Managing your finances can get pretty messy. Keeping track of your spending and making strategic decisions can help you stay on top of your money and know where it’s going. Once in a while, your spending may get out of hand and your finances might feel cluttered. That’s a good time to do an overhaul and de-clutter your finances. If you’re ready to take a closer look at your finances and make some changes, here are some pro-tips to make things easier and more efficient.

Pro-Tip: Keep your accounts front and center – know where your money is going.

Do you know where your money is going? Do you have an organized accounting of your debt and spending? Now’s the time to keep your accounts front and center so you can easily track your spending and make adjustments wherever necessary.

Be sure to:

• Reconcile your checkbook or online banking at the end of each month
• Review your credit card statements to ensure there are no mistakes or fraud
• Review your spending and look for habits you want to cut out

Knowing where your money is going is vital to making budget decisions and planning for the future. Tying up your money can make it harder to take vacations, upgrade outdated belongings, or make purchases that you need. Keeping track of your accounts can help shine a spotlight on where your money is going.

Pro-Tip: Do an annual review of your accounts – know what matters to you.

People go through spending phases. What matters to you one moment in time may no longer be all that important. Doing an annual review of your accounts can help you assert where you are cluttering up your finances and make changes that smooth things out and best reflect your current needs and lifestyle.

• Make sure your subscriptions still bring value and consider canceling any that don’t serve your needs
• Close accounts that don’t fit your lifestyle or needs and free up your credit
• Consolidate debt and concentrate your efforts to pay off debt that has high interest rates

Reviewing your accounts can ensure that you are getting the best rates possible and that you aren’t spending money on things that simply don’t matter at the moment. If you are paying memberships for the gym or an annual fee for a credit card you don’t use, it makes sense to cancel them. Paying attention to where your money is going will help you make cuts or change your habits and save you money.

There are simple ways to de-clutter your finances and make them streamlined and perfectly aligned with your needs. All you need is strategic planning and accountability to keep your finances clutter-free.