The excitement of getting a new job and then starting it is unexplainable, but you must first get through the interview before you even get the job. Simultaneously, many will advise you on how to answer questions and present yourself. Another aspect of interview preparations should be learning the types of interviewers and how to recognize them. This knowledge could mean the difference between nailing the interview or failing it.
Every interviewer develops a distinctstyle. An average person changes his job seven times in his whole life that means more than seven interviews. Before going for an interview, it is wise to know about the interviewers and plan how one should face them. Here are seven types of interviewers you might encounter during the interview process and how to prepare for them.
The Geek
Interviews can be scary, especially when your interviewer is ready to tear you apart with their extreme knowledge of the world. These interviewers know a lot about the job description of the position you have applied for. Brace yourself for such an interviewer. You can expect questions about the subject matter, technical details, standard operating procedures, etc. There will not be any personal questions or informal details with this type of interviewer. You should be preparing for this type of interviewer by having a lot of job knowledge specifically related to the position and the company you are applying to.
The Shotgun
This type of interviewer will start asking you questions after questions as soon as you enter the room. Expect a shotgun that will not stop firing at you. You will not have enough time to start a conversation, and you will find yourself preparing for the next question. It would be best to prepare answers for every possible question you can find online or from any other source. Such interviewers ask questions that can be HR based or revolve around your professional knowledge.
The Classic
This kind of interviewer will follow the classic and traditional style of interviewing. The classic interviewer will ask about your skills and your future plans, and your past work experiences. This kind of interview takes thirty to forty-five minutes to finish. You can research many questions online about this traditional kind of interview. Some of the questions are most likely to be repeated so you can consult the person who has been interviewed before. Most classic interviewers love to ask scenario-based questions, so be prepared with a few examples from your past work experiences.
The Calm
These kinds of interviews are what all job-seekers hope for when stepping into an interview room. Such interviewers will make you feel at home, and all you need to do is accept this friendly gesture and go with the flow. The calm interviewer will not make you feel nervous. These kinds of interviewers are tricky as well. They will find out about your strengths and weaknesses without judging your knowledge. Try to start a conversation and establish a bond, yet do not forget to cast a professional impression on this interviewer. The best way to handle a calm interviewer is to remain professional and not get too comfortable.
The Judgmental
Judgmental interviewers believe in the phrase “the first impression is the last impression.” It is difficult to decipher what these interviewers are thinking, as they are extremely difficult to read. They are likely to maintain a grumpy expression on their face or have no expression at all. You will be uncertain about your answers, and you will never know whether your answers were right or wrong. These interviewers are most difficult to deal with, so the best tip here is to be confident about yourself and the answers you give because you will not get an appreciative smile.
The Professional
Professional interviewers are the most balanced and will often have set criteria of outlines for the interview. They are not too rigid, not too friendly, yet they know how to maintain a professional appearance from start to finish. You can expect a few smiles and maybe even a few indications of how well the interview may be going. The tip here is to adjust with their mood and answer the questions carefully and appropriately.
The Distracted
This type of interviewer will make you feel as if they are the busiest person on the face of the earth. You will find them going through their phone and mail repeatedly while answering their questions, and it can be highly distracting. Do not get annoyed with this behavior. Do not get trapped and lose your concentration while answering them. Take the questions seriously and answer them after thinking twice. Do not try to get his attention. Do not get distracted and do not try to avoid the questions.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
No matter the business’s size, your business culture will drive the type of employees you hire for open positions. While skills and talent are of great importance, you need to hire employees that fit with the company and promote a positive work environment. Every employee you have in your company contributes to the workspace’s morale and energy, and ultimately they represent you and the business to both current and potential customers or clients. Here are nine key steps you need to implement to help in hiring the perfect employee.
Define the Job
Before you post the job online, you must do a job analysis and have a thorough list of job requirements. It would be best to break these into sections such as job description, required skills, education requirements, and environment.
When formulating the job posting, you should use concise wording and bullet points and have a job summary, attitude, and environmental expectations. Chances are you will have many people apply that are not qualified but have defined job requirements, detailed job descriptions, and including the environment and attitude will help pull out applications and resumes of those who match a lot of your keywords.
Plan Your Recruiting Strategy
Generally, a team in the human resources department is dedicated to posting jobs, conducting interviews, and hiring employees in a larger company. However, in a small business, this is generally done by the owner or a trusted employee. Because a smaller business is more intimate, it may be important for all employees to have some input to the hiring and recruiting process.
Create a Checklist
Creating a checklist may seem like a simple process, and in most cases, it is. However, having a checklist of what you need and expect in an employee will help you streamline the hiring process. Creating a checklist can also help keep all current employees involved in the hiring process on the same page as far as expectations and recruits that have potential.
Recruit the Right Candidates When Hiring an Employee
If possible, create the largest talent pool to choose from when hiring a new employee. Use available online tools such as hiring sites and social media to widen your talent pool as much as possible. The more potential candidates you have, the better chance you have of hiring the perfect employee.
Review Applications, Resumes, and Cover Letters Carefully
Have an effective system in place to review cover letters, resumes, and job applications. This process starts with a well-written job description and bullet points and your checklist. Screen all potential candidates against your list of skills, characteristics, job experience, and other important hiring points. Having this part of the process precise and streamlined will ensure that you can narrow the field of good candidates down to great ones.
Prescreen Candidates
While many candidates will look great on paper and have a compelling cover letter, they still may not be the right fit for the position or your company. Before taking the step to set up a face-to-face interview, you should do a phone interview to get an idea if they are still in the running before you go further in the process.
If you feel a candidate isn’t the right fit through the phone interview, you can eliminate them from the process at this point and not waste anyone’s valuable time.
Ask the Right Questions
The hiring team or business owner should develop standard interview questions that will be identical in each interview. This way of designing the interview questions will help you make a side-by-side comparison.
When formulating the questions, make sure every question you ask has value. There should be no throw-away questions to fill time. Organizing the questions will also ensure the interview stays focused and on track.
Do Background Checks and Check References
After you conduct interviews and have further narrowed down the best candidates, you must do thorough background checks. Once candidates have passed these checks, you must check with their references.
In most cases, all of the candidates who have made it this far in the process will also pass these checks. However, there could be candidates in the running that are eliminated because something negative comes up in these checks.
Extend a Job Offer
Once you have completely narrowed the field to the top candidates, you may need to conduct second interviews before making a final decision. When you have decided and have chosen the best candidate, it is time to draw up a job offer.
The job offer should include salary and benefits and the expected start date. Once you have sent the offer, either the candidate will accept the offer, decline it, or make a counteroffer. And the hiring process will come to an end once everyone agrees.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
When you come to the financial point in your adult life where you have decided it’s time to look into investing some of your hard-earned money, there are many types of investments you could consider. There is the stock market, mutual funds, 401(k) or other retirement savings accounts, and countless other investments you could (and should) look into to diversify your investment portfolio.
However, real estate investing is often an area people don’t think they can invest in for many reasons. It could be credit issues, lack of start-up investment capital, or fear of the risks involved in investing. Whatever the reasons you have hesitated to invest in real estate, here are five good reasons you should consider real estate investments.
Property Appreciation
Property appreciation isn’t that you appreciate that you own the property. This use of the word means the increase in the value of a property. Many purchases of property depreciate as soon as you purchase them, such as a car. A car depreciates in value the second you drive it off the lot because it immediately has factors attached to it that decrease the value, such as mileage and previous ownership.
Real estate is not like that. Real estate property values increase (or decrease) according to the real estate market. While it is true that there have been severe downturns in the real estate market over the years, for the most part, if you can ride these downturns out with the property you own while possibly obtaining more properties for spare change on the dollar, you can make out well during those few and far between times.
If you are investing in a property you intend to flip and sell, then a slower or bottom market would not be ideal since you might get the property for a steal but may not be able to resell it. However, buying a property to use for passive rental income, buying low, and investing enough to fix any issues, then renting it out will be ideal. You can then wait for the market to heat back up and resell it (once the lease is up) for a nice profit. Or you may choose to keep it as a rental property collecting that sweet passive income.
Cash Flow Income
Speaking of passive income and rental properties. Cash flow income is, as mentioned before, using your purchased property or even buying already established rental properties for the sole purpose of renting out space(s) for continuous passive income.
The cash flow income can be more resilient if the real estate market takes a hit or crashes. These passive income properties can even sustain you through overall economic downturns or personal financial difficulties.
Real Estate Related Income
You may be thinking we have been talking about real estate related income this whole time, and we have, but this particular use of the phrase is referring to income generated from a real estate job-related source.
Real estate-related jobs could be a real estate agent or real estate broker, both of which gain their income from real estate sales commissions. Another real estate related job is property management. This job entails running a property such as a building with offices, an apartment complex, or a hotel for an owner who wants to remain hands-off and have someone else manage their investments.
While this may not seem like an investment in real estate, if you do not own the properties yourself, these real estate related jobs are an investment in your career and future financial stability.
Ancillary Real Estate Investment Income
When most people hear real estate investing, they likely conjure up the idea of owning real estate property and either reselling for a profit or using it as a rental property as a passive income. Ancillary real estate investing is ownership of investments that generate income, such as vending machines, paid laundry facilities, ATMs, and other smaller businesses operated within larger real estate investments.
Because these types of machines are in places that make them convenient, they can create a decent income due to the customers’ semi-captive nature. These types of real estate investments could be a great starting point for someone without a lot of capital to invest or without a lot of experience in real estate investing.
Your First Property Investments
If you have the capital for a down payment and the credit score to do it, you may want to consider purchasing your first real estate property through a mortgage loan. You can then use this property a few ways to get returns on your investment. You can make sure the mortgage loan includes money for upgrades and fix it and flip it for a profit, which will pay off the mortgage and give you a profit. Or you can use it as a rental property setting the rent to cover the monthly mortgage and yearly dues and property taxes along with padding for profit.
If you don’t have a lot of starting capital to invest in a property on your own, there are crowdfunded investment groups. Each person in the group will invest a minimum amount, and the group will invest in a property and split the profits made through rentals or resale.
You can also look into the option of ancillary real estate options as they are often fairly inexpensive to invest in and can gain you immediate profits from day one of placement.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that different liabilities depend on what type of real estate investing you get into and weigh these liability risks against the rewards. Overall, real estate investing is a great investment path to take and is, for the most part, far less risky than the stock market. Look into the options mentioned and see if any of them is right for you.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
There are several kinds of accounting software available to small businesses. Whether it is overall accounting and bookkeeping software, inventory software, payroll software, or other business-related software that helps with the financial aspects of operations, most small businesses employ the use of one or more of these. Now there is software specifically related to electronic invoicing.
Some accounting software includes an electronic invoicing in the overall business accounting software package, but many do not. This would be the reason you may want to consider getting electronicinvoicing software. Here are eight reasons you should be electronically invoicing now!
Save time
Because of the automation, electronic invoicing saves a large amount of time previously spent manually invoicing. Many of the steps are eliminated once the process is automated because they are unnecessary in the electronic invoicing process.
Reducing Costs
When using the manual, paper invoicing, there are several costs involved. Printer ink, paper, envelopes, and postage are all costs involved in manual and paper invoicing. Besides the initial cost of the software, there is no cost involved in electronically invoicing your customers. It also saves money if you have to follow-up with reminders and late notices. Some companies give the customer the option to go paperless, but you will save money by electronically invoicing.
Reducing Errors
Because manual invoicing requires so many steps done manually, it increases the chances of errors in the process. There are many opportunities for errors, whether typos or incorrect data in the invoice or incorrectly addressing the envelope. Electronic invoicing still requires input. However, it will generally prompt error checks, and the rest of the process is automated and via email, so the chance of errors is minimized.
Customer Service
Because of the reduction in time, cost, and errors, there is a direct benefit to your customer. Also, because they will receive their invoices immediately, they can add the cost to their budget. Electronic invoicing is also more professional and can increase the overall positive impression of your business. The ease, accuracy, and speed will also increase customer confidence in your business’s abilities creating long-term customers.
Get Paid Quickly
Because the customer is invoiced immediately instead of the time it takes to mail an invoice, it is far more likely the invoice will be paid quickly. Most customers who fail to pay forget about the payment. With electronic invoicing, they will receive the initial invoice, but remindersare more easily sent because of the simplification of the process.
Reducing Paper Use
With awareness of the environment and recycling being the focus of many, reducing paper use will benefitthe environment. The reduction of paper for the invoice and the envelope will positively impact and give your customers who are concerned with the environment another reason to choose your company.
Accurate Record-Keeping
Because the process is generated and recorded through the software, this will ensure accurate records. This accuracy is especially important for taxes and operations. It also allows an overview of outstanding invoices that may require more intense measures to recover. Overall you will have easy to understand records that will help keep accounting and bookkeeping accurate and efficient.
More Control
Manual invoicing also means manual record-keeping and other processes. Having the electronic invoicing process from beginning to recording in the software gives you more control over your invoices and the invoicing process. Most of the invoicing issues are that the manual process can allow the invoices to get away from you. This control and accuracy, ease of access to what has been received, and what is out will give you strong invoicing control.
Conclusion
There are no downsides to electronic invoicing, and no reason it should not be utilized in your business immediately. Electronic invoicing saves time, money, and errors and will give you and your accountantaccuracy and more control.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
5 Creative Investment Ideas for a Stronger Portfolio
Creative investment ideas for a stronger portfolio blend traditional assets with smarter, less-traveled opportunities—diversified alternatives, impact and ESG themes, arts and entertainment ventures, digital and IP-based income streams, and tax-smart philanthropic structures. Used together, these five ideas help you add resilience, fresh income streams, and long-term growth potential without abandoning the discipline that keeps real wealth intact.
Here’s something that gets me fired up: Bank of America’s 2024 Study of Wealthy Americans found that the average high-net-worth allocation to alternatives jumped to 13%, up from 10% in 2022—and 54% plan to increase it again. That’s not a fad; that’s a quiet revolution in how serious investors build portfolios. Over the past 20+ years running Complete Controller, I’ve had a front-row seat to thousands of business owners and investors figuring out what actually works versus what just sounds clever at cocktail parties. In this article, I’ll share five creative ideas I’ve watched succeed in the real world, plus a 90-day roadmap to put them into action with confidence.
What are the 5 best creative investment ideas for a stronger portfolio and how do you use them?
Diversified alternatives, impact/ESG themes, arts and entertainment ventures, digital and IP assets, and tax-smart philanthropy are the five creative investment ideas that build a stronger portfolio.
Alternatives like real assets, private credit, and commodities reduce correlation to public markets and hedge inflation.
Impact and ESG investing aligns your dollars with macro trends like the energy transition and longevity.
Arts, entertainment, and creator economy plays offer growth tied to a $250B–$480B market expansion.
Digital and IP assets—courses, royalties, content libraries—create scalable passive income when treated like real businesses.
Donor-advised funds and philanthropic structures function as a strategic “fourth pillar” that boosts after-tax wealth and legacy impact.
Understanding Creative Investment Ideas Without Losing Your Financial Footing
Let me be clear about what “creative” means here. Creative does not mean speculative roulette. It means thoughtful diversification into opportunities outside the basic stock-bond-cash trio, guided by data, time horizon, and good bookkeeping. The investors I’ve seen build lasting wealth treat creativity as a discipline, not a dare.
What are creative investment ideas in 2026?
Creative investment ideas in 2026 are strategies that expand beyond traditional holdings to capture macro themes—AI infrastructure, energy transition, the creator economy—while respecting correlation, liquidity, and risk-adjusted return. Think of it as a core-satellite model: your stable core stays boring and diversified, while your creative satellite (often 10–25% of the portfolio) chases smarter upside.
Building a creative investment strategy around your real life
A solid creative investment strategy starts with three honest questions: What are my goals? What’s my time horizon? What can I actually afford to lose? Once you know that, decide what percentage of your portfolio belongs in the creative sleeve and tag every position in your bookkeeping so you can review it quarterly. I had a client who turned a scattered pile of “fun money” bets into a tracked, disciplined satellite portfolio. Same dollars, dramatically better outcomes—because she could finally see what was working.
Creative Investment Idea #1 – Diversified Alternatives That Support Your Core
Alternatives have moved from “exotic” to “essential.” According to Bank of America’s 2024 Study of Wealthy Americans, wealthy investors now allocate 13% on average to alternatives, with more than half planning to increase that further. If the most sophisticated investors are leaning in, that’s a credibility anchor worth paying attention to.
Creative assets investment strategies in real assets and commodities
Real assets—infrastructure, real estate, renewable energy projects—and commodities like gold or broad commodity funds can buffer inflation and smooth volatility. The trick is position sizing. A 5–15% sleeve, sized to your risk tolerance, usually does the job without making your portfolio lopsided.
Best creative investment opportunities in 2026
The biggest themes I’m watching with clients:
AI infrastructure and power generation for data centers
Creative Investment Idea #2 – Impact, ESG, and Societal-Shifts Investing
Impact investing has matured. It’s no longer a values-only choice—it’s a way to ride durable macro trends like clean energy, longevity health, and climate adaptation while keeping diversification intact.
Innovation funding through impact and ESG themes
You can fund innovation through green bonds, themed ETFs, and community development funds. The key is screening for genuine ESG versus greenwashing—look at fund holdings, methodology, and reporting. The CFA Institute’s ESG framework is a strong reference point for what good looks like.
How to build a creative investment portfolio with impact at the center
Here’s a simple sequence I walk clients through:
Define the causes you care about (climate, housing, education)
Map the vehicles available—ETFs, social-impact bonds, community funds
Set an allocation rule (e.g., “10% of my creative sleeve targets impact themes”)
Track returns and impact metrics in your bookkeeping system
One family client paired ESG funds with a donor-advised fund and got something rare: alignment between their values, their tax bill, and their long-term wealth plan.
Creative Investment Idea #3 – Arts, Entertainment, and the Creator Economy
Arts and entertainment investment as an asset class
You can invest in this space through:
Direct equity in creative startups and production companies
Royalties from music, film, or licensing deals
Pooled funds that spread risk across many creative projects
The risks are real—illiquidity, high failure rates, the need for serious due diligence. Diversify across many bets, not one.
Venture capital for creative industries and creator economy businesses
The creator economy includes paid newsletters, niche learning apps, and AI-enhanced content tools. I’ve watched investors back creator-platform startups that scaled with subscription and transaction revenue, delivering strong multi-year growth. The investors who won shared one habit: they demanded clean, transparent books from the startups they funded—which is exactly where our business bookkeeping essentials come in.
The best investment strategy starts with clear financial visibility. See how Complete Controller helps you organize your finances with confidence.
Creative Investment Idea #4 – Digital Assets, IP, and Scalable Passive Income
This isn’t about crypto speculation. It’s about treating digital and intellectual property like the real businesses they are. A famous example: David Bowie’s “Bowie Bonds,” inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, turned music royalties into a tradeable, income-producing asset—a blueprint that still inspires today’s IP investors.
Creative investment ideas for beginners in digital and online assets
Beginner-friendly entry points include revenue-share deals in online course businesses, small equity in membership sites, or buying a profitable newsletter to improve and grow. Start small, track every dollar, and learn the mechanics. See our guide on earning with online courses for a deeper look.
Investing in startups in the creative sector and online ventures
When evaluating a creative-sector startup, look at:
Recurring revenue percentage
Creator or platform dependency risk
Quality of financial reporting
I had a client running a profitable digital course business who only attracted serious investors after we standardized her bookkeeping. The business hadn’t changed—the visibility had.
Creative Investment Idea #5 – Philanthropy and Tax-Smart Structures
Strategic giving is one of the most underrated wealth tools I know. Donor-advised funds (DAFs) unlock immediate tax deductions, let you donate appreciated securities to avoid capital gains, and give you decades to direct grants. The IRS guide to donor-advised funds is a great starting point.
Bunching donations in high-income years, donating appreciated assets, and coordinating with your tax advisor can turn philanthropy into a serious creative lever that quietly improves your after-tax net worth.
Turning Ideas into Action – Your 90-Day Roadmap
Most idea lists stop at “what.” Here’s the “how”:
Days 1–30 – Assessment: Inventory holdings, decide your creative allocation (10–20%), and pick 2–3 themes that fit your goals.
Days 31–60 – Due Diligence: Research funds, fees, liquidity, and governance. Set up bookkeeping categories. For help organizing, see our piece on how to streamline your investment portfolio.
Days 61–90 – Execution: Invest in small, diversified positions. Set quarterly reviews. Adjust by metrics, not headlines.
Conclusion – How I Approach Creative Investing With My Clients
After two decades helping business owners keep their books honest and their portfolios growing, I’ve learned that creative investment ideas work best when paired with old-fashioned discipline. The five ideas here—alternatives, impact themes, arts and entertainment, digital and IP assets, and philanthropic structures—can each strengthen your portfolio when sized correctly, tracked clearly, and aligned with your goals.
Pick a percentage, pick two or three ideas that fit your real life, and build a system that lets you see everything in one place. When you’re ready for a partner to help structure and track it all, visit Complete Controller and let our team support your next move with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Creative Investment Ideas
What are some unique investment ideas?
Unique investment ideas include alternative assets like infrastructure and commodities, ESG-themed funds, creative industry startups, digital content and royalty streams, and donor-advised funds that improve tax efficiency while supporting causes you care about.
What is the most creative investment?
The most creative investment depends on your goals, but many investors find creator-economy ventures, arts and entertainment, and digital IP (courses, memberships, royalties) the most innovative—especially when they combine scalable income with long-term asset value.
What are some unconventional investment options?
Unconventional options include private credit, renewable energy projects, niche real assets, revenue-sharing deals in online businesses, music or film royalties, and donor-advised funds that integrate tax planning with impact.
How can beginners start with creative investments?
Beginners should start with small allocations to thematic ETFs (AI, energy transition, ESG), simple income streams like online courses, and low-complexity impact funds, while keeping the majority of their portfolio in diversified core investments.
Are creative investment ideas high risk?
Creative investments often carry higher or different risks—illiquidity, business failure, regulatory shifts—but those risks can be managed through position sizing, diversification, professional due diligence, and disciplined bookkeeping and reporting.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Jennifer BrazerFounder/CEO
Jennifer is the author of From Cubicle to Cloud and Founder/CEO of Complete Controller, a pioneering financial services firm that helps entrepreneurs break free of traditional constraints and scale their businesses to new heights.
Brittany McMillen is a seasoned Marketing Manager with a sharp eye for strategy and storytelling. With a background in digital marketing, brand development, and customer engagement, she brings a results-driven mindset to every project. Brittany specializes in crafting compelling content and optimizing user experiences that convert. When she’s not reviewing content, she’s exploring the latest marketing trends or championing small business success.
Every financially responsible adult should have multiple savings accounts, the most important of which should be an emergency fund. This fund is used to cover emergencies that are unforeseen and not built into your budget. It should cover catastrophes such as a costly car or home repair not covered by warranties or an unexpected healthcare expense.
The emergency fund savings is not to be confused with saving for your future or a family vacation, down payment on a new car or home, or a wedding. It is an account protected to cover you and prevent those unforeseen disasters from causing you financial hardship or devastation. Here are three important things to consider when saving for an emergency fund.
Use a Financial Advisor
While hiring a professional financial advisor is expensive, it is a financially smart thing to do, especially if you are not good with your finances. Many smart and savvy adults who are good at their jobs and have talents in other areas are not good with money. Commonly, most working adults carry a little to a far greater amount of debt brought about by the mishandling of their money.
The cost of hiring a financial advisor will easily be defrayed by the amount of savings having a professional help you straighten out your finances will gain you. These financial experts know how to help you identify where you can make changes and create savings accounts for your future and for emergencies.
Most people hesitate to use a financial advisor because of the cost, but because they are embarrassed by their financial situation and laying it open in front of a virtual stranger can be challenging. If you can put these concerns aside and understand these professionals have seen it all and know how to get you on the right financial path, you will not regret your decision. Not only will they help you get a much-needed emergency fund in place quickly, but they can help you with every aspect of your finances, leading you to financial freedom.
The Amount of Your Emergency Fund
Most people ask when contemplating an emergency fund is how much should the fund contain? If you are a novice at saving, the answer is that you should start small and save an amount of $1,000 as quickly as possible. These savings will easily cover small issues such as a car or home repairs or other similar issues.
Once you have the $1,000 emergency nest egg, it is time to build that savings to cover bigger issues such as job loss or medical issues that could cause longer-term income loss. Most experts will recommend this amount be equal to at least six months of your income. Doing this will ensure you are covered if there are hindrances to employment for a prolonged period.
Once you have six months of your income saved, it is suggested that you continue to build towards a year. Keep in mind these savings is never to be touched for anything other than an emergency or financial hardships. You should still have other savings to include those for specific large purchases or vacations and those specifically towards your retirement funds. But before you contribute to any of those other savings accounts, you should use all your savings efforts to build your emergency fund.
Where to Keep Your Emergency Fund
There are several places you could keep your emergency fund, but some definite rules you want to follow to make sure your emergency funds are kept in the right place(s).
Before deciding where to keep the funds that work best for you, there is one rule to follow, no matter where you choose to keep this fund. Ensure it is accessiblewithout penalties or days of red tape to obtain. After all, it has emergency right in the name, implying you will need it right away. However, don’t make it so accessible that you will be tempted to use it for non-emergency purchases. Restrain yourself from “borrowing” from this fund for non-emergency desires of your heart.
One of the safest places to keep your emergency funds while also fitting the previously describe rule of thumb is in an online bank. Banks that are completely housed and operated online make electronic transactions easy while also being an account not attached to your traditional bank account, making accessing it more tempting.
Another great account that will not be attached to your traditional bank account is a money market account. This type of account is not only a standalone account, but it can gain your interest while your money is sitting in reserve, waiting for an emergency. Savings accounts that gain interest are never bad, especially when you are trying to build this emergency account to equal a year’s income.
Conclusion
Keeping these three important aspects of an emergency fund in mind when considering building this savings account will ensure you have coverage in your times of financial need. Having this fund will not only provide you with peace of mind when an emergency arises, but it will provide you with it knowing it’s there if you should ever need it.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Time management is probably one of the things every employee who works from home would agree they have issues with when it comes to accomplishing daily workloads. Even in an office environment, time management is a difficulty for many employees. While in some cases, the issue is that people bite off more than they can chew and commit to more than can be done in the time allotted. In many cases, the issue is poor time management. Here are seven things you can do to improve time management and meet your goals and the goals of your superiors.
Plan Ahead
Planning is the best way to lay out what you need to do and what you need to accomplish the task or tasks at hand. If you have everything you need in place and do some planning and preparations, it will save time when you get into the work. You can use a calendar, planner, or make lists somewhere you will often see to help you keep on schedule and task. If you’re smart, you can even build in padding to accommodate the inevitable wrenches that get thrown in. If you plan for unforeseen issues, you will still accomplish what you need to for the day.
Group Related Tasks
Grouping together related tasks will make your workflow make sense. For example, if you need to read over documents and print other documents, you should group these tasks because you will already be in your documents folder. The grouping of related tasks should take place in the planning of your day. If you have new tasks assigned during the day, unless you are told it has to be done right away, you can add the task to another task or group where it makes sense.
Prioritize
Prioritizing should be in the planning stage also. However, once you start working or begin your day, the priorities may shift. So though you can pre-plan your priorities, you have to be flexible to change the plan if something needs your attention sooner. You need to make your priorities clear to your co-workers and superior, so they know not even to approach you if what they need from you is not as important as you already prioritized behind what you have planned.
Unless you have something pressing, you should always prioritize the tasks you dislike or that are difficult or the most time consuming first. Getting those out of the way will lessen the chances that you will procrastinate them or have to work past the end of the day to finish them.
Make a Mental Narrative
This might sound a little crazy since it is about to be suggested that you talk to yourself, but if you layout your day and priorities out loud in the form of a story, you can make adjustments when something is not working. This type of mental preparation is like brainstorming with yourself and works well. It is similar to the difference between reading something in your head and reading it out loud. You will notice that you comprehend information quicker when you read it out loud.
Keep the Drive Going
Even if you lose your juice in the middle of a task, unless it is one that will take several hours or days, keep pushing yourself through because when you stop, it is often hard to restart. This can be especially true for tasks you don’ like or that are far more challenging. That being said, if you need a break and not having one is hindering your progress mentally or physically, take a break, but make it quick.
Use a Timer
If one of your issues is accomplishingtaskspromptly, use a timer. If you know how long it takes or should take to finish a task, set your timer for that time. The ticking clock will push you to keep going, and also, if you are consistently blowing past the buzzer to finish tasks, you may need to reassess the tasks or time it takes. Using a timer is meant to be a tool to help you stay on task, so don’t let it add stress. It is just a guideline.
Single-Tasking
While you may think that time management gurus will suggest multi-task, nothing could be further from the truth. Most experts believe that multi-tasking, in reality, is not a possibility in many cases. It is possible to multi-task things like brushing your teeth and blowdrying your hair, but you can’t take a shower and blowdry your hair. You also can’t do something like read the newspaper and talk on the phone, one of those two tasks or both will suffer. Now time management experts suggest you give everything you have and focus on a single task until it is completed. It has been discovered the quality and speed of the work were far superior to that of the employee that was multi-tasking.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
A small business start-up will rarely have all the capital needed to establish, operate, and sustain the business through the difficult first year of business. Most small business entrepreneurs will be seeking capital.
While recent years have seen some other sources for raising capital such as crowdfunding, peer-to-peer financing, and instant online loans, commercial bank lending is still the most sought after option for small business start-ups or those small businesses who need capital to grow. And lending by the government-backed Small Business Administration is at record levels.
While it is suggested that a small business owner uses every available resource to raise the capital needed to start or grow their business, they should also know what top commercial bank lenders expect to see when considering a loan to a new or growing business. Here are the five essential steps every small business owner should follow to secure a small business loan.
You Must Become Credit Worthy
Before you even step foot into a commercial banking institution seeking a loan to start a small business, you need to take care of any negative or inaccurate credit score issues on your credit report. You also need to resolve any tax issues or previous business issues that could harm you as a lending risk. Anything such as tax or loan liens, garnishments, negative bank balances, or owing back taxes can all be risk red flags for a potential lender, so you must have all of these issues resolved, or seeking a loan will be a waste of everyone’s time.
There are many ways to repair negative financial issues you have gotten yourself into, and you need to use them before you look to secure a loan for your small business.
You Must Create a Strong Business Plan
The top commercial banking lenders say that a well-written and realistic business plan is essential to a positive answer to your loan request. Your business plan is an insight into your realistic understanding of how your business will be operated. Still, it shows you have thought out what you are getting yourself into and how to handle all the aspects required to run a successful business.
Your business plan should include financial projections, marketing strategies, business management, and operations. The business plan allows the lender to see you have a plan for repayment through these researched and well thought out aspects of the plan. The business plan gives the lender confidence that you can repay the loan. Without this confidence, no lender will give you a business loan.
You Must Plan for Every Case Scenario
In the financial projections, lenders expect to see a breakdown of at least twelve months broken down by month, including the best, mid, and worst-case scenarios. The potential lender needs to see that you will financially survive and make loan payments even if your business has a month that sees a drop of 10, 20, or even 30%. Showing this amount of monthly detail will let a lender know that you have a plan to survive the inevitable downturns businesses experience.
You should do this as a monthly breakdown because knowing the good and bad time of year for your business shows you understand your business and its finances. Some businesses will boom in the summer and die in the winter, and others are strong during the holidays and potentially make their year in a two or three-month period. Having this deep knowledge of your business and its financial projections month to month will give a lender great confidence and get you a positive result.
You Must Have Business History or the Equivalent Cash Equity
If you are obtaining a loan to help your business grow, you will have some business history. Many lenders will require two-years of business history in these cases. However, if you are a new business, a lender may require the owner to have cash equity to inject into the business. The lender may require other capital supplements to reduce the loan amount, reducing the risk of repayment.
You Must be a Hands-on Owner
A lender is more likely to grant a loan to an owner who has proactive plans to collect accounts receivables and ensure that revenue is not tied up in bad debt expenses. You should also show that all your cash liquidity isn’t going to be tied up in inventory but readily available to use for unforeseen business needs or to cover payments.
You should also show that you have a strong and direct marketing plan that will be carried through even when business is slow. Lenders understand that marketing is key to the success of a business. It has its own prominent section in every good business plan showing that it is an essential part of any business to generate customers and revenue.
Conclusion
Lenders are not ready to say no to every business that walks in the door seeking a small business loan. Because the banking institution will gain revenue from the interest paid on your loan, they want to say yes. It is up to you as a small business entrepreneur to ensure you follow all these steps to ensure you are the business that gets that yes, they want to give a worthy business.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
When starting or growing your small business, even if you have some capital saved to put into the business, chances are you won’t have enough to cover all of the costs. If you have no means to provide the money to operate or grow, you will have to look at other financing means.
Before you pursue financing, you must make sure you have a comprehensive and well-written business plan. Most think you only need a business plan for a startup business; however, you should be updating your business plan every year to project growth and use data from the previous year to make those projections. Here are what should be included in your business plan:
Executive Summary: The executive summary introduces your company to the reader and includes your mission statement and what your business is about.
Company Description: The company description is a deeper dive into what the company will do, its goals, and the expected customer type.
Market Analysis: The market analysis is a detailed analysis of the market to which your business belongs.
Competitive Analysis: The competitive analysis is the comparison to your indirect and direct competitors.
Management and Organization: Management and organization is the structure of your management team and the entire organization.
Products and Services: This will be a thorough description and breakdown of the products or services your company will offer.
Marketing Plan: Your marketing plan will be how you intend to market the business and the costs.
Sales Strategy: The sales strategy will include how you plan to offer your product and how the sales team will go forward. It will also include projected sales targets.
Financial Projections: The financial projections should cover at least six months, if not a year or month by month, financial breakdowns, and analysis.
Now that you have a solid business plan, here are four types of financing you can obtain for your small business.
Take it to the Bank
The most obvious means of financing your small business is to go to a banking institution and obtain a loan. The bank will expect to see a business plan, business credit scores, personal credit scores, financial statements, or any other documents that will help them decide to give you a loan. The bank is looking for the amount of risk there will be if they grant you a loan.
Friends or Family
If you have friends or family that believe in your business, they will often help you finance your business with no strings attached. While they will still expect to be paid back, they often want no stake in the business and help you succeed. Be careful when borrowing from friends and family because if you have difficulty paying them back, it can cause a rift, but often this is a great way to borrow for your business because it will most likely be interest-free.
Outside Investors
You can look for outside investors who have expressed a desire to invest in small business startups or growing. These investors will become stakeholders and expect a return on their investment and often limit when they expect to see some return on their investment. In some cases, investors will expect a seat at the table when it comes to business decisions.
This involvement can be a blessing or a curse depending on the investor. Some have a vast amount of business experience, and their involvement and ideas could help your business grow and thrive. Others can be a challenge to deal with, so choose your investors carefully. Base your choice of investors on reputation and research them thoroughly if they have an investment track record.
Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is a fairly new financing source for businesses or projects. While you will still have to give the investors a return on their investment, you can, in many cases, gain quick and total financing for your business if it is a great idea with a solid business plan. If you are great at selling your ideas and getting others excited, crowdsourcing would be the perfect financing pursuit for you and your business.
Conclusion
Financing is a part of any small business, whether it is a startup or a business operating for some time that is growing. If you have a great business plan and have made sure you are personally financially strong, you should have no problem obtaining financing via one of these four sources.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Money management tips that help you avoid a budget deficit come down to a straightforward system: track every dollar you spend, match it against your real take-home income, build a realistic monthly budget using a method like 50/30/20, and create cushions like an emergency fund so unexpected expenses never push you into the red. When you consistently monitor cash flow, set clear financial goals, and adjust quickly the moment overspending shows up, deficits become an early warning signal you know how to fix, not a recurring crisis.
Here’s what caught my attention recently: the Federal Reserve found that 37% of U.S. adults couldn’t cover a $400 emergency using cash, savings, or a credit card paid off at the next statement. That single stat explains why so many households live one flat tire away from debt. Over my 20-plus years leading Complete Controller, I’ve worked with thousands of households and small businesses across nearly every industry you can name, and the pattern is consistent: the people who stay financially secure aren’t always the highest earners; they’re the ones who know exactly where their money goes. In this article, I’ll walk you through the same practical framework we use with clients to build cash flow clarity, cut debt faster, grow savings, and turn any deficit into a surplus.
What are the best money management tips to avoid a budget deficit?
Track spending, match it to real income, build a realistic budget, and create buffers like an emergency fund so expenses never exceed cash flow.
Start with cash flow clarity by logging 30–90 days of expenses and comparing them to your net income to spot deficits early.
Use proven budgeting strategies like 50/30/20 or zero-based budgeting to give every dollar a purpose.
Automate savings and debt payments so progress happens without willpower doing all the work.
Review monthly and treat your budget as a living plan that flexes with your life.
Get a Clear Picture of Your Cash Flow
Before you can avoid a deficit, you need to know exactly what’s coming in, what’s going out, and when it’s landing in your account. Most clients I meet aren’t overspending on wild luxuries; they’re just flying blind, missing timing mismatches between paychecks and bills.
Cash flow management starts by listing every income source (take-home pay, side gigs, benefits) and totaling your realistic monthly net income. Then list every expense category: housing, utilities, transportation, food, minimum debt payments, savings, and discretionary spending. Subtract expenses from income. If the result is negative or uncomfortably close to zero, you’re at deficit risk and need to reallocate now, not next month.
How to create a monthly budget and stick to it
Pick one method and commit to it for at least 90 days so you can see real patterns emerge:
Use net (after-tax) income, not gross salary, so your plan reflects reality.
Assign every dollar a job using zero-based budgeting, or split with the 50/30/20 rule (50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings and extra debt payments).
Check accounts weekly to catch overspending before it snowballs.
Set calendar reminders for bill due dates so timing mismatches don’t create short-term shortfalls.
Small nudges work. A ideas42 experiment found that personalized reminder texts about spending goals boosted short-term savings by roughly 5% and reduced overspending compared to a control group. Weekly account check-ins and bill alerts aren’t busywork; they’re behavior science.
Track Every Dollar to Pay Off Debt Faster
You can’t avoid a deficit or accelerate debt reduction if you don’t know where your money is actually going. Money management tips for beginners to pay off debt faster always start here: pull the last 30–90 days of bank and credit card statements and categorize every transaction.
Here’s why debt reduction matters more than ever: the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports that the average credit card interest rate assessed by commercial banks jumped from about 14% in 2019 to over 21% in 2024. Carrying a balance now creates monthly deficits faster than it did just five years ago.
Choose a debt payoff method that fits your personality
Avalanche method: Pay minimums on everything, then throw extra cash at the highest-interest debt first. Cheapest long-term.
Snowball method: Attack the smallest balance first to build motivation from quick wins.
Automate payments so backsliding isn’t an option.
Redirect trimmed expenses straight to extra principal payments each month.
As total debt shrinks, your fixed obligations shrink with it, which is exactly how you create permanent breathing room. For a deeper look at aligning debt and cash flow on the business side, our team’s guide to efficient business finance management walks through the same principles at a larger scale.
Build an Emergency Fund for Financial Security
A budget alone won’t stop every deficit. Life throws surprises, and safety nets are what keep those surprises from becoming credit card debt. The best ways to build an emergency fund for financial security start smaller than most people expect.
Aim for 3–6 months of essential expenses eventually, but don’t let that number paralyze you. Start with $500–$1,000, which covers most minor emergencies like car repairs, medical copays, or an unexpected appliance replacement. Given that 37% of Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency, even a modest starter fund puts you ahead of a huge portion of the country.
Automate the habit, separate the account
Set up automatic transfers to a dedicated savings account the day after payday.
Keep it at a separate bank with no debit card attached to remove temptation.
Increase contributions any time your income rises or a debt is paid off.
Layer in tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, IRA, 401(k)) once your starter cushion is in place. Our overview of the benefits of a 401(k) explains how employer matches can accelerate long-term security.
Case in point: One working couple I’ve seen (adapted from CFPB spending-tracker case work) had recurring overdraft fees on variable income. They tracked spending for 60 days, cut discretionary costs, and automated $100/month until they hit $1,200. When a car repair hit, they paid cash instead of swiping plastic at 21% interest. That single shift broke their deficit cycle for good.
Better money decisions start with better financial systems. Discover how Complete Controller can help you stay on track.
Align Goals With Behavior Through Financial Goal Setting
Deficits often happen because daily choices aren’t connected to bigger priorities. Clear financial goal setting makes trade-offs feel purposeful instead of punishing.
Sort goals into short-term (0–2 years), mid-term (2–5 years), and long-term (5+ years). Assign each one a target amount, deadline, and monthly contribution. Then build those contributions into your budget as line items, right alongside rent and utilities. This is where retirement planning and investment allocation stop feeling optional and start feeling like non-negotiables.
Prioritize paying off high-interest debt before aggressive investing. Otherwise, interest costs quietly cancel out returns. Once debt is under control, diversify investments to match your time horizon and risk tolerance, and treat risk management (insurance, basic estate planning) as part of the same conversation.
Cut Costs Intelligently and Recover From Deficits Fast
When money feels tight, the culprit is usually creep: subscriptions, lifestyle upgrades, and impulse purchases that snuck in over months. How to manage cash flow and reduce unnecessary expenses comes down to systematically reviewing what you’re actually paying for.
Scan statements for charges you don’t recognize and subscriptions you’ve forgotten. Negotiate recurring bills (insurance, phone, internet), refinance high-interest debt where possible, and spread bill due dates across the month to avoid clusters that create short-term shortfalls. Look for painless income boosts, too: extra hours, side work, selling unused items.
If you’re already in a deficit, move fast
Recalculate exact shortfall by comparing all income against every bill.
Trim nonessentials immediately.
Contact creditors about hardship plans before missing payments.
Prioritize essentials: housing, utilities, food, and minimum debt payments.
Avoid payday loans and repeated overdrafts, which deepen the hole.
Once stabilized, rebuild the emergency fund, reset goals, and schedule monthly reviews. Consistent surplus creates room for opportunities you couldn’t touch while playing defense.
Turn Budget Fear Into Financial Confidence
When you combine disciplined tracking, a realistic budgeting method, aligned goals, and intentional saving, budget deficits stop being emergencies and start being manageable signals. The roadmap is simple: understand your cash flow, build a budget that fits your actual life, protect yourself with an emergency fund, and respond quickly when numbers don’t add up.
I’ve watched clients across every income bracket go from overdraft anxiety to calm, predictable finances by following these exact steps. If you’re ready to put this framework to work, or want expert help building a deficit-proof plan for your household or business, visit Complete Controller for cloud-based bookkeeping and financial guidance built around your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Money Management Tips
What are the most important money management tips for beginners?
Track all spending for at least 30 days, build a simple monthly budget using a rule like 50/30/20, start a small emergency fund ($500–$1,000), and prioritize paying down high-interest debt before aggressive investing.
How do I stop overspending and actually stick to my budget?
Use an expense-tracking app or spreadsheet linked to your accounts, review balances weekly, set hard category limits for “wants,” cancel unused subscriptions, and turn on bill alerts so timing surprises don’t push you into the red.
How do I create a realistic budget if my income is irregular?
Base your plan on an average of the lowest three months from the past year, cover essentials first, keep a larger emergency buffer (closer to 6 months of expenses), and adjust discretionary spending each month as actual income comes in.
What’s the best way to pay off credit card debt without wrecking my budget?
List every debt with balances and interest rates, keep minimums paid on all, and direct extra funds to either the highest-rate card (avalanche) or smallest balance (snowball). With average card rates above 21%, every extra dollar matters.
How much should I save each month to prevent future budget deficits?
Aim for 20% of net income toward savings and extra debt payments when possible, following 50/30/20 guidelines. Start with whatever percentage is realistic, automate the transfer, and increase it every time your income rises or a debt is paid off.
Sources
Achieve. “What Is the Best Way to Avoid Running Out of Money Too Quickly?” Achieve.com, 2023.
Investopedia Staff. “Master Your Financial Goals: Short-, Mid-, and Long-Term.” Investopedia, 2023.
Johnson Financial Group. “7 Financial Rules of Thumb to Follow.” JohnsonFinancialGroup.com, 2023.
NPR Staff. “How to Cut Costs, Pay Down Debt and Save More Money in the New Year.” NPR, 2 Jan. 2024.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Jennifer BrazerFounder/CEO
Jennifer is the author of From Cubicle to Cloud and Founder/CEO of Complete Controller, a pioneering financial services firm that helps entrepreneurs break free of traditional constraints and scale their businesses to new heights.
Brittany McMillen is a seasoned Marketing Manager with a sharp eye for strategy and storytelling. With a background in digital marketing, brand development, and customer engagement, she brings a results-driven mindset to every project. Brittany specializes in crafting compelling content and optimizing user experiences that convert. When she’s not reviewing content, she’s exploring the latest marketing trends or championing small business success.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
