Citizens Bank encourages consumers to establish their savings goals and consider some budgeting strategies as part of a financial tune up for 2012.

“The beginning of a new year is the perfect time for consumers to review their finances and to conduct a simple financial tune-up that can help them recognize any patterns they want to change or new opportunities to save in the year ahead,” said Daniel K. Kilpatrick, Citizens Bank president and CEO for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

“We encourage our customers, and all consumers, to take the time to review their records for 2011, write down their financial goals and start thinking about their household budgets for 2012.”

The bank suggests the following checklist for an annual checkup: identify financial goals for the year, build a budget, eliminate or reduce debt, establish automatic savings by having part of your paycheck direct-deposited into a savings account, evaluate your retirement savings strategy, check your credit reports and seek advice from a banker, financial adviser or accountant.

These financial tips will help consumers identify opportunities to end 2012 in better financial shape than they started.

The following programs are also available to Citizens Bank customers as they pursue their financial goals in 2012: GoalTrack Savings, a program that offers bonuses to customers; CollegeSaver accounts that offer financial incentives to families saving money for college; Homebuyer Savings, a program that offers $1,000 toward the closing cost of a Citizens Bank mortgage to savers who have saved $100 a month for 36 months; and the Value Plan, a program that offers a new set of features for checking accounts.

Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc. a $131 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.