I don’t know about you, but once the temperature hits about 70 degrees, I want to reset my entire life.

I start going room by room and closet by closet, to renew and refresh my space for spring. There’s just something about the start of a new season (a warm one, at that), that gives me a new zest for life, and I start to feel like myself again. 

And the same way I prioritize cleaning up my home, I also do it with my finances.

I mean, after all, I have to be able to budget for all of the summer plans, which includes Euro-hopping with my girls, the pricey, but worth it Jay Z concert at Yankee Stadium, summer festivals, and lots and lots of rooftop happy hours.

But, all of this can’t and won’t happen without a plan.

Pull everything out first.

You know how when you’re cleaning out a closet, the first step is pulling everything out so you can actually see what you’re working with? It gets worse before it gets better, but you can’t build outfits if you don’t know what you actually have.

So before I can make a single move, I need a full picture of where my money is right now. That means I log into every account, check every balance, and look at my credit card statements to see what actually makes sense. It sounds obvious, but most of us don’t actually know our numbers. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the most important steps in managing your finances is to know what’s coming in, what’s going out, and what’s sitting in debt. Most of us already know which number we’re avoiding.

Audit your subscriptions first.

Once I have the full picture, the first thing I start cutting is the subscriptions. And every year, without fail, I find at least two or three that I completely forgot about.

This includes the streaming service I signed up for that one show I swore I needed to watch (Hijack on Apple TV+). The ClassPass membership I’ve been refusing to cancel because I felt like I needed it when I travel, instead of just using the hotel gyms. And of course, that pesky free trial for an app I purchased that I forgot to cancel before the free trial ended (don’t you hate that?!).

And it adds up fast. Like, faster than you think. According to C+R Research, the average American spends $219 a month on subscriptions alone, which adds up to over $2,600 a year, and most people underestimate that number by more than $100 a month. Apps like Rocket Money or Trim can scan your bank statements and flag recurring charges you may have forgotten about entirely.

If you wouldn’t keep it in your closet, it doesn’t belong in your budget either.

Give your credit score some attention.

I also make a point to pull my credit score around this time every year. Your credit score can influence the interest rates you’re offered, the apartment you can rent, and in some industries, even the job you can get. You can pull all three reports for free. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, are required by federal law to provide you with a free credit report once a year through AnnualCreditReport.com.

When you pull it, look for any errors, because they happen more than people realize. Dispute anything inaccurate. And if your score needs work, spring is the perfect time to start. Paying down credit card balances and keeping your utilization below 30% are two of the fastest ways to see movement, according to Experian. And if you’re carrying high-interest debt, even throwing an extra $50 a month at the balance makes a difference over time. 

Build (or refill) your summer fund.

After all of that, here’s the good part. Before I start booking anything, I create what I call my Summer Fun(d) — get it? It’s a separate savings account, distinct from my emergency fund and my regular savings, that is only for summer experiences. Concerts. Trips. Brunches. Whatever.

I use a high-yield savings account so the money is at least working while it waits. Some current options with competitive rates include Marcus by Goldman Sachs (my personal favorite) and Ally Bank, though rates do fluctuate so it’s always worth comparing before you commit. The whole point is to enjoy it without stressing later.

Set your non-negotiables and protect them.

After all the cleaning is done, I sit down and make a list of my summer non-negotiables. The things I absolutely will not compromise on because they bring me genuine joy and I’ve planned for them. Everything else gets evaluated accordingly.

For me, international travel is a non-negotiable. So I book flights on the earlier side when prices are lower, and I use a travel rewards credit card strategically to offset hotel and flight costs. The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the American Express Gold are both consistently strong options for travel points if you pay your balance in full each month.

But your non-negotiables are yours. Maybe it’s a family reunion. Maybe it’s a music festival that feeds your soul. Whatever it is, just make sure it’s in the budget before you start saying yes to everything else.

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