If you’ve struggled with your finances, you are not alone. So many people in our society feel weighed down by financial challenges — and the first step to success is creating a plan for action and change!

Whether you’re drowning in debt, want to make more cash, or simply feel a little lost when it comes to your finances, taking action is key to getting out of the rut. Ready to level up your money situation? Try these 5 tips!

5 Ways to Fix Your Financial Situation ASAP

1. Get educated

If you want to fix your financial situation, you’ve gotta be in the know about finances in general. Do some research to educate yourself on the things you’re unsure about, whether it’s your interest rates, your credit score, or how much you should be saving to reach your goals.

Reading finance-specific books is a majorly important factor of getting educated on your situation. There are so many great resources out there that you can learn from — and they even make finances kinda fun!

One of my top recos is I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi. This book is honestly so funny (I know, a finance book, right?!) and it makes learning new things way more interesting. You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero is another must-read — it’s motivating af and Jen Sincero is truly a badass. Pick up these two reads as a first step on the road to financial success!

2. Keep track of everything

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to money! Similar to the importance of getting educated: you can’t improve your situation if you aren’t consistently aware of it. Make a commitment to keeping track of everything — your savings, your credit score, your interest rates, your tax info — everything.

A fab way to track your cash is with the Nerdwallet app. This app lets you keep a close eye on your money so you can always track of where it’s coming from or going. Check them to start your journey to a better financial wellbeing!

3. Cancel your bank fees

Did ya know you can do that?

Guess what: you probably can.

Bank fees aren’t always necessary! Maybe you’re getting charged for little things like paper statements, but those fees add up over time. Call your bank and ask them to move you to a no-fee account. If they aren’t able to do that, let them know you’ll be coming in to withdraw your cash and take it elsewhere!

Hidden bank fees aren’t worth the hassle. Make sure you know where your money is going and why it needs to go there. And if you’re not happy with where it’s going, ask for a change! Chances are you won’t be turned away by a banker who think you’re taking an account away from the business, and suddenly they’ll be more than able to help you out.

4. Set up autopay

Don’t play the procrastination game with your bills! Sometimes we convince ourselves that we’ll pay that bill when it’s due, maybe the day before, maybe the day of. But that drama addiction has got to go if you want your situation to improve!

Set your bills up on autopay so you never have to stress over if they’ve been paid or not. They likely come out of your account on the same day every month, and you know that if that money doesn’t come out, something bad is going to happen. Autopay will stay on top of it for you so you can rest assured that all your bases have been covered.

5. Get help from the right people

No matter how tough your situation feels, you don’t have to suffer alone. Talk to someone you trust, whether they work in finances and can give you some guidance or they know someone who may be able to help you. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help when you need it — we’ve all had financial struggles in our lives, and there are so many people out there that can help you get back on your feet!

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QOTD: What has helped you get out of a challenging financial situation? Share your tips in the comments!