Now that we’re almost at the end of February, you may be left with debt from the holidays, and a number of financial goals that you haven’t quite met. If you’re hoping to get your finances back in shape, here are some top tips to make it happen:

Check your credit score

You should be keeping a close eye on your credit score so you can see if it’s changing based on your habits. Your credit score will impact what types of credit cards you qualify for, how much you’ll pay for your utilities and deposits, and even whether you’ll be able to rent an apartment.
That’s why it’s so crucial that your credit habits are healthy. Ideally, you should never use more than 30% of your available credit at any one time. This is known as your credit utilization, and it has a large impact on your score. You should also ensure that you’re always paying your minimum payments on time, and you’re not borrowing more than you can afford.

Pay off your debt

Debt is bad for your finances, but it’s also bad for your mindset. Try to avoid maxing out your credit cards, as this will impact your credit utilization. Instead, check out services like 24Cash and consider a short-term loan which will often have lower interest rates and be an ideal solution instead of another credit card.

Set savings goals

We all know that we should be saving, and yet so few of us do it. Why? Because it’s no fun simply putting money in an account. If you want to save, you need to give yourself a reason to not spend all of the money you’re earning each month.

Write down a few goals and reasons why you’d like to be saving. Maybe the idea of not having money tucked away for a rainy day is giving you anxiety. Or perhaps you’d really like to own your own home one day. Maybe you want to go on vacation but you don’t know how you’d afford a trip. Whatever it is, write down your goal and set up some smart milestones you can hit along the way.

Earn more

When was the last time you asked your boss for a salary increase? If you haven’t done this in a while, getting a pay raise and banking the difference is a great way to increase your savings without noticing any decrease to your quality of life.

If this isn’t a possibility, consider taking a part-time job or starting a new side hustle so you can increase your income, pay off debt, and add to your savings.