Learn about good Money habits

Learn about good Money habits

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If you follow these strategies, you will be able to use Money more effectively. For details about each habit, read The Money 99 Companion: Strategies for Success.

Take the time to learn the software Setting aside an hour or two to learn the software will pay off in how much more efficient you are in using Money day in and day out. A great place to start is the Tour.
Organize your finances Get your paper documents organized. This way, you won't have to spend time searching for your statements and pay stubs when you need to enter information in Money.
Establish a routine If you get into a routine with how and when you use Money, it will become second nature and you'll have detailed information about where and how you spend your money right at your fingertips.
Track income and expenses Be sure to always categorize your transactions, and do it consistently. Money is only as accurate as the information you enter.
Read statements and pay bills online If you get online with your financial institutions, you can do your banking, investing, and bill paying from the comfort of home.
Manage your cash flow Use the Bills area to schedule your bills, expenses, and transfers, and you'll be able to easily manage your cash flow.
Pay yourself first All financial experts agree ù the easiest way to start saving money is to pay yourself first each time you receive income. You can schedule your payment to yourself in the Bills area and Money will remind you to save.
Plan for the future (Financial Suite only) Use Money's Lifetime Planner to figure out how to budget and reduce debt, and meet your goals.
Decide with the experts (Financial Suite only) Get an education on basic personal finance. Money 99 includes over 200 articles. You'll also find useful worksheets to help you figure out how much you'll owe in taxes come April 15^th, how much house you can afford, which loan works best for you, and an inventory worksheet to help you track your belongings. Link to the Web for regularly updated information.
Invest on the Web (Financial Suite only) Use the Microsoft Investor Web site, which is fully integrated with Money 99, to keep up with news on your investments, track your portfolio, and research stocks you're interested in. You can even trade online!