Smart moves when cash is tighter than time

Lots of people have more time than money nowadays. If you’re one — maybe you’re taking a staycation or you freed up commuting hours by working from home — optimize that extra time by making smart financial moves that won’t cost a dime.

“If you have time but no money, it’s time to become the best version of yourself,” says Ryan J. Marshall, a financial adviser in Wyckoff, New Jersey. “What separates successful people from people who struggle financially is often how they spend the time they are given each day.”

From the quick-and-simple to the more-involved, here are ideas to create your personalized money to-do list when you have more available hours than dollars.

Set goals

This is the obligatory recommendation to develop a household budget, perhaps using the 50/30/20 method to divvy up needs, wants, and savings or debt repayment. But creating a budget should be about liberation, not deprivation — about finding money to spend on things you care about and cutting ruthlessly on things you don’t.

MORE FREE MONEY MOVES » Calculate your current net worth (all you own minus all you owe); calculate a nest egg amount for retirement.

Assess spending

Recurring expenses are the black hole of regretful spending. Examine your credit and debit card statements to identify subscriptions and re-justify them. When a recurring expense makes the cut, try to get a better price — we’re looking at you, cable, internet and cellphone bills.

One big potential payoff? Compare auto insurance premiums by yourself or with help. “It can be a pretty painless process, by just forwarding your current insurance to a broker and having them shop it with multiple carriers,” says Autumn K. Campbell, a certified financial planner in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Some brokers work on commission only and don’t charge a fee.

MORE FREE MONEY MOVES » Plan a “spending fast” (no spending for a number of days); learn about online cash-back