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LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

Make Your Own Luck This St. Patrick’s Day With These 4 Money Moves

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Content was accurate at the time of publication.

Luck is one of those things usually attributed to pure chance, like finding a four-leaf clover in a field. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own good luck — especially when managing money. It takes a bit of financial savvy and free time to start making those kinds of moves.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, here are four ways you can help make your own financial luck.

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No. 1: Find a budget that’ll stick

Creating a budget can be difficult — you might have tried different tips and tricks that didn’t work. But as LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz puts it, the best budgeting method is the one that’s most likely to stick.

When addressing debt, that might mean using the debt snowball method (to get quick wins and fuel your motivation) or the debt avalanche method (to save the most money long term).

“They’re both good,” Schulz says. “They’re both effective. But neither will work if you don’t stick to them. Ask yourself some questions about what you think you’re most likely to follow, and then commit. You’ll be glad you did.”

No. 2: Prioritize autopay

If you’re still relying on a calendar or phone alarm to remind you to pay your rent, credit cards or other monthly bills, it’s time to embrace autopay. Not only can it reduce the chances of you missing any payments, but it can also save you some much-needed headspace to focus on other important tasks.

“We’ve all got to-do lists 100 miles long, and leveraging technology to shorten that list is a complete no-brainer,” Schulz says. “It’s even more important when you consider that a single late payment can do big-time damage to your credit score and cost you thousands of dollars in the long run.”

No. 3: Check your credit report regularly

Related to building credit with a history of on-time payments, it’s also important to keep track of your credit. That means tracking your score and checking your credit report. You can easily do the latter via AnnualCreditReport.com, which is providing free weekly reports from the three major bureaus through December 2023 (after, it’ll revert to once every 12 months).

“It’s a great way to not only get a handle on where you stand financially, but also to make sure you haven’t been a victim of identity theft,” Schulz says. “If you have been, one of the best ways to find out as soon as possible is to review your credit report.”

“But fraud isn’t the only reason why your report could be inaccurate,” he adds. “Simple clerical mistakes can sometimes appear, and that can hurt your score, too. It’s hard enough to have good credit. The last thing you want is for someone’s negligence to hold down your score unnecessarily.”

No. 4: Save for future needs (good and bad)

Planning for the future is important — and making sure to make room for the unexpected is as important as focusing on your goals. That usually means you’ll need to fund a savings account (or several).

“Putting away money can certainly be easier said than done, especially when the cost of seemingly everything is rising by the day, but it’s essential to your financial well-being,” Schulz says. “It means that higher grocery, utility and gas costs each month can be handled without going into debt. It means you can save not only for emergencies, but also grow your wealth, plan for your retirement, save for a mortgage down payment, pay for your kids’ college and so on. Ultimately, it means less stress because you feel you’re equipped to handle whatever may come your way.”

One bonus: Having savings amid repeated interest rate hikes (like now) will increase your returns.

“If you’re not taking advantage of what’s out there, you’re just leaving money on the table,” Schulz says. “And hardly anyone can afford to do that.”