Spring Clean Your Finances
Recommendations and Resources from Financial Pathways of the Piedmont
By- Cat Johnson
Four Tips to Spring Clean your finances and feel refreshed in your financial goals.
Organize Your Expenses and Income
Do you know exactly how much money you are spending on monthly expenses? When was the last time you looked over your budget? Well, now is a good time to do it. You can make smarter spending decisions when you have a better idea of your expenses and income. A budget can help you keep track of all your monthly bills, making money decisions less stressful. We offer budget counseling to help you take the first steps in your money management.
Link: Build a Budget
Review Your Credit Report
Reviewing your credit report is important to make sure there is nothing unusual in it. Enjoy peace of mind knowing you have a good credit score. Once you review your score, look into options on how you may be able to improve your credit. This can be done by paying off debts, paying down accounts with a high balance, or adding an account so you don’t have a thick credit file. These are just a few examples. We can help you better understand and build your credit with our one-on-one credit counseling.
Link: Credit Counseling and Credit Report
Address and Handle That Debt
Ignoring debt can be easy in hopes that it will just go away. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Well, ignoring debt can be more harmful and add more stress than confronting it. Look over your finances and see where you can start. Find debt with small amounts owed and try to tackle those first. Reach out to lenders and see if they have payment options that would work for your current financial situation. Maybe they can lower the payments or schedule your due date close to payday. Another way to address debt is to know what you owe. Try a bill tracker so you don’t fall behind on payments. We can help you come up with a debt management plan depending on your financial situation.
Link: Understand and Manage Debt
Revisit and Renew Your Financial Goals
Do you have goals such as buying a house or setting up a savings account? Do your financial goals align with what lifestyle you want? Setting goals can help you stay motivated and make progress towards what you want to achieve. The first thing you need to do is decide what financial goals you want to accomplish and in what amount of time. Make sure they are realistic so you aren’t discouraged. Break down bigger goals into small chunks so they are more easily attainable. Keep track of your progress to hold yourself accountable. Check out our different financial education classes to learn more about your finances and how you can make the most of your money to achieve your goals.Link: Learn Skills and Set Your Goals
