(WHTM) — This is the time of year when many of us do a little spring cleaning. But, you should not just tidy up your house. It’s also a great opportunity to tidy up some finances as well

A new Credit Karma survey shows 76% of Americans say they have made at least one financial mistake in 2022. The key is not to repeat them this year. Financial expert Courtney Alev said the number one mistake is not saving enough money.

“With everything going on in the world from high inflation to economic uncertainty this is a really great time to check in on your finances and make sure you’re set up for success,” Alev said. “We really recommend that folks make it a priority to save, whether that’s for an emergency fund, to get out of debt, or buy a house someday, building that habit is really important.”

Inflation is obviously having a big impact on our finances this year. While we cannot control the prices, we can do things that lessen the pain.

“Now more than ever is a great time to check in on your budget, especially as so many necessities like gas and groceries are getting more expensive. You want to take a moment to look and see how much am I spending each month on these items. With the price of certain things going, look for areas where you can potentially cut back,” Alev said.

That can be as simple as canceling streaming services you do not use, or even eating out less. And, if you don’t have one, start a budget. It is important to keep track of how much money you have coming in, and how much you need to spend on necessities like rent and food.

“The number one tip we have for saving is to pay yourself first. Many people make the mistake of waiting until the end of the month, and they’ll plan to put some money away then. Chances are if you do that, the money will be gone,” Alev said.

Instead, on the day you get paid, Immediately transfer some of that into a savings account. Alev said if you can’t see it, you can’t spend it. Alev said that finical goals do not have to be big, such as buying a house or paying off a debt. Set small goals that are achievable.

“If you’re trying to save an emergency cash cushion of a few hundred dollars, which a lot of Americans don’t have, really celebrate hitting that first $100 of savings milestone. It will make it a lot more likely that you’ll be motivated to keep going,” Alev said.

Now is the time to set goals and focus on saving, with the cost of everything going up, this is not the time to bury your head in the sand.

“Instead of just running away from that and feeling like it’s something that has to happen. Taking that chance to look at your budget, see if there’s areas you can cut back, will really help that next year, so you’re not looking back at 2023 and thinking of all the financial mistakes you made,” Alev said.

Many people are getting tax refunds this time of year, Alev said you should use that to put a dent into your debt or jump-start your savings.