You're never too young or too old to get your finances in order.

Money affects everyone’s decision making, whether you’re just out of college, just had your first kid, or looking at retirement. When we have a want or a need many of us look immediately to how much it is going to cost. This can leave you with the feeling of needing to get your finances in order.

The experts at Lincoln Savings Bank put together a few ideas about how you can stabilize your financial life and how we can help!

Create a Rainy Day Fund- there’s no doubt you’ve heard this before, but there’s a reason for that. If you lose your job or have sudden medical expenses, how are you going to pay for them? Your Rainy Day Fund should be a savings account you have immediate access to, and should ideally contain six to nine months of living expenses. For those that haven’t started, it’s as easy as opening a savings account with Lincoln Savings Bank and depositing 10 percent of each paycheck.

No Snowballs- by this we mean don’t carry balances on credit cards over to the next month. Pay the full balance on your card(s) before it gets too big. If you’re already in a tough situation with credit card debt, it may mean making financial sacrifices for a short time to get it paid off.

Free Money? Yes, Please!- do you have a 401(k), 403(b) or other work benefits that are essentially “free money?” Take advantage of them! If your company matches your contributions, you can easily add to your 401(k) balance without having to put a bunch of money into it.

Track Your Finances- if you have financial goals you need to know where your money is going. Blindly writing checks or playing your finances by ear can mean spending more than you need to. The Personal Financial Management tool available through LSB’s Online Banking gives you a visual representation of your expenses to allow you to budget smarter.

Pay What You Can, But Save Too- let’s say you are still trying to pay off your student loans. You have your balance down to $1,500, so why not just pay it off in one larger payment? For one, it will get your budget out of whack, and two, paying it off over time only gives you a better payment history when it comes to debt and your credit score.

Be Patient, and Don’t Forget to Live- gaining solid financial footing doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time and discipline. Pay attention to your finances, but don’t forget that you can also treat yourself every once in a while. Just be sure to keep it within reason.

You don’t have to go it alone when it comes to getting your finances in order. Lincoln Savings Bank is ready and willing to help you in any way possible, so contact or come by one of our branches today!