How did you do?

Did you have money left over at the end of the month – or too much month left at the end of the money?

• You might be living paycheck to paycheck. Cut expenses and develop a savings plan in case of emergencies or unexpected expenses.
  
  
• If your income and expenses equal each other, but only because you’re using credit to survive and paying only minimums each month, you may need to talk to a debt counseling service to help you get back on the track to live within your means.

If you have MONEY LEFTOVER at the end of the month:

• Open a savings account at Macatawa Bank.
  
  
• If you already have a savings account, consider setting up automatic transfers to your savings account or, if you have direct deposit, ask your employer to put a portion of your paycheck into your savings account automatically.
  
  
• Also investigate whether your employer offers a 401(k) or other employee matching savings plan. The contribution you make to this type of account is taken out of your paycheck before taxes.

If your total was negative and you DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY:

• You need to make adjustments immediately. Keep in mind that it’s usually easier to cut back on expenses than to increase your income. Analyze your budget to see where you can cut expenses – especially from the Looking Good and Just for Fun categories. Often those are the easiest things to cut from your budget.
  
  
• Call your utility, phone, cable, cell phone providers. There may be ways to cut those bills that just take a phone call.
  
  
• Consider increasing your income by getting a second part-time job or by working overtime.
  
  
• You can take charge of your finances and your life by setting financial goals, planning a budget and sticking to it.