Spring clean your finances

Spring is finally here! That can only mean one thing… It's time for spring cleaning!

At Loqbox, we believe tidying up your finances is just as important. But sometimes it can feel like a huge task. So as we wave goodbye to winter, here are six tips to declutter your finances:

1. Sort your spending

Imagine you’re cleaning up your home. Most of us start with the most obvious tasks first. Getting the washing up out of the way, or taking out the bins.

So take a quick look at your spending. Are there any subscriptions you no longer use, or direct debits you no longer need to pay? If so, take some time to cancel them. You could save yourself some cash in the long run!

2. Update your budget

Spring is a good time to freshen up your wardrobe. You might pop your winter coat in storage to make room for clothes better suited for warmer weather.

Putting together a budget is much the same. It needs to be updated regularly to reflect any changes in your income, expenses and goals. So dust off your old budget, or create a new one if budgeting is new to you.

And make sure it still works for you. Tweak it if not.

3. Declutter your debt

The dishes are done, and the bin smells fresh as a daisy. But that pile of dirty laundry is getting even bigger on the bedroom floor. It’s been there for so long that you’re convinced it’s multiplying…

It can be stressful to think about debt or unpaid bills. But we promise that things start to feel more manageable when you take that first step.

So before spring starts, take a moment to look at what you owe. It can be helpful to add it all up, and work out a plan to pay it off.

4. Build your credit score

A good credit score helps you to get approved for things like loans, credit cards and mortgages — and save £1000s as you’ll be able to access better deals. (Here’s more on why your credit score matters.)

Do you know what your credit score is at the moment? If not, it’s free to check your credit reports online. Try it now using the following services:

• ClearScore (uses Equifax data)*
• Credit Club (uses Experian data)
• Intuit Credit Karma UK (uses TransUnion data)

From there you can create a plan to start building it. Here at Loqbox, we make it easy to build your credit score. Learn how here.

* Just to be super transparent, if you sign up and follow this link, although it's free for you, Loqbox may get a small referral fee from ClearScore. This helps us to continue to improve our service for our members.

5. Track your savings

It’s really important to have an emergency fund that you can access quickly should the unexpected happen.

A good rule of thumb is to have enough saved to cover three month’s worth of bills. Then, if you’re working on a big goal like buying a house or a car, or getting married, you’ll likely also have a savings goal in mind to make that dream come true.

As part of your spring clean, get up to speed with your savings. How much do you have tucked away, and are you on track? If not, are there any changes you can make to your budget to be able to put money aside more aggressively each month?

6. Make a plan!

Your house and your finances are already looking tidier! But now it’s time to make a plan to keep on top of both. Some people have a cleaning rota, but we think we have something even better!

Put a spring in your step with Loqbox! Our memberships include plenty of ways to help you improve your credit score. Check out Loqbox Save, Loqbox Rent and Loqbox Grow.

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