Better budgeting will help you make ends meet in 2013

For those of us who found themselves falling deeper into dept in 2012, the hope for a better 2013 comes with budgeting properly according to a local financial expert.

If you’re reading this thinking “better budgeting, that's obvious.” The statistics show it’s not obvious to a lot of people.

Lancaster based financial expert Rick Rodgers makes it sound pretty simple.

“People underestimate how important this is, to think about how much money is coming in and how much money is going to go out and to plan to spend less than what you make,” Rodgers commented.

Rodgers pushes for you to establish a “cash flow plan.” Find out where all your money is going. Look at every expense and eliminate whatever possible:

• Cable TV in rarely used rooms
• Land lines
• Dining out
• That morning cup of coffee you don’t make yourself
• Re-shop insurance plans.

“There really isn’t any incentive for your insurance agent to find you a better plan…once they have your business, unless you are saying something about it, you’re probably not getting the best rates.”

Rodgers’ goal is for you to spend 90% or less of what you make.

Need more corners to cut? Try the thermostat.

“Each 1 degree that you adjust your thermostat is going to save you 5-6 dollars per month,” Rodgers stated.

Makes you think twice about maybe wearing that ugly holiday sweater around the house doesn’t it?

You’ve got to make cuts across the board. Rodgers warns to not “over-consume” in other places, or none of these saving tips will help.