If you are not used to managing money because you have only recently become emancipated (e.g. you are a college student!) you may find yourself frittering your money away on entertainment and pizzas. Do the right thing and escape debt by properly managing your finances.

If a credit repair company guarantees that they can improve your credit history, be very wary. Companies will make a statement and say that they can fix your credit. This is a total lie, since everyone’s credit situation and different, and some are easier to address than others. As such, 100% guaranteed results are straight-up fraud.

When investing, stay away from large fees. Most brokers have hefty fees for the services that they render. Your total return can be affected by the fees they will charge you. Avoid brokers who charge large commissions and don’t invest in funds that come with excessive maintenance fees.

To understand how you spend money, keep a journal listing every cent you spend for one week. However, if you write it in a notebook that gets closed and set aside until you open it again the next day, it might become a case of “out of sight, out of mind”. Try using a whiteboard in your den or home office to document your finances. Since the notes will be constantly visible to you, you will stay aware of your fiances.

If married, make sure the partner with the better credit applies for loans. If your credit is poor, you can build it back up by paying off credits each month. After you have achieved a solid credit score, you will be in line for the loans that you need in the future.

You can’t repair your credit without getting out of debt! You’ll need to pay off what you owe first. You can do things like eating in more and limiting yourself from going out on weekends. Something as simple as taking your lunch with you to your job and eating in can help you save money; if you really want to rebuild your credit, you have to cut your spending.

Avoid incurring large debt through student loans, unless you are sure you can handle it in the not too distant future. If you have not yet chosen a major or mapped out your career path, private school tuition may not be your best bet.

Do not believe that credit repair counselors will fully help you. Some companies may say they can absolutely fix your history. They can’t fulfill such claims, because credit problems are individual. Guaranteeing success is fraudulent.

Credit Card

There’s an easy way to avoid credit card debt: don’t dig yourself into the hole to begin with. It is important to consider every credit card charge very carefully before making a purchase. Try to figure out how much time it will be to pay in full. You should stay away from charges that are not necessary, or that you can’t pay off within a month’s time.

Be certain to pay utility charges in a timely fashion each month. Paying your bills late can have negative effects on your credit history and scores. Not only this, but a lot of places will make you pay more. Avoid the troubles that are associated with paying bills late by always paying your bills in a timely manner.

You should give careful thought to exactly when you want to send your income tax return to the IRS. This will allow you to get the refund that you earned as soon as possible. If you owe the IRS money, file as close to April 15th as possible.

One of the smartest things you can do to stay in control of your finances is to lay out exactly what you need to purchase, and the amount of money you have budgeted for each item. Stick to to the budget. Remember the tips in this article, so that you can stay in the black and avoid calls from debt collectors.