The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
I am dyslexic with numbers. No joke, I really am – it’s called dyscalculia. I struggle with twisting numbers around and writing them down wrong. Give me a telephone number to write down and I can guarantee I will get it wrong at least twice, or forget what it is between reading it and writing the first number. It’s really hard.
Want a laugh? Well I worked in the accounts department for a major UK utilities supplier. I even ended up with a nervous breakdown because I couldn’t get the numbers right. Which is funny now I look back on it because I didn’t know then that I was dyslexic.
So if anyone has an opinion how easy it is to learn all about home accounting, then it’s me.
Most people make the mistake with their accounts by convincing themselves that it isn’t worth the effort. Wrong. That’s the way that you get yourself into some serious debt and problems. You have to make an effort with your money otherwise you will be spending it without thinking, and before you know it you will have an overdraught and ramped up credit cards.
Second mistake that people make is to think that they need to be amazing geniuses with numbers. Wrong again, you can do it on paper. Just write out in a list a date, a description of money coming in and going out, say whether it’s a plus or a minus, and then keep a running total on each line.
Third problem. People think it will take a long time. Yes it will if you don’t keep on top of it. The answer is put aside a fixed time each day to sit down and sort out the previous day’s accounts. Put all the bills etc. into a jar during the day, then next day open the jar.
Finally, you could consider getting some home accounting software. That will do all the adding up and taking away, the bit I struggle most with, and you just have to put in the right numbers.
Whether you are just starting out in the world of accounts, or are struggling financially already and are trying to work out how to buy a car with bad credit, you need to work out your money in a sensible and organised manner. And if I can do it, so can you.
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