How to make good financial decisions

In many ways, the health of your bank account is based on whether you’re a good decision-maker. After all, whether we’re rich, poor or somewhere in between often depends on the choices we make. Sure, some people are born with far more advantages than others, but still, whether you rise or fall in life often comes down to the quality of your decisions.

Good financial decision-making isn’t an art or a science, but there are some smart guidelines you can follow to help you achieve your goals.

Weigh the pros and cons first. This is good advice for anyone making a significant life decision, whether there’s money involved or not.

Scott Vance, founder of Trisuli Financial Advising in Raleigh, North Carolina, says that when he was young, his dad would sit him down and have him split a piece of paper into two columns.