If you want to get better at managing your money, you know that you need a monthly budget. It’s the number one piece of advice that everybody gives – and gets – when talking about finances. Still, many people make a lot of mistakes when they do their budget. Some of those mistakes are so severe that they cancel out any benefits of having a budget at all.

The following mistakes are just some of the biggest budgeting missteps people tend to make. Thankfully, these kinds of errors are easy to fix. The first step is that you have to be aware that you’re making them.

Remember These Mistakes To Avoid Them For Your Next Budget

Not Having A Budget At All

The first budgeting mistake that most people make is not having a budget at all. Of course, if you’re reading this article, the chances are that you already have a budget.

But be honest with yourself, do you have a budget every single month? Do you stick to that budget religiously? It’s alright to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them.

The fact is that most people who have budgets aren’t consistent. Sometimes they prepare a budget, and sometimes they don’t.

If you don’t have a budget, start one. If you already have it, then make sure that you follow it every month. That’s the only way they’ll work for you.

Guessing When It Comes To Their Spending

People with budgets also make the mistake of using ballpark figures. They use rough figures that they think is accurate, and that’s a mistake.

The whole point of a budget is to give every dollar and every cent a clear purpose. If you overestimate the price for something, you’ll be robbing another area of a few dollars and cents. If you underestimate a cost, you’ll have to make it up later by taking a dollar away from another priority.

The point here is to use specific amounts. And by that, it means that you should account for every dollar and every cent. Don’t guess, and don’t round up or down either. Specificity is the key.

Not Tracking Your Spending

A budget isn’t there just for show. You don’t set a budget and then forget about it. You must also track your spending.

Many people make the mistake of not tracking how much they spend throughout the month. By right, they should follow their spending and compare it with the budget that they initially set. That way, you can make adjustments when you understand where your money goes.

Failing To Have An Emergency Fund

When an emergency happens, it’s like throwing a wrench into the machinery that is your budget. Emergencies are unplanned, and quite often they’re expensive, too. What you need to do is set aside some money in an emergency fund.

An emergency fund will absorb at least part of any unexpected costs. That way, it won’t interfere too much with the budget you have set for other things that month. With a big enough emergency fund, a ‘crisis’ will just become a minor inconvenience to you.

Keep your emergency fund somewhere safe, but easily accessible. You’ll need to get to it quickly when an emergency takes place.

 

Handle Emergencies With Title Loans

Unfortunately, no matter how many budgeting mistakes you avoid, unexpected situations can still tank your budget. Thankfully, you can handle those emergencies with the help of title loans.

What Are Title Loans?

Car title loans in Delaware are a fast way to receive a loan without needing an excellent credit score. Title loans use your vehicle title as collateral for a cash loan and return the title once your loan has been paid. The best part is you don’t need to give up your car! Since we are using your vehicle’s title as collateral, there is no reason to give up your vehicle. As long as you stick to the repayment schedule, you can keep using your vehicle as normal.

How Do I Get Title Loans?

What’s the best part about our title loans? Well, our quick process of course! Most of your application takes place quickly online, where you fill out an online form and wait for one of our loan representatives to give you a call. We will let you know if you’ve been approved and walk you through the rest of the process. This is also where we give you two options for proceeding. You can either come to our Delaware Title Loans store nearest you or have us come to you! That’s right, you can pick a location and we will come to you. If you didn’t want to come to a store, you don’t have to.

Of course, you always have the option of coming to a loan center in Delaware near you. Either way, you’ll meet with a loan rep who will go over your required items. The required items are the same no matter what option you choose. You must have your ID, your vehicle’s lien-free title in your name, and the vehicle. The loan rep will go over your items and conduct a vehicle inspection to determine how much you qualify for. Once we are able to approve you, we will go over the loan terms and have you sign the loan agreement.

If you chose to have us come to you, then you can expect your cash in your account the very next bank business day. If you came into one of our Delaware Title Loans locations, you will walk out with the cash you qualify for in hand.

For more about budgeting your paycheck, read our other budgeting tips and tricks articles.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.