Spring is in the air and if you didn’t find a pot o’ gold on St. Patrick’s Day then we’ve got some creative ways for you declutter your life, streamline your expenses, and reignite your commitment to your money goals. So grab a broom, open the windows, and let's get started on a few tips to spring clean your finances.
Actual Spring Cleaning.
When it comes to spring cleaning your finances, we can start with ACTUAL spring cleaning. Not only is this a good idea in general (yes, it’s time to get rid of those extra amazon boxes no matter how good of a box they are) but while you’re cleaning, you can gather items you no longer use or have been meaning to get rid of and have a garage sale or start listing them on Facebook Marketplace to get some extra cash. You could take that money to pay off some debt or boost your savings.
Take advantage of the warm weather and cut subscriptions.
The sun is shining AND sets later in the day which hopefully means you’re spending less time in front of your TV so it’s a great time to take inventory of your subscription services. There are likely a couple that you didn’t even open this winter and if you’re really disciplined; look into rotating your subscriptions each month so you keep that expense low throughout the year and don’t end up in the same place next year. When a new show comes out that you really want to see, drop one service and subscribe to the one with the new show while you watch it for the month then drop it again so it’s not just sitting there.
Bonus tip: Open your windows! This could cut your heating/conditioning and your electric bill with all that beautiful sunshine coming through.
Check in on your New Year's Resolution.
We’re only 3 months into the year and with financial goals are the number #2 resolution behind fitness, so chances are you had some money goals on January 1st. Maybe you’re like most people and gave up after 1 month but there’s still 75% of the year left so there’s still time to get back on track. Reflect on why you made these resolutions in the first place and recommit yourself to achieving them; let this blog be the kickstart to change the trajectory of your year and life. Baby steps are STILL progress and it's never too late to realign your financial goals with where you want to be by the end of the year.
BUDGET
All these tips will fall by the wayside if you are not properly budgeting for the rest of the year. A budget is your regular check in so that you don’t necessarily need to have one big “spring cleaning” because you do it throughout the year. A budget might seem restricting but it’s the complete opposite; a budget tells your money where to go instead of wondering where it all went. A major part of your budget is insurance so that you're covered in the event of a major event; whether you need home & auto, life & health, your business or ministry, right down to your investments, we can help so reach out to our team today!
Join the discussion in the comments below. What other tips do you have?