Trying to get control of your finances or setting up a budget can seem daunting. There are some really simple financial fixes that you can do to help set you up for success. The best part is that all of these tips will take you less than 15 minutes to do.
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You can try to do all of these quick financial fixes or just pick a couple and work your way through them all when you have a few extra minutes. You can start saving and setting up a secure financial future in no time.
Do a Credit Check
You should run your credit check at least once a year. They take only a few minutes and it’s completely free to do. I like using Credit Sesame because they offer free credit checks ( you don’t even enter your credit card number) and they offer advice on how you can get your number higher.
If you do find a mistake on your credit report, you can easily dispute it with the credit bureau but it does take time. That is why you need to check your report once or twice a year so that when you want to get a loan, you won’t have any issues. Make sure you don’t do anything to ruin your credit score as well.
Cut the Cable Already!
One of the best things that I did for my finances was to cut out my cable bills. It was getting ridiculous how expensive cable was, around $100 per month.
With so many inexpensive options like Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon you can still watch all of your favorite programs while only paying a quarter of what your cable bill is.
I love that Amazon offers third party subscriptions on their site as well as all the free movies and shows you get if you are an Amazon Prime member.
You can sign up for Starz, Showtime, Acorn TV, Comedy Central Stand Up, Gaia, Lifetime Movies, and more for $8.99/month. They are offering a free 7 day trial so you can see what it’s like before making a commitment.
I personally use Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Amazon Fire Stick to watch all of my TV shows. I never miss my favorite shows and I’m only paying less than $10/month!
Sign Up for Cashback!
I am a huge fan of using money saving apps and cashback sites. If you are going to be buying something anyway, you might as well get as much money as you can back from that purchase.
Using the apps and sites like Ebates, I have saved over $1,000 every single year, if not more. I’m not even exaggerating! Just looking in my apps for this year, I’ve saved over $600 and we are only half way through the year. That’s not including the money I’ll be getting back from my Christmas shopping!
My favorite apps are: Ibotta, SavingStar, Checkout51, and Ebates(if you are new to Ebates or Ibotta, you will get a $10 bonus when you sign up!).
Protect your Wi-Fi
There are so many ways you can have your identity stolen so do your best to make it hard on hackers. Turn on encryption or a firewall on your Wi-Fi router. There should be instructions on how to do this in the manual that it came with.
Also turn off the “network name broadcasting” so that it won’t pop up for other people in your area.
Set up Bill Notifications
There should be an option with your credit card company for bill notifications. You can usually have them send you an email or text message when your bill is due. This will help you pay your bills on time, avoid late fees, and start working toward a higher credit score.
See if the Government Owes you Money
You can actually check to see if the government owes you money. This can be from utility deposits, unclaimed property, banks accounts, etc.
Just go to Missing Money and enter your name and state to see if anything pops up for you. Don’t forget to put in any other states you may have lived in as well!
Copy Everything in your Wallet
Make a copy of everything in your wallet, except cash. You can use a scanner or copier to make copies of your credit cards, license, insurance cards, and any other important documents you carry with you, including the backs with the contact information.
Keep them in a locked safe so that if you ever lose your wallet you will have all of the contact information and account numbers in case you need to cancel those accounts and get a replacement.
Consolidate Loyalty Cards
If your key ring is getting a little crowded, you may want to use the free Key Ring app. You just scan all of your loyalty cards from grocery stores and other retailers with your camera and they are all kept on the app. Never miss out on savings again!
Cook more Meals at Home
One of the easiest ways to save money is to stop eating out as much! It is easier said than done because we all get busy or don’t have time to run to the store. I have found a much simpler way to make meal planning more fun and effortless.
I like using the $5 Meal Plan because they do all of the planning for me. For only $5/ month, you get a weekly meal plan sent to you every Sunday where each meal costs $2 per person or less! They even offer special plans like Gluten Free.
You can get a 14 day free trial to see if this will help you save time and money on your meals. They even offer a 100% guarantee so there is no risk in trying it out!
Signing up and trying out some of these quick financial fixes will take you less than 15 minutes and will hopefully save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
If you have any other quick ways you like to save money let me know in the comments!
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