The Ultimate Fall Financial Checkup: Tips for Autumn Financial Planning

Your financial planning should change with the seasons, at least minorly to account for upcoming events or big changes in your daily life. The purpose behind our ultimate fall financial checklist is to make sure your fall financial checkup is successful, save you money, and help you prepare for the future. Here are six tips for autumn financial planning that you can include to help your finances.

Use These Tips In Your Fall Financial Checkup

1. Start Saving On Daily Expenses

As winter approaches, many families see increasing expenses in the form of things like electricity, heating bills, and holiday purchases – to name a few. When it comes to tips for autumn financial planning, saving on your daily expenses needs to be on your list. To lower your utility bills, look for state-sponsored or non-profit assistance for utility payments.

This is especially true if you’ve found it difficult to pay your utilities on time in the past. For utilities such as Wi-Fi and cell service, call around to other companies to get updated quotes on their services. If you find one that’s cheaper than yours, contact your provider and negotiate your rate by mentioning competing rates and your interest in saving money this winter.

When it comes to food, opt for home cooking to save on eating out. And when you are shopping for food, look for items that are cheaper than name-brand items. Use cash-back and coupon apps to make the most of your grocery shopping. For items and winter clothes, check out second-hand shops before heading to your department store.

2. Analyze Your Spending And Saving

It’s financially healthy to analyze your budget every few months or so. Your expenses – not counting investments or savings – should not account for more than 80% of your income. The goal would be to save and/or invest at least 20% of the money coming in. If this seems impossible, start by cutting down on discretionary spending month to month.

3. Prepare For Christmas Shopping

A fall financial checkup wouldn’t be complete without considering the expenses of upcoming holidays. It’s common for many of us to spend upwards of $1,000 on gifts and holiday items each December – and this doesn’t take into account the additional money you may spend on holiday travel for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

To ensure your finances are in good shape come the holiday season, start preparing for your spending by setting a holiday budget. You can also do things like writing out gift ideas and looking for sales around Black Friday or earlier. Plus, book any holiday travel early to snag the best prices and deals you can get.

4. Review Your Assets

As a new year rolls around, ask yourself if your assets are up to date. If you have a home, car, or any savings, do you have listed beneficiaries for them in case something were to happen to you? No matter your age, estate planning is vital to facilitate financial situations for family members if you were to pass.

To start off on the right foot, speak to a lawyer about a will. Make sure the lawyer you find is reputable and trustworthy. If you don’t want to go through a lawyer just yet, at least make sure to list beneficiaries on your accounts by the end of the year so that everything is current and according to your wishes.

5. Think About Tax Season

Keeping tax season on your mind is another tip you should add to your financial checkup. Tax season will be here shortly after the holidays and you don’t want to be unpleasantly surprised by owing any back taxes. Start to get your important paperwork together, especially receipts for any tax write-offs. You’ll also want to narrow down who your accountant will be if you haven’t already.

6. Pay Off Urgent Bills

If you’re behind on your utility bills, need to fix your car or home, or have another emergency expense in your midst, it’s time to pay it off and get back on track financially. If you don’t have an emergency fund or enough cash to do so, consider getting an installment loan through Texas Car Title and Payday Loan Services, Inc. to help you out.

You could get up to $1,500 as soon as today after a short process that takes as little as half an hour. Getting an installment loan to pay an urgent bill is fast and easy. To get your installment loan from Texas Car Title and Payday Loan Services, Inc., you’ll need only a few items. These are the only items you need to get through the process:

• A driver’s license or state-issued photo ID.
• Proof of a checking account under your legal name.
• Proof of your income through your latest pay stub.

To apply, first fill out the online form on our homepage. Wait for a call from one of our trusted representatives who will answer your questions and set up an appointment at the nearest Texas installment loan location. The representative will check your items and credit to determine if you qualify for approval. If you are, you will receive the cash either the same day or the next.

Reign In Your Finances Now!

Completing your fall financial checkup may require you to adjust your financial planning, especially if you have urgent bills on the table. When you need tips for autumn finances, add these to your checklist right now. And if you have emergency expenses, reach out to Texas Car Title and Payday Loan Services, Inc. and fill out the online form for an installment loan.

 

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.