By Christen N. McCluney
September 6, 2011

It’s a new month and a great time to plan for the rest of the year. Here are five financial to-dos as we kick off this month:

• Check your credit score. Doing this at least twice a year will make you aware of changes in your score, see if there are any errors and can help you decide if you need to make changes in your spending habits.

• Clean out your closet. All the clothes and even electronics you have laying around that you don’t use can be donated to charity. Giving these things away will produce a nice write off during tax season. Just make sure you get a receipt so you can itemize your donation when tax season comes around.

• Start thinking about holiday plans. If you know you are heading home for the holiday season start checking out prices on flights and hotels now. The closer you get to the more prices will start to increase. Even if you only browse now you have an idea of how much you need to save.

• Think about your budget and gift ideas for the holiday season. Having a plan in order will prevent you from overspending and will keep you alert in case you see an item ahead of time.

• Write a financial mission statement. This statement lays out what you want in the future and how you plan on getting there by investing, saving, giving to charity or simply spending less. Having a clear statement written down (and posted) will keep you on track in your financial decision-making.

What can you add to your financial to-do list?