Personal Finance & Investing ALL-IN-ONE FOR DUMmIES by Melanie Bien, Julian Knight, and Tony Levene Edited by Faith Glasgow
Book I
Organising Your
Finances and
Dealing with Debt
In this Book . . .
Being good with money is about getting into good
habits and understanding the choices you can make.
This Book gives you the confidence to understand and
plot where your money goes, to know your limits, and to
choose the right financial package for a wealthier future.
Here are the contents of Book I at a glance:
Chapter 1: Figuring Out Financial Goals, Financial Budgets,
and Financial Advisers
Chapter 2: Choosing the Best Current Account for You
Chapter 3: Covering Yourself with Insurance
Chapter 4: Tackling Your Overdraft and Other Credit Nasties
Chapter 5: Choosing a Credit Card
Chapter 6: Weighing Up Personal Loans
Chapter 1
Figuring Out Financial Goals,
Financial Budgets, and
Financial Advisers
In This Chapter
Benefiting from getting a grasp on your finances
Working out a budget
Figuring out what you want from your finances
Taking care of life and limb
Paying into a pension investment
Checking the roof over your head
Considering the importance of financial advice
Choosing an adviser or advising yourself
Congratulations! You’ve decided to get to grips with your finances and
start building up your savings and investments for the future. Making
sure you are in control of your finances enables you to do what you want –
upgrade your car, get on the first step of the property ladder, or start building
funds for retirement.
In this chapter we start by giving you the lowdown on working out what your
financial goals are and how you can achieve them. We offer advice on clear-
ing your debts before you begin building up your savings and investments,
and the importance of seeking independent financial advice. Only when you
have the basics under your belt can you ensure your finances work for you –
rather than limiting you from doing all the things you want to do.