Other than going for the most affordable, yet efficient tax preparation fees pricing, there are many more ways a small or medium enterprise can save money. For your business to grow and thrive, you have to maximize profits and minimize your expenditure. Below are some of the tried and tested money-saving tips for your small business.

1. Free advertising

Most businesses, once in a while, give away gifts to their employees during Christmas. As we approach the end-of-year festivities and Christmas draws nearer, you can make maximum use of your company’s branding by giving away gifts such as branded T-shirts, calendars, or even umbrellas.

You can also set aside such branded items for giveaways to clients and visitors. By doing so, you use a relatively small investment to have so many people advertising your company for free out there. All of us like receiving gifts since they make us feel special and loved. Other company-branded gifts you can have as corporate giveaways include branded pens, key rings, notebooks, and cups. Such giveaways act as constant adverts and reminders about your business out there.

2. Use low-cost advertising through vehicle signage.

You can opt for cost-effective advertising options such as vehicle signage. They are incredibly affordable, and most of them are temporary (can be peeled off). Hence, they don’t interfere with the sale of the vehicle later. Brand advertising using vehicle signage has more or less the same impact as the TV adverts since people become familiar with your brand. In turn, familiarity inspires confidence and trust.

3. Enhance employee recognition.

Recognition happens to be one of the cheapest, yet most impactful strategies that are never fully applied. For your employees to stay motivated and driven, ensure that hard work and excellent results are rewarded and celebrated. Such moves can have profound effects on encouraging and sustaining good, desirable behaviors.

Whether it’s a small pat on the back or a simple certificate of recognition, the gestures have the potential to drive performance and loyalty among employees. They also give job satisfaction to the employees.

4. Hire part-time workers.

You can get fair tax preparation fees from firms willing to give you their employees on a part-time basis. There are also highly experienced and talented people in the market who might not be able to work full-time due to time constraints or other restrictions. Part-time workers will be paid less, but offer specialized services, especially in tax preparation. Working for fewer hours always forces part-time workers to devise superior organizational skills, hence offering your company better services at a lower rate.

5. Negotiate with your landlord and suppliers.

Many businesses might find it embarrassing to bargain with their landlords and suppliers. In most cases, the quoted rate isn’t cast on stone. Hence, it’s renegotiable. There’s often room for re-adjusting the rates. It’s always important to try and get the lowest rates from your suppliers and even your landlord. This way, you’ll end up saving more money that you can use to revamp and grow the business.

Getting the lowest tax preparation fees pricing is one of the best ways of saving money for your business. In most cases, outsourcing the services will end up becoming cheaper to your company, as opposed to having in-house employees to do it. Get the best tax preparation prices on Taxfyle, https://taxfyle.com/tax-preparation-fees-pricing/.

Traveling is a hobby that not many can do more than once a year. However, if you’re able to make it work, it’s a lifestyle that can be very rewarding.

Getting to experience different cultures around the world, learn new languages and gain memories that will last you a lifetime, it’s something everyone should experience.

Because traveling can get expensive very quickly, it makes it difficult to plan for long-term vacations or multiple ones. Luckily, we have a few tips to help you earn and save to get you on that long-awaited vacation.

Follow a budget
Following a budget is a tip you’ll find with almost any money-saving articles. That is because it’s one of the best ways to get you to where you want to be financially.

Budgets give you a snapshot of your financial situation and will show you if you’re on your way to saving or losing. For traveling, add in a section of your budget specifically meant for travel savings. Set aside a percentage of your income each month, as long as it doesn’t take away from your monthly bills.

Find ways to earn a side income
Bringing in more money is a sure way to get you towards your travel goals. Luckily for you, there are many opportunities available.

Pick up a side gig with freelancing, offering services, selling items, or any other skill you have that you could charge for. Some apps allow you to make a few bucks by doing surveys, playing games, and even slots (look at ones with CASHlib payment providers).

Everything you earn on your side gig, put it into a savings account meant for travel.

Make cuts
Even if you have extra money coming in, making some financial cuts can help speed up the process. This is where your budget comes in handy.

See where you spend the most of your money. Are there categories (like entertainment and personal spending, for example) that you could afford to cut back on? Even something as little as $10 can add up over time.

Stay motivated
Motivation is key when you’re saving for something. Without it, it’s easy to let yourself slip and start spending what you’re saving.

Set yourself an attainable goal. Give yourself a set dollar amount you want to have and by when. Add small milestones so that you have little achievements to celebrate along the way. Having that timeline can help keep you on track to reach your goal.

Hold yourself accountable
Accountability is another huge factor in saving money. With no accountability, who’s to stop you from spending what you save?

Staying accountable can come in many ways. If you’re dedicated enough to do it yourself, great! If not, have a friend help you. Look at apps that help tell you when you’re spending too much. The more you can hold yourself accountable, the more dedicated you’ll be.

Round your purchases
Did you know that some bank cards and apps will round up your purchase and put that money in a savings account? You can save for travel without doing anything differently. Just make sure you account for the slight increase in spending each month.

Stay determined, and you’ll get on that next vacation of a lifetime.

With many families buying all of their own school supplies this year to help their students during distance learning things can add up quickly. Homa Bash from our sister station in Cleveland has some ideas on what you can do to save money.

Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker

DO JUST ONE THING

Simple, easy and money-saving ideas that also do something positive for the environment:

Don’t overlamp light fixtures

Did you know that if you use a lightbulb that has a higher wattage output than your light fixture can handle, it can lead to something called overlamping? The constant overheating and excess flow of electricity can create problems for the light socket, the light fixture and the insulation of the wires. In a worst-case scenario, it can create property fires. This is why switching to energy-efficient LED bulbs is a safer option: It’s nearly impossible for overlamping to occur in LEDs.

Clean refrigerator drawers

It may not be possible to give the inside of your refrigerator a thorough cleaning on a frequent basis, so if you do just one thing, stick to the drawers that hold meats and vegetables. Over time, these drawers can become a breeding ground for things like salmonella, E.coli, mold and other harmful bacteria. When substances drip into the drawers, they cling onto the textured grooves and crevices in these refrigerated bins, which are an ideal location for them to thrive and multiply. Simply remove the drawers and give them a good cleaning with warm water and soap, then wipe dry.

LIST-MANIA

Cereals with the most sugar

Wondering just which of those colorful and cleverly named cereals in the grocery aisle have the most sugar?

According to info from Harvard School of Public Health Breakfast Cereal Sugar Content List and Environmental Working Group, these are the top offenders, based on sheer percentages of sugar.

1. Honey Smacks (56%)

2. Post Golden Crisp (52%)

3. Kellogg’s Froot Loops Marshmallow (48%)

4. Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s OOPS! All Berries (47%)

5. Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Count Chocula, Quaker Oats Oh!s (44%)

6. Apple Jacks, Smorz (43%)

7. Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries (42%)

8. Corn Pops, Froot Loops, Lucky Charms, Reese’s Puffs (41%)

9. Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Waffle Crisp (40%)

10. Cocoa Krispies (39%)

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

By Chuck Sheppard

Police Report: Angel Castro, 39, was arrested in Schenectady, New York, on June 9 after police found him and a missing golf course beverage cart at the Kelsey Commons apartment complex. Police spokesman Sgt. Nick Mannix told The Daily Gazette a worker at the Stadium Golf Club had driven the beverage cart up to the clubhouse to restock it with drinks when the suspect jumped inside and took off. Castro was charged with felony grand larceny.

‘;
var element = document.getElementById(“sub_message”);
element.appendChild(subMessage);
console.log(“Code Loaded!”);
} else {
var subMessage = document.createElement(‘div’);
subMessage.id = ‘sub-message-top’;
subMessage.class = ‘panel panel-default’;
subMessage.style.backgroundColor = ‘#eee’;
subMessage.style.borderRadius = ‘5px’;
subMessage.style.padding = ’10px’;
subMessage.style.marginTop = ’25px’;
subMessage.style.marginBottom = ’25px’;
subMessage.innerHTML =
‘

Support local journalism.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Subscribe Today’;
var element = document.getElementById(“sub_message”);
element.appendChild(subMessage);
console.log(“Code Loaded!”);
}
}

Many U.S. households have put a pause on air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and families are instead hitting the open roads to enjoy a getaway while staying safe and saving money this summer. In fact, AAA forecasts that Americans will take 700 million trips this season and road trips will account for 97% of this travel. Car trips will actually see the smallest decrease in travel volume during the pandemic of just 3% year-over-year compared to traveling by plane, which will be down 74%. It is’ clear consumers are itching to take a vacation.

If a summer road trip is on your radar, don’t let the false sense of savings security fool you into blowing your budget. Even though driving is cheaper than flying, it’s still important to mind your budget as every small expense adds up quickly.

Here are seven savvy road trip tips to help you make the most of your summer travels on a budget.

1. Keep financial accounts safe.

Road trippers are often targeted by thieves looking to steal credit card information when they least suspect it. That’s why financial companies take extra precautions to protect customers against fraud, especially if they notice unusual spending activity in new cities or out of state. However, this can be problematic for you if your accounts get locked and you can’t access your money when you need it. You can avoid this scenario by alerting your bank and credit card company ahead of your trip, indicating the various cities you plan to visit.

Paying with cash at rest stops and inspecting any credit card machines for potential tampering are other ways to protect against skimming and fraud when you’re on the road. Let MoneyTips protect your credit and your identity with a free trial.

2. Get a tune up.

Schedule a routine maintenance check on your vehicle before hitting the road so you don’t run into any issues which can put a damper on your trip and also add a monumental roadside assistance bill to your total travel spending. Considering that 40% of passenger cars have at least one under-inflated tire, which can lead to damaged tires and lower fuel efficiency, it’s a good idea to get your car checked out for a small price now than a bigger fee and hassle if something unexpected happens in the middle of nowhere.

3. Pack food and drinks.

Pit stops for gas and restroom breaks are inevitable, but they can also become costly when you pop into the rest area’s mini mart to pick up a few drinks and snacks. Although these small purchases seem harmless, they can add up quickly.

Keep in mind, drinks, snacks, and meals will cost more at such convenience stops. Plan ahead by packing a cooler with water bottles and other drinks plus some sandwiches or other snacks to help lower your total food cost on the road. When it comes to fast food breaks, you can often find coupons for chain restaurants so run a quick search on your phone to see if any deals exist.

4. Stretch your gas dollars.

Budgeting for hotels and activities is a no brainer when planning your road trip, but a lot of people overlook the total they will spend on fuel during their travels. Budgeting for this expense is important, but you can also save by knowing where to fuel up for less. For instance, the GasBuddy app can help you pinpoint the best-priced gas stations wherever you go, usually those a bit off the highway.

It’s also a good idea to keep cash handy as you could pay 10-cents more per gallon when swiping a credit card. Don’t forget to sign up for grocery and gas reward programs to earn discounts on fuel. For instance, Exxon Mobil Rewards+ offers discounts on fuel based on your spending, while, Shell Fuel Rewards offers cash off when you fill up at the pump, as well as gas discounts for spending a certain amount at participating restaurants in the Shell Fuel Rewards dining program. Even your regular cash back card may offer extra points for purchases at select gas stations, so check details before fueling up.

5. Look for local pet sitters.

Most people want to bring pets on their trips, but it can be a hassle when you plan activities such as visiting a zoo or sunbathing on a beach that doesn’t allow dogs. This doesn’t mean that you have to leave your pet behind and pay a high price for a kennel. Luckily, you can find local doggy day care options based on the city you’re visiting via Rover.com, which connects you with loving pet sitters wherever you travel to. You can always schedule a meet and greet when you get to your destination to ensure it’s a great fit for all involved. Plus, the mobile app makes it easy for communication, handoff, and payment to be contactless – so you can stay safe.

6. Snag last-minute lodging for less.

If you don’t have a set plan or route for your road trip, planning hotels can be challenging. However, waiting until the last-minute like day-of bookings doesn’t have to be expensive. Apps like HotelTonight provide a listing of luxury accommodations based on your location at up to 70-percent off. Meanwhile, RoomerTravel.com is another great site to use which connects you with other

travelers who are stuck with a hotel reservation they can’t change, and facilitates your purchase of that reservation for up to 25% below market price.

7. Mind mobile data use.

On the road, you will be accessing maps for directions, playing music, uploading pictures on social media, watching videos and your data use can skyrocket, which can slow down your plans to snail speed. You could always purchase more data, but there are cheaper options. First, make sure you use free Wi-Fi for things like checking your email, updating social media posts, and reading restaurant reviews at rest stops or your hotel.

You can also download map directions and Netflix shows for your kids when hooked up to the Internet and access it later without a connection, you don’t need to pay for more data. Just be careful that you don’t share sensitive personal information such as your online banking login or credit card details when hooking up to a complimentary Internet source, as a hacker could be lurking.

If you would like to monitor your credit to prevent identity theft and see your credit reports and scores, join MoneyTips.

Photo ©iStockphoto.com/jovanmandic

Advertising Disclosure

Enlarge Image

Particularly since the advent of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Waze, more and more consumers seem to be foregoing costly embedded navigation systems in new cars. With nearly all new cars, trucks and SUVs coming with sizable touchscreens these days, it’s hard to fault this money-saving idea. And yet, if you are prone to wandering beyond areas with cell phone coverage, this tethered smartphone-based approach to navigation can leave you wandering without a sense of direction.

When it comes to adventure-minded vehicles like the upcoming 2021 Ford Bronco and F-150, the Blue Oval and its partner, Telenav, say they have a solution: navigation maps that work anywhere. Part of the company’s latest Sync 4 infotainment suite, the Bronco, F-150 and future models will use a combination of downloaded maps, wheel sensors and dead reckoning (calculating a position based on a previous known position combined with speed and time estimates) to determine a vehicle’s location long after your smartphone’s reception bars give up the ghost. 

2021 Ford Bronco 4-Door: Hit the trails, bring your friends

See all photos

+45 More

Yes, you’ll need to pony up for in-dash navigation, but if the system gets you out of a jam one time somewhere in the wilderness, it’ll likely have paid for itself. And while models like the Bronco and F-Series seem much more likely than your typical passenger car to go off-road and/or out of cell range, the reality is that you’re more likely to lose your way using a smartphone-based navigation app versus an onboard system even in urban areas. That’s because it’s possible to lose navigation in dense cities with tall buildings and multi-layer road networks like Chicago, or when your telecom’s network experiences an outage.

In addition to typical onboard navigation features like real-time traffic, voice activation, Yelp! ratings and so on, in a statement, Ford confirms its hybrid navigation solution also includes “specialized route suggestions for towing and off-roading.” The former plots turn-by-turn routes designed to avoid things like very sharp turns, narrow bridges and low-hanging overpasses — these features should be familiar to anyone who has ever used a navigation system or print atlas designed for long-haul truckers). 

The latter includes trail maps for off-the-beaten-track excursions. It’ll be interesting to see how these off-road maps interact with the Bronco’s new Trail Maps App feature, which allows you to document and share your off-road adventures with friends through the cloud.

One caveat: At least for the moment, this tech from Ford and Telenav only works on the Blue Oval’s latest Sync 4 system. Disappointingly, the less powerful, less sophisticated Sync 3 infotainment hardware in the upcoming unibody 2021 Ford Bronco Sport will not be able to take advantage of this tech. It’s just one more reason why the body-on-frame “big” Bronco is likely a better fit for those who plan to go off-road further and more often.

2021 Ford F-150 brings PowerBoost hybrid tech, OTA smarts

See all photos

+38 More

Want more 2021 Ford Bronco news? We’ve got you covered:

• 2021 Ford Bronco: Everything we know
• 2021 Ford Bronco Sport: All the official details
• Bronco vs. Wrangler: How these SUVs stack up
• 5 Bronco features that make it better than a Jeep
• 2021 Ford Bronco official pricing and trims
• 2021 Ford Bronco Sport official pricing and trims
• How to order your Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport
• The 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition is sold out
• 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition production doubled amid high demand
• How Ford designers screwed the Bronco in the best possible way
• New Ford Bronco reportedly has an 18-month waitlist

Contact
|
Public Files EEO
|
Careers
|
Advertising

FCC Public Inspection Files:
|
KOB
|
KOBF
|
KOBR
Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KOB via our online form or call 505-243-4411.

Privacy Policy
|
Terms of Use
|
DMCA Notice
|
Do Not Sell My Info
|
Contest Rules
|
Site Map

• 

  The Osceola County Board of Commissioners finance committee met virtually on June 25 to discuss options for saving the county money in light of possible reduce revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cost saving measures include possible reduced work hours, extended employee furloughs and changes to the employee retirement and health care plans. (Herald Review photo/Cathie Crew)

  less

  The Osceola County Board of Commissioners finance committee met virtually on June 25 to discuss options for saving the county money in light of possible reduce revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cost

  … more

Caption

Close

The Osceola County Board of Commissioners finance committee met virtually on June 25 to discuss options for saving the county money in light of possible reduce revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cost saving measures include possible reduced work hours, extended employee furloughs and changes to the employee retirement and health care plans. (Herald Review photo/Cathie Crew)

less

The Osceola County Board of Commissioners finance committee met virtually on June 25 to discuss options for saving the county money in light of possible reduce revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cost

… more

REED CITY — Looming budget shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic has county officials looking for ways to cut expenditures for fiscal year 2021.

The Osceola County Board of Commissioners finance committee began budget meetings in June to look for ways to trim their budget.

County treasurer Lori Leudeman presented the committee with ideas from various department heads that included revenue generating options, as well as revenue saving ideas.

Leudeman told the committee that Sheriff Ed Williams has suggested moving from a 37 1/2 hour work week to a 35 hour work week, saying if 10 employees’ weekly hours were reduced, it would result in a savings of 50 work hours each week.

“The exact monetary savings would depend on the employee’s rate of pay and what the employee pays into the retirement fund,” Leudeman said.

Another suggestion from the MSU Extension office was to combine work between employees and/or departments.

“They feel they need a person in the office every day, but that person could also take on work from other departments if they are shorthanded,” Leudeman said.

VanderPol added that sharing duties between departments is something the county has traditionally done.

“My office and the equalization department are sharing an employee,” Vander Pol said. “Additionally, we have held off on filling vacant positions for a while now.”

“There are times when we see a one-man office, for whatever reason, and I’ve told them if they need anything to call,” added County Clerk Karen Bluhm. “That’s’ just the way we do business. Most of the people in our building have been willing to do that.”

Leudeman told the committee they could expect a savings of around $46,000 in the general fund of monies budgeted for travel and conferences for 2020.

“We originally budgeted $53,000 for conference and travel expenses, and have only used $7,000,” Leudeman said. “So that is a savings of around $46,000.”

In addition, she said, there is an employee retiring and the new hire will come in at a lower level, so there may be some savings there, although she wasn’t sure of the amount.

County coordinator Susan Vander Pol said any savings on the new hire could potentially be offset by the cost of employee insurance, depending on what that employee signs up for, so they couldn’t really count on that savings.

Leudeman also told the committee there could be some potential general fund monies available in the Osceola County Home Repair Program fund.

The county receives funding from the federal housing commission to assist low income residents with home repairs. Once repairs are completed, there is a lien put on the property for the amount of the repairs. When the property sells, that money is paid back to the county.

According to Osceola County Community development Coordinator Dan Massey, the money coming back to the county this year is round $24,000. After deducting a percentage for administrative costs, there would be approximately $19,600 that could go back into the general fund, he said.

“The rule is if you take back less that $35,000, you can take the money and use it however you want,” Leudeman said. “If it is more than $35,000, you have to keep it in the housing fund and continue to do projects for people. He (Massey) suggested we take it for the general fund.”

Massey said the county currently has almost $700,000 still out on liens right now, but the amount that comes in each year ranges from $0 to $50,000.

Other cost saving measures being considered include changes in the employee retirement and health benefits program, extending the employee furlough program, and increasing the county operating millage.

According to Bluhm, the cost savings for the employee furlough for the seven weeks of the $600 federal stipend period comes to around $39,000.

BOC member Timothy Michell has suggested that the board extend the furlough program to the end of the year in order to save additional funds.

“If someone makes $1,300 per week, with the stipend they receive a bonus of $2,884 for the seven-week period.” Michell said. “If the stipend ends, and that employee remains on furlough, they would still receive a bonus of $1,600 per week, with the state paid portion of the unemployment. If we extended the program for five more weeks until the end of August, we could possibly save an additional $37,000.”

“Right now, it looks like they are going to bill us for the unemployment liability,” Bluhm said. “The workshare state funding was supposed to last through the state of emergency, and we thought we weren’t going to have to pay for the unemployment, but if we do, there goes the savings.”

“Most of these employees went willingly into the program thinking it would end when the stipend ended,” she continued. “They are taking a hit to help the general fund.”

VanderPol said they are not sure what the situation is with respect to the state paying the unemployment, but they are working to get the information they need.

“The workshare program is a federal program, and our understanding was that it would be covered, but now we just don’t know,” she said.

Leudeman suggested the BOC could propose a vote to get the county operations millage back up to 6.75 mills.

“We did have a roll back this year, the first one in 12 years, down to 6.399 mills,” she said. “That is something the board may want to discuss.”

Michell agreed that it was something they should consider.

“One mill typically generates around $650,000,” Michell said. “That increase would be about 4/10 of a mill, so that should be around $260,000 in additional funding.”

In addition, Leudeman said, the sheriff’s department is optimistic about increasing revenue with the jail space, as well as video visitation.

“Just like the visitors now pay for telephone visitation, they will pay for video visitation,” she said. “With all of it, they are looking at a possible revenue increase of $250,000 to $500,000.”

The BOC will be looking at cost saving changes to the employee retirement and health care programs in upcoming meetings.

“In a new program, you could have a defined contribution plan limiting what the county’s contribution will be, and you can eliminate the long term liability because it is treated like a 401K,” VanderPol said. “Getting new employees into a finite plan will be beneficial to the county in the long run.”

A survey is being sent out to all county employees to get input on cost saving ideas, including employee benefits, and reduced working hours.

The finance committee will meet at 9:30 a.m., Sept. 30.

For information on how to participate in the meeting visit Osceola-county.org, or call (231) 832-3261.

I have a gross confession: I love talking about money—my personal finance goals, my desire to be financially secure, my plan to get there (which is usually discussed while devouring an overpriced takeout dinner with my roommate). I am my own worst enemy, but talking about money with other people helps me as a chatty financial extrovert, one of the eight financial personality types in Fidelity’s Money Personality Quiz. Oh, you didn’t know that there were financial personality types?

The Money Personality Quiz helps diagnose how you navigate the world of finances—and where you might be a little weak. It’s a simple way to overview your common habits and reassess your outlook when needed. For example, it’s good that I seek the wisdom of others; without it, I get a little too deep into retail therapy. On the other hand, not everyone is a financial wizard, and my roommate’s advice when I ask “Should I buy this?” will always be “Treat yourself.” So you see the problem here.

So after you take the quiz, scroll down to see each kind of financial personality type, and how the pitfalls of each can best be managed.

Learn more about your financial personality type

Extrovert

This is anyone who isn’t really afraid to talk about money. It’s a regular part of your conversations, and you like to seek financial advice versus flying solo with others. If you’re a fancy, you might be into an Investment Club, or you might benefit from getting a budget buddy to keep you accountable.

“Don’t just follow the crowd,” says Kelly Lannan, who serves as vice president of young investors at Fidelity Investments. “Although talking with others about money is a great way to learn new strategies, some financial advice might not be the right fit for your personal situation. Consider speaking with a financial professional or using a financial advisor as a sounding board for your ideas before you move forward with them.”

Adventurer

Adventurers are financial risk-takers, those who are looking to optimize and expand your financial portfolio. You might have some eclectic stock options, or maybe you put your money into bizarre genius start-ups. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes.

---

---

“Be cautious of ‘hot trends,’” says Lannan. “While Adventurers are likely to diversify your investments, it can also create too much risk in your portfolio and might undermine your ability to reach your long-term financial goals.”

Planner

The planner does exactly as expected. If you’re a planner, you’re someone who lives and dies by structure, and always has their budget calculator out (even if it’s just on your iPhone). You know exactly what’s in your savings account and keep track of every digit spent or save. You are that beautiful unicorn that has a hard five year plan of what you’re going to do with your money, and it’s pretty rigid.

“Trust your plan and don’t overthink it—you put it in place for a reason,” says Lannan. “Reward yourself occasionally and splurge on something that would make you or your family happy or save you valuable time.”

Solo Flyer

If the idea of a shared bank account makes you clutch your pearls, you’re probably a Solo Flyer. You lean towards technological options when it comes to money management and advice, you kind of don’t want others in on the dialogue. Also, chances are you’re faithfully subscribed to a financial podcast. I get it, but know you don’t have to be alone in this.

“Though talking to someone about your finances might sound uncomfortable, it never hurts to get a second opinion,” says Lannan. “There’s no limit to the amount of good information you can mine online, but everyone’s personal situation is different. And, many financial firms give you the option to speak with someone over the phone or even meet by video.”

Defender

Your eyes are glued to the market, and you’re always a little protective of what might happen nexts. You’re more likely to back off from a financial investment the second it no longer looks desirable.

“Take a deep breath — consider when you actually need to withdraw the money,” Lannan says. “While pulling money out of a falling market could help you avoid further losses in the short term, history shows that reactionary changes to long-term investment goals will likely lose you money over the long haul.”

Skeptic

Finally, Skeptics are the many of us who have felt the crushing financial inequity of being a millennial (or living in America during its most recent economic hardship). You fear the future, you expect the worst, but on the upswing you’re protective enough with your money that you’re not going to invest in anything without reason.

“To manage volatility and help grow your money at the same time, consider diversifying—spreading your money across different investments—with a mix of stocks, bonds and cash savings that you can be comfortable with over the long term,” says Lannan.

Creature of Habit

Creatures of Habit adhere to classic money saving schemes, and don’t focus on a lot of risk. You’re good at staying the course, but if something blows up, then there’s not much of a back-up plan.

“Your preference for familiar investments could lead you to put too many eggs in too few baskets,” says Lannan “For example, many people invest too much in their own company stock or a brand they love. That’s why diversification—spreading your money across different investments — is so important.”

Optimist

You’re willing to invest your long-term savings in the stock market, trusting that it’ll inflate over time. Your positive outlook keeps you from bugging about money.

“While optimism and confidence are positive in general, being too optimistic or confident can make you trade too much, take on too much risk, and blind you to the reality of how your investments are performing,” says Lannan.  “An annual review of your portfolio might be a good gut check to compare your positive perception with an actual analysis of your accounts.”