Tag Archives: Saving Money

Money Saving Tips for the Week

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bigstock-Money-8204584We often associate certain days of the week with particular activities. For example, Monday is generally considered the start of the work week. Perhaps Wednesday is the night your favorite show airs on TV, while Friday — well, thank goodness it’s Friday.

When it comes to our personal finances, we should consider following the same trend of associating days with various activities. Each day of the week offers an opportunity to save money or improve our finances. They key is to be aware of how to save money by knowing what steps to take on which day.

Here are some tips to save money each day of the week.

Monday: Set the Tone for the Week.

On Monday, you can set the tone for the week, helping to determine if you stick to your spending plan for the remaining days, said Tom Corley, author of the bestselling book, “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.” For example, if you promised yourself that you would drink coffee from home and pack lunches to save money, you need to make it a habit starting on the first day of the week.

“The way to turn this into a habit is to make your five brown bag lunches the night before,” Corley said. “Those brown bags will then act as a trigger, reminding you to make your own coffee.”

You could even take it a step further and make Monday a no-spending day to start your week off on the right financial foot. Mark the day on your calendar and set up an alert, so you’ll get an email or message on your smartphone every Monday reminding you not to spend any money that day.

Tuesday: Get a Deal on a Flight.

If you need to book a flight, it’s wise to do so on a Tuesday, when U.S. airlines typically release flight sales, said Jeff Klee, founder and CEO of CheapAir.com. Browse fares early to mid-Tuesday to find the best deals.

“The caveat is that there are limited seats available at the sale price, so you have to be super quick to book when a sale is launched,” he said, adding that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also the cheapest days to fly. Because fewer people travel mid-week, it’s smart to arrange your plans so you leave and return early in the week as opposed to on weekends.

Tuesday is also a good day to get deals on dining and entertainment because establishments tend to do less business then. As a result, many restaurants — including T.G.I Friday’s, Chick-fil-A and Denny’s — host kids-eat-free days on Tuesdays, said Howard Schaffer, vice president of deal site Offers.com.

Additionally, many movie theaters offer discounted tickets and concessions on Tuesdays, said CouponSherpa.com shopping expert Kendal Perez. For example, Perez said she pays $5.50 per ticket on discount days versus the regular matinee price of $7.50 or evening price of $9.25. To get discounts on concessions, consider joining your favorite theater’s rewards club.

Wednesday: Save Money on Groceries.

Saturday is the busiest grocery shopping day of the week, according to an article from The Street. However, it’s not the best day to go to the market if you want to save money.

“To save money on groceries, shop on a Wednesday,” said Kyle Taylor, founder of personal finance blog ThePennyHoarder.com. “That’s when most stores release their weekly discounts, but they’re also likely to honor the previous week’s coupons [on this day].”

Check your supermarket’s local sales ad, which you can generally find online or at the store’s entrance. In many cases, you can locate “buy one, get one free” deals or discounts of up to 50 percent, said Taylor. To maximize savings, craft your menu and shopping list for the coming week based on what’s on sale.

Friday: Build Your Savings.

If you typically get paid on Friday, then it’s a good day to boost your savings. Rather than give in to the temptation to indulge yourself by spending your entire paycheck, Corley recommends having a percentage of your pay automatically deposited into a separate savings account — ideally one without a debit card linked to it. Doing this forces you to live below your means because you won’t have easy access to those additional funds.

“It is hard at first to pay yourself first this way, but over time it gets easier,” Corley said.

In his new book, “Change Your Habits, Change Your Life,” the author writes that individuals should set a goal of saving up to 20 percent of their income. For best results, allocate your savings among four buckets — with half going to a retirement savings account, 20 percent for major future expenses, 15 percent for unexpected expenses and 15 percent for cyclical expenses, such as holidays and birthdays.

Saturday: Get Deals on Apparel.

Wait until the weekend to buy clothing, as that’s when you can typically get the deepest discounts. Retailers such as Kohl’s and Macy’s often have sales on Saturdays that feature better markdowns than customers would find during the week, said FatWallet.com‘s online shopping expert Brent Shelton.

Additionally, consumers can score extra discounts by using their mobile devices, he said. Download retailers’ apps to get exclusive deals and take advantage of all the best ways to save money.

Finally, weekend shoppers can take advantage of coupon codes, which are released from apparel merchants in the highest volume on Fridays, said Slickdeals.net shopping pro Regina Conway. “In some cases, you can apply the code on top of weekend sale pricing to save even more,” she said.

Sunday: Review Your Spending.

“Although Sunday is usually a day to relax, it’s also the perfect time to make sure you’re on track with your weekly and monthly spending plan,” said Holly Johnson, a credit expert and creator of ClubThrifty.com.

Johnson and her husband sit down every Sunday to review their budget and see how much they’ve spent in each category — such as food, gas and entertainment — and how much they have left for the remainder of the month. “This helps us ‘reset’ our spending and make sure we’re on track with our monthly spending goals,” she said.

On Sunday, the Johnsons also pay off their credit cards, which they use for all of their regular purchases to create a paper trail and maximize credit card rewards. Even if you don’t pay off your credit card balance each week, it’s a good idea to check your account regularly to ensure there aren’t any unnecessary fees or unrecognizable charges that could be the result of fraud.

Reconcile your spending on Sunday to start the week off on the right financing footing come Monday!

*Original article source by Cameron Huddleston of GoBankingRates.com.

4 Ways You Can Trick Yourself Into Becoming a Better Saver

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bigstock-Closeup-of-hundred-dollar-bill-26175143For many people, the biggest hurdle to saving is creating the habit. While many financial advisers often recommend that clients take the work out of the process by having savings automatically deducted from each paycheck, plenty of people still struggle to get started. “We’re not seeing progress on the savings front,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com, which found in a survey that 22 percent of consumers have more debt than emergency savings. “And it’s desperately needed.” Without savings, he adds, some consumers may pile on more debt when emergencies happen.

Some people need a bigger incentive, say the pressure of knowing someone else is counting on you or the chance to win money, to finally kick-start the habit. During America Saves Week, a campaign organized by nonprofit, government and private groups to encourage financial literacy, rounded up some creative ways to boost your savings. Here’s what they came up with…

1. Get your friends involved. If you struggle to have the self-discipline to save on your own, it might help to have some friends hold you accountable. Through so-called lending clubs, a group of people get together to pool their savings, giving the cash post to a different person each week. For example, say 10 people contribute $100 each for a total of $1,000. Over the course of 10 weeks, the cash pot goes to a different person each week until everyone has had a turn. For those early in the cycle, it can be like receiving a short-term loan, said Jonathan Morduch, economics professor at New York University’s Wagner school. For those who receive the cash toward the end of the cycle, it can feel like a forced savings program, he added.

In some cases, the pressure of knowing that other people are counting on you can be more effective than setting aside $100 a week into a savings account, said Morduch, who studied the approach as lead researcher for the U.S. Financial Diaries, a project that followed the weekly cash flow of 235 families for a year. “It’s different from the way we usually think about savings, as slow and steady,” he said. “This is something that works for a lot of folks.”

2. Make it a competition. Savings contests, such as the 52-week savings challenge, can make saving seem more approachable by breaking a larger goal down into small weekly sums. While it’s usually a system that’s talked about at the start of the year, the approach can work for any year-long period. Basically, consumers start small, saving $1 the first week, $2 the second week, and so on all the way to $52 for the last week. At the end of the challenge, the account should have $1,378. Starting the challenge with friends who remind one another to make contributions each week can help some people find the motivation to keep saving, even as the amounts grow.

3. Save your change. You can do this the old-fashioned way, where you throw the singles and coins left in your bag at the end of the day into a jar, McBride said. At the end of the week or month, you can take the cash and deposit it in a savings account, he said. But if you’re like the many people more prone to using plastic than cash these days, you might want to check whether your bank offers a way for you to do this digitally.

4. Have an app do it for you. New smartphone apps are making it easier for people to save by automating the process. One app, Acorns, makes it possible for people to set aside their spare change from everyday purchases. But instead of going into a low-interest savings account, the money is stored in a portfolio that invests in exchange-traded funds. Savers need to pay $1 a month in management fees for accounts smaller than $5,000 and a fee that adds up to 0.25 percent of assets for accounts $5,000 or larger. Another app, Digit, studies users’ cash flow and makes automatic transfers to a savings account two or three times a week. The program, which doesn’t charge fees, analyzes when a person is paid, what bills he has to pay and how he generally spends. Then it moves cash that could be extra, typically ranging from $5 to $50, into a separate account. “You don’t actually feel the money missing,” said Ethan Bloch, chief executive of Digit.

*Original article source courtesy of Jonnelle Marte of The Chicago Tribune.

13 Things You Should Accomplish with Your Money Before Turning 30

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When it comes to managing money, time is on your side in your 20s. A head start on saving and investing could mean huge financial gains in the future. To help you optimize this decade, we’ve come up with 13 milestones to aim to achieve before hitting 30:

  1. Build an emergency fund. Life is full of unexpected — and, often, costly — surprises. That’s why it’s crucial to build an emergency fund.The amount of savings you need is highly personal, but a general rule is that it’s smart to have three to nine months’ worth of living expenses tucked away. Of course, you may need more or less depending on your situation. By 30, you should be at, or well on your way to, that three- to nine-month mark.
  2. Negotiate your salary. You can’t sit around and expect a raise or bonus to fall into your lap. Even if your boss notices your hard work and efficiency, he or she won’t necessarily pay you more. You have to ask for what you want.As personal-finance expert Farnoosh Torabi, who doubled her salary at 26, preaches, “You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.”There’s a right and a wrong way to go about this delicate conversation. Read up on things you should never say in a salary negotiation, and know what you’re worth before heading into the meeting.
  3. Contribute at least 10% of your income to a retirement account. Retirement is never too far off to neglect, especially since time is on your side when you’re young. In fact, when you start to save outweighs how much you save, meaning your 20s are a critical decade.Many experts recommend putting aside at least 10% of your income. That may not be possible when you’re first starting out your career, but it’s a good goal to have by 30.Get in the habit of upping your contribution on a consistent basis — either every six months, at the end of each year, or whenever you get a pay raise — and work your way up to a 10% contribution or more.Set up a no-cost, no-obligation appointment with our Investment & Retirement Center at 732.312.1500, mary.laferriere@lpl.com or maureen.mcgreevy@lpl.com, or stop in to see us to discuss your future savings goals.*
  4. Establish savings goals and start setting aside money for big purchases. There are bound to be big expenses in your future — a home, car, vacation, and kids, to name a few — that require diligent saving.The best way to prepare for these expenses is to create savings goals, and then set aside money as early as possible. You’ll want to adjust your budget so you can contribute a specific amount of money — depending on your upcoming purchases and time horizon — into a savings account each month. Treat this money like a fixed cost, meaning you must set it aside like you would do for rent or utilities.Pro tip: Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings accounts so you never even see this money and learn to live without it.
  5. Establish wealth goals. In addition to savings goals, you’ll want to establish goals for your annual income and net worth. Money won’t just appear — you have to work at it. If you want to eventually build wealth, you have to have a clear and specific goal in place before forming a financial plan to achieve that goal.Be realistic when setting a time frame to attain these bigger wealth goals, but at the same time, think big and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. A distinguishing characteristic of rich people is their commitment to setting high expectations.
  6. Buy the insurance you need. Nobody wants to deal with insurance — it’s complex and confusing — but by 30, you should have the coverage that’s right for you. That means health, renter’s (or homeowner’s if you have your own place), auto, and disability insurance. And depending on your situation, it may mean life or pet insurance.It’s also smart to make a habit out of reevaluating your insurance plans each year to ensure that your coverage is still working for your needs and budget.
  7. Set up a method to start tracking your expenses. By 30, you should have a very good idea of how much money is coming in and how much is going out.Apart from making sure you’re earning more than you’re spending, you’ll want to get a good idea of whether or not you’re on track with your savings and retirement goals. You’ll also want to see if there’s any room to reduce spending and up your saving.Strategies to track cash flow include recording each purchase you make in a spreadsheet or notebook, or downloading an app that will categorize and monitor your monthly and annual spending, such as Mint.
  8. Pay off some of your student debt. Student-loan debt in particular is often blamed for preventing young people from buying homes and growing their wealth, so the sooner you can start living debt-free, the better.Plus, the longer you wait to pay it down, the more you’ll owe, thanks to interest. Interest works in your favor with your savings and to your detriment with your debt, when it can build up over time and sometimes end up costing more than what you originally borrowed.
  9. Experiment with a side hustle. It’s easy to focus on cutting costs and forget about earning, but the wealthiest, most successful people develop multiple streams of income.Earning more money is often easier said than done, but most people have options. Plus, it’s good to experiment with being your own boss, rather than working for your money. After all, there is a significant difference between how rich people and average people choose to get paid.
  10. Invest in something other than your retirement savings plan. Many experts recommend using investment vehicles in addition to your employer’s retirement plan to ensure that you’ll have enough to fund your golden years.If you’re maxing out your 401(k) plan, consider contributing money toward a Roth IRA or traditional IRA, research low-cost index funds — which Warren Buffett recommends — and look into the online-investment platforms known as “robo-advisers.”Of course, you’ll want to make sure that your general finances are in order before you invest. But if you have a sound emergency fund, have prepared for future expenses, and are debt-free, then the quicker you put your money to work and jump start its growth, the better.
  11. Establish a strong credit score. Your credit score, which you can check as often as you want through free sites like Credit Karma, Credit.com, or Credit Sesame, is a three-digit number between 301 and 850 based on how you’ve used credit in the past.Generally, you don’t want your credit score to dip below 650, as potential creditors in the future will consider you less trustworthy and less deserving of the best rates.While often overlooked or forgotten about, building good credit early on is essential. It will allow you to make big purchases in the future, such as insurance, a car, or a home. Start by selecting a good credit card and then focus on establishing smart credit card habits.
  12. Make your payments automatic. In today’s technologically savvy world, there’s no excuse to ever miss a payment. Most bills can be paid online, and you often have the option of setting up automatic payments. If you automate consistent payments for fixed costs — cable, internet, Netflix, and insurance — you won’t have to think about them every month and will never miss a bill.You can do the same for variable costs such as credit-card bills, although you’ll want to check in on your account regularly to make sure that things are going smoothly and there aren’t any signs of fraud.For payments that can’t be made online, such as rent, set up calendar reminders and get in the habit of paying them around the same time each month so it becomes routine.
  13. Invest in yourself. The wealthiest, most successful people are constantly exercising their brains and looking for ways to continue learning long after college or any formal education is over.Self-educate by enrolling in a course, attending a work-related conference, or investing in books. On a similar note, invest in your health — consider pursuing an appealing form of exercise, or anything else that will better your health and strengthen your mind.As self-made millionaire Daniel Ally, who reached millionaire status by 24, emphasizes: “You must take your education into your own hands if you want to prosper. Invest in yourself.”

*Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. First Financial Federal Credit Union (FFFCU) and First Financial Investment & Retirement Center are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using First Financial Investment & Retirement Center, and may also be employees of FFFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of FFFCU or First Financial Investment & Retirement Center.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Original article source courtesy of Kathleen Elkins of Business Insider.

How to Be Frugal Without Wasting Your Time

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bigstock-Portrait-Of-Happy-Business-Wom-64512829-e1455714572209A lot of people think frugality is about saving money at the cost of your time: you spend all day clipping coupons just to save a couple bucks on your groceries…that’s not what being frugal is. Your time is precious—more precious than money—and being frugal is about using both your time and money wisely. Here’s how.

Pick the methods with the biggest payoff.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “penny wise, pound foolish.” This means going out of your way to save $5 on gas when you have a $500 car payment or buying nothing but Ramen for the week when you mindlessly spend $300 on drinks while you’re out every month. It’s a waste of time to scrimp and save on the pennies when you’re blowing big money like it’s nothing.

When you’re trying to shrink your budget, you want to focus on the big stuff – meaning the categories with the largest payoff. These are typically the three most expensive categories in your budget:

  1. Housing: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, housing makes up about 30 percent of the average American’s annual expenses.
  2. Food: Makes up 12 percent.
  3. Transportation: Makes up 17 percent.

Some frugal solutions are easier than others, but to toss some general ideas out there, you might:

  • Move to a cheaper area.
  • Negotiate your rent.
  • Cut back on your restaurant spending.
  • Find a better way to meal plan.
  • Carpool on your way to work.

Making a single frugal decision in these expensive categories will give you the quickest, biggest bang for your buck. Similarly, when you’re trying to save money on anything else, keep your eye on the big picture—what money saving tactic will net you the largest overall savings?

For example, let’s say you’re planning a nice, relaxing two-week vacation. There are a lot of ways you could cut costs: stay in a hostel, cook instead of going out, house sit for someone in exchange for lodging. Those are all valid ways to save, but you’ll save more if you focus on the biggest expenses, like your flight and lodging. You can save a ton by simply flying at the right time, when travel is cheap. By choosing to travel six to eight weeks before or after high season (called the shoulder season), you could easily save you hundreds if not more.

Use technology to find deals and coupons automatically.

Focus your energy on larger items, then automate your savings everywhere else by downloading a few browser extensions to find deals for you.

We all love a good deal, but if it takes you two hours of research to find a new laptop that’s only $25 cheaper, that might not be the best use of your time. Thankfully, there are so many tools out there that find the best price for you.

You could also use a browser extension like Honey or Coupons at Checkout to automatically find coupon codes when you shop online at thousands of popular, participating retailers like Amazon, Target, Gap, and Best Buy to name a few. When you go through the checkout process online, the extension will automatically populate and enter in coupon codes so you don’t have to search for them yourself.

Beyond couponing, you can automate your frugality in other areas too. Save money on your monthly electric bill by installing a smart power strip that knows when to turn off all of your electronics, or tweak the energy settings on your TV, computer, and other gadgets. Call your utility providers and negotiate or find better rates for Internet, cable, cell phone service, gym membership, and car insurance. Even though this might require a little effort, you’ll save money every month without having to do any additional work.

Come up with rules for making smarter spending decisions.

Unless you’re Warren Buffett, you’re probably not in a position to drop $700 on a phone. So while it’s important to think about your spending, wavering over some purchases can also be a huge waste of time. To combat this, establish some rules for your spending decisions.

If you’re incredibly indecisive about even the most frivolous spending, try the “10/10 rule” for small purchases. If you’re thinking about buying something that’s ten dollars or less, try not to spend more than ten minutes thinking about it. This comes in handy when you’re in a store and you pick up something you like and throw it in the cart (especially at Target). Give it some thought first, but if you haven’t put it back and it’s less than ten dollars, then you could buy it – but if it’s more than ten dollars and you’ve spent ten minutes thinking about it, put it back on the shelf. It’s a really simple rule and helps for those one-off, impulsive items.

Another rule for larger purchases is setting a dollar amount at which you give yourself at least a week to think about the purchase – like a $100 pair of Nike sneakers. If you’re thinking about buying anything that costs $100 or more, give yourself a week to think it over. It’s not to say you won’t automatically buy anything you see that’s $99—this tactic just gives you ample time for larger decisions.

A few simple rules can help find a balance between being mindful about your spending and overthinking it to the point of wasting your time.

Make sure every purchase is worthwhile in the long-term.

When you’re trying to be frugal with both your time and money, it helps to consider the long-term impact of your spending too. This is why it usually makes sense to buy a quality item even if it costs a little more because the cheaper item will eventually cost you more in the long run. Let’s say you buy a pair of cheap boots that you have to replace every winter. You’ll actually spend more over time than if you were to just buy quality boots in the first place. Not only that, but also think about the time you spend shopping for new boots every year. Buying quality means you buy once, and you won’t have to waste time doing it again for several years – of course, expensive doesn’t equal quality, but your time is still valuable.

*Original article courtesy of Kristin Wong of TwoCents.com.

Financial Choices You’ll Regret in 10 Years

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According to self-made millionaire David Bach, you don’t have to earn a lot of money to get rich. You don’t even need remarkable willpower to build a fortune.

Bach exposes these misconceptions, and more, in his book “The Automatic Millionaire.”

Before you write yourself off as an “average earner,” consider these common misconceptions Bach outlines about money:

1. You don’t have to make a lot of money to be rich.

“How much you earn has almost no bearing on whether or not you can and will build wealth,” Bach writes. “Regardless of the size of your paycheck, you probably already make enough money to become rich.”

On the flip side, a salary with a bunch of zeros tacked on the end doesn’t necessarily equate to wealth. At the end of the day, it’s just a number — and if the cash behind that number is not managed properly, it can disappear in the blink of an eye.

As Robert Kiyosaki, author of the personal finance classic, “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” emphasizes in his book, “Most people fail to realize that in life, it’s not how much money you make. It’s how much money you keep.”

The good news is that anyone can start saving — you don’t need to be rich to invest and take advantage of the power of compound interest. You just have to be smart about it and start as early as possible. When you start to save outweighs how much you save.

2. You don’t need discipline to get rich.

The ultimate money managers don’t necessarily work harder — they don’t have extraordinary willpower or discipline, Bach emphasizes. They simply automate their finances, meaning their money is automatically sent to their investment accounts, savings accounts, and creditors before they even have the chance to spend it. This allows even the laziest of people to grow their wealth.

“Making your financial plan automatic is the one step that virtually guarantees that you won’t fail financially,” Bach writes. You’ll never forget a payment again — and you’ll never be tempted to skimp on savings because you won’t even see the money going directly from your paycheck to your savings accounts. It also frees up valuable time and allows you to focus on the fun parts of life, rather than spend time worrying about whether you paid that bill or if you’re going to overdraft again.

3. You don’t need to be your own boss to get rich.

There’s a lot to be said about self-employment — many self-made millionaires determine the size of their own paycheck by building their own businesses, while average people tend to settle for steady paychecks.

Rest assured, if the entrepreneurial path isn’t for you, “you can still get rich being an employee,” Bach writes.

It all starts with investing in your employer’s 401(k) plan, if one is available. You’ll get large tax advantages, the money is automatically taken from your paychecks before you have the chance to spend it, and sometimes your employer contributes money to your account in what’s known as an employer match.

Perhaps most importantly, it allows you to compound money over time — and compound interest, if taken advantage of from a young age, can make you a millionaire.

As Bach writes:

The single biggest reason why paying yourself first into a retirement account at work is such an effective way to build wealth is that you make it automatic … Because this process is automatic, the chances are pretty good that you will continue doing it for a long time.

And by doing that, you will get to enjoy the benefits of a mathematical phenomenon most people don’t really understand but everyone can use to become rich — the miracle of compound interest. It comes to this: Over time, money compounds. Over a lot of time, money compounds dramatically!

To see just how much your money can compound, check out these charts. Or read about how one man is on track to accumulate just under $2 million by age 60 by maxing out his 401(k) plan.

4. You can build a fortune on a few dollars a day.

“The trick to getting ahead financially is watching the small stuff — little spending habits you have that you’d probably be better off without,” Bach writes. “Most of us don’t really think about how we spend our money — and if we do, we often focus solely on the big-ticket items while ignoring the small daily expenses that drain away our cash … We don’t realize how much wealth we might have if, instead of wasting our income, we invested just a little of it.”

He illustrates this idea with what he calls “The Latte Factor,” which basically says that if you ditch your $4 latte every morning, you’d have quite a bit of money to contribute towards savings — about $30 a week, or $120 a month. Over the course of a few decades, that money could grow substantially.

“Whether you waste money on fancy coffee, bottled water, cigarettes, soft drinks, candy bars, fast food, or whatever it happens to be — we all have a Latte Factor,” Bach writes. “We all throw away too much of our hard-earned money on unnecessary ‘little’ expenditures without realizing how much they can add up.”

To give you an idea of how much money you could have if you identified and eliminated your Latte Factor, he gives the example of making a $5 purchase (the average cost of a latte and a muffin) each day, which would cost you $35 a week and about $150 a month. If you invested that $150 instead, assuming a (very generous, admittedly) 10% annual return, you’d wind up with $30,727 after 10 years, $339,073 after 30 years, and $948,611 after 40 years, he explains.

Original article source courtesy of Kathleen Elkins of Business Insider.

3 Steps to Prepare Your Finances for a Good Year

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January is over and for many of us, that means New Year’s resolutions are almost out the window. But we still have most of 2016 ahead of us. Here are a few ways you can set yourself up for financial success this year and beyond.

1. Adjust your tax withholdings.

When it comes to income tax, the goal should be to come out even. On April 15, you don’t want to get a huge refund or a huge tax bill.

Getting a refund is exciting, and it’s not a bad way to accumulate savings. But remember, that means the government has held your money for the entire year without paying you interest. In essence, you gave the government a free loan. To avoid this situation, decrease the amount of income tax you have withheld by your employer.

If you’re in the other camp and receive a big bill, that’s another reason to revisit your withholding amount. In this case, you should increase the amount of taxes being taken out of your paycheck each month.

And if your life situation changes in the middle of the year — for example, you get married or divorced or have a baby — you should also take another look at your withholding amount.

2. Increase your 401(k) contributions.

Are you saving enough for retirement? Now is a good time to review your year-end 401(k) statement or pay stub and find out how much you contributed to your retirement plan in 2015.

At the minimum, you should contribute enough to qualify for your employer match, if you have one. If you have more money available, shoot for the maximum allowable contribution in 2016 ($18,500); if you’re over 50, set up additional “catch-up” contributions of $5,500.

Making these changes early in the year will ensure that you plan your monthly cash flow around your higher contributions. And if you wait until the middle of the year to adjust your contribution amount, you’ll have to save much more each month to reach your savings goal.

Have you had your financial portfolio reviewed lately? We invite you to set up a no-cost consultation with the Investment & Retirement Center located at First Financial to discuss your current finances and future savings goals. Contact us at 732.312.1564, email mary.laferriere@lpl.com or maureen.mcgreevy@lpl.com, or stop in to see us at any branch location!*

3. Review your employee benefits.

Check your company’s resources page to make sure you’re taking full advantage of the useful — and often free — benefits it provides.

Review your current benefit elections to determine what coverage — such as health, life or disability insurance — you have in place and whether it’s still adequate. Life changes — again, including getting married or divorced or having children — can be good reasons to adjust your coverage.

If you do need to make changes, ask about your company’s open enrollment period; this is often the only time you can make changes to your coverage, unless you experience a qualifying life event, like the ones mentioned above. On the other hand, you may change your 401(k) options on a fairly regular basis.

Pay close attention to your benefits. Incorrectly selected or overlooked benefits can cost you money.

The Bottom Line

Doing these tasks early in the year can help you commit to improving your finances in other ways during the rest of the year. So don’t wait — tackle these steps today to set yourself up for a financially successful 2016.

*Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. First Financial Federal Credit Union (FFFCU) and First Financial Investment & Retirement Center are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using First Financial Investment & Retirement Center, and may also be employees of FFFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of FFFCU or First Financial Investment & Retirement Center.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Original article courtesy of Anna Sergunina of NerdWallet.