Who is the best person to help me with a budget?

[CreditGuy03]

Would that be a financial advisor or some one else?

I need someone to tell me..."Dont put money this place, move this money to xyz and stop buying abc, you may need to sell D and E etc"

Really another professional set of eyes that can really dig down into the budget and income and get my finances on track.

I called one financial advisor from ameriprise and she was more concerned with retirement income and this is not what I was looking for.

[M_Smart007]

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@CreditGuy03 wrote:

Would that be a financial advisor or some one else?

I need someone to tell me..."Dont put money this place, move this money to xyz and stop buying abc, you may need to sell D and E etc"

Really another professional set of eyes that can really dig down into the budget and income and get my finances on track.

I called one financial advisor from ameriprise and she was more concerned with retirement income and this is not what I was looking for.

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Hi   @CreditGuy03,

I am  sure there are people here that could give you some very sage advice.

I won't attempt to do so, only because I think there are some brilliant minds here, that are much smarter than Me.

I am pretty sure some will chime in. maybe ask you a few questions.

Wishing you the best!

[CreditInspired]

I suggest checking with your bank or CU. I know NFCU has financial advisors. 

[iced]

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@CreditGuy03 wrote:

Would that be a financial advisor or some one else?

I need someone to tell me..."Dont put money this place, move this money to xyz and stop buying abc, you may need to sell D and E etc"

Really another professional set of eyes that can really dig down into the budget and income and get my finances on track.

I called one financial advisor from ameriprise and she was more concerned with retirement income and this is not what I was looking for.

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It sounds like you don't need a financial advisor so much as a budget counsellor, assuming what you mean by abc and xyz isn't stocks so much as 'stop paying $x for your phone bill, cancel your Hulu subscription, and don't spend more than $Y on groceries' sort of advice.

The trick is finding a budget/credit/debt advisor that isn't predatory. Most are attached to debt consolidation groups that are focused on avoiding bankruptcy, but I don't get the impression you're going down the hole. These can be hard to find since it's a bit counterproductive to pay for someone you don't need to tell you to stop paying for things you don't need.

Many people end up self-advising in this situation, with community support.

If you are looking for stock tips, then you are looking for a financial advisor. Most of the cheap ones focus on basic retirement strategies because most people have a bulk of their investable money in a retirement account; the ones for individual stocks tend to stick to larger accounts (7-figure portfolios and larger with a substantial chunk not in IRA/401ks) and will command management fees in the 1% range at a minimum, even if you don't make that many trades.

[Anonymous]

You would be the best person.

BUT, you will need to do some work. (either way, even with a third party helping)

1. Start reading some posts here on myfico, and learn from the stories others have experienced.

2. Start googling on setting a budget and reading blogs and webpages on budgets.

3. Reads tons of webpages/blogs on how to cut expenses and save money.

4. I am neutral on this subject, but Dave Ramsey has some really good info...along with Clark Howard (very commercial)

5. Put everything in motion in your life and adjust when necessary.

6. Do ask questions here for specifics on motivation and direction.

7. Keep us updated on your progress!

Good luck, hth

[Anonymous]

I had always wondered the same thing, but the common thread I noticed was my welfare was their second concern.  I went online and looked and read and studied and was more confused than before.  Then I stumbled upon budgeting software (program and support) that forced me to take an honest look at what I had and MAKE decisions, not implement someone elses.  Been using it since April, and hands down it has changed everything.  It is not free, but offers a free trial.  take some time and research YNAB.  Review some of the YouTube videos.  The only way you can really do this is to make the hard decisions.  Best of Luck.  NOTE: There is a learning curve, but once you get it, you are on your way.  It starts from the day you open it and does not care about your past.

[randomguy1]

What would help is for you to have data points on how much and where you are spending your money. Without this data, it would be tough to get a truly accurate plan of how to save your money. Have you considered trying to use any apps? There are a couple such as Personal Capital or Mint? Use those for a couple of months or so and it can give you the data points you need. 

[Green456]

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@CreditGuy03 wrote:

Would that be a financial advisor or some one else?

I need someone to tell me..."Dont put money this place, move this money to xyz and stop buying abc, you may need to sell D and E etc"

Really another professional set of eyes that can really dig down into the budget and income and get my finances on track.

I called one financial advisor from ameriprise and she was more concerned with retirement income and this is not what I was looking for.

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https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dave+ramsey

My wife and I followed this guy and we paid off $30,000 in credit card debt in less than 1 year. He changed my life and view on money. I highly recommend him if you need help with budget.

[StarraeAday1]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I had always wondered the same thing, but the common thread I noticed was my welfare was their second concern.  I went online and looked and read and studied and was more confused than before.  Then I stumbled upon budgeting software (program and support) that forced me to take an honest look at what I had and MAKE decisions, not implement someone elses.  Been using it since April, and hands down it has changed everything.  It is not free, but offers a free trial.  take some time and research YNAB.  Review some of the YouTube videos.  The only way you can really do this is to make the hard decisions.  Best of Luck.  NOTE: There is a learning curve, but once you get it, you are on your way.  It starts from the day you open it and does not care about your past.

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I can't ever recommend YNAB enough. I've been using it for over five years now and it completely changed my relationship with money forever. I'm someone that has filed BK TWICE and lost two houses to foreclosure and two cars to repossession. But now every bill is paid on time without fail, we PIF all of our CC's for rewards, and we save up for the things we know are coming up down the pike. I love it enough that my license plates say YNAB. 

[Anonymous]

YNAB changed my world! It can feel scary if you've never taken an honest look at your finances but it is so important to do so!