According to the calendar, March 20th is the official first day of spring. Hooray! It’s a good time to clean out closets, wash windows, and get rid of the clutter that has built up over the cold months. Spring is also an ideal time to tidy up your saving and spending habits.
Here are 5 tips to help put your finances in order:
- Review your budget. A lot can change in a year. If you’ve been promoted, had a child, or become a new homeowner or renter, be sure to update your budget. Determine what expenses demand the most money and identify areas where you can realistically cut back. Develop a strategy for spending and saving – and stick to it. We have lots of options for savings accounts!
- Evaluate and pay down debt. Take a look at how much you owe and what you are paying in interest. Begin paying off existing debt, whether that’s by chipping away at loans with the highest interest rates or eliminating smaller debt first. Check out these calculators to help you with different debt scenarios.
- Set up automatic Bill Pay. By signing up for automatic Bill Pay, you’ll never have to worry about a missed payment impacting your credit score. You can set it so that money is withdrawn from your checking account on the same day each month. Learn more about Bill Pay that is located within Online Banking and in our Mobile Banking app.
- Check your credit report. Every year, you are guaranteed one free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus through the government website www.annualcreditreport.com. Take advantage of these free reports and check them for any possible errors. Mistakes can drag down your score and prevent you from getting a loan, or cause you to pay a higher than necessary interest rate.
- Manage your money on the go. Utilize the Personal FCB app to check your balance, pay your bills, transfer funds, or make mobile deposits. Learn more about Mobile Banking.
By utilizing these financial spring cleaning tips, you’ll have a clearer picture of your financial situation. If you have questions or would like any assistance, contact us or stop in and talk to one of our personal bankers at the First Citizens location nearest you.
March 18, 2019 by First Citizens Bank
By clicking the links above, you are now leaving First Citizens Bank's website and are going to a website that is not operated by the bank. First Citizens Bank is not responsible for the content; availability of linked sites; does not endorse or guarantee the products, information, or recommendations; and is not liable for any failure of products or services provided by the linked website. Please be advised that First Citizens Bank does not represent either the third party or you, the customer, if you enter into a transaction. Further, the privacy policy of this site owner may be different than that of the bank and this site may provide less security than the bank's website. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of websites reached through the use of links from the First Citizens Bank website.
