INDIANAPOLIS — Getting your finances under control doesn’t have to be drudgery. Cherie Lowe, the Queen of Free, shared her five favorite financial fixes on 13Sunrise and in her weekly blog, where she refers to the tasks as 15-minute "missions."
Mission 1: Put bills in one place
This is a quick and simple task. Whether you take all those bills and put them in a folder, box, basket or binder, gather them in a place that works for you. Just choose a place that won't get cluttered with other items.
Mission 2: Budget tools
Pick a tool like Quicken or another way to log your budget and expenditures. Just make sure it "fits your personality and household flow," said Lowe.
Mission 3: Clean your fridge and pantry
Why? "I find that more people get off budget in how they feed their face than any other area of their household," said Lowe. "This happens primarily because we purchase foods that we forget we even have."
So do a complete inventory before you go to the store and buy another bag of frozen potatoes that will land on top of a frosty bag of the same thing in the bottom of your freezer drawer. You will buy less and save more when you make the effort to use what you already have.
Mission 4: Save receipts
Do this for a month or two to help tell you where you're spending your money, then trim where you can and set realistic categories to help you limit waste.
Mission 5: Seek inspiration
Buy a book on budgeting, cooking smarter meals, streamlining or simplifying your life. If you don't want to spend the money, check our your local library and realize that a few new ideas may help you climb out of your current rut.
Watch Cherie Lowe's full 13Sunrise segment in the video player.