
Companies around the world are working the same way. They go into business, manage their expenses and try to make a profit. It's a proven concept that can be applied to personal finance as well. Think of yourself as your own small business. To keep your business running smoothly, you need to look at your books. Exploration starts with comparing your income and expenses. In this article, we'll show you how to apply money management concepts for businesses to your own financial situation.
Burn Rates
Most start-up companies are not profitable. Your initial funding is spent to get the business up and running. The clock is ticking, and running out of money before you make a profit is worry no. 1. The rate at which a new company is spent is called the burn rate Designated. By tracking the rate at which money is being burned, it's easy to tell how long the company can survive. (To learn more about burn rates, read Don't get burned by burn rate.)
Applying this concept to your personal finances is simple. Think of your paycheck and consider it the seed money for your retirement, as reaching retirement with a decent amount of money in the bank is your ultimate goal. If you "burn" your money too quickly, you won't have more left for your savings and you'll likely go right into debt if you dip into your existing savings. (Learn more about saving for retirement in Retiring in Style , Setting Your Post-Work Income and How to Become a Millionaire .)
If you net $50, 000 a year and spend $55, 000, you are working at a $5, 000 loss. How long could you possibly last if you burn through $5 each year.000 in cash burn? Not very long! Unless you have a huge stash of cash in the bank.
At first glance, you may think it's unlikely that you're spending more than you earn, but easy credit and bad habits have put more than a few people in this category. It's also too easy for many to dip into their savings when a new product or service becomes available.



