Personal & Family Financial Management for Busy Families

It’s all about the multi-tasking.

Between hectic breakfasts, soccer practice, weekend commitments and work, finding time to keep track of finances might seem impossible. Luckily, there are tools and techniques that can help.

The key to managing finances isn’t more time or even more money. It’s using time and money efficiently that puts you in control.

With these suggestions, your finances might just become the least demanding part of your life.

Get Organized First

The busier your family, the more organization will help you. It takes a bit of time up front, but saves precious hours and frayed nerves in the long run. Enlist your spouse to help gather bills, pay stubs, receipts, and bank statements, then set aside at least one hour to sort and total income and expenses.

This first step gives you a quick and dirty overview of what you’ve got and what you owe. If possible, schedule this time when the kids are asleep, at school, or with a sitter. Fewer distractions help you stay focused.

Choose Time-Saving Budget Software

Budgeting software is a busy family’s best financial friend. In many cases, you can set up an account to automatically import bank and credit card information, among others. This saves time, and it also reduces the chance for errors.

As with getting organized, setting up budget software does take a small time commitment. But you wouldn’t have it any other way, really. You’ll need to enter accounts and passwords, and authorize the imports. That’s how your information stays secure. And the best part is that once the setup is done, it’s done.

You can’t be too busy for finances.

Financial Management On the Go

Mobile access means you don’t have to stop what you’re doing and log in from home to know what’s up with your money. From a mobile device such as a tablet or smartphone, you’ve got immediate access to balances, due dates, and your whole budget overview.

If you want to buy ice cream for the entire soccer team after practice, you can check to be sure you’re within budget, and also enter the purchase, even if it’s made in cash. Your checking or credit card account automatically updates without missing a beat. If you do happen to go over budget, that information is available at the touch of a button.

Save Without Pain

If you don’t have enough in savings because you don’t have enough left over to save, the idea of building up the account might seem illogical. It’s not. Once again, budget software can help. In addition to showing exactly where your money is and where it goes, the best software also suggests ways to cut back and redirect money to where you want it.

With personalized recommendations based on how and where you spend, you’ve got options that you might never have seen. As your savings grows, you can see at a glance the fruits of your dedication.

Mint.com has budget solutions for busy families. Setup doesn’t require a PhD, and mobile options let you take it anywhere. The best part is that it’s free. What’s easier than that?

Sign up for your Mint.com account today, and start saving time and money.

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