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Fall is an excellent time to take care of some long overdue chores, including tidying up our houses and yards. But what about our finances? This time of year is also the perfect time to take stock of where you stand financially and tidy things up in a few key areas:
- Holiday Savings – If you haven’t started already, start saving for the holidays now. This is especially important if you carried any sort of credit card balance into the new year after last year’s shopping season. So work on sticking to your budget and do your best to put away at least part of what you will need to meet your holiday shopping budget.
- Winterize Your Home – Preparing your house for winter is more than just protecting your family from the cold. Having a properly winterized home will also help lower your power bill. Some helpful ways to accomplish this are to install any needed insulation and weather stripping, as well as purchasing a programmable thermostat.
- Clean Out Your Closets – It’s never a bad time to clean up clutter, but the fall is a particularly good time to clean out your closets. After all, it’s a changing of the seasons, which necessitates a change of wardrobe for most. You may sell or donate clothes that you no longer need. Doing this will help you make a list of clothes that you need to fill out your wardrobe. Having a list such as this will help curb any impulse purchases you may be tempted to make.
So bottom line, Fall is an excellent time to take stock of some things that need attention, tidy up your budget, and clean out some junk. Only then are you clearly able to see your true needs and stick to a game plan to help you stay on track financially.