D.T.I. Money Matters

Money Management

Serving El Paso County
for over 14 years...

"Get Your Financial-House in Order"

Out-Reach Program

Essential expenses - Housing, Food, Transportation, Medical Care, Child Care, Insurance, Laundry, etc.
Discretionary expenses - Personal products, Entertainment, Birthdays, Holidays, Cell phone, cigarettes.

Tracking Day-to-Day Expenses
If you don't know where your money is going, it's time to start tracking your spending. Different methods of tracking work for different people-some like to save receipts while others prefer to jot down all purchases in a small notebook they carry with them. Remember, tracking is only effective if you count every expense, including the morning newspaper and the 75 cents you put in the office vending machine. Use the sheets on the next two pages to record weekly and monthly spending totals. (We suggest you make copies of the charts so that you can track for longer than one week.)

Unsecured Debt
List all debts (except auto loans and mortgages) along with the name of the creditor, interest rate, total balance owing and the required minimum payment. This includes credit and charge cards, installment loans, personal loans and outstanding medical bills.

Bottom Line
Once you have determined the total of your take-home pay and expenses you are ready to determine your bottom line. Subtract the total of all expenses including debt payments from your net income. If the result is a positive number, you can add the extra money to your savings to reach your goals sooner. If your expenses exceed your income, you'll need to make some adjustments to bring your finances back into balance.

During our sessions we address; A Budget Overview & Guidelines, breakdown weekly & monthly expense tracking, rational Spending & Saving, Net-Worth Today And
Financial goals for tomorrow... and much more.

OUR MISSION:
To empower clients through a series of sessions - economically provide valuable information and instructions - towards 'Financial Awareness' helping clients restructure their Spending & Savings Habits in accordance with their short - long range goals.

We enlighten Our Clients making them personally aware and accountable to the path of their financial future and ultimately their destiny. We help position clients in a direct view of their goals (small and Long-range) and create a path to those goals through restructuring spending habits and savings habits.

Example: If you had saved just 10% of all the money you've made.. Plus interest! Now, factor-in compounded interest, over time, How much money would that be? Our Program is designed to make you aware of what you're doing and Not doing with your money and bring in vision small-long range goals.

The Money Management Program is a guide to help you take control of your finances. It will help you determine your net worth, today, And set goals for tomorrow, while monitoring your cash flow and tracking expenses.

A sound spending and savings plan, coupled with a solid investment strategy is the foundation for long-term financial success.

Examine your present and recently past finances, to create a plan for future budgeting. In other words, a review of your income and spending habits will enable you to design a realistic monthly budget. If your discretionary spending habits have kept you from achieving your financial goals, then be prepared to make some adjustments to your normal routine.

If your expenses exceed your income, call us to schedule a money management session, today!
Our professional counselors can help you design a realistic spending and savings plan that will
help you get back on track...

Financial Goals
Your financial goals are specific things you want to do with your money within a certain time period. Short range goals are accomplished within one year, mid-range goals are accomplished within 2 to 5 years and long range goals generally take more than 5 years to achieve.

Net Worth
To figure your net worth, subtract the total you owe from the total amount you own. In order to evaluate your progress, as you work toward your goals, you must determine what your overall financial picture looks like, today. To make sure you are staying on track, it's a good idea to calculate your assets and liabilities annually. If you conscientiously follow your plan you should see a gradual, steady increase in your net worth.

Monthly Income
Enter your gross and net (after taxes) income from all sources. For income received infrequently, such as bonuses or tax returns, calculate the annual income, then divide by 12 to find the monthly amount.

Expenses
Expenses are categorized into essential and discretionary. Since many expenses are variable, such as utilities and groceries, it is imperative to average these expenses. Other expenses are periodic (such as insurance or vehicle registration). To calculate the annual amount, divide by the total amount by 12.