Managing personal finances can be a difficult task, especially if your spending habits were bad for a long time. Understanding the financial mistakes you made and finding solutions for them may not be something you can do on your own. You may need to turn to someone for help. That someone should be able to really help you though.
Where to get help managing personal finances
Bank counselor
A good bank counselor that you know and trust can give you some helpful insight and make suggestions tailored to your financial needs and obligations. If you do not know anyone, take some time to conduct a thorough research until you find the one that can help you effectively. If a friend or a relative happens to mention a bank counselor to you, do not hesitate to grab the chance. He may be just what you are looking for. Before making an informed decision, it is important to be absolutely sure. If you have doubts, it is best to wait until you meet a bank counselor who will inspire confidence.
Accountant
Your accountant is another qualified and experienced person that can come to your rescue in a time of financial crisis. The longer you have worked with your accountant and the more satisfied you are with his job, the more secure you will feel with him. Keep in mind that you need to be as honest and upfront with him as possible, no matter how embarrassing it may be for you. Only then will he able to really help you. It may not be an easy process, but it is the only process that can be effective in the long-term.
Learn from the worst possible example
Sometimes you can learn more from someone who has made terrible financial mistakes than from someone who was always able to manage his finances properly. Having an in-depth discussion with a friend, neighbour or relative will help you understand better what went wrong and how you can personally avoid it. Try to learn as many information as possible, but try to be as discreet and kind as possible so as not to make him feel uncomfortable or embarrass him in any way. This is a delicate issue and it should be treated as such.
A bank counselor, your accountant or a person with an awful financial management can be extremely helpful in your effort to manage your personal finances as well as possible.