It takes the average American 13 hours to file their taxes. Many people openly admit to being confused when it comes to their money, or simply ignoring their bank accounts until they run out or the next paycheck comes in. While it can seem less stressful to live life in blissful ignorance, willfully unaware about the ins and outs of your bank account, this can actually end up leaving you in a lot of trouble. It is much more empowering to have control of your bank account, and if you want to improve this and take back your finances, here are four ways to get better at saving money

Check Your Bank Account Regularly

Checking your bank account regularly is something many people avoid doing at all costs, often because they don’t care or are simply too scared of what they might find. Granted, yes, it’s very disheartening to look at your bank account and see that you have only a few dollars left, or worse, that you are overdrawn, but the only way to properly prevent this from happening again is to keep a wary eye on your bank account at all times. Set a goal to check your bank account once a day for a month and you might be surprised at how much more responsible you become with your money. With the advent of mobile and online banking, checking your bank account has never been easier, so long as you have a smartphone

Look Out For Deals

Keep a keen eye out for deals that can save you money. It may not seem like a lot, but saving a few dollars here and there adds up in the long run to create more money for you. Another option is to look out for opportunities to grab freebies, which you can find on websites such as frugalfabulousfinds.com.

Find An App

Having several different bank accounts, all with different bills coming out or income streams going in can get very confusing. Checking them all every day can also seem overwhelming and making a budget can seem downright impossible. This is where apps come in. There are plenty of different apps out there that can help you to get your finances in order, but some of the most popular ones are Mint and You Need A Budget. These apps can help you to organize your finances and bills, pay off your debts, and set a reasonable budget for yourself so that you have some money saved up every month.

Cut Down On Unnecessary Spending

Lastly, try to make a concerted effort to cut down on your bad spending habits. Ask yourself whether you really need to go out for the third time this week, or if you would be better off making yourself a coffee at home instead of buying it at a ridiculous price at Starbucks. Cutting down on even the smallest of unnecessary spending habits can save you heaps of money in the long run. Think about it whenever you’re buying a new product too by checking out price comparison sites like Only Reviews.

Having a comfortable amount of savings to fall back on in hard times is incredibly important, and goes a long way to giving you some extra peace of mind. Hopefully, this has helped to inspire you to start taking control over your finances and save more money.