How financially fit are you?

Talking about finances might not seem romantic ahead of Valentine’s Day, but reducing money stress is crucial and, in some ways, goes hand in hand with open conversations either with our partners or ourselves in managing wellbeing. I aim to do an annual review of my finances—where my money is, what I need to spend on, and what needs adjusting. It sounds painful, but it’s manageable once you get started.

I'm no money expert, but here are my key steps:

⚡ Make a List: List all accounts, approximate balances, and interest rates.

⚡ Loans/Debt: Note down mortgages, car finance, credit cards, amounts, and interest rates.

⚡ Must-Haves: Account for necessary expenses this year—home renovations, car finance, big school trips.

⚡ Nice-to-Haves: List desired expenses—holidays, home decor, out-of-the-norm spends.

⚡ Dependents: Manage accounts for others and note any necessary actions.

This year, I involved my husband – my way of normalising the conversations around an element of the #invisibleload in planning and looking after things for our family. We spent an hour with a takeaway, reviewed figures, and created a rough action plan. It felt great to be on the same page and do this together. The current economic changes highlighted areas where we need to be more proactive and I also felt like I was able to share the headspace in thinking about these things instead of doing them on my own.

Key Financial Review Points:

💰 Top money priorities

💰 Budgeting

💰 Debt management

💰 Emergency savings

💰 Awareness of options—find advice services that suit your style

💰 Regular check-ins—align with key dates and governmental budgets. For example, buy stamps before price increases.

Invest time this year to review different areas monthly. Once you start, maintaining it requires only short bursts of effort and can significantly impact your bottom line.

#savvyspending #financewellness #moneymindset #visibleload