Managing money and debt (2024)

Managing money and debt (1)

What is a debt?

A debt is money that you owe to an organisation or another person. The organisation or person that you owe the money to is called the ‘creditor’.

Normal bills, for example rent, mortgage or electricity are not debts. They are essential expenses. But if you fall behind with any essential expenses, the money you owe is a debt.

Try separating out your debts into two categories. This can make sure the most important ones are paid first. The two categories are priority and non-priority debts.

Priority debts

A priority debt is a debt that means you would lose something if you did not pay it. Because you might lose something, they are more important than other debts. If you have both priority and non-priority debts, it is vital that you deal with the priority debts first.

If you have both priority and non priority debts, it is vital that you deal with the priority debts first.

Example of priority debt

What might happen if I don’t pay it?

Mortgage or secured loan arrears

Repossession of property

Rent arrears

Eviction from property

Council tax arrears

Imprisonment (if you refuse or neglect to pay)

Gas / electricity arrears

Disconnection

Magistrates court fines

Imprisonment

Child maintenance arrears

Imprisonment or disqualification from driving (if you refuse or neglect to pay)

Hire purchase arrears

Repossession of hire purchase goods

Non-priority debts

A non-priority debt is any debt that is not a priority. This might include credit cards, unsecured loans and overdrafts. It also includes debts such as water arrears and money owed to family and friends.

All non-priority creditors should be treated fairly. You should not make full payments to one creditor while reducing payments to another. If you cannot afford the minimum payment to any of your non-priority debts, you should make reduced payments to all of them using a pro rata calculation. You can find more information about this in the self-negotiation section.

A debt adviser will help separate your priority and non-priority debts before explaining what options are available to you for dealing with them. You can find a debt adviser in our useful contacts section.

Managing money and debt (2024)

FAQs

How do you manage money and debt? ›

Check your bank balance at a regular, set time so you know what you're spending your money on and how much you have left. Build money tasks into your daily or weekly routine. You could allocate a set amount of regular time to think about any tasks you need to do around money, for example paying bills.

What is the 70 20 10 rule? ›

The 70-20-10 budget formula divides your after-tax income into three buckets: 70% for living expenses, 20% for savings and debt, and 10% for additional savings and donations. By allocating your available income into these three distinct categories, you can better manage your money on a daily basis.

What is the 50/30/20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings.

What is the 60 20 20 rule? ›

If you have a large amount of debt that you need to pay off, you can modify your percentage-based budget and follow the 60/20/20 rule. Put 60% of your income towards your needs (including debts), 20% towards your wants, and 20% towards your savings.

How do you actually manage money? ›

How to manage your money better
  1. Make a budget. According to the Capital One Mind Over Money study, people dealing with financial stress struggle more with budgeting. ...
  2. Track your spending. ...
  3. Save for retirement. ...
  4. Save for emergencies. ...
  5. Plan to pay off debt. ...
  6. Establish good credit habits. ...
  7. Monitor your credit.

What are three important tips for managing your debt? ›

Tips and Strategies for Managing Debt
  • The Importance of Good Debt Management. ...
  • Pay Bills When They Arrive. ...
  • Prioritizing Debt Payments. ...
  • Always Make the Minimum Payment to Avoid Fees. ...
  • Create an Overview of Everything You Owe. ...
  • Create an Emergency Fund to Avoid Unnecessary Debt. ...
  • Pay What You Can Really Afford.

What is the 40-40-20 budget rule? ›

The 40/40/20 rule comes in during the saving phase of his wealth creation formula. Cardone says that from your gross income, 40% should be set aside for taxes, 40% should be saved, and you should live off of the remaining 20%.

What is the 50-15-5 budgeting rule? ›

50 - Consider allocating no more than 50 percent of take-home pay to essential expenses. 15 - Try to save 15 percent of pretax income (including employer contributions) for retirement. 5 - Save for the unexpected by keeping 5 percent of take-home pay in short-term savings for unplanned expenses.

Is 50/30/20 outdated? ›

But amid ongoing inflation, the 50/30/20 method no longer feels feasible for families who say they're struggling to make ends meet. Financial experts agree — and some say it may be time to adjust the percentages accordingly, to 60/30/10.

Is $4000 a good savings? ›

Ready to talk to an expert? Are you approaching 30? How much money do you have saved? According to CNN Money, someone between the ages of 25 and 30, who makes around $40,000 a year, should have at least $4,000 saved.

How to budget $4000 a month? ›

making $4,000 a month using the 75 10 15 method. 75% goes towards your needs, so use $3,000 towards housing bills, transport, and groceries. 10% goes towards want. So $400 to spend on dining out, entertainment, and hobbies.

How to budget $5000 a month? ›

Consider an individual who takes home $5,000 a month. Applying the 50/30/20 rule would give them a monthly budget of: 50% for mandatory expenses = $2,500. 20% to savings and debt repayment = $1,000.

What is the 80-10-10 rule? ›

When following the 10-10-80 rule, you take your income and divide it into three parts: 10% goes into your savings, and the other 10% is given away, either as charitable donations or to help others. The remaining 80% is yours to live on, and you can spend it on bills, groceries, Netflix subscriptions, etc.

What is the 80 20 rule strategy? ›

What's the 80-20 Rule? The 80-20 rule is a principle that states 80% of all outcomes are derived from 20% of causes. It's used to determine the factors (typically, in a business situation) that are most responsible for success and then focus on them to improve results.

What does the 80 20 rule tell us? ›

Simply put, the 80/20 rule states that the relationship between input and output is rarely, if ever, balanced. When applied to work, it means that approximately 20 percent of your efforts produce 80 percent of the results.

How can you manage debt? ›

The two most popular strategies are to pay off balances with the highest interest rates first or to pay off the lowest balances first. The former will save you more money over the long run, but the latter can help you keep momentum and see progress.

How do the rich handle debt? ›

Frequently Asked Questions: How do rich people make money with debt? Rich individuals profit from debt by leveraging debt to invest in assets that provide income or grow in value. For instance, people could utilize debt to acquire real estate, invest in stocks or bonds, or launch a business.

What are the 5 basics of personal finance? ›

There's plenty to learn about personal financial topics, but breaking them down can help simplify things. To start expanding your financial literacy, consider these five areas: budgeting, building and improving credit, saving, borrowing and repaying debt, and investing.

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