Spring Clean Your Finances
*Busey Bank is a sponsor of the Mahomet Daily. This content is provided as part of that agreement.
Now is the time for spring cleaning. While you may focus on organizing closets or scrubbing floors, consider cleaning your finances as well. Busey provides seven steps to spruce up your finances and leave your bank account squeaky clean.
Evaluate and pay down debt. Take a look at how much you owe and how much interest you pay. Consider requesting a lower credit card interest rate or refinancing your mortgage. It will help to chip away at loans with the highest interest rate or eliminate smaller debt all together.
Review your budget. A lot can change in a year. If you’ve been promoted, had a child or become a single-income household, be sure to update your budget. Determine what expenses demand the most money and identify areas where you can realistically cut back. It will help to develop a strategy for spending and saving and stick to it.
Check your credit report. Mistakes can drag down your score and prevent you from getting a loan or cause you to pay a high-interest rate. Check your credit report from each of the three bureaus once a year. If you see fraudulent activity, file a dispute with the credit bureau. Busey can help improve your financial standing. Request a complimentary credit report consultation.
Sign up for eStatements and paperless billing. Converting to paperless billing will help keep your house, physically and financially, clean and organized. You will receive your bank statement directly to your inbox instead of in the mail—lowering your chance of identity theft. With eStatements from Busey, you can access months of history right from your computer—enroll now by logging in to Busey ebank and clicking on the eStatements link.
Set up automatic bill pay. By signing up for automatic bill pay, you’ll never have to worry about a missing payment impacting your credit score. Money is withdrawn from your account on the same day each month—rest easy knowing your bills are paid in full and on time.
Consolidate your accounts. Managing several accounts can be challenging. Consider closing accounts you rarely use and streamlining all of your accounts under a single bank.
Download your bank’s mobile app. Most banks now offer mobile apps that allow you to manage your finances anytime, anywhere. With the Busey Mobile App, you can deposit checks, view balances, transfer funds and pay your bills directly from your device.
Busey is dedicated to providing support and resources to help you achieve your financial goals—whether keeping better track of your expenses or saving for your child’s education. Visit any Busey location or call 1.800.67Busey today to get started.
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