3 ON YOUR SIDE (3TV) – Andrea Bloome has devised a whole system, so she can zero out her credit card bills and plan for her future at the same time.
“My best plan is to take the money before I ever even see it, so I don’t even know it exists,” Bloome says.
Consumer Reports says it’s important to find the right balance for spending and saving.
Money experts at Consumer Reports agree with her strategy, and say it’s important to find the right balance. Penny Wang is a money expert at Consumer Reports.
“It’s difficult to tackle two financial goals at once, but if you take a two-pronged approach, you can save for retirement and pay down your debt at the same time,” said Wang.
Start by taking a good, hard look at where your money is going. Several online tools can help you track your spending, including Mint.com, which is free, and YNAB, short for You Need A Budget, which costs $84 a year.
Several online tools can help you track your spending, including Mint.com and YNAB.
Then, look for ways to free up cash. You’ll have the biggest impact with big-ticket items such as housing or transportation. But small fixes, like making coffee yourself or cooking at home, can also add up over time.
Next, prioritize your debt. High-interest credit cards should go first and then lower interest debt, like student loans. Setting up automatic payments, like Bloome has can help make it mindless.
“It makes it much easier because that way, you don’t have to remember each month to send in the money and you know that your debt is being paid down regularly,” Wang says.
Small fixes, like making coffee yourself or cooking at home, can also add up over time.
At the same time, slide even a small amount into a rainy-day fund for unexpected medical bills or car repairs.
And, continue to feed a retirement plan. If you have access to a plan at work, opt in! People who do have access can be 12 times more likely to save for retirement.
It isn’t always easy but balancing debt against savings is the right call. Although the strategies are good ones, Consumer Reports says it’s important to remember that people with hefty amounts of debt need to be patient, stay the course and remember that this needs to be a long-term plan.
Gary Harper’s 3 On Your Side reports air weeknights on 3TV News at 9.
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