Automate - and Eliminate

Balancing a checkbook, saving receipts, and tracking spending are tasks many people perform every month – but do they always make sense? With online tools available, if you spend even five hours a month tracking spending and balancing checkbooks you may be wasting a week or two of your time every year performing tasks that your bank makes nearly automatic.

Working harder on financial accounting tasks won't increase your earnings or decrease your expenses; take advantage of online tools that automate the process, and spend your time finding ways to increase the earnings from your investments or reduce your debt. Pay bills on line, consider automatic bill pay systems, check your account balances online, set up account alerts that notify you if your balance reaches certain points… spend time on activities that provide a real return. Not only will you use your time more wisely, but you'll enjoy the process of planning, budgeting, and organizing your financial life a lot more.