(NAPSA)—If you’re unsure about your ability to manage your money, youre not alone. “Most people recognize that they can do a better job managing their finances. People have a bet- ter chance of success when they take advantage of resources that can help them. By not being afraid to ask for help, anyone can set financial goals and stick to them,” advises Dr. Hersh Shefrin, author of “Beyond Greed and Fear: Seventy-two percent of American Understanding Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of credit cardholders trust them- In fact, a recent survey from their budgets are completely under control. Investing” and a leading figure in behavioral finance. Chase found an overwhelming seven in 10 American cardholders trust themselves most to manage their finances, yet more than half still do not feel they have the necessary ways to maintain a budget. To help get you started on your path to long-term financial success, Dr. Shefrin offers these tips: Understand Your Financial Style: Are you a deliberate or more spontaneous spender? Do you have specific financial goals or are they more general? Do you wish you could be morein control of your finances? Figuring out the answers to these questions can be an important first step on the road to improvingyour financial picture. Make A Plan: It’s important to design a budget that works for you and yourlife. Determine how selves most to manage their bud- get. Yet more than half do not feel While you can’t control unex- pected expenses, such as replacing a broken appliance or repairing the car, you can control how you manage those expenses. Build reasonable monthly payments into your plan and pay them down over time. This way, you'll be more likely to stick to your plan and stay in control of yourfinances. Make It Easy: Get the programs and help you need to achieve your goals. Some people create their own strategies to stay on track. Others use online tools. For example, Chase has developed a set of free features called Blue- print that lets you design your own plan to pay off balances sooner, save money by avoiding plan that lets you pay your interest charges and track your progress directly on your monthly statement. ments over time. Set a goal date to stay on track. goals and take a quiz to find your much you can spend andcreate a expenses in manageable incre Control The Controllable: Life isn’t always predictable. To learn more about features to help you achieve your financial financial style, visit www.chase. com/blueprint.
