Finances are a huge part of every person’s life and one of the easiest things to do is get them off track. Sometimes, you don’t even realize that you have gotten them off track until it is too late. I know what you are going to say. It is such a huge undertaking to get things together and then work out a plan to get on track. You’re right. It is a huge task but one that you need to tackle now rather than later. Enlisting the help of a company such as Hornet Partners can make a huge difference in getting your finances back on track.

Hornet Partners is One Tool in Your Arsenal

There are a number of tools that I am certain you have in your arsenal to help get or keep your finances on track. Hornet Partners is one of the tools that can help you achieve that goal. It is important to have your own set of tools that you can utilize and pull together to help you not only achieve your goals but to keep you on track. Staying on track is the easiest way to reach your goals. Regardless of what those goals are. One of our big ones is a trip to Disney World and the plan is to go next autumn.

Lower Interest Rates with Hornet Partners

Just what sort of tool is Hornet Partners? Well, they can help you lower your interest rates on your credit cards. Did you know that the average household has over $6,000 in credit card debt? That is a huge number if you ask me but I will admit that I am one of those households. Although I am working towards getting that under control. If am able to reduce the interest on my credit card debt I figure my total debt will be decreased by more than half within a year.

Eighteen months at the most. I have the final payment circled on my calendar because that is the day that I will have financial freedom on my terms and not someone else’s. Interest rates are eating me alive on a couple of cards. I’m smarter now so when I open an account in the future I will certainly pay closer attention to those interest rate. Not just the rates but what they will be like in the long run.

Tools in My Arsenal

There are tools that I use every day (or week/month) that help me with my finances. Whether they are my personal or business finances.  For my personal finances I use the following:

• Banking App- this help me keep track of my money anywhere I am. I can easily check to ensure something has cleared my bank or just find out what I have. I am ashamed to admit that certain times of the month I check this thirty times in a day.
• Credit Card App- I have a couple of credit cars that have apps that I use. Again this allows me to keep up with purchases and such. I can also make my payments and check they have processed.
• Snowball Spreadsheet- I have a snowball method spreadsheet that I found online (I can’t remember where) that allows me to getup with my debt payments, interest, as well as helps me figure out how much I can afford to pay. Not to mention it automatically does all the figuring for me. It’s how I know how many payments I have left for any given debt.
• Stock trading App- I have some stocks that I purchased and watch the market through this app. It allows me to see where I stand (not that well let me tell you) and make decisions based on how the market is doing.

While they may seems like simple tools they can be powerful. Knowing my finances and where I stand helps me make better long term goals. Goals such as increasing the amount I add to my IRA each month. One thing I did was start my IRA early in my career for which I am grateful because I know in my retirement I won’t have to worry so much about finances.

The Most Important Tool

My most important tool is my personal budget. It allows me to keep track of my income and expenses. That in turn allows me to know where my finances are at any given time of the month. As long as I stay on budget, my finances will be alright. Although I will admit I have not been as good at that as I need to be. It is a work in progress that I feel I am getting better at. It’s funny because at my age I should have this figured out. Yet, I fell into the old trap that many married people fall into. They allow one spouse to handle all the finances. Then something happens (divorce, death, etc) and the other spouse is left to figure out what happened. If I’ve learned one thing it is to never be the silent partner anymore. I will always know the state of my finances in the future regardless of my relationship status.

Regardless of where you are in your financial situation at this moment it is never too late to turn that around. Even if you think you have them all figure out, take a moment to reevaluate. Another huge thing that I making sure I do every single time I sit down to figure out finances is make sure my teens are there. I don’t want them to become adults and be lost on how to handle their own finances. I don’t want them to be in the position that I am. I’m teaching the important of savings, of not spending more than you make, of knowing the importance of a group like Hornet Partners. I want them to have every tool available in the knowledge bank.

Do you have tools such as Hornet Partners in your finance arsenal? Share them with us in the comments.