Part of taking care of yourself is taking care of your finances–most people feel better when they spend their money conscientiously.

Also, if you’re on a tight budget, planning ahead helps decrease stress.  Here are some ideas:

Easy:

• Before you make any purchases today, simply ask yourself, “Do I really want this? Or is there a more economical option I might consider?”  You may not change your purchasing behavior, which is fine, because you are becoming more mindful of your spending.
• Are you spending money on things that are no longer important to you?  Think about any automatic payments or annual membership fees you have–are these still a priority?  This could be anything from extras on your cell phone bill to club memberships.  Make a note of items you should reconsider and put these on your to-do list.

Moderate:

• Take action on the second item above–start canceling services that aren’t important to you anymore!
• Establish an action plan to save for something you want.  It can be as small as dinner out or as extravagant as a fabulous trip or home remodel–the important thing is to start setting financial goals!

Ambitious:

• If you have a budget, review and revise your budget.  If you don’t have a budget, look at how you track your finances.  What can you learn from how you earn/spend/invest your money?
• If you have investments, review your investments; if you have a financial advisor or analyst, consider scheduling a meeting to review your investment strategy.

Click here for an interesting article on “money scripts”–the unconscious beliefs we have about money.  Or for a more in-depth analysis of money & happiness, check out Happy Money:  The Science of Smarter Spending.