Increase the deductibles on your insurance policies. You can save some money by increasing the deductibles on insurance policies. If you can afford it in the event you have to file a claim, consider deductibles of $1,000 or more on your homeowners or renters and your auto insurance policies. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much your premiums will decline.

Reimburse your employer for your disability insurance premium. You may think this is a crazy idea, but if you pay disability insurance premiums, any benefits you receive will be tax-free.  If your employer pays your disability insurance premiums the benefits will be taxable.  So reimbursing your employer for your disability insurance premium could make a big difference in how much you collect at a time when you could use really use the money. 

Pay off your mortgage sooner rather than later. One of the best things you can do for your financial wellbeing is to pay off your mortgage before or soon after you retire. Owning a mortgage free home will so improve your retirement budget that it will be hard not to be able to afford to retire. The problem is, many homeowners used their homes as personal piggybanks in years past by refinancing or home equity loans. But even if you have large balances, you can still shorten the time it takes to pay off the loans. For example, consider someone who has a $200,000 mortgage with 25 years to go. Adding an extra $200 a month on top of the regular mortgage payment will shorten the mortgage payoff by a decade. In other words, it will be paid off in 15 years, rather than 25.

How long has it been since you have reviewed your will?  Preparing a will is a great step forward in your financial planning, and once a will is done, you can pretty much sit back and relax, knowing you have provided for your loved ones in the event the unexpected - but inevitable - arises. Remember, however, that there may be changes in your life that require a change in your will or durable power of attorney or advance directive. Changes in marital status, the arrival of children, or a change in your financial situation may necessitate a review of your will. But your will and other documents may need to be changed even though your personal situation has not. Changes in the federal and state estate tax regulations, and there may be a lot of that on the horizon, may require a revision in your will. The only way to know for sure is to ask your attorney. That's a good thing to do every few years. Incidentally, one reason I'm not very enthusiastic about do-it-yourself wills is that you don't have an attorney to consult about the possible need to make a change in your estate plans.