Money Fix: Spring cleaning for finances

Giving your house a spring cleaning? Bet your finances need a good cleanup, too.

Dig out. Know where you stand. Review bills. If you're still paying off the holidays, "do not plan a summer vacation," says Karen Carlson, director of education for InCharge Debt Solutions. Set goals for drastically reducing or getting rid of [debts] by year-end.

Strategize. Consider refinancing your mortgage before rates creep up, says Katie Coleman, an adviser with Ameriprise Financial in Melville.

Automate savings to help battle temptation.

Take a good look at your banking fees. If they're too high, shop around and switch, if it makes good financial sense.

Start a Health Savings Account. If you have a qualifying high-deductible health insurance plan, you can save money tax-free for future medical expenses, says eHealthInsurance.com consumer specialist Keith Mendonsa.

Don't pay for benefits you don't need. If you have an individually purchased health plan and you're paying for benefits you don't use, contact your health insurance company and see if you can adjust coverage. For example, you might be able to save money by dropping coverage for brand-name drugs and switching to generic only.

Evaluate the skills of your professionals, just like baseball managers do their team members. "Do you have the right financial adviser, accountant, attorney? If not, it's time to make a trade," Coleman says.

Smart moves now are like planting seeds, but instead of a colorful bloom, it's your bank account that will blossom.