I’m sure where the days and months went, but we are fast approaching the end of 2018. It just four more months till December 31. Yikes!! That said, in the remaining months there are some things you can do set yourself up for a great start in 2019 and Consumer Credit can help you get there.
Here are four tips that can help you get on track with your spending in 2018 and keep it there for 2019.
Review your spending to see what you can cut out immediately. When was the last time you set aside time out of your day to just review your spending? Now is good time to do that. Stop by our offices for help. We have a number of easy-to-use tools to help you get there—all free for the asking. One is our newly updated Spending Plan. You can track your spending, see where you can cut, see where you are over-spending and make adjustments.
The holidays are just around the corner. Before you know it you’ll be seeing Santa in Costco and the pressure to spend for the holidays at gifts will be on. There are gifts for loved ones, maybe new set of winter tires, a warm winter coat, rain boot or just toys for the kids. Now is a perfect time—while you aren’t feeling the holiday pressure—to set a budget. What can you afford without using your credit card? You don’t want to still be paying for Christmas 2018 in the summer of 2019. Make a budget now and stick to it.
Now that we have you saving money, explore a high-interest checking account. Set long-range goals and put money into this account. Check around for the best rates; you’d be surprised how quickly it can add up.
Get a copy of your credit report and know how to read it. The highly trained counselors at Consumer Credit Counseling can assist you with this. Your credit report tells people a lot about you. It tells those who might want to extend you credit if you are a good risk. If you are considering a job change, your credit report can tell a new employer a lot about you also. Finally, you might have errors on your credit report. That’s not uncommon and our staff can assist you with getting it corrected.
So, as you look to the new year, which is fast approaching, consider how Consumer Credit Counseling and our staff can assist. We are a local non-profit organization, and our employees are people who are connected to the area and invested in your future.
