Spring Spending: Protect Your Finances with Simple Strategies

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The weather is warming up and so is Americans' urge to spend. And while spring doesn't revolve around major shopping events in the same way as other seasons, that doesn't mean we aren't finding ways to part with our money.

According to a report from Inmar Intelligence, 58% of Americans say convenient shopping matters more in the spring, and 95% say coupons and discounts are critical to making spring spending a possibility.

Meanwhile, just 53% of Americans say they're currently following a budget, according to a YouGov report.

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These factors combined can make it much easier for spending habits to shift without even realizing it.

Why spring can derail your finances

For most of us, the beginning of the year is an opportunity to reevaluate spending. Around the holidays, people tend to spend more on gifts, meals, parties or traveling. Sometimes those expenses are planned for and other times they're not.

Regardless of the reason, the holidays often bring an increase to credit card balances or a dip in savings. If budgets aren't adjusted accordingly, carrying that financial strain into the new year is almost guaranteed.

At the same time, many people rely on automatic bill pay for monthly payments. Although it's convenient, auto-payments can lead to an 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude. Eventually, spending becomes less intentional and you become less aware.

Then comes spring. Many of us, especially those of us living in colder climates, are coming out of winter fatigue with a renewed sense of energy. Suddenly, we're making plans to spruce up the yard, update wardrobes or buy exercise equipment or gym memberships to become more active.

These activities don't feel like overspending in the moment, but if they're not being tracked, they can add up fast.

Instead of having a plan for spending, purchasing decisions become more reactive. The good news is getting back on track is possible. It just requires intentionality and discipline.

Low-effort ways to reset

Trying to make too many changes at once is often where people become overwhelmed, discouraged and derailed. Setting up an automatic transfer to savings from each paycheck is a great first step to long-term progress.

Connecting accounts to budgeting tools is another low-effort move toward getting spending back on track. Budgeting apps can be downloaded directly to your smartphone or tablet and can be set up to automatically track purchases for you. This is a simple, low-effort way to get a better understanding of where your money is actually going.

Spending habits don't change overnight. They tend to shift gradually as routines change and attention to spending fades.

Fortunately, a financial reset doesn't require a complete redo. Often, it comes down to consistently tracking spending and making small adjustments as needed.

Cynthia Pruemm is an investment advisory representative of and provides advisory services through CoreCap Advisors, LLC. SIS Financial Group and CoreCap Advisors are separate and unaffiliated entities.

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This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.