Money Monday: Your Midyear Money Checkup Starts Now

June Is Halftime For Your Money

On Money Monday with Get Up Mornings With Erica Campbell, financial expert Jini Thornton said the year’s halfway point is the perfect time for a “midyear money checkup.” June offers a natural pause to assess where you really are financially, revisit goals or set new ones. Jini stressed that many of us are just existing with our money instead of intentionally building something. Her first instruction was simple: slow down, look at your numbers and decide what your true priorities need to be for the rest of the year.

Step One: Assess, Don’t Just Assume

Jini said the keyword for this season is assess. That means asking hard but hopeful questions: Are you actually moving toward debt freedom, savings targets or investment goals, or just paying bills and hoping for the best? Taking time now to evaluate income, spending, debt and saving patterns sets you up to make smarter choices in the second half of the year. Without that honest review, goals stay vague and progress stays random.

Use The Benefits You’re Already Paying For

A big blind spot in many budgets is employee benefits. Jini pointed out that we spend a lot on health, vision and dental plans, yet they are “grossly underutilized.” Midyear is an ideal time to schedule checkups, dental cleanings, eye exams and other covered visits you may have been putting off. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) for contacts, prescriptions or medical co‑pays, start using it intentionally now instead of rushing to spend it in December. Planning those appointments across the remaining months protects your health and prevents wasted dollars.

Plan Now For Big Second‑Half Expenses

Jini also urged listeners to think ahead about major expenses coming later this year. That includes back‑to‑school costs, big household purchases like appliances and, yes, holiday spending. None of these surprises us; they arrive every year on schedule. Since we “know for sure” they’re coming, she said, there is no reason to be thrown off when they hit. Building them into your financial plan now lets you save gradually instead of scrambling or reaching for high‑interest credit cards.

Didn’t Save Yet? Start With Automation And Separation

For those who promised themselves they would save this year but never got started, Jini was clear: you still can. Her two keywords are automation and separation. Automation means having savings come directly out of your paycheck so you are not relying on willpower to transfer money later. Separation means parking that money in a different bank or account where you have no debit card and limited online access. “Know thyself,” she said; many people only save successfully when they create distance between themselves and their savings.

Listeners can follow her at @JiniThornton and explore her Legacy Life Organizer at legacylifeorganizer.com to get their affairs and legacy plan in order while they tune up their finances.