Spring-Clean Your Savings

Time to get started on some spring cleaning! Remember to include your finances as part of your decluttering and tidying up. Well-organized money management can help you reach your saving goals. Here are six ways to spring clean your savings and make sure your financial goals are on track.

1. Organize your financial goals

Start by revisiting your financial goals. Have they changed since you last reviewed them? Refocusing your goals will help ensure your savings align with current needs and future aspirations.

2. Polish your savings accounts

Take a close look at your savings accounts. Evaluate the following:

• Interest rates. Consider switching to a high-yield savings account or a credit union account that’s offering better returns.
• Fees. Check for maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. These can secretly erode your savings over time.
• Accessibility. Make sure you’re not keeping all your savings in accounts that are too easy to dip into.
  
  

3. Spruce up your budget

Give your budget a glow-up this spring. Here’s how:

• Track expenses. Review your spending habits and identify areas where you can cut back.
• Adjust categories. Tweak your categories to better reflect your current reality.
• Automate your savings. Set up automatic regular transfers from your checking account to your savings.
  
  

4. Clean up your subscriptions

Review your checking account statements or use a subscription-tracking app to identify recurring charges for services you no longer use. Canceling even a few subscriptions can free up some funds to give your savings a boost.

5. Make your emergency fund shine

No emergency fund? Or, is your fund getting skimpy? Now’s the time to build it up. Aim for at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses to ensure you don’t need to dip into savings when the unexpected happens.

6. Dust off your debt

List your debts, including balances, interest rates and minimum payments. Then, choose a repayment strategy. You can go with the snowball method, in which you pay off the smallest debts first to build momentum, or with the avalanche method, in which you pay off the highest-interest debts first to save on interest.

As you declutter your home this spring, don’t forget to spruce up your savings, too! Use these tips to get started.