Money matters such as buying your first home, paying off student loans, and managing credit card debt can feel overwhelming. By using five simple steps, you can get a clear picture of the status of your finances and chart a course to achieving your goals.

Be a Goal Digger

The starting point is identifying your goals – both long-term and short-term. Do you want to buy a home, send your daughter to college, or retire by a certain age? For these long-term plans that involve a considerable amount of money, it’s often a good idea to enlist the help of a financial services expert.

Don’t forget to consider your short-term goals. What do you want to achieve this year? Do you want to take a special vacation? Do you want to expand your business? Do you need to buy a new car? Regardless of what you want, make a plan to get there.

Take a Hard Look at Your Expenses

Spending and earning are the two sides of the financial coin. Take time to review your expenses and identify areas you can make cuts. When you carefully examine your spending, you may find some easy ways to cut expenses such as taking your lunch to work or canceling some of your streaming services. Shopping around for better deals on items such as your cell phone service and insurance premiums can often result in a huge savings.

Adjust Your Tax Deductions

Take some time to update your tax deductions. The reasons for avoiding a tax bill are obvious, but you may it’s also helpful to avoid getting a large refund. Why? Simply put, if you're getting a refund, you're lending the government your money via an interest-free loan. The dollars you get back via the refund would have much more impact if you received them via your paychecks. This would allow you to save those funds or invest them and get a better bang for your bucks.

Embrace a Realistic Budget

To reach your financial goals, you need a realistic budget. Take a deep dive examining your income and expenses. Then map out how much would like to spend and save each month. But make sure you're being sensible. To make sure you will be able to follow the parameters of your budget, include a little cushion along with some money set aside for fun.

Utilize Technology

Put the power of technology on your side. There are budgeting apps that sync with your bank account and alert you when your expenses in a certain category have exceeded the budgeted amount. Of course, there are banking apps that allow you to monitor your accounts and even make deposits via your cell phone.

Increasing Your Odds of Success

Implementing these five easy steps will help you secure your financial future. Understanding your current financial situation and knowing what you want your money to accomplish increases your chance of realizing your financial goals.