You go to your doctors for preventative checkups. Why should finances be any different? With these eight simple steps you can rest assured you're on the path towards a clean financial bill of health. So light a candle, grab a blanket, and cozy up with this checklist!

✔ Take inventory.

Make a complete list of your assets and liabilities. Assets are things with monetary value that you own. Some examples include: money in a checking and/or savings accounts, stocks, or a car or house you own, etc. Liabilities are what you owe, or your debt. Liabilities could include car payments, student debt, credit card debt, mortgage payments, etc. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just get it all written down in one place.

✔ Get clear on your financial goals.

Set aside time to let your mind daydream about short and long term financial goals. How do you want your money to support the life you dream of? Write down what comes up! It may mean becoming debt free or saving for a downpayment. Whatever you want, get clear about it so you can start setting aside your money to reach those financial goals! If your finances are intertwined with your partner make sure you talk about this together.

✔ Build your emergency fund.

Start building an emergency fund of three to six months. We’ve all seen how quickly the state of the world and the economy can shift beneath us. With three to six months of expenses saved, you’ll have mental ease knowing you have a safety net. As Scar in The Lion King would say “Be Prepared”!

✔ Automate contributions towards your savings goals.

Hoping to save up for a downpayment? Looking to increase your 401K retirement contributions? Automate your accounts to make automatic withdrawals so you don't need to rely on willpower. Set up recurring withdrawal(s) from your checking account to your specific saving(s) or other account(s). You won't be tempted to spend money you can’t see in your checking account and it will help guarantee that you hit your financial goals first!

✔ Utilize high yield savings accounts.

Move your emergency fund and other savings accounts to an online high yield savings account. High yield savings accounts can offer significantly higher interest. Many online savings accounts offer as little as .01% Annual Percentage Yield (think interest) vs 1% APY. This is basically MAGIC MONEY, folks! Check out nerdwallet.com for monthly ratings on great savings accounts.

✔ Check your credit score.

Good credit is important! It can help us score good interest rates when we want to borrow money to finance purchases like a house or a car. Make sure you know your credit score. You can request one free copy of your credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting agencies at AnnualCreditReport.com.

✔ Make a plan to tackle your debt.

If you have debt, you are not alone! If you haven't already, it's time to buckle up and develop a plan so you feel good about taking control over your debt and not letting it control you! As a rule of thumb, it's best to pay off high-interest debt first. In general, anything with an interest rate above 5% or 6%.

✔ Rinse and repeat.

Have financial checkins regularly. Like anything, the more you do them the easier it gets and the more comfortable you will feel! Keep in mind, this is hard work both emotionally and mentally. Treat yourself with a small reward that feels good to you. Bubble bath, glass of wine, whatever feels good to you. It doesn't need to be expensive to feel good!