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MONEY Tips to Spring Clean YourPersonal Finances

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(StatePoint) Tax season is in full swing, and the IRS has processed and delivered more than $1 billion in refunds so far this year. Whether you’re receiving a tax refund or not, now may be the perfect time to spring clean your personal finances. Here are a few ways to get started: • Save those extra funds: Studies show the latest tax refund trends are using the influx towards paying down debt and setting it aside to save up for large purchases like a car or home. To get in on the trend, start by tracking your monthly expenses and categorizing each expense as a want or a need. Avoid using a credit card if you are unable to pay the balance each month to avoid interest charges, and make a plan to pay off any outstanding debt. Financial experts recommend having an emergency fund covering three to six months of living expenses if you can. If not, start with an emergency fund goal of $1,000. • Get invested: Investing can be the best way to grow your financial portfolio. According to a recent study from MagnifyMoney, more than three-quarters of millennials wish they would have started investing earlier. The main factors that respondents cited preventing them from investing are lack of knowledge, feeling intimidated and feeling overwhelmed about where to start. There is hope and help –many financial institutions offer free online workshops and opportunities to work with an advisor to help guide you through your financial future. • Reassess monthly bills and spending habits: Now is a great time to review your monthly expenses and see what you can adjust or live without. Simple changes like cutting down on eating out or canceling subscriptions you don’t use can have a large impact. Shopping around for homeowner’s or car insurance is also a great way to secure some extra savings. Phone plans and home internet bills are other must-have services to shop for price comparisons and savings. TMobile offers rate plan discounts for first responders, active-duty military and military veterans, and those ages 55 and up. T-Mobile also offers 5G Home Internet – available to more than 30 million households nationwide – for just $50 per month with Auto Pay. And, you don’t have to be a T-Mobile wireless customer to take advantage of the service. • Treat yourself: Spoiling yourself from time to time is not a bad thing, in fact, studies from the American Psychological Association have shown it to be a good boost to your overall mental health. Consider using a portion of your refund to upgrade your smartphone, take a trip to a new destination, treat someone special in your life or donate to one of your favorite organizations, because you only live once.

However you plan to use your tax refund or set finance goals this year, make a plan and stay consistent.

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(StatePoint) No matter the length of a vacation, students often have some catching up to do upon their return to school. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. Check out these five spring break ideas that will keep young minds active and engaged, for a smooth transition back to the classroom. 1. Host a read-a-thon: Get inspired by the reading challenges hosted by schools and libraries during the long summer break and host a mini event this spring. Invite your child and their friends to participate. You might even want to add a philanthropic element -- have participants get sponsored by friends and family to earn money based on the amount of reading they do. (Because of the short duration of the event, you may choose to have pledges be based on the number of pages or chapters a student reads, instead of entire books.) Donate the money raised to a local charity. 2. Pick up a new instrument: Spring break can be a great time to immerse oneself in a new instrument. To build a solid musical foundation fast, consider a keyboard designed with beginners in mind. For example, the compact and portable, 61-key Casiotone CT-S200 allows students to make music from anywhere during their break, and has an array of useful features: a metronome to help with lessons, app connectivity to make learning fun, and built-in speakers for cranking up the tunes. 3. Get outdoors: What do physical activity and time spent outdoors have in common? They’re both beneficial for cognition and brain health. Take advantage of the warm spring weather to hit up a local park, trail or nature center and get moving as a family. 4. Make math a game: Use the time away from school to show kids that math is not just for the classroom. From puzzles to patterns to logic challenges, recreational mathematics can reintroduce an often dry subject to students in a way that is fun. Equip your child with a calculator, which can be used to play a variety of games. The basic, scientific and graphing calculators from Casio are easy to use and can be part of the fun.

5. Get creative: Whether it’s writing poems, painting a portrait or putting on a play, making art can boost self-esteem while offering kids an outlet for self-expression. It’s also a fun way to keep the mind active during the break.

Not only is a week off from school the perfect time to explore interests, take up new hobbies and to be creative, engaging in these activities can help make the transition back to school after spring break easier.