miss Our Web Site......Page 10
Figuring Out What Your Goals Are......Page 11
Creating a Five-Year Plan......Page 13
Setting Priorities......Page 14
Managing money to accomplish
your goals......Page 15
Managing your time......Page 16
Forming Strategies for Success......Page 18
Be flexible but focused......Page 19
Learn to live on less......Page 20
Write This Down!......Page 21
What I Really Need Is . . .......Page 22
Housing......Page 23
Food......Page 25
Transportation......Page 26
Adding it up......Page 27
Understanding what discretionary
spending is......Page 28
Factoring in the influence of advertising......Page 29
D: Distinguish between needs and wants......Page 30
I: Identify the opportunity costs
and benefits......Page 31
E: Evaluate your choices......Page 32
Looking at Your Income......Page 34
Gross income......Page 35
Net income......Page 36
Taking Your Monthly Expenses into Account......Page 37
Fixed expenses......Page 41
Discretionary expenses......Page 42
Forming strategies for savings......Page 45
Saving for big-ticket items......Page 46
Auto loans......Page 47
A college education......Page 49
Mortgages......Page 51
Home equity loans......Page 53
Getting Out of Debt......Page 54
Reduce your spending......Page 55
Start saving......Page 56
Taking action to pay off your debts......Page 57
The Pros and Cons of Credit......Page 58
Establishing Credit......Page 59
Deciding on an Acceptable Level of Credit......Page 60
Finding a good card......Page 63
Using the two-card system......Page 64
Understanding the cost of credit......Page 65
The Benefits of Saving......Page 68
Savings Plans on the Job......Page 69
Set up a separate savings account......Page 71
Avoid credit cards......Page 72
Reduce your taxes......Page 73
Save all "found" money......Page 74
Do your research......Page 75
Building a Nest Egg for the Future......Page 76
Step 1: Save $100......Page 77
Step 3: Save $10,000......Page 78
CHAPTER 7: CREATING AN INVESTING PLAN......Page 80
Getting Free Investing Practice by Doing a Rehearsal......Page 81
CDs: Safe investments......Page 84
Mutual funds: Diversified,
managed stocks......Page 85
Municipal bonds: Tax-free investments......Page 87
Watching your money grow......Page 88
Keeping track of your investments......Page 89
Looking at Bank Services......Page 91
Regular checking accounts......Page 93
Special checking accounts......Page 94
Savings Accounts......Page 95
Electronic and ATM Banking......Page 96
Electronic services......Page 97
Dealing with Bank Statements......Page 98
Reconciling your checking account......Page 99
Handling mistakes......Page 101
Federal Income Taxes......Page 102
Getting organized......Page 103
Deciding whether to itemize......Page 105
Understanding how state governments
impose income tax......Page 106
Knowing what gets taxed......Page 107
Reducing How Much Tax You Pay......Page 108
Staying alert to audits......Page 109
Doing the right thing......Page 111
Getting Organized......Page 112
Creating folders for keeping your
financial records......Page 113
Keeping personal records......Page 117
Staying Organized......Page 118
CLIFFSNOTES REVIEW......Page 119
Books......Page 122
Internet......Page 123
Send Us Your Favorite Tips......Page 124
INDEX......Page 125