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business/technology Friday 27 March 2020
Master the quick and painless money check-in

By LAURA MCMULLEN of For example, you may learn
NerdWallet that you typically drop
Like cars, relationships and about $40 on lunches dur-
health, personal finance ing the workweek, which
needs maintenance. Rou- strikes you as too much.
tine care now helps you in Down the road, if you want
the future and alerts you to to cut spending, you know
problems. that lunches are a smart
But check-ins can be easy place to start. Knowing that
to blow off, particularly if $40 baseline will help you
everything seems to be set goals — maybe next
running smoothly. week you shoot to spend
"Comfortable might not $30 on lunch. That's a more
be the best thing," says intentional and achievable
certified financial planner goal than just "spend less
Lazetta Rainey Braxton. money."
You can feel comfortable RESPECT YOUR PREFERRED
while missing opportunities LEARNING STYLE
to invest. "You can take There are many ways to
your money for granted," track your expenses and
says Braxton, who's also the cash flow: You could scru-
co-founder and co-CEO tinize your bank and credit
of 2050 Wealth Partners, card statements (either on-
a financial planning and In this April 3, 2019, file photo a tip box is filled with U.S. currency in New York. Associated Press line or printed), download
wealth management firm. a template or spreadsheet,
You may also sink a little coronavirus outbreak rattle matizing trifecta: You feel once a week, Clayman manually write down each
too far into comfort while the economy. bad, you must scramble to says. Scheduling also holds transaction or try a bud-
spending more as your sal- No need for a deep dive. understand your finances you accountable, she get app. When choosing
ary increases, meaning you Start with quick and pain- and what went wrong — adds. a method for your check-
can't save much. less check-ins: oh, and you have to fix the KEEP THEM SHORT AND SIM- ins, consider how you typi-
Or maybe the issue is actu- SCHEDULE CHECK-INS problem. This experience PLE cally learn best. "Work with
ally discomfort. If the very You're not alone if you can lead you to associate Stick to a short time frame yourself," Clayman says.
idea of reviewing bank typically wait until some- checking your finances for these check-ins — say, Do you generally prefer
statements stresses you out, thing goes wrong, like an with stress. 15 minutes. That way, taking notes by hand? Do
why bother? overdraft, before review- Money check-ins at neutral "there's less danger of be- you understand visuals bet-
Whatever the reason for a ing your finances, says (not panicked) times can ing depleted and over- ter than text? Do you get
laissez-faire money policy, Amanda Clayman, finan- help you remove that as- whelmed," Clayman says. overwhelmed by too much
it's time to start tuning in — cial wellness advocate sociation. So put check-ins To that end, don't try to info or prefer having all the
especially as effects of the for Prudential. Cue a trau- on the calendar for about solve problems or change facts? Factors like these will
behaviors during this determine which of these
Sweet: Peeps production stops, but check-in. "It can actually tools you're most likely to
be counterproductive if use consistently.
Easter is taken care of we try to load in too much And if you find that a cer-
analysis and change too tain method isn't working
quickly," Clayman says. for you, try something else,
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — "That could sabotage you." Clayman says. Chances
No more Peeps are be- Remember, check-ins are, you just haven't found
ing hatched for at least should feel like neutral the right fit yet.
a couple of weeks — but activities you don't mind IDENTIFY YOUR MOTIVA-
it shouldn’t affect Easter repeating — not stressful TION AND REWARDS
baskets. chores. Like all new behaviors,
The Bethlehem, Pennsyl- For the first several check- there will be some grow-
vania-based Just Born ins, Clayman recommends ing pains. "It's going to feel
confections company eyeing your cash flow. new, and it's going to feel
said its production facili- Note your common ex- weird," Clayman says. But
ties there and in Philadel- penses and whether you you've got this. "Find mo-
phia closed Wednesday spent more or less than you tivation that's personal,"
through April 7. earned. You're simply try- she says. Ask yourself how
But the company says it ing to become more com- you'll benefit from this new
had already produced fortable evaluating your behavior and how it will
and shipped the Eas- finances. And after a few change your life, she adds.
ter supply of its signature In this April 2, 2003 file photo, boxes of Marshmallow Peeps are sessions, you may notice Rewards are pretty mo-
marshmallow confection lined up at the Just Born factory in Bethlehem, Pa. the first benefit — these tivating, too. After each
to outlets. Associated Press check-ins become "less ter- check-in, treat yourself to
Just Born says the popu- features light displays, his- Just Born officials say that rible," Clayman says. something special that you
lar Peeps & Company torical videos and mer- inventories of those can- At this point, you're also don't do regularly. Maybe
retail store in Center Val- chandise. dies had been shipped trying to get more famil- you soak in the tub and
ley, Pennsylvania, is also The company also makes prior to the production iar with your money. That read a book, call a friend
closed for now. other candies, including stoppage, but that they familiarity, Clayman says, or hunker down for a nap.
The store is billed as a Mike and Ikes and Gold- might be in short supply at "gives you more ammuni- Whatever you do, Clay-
Peeps “experience” and enberg’s Peanut Chews. some retailers.q tion for if and when you do man says, "be extra good
want to change." to yourself."q