3 Ways to Find Financial Happiness This Year

(Family Features) Whether a Millennial keen to put down roots and buy a house in the near future, a Gen Xer intent on nourishing credit health to keep life goals on track or a Boomer who wants to ensure their finances are in order before retirement, good credit health matters. A majority of Americans feel it directly correlates with their overall happiness, too.

Three-out-of-five people say that a higher credit score plays an important role in their happiness, according to the Chase Slate 2016 Credit Outlook. Yet 30 percent of Americans have not checked their credit score in the last year and, of those, one-in-five elected to stay in the dark out of fear their score might be low.

Farnoosh Torabi, personal finance expert and Chase Slate financial education partner, suggests taking action now to let go of the fear factor and find financial happiness with these tips:

Don’t fear the future. Plan for it.

Did you dip into savings last year, or maybe not manage to save much at all? Instead of worrying about depleted savings, put your energy toward refueling that account immediately. A good rule of thumb is to have six to nine months of savings to cover necessary expenses in the event of an emergency, like a job loss or disability. Beyond savings, take time to make sure you’ve got all of the proper protections in place, from health to life insurance and homeowners to auto insurance.

Get up-close and personal with your credit standing.

Financial unknowns can be scary at first, but you’ve got to understand where you stand now to be able to figure out where you can go next. Turns out top-notch credit can be your golden ticket to securing an affordable mortgage or qualifying for the best interest rates. So take a deep breath and check your credit score (for free, if you can). The Chase Slate Credit Dashboard empowers customers to get to know their credit standing with access to a free monthly FICO score and the specific positive and negative factors behind it.

Raise your hand… and your voice.

If you’re feeling uninspired by a “9 to 5” job, find ways to act like an entrepreneur within your role. Taking on new responsibilities or proactively inventing new systems can make you stand out both within your company and your industry, which may bring financial rewards. Don’t be afraid to ask for the pay raise you deserve – just do your homework first. Take time to understand your company’s financial position, research your market value and prepare a case study of your achievements and value.

For more tips to improve credit health and find financial happiness, visit Chase.com/news.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (couple packing)