As parents everywhere look forward to getting back to the routine of another school year, this time of year can be a great time to review personal and household finances before the rush of the holidays. Take the next few weeks to evaluate where you stand on these 7 personal financial issues.

1. Did you pull your free credit report this year? Nearly two in three adults said they haven’t, according to a 2015 National Foundation of Credit Counseling study. Just go to annualcreditreport.com  to pull your free copy of your credit report.  Review it for errors and consider adding a credit freeze to keep people from accessing your credit report without your authorization.
2. Did you make a major purchase over the summer? Do you really need full coverage on a car that is 8 years old? It may be time to review your insurance providers. Get a copy of the last bill and ask some friends for a referral.  Contact at least 3 providers and see how much they can save on your Auto and homeowners insurance.
3. Review your cable and cell phone bills. Are you using all of the data included or going over on your cell phone plan?  Cellular providers will review your plans and let you know if it is still right for you or if they have a new plan.  If you are in a market where you can combine the services for additional savings then take advantage of that as well.
4. Now is a great time to walk around the outside of your home looking for gaps around windows and weather-stripping around doors. Correcting these things now can make your home more efficient and comfortable all year long.
5. Review your mortgage and see if combining monthly bills into a mortgage would make financial sense, at this time it is the only debt that is tax deductible. This is a great time to refinance because the summer rush is over and lenders have more time to work on individual files. If you want to find out in a few minutes try our digital mortgage in a SNAP.
6. Start holiday shopping now, waiting until the last minute to buy gives can be the fastest way to blow the budget. Consider making holiday gifts rather than buying something. Gifts for mom and dad can mean a lot more when something is made for them.
7. Look around your home for things that you don’t need or want and start selling on Facebook, eBay, local city garage sale sites or Craig’s list. De-cluttering and selling off these types of things can be a great way to put a little money together before the end of the year.

If you have any ideas to save some money please share them below.  Early fall can be a great time to set up a fun family filled holiday season.

Financial tips for mom and dad at back to school time. Ready to get started? Try our digital Mortgage called Mortgage in a SNAP 

financial tips for mom and dad at back to school time.