Show Your Savings Some Love on Valentine’s Day

Yes, it’s that time of year again. February is just around the corner, which means we’re in for another installment of “fake corporate holiday made to shame couples into being good little consumers and spending more money” 🤡 

Whether you’re in a relationship or single and ready (or not) to mingle, there’s no escaping the fact that when it comes to Valentine's Day, bank accounts around the world see very little love at this time of year 💔

So in this blog we’re going to be giving you something a little different. We’re going to be helping you show yourself a little ✨financial self-love✨ We’re talking financial self-care tips to show that you really care about your financial future.

Aw 🫶

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The importance of financial self care

Taking some time to consciously implement some financial self-love is super important. In the rush of day to day life, it can be hard to find time between studying, working (probs 3 jobs 💀) and showing up for your family and friends, to actually work on yourself.

But the truth is, if you don’t take some time to work your own shit out, it’s only going to make it harder for you to do everything else you need to do.

That’s true for many aspects of your life, but especially your money. Small financial problems can easily turn to big ones if you don’t sort them out early. Doing a regular check in and facing any issues head on, is far kinder to future you 🙏

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5 financial self care tips this Valentines Day

So this Valentines Day, take the time to sit down and conduct some financial self care. Confused? Yeh, it’s not exactly as obvious as putting your feet up with a face mask and a cup of herbal tea 🍵 Here are five top financial self-care tips you can try to get you started:

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1. Meal prep

Cooking a beautiful meal for a partner is a great way to spend Valentine’s Day if you’re in a couple, but who says you can’t do it for yourself too? Prepping meals in advance is a great way to save money, but it also helps you eat healthier and save time during the rest of the week.

Set aside a good few hours to pull together a few recipes you can cook in bulk 🍝 get some containers (you can buy big packs of cheap meal prep containers online) and make up two or three massive quantities to put in your fridge or freezer.

Put some music or your comfort watch TV show on in the background, and make like Bobby Flay 🧑‍🍳

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2. Review all your subscriptions

We’re all guilty of it. You sign up for a free trial to watch one show or try an app, and then totally forget about it. Well played, Big Tech👏 And while it might only be $5 a month, before you know it you’re paying $50+ a month for services you’re not even using.

Now’s the time to fix that. Go through your bank transactions or the subscription settings in your phone, and cancel all of the subscriptions you’re not actually using. This small task is something that’s easy to put off, but it’s a way to find some extra money each month, with almost no effort at all. That’s what we call ✨self-care✨

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3. Create a budget

Now you can take reviewing your subscriptions to the next stage, and go through all your other expenditures too. Creating a budget is the equivalent of sitting down and having an awkward talk with a partner about the future or problems in the relationship 😬 It’s not fun and it’s easy to put off, but it’s vital for the long term strength of your relationship (and bank account).

It’s important to remember that a budget isn’t designed to stop you from having any fun or spending any money. The idea is to include everything that goes into your life, including both the boring stuff like bills and groceries, and the fun stuff like hobbies and vacations 🏝️

With all your financial baggage out in the open, you’ll be able to work through any issues and give future you a major financial boost.

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4. Cut up your credit cards

Sure, credit cards can be handy, but they’re also a trap. It’s super easy to tap away without really thinking about how much you’re spending, and before you know it you’ve racked up thousands of dollars in credit card debt that you’re going to struggle to pay back.

With a budget done you’ll know how much you have to spend each month, so cut up your cards and get used to spending only your own money. It’s a real act of self-love for your finances.

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5. Review your credit score

Lastly, now’s as good a time as any to review your credit score. Regularly checking in on your credit is important, because it gives you the opportunity to spot problems and sort them out. The three big ones are Experien, TransUnion and Equifax, and they’re not perfect. Sometimes errors can appear on your, or simple things like an outdated address can be dragging it down.

Get your scores and review them, checking for anything that looks out of place. And if your credit score is low and needing some extra TLC check out Cleo Builder. 

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Help show your bank account some love with Cleo

And if you want the ultimate form of financial self-love this Valentine’s Day, it’s pretty simple. Get Cleo 🙋‍♀️ She’s the AI-powered savings app that helps you get your financial shit together and save more money.

From features like Round Up, which automatically takes the pennies from your transactions and sends them to your savings pot, to challenges and savings goals, Cleo’s there to talk you through your finances every step of the way.

And if you’re in need of a little extra financial boost this Valentines Day, just type ‘Hype me’ into the chat and Cleo will give you all the positive affirmations. If you want some tough love instead, just type ‘Roast me’ but don’t say we didn’t warn you  😈

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¹ _{The Cleo Credit Builder subscription offers saving goals, hacks, challenges, APY on savings, credit score insights, cash advances if eligible, credit history, and priority support.}

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