The Road to Post-holiday Budget Recovery

After the holidays, it can feel like your wallet has taken a big hit. There’s gifting, traveling and (so much) eating – all of which costs money. But even though your finances seem like they’re in a hopeless state come January, just remember: where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Here are four ways to start restoring your post-holiday budget now:

1. File your taxes – one of the best seasons after the holiday season is tax season – that’s if you’re getting a refund, of course. So, if you think you’ve got a nice refund coming, waste no time and file right away.
2. Re-evaluate your budget – the top of the year is a great time to take a step back and re-evaluate what you’ve got coming in, what you’ve got going out and how you’re spending. What money-wasting habits do you have? Can you do some of your everyday things in a more affordable way? If so, it’s time to get out the metaphorical ninja sword and start slashing down that budget.
3. Drop “it” like a bad habit – and “it” can be anything that affects your proverbial wallet. Skipping that $6 latte you get every morning could save you close to $800 in just six months. Generally, it’s the littlest things that can make the biggest difference, so identify some things you can drop and save yourself some cash.
4. Cook more – eating more meals from home rather than eating out can save you tons of money. If you don’t have time during the week to chef it up, food prepping on the weekend is a great alternative.

Unless you’re perfect, or just a natural born saver, there’s probably something you can trim from your budget. And if there’s nothing you want to give up, lifestyle changes like cooking at home more often, are a great way to get your finances back to a happy place.